Following each game, I will be taking a look at the rookies and how they fared each week. This will consist of thoughts such as the positive and negatives from that game, areas to watch or work on and clips to support what I’m sharing. Hopefully, this will shed some insight on some things you may or may not have seen.
Week 16 vs Cincinnati Bengals
Active Players
#77 Broderick Jones (Round 1) – 59 offensive snaps, 6 special teams snaps
Jones was looking for a bounce-back week after having a rough game last week. He was better but there is still improvement needed.
As a pass blocker, he was solid early in the game. Last week, he was carrying his hands too low, and the Colts took advantage of it. This week he made an adjustment to hold them higher and had better placement on his punches. The Bengals ran a lot of twists to his side. Success early in the season versus these stunts has not continued the past few weeks. Jones allowed pressure from a B-gap penetrator on a stunt. Another pressure was allowed around the outside against a stab/rip move from the defender.
A big difference in his technique the past couple weeks has been his footwork. He has been slow to mirror defenders, especially on counter moves to his inside. He moves well in one direction but when having to shift back the other direction his feet have been slow.
In the run game, he has performed well on the move on the first level of zone runs and gets very good movement on double-team blocks. On the goal-line touchdown run by Najee Harris, Jones was able to move the defensive tackle into the end zone. His angles to the second level were two deep allowing the defender to get across his face.
2023 Regular-Season Totals – 633 offensive snaps, 51 special teams snaps
#24 Joey Porter, Jr. (Round 2) – 64 defensive snaps, 7 special teams snaps, 2 solo tackles, 1 PBU
Porter’s usage in this game was different than in previous games. Most games had a fairly even split of zone and man coverages. The game plan for the Bengals led to more than 80 percent of the coverage be zone coverage.
In the passing game, he mostly covered the deep third of the field in Cover 3 or in the underneath zone and wasn’t targeted a lot. His first target was in the end zone, and it looked like pass interference but wasn’t called. There was another ball thrown over his area in zone coverage in which he got good depth to force the throw wide of the sideline. Porter was called for his eighth accepted penalty of the year. I did appreciate his effort to get in front of Eric Rowe on his interception. Unfortunately, he didn’t
His first of two tackles came in the red zone on a short pass, holding the receiver to no gain. The second came in zone coverage on a throw underneath his deep-zone responsibility where he pushed the receiver out of bounds.
2023 Regular-Season Totals – 703 defensive snaps, 100 special teams snaps, 42 tackles, 31 solo, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 9 PBU
#95 Keeanu Benton (Round 2) – 24 defensive snaps, 1 special teams snap
Benton was a starter for the seventh consecutive game and saw snaps from the nose guard to the 3 technique. For the first time, he was held out of the box score, registering no tackles.
Against the pass, this season his success has come from a big club with his right hand, and he had two very good ones in this game. Adding to his pass-rush plan has been a slow go. However, in this game he displayed some success in other ways. He was able to get decent push on a bull rush versus the center. He also executed a solid forklift, lifting the arms of the blocker up, against a guard. It was nice to see some more variance in his game.
As penetrator on a stunt, Benton provided some room for T.J. Watt to loop inside. As the looper, on two plays, he was a little slow and ineffective.
Against the run, he was solid holding his ground versus double teams and clogging lanes but was unable to participate in any tackles.
2023 Regular-Season Totals – 442 defensive snaps, 40 special teams snaps, 33 tackles, 15 solo, 1 TFL, 6 QB hits, 2 PBU, 2 FF
#80 Darnell Washington (Round 3) – 29 offensive snaps, 9 special teams snaps, 1 target, 1 reception, 8 yards.
Three-quarters of Washinton’s snaps were in the run game. Eleven of those snaps came in the fourth quarter.
In the passing game, he ran routes on six of seven snaps. Those routes included two curl routes, 2 corner routes, 1 out route and a flat route. His reception came on a block-and-release assignment. He was able to corral the high pass and get up field for an eight-yard gain.
Against the run, Washington was good on the edges blocking for the ball carriers. Even when he has a tough assignment, he generally is able to sustain the block. On Calvin Austin III’s touchdown run, Jaylen Warren’s block got all the attention, but Pat Freiermuth and Washington had effective blocks as well.
2023 Regular-Season Totals – 427 offensive snaps, 123 special teams snaps, 10 targets, 7 receptions, 61 yards
#51 Nick Herbig (Round 4) – 17 defensive snaps, 18 special teams snaps, 3 tackles, 2 solo.
Another week, another good performance for Herbig. Seeing action on both sides of the defense he again made plays.
Against the pass, his first few snaps had him drop into coverage and also a quick pass to the far side, negating a chance to rush. He later attempted a couple rip moves with one looking pretty good. Also, he nearly got to the quarterback, hitting his feet as he threw the ball. On a stab move he was unsuccessful but showed an excellent second effort to trip up the quarterback and force a throw away. On one snap, he was lined up over the slot and was asked to cover him with a trail technique and he was beaten easily for a 15-yard gain.
Against the run, he wasted no time getting involved. On his first play, he set the edge, got off the block and made the tackle. He has been impressive setting the edge and making plays, especially in the second half of the season. He will occasionally chase the fake on a read option, but you can’t deny his ability to make plays. Two more tackles were tallied in the fourth quarter on running plays.
2023 Regular-Season Totals – 176 defensive snaps, 311 special team snaps, 26 tackles, 18 solo, 5 TFL, 2 QB hits, 1 FF, 2 sacks.
#74 Spencer Anderson (7th) – 6 special team snaps
Anderson was active for the fourth consecutive game and saw a career high in snaps. With the teams scoring its most points of the season he got to participate in all the field goal team snaps.
2023 Regular Season Totals – 1 offensive snap, 17 special teams snaps
Week 1 – NT Keeanu Benton
Week 2 – CB Joey Porter Jr.
Week 3 – NT Keeanu Benton
Week 4 – TE Darnell Washington
Week 5 – OT Broderick Jones
Week 6 – Bye
Week 7 – OLB Nick Herbig
Week 8 – CB Joey Porter Jr.
Week 9 – OT Broderick Jones
Week 10 – NT Keeanu Benton
Week 11 – CB Joey Porter Jr.
Week 12 – OLB Nick Herbig
Week 13 – NT Keeanu Benton
Week 14 – OLB Nick Herbig
Week 15 – OLB Nick Herbig
Week 16 – OBL Nick Herbig
Inactive for Week 2 – #21 Darius Rush (Round 5 Colts)
Practice Squad – #45 Jack Coletto (UDFA 49ers), #85 WR Duece Watts (UDFA Packers)
Reserve/Injured – #27 DB Cory Trice Jr.
