Notes from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week Three loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Putting these up later than usual because the coaches film was released later than normal and I’m guessing not too many people want to relive this ugly, ugly game.
First Half
– A positive. Nice job by Alejandro Villanueva to work in space and make a block on this successful Antonio Brown screen.
– Brandon Graham penetrates and blows up this gap run. Forces the pullers wide, throws their timing off, whole run ruined.
– Another still of the field goal block.
– Lawrence Timmons’ unnecessary roughness took the Eagles from 3rd and 10 to 1st and 10. Bleh.
– Steelers “robot” the dig/over route here. Getting better at defending it but still far from perfect.
– Right after the return begins, there’s two Eagles unblocked at the ten. Not acceptable. You can blame Javon Hargrave for part of that. Way late in getting his head around off the returner and to the field.
– Nice job by L.J. Fort to carry Trey Burton down the seam. Definitely more athletic than Vince Williams.
– Cam Heyward showing a lot of strength, stabbing the center and blowing up this zone run.
– Steelers ran more quarters coverage than they normally they, which is usually never.
Second Half
– Ross Cockrell in Cover 3 but follows the tight end on the dig. No one ends up being behind Ryan Shazier when Carson Wentz dumps the ball off to Darren Sproles, who houses it from 73 yards out.
– Lot of special teams issues. Blocked field goal and allowing this Eagle up the A gap free on a Jordan Berry punt. They ran a stunt, Greg Warren/Fitzgerald Toussaint did a poor job of communicating it and picking it up.
– Goal line formation was a 4-6-1 look. Sean Davis was the lone DB.
– Vince Williams out of position on the Eagles’ last TD. No force defender. Went the wrong way.
– Cockrell, to his credit, plays the pocket here. Breaks the pass up.
– Nice effort by Marcus Gilbert here. He played hard the whole game.
