JAMES CONNER
Running Back
It was what the Steelers needed, and it was what they needed at exactly the time they needed it most. Sunday's game at Heinz Field against the Houston Texans was an uphill slog for the Steelers through much of the game, but the fourth quarter belonged to them, and a result they are 3-0.
On the 79-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that provided the margin of victory, James Conner caught a pass for 8 yards, and carried four times for 35 yards, including the 12-yard go-ahead touchdown. Then in the possession that drained the clock and iced the outcome, Conner carried three times for 30 yards. Conner finished with 109 yards on 18 carries (6.1 average) and the one touchdown to go along with four catches for 40 more yards. On a day when he finished with 149 yards from scrimmage in the Steelers' 28-21 victory, Conner is the Steelers Digest Player of the Week.
Also considered were Ben Roethlisberger, who completed 23-of-36 (63.9 percent) for 237 yards, with two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a rating of 101.3; T.J. Watt, who had four tackles, one sack, and four hits on the quarterback; Stephon Tuitt, who had four tackles, including one for loss, a sack, and four hits on the quarterback; Mike Hilton, who had seven tackles, including one for loss, and the interception that started the Steelers on their game-winning touchdown drive; and JuJu Smith-Schuster, who caught four passes for 43 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown, plus a two-point conversion reception that doesn't count on his individual statistics.
