Notes from our charting in Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Browns.
Out of 66 plays.
– The Browns ran only 18 plays in the first half. Just six in the second quarter.
– The Steelers were in their base defense 21.2% of the time, 14 of 66 snaps. They were in nickel for over 75% of the time with two goal line snaps wrapping up the rest.
– Keith Butler sent 5 or 6 rushes an astounding 22 times on 56 opportunities, a whopping 39.2% of the time. I believe that’s the most this season.
He blitzed 34 times, 60.7%. He blitzed more this year than he did against the Browns in Week 17 last year when he blitzed *just* 54.1% of the time.
– Ryan Shazier blitzed on 26 of those 34 times. A defensive back was only sent on two plays. One of those went for a touchdown, the other for a gain of 20.
– The Steelers had 13 pressures on Cleveland Sunday. Eight of those ended in sacks. That’s a good ratio.
– Shazier led the way with three pressures.
EDIT: Stephon Tuitt led them in pressure with 3.5
– Ross Cockrell had a rough day Sunday. Targeted five times, gave up three catches for 77 yards.
– Of the Steelers’ 14 snaps in their 3-4 front, they ran that “over” look, on half of them. Even their 3-4 isn’t really that conventional anymore.
– Stephon Tuitt’s consecutive snap streak ended Sunday at 190 straight.
– 15 of L.T. Walton’s 22 snaps came in the fourth quarter. 12 of them on Cleveland’s final drive.
– Bud Dupree played just one snap, a 3rd and 21 snap late in the first half. He lined up with his hand down on the left side.
– Anthony Chickillo starting to drop more and more into coverage. 25% of the time Sunday. Getting more comfortable, seeing an obvious expanded role.
– Shazier and Lawrence Timmons lined up at OLB a total of 16 times.
– Before the Browns’ final drive, Jarvis Jones saw just 16 total snaps.
– Robert Golden played only four snaps. Two on the goal line, two filling in briefly for Mike Mitchell.
