Slot corner Mike Hilton drew the assignment of shadowing Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp. It led to Hilton playing his most snaps of the season, as he was on the field for 70 of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 77 defensive plays Sunday afternoon.

The result couldn’t have been scripted any better for the Steelers in their 17-12 victory. Kupp, who entered the game as the Rams’ top pass catcher and the NFL’s top third-down target, finished with no catches on four targets.

Hilton said he covered Kupp for all but “two or three plays.”

“That was the gameplan,” Hilton said Monday. “I’m not going to say I didn’t have help, because I did. I had solo shots on him but followed him pretty much all game.”

The only other time in Kupp’s three-year career he didn’t catch a pass was in Week 6 last season against Denver when he left in the first half with a knee injury.

With the Rams missing injured receiver Brandin Cooks, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin elected to double team Kupp, who was coming off a 225-yard game against Cincinnati two weeks earlier. Kupp led the Rams with 58 catches for 792 yards and five touchdowns heading into the matchup Sunday.

Tomlin’s biggest concern was keeping Kupp from extending drives. To that end, the Steelers limited the Rams to a 1-of-14 success rate on third down.

“All our third-down discussions started there,” Tomlin said. “Minimizing his ability to impact the game in that way and then working out from there.”

Hilton had a role in that success, but not the only part, Tomlin acknowledged.

“He didn’t cover Kupp alone,” he said. “A guy like Kupp requires multiple people, particularly in those situational moments. That’s a more accurate description of why he was minimized.”

On Thursday, the Steelers will face the Cleveland Browns tandem of Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. Hilton figures to get plenty of work again if the Steelers stick with their heavy dose of subpackage defenses.

“You have to be yourself and play your game,” he said. “You can’t overthink. I know what they are capable of, and I know what we are capable of on the back end.”

Sticky fingers needed

Tomlin is concerned about his players holding onto the football — once it is thrown and after control is gained.

The Steelers had four fumbles, losing two, against the Rams. In addition to Maurkice Pouncey’s bad snap that was returned 25 yards for a touchdown, wide receiver James Washington had the ball stripped from his grasp for a turnover after a 34-yard completion. Diontae Johnson fumbled on a punt return, and tight end Vance McDonald also put the ball on the ground, although the Steelers recovered each time.

“Sometimes losing the football is born out of working extremely hard to make plays and particularly in regards to some of the young people,” Tomlin said. “But the reasoning is irrelevant. When you’re working in the fashion we’re working in terms of missing a number of significant people, especially on the offensive unit, we have to do good fundamental things like take care of the ball.”

Steelers pass catchers also had a handful of drops, another hindrance for an offense that has little margin for error while playing without its franchise quarterback, top running back and a starter on the line.

With only one day of practice in advance of the game Thursday at Cleveland, Tomlin said there is little time or need for lengthy discussion about correcting bad habits.

“Guys have got to make plays,” he said. “They are receivers. If you spend a lot of time talking to receivers about receiving, you’ve got problems.”

Injury update

Three players injured against the Rams — wide receiver Ryan Switzer (back) and linebackers Ola Adeniyi (hip) and Anthony Chickillo (ribs) — were awaiting evaluation when Tomlin spoke to reporters Monday afternoon.

Tomlin said he is “less optimistic” about running back Benny Snell (knee surgery) and fullback Roosevelt Nix (knee) suiting up against Cleveland.

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