Macafee: Bishop's film study on Rodgers-Adams 'changed the game'

For undrafted rookie free agent Beanie Bishop, preparation has been crucial to his improvement over the first seven games of the season and just two weeks after turning in his worst performance as a professional in a primetime loss to the Cowboys, the former West Virginia Mountaineer bounced back in a big way and provided the Steelers with a defensive spark that soon doomed the Jets, 37-15, Sunday night at Acrisure Stadium.

The 5-10, slot cornerback from Louisville, Ky. made six tackles, one of which went for a loss, and two crucial interceptions as the defense held the Jets scoreless in the second half after giving up two first-half touchdowns.

The first of Bishop's two interceptions came on an Aaron Rodgers pass to Garrett Wilson in a second-and-4 situation with 1 minute, 21 seconds left in the second quarter and set up the Steelers' first touchdown off the game. Just take a look.

The interception ultimately sparked a 31-0 run by the Steelers as they bulldozed through the Jets to move to 5-2 on the season. When I asked Mike Tomlin if that play flipped the momentum for his team, he responded: "Without a doubt. Two-minute football, we know Aaron is going to be aggressive, we switched up the schematics and he made a significant play, he meaning Beanie."

Rodgers was in agreement: "That play, for whatever reason, just changed the entire energy; changed the game."

Bishop wasn't done yet though. Midway through the third quarter, Rodgers targeted Wilson again and rifled a pass toward the sideline. The pass was just out of Bishop's reach but he was able to affect it enough to cause it to bounce off Wilson's hands and into the air. It's better if you just watch: 

Just two weeks removed from being picked on by Dak Prescott, Bishop put together a performance that will be remembered for a long time. But, it didn't come easy. Since that game, Bishop has started to understand how to prepare like a pro and it starts with making sure he puts himself in the best position possible.

The first six games of his career gave him a lot of film to self-scout. He went back and looked at how teams were attacking him and how they were attacking the defense as a whole. He wanted to do everything he could to prepare himself to be in the right position at the right time. His first interception was a perfect example of that as it was something that he'd seen Rodgers do on film leading into the game.

"A-Rod [Rodgers], he likes to -- whenever he sees the middle of the field open he likes to throw the ball in there," Bishop said. "I can't remember if it was last week or a couple weeks ago, he threw the ball right at buddy's helmet and kind of gave him a back shoulder pass. So just being able to see that stuff on film and just being able to react, know that it's coming, that's just how I played it."

Here's more on his preparation: "They ran their play, the play that I caught a pick on, they ran that play when they was in Green Bay. So, obviously, them acquiring Davante Adams, we had that on our mind so just being able to be right there and make plays."

Those plays don't happen without the proper preparation, and for Bishop, that was a focus heading into Sunday as he said he had to "prepare right and be where I'm supposed to be."

That's the type of stuff you love to hear from a guy who's looking to prove himself every day. But it shouldn't necessarily come as a surprise, depending on how you've viewed Bishop's time with the Steelers.

With Cam Sutton serving an 8-game suspension, Bishop was first named the starting slot cornerback ahead of the Steelers' first preseason game against the Texans, but Tomlin never seemed satisfied with his play and often stated that he needed to see more. Still, Bishop continued to work and beat out other players, such as Grayland Arnold and Thomas Graham Jr., for the position.

Then, through the first six games of the season, Bishop struggled. There were miscommunication issues and veteran quarterbacks such as Kirk Cousins, Joe Flacco and Prescott took advantage of his inexperience in big ways. However, for the first time this season, Tomlin praised Bishop for his efforts and said he's stepped up to the occasion.

"He's grown in all areas, there's a lot to cover when you're a rookie, but the one thing that I'll say about him is he never shrinks," Tomlin said. "The situations aren't too big for him and he's learned and he's open to learning. He has good questions. I meet with him every Friday morning as we lean in on situational ball. He's doing a lot of the little things well, man. He's on a good trajectory."

Don't expect this one great performance to bump Bishop off that trajectory, though. He knows there's still work to be done and he's ready.

"This means a lot, but I still have to go out next week and prove that I'm a capable player," Bishop said.

For one week, Bishop has proven that.