Sad News: Pittsburgh Steelers defense appeared to leave in for a difficult………………

The Pittsburgh Steelers defense appeared to be in for a difficult season finale in the middle of December. Because the team’s inside linebackers and safeties had been disappearing like flies, Cameron Heyward and the Steelers defense were finding it difficult to perform many of the tasks that they had performed well when they were healthy in the past.

But additions to the practice squad, like Eric Rowe, the safety, helped keep things in check.

In his postgame press conference in Week 18, Heyward gave Rowe high praise following Pittsburgh’s third straight victory.

Heyward said to reporters, “Man, I do not know how he was not on a damn team.” “But, man, that guy really went all out, and we really needed it.”

For two months this season, Rowe—who turned 31 in October—was not a member of an NFL team. On September 19, the Carolina Panthers announced the safety. After Week 11, Rowe signed a contract with the Steelers.

Rowe played in all three of Pittsburgh’s regular season finale victories despite not playing in any of the team’s first fifteen games. In those three games, he racked up 29 total tackles, including 1 tackle for loss, 2 pass defenses, 1 forced fumble, and 1 interception.

What Steelers Defense and Cameron Heyward Have Gained from Eric Rowe
On November 20, Rowe became a member of the Steelers practice squad. It ended up being one of the squad’s most significant acquisitions of 2023.

Security Due to injuries, Trenton Thompson and Minkah Fitzpatrick had to leave the game in Week 15. Also lost to an ejection and subsequent suspension that week was safety Damontae Kazee of the Steelers.

It left head coach Mike Tomlin with no option but to give Rowe a higher ranking for Week 16. By making a fantastic safety play to cover a huge gap in Pittsburgh’s defense, Rowe rewarded Tomlin.

On December 23, Rowe made his Steelers debut and participated in 95% of the team’s defensive snaps. In Weeks 17 and 18, he then participated in 86% and 91% of the team’s defensive snaps, respectively.

In his combined tackle totals against the Baltimore Ravens and Seattle Seahawks, Rowe recorded at least ten. On January 6, he led the team with 12 combined tackles, forced a fumble, and helped the team win 17-10 over the Ravens.

If the Steelers had lost to the Buffalo Bills or Jacksonville Jaguars on January 7, it is highly unlikely that they would have been in position to qualify for the postseason without Rowe, as well as fellow practice squad member Myles Jack.

Is Rowe a Good Fit for the Steelers’ Prospective Playoff Game?
An NFL team may only promote a player from the practice squad three times during the regular season. Every one of the last three weeks, the Steelers have elevated Rowe and Jack.

Luckily for Pittsburgh, though, there are modifications to the rules in the postseason. A team may select a member of the practice squad for game days an infinite number of times.

This implies that Rowe and every other member of the Steelers practice squad are eligible to play in as many postseason games as Pittsburgh plays.

This is Rowe’s ninth season in the NFL. In2015, the Philadelphia Eagles selected him in the second round of the draft to start his career. However, before Rowe could begin his second season, the Eagles traded him to the New England Patriots.

Rowe spent three seasons winning two Super Bowls with the Patriots. He then spent four years as a player for the Miami Dolphins.

Rowe has 410 total tackles in nine years, including 43 pass defenses, 6 interceptions, 2 sacks, 8 tackles for loss, and 43 pass defenses.