It took…awhile but WR Diontae Johnson found the end zone. And what better way to do it than a game-winning score? Though it took some more plays to finish the Tennessee Titans, Johnson’s score gave Pittsburgh a 20-16 lead that would prove to be the final score.
So we gotta break it down. First and goal from the Steelers’ 3. Pittsburgh comes out in 11 personnel in a 3×1 formation. Reduced splits to the top with a stacked look of Allen Robinson II and Johnson to the top. Robinson is the “point man” with Johnson behind and off the ball.
What that does is create a free release for Johnson. Defenses can’t press Johnson on this stacked look and he’s able to come off the ball without any resistance.
The route is really what sells this though. The reduced split ultimately helps Johnson gain the space he needs on this out route. But he’s able to stem his route inside initially to hold the nickel corner, who has to respect the slant/over/skinny-post possibility. Once Johnson threatened inside, it froze the corner and allowed Johnson to separate as he broke outside to the sideline. Robinson also does a nice job of creating a natural rub, stemming out and then back inside, forcing the corner to try and work through the trash. He gets bumped and that creates even more space.
With the reduced split and the stem of his route, it’s pitch and catch between QB Kenny Pickett and Johnson. Pickett puts the ball on the money and the drought is over. Touchdown, Diontae Johnson.
Go watch the dang thing. It’s been awhile since you could.
After the game, you could see how much Johnson was smiling when asked about the score. It’s a weight off his shoulders, an anchor that was around his legs. Even mentally for him, just to get past that, you can bet the guy slept well Thursday night.
Getting that touchdown took some doing. RB Jaylen Warren took the ball to the 1-yard line, but the Steelers had a false start out of Wildcat that pushed them back to the 6. Johnson then dropped a would-be touchdown on the play before but was bailed out by a Titans defensive holding elsewhere. That led to Johnson’s touchdown. And a Steelers win.
