When the Steelers picked up the fifth-year option on Bud Dupree, there was more than a little grousing about paying the former first-round draft pick just over $9 million in 2019.
Thing is, Dupree has been performing like a $9-million per year player.
He did it again on Sunday, recording two sacks and coming up with what could be a season-saving stop on third-and-1 for the Steelers in their 26-24 victory over the Colts here at Heinz Field.
The Colts (5-3) had been nicknamed the "Cardiac Colts" after each of their first seven games -- and now eight -- were decided by a touchdown or less.
What does that make these Steelers, who improved to 4-4 after an 0-3 start?
"The surviving Steelers," Cam Heyward said. "I don’t know what to tell you. I don’t care how we get it done, as long as we get the W."
No player has personified that quite like Dupree.
How big was Dupree's third-down stop? Had the Colts converted, they could have run the clock down to zero before attempting to kick a game-winning field goal while inching closer for struggling placekicker Adam Vinatieri.
Instead, Vinatieri, who had earlier had a PAT blocked by Heyward, was forced to line up for a 43-yard attempt into the open end of Heinz Field.
That attempt turned into this:
Vinatieri, as I mentioned in my preview, hasn't been good this season. His two misses Sunday gave him seven for the season in the Colts' road games.
But it was set up by this play by Dupree.
"I saw a tight end on me and I take pride in not letting that tight end try to block me," Dupree said. "They had two tight ends on me. I knew one of them was going to go down. I knew the other was going to come and try to get me. I just crashed the whole thing."
And just like that, the Steelers (4-4) crashed back into the playoff picture in the AFC at the midway point of the season, winners of four of their past five games.
Dupree has been a big part of that resurgence. His two sacks Sunday give him six for the season and five in the Steelers' past five games. He's been a perfect compliment to his bookend, T.J. Watt.
His teammates have always supported the 2015 first-round draft pick. And now, they're seeing him take his game to another level.
"I’m just happy for Bud. So many Pittsburgh Steelers fans gave Bud so much crap," inside linebacker Vince Williams said. "And I just watched the guy put his head down and fight through injuries and missing games. He was just really grinding, putting his foot to the pedal and really just carving out a role for himself. They say, ‘He’s never gotten double digit sacks.’ The amount of pressure he puts on in the running game is unbelievable. He’s always been that guy. I’m happy he’s starting to get the credit he deserves."
Mike Tomlin challenged Dupree against the Colts. The left side of the Indianapolis offensive line — guard Quenton Nelson and tackle Anthony Costanzo — is as good as the Steelers will face this season.
Dupree was up to the challenge. The Colts rushed for 139 yards on 29 carries in the game, but the Steelers got the stops when they needed them, limiting the Colts to four third-down conversions on 12 attempts.
"He put me on the big board. He called me out," Dupree said of Tomlin. "They’ve been running to the left side. I’ve been taking pride in playing the run. He said, ‘Bud, they’re coming to your side. They don’t care what’s going to happen. They’re coming to your side.’ They did the whole game."
The run stop wasn't his only big play. He also came up with a big strip sack in the third quarter to keep the Colts from building on a 16-13 halftime lead.
Indianapolis was playing with backup quarterback Brian Hoyer after starter Jacoby Brissett was injured in the first quarter when Heyward bull rushed Nelson back into the quarterback's knee. But Hoyer, an 11-year veteran, gave the Steelers some fits and had the Colts at the Pittsburgh 35 on the opening possession of the third quarter when Dupree came up with this stop.
Sack. Strip. Recovery. The trifecta.
"Bud is balling. I said that last week," said Watt, who had a sack and a half himself. "I see the way he approaches watching film and in practice. You just have feelings when you’re playing, and it seems like every week, it’s going to be a great day. We’re just trying to affect the game in any way that we can. If they chip me, Bud is going to be open. If they chip Bud, I’m going to be open. It’s awesome to be a part of right now."
That turnover set up the offense for its only touchdown drive of the game, as Mason Rudolph threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Vance McDonald to give the Steelers their first lead of the game, 20-16.
The offense didn't do much in the game, gaining 273 yards and going 1-for-4 in the red zone. But the defense kept the team in it, including getting a 96-yard interception return for a touchdown from Minkah Fitzpatrick just before the half.
"We're always talking about getting touchdowns," Heyward said. "Minkah has been a heck of a player for us. It kind of got momentum back on our side."
And it was Dupree who finished it off.
"He has been a monster, as has T.J. Watt," Tomlin said. "They are really setting the pace off the edge and providing the wave that the rest of us ride defensively."
He was part of a defensive effort that saw the Steelers force three more turnovers -- running their season total to 22 -- and five more sacks. The Colts entered the game among the best in the league at not turning the ball over -- seven times -- and in allowing sacks -- 11.
They left impressed with the Steelers defense.
"They were bringing it every single play, putting pressure on the quarterback and making it hard for us," said Indianapolis wide receiver Chester Rogers. "When you have people coming like that, Bud Dupree and T.J. Watt, it's difficult. That's a great team we just played."
THE ESSENTIALS
• Boxscore
SAMUELS SUBS
With starting running back James Conner sidelined with a shoulder injury, Jaylen Samuels returned to the Steelers' lineup after missing the past two games with a knee injury that required a minor surgical procedure.
Samuels didn't have much success running the ball, gaining 10 yards on eight carries, but he did set a team record for running backs with 13 receptions for 73 yards. That broke Le'Veon Bell's record of 12 catches, set in 2017 against the Packers.
But it was Samuels' 13th catch that had him ticked off. He fumbled on the third-down reception, with the Colts recovering. That set up a go-ahead score on a fourth-down touchdown pass to Rogers.
"With me fumbling on that one possession in the fourth quarter, that was big," Samuels said. "The defense came up and just did what they had to do, that's the main thing."
With Samuels limited to catching the ball out of the backfield, Trey Edmunds picked up the slack running the ball. Edmunds had 12 carries for 73 yards.
THE NOTES
• The Steelers improved their record all-time against the Colts to 25-6, including 16-2 at home.
• Fitzpatrick's 96-yard interception return was the second-longest in Steelers regular-season history and longest since 1933.
• The Steelers' 29 sacks are their most through eight games since 2008, when they had 32.
• Edmunds had a 45-yard run in the first half that was the longest by the Steelers this season.
• James Washington led the Steelers receivers with four catches for 69 yards.
• Jordan Berry punted just once in the game.
• Terrell Edmunds led the Steelers with eight tackles and had a big pass breakup on a two-point conversion try following the touchdown by Rogers.
THE INJURIES
• Trey Edmunds (ribs, returned)
• Ryan Switzer (ribs, returned)
• Roosevelt Nix (knee, returned)
• Ramon Foster (concussion, DNP)
• James Conner (shoulder, DNP)
• Benny Snell (knee, DNP)
THE SCHEDULE
The Steelers (4-4) host the Rams (5-3) at Heinz Field next Sunday at 4:25 p.m. The team is off Monday, so there is no media availability. Mike Tomlin will hold his weekly press conference at noon Tuesday. I'll have all the coverage.
THE COVERAGE
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MATT SUNDAY GALLERY
Steelers vs. Colts, Heinz Field, Nov. 3, 2019 -- MATT SUNDAY / DKPS
