After missing five games due to a hamstring injury suffered back in Week Four against the Houston Texans, TE Pat Freiermuth was in need of a get-right game to get his 2023 season back on track.
The third-year veteran out of Penn State had been off to a dismal start to the season, catching just nine passes on 14 targets for 60 yards and two touchdowns heading into Pittsburgh’s Week 12 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. He had been held down by Pittsburgh’s subpar passing attack while missing time due to being on IR to rehab his hamstring. However, Freiermuth managed to break out for the first time this season against the Bengals, catching nine passes on 11 targets for 120 yards, a single-game career high for the former Nittany Lion.
Not only was Freiermuth’s yardage impressive, he also drew targets at an incredible rate. According to NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Freiermuth was targeted on 11 of his 23 routes (47.8%), tied for the second-highest target rate by a tight end in a game this season (minimum 20 routes). Freiermuth also gained plus-32 receiving yards over expected, the second most in a game in his career.
Freiermuth outpaced WR Diontae Johnson in targets (eight) and more than doubled WR George Pickens in receiving yards with Pickens being the team’s second-leading receiver on the day (58). He consistently won over the middle, stretching the seam vertically against Cincinnati’s two-high Cover 2 look. The third-year man also won toward the sideline, displaying a good blend of size to overpower smaller defensive backs as well as finesse to come down with balls along the sideline.
It was truly a great performance for Freiermuth, who doubled his yardage total on the season in a single game while matching his reception total in the contest as well. Pickett commended him for being that chain mover over the middle of the field, and his inclusion in the passing game was a big factor for Pittsburgh surpassing 400 total yards of offense for the first time in 58 games.
We knew that Freiermuth was a legit passing game threat coming out of Penn State, and we have seen glimpses of what he can do in his first two seasons in the league. He showed out in a big way in Pittsburgh’s 16-10 win against Cincinnati, making a strong case to be heavily involved as Pickett’s go-to target over the middle of the field and on possession downs going forward.
