Breaking down the three sacks the Pittsburgh Steelers allowed in Sunday’s win over the Baltimore Ravens.
1. 3rd and 7, 8:48 3rd, 8:48 2nd. 11 personnel. Six block vs five man rush
In our Ravens’ defensive scouting report, we noted their personality to run the “P-dropper” blitz, dropping their defensive tackles while bringing a field side blitz. Usually from S Kyle Hamilton but it could come from others. Here’s what we wrote:
“They’re not a super exotic blitz team — former DC Wink Martindale is now in New York — but Queen and Smith constantly rush, especially against empty. Hamilton is often coming off the edge from the field side and he must be accounted for.”
Here, they bring ex-Steeler NCB Arthur Maulet from the field side, mugging each gap pre-snap before dropping their nose tackles out. The line has to pinch down, ILB Roquan Smith blitzes and forces RB Jaylen Warren to pick him up, and Maulet is blitzing in free.
It’s hard to blame anyone in the protection here. You have to respect the possibility of those defensive tackles rushing. You assume they are. Really nice scheme here but Pittsburgh doesn’t seem to be prepared for stuff even we, and we are far from a sophisticated scouting staff, noted. Pickett isn’t missing anyone open so I am putting the blame on Canada for not being prepared for this frequent look.
Blame: Matt Canada
2. 2nd and 4, 6:46 3rd. 11 personnel. Six block vs five man rush
Here, the Ravens again bring the field side blitz. Warren picks it up and it’s better accounted for here. But the execution is poor. Center Mason Cole gets beat by big NT Michael Pierce, who swims over him. Cole drops his head and can’t recover, needing help from RG Nate Herbig, who does a nice job of having active eyes to prevent Pierce from running in free to take Pickett down.
Pickett tries to navigate the pocket but runs into Cole and drops his eyes before stumbling and going down. It gets messy from there and Pickett goes to the ground.
Giving the blame on Cole for getting beat and allowing the initial pressure that started all the chaos.
Blame: Mason Cole
3. 3rd and 7, 14:20 4th. 11 personnel. Six block versus six man rush
Another sim-pressure/creeper blitz here from the Ravens with their linebackers mugged into the A gaps. They run a nice twist between ILB Patrick Queen (No. 6) and the 4T over Chukwuma Okorafor. It isn’t handled well between Warren and RG Nate Herbig. They pass it off but Herbig is late and Queen is intentionally running into Herbig so he can’t slide and stay on the DT. It leaves Warren on him instead. Bad matchup.
Queen still works his way through and sacks Pickett, who has nowhere to go. Interior pressure a big problem in this one. Really well-designed scheme here from the Ravens. I’ll give them half-credit and put half on Herbig, who didn’t have the ideal reaction time on the looping DT.
Oh, and this was the same formation/concept as the sack above. 3×1 “nub” with the same routes. Fun…
Blame: Half on Nate Herbig, Half on Coverage/Scheme
Sack Breakdown (Game)
Mason Cole: 1
Matt Canada: 1
Nate Herbig: 0.5
Coverage/Scheme: 0.5
Penalty Breakdown (Game)
Chukwuma Okorafor: 1
SACK BREAKDOWN (SEASON)
Mason Cole: 3.0
Coverage/Scheme: 2.5
Kenny Pickett: 1.5
Matt Canada: 1.5
Dan Moore Jr.: 1.0
Isaac Seumalo: 1.0
Receivers: 1.0
Jaylen Warren: 1.0
James Daniels: 0.5
Chukwuma Okorafor: 0.5
Nate Herbig: 0.5
PENALTY BREAKDOWN (GAME/SEASON) – ACCEPTED PENALTIES ONLY
Chukwuma Okorafor: 3
Isaac Seumalo: 1
