For the second straight week, tackling was not an issue for Pittsburgh, as they kept their missed tackles in the single digits for consecutive weeks for the first time this season. No defensive player missed more than one stop, and only two tackles were whiffed in the entire first half, six for the game.
Individual breakdown…
Ross Cockrell: 1
Antwon Blake: 1
Ryan Shazier: 1
Jarvis Jones: 1
Cam Heyward: 1
Will Allen: 1
It should be noted that while Blake has been criticized heavily in this space for missed tackles this season, it is clear that he is working through some ligament damage in his wrist that is making it harder to wrap up. It doesn’t excuse the consistent poor form before and after the injury, or the backing off of tackles on occasion this year, but the injury should be acknowledged nonetheless. He’s had some horrendous whiffs the past two weeks, and if that’s his best effort at this point, the decisions to hold him out should be an easy one. Not all Blake’s fault, but if physicality/tackling is supposedly his best asset, and he can’t provide it to the team, his weaknesses become even more glaring.
I gave Allen a missed tackle for trying to trip Travis Benjamin down the sideline late in the game, rather than simply tackling the receiver as Allen was right on his back. Really strange move.
Lawrence Timmons went a second straight week without a missed tackle, in what may have been his finest performance of the year. Heyward’s streak of four games without a missed tackle was finally broken, as he just couldn’t corral the Cleveland running back on one play in the second half.
Also should be noted that Anthony Chickillo did not miss a tackle in his Steelers defensive debut, while making one and helping out on another. During the long layoff until the Steelers next game, I’ll be sure to get into a film room of the rookie’s first heavy defensive action.
Missed Tackle Counter (Season)
Antwon Blake: 22
Lawrence Timmons: 16
Will Allen: 13
William Gay: 12
Ryan Shazier: 10
Jarvis Jones: 9
Arthur Moats: 6
Mike Mitchell: 5
Robert Golden: 5
Ross Cockrell: 5
Bud Dupree: 5
Sean Spence: 4
James Harrison: 4
Stephon Tuitt: 4
Cam Heyward: 3
Cam Thomas: 3
Steve McLendon: 3
Cortez Allen: 2
Vince Williams: 1
Brandon Boykin: 0
Shamarko Thomas: 0
Terence Garvin: 0
Daniel McCullers: 0
Anthony Chickillo: 0
L.T. Walton: 0
