Breaking down the three sacks the Pittsburgh Steelers allowed against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week Eight.
1. 2nd and 10, 14:56 1st. 11 personnel. Five block vs four man rush
Pretty simple breakdown and analysis here. Right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor gets bulled into the pocket by former No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker, the LDE here. Okorafor doesn’t create significant contact on his punch and his catching the rush. His hips open and he gives up the inside and Walker is able to run through and shed on his way to sacking Kenny Pickett.
Walker isn’t a huge sack production guy but athletic and strong and able to convert speed to power on this bull rush as he plants off his left/outside foot through Okorafor. You usually don’t see Okorafor get bulled to this degree but this is an ugly rep. And for the second straight week, the Steelers have been sacked on 2nd down in their first series. No surprise both have ended in punts.
Blame: Chukwuma Okorafor
2. 3rd and 10, 9:38 3rd. 11 personnel. Six block vs five man rush
Nothing open downfield as the Jags are playing man-under with safeties over the top on third and long. Up front, Jacksonville is in a 3×1 look along its d-line, an alignment that’s become popular in the NFL this season among four-down fronts. Usually indicates a stunt or twist. That’s what you get here with the DT looping around to the Steelers’ right side.
With the LB blitzing, Jaylen Warren picks him up but the DT is working to the outside and RG James Daniels and Warren collide, slowing Daniels up and allowing pressure. The Steelers are sliding to the three-man surface where the Jags are running a game between the three-tech and RDE. It’s identified but center Mason Cole loses his 1v1 matchup with the DE, Josh Allen, who uses a two-hand swipe to get past.
Those two players converge on the quarterback and Trubisky goes down.
Bad luck from Daniels who got rubbed by Warren. But his defender helped create pressure as did Cole’s. So assigning blame to both here.
Blame: Half on James Daniels, half on Mason Cole
3. 2nd and 10, 3:01 4th. 11 personnel. Five block vs three man rush
Late in the game and it sorta sums up the day. Ugly and low snap from Cole. Dan Moore Jr. gets beat around the edge as Allen easily sheds him. Trubisky looks to climb but slips (the Steelers’ footing was poor all day) and Allen grabs his ankle and twists him down.
Quick sack on a three man rush. Sums up this offense. Moore gets beat clean here and the sack will go on him.
Blame: Dan Moore Jr.
Sack Breakdown (Game)
Dan Moore Jr. 1.0
Chukwuma Okorafor: 1.0
Mason Cole: 0.5
James Daniels: 0.5
Penalty Breakdown (Game)
None.
For the record, I am not counting Isaac Seumalo’s offsides penalty. Not because of its highly questionable nature but I won’t count special teams penalties. Only ones on offense.
SACK BREAKDOWN (SEASON)
Mason Cole: 3.5
Coverage/Scheme: 2.5
Jaylen Warren: 2.0
Dan Moore Jr.: 2.0
Kenny Pickett: 1.5
Matt Canada: 1.5
Chukwuma Okorafor: 1.5
Isaac Seumalo: 1.0
Receivers: 1.0
Najee Harris: 1.0
James Daniels: 1.0
Nate Herbig: 0.5
PENALTY BREAKDOWN (SEASON) – ACCEPTED PENALTIES ONLY
Chukwuma Okorafor: 4
Isaac Seumalo: 1
