Surprise of the year??

[FrancoLambert]

I believe JU-Ju would win a fan poll. However, I have to give it to Mike Hilton.
The guy makes big plays in almost every game.
Also, with what he's put on tape I'm surprised teams have been unable to negate the impact of his corner blitzes.
Considering his draft status, I'd have to give it to him.

Thank you Senquez Golson!

[SteelerFanInStl]

Hilton was immediately who I thought of when I read the thread title. The dude has just been amazing. Such a great find. He is exactly what we thought we'd get from Senquez.

[st33lersguy]

Easy choice is Hilton, undrafted rookie has been a playmaker

[Fire Goodell]

Agreed with Hilton but who thought Haden would sign with us? With the addition of Haden, Hilton, and Sutton, our secondary can be elite, if it isn't already

[DesertSteel]

Agreed with Hilton but who thought Haden would sign with us? With the addition of Haden, Hilton, and Sutton, our secondary can be elite, if it isn't already
It could be playoff elite!! Brady doesn't look that sharp the past month. I think our secondary can contain him but we have to scheme something for Gronk.

[86WARD]

Hilton and JuJu.

[teegre]

We need to BUMP the preseason “breakout player” thread...



(my answer then, is my same answer now)

[zulater]

Early season Ben vs late season Ben. I hate to admit it. But I was so wrong on Ben. Twice! :doh: First I was in denial. For the first couple games I just thought it a few sub par games early. That at any moment super Ben would emerge. Then 1 game became 4, 5, 6 games and I became convinced that Ben while not washed up was diminished. So I resigned myself into believing that current Ben would be something in between last few years John Elway and last season Peyton Manning. Not terrible, but not that great either. Go along for the ride Ben, so to speak. But starting in the second half of the Colt game and growing stronger every week since Best Ben ever emerged!

Btw anyone complaining when Ben goes deep on third down passes lately? :coffee: :wink02:

Anyway to me Ben has been the surprise of the year. Both bad (early) and now good!

[polamalubeast]

103.6 QB rating for Ben in the second half of the season for Ben!

[43Hitman]

Early season Ben vs late season Ben. I hate to admit it. But I was so wrong on Ben. Twice! :doh: First I was in denial. For the first couple games I just thought it a few sub par games early. That at any moment super Ben would emerge. Then 1 game became 4, 5, 6 games and I became convinced that Ben while not washed up was diminished. So I resigned myself into believing that current Ben would be something in between last few years John Elway and last season Peyton Manning. Not terrible, but not that great either. Go along for the ride Ben, so to speak. But starting in the second half of the Colt game and growing stronger every week since Best Ben ever emerged!

Btw anyone complaining when Ben goes deep on third down passes lately? :coffee: :wink02:

Anyway to me Ben has been the surprise of the year. Both bad (early) and now good!


103.6 QB rating for Ben in the second half of the season for Ben!
He should be in the MVP talks this year, but he won't sniff that award. Just imagine what our record would be if he was injured. Or better yet how far will we go in the playoffs if he gets injured? He should be in the MVP conversation in my opinion.

[Rotorhead]

Harrison going to the Cheats with 1 game left in the season . . .

[86WARD]

Harrison going to the Cheats with 1 game left in the season . . .

Winner.

[GBMelBlount]

Harrison becoming a Patriot.

Oops, someone beat me to it.

[Craic]

In all honesty, the Harrison thing doesn't surprise me that much. He wasn't playing, and then got injured. We are making a playoff run and had to open a spot on the roster for a returning player. Cutting him really did not end any normal game-time options for the Steelers. As for the Pats* picking him up, I called that to my best friend who is a Pats* fan.

No, I agree with the OP. For me, the greatest surprise is Hilton. What a spectacular pick up. As for in-season surprises, I agree with Zu. Ben was horrible (old-Ben compared to Old-Ben), but his play in the second half of the year has been good, then great, and now it's teetering on the ledge of unbelievable by comparison.

[DesertSteel]

He should be in the MVP talks this year, but he won't sniff that award. Just imagine what our record would be if he was injured. Or better yet how far will we go in the playoffs if he gets injured? He should be in the MVP conversation in my opinion.
Sans the ending of the Pats game I think he could’ve gotten the votes. I’d rather him have the SB MVP anyway.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Mike Hilton named AFC defensive player of the week

Posted by Darin Gantt on December 27, 2017

The Steelers weren’t necessarily looking for Mike Hilton when they were scouting Ole Miss a few years ago.

But they eventually found a cornerback there who could help them.

Hilton was named AFC defensive player of the week, after his three-sack performance against the Texans.

It’s far from what you’d expect from a former undrafted rookie, who had to make his way through a few practice squads before getting to Pittsburgh.

He was the college backup of cornerback Senquez Golson, who the Steelers picked in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

Golson was hampered by injuries throughout his career and never played a down in a preseason or regular season game for them. But Hilton has become a key part, so the trips to Oxford weren’t wasted.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/12/27/mike-hilton-named-afc-defensive-player-of-the-week/

[Fire Goodell]

Surprise of the year Vance McDonald actually plays 2 games in a row?

[polamalubeast]

As you said, Hilton is a big surprise, same for JuJu ....

For the entire nfl, the rams are my surprise, since last year they were the worst offense in PPG, this year they are first!

Mention also to the vikings who should finish 13-3 with Case Keenum as QB and also the eagles with the best record of the nfl ...