Article

Steelers Vs. Browns Week 11: PFF Grades And Total Snaps

By Clayton Eckert

Posted on November 21, 2023 at 12:00 am

Painfully, we have a 13-10 divisional loss against Cleveland to discuss, with Pittsburgh now 6-4 on the season. The defense held the Browns down on the scoreboard, but the offense did very little, particularly in the passing game. Barely topping 100 passing yards, several miscommunications, 3-of-14 on third downs, and no explosive passing plays were some key factors in the ugly loss.

Offense:

Excellent (90-Plus Grades):

The best offensive grade and overall was RB Jaylen Warren (93.2, 26 snaps), deservingly. He was one of the few bright spots on offense with 129 rushing yards, highlighted by a 74-yard touchdown run and a 21-yarder, the only explosive plays of the game. Second consecutive 100-plus game, coming on only nine attempts, and added 16 receiving yards, catching all three targets. Pittsburgh confusingly went away from him after his success. It is unconscionable to not lean on one of the few things that went well and the coaches must do moving forward.

Great (80-Plus Grades):

NONE.

Good (70-Plus Grades):

After a big drop-off, three players are in this tier. G James Daniels (72.4, 58) had a solid game overall, particularly as a pass blocker. His great 88.8 PBLK was highlighted by blocks in space in the screen game, along with no pressures or sacks, but had a declined ineligible man downfield penalty (another screen). Some good run blocking as well, though he did lose a rep that led to RB Najee Harris getting hit in the backfield. He was the best o-lineman in the game.

Harris (71.7, 33) had 35 yards on 12 attempts (2.9 YPA). He had six forced missed tackles, matching his backfield mate in Warren, but led to only one first down. Harris had a long run of 17, but it came on third-and-22, accounting for practically half of his rushing yards. One catch on his lone target for one yard, and had a great rep in pass pro contributing to his highest grade of the game (84.3 PBLK).

C Mason Cole (70.3, 58) has a 70-plus grade for the first time in 2023 and is playing better as of late after severe struggles (below 50 grade in four games). He provided a strong presence as a run blocker (74.5 RBLK), highlighted by a key block in space on Warren’s touchdown, and had good moments in pass pro that also included the screen game. He did allow two pressures, but it is an encouraging positive trend from him that hopefully continues.

The Bad (Below 50 Grades):

Surprisingly, just two players, starting with TE Darnell Washington (40.9, 27). His lowest individual grade was unfortunately run blocking (35.2). Not what you want to see with that being his primary role. Most egregious was being put on his backside easily on a tackle for loss, and also noted a lost rep in pass pro. He did catch his lone target for eight yards, with good YAC effort, but was stopped short on third-and-11.

The lowest grade on offense was LT Dan Moore, expectedly (36.0, 58). Struggles continued against premier pass-rushers such as Myles Garrett. PFF gave him an 18.8 PBLK grade, the worst grade of the weekend, and had an even more excruciating 3.5 against Garrett in Week Two. In the first matchup, Moore allowed six pressures, four hurries, two QB hits, and no sacks, compared to four pressures, one hurry, one QB hit, and two sacks in Week 11. One sack came on the first offensive play on the near safety, and his 50.3 RBLK was the second-worst of 2023, with his 30.0 also against Cleveland Week Two. Ouch.

Defense:

Excellent (90-Plus Grades):

NONE.

Great (80-Plus Grades):

The highest grade on defense was Cameron Heyward (81.3, 46). He was great in run defense (81.0), third best among IDL through the weekend that included three of his four stops on five-tackles. One was a one-yard tackle on third-and-four, a tackle for a two-yard loss, and a great hustle play to chase down a run of 16 yards for the tackle. He also provided a QB hurry but was much quieter as a pass rusher (57.9).

Good (70-Plus Grades):

A whopping nine players here. DL Armon Watts (78.0, 27) had a solid showing, with three tackles that included a two-yard red-zone run tackle, and a great rep to stop another for no gain. Had a nice pass rush late for a hurry, but noted him on the ground on another.

CB Chandon Sullivan (77.0, 27) provided the only turnover of the game on an interception late in the third quarter on third-and-15, and also had a nice pass-breakup. He allowed two catches on four targets for 14 yards, for an 18.8 rating against, his best mark of 2023.

DL Isaiahh Loudermilk (76.8, 18) stacked a second strong performance, making encouraging strides in run defense (77.6). He had only one tackle, an encouraging run stop for no gain, but filled lanes very well including double-teams, one for no gain, and another for a loss of four in my notes.

EDGE Alex Highsmith (76.4, 66) was quiet to his standards, with just one pressure on a third-down QB hit, but also had a roughing-the-passer penalty on another third-down. He did have six tackles and three stops, with two of them against the run.

DL Keeanu Benton (74.8, 39) was a solid run defender once again, where two of his three stops came on four combined tackles, notably working through traffic well. He also showed this on a third-and-ten RB catch, providing a wow play for the stop. Zero pressures though, and was hit with the curious defensive delay of game penalty that was head-scratching.

S Miles Killebrew (74.4, 16) provided good coverage (42.4 rating against), allowing one catch on three targets, and making a solid tackle on the open RB dump-off for just five yards. S Elijah Riley (72.9) suffered an ankle injury, leaving after just nine snaps. He was active in that time with three total tackles (76.7 TACK), one for a stop on a red-zone run. Thankfully backups stepped up well.

Speaking of which, LB Elandon Roberts (71.1, 75) did so admirably. He led the team with a whopping 15 total tackles, including two TFLs on RB screens, showcasing his wow downhill abilities. These highlighted his impressive nine stops in the game, with seven of those in the passing game. Roberts earned an 86.0 TACK and 83.3 COV grade, with the latter encouraging to see after the loss of Cole Holcomb. PFF gave him a lowly 44.3 RDEF though, unfair considering a third-and-four run tackle of one yard, two short-run tackles, downhill-plugging another two-yarder, but did note a successful red-zone run allowed and poor angle/rep.

EDGE Nick Herbig (70.7) barely played again, with only three snaps. Two came against the run, one setting the end well for a combined tackle. He missed a tackle on a screen behind the line, going for a four-yard gain, which surprisingly didn’t ding his grade as much as anticipated.

The Bad (Below 50 Grades):

The lowest grade on defense and the only player below 50 was DL DeMarvin Leal (28.2, five). 36.8 RDEF grade, including one rep that he was soundly sealed on, with no pressures as a pass rusher (59.7).

Special Teams:

Excellent (90-Plus Grades):

NONE.

Great (80-Plus Grades):

NONE.

Good (70-Plus Grades):

Four players in this tier. The highest grade on special teams was Trenton Thompson (77.9, 13) including an assisted tackle. Nick Herbig (72.7, 23) also pushed a 12-yard punt return out-of-bounds, along with Rodney Williams (70.9, 16) tackling a 17-yard return, and Mark Robinson combined on an encouraging tackle on a four-yard return. Surprisingly no defensive snaps for him though.

The Bad (Below 50 Grades):

Three players here. LS Christian Kuntz (49.2, 11), Roberts (48.4, 13) including a missed tackle, and the lowest grade on special teams was T.J. Watt (29.6, four). He was dinged for a declined offsides on Cleveland’s heartbreaking game-winning field goal. Also had his lowest 69.4 DEF grade of 2023, providing Pittsburgh’s only sack in a stale pass-rushing team performance. Hopefully back to dominance sooner than later.

Surprises:

QB Kenny Pickett (52.5, 58). 106 passing yards, wow. The terrible effort was the fourth-straight game with 160 yards or less, one of the many painful truths our own Alex Kozora emphasized deeper in his stats of the weird. 15/28 for an abysmal 53.6 completion rate that included accuracy and communication issues, three-straight final drive incompletions, no touchdowns, three sacks, and throwaways, though he did keep his no interception streak going. Didn’t think it could get harder to watch, but boy was I wrong.