Week 16 game observations from the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-12 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Second Half
– Darrius Heyward-Bey with a tackle on the opening second half KO. Again, great day from him and a big reason why the Chiefs’ dangerous kick returners were held in check.
– Nice job from Lawrence Timmons to keep his outside arm free. Able to shed and make the tackle.
– Coverage creates the sack. Both CBs take away the Chiefs’ slants routes. Alex Smith taken down.
– Stephon Tuitt’s FF. Again, starts with coverage. Wide receivers taken away. Smith is forced to checkdown.
We’ve seen Tuitt’s hustle all season long. Part of that comes from him but hanging around Cameron Heyward and Brett Keisel is infectious. Those are two of the best hustle lineman in the league.
– Offensive line protects for a solid four seconds as Roethlisberger completes this 19 yard dig to Antonio Brown. Kudos to them.
– Couple of good blocks up front. Maurkice Pouncey on Dontari Poe, David DeCastro combo blocking and working to Josh Mauga. Six yard pickup by Le’Veon Bell.
– Marcus Gilbert with a good down block on DE Jaye Howard.
– Kudos to the reader who pointed out Ben Roethlisberger’s alert – grabbing his face mask – on the incomplete fade to AB in the left corner of the end zone.
– Barely got the first down but on third and short at the five, it’s tough sledding. Ramon Foster holds Poe at the POA and Bell backs his way past the sticks.
– Roethlisberger throwing from a sixty degree angle on his TD to Brown with another defender about to pop him. Exemplifies toughness. Very few QBs could do it.
– Good backside flow from Jason Worilds to track Jamaal Charles down.
– Appears Mike Mitchell re-injured Charles by blasting him from behind on a safety blitz.
– Classic Dick LeBeau blitz. Slant the inside linebacker – Worilds this time – send the OLB (Timmons) off the edge. They draw the LT and LG’s eyes. James Harrison is free up the “A” gap.
– Steelers just whipped on the Chiefs’ OL all day. Worilds with quick hands to shed RT Ryan Harris. Heyward bench presses Jeff Linkenbach. One of six sacks on the afternoon.
– True Cover 2 look from the Steelers.
– Another zone drop by Steve McLendon. And then shows off some hustle running to chase Smith.
– Nice job from Sean Spence to get depth and carry Travis Kelce down the seam. Will Allen plays it well, too. Three receiver surface is tough. Allen gets depth and then has a good angle on his break. Pass falls incomplete.
– Heyward quick recognition on this screen. Gets out into the flat in time to make an almost immediate tackle.
– Quality combo block from Pouncey. Chip, knocking down the end, and then work to the next level.
– Fantastic design/reveal to move the sticks on 3rd and 9. Initially have AB in the slot against Chris Owens. Ghost/return motion to see that it’s man coverage. Start to motion Brown, see the CB is moving with him (man coverage), and then send him back to his original spot. Brown easily wins inside on the slant. 14 yard gain.
– Kelvin Beachum sets his hips to seal, Foster sticks at the second level, and Pouncey – once again – control Poe. Seven yard run.
– Perfect ball placement by Ben to Heath Miller on 3rd down. DB can’t make a play on it.
– And then I love this after the play. DeCastro jogs downfield to meet Miller, help him up, and pat him on the helmet. Love 66. True teammate.
– Post field goal scuffle. Got pretty crazy. Foster rips off a helmet, the thing designed to stay on while enduring the hardest of hits, of Kevin Vickerson and then shot puts it to the sideline.
Antonio Brown and Bruce Gradkowski come onto the field while Pouncey has to be restrained on the sideline.
– Harrison completely getting under Eric Fisher’s pads. Rare for any lineman to look I bad.
– Some Mike Tomlin borderline Tampa 2 looks with Ryan Shazier getting a lot of depth in the middle of the field. Looked smooth and quick in his drops, as you’d expect from him.
– Tuitt arm extension and leg drive to walk back backup RG Mike McGlynn, shed him, and then touch up Smith for the sack.
Tuitt has played more snaps the last three weeks than the first 13 combined.
– Long, looping stunt from LeBeau. Tuitt from his two tech spot over right guard loops over the left tackle.
– Hands team: Heyward-Bey (being used as a blocker, not in position to catch, don’t worry), Will Allen, Michael Palmer, Will Johnson, Lance Moore, Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell, Martavis Bryant, Markus Wheaton, Josh Harris.
