With so many new faces on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster this season, it’s important to get a good view of all the new guys on the team acquired via the draft, free agency, or trade prior to the regular season getting underway. One of those new faces on the defense is LB Elandon Roberts, who signed a two-year deal with Pittsburgh after playing for the Miami Dolphins this past season. Roberts was signed to be the starter alongside LB Cole Holcomb in the middle of the defense, and then Pittsburgh added LB Kwon Alexander to the mix to create more of a rotation at inside linebacker.
Alexander had a strong first game in the Black and Gold against Tampa Bay which we highlighted in a film room last week. Today, we will be breaking down Roberts’ performance against the Buffalo Bills, getting a better understanding of what the veteran linebacker will provide Pittsburgh this upcoming season.
The Film
Roberts operates best as a downhill run plugger who can take on blocks and make tackles near the line of scrimmage. Watch this rep by Roberts as he makes his read after the ball is snapped. Seeing the handoff to No. 4 James Cook, he comes downhill to stop the run. He goes low, trying to work through the block by the center, creating a pile at the line of scrimmage where Cook gets stood up and brought down by several Steelers. Roberts may not make the initial tackle, but he does a great job of stopping forward progress and creating a pileup for the rest of the defense to rally to the ball.
Roberts is a bit of a bowling ball in terms of how he plays football, looking for big collisions as he tries to take ball-carriers and blockers to the ground. You see that here on this screen pass to the right sideline as Roberts gets on his horse in pursuit of the football. He goes full speed after the ball-carrier, attempting to go past and under the block of No. 79 Spencer Brown, knocking both of them to the ground. Again, Roberts doesn’t make the tackle, but he slows up the runner just enough for No. 54 Markus Golden to wrap him up and take him down prior to reaching the first-down marker.
Here’s a similar play in the second quarter where No. 28 Latavius Murray gets the handoff to the left. Roberts diagnoses the play and works around to the opposite side of the field. Locating Murray like a heat-seeking missile, and gang tackles the veteran running back with No. 55 Cole Holcomb behind the line of scrimmage for a loss on the play.
Roberts relishes contact as an off-ball linebacker, taking the fight to opposing offensive linemen with the stopping power to knock them backward. We see that on this rep where Roberts comes downhill on the inside run and meets Brown in the hole as he pulls from the right tackle spot. Roberts puts his left shoulder into him and knocks him off his feet. However, Murray gets through the hole and gets into the second level of the defense, picking up the first down on the play.
Roberts is also known for being a capable blitzer from the linebacker spot, being able to shoot gaps aggressively while having the strength and physicality to manhandle most running backs tasked with blocking him in pass protection. Roberts gets stood up on this pass rush rep by Cook, attempting to go low, but with Cook getting lower and stopping Roberts’ pursuit. The pass falls incomplete, but Roberts fails to generate much pressure on the play.
Roberts has never been the best coverage defender since entering the league. He can operate in zones near the middle of the field or in the flat but isn’t skilled in his movements to stay sticky on receivers coming out of their breaks or turn and run with receivers in coverage. Watch this play where Roberts is tasked with covering No. 86 Dalton Kincaid. Kincaid breaks to the inside over the middle of the field, but Roberts stops his feet and can’t quickly adjust back inside. That allows enough separation for Kincaid to catch the pass for a short gain.
Conclusion
Elandon Roberts didn’t have a splashy game against the Bills Saturday, but he managed to fill his role and play the way the Steelers expected him to when they signed him. He isn’t going to be the best coverage linebacker and will get subbed out for Kwon Alexander or another defensive back in obvious passing situations. Still, he played his role well as a downhill thumper, bringing aggressiveness and physicality against the run as he took on blockers and created havoc near the line of scrimmage, either getting in on the tackle or helping other defenders get the stop.
Roberts isn’t going to get nominated for a Pro Bowl in Pittsburgh, but his role is invaluable as that physical off-ball linebacker who can be a force against the run. The Steelers haven’t had that aggressiveness and physicality in the linebacker room the last couple of years, having guys like Devin Bush and Myles Jack look intimidated when having to take on and fight off blocks. That’s not the case with Roberts. He is a no-nonsense player who looks to be the hammer, not the nail. That’s exactly what Pittsburgh’s defense needs, and Roberts is going to help the Steelers get back to having a quality inside linebacker group this season.
