The Pittsburgh Steelers eked out a win against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday night, 16-15. The Steelers moved to 2-0 this preseason and while many are focused on the emergence of Kenny Pickett, the victories have another common thread. Late in both games, rookie middle linebacker, Mark Robinson made a huge defensive play to alter the course of the game for the black and gold.
Looks like the Mark Robinson strip sack essentially fooled Drew Lock. He did not see Robinson coming.
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) August 14, 2022
Steelers as usual blitzed their nickel this game, especially Maulet a lot, so Lock may have expected something there. But Robinson blitzes backside.pic.twitter.com/3wcBfeyriQ
George Pickens and Pickett have gotten most of the positive attention since Pittsburgh started training camp. It may be past due to recognize that Robinson is more than a gamer, he is clutch. He was drafted by the Steelers with their first pick in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Robinson worked his way through two colleges at running back before transferring to Ole Miss in 2020. He had spent his entire collegiate career as a running back, but in 2021, he converted to linebacker.
OXFORD, MS - NOVEMBER 13: Ole Miss Rebels linebacker Mark Robinson (35) flexes after making a tackle during the game between the Ole Miss Rebels and the Texas A&M Aggies on November 13, 2021, at Vaught-Hemingway Stadiumin Oxford, Ms. (Photo by Chris McDill/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Robinson spent 2021 as a mike linebacker and special teams player for Ole Miss. He finished second on the team in tackles, and as a fifth-year senior, had 8.5 tackles for loss and 3 sacks. Robinson demonstrated against SEC competition that he had potential on defense, but his eligibility ran out before he could hone his craft further. He demonstrated athleticism at the NFL Combine, and scouts gave him credit for his willingness to seek contact, strength in shedding blocks and being an above average defender against the run despite very little experience at the position.
Kevin Colbert and the Steelers decided that Robinson was intriguing as a prospect and decided to draft him. Colbert spent a career pulling late round gems out of the NFL Draft and with his second to last pick of a storied career, he seems to have done it again. The rookie linebacker has progressed throughout camp, and he is getting better and better with every snap. The Steelers have a Devin Bush sized hole in their 3-4 defense and based on the current state of outside help available, they are going to have to look inward.
Robert Spillane would be the natural choice on the surface, because like Robinson, he has demonstrated that he is also a willing run defender. However, the fifth-year veteran is also considered to be a liability in pass coverage. Spillane is a good special teams player too and a solid rotational piece, but he has also been brittle missing time due to injuries to his shoulder and knee. The other option is to play Robinson next to Myles Jack.
Steelers.com
Robinson has made mistakes on the field, but against the Seattle Seahawks when it looked like Pickett being stopped on fourth down would lead to a possible last-minute victory by the Seahawks, the Steelers rookie changed the game. He jumped off the ball with a little over a minute left and stalked Drew Lock. Bearing down on the Seahawks quarterback, Robinson described his game changing strip sack in the locker room after the game.
"I was just trying to focus on getting the ball carrier," Robinson said after the game. "I was swiping at it, and I knew that if it came out, we'd get on it and make a play."
The Steelers recovered the ball and Pickett and Tyler Vaughns combined for the winning touchdown 72 seconds later.
Against the Jaguars, when the Steelers came back out for the second half, Robinson entered the game at linebacker and played most of the remainder of the game. The defense gave up three extended drives to backup quarterbacks CJ Beathard and EJ Perry. Mason Rudolph, Vaughns and Tyler Snead combined to give the Steelers the lead with just under two minutes to play, 16-15. That's when they turned the game over to the defense. The Jaguars started at their own 23-yard line and after fellow rookie DeMarvin Leal started the drive with a sack of Perry, Perry then found Kevin Austin Jr., the rookie from Notre Dame for 21 yards for a first down.
The next play did not result in a turnover or a tackle for loss, but it was a huge moment. Perry found Tim Jones who led the Jaguars in receptions and yards for the game in the flat and it looked like he had room to run. Robinson seemed as if he was shot out of a cannon and brought down Jones for a two-yard gain. It kept Jones in bounds and the Jaguars were forced to use their first timeout. A few plays later, the Jaguars were forced to attempt a 57-yard field goal which they missed, and the Steelers held on for the victory.
Devin Bush better be on a short leash because man, this Mark Robinson dude can ball out. Looks like the Colbert found another late round gem. pic.twitter.com/AZx3p4mJUh
— Collin Schmitt (@collinlschmitt) August 21, 2022
Robinson is a late round rookie draft pick, and he is going to make mistakes. Like Spillane, he would be a liability in coverage initially, but as a former running back, it is not unthinkable that he could develop the skill. In two opportunities to play against opposing teams, he has demonstrated that he does not shrink in big moments. Robinson has come up big two weeks in a row and unlike the current starting linebacker in Bush, he seems interested in attacking opposing ball carriers and laying his body on the line for the good of the team.
Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Devin Bush (#55) injured on the sideline in the first half. | Joshua Gunter / Cleveland.com
Based on the current options, the Steelers could do a lot worse than a willing newcomer that is entering his second year playing the position. It is not ideal, but the Bush experiment needs to be over. He may be saving himself for the regular season, but that is not how Steelers linebackers conduct themselves. It is very unlikely a switch will go on against the Cincinnati Bengals, and if the black and gold are going to gamble, then betting on a rookie with a knack for making big plays to develop next to Jack at least has upside.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Who do you want to see next to Myles Jack when the regular season starts? Please comment below or on my Twitter @thebubbasq.
