Steelers' Minkah Fitzpatrick, Not Teryl Austin, Called Amazing Game-Winning Audible Versus Packers

The Pittsburgh Steelers improved to 6-3 after a nerve-racking 23-19 win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 10. Like only Mike Tomlin-led teams know how, the contest came down to the waning moments, despite the Steelers seeming to dominate throughout the matchup. The victory came with some bad news as it appears the organization lost their second inside linebacker for the season in just a matter of two weeks. Kwon Alexander reportedly tore his achilles and will not return at any point in the 2023 season. Pittsburgh desperately needs safety, Minkah Fitzpatrick back from his hamstring ailment.

A ton of criticism throughout the season has been thrown in the direction of Offensive Coordinator, Matt Canada, and rightfully so. One could argue, however, that Defensive Coordinator, Teryl Austin is just as much of a liability to Pittsburgh. His defense ranks well within the bottom half of the league in rushing, passing and total yards allowed per game. Splash plays are the only reason the unit has earned a ton of respect throughout the league.

The defense almost caved on Sunday during the Packers' final drive, but the "bend, don't break" approach was apparent once again. With three seconds left, Tomlin called a timeout as Green Bay sat on the Steelers' 16-yard line. It's not for the reason many might think. According to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, Fitzpatrick was livid about the play-call on the sidelines and wanted the defense to make a switch.

It's incredible to think how lucky Pittsburgh is to have a guy like Fitzpatrick. The future Hall of Fame candidate might be sidelined due to an injury, but he impacted Sunday's win in a big way. The decision to change the original call proves how much faith that both Tomlin and Austin have in their All-Pro safety.

Anyone can read Kaboly's full analysis here. He went into detail about what exactly transpired and, after the game, Fitzpatrick spoke to some members of the media to describe his thought process about what he wanted to be called.

"Yeah, I had an idea. So me and [defensive backs coach] Grady [Brown] talked [Austin] into changing it.”

There are no complaints coming from the fan base after the big game-winning interception from safety, Damontae Kazee. Defensive backs coach, Grady Brown, will likely be on a short list to replace Austin if Tomlin decides to make a change in the 2024 offseason. His belief in Fitzpatrick and the group putting their ideas together as a whole is what led to the Steelers having seven guys guard the goal line on the final play of the game.

Pittsburgh's staff and Fitzpatrick were confident that any ball thrown underneath would end in a game-winning tackle and they were fine living with Jordan Love dumping the ball off to a safety valve. It's hard to ignore, however, that an injured player had the wherewithal to stand up to the team's defensive play-caller and demand a change of play.

Steelers Enter Huge Two-Game Stretch In Weeks 11 And 12

Pittsburgh is looking to finish the month of November strong after an extremely dramatic last couple of games. It will be no easy task as the team has to travel to play the Cleveland Browns and then Cincinnati Bengals. The Steelers are 2-0 in AFC North play, and it will be a miracle if they can trot into December at 8-3. The more realistic expectation is to split the two contests, but overall, Fitzpatrick returning from injury would be a great boost for the unit.

Are you surprised that Fitzpatrick is essentially calling plays from the sideline while injured? Let us know in the comments below!

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