Watch: Chris Wormley recovers botched Ryan-Taylor handoff

Steel City Underground will pick an exceptional play of the game as a highlight each week of the Steelers 2022 regular season. Stay tuned as we hand-select the very best from the Black and Gold!

The Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line doesn’t get a lot of accolades or special call-outs. Usually, it’s because they’re playing a solid game. When they do get mentioned, especially this season, it has been because of a particular breakdown. On ‘Monday Night Football,’ that squad was tasked with shutting down Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor. In a critical moment, as Indy tried to rally from seven points behind, one member of the Steelers’ D-line that barely gets mentioned made one of the biggest plays of the game at the right time.

After the Steelers went three-and-out on their first offensive series of the second half on Monday night, the Colts took over at their own 12-yard line and marched down the field. Taylor had one run for four yards, and added another for five, before putting a 13-yarder and 3-yarder together on back-to-back plays.

Ryan then utilized two passes to Mo Alie-Cox, one that drew a defensive holding call on Myles Jack. A few plays later, with 5:20 left in the third quarter, Chase McLaughlin entered the game to kick a field goal. The kick was good, but Cameron Sutton was called for being offsides and the Colts were given a first down.

From the Pittsburgh six-yard line, on third-and-goal, Ryan tossed a ball to Jelani Woods that Minkah Fitzpatrick was penalized on for pass interference. That gave the Colts just one yard to gain for a touchdown.

Ryan and Taylor had a horrible exchange on the attempted handoff, resulting in the ball hitting the ground. Defensive lineman Chris Wormley, pressuring to make the stop on Taylor, saw Ryan falling onto the loose ball and immediately dived onto the Colts quarterback. Upon review, it was clear that the ball was underneath Ryan but not secured, giving Wormley room to grab it away and earn the fumble recovery that would prevent the Colts’ potential touchdown.

The big play by Wormley maintained the Steelers’ 16-10 lead over the Colts and breathed life into a defense that had made two critical errors on the drive.

Although the Steelers offense was unable to immediately capitalize, and the Colts were able to make a drive count for a touchdown to get to a 17-16 lead, Pittsburgh rallied to get the win. To say that Wormley’s play came at the right time is an understatement.