MIKE HILTON
Cornerback
HOUSTON – If you play in the defensive backfield for the Pittsburgh Steelers and you do something that hadn't been done since Troy Polamalu in 2005, you have done something special.
In the 34-6 victory over the Houston Texans that raised the Steelers record to 12-3 and clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs, Hilton finished the game with six tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble. The three sacks were the most for a Steelers defensive back in a game since Polamalu did it 2005 – oddly enough also in a game against the Texans in Houston, that one coming on Sept. 18 – and the most by a Steelers player in a game this season.
Hilton is the Steelers Digest Player of the Week.
Also considered were Cam Heyward, who had four tackles and was right behind Hilton with two sacks; Ben Roethlisberger, who completed 20-of-29 (69 percent) for 226 yards, with two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 115.0; Le'Veon Bell, who rushed for 69 yards on 14 carries (4.9 average) and had a 10-yard touchdown, while also catching five passes for 28 more yards; JuJu Smith-Schuster, who was part of the group filling the hole created by the injury to Antonio Brown and caught six passes for 75 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown; Sean Spence, who was tied for the team lead with eight tackles and added a sack; and Artie Burns who had two tackles and an interception in the end zone on fourth down early in the second quarter to preserve what was at the time a 10-0 Steelers lead.
