New series we’re kicking off here on Steelers Depot. To begin a recap of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2017 season, a look at the singular best and worst play from each player on the roster. If I wanted to sum up a players season in 30 seconds, these are the plays I would look at.
Today, breaking down Martavis Bryant.
Best Play: One Handed Snag Vs New England Patriots
Big plays. Big moments. That’s what Bryant did at the end of the half against the New England Patriots. 3rd down, Ben Roethlisberger in some trouble and throws it up for Bryant. Despite Stephen Gilmore hanging on his inside arm, Bryant reaches up with one hand to make the snag and score. Pittsburgh goes up seven going into the half.
It sums up the two sections of the season. The first half, which was objectively terrible, and the second half, that showed much improvement.
Worst Play: Incompletion vs Cincinnati Bengals
Bryant relies on the deep ball to make his money. Success there in 2017 was…fleeting, to say the least. Just like this one. I chose this one in particular because of the total breakdown of assignment, as Roethlisberger would go on to explain. The short story. Deep ball down the left sideline, Bryant can’t find it, ball falls harmlessly incomplete.
“I told Tey [Martavis], I said, ‘Hey, be ready, I’m coming to you…Martavis, he’s supposed to look back at about 10 to 12 yards and see me throw the ball. That’s the whole point of the play is if he can see the ball out of my hands, he can track it and get under it and make a play, adjust, do whatever needs to happen. And when we looked at the pictures on the sideline, he hadn’t looked until about 25 yards. So, at that point, he never saw the ball out my hand and I don’t think he ever saw the ball in the air.”
Technique and attention to detail/assignment was one of the changes he seemed to make to result in a much better final portion of the season. That’s gotta carry over in 2018.
