Game notes from the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-14 win over the New Orleans Saints.
First Half
– Kick return unit. Front five: Arthur Moats-L.J. Fort-Vince Williams-Anthony Chickillo-Shamarko Thomas.
Sean Davis behind them. Javon Hargrave/Jesse James/B.J. Finney the wedge with Sammie Coates and Fitzgerald Toussaint back to receive.
– First pass of the game was Todd Haley’s favorite and the same route concept Coates score on. Snag route out of 13 (1 RB, 3 TE) personnel.
– Ben Roethlisberger RPO. Antonio Brown one-on-one against the CB rolled up, able to run him off with speed and make the catch.
– Nice job by James in pass protection against the RDE. Tight hands, good leverage against a 6’3 end.
– Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro with a well-executed fold block. Ramon Foster works to the second level and they all create a huge lane for Art, who nearly breaks away from everyone.
– Roethlisberger, James breaking ankles. Makes for a happy Pouncey.
– Kick coverage unit the best I could see it. Missed the dude on the far right. Shamarko Thomas-Jacob Hagen-Sammie Coates-L.J. Fort-Vince Williams-Chris Boswell–Tyler Matakevich-Anthony Chickillo-Cobi Hamilton–Darrius Heyward-Bey.
– AB’s 57 yard touchdown. Second time the Saints were caught playing their CBs at the same depth. They got away with it the first time on an incompletion to Eli Rogers. Not here, Brown hauling the pass in and scoring. Bad defense.
– Steelers using threat of an end around to hold the backside tackle and end. Get left tackle and guard immediately to the second level. And it worked.
– Not a good look for Ross Cockrell against a less-than-powerful C.J. Spiller.
– Nicely run route by Markus Wheaton, swatting away at the corner’s near hand so he can’t feel the receiver and stay on top. Makes the grab.
– James Harrison rip…engaged.
– On one missed tackle Ryan Shazier had, screen to the left, pretty sure he got tripped up by one of the linemen moving into the flat.
– Javon Hargrave had a lot of good in this game. Needs to stay on his feet versus the run in this instance, however.
– Love Arthur Moats on the edge, blowing this run up.
– Strong lead block by Xavier Grimble. His best game, granted, not a perfect one.
– Great job across the board by the offensive line to give Landry Jones an excellent pocket to work from, even after more than 3.5 seconds had gone by.
– This is not a screen. Soooo much pressure.
– People I don’t need to see on the punt return unit at the very end of the half of a preseason game. Ryan Shazier.
Second Half
– Travis Feeney cheating on his keys, beginning to drop despite the linemen’s low hat.
– Montell Garner loses contain, or the cup, here and allows the runner to bounce outside.
– Landry Jones stood tall to take a huge shot on his long completion to Sammie Coates. Safety came free on a blitz.
Coates ran a great route too and showed the ability to restack the cornerback, getting on top of his route and basically boxing him out.
– One reason why Ryan Harris has gotten beat quite a bit this year are the jump – quick, aggressive – sets he uses. Ball is supposed to come out quick and when it doesn’t, he’ll lose the edge.
– Nice close and tackle by Doran Grant. Has consistently been great in that regard all preseason.
– Again, loving the rally to the football. Multiple hats, all the DL sprinting.
– Donald Washington flashing his vertical.
– Steelers did a lot of weird stuff with their nose tackle this game. Dropped him four times and did some sort of weird scrape/replace, vacating him out of the A gap and to the C gap. One example. Watch #65, Lavon Hooks.
– Negative here for Coates. Has to show better offer blocking off this corner. Play isn’t to his side but you never know when it’ll be cut back.
– B.J. Finney with a strong game, pushing his man out of frame.
– Jermauria Rasco with back-to-back pressures in the 4th quarter. Probably earned him a roster spot to play in this final game.
– Michael Cooper…not so good.
– 4th and 8 and the Steelers run it. #FreeRenner.
