The Steelers haven’t been a juggernaut offense by any standard this season, ranking near the bottom of the league in multiple offensive categories. However, they have had a knack for producing some splash plays through their first five games of the season, having five pass completions go over Pittsburgh’s longest pass play from last season (31 yards). Their biggest explosive plays have come from WRs George Pickens and Calvin Austin III with Pickens catching touchdown passes of 72 and 41 yards while Austin reeled in a 71-yard touchdown reception back against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Los Angeles Rams have done a decent job defending the pass to this point of the season, ranking 13th in the league in total yards allowed and first in the league with only four touchdowns allowed in coverage. However, Los Angeles has allowed some big plays through the air, meaning Pittsburgh could capitalize on attacking the Rams deep. Below are the five biggest pass plays allowed by the Rams through six games with a breakdown of each play and how the opposing offense exploited them for an explosive play through the air.
1.Week Five Vs. Eagles: 49-Yard Completion From QB Jalen Hurts To TE Dallas Goedert
On this play, we see the Eagles lined up at their own 20-yard line on first down with 9:49 left in the third quarter. It’s a four-wide set with the running back to the right of Hurts in the shotgun. The ball is snapped, and Hurts drops back to pass, seeing man coverage and a quarterback spy. Goedert runs a double move, selling the check down as the defender bumps him near the line of scrimmage. He then gets vertical up the field, catching the deep ball in stride and continues to rumble for several extra yards, breaking one tackle as he finishes at the Rams’ 31-yard line.
2. Week Three At Bengals: 43-Yard Completion From QB Joe Burrow To WR Ja’Marr Chase
On this play, we see the Bengals lined up at their own 25-yard line on first down with 4:48 left in the third quarter. The Bengals have a tight end and two wide receivers to the left with Chase lined up on the right. When the ball is snapped, Burrow fakes the pitch to the running back, getting most of the defense to flow to the runner while Chase runs a corner route toward the sideline.
He finds the soft spot between the corner and safety where No. 44 Ahkello Witherspoon passes him off but doesn’t see the safety working more toward the middle of the field, leaving Chase wide-open. Chase catches the pass and picks up more after the catch eventually being brought down by S Jordan Fuller.
3. Week Four At Colts: 38-Yard Completion From QB Anthony Richardson To WR Alec Pierce
On this play, we see the Colts lined up at their own 28-yard line on second down with 13:49 left in the fourth quarter. The Colts are in 11 personnel with two wide receivers at the bottom of the screen and Pierce singled up with Witherspoon at the top of the screen. The Rams play man across the board as the ball is snapped with Witherspoon running with Pierce up the sideline. Pierce gets on top of Witherspoon, jumping to catch the deep pass from Richardson as Witherspoon loses his balance and falls to the ground. The safety comes in late, getting an unnecessary roughness call to tack on another 15 yards at the end of the play.
4. Week Five Vs Eagles: 38-Yard Completion From QB Jalen Hurts To WR A.J. Brown
On this play, we see the Eagles lined up at their own 34-yard line on third down with 17 seconds left in the second quarter. A.J. Brown lines up across CB Derion Kendrick, who is in press man coverage. Kendrick gets a jab on Brown after the ball is snapped as Brown works to get an inside release. He gets a step on Kendrick, who attempts to undercut the route. Brown reaches out and snags the pass from Hurts with one arm over the middle, catching the ball and running in stride down the middle of the field. Brown works toward the right sideline, eventually getting brought down by Kendrick after the big catch and run.
5. Week Five Vs Eagles: 36-Yard Completion From QB Jalen Hurts To WR A.J. Brown
On this play, we see the Eagles lined up at their own 24-yard line on second down with 9:17 left in the fourth quarter. The Eagles are in 12 personnel with Brown tight to the line of scrimmage and WR DeVonta Smith opposite of him on the other side. The Rams line up in a Cover Three look with the outside corners picking up the receivers at the snap of the ball. Brown gets a free inside release and then works back into Kendrick, giving a subtle push off to get wide open over the middle. Hurts finds him working toward the sideline, connecting on the big pass play before getting tackled out of bounds.
Conclusion
When looking at these five plays, a couple of things stick out. Most of the completions came with Los Angeles playing in man coverage with either Ahkello Witherspoon or Derion Kendrick being the guy targeted. Kendrick was arrested on a felony gun charge after the Rams’ last game against the Arizona Cardinals, putting his status for Sunday in doubt. Witherspoon should suit up for the Rams, which will create an interesting battle between the former Steeler and Pickens. We have seen Witherspoon struggle in coverage dating back to his time in Pittsburgh while covering A.J. Brown the last two seasons as well as the catch above to Alec Pierce in contested coverage.
The Steelers should look to get Witherspoon manned up on Pickens down the sideline or on deep post routes over the middle to generate some splash. Should Kendrick miss the game, Pittsburgh can look to target rookie Tre Tomlinson, who is listed as the backup or CB Cobie Durant if he moves from the slot to play on the outside. Getting TE Pat Freiermuth back to work the middle of the field will also help Pittsburgh better attack the Rams’ coverage, using him on their linebackers and safeties while also drawing attention away from Pickens on the outside.
The Rams don’t have a 70-yard completion against them this season, but they can be attacked vertically through the air. The Steelers would be wise to watch the tape on the Rams’ previous games and see if they can replicate some of that splash-play magic we have seen at times in 2023 come Sunday.
