Article

Steelers Vs. Patriots Week 14: PFF Grades And Total Snaps

By Clayton Eckert

Posted on December 9, 2023 at 12:00 am

It’s bad folks. Somehow, Pittsburgh dropped another game to a 2-10 team, a historically awful fact that is literally sickening.

Offense:

Excellent (90-Plus Grades):

NONE.

Great (80-Plus Grades):

NONE.

Good (70-Plus Grades):

Four players here, more than expected honestly. The best offensive-grade was TE Connor Heyward (79.0-grade, 11 snaps). The highlight was an excellent third-and-ten, targeted in the flat, taking matters into his own hands with a wow-hurdle and gets just enough to convert. He also caught his other target on a low pass for five-yards, and had a nice pass-block on a swing-pass. Dumbfoundingly, on first-and-goal at the one in the fourth-quarter, the call was a jet-pass, with his throw batted/nearly intercepted. What are we doing?!

Three o-lineman, surprisingly: Isaac Seumalo (76.2, 70), James Daniels (72.6, 70), and particularly C Mason Cole (70.9, 70). Seumalo did some good things, including on the move, but allowed a hurry, pressure on a negated interception, failed-twist pickup, QB-hit negated by defensive-pass-interference, and couldn’t get out in front of a screen late. Favorite rep was clearing-space on the fourth-and-one QB sneak, though.

Daniels had the best day on the o-line (low-bar), but lost several reps in the run-game (65.3-RBLK), compared to an 81.6-PBLK with no pressures/sacks allowed, encouragingly. Cole struggled with snaps again on multiple occasions, and had poor reps in key late-game moments: allowing a sack (PFF didn’t charge him for), on the ground run-blocking, and a pressure on a third-and-nine fail. We expected the unit to struggle against New England’s number one run-defense in YPA, and boy did they.

The Bad (Below 50 Grades):

Only two here, surprisingly. Unsurprising are the names, starting with QB Mitch Trubisky (46.8, 70). He went 22-of-35 for 190 yards, had poor decision-making and turnover-worthy plays including a bad interception. He did throw a pretty ball to WR Diontae Johnson for a 25-yard-touchdown, but failed to get WR George Pickens (five-catches, 19-yards), TE Pat Freiermuth (three-catches, 18-yards) going. Had a sneak-touchdown as well, but leading the team with 30-rushing-yards was demoralizing.

The lowest-grade on offense was T Chukwuma Okorafor (41.9, three) added yet another illegal-formation-penalty, excruciating. Just leave it to the tight-ends, this is inexcusable.

Defense:

Excellent (90-Plus Grades):

NONE.

Great (80-Plus Grades):

Five players, surprisingly. The highest-grade on defense was DL Armon Watts (86.6, 15). PFF has him for, two tackles for stops. I only noted one, a good three-yard run-tackle. Also had a good pressure that led to a throwaway. Overall, the pass-rush was unfortunately lacking in this one from most parties. Also had a poor fourth-quarter run-defense rep. Definitely higher-grade than expected.

LB Blake Martinez (85.1, 21) got his first NFL start, but another higher than anticipated grade. Four tackles, and earned a respectable 79.7-RDEF-grade, with a few good tackles including on a third-and-two stop, but noted a missed angle/opportunity.

DL Cameron Heyward lands here deservingly (83.9, 43). Team leading six tackles, five for stops (two on third-and-short runs), one for loss, and two pressures including a sack. One of the few consistent bright-spots in the travesty.

EDGE Alex Highsmith (82.6) was injured in game (neck), playing just 17 snaps. His presence was sorely missed after exiting early second-quarter, with two tackles, both for stops, and three pressures which all were hurries.

CB Patrick Peterson earned his place in the tier (80.5, 54). Made a few quality stops: pushing a third-and-11 out-of-bounds short-of-the-sticks, a great open-field tackle in the fourth-quarter for three yards, and stayed clean despite a rub-route to make the seven-yard-tackle on third-and-eight.

Good (70-Plus Grades):

Three here. S Minkah Fitzpatrick (77.8, 57) had a nice game despite a broken-hand. Five tackles, mainly in run-defense (70.8-RDEF, 80.5-TACK-grades). The first-defensive-play was a great one for no-gain, tackled a screen short-of-the-sticks on third-and-nine, got off-the-line for run tackle-for-loss, and another no-gainer. 59.1-PRSH-grade, missed an angle on a 12-yard-catch, had an opportunity for an interception (bobbled-pass), but good showing overall.

CB Joey Porter Jr. (72.6, 57) was targeted four times, allowing two catches for 28-yards. One was pushing an 11-yard-catch out-of-bounds (off-coverage), and the other was a 17-yard catch-allowed over-the-middle, contested well but former Steeler Juju Smith-Schuster making the play in his big-day (season-high 90-yards, four-catches). Porter bounced back with a great third-and-ten pass-break-up on him, and had good-coverage on third-and-two in the fourth-quarter but dropped the interception that could have been monumental.

DL Montravius Adams (72.3, 17) returned from injury, with two tackles for stops in the run-game, though one was on first-and-15. Noted him pushed off-the-line more notably, and did have one pass-rush for a hurry.

The Bad (Below 50 Grades):

Only three, less than expected. S Trenton Thompson (46.5, 30) targeted twice, each for eight-yards which doesn’t seem egregious, but one converted on third-and-seven. Might have missed more poor plays, which was easy to do with so many in the game.

LB Mykal Walker (44.6, 25) had an interception of a tipped-pass, encouragingly, but was picked on overall his second-straight rough performance was impossible to miss. Allowed two touchdowns: first rubbed by the TE and freeing the RB for the first red-zone 11-yard TD, and also slipped, allowing the 24-yard TE touchdown, one of his two-scores on the night. Pain.

The lowest-grade on defense (by far) was DL Isaiahh Loudermilk (29.2, 10). Washed repeatedly, with 42.1 RDEF-grade, but did note a good push on a pass rush (54.1-PRSH-grade).

Special Teams:

Excellent (90-Plus Grades):

The highest-grade on special teams and overall was Miles Killebrew (91.9, 21) highlighted by a huge punt-block that led to needed points, teasing fans there was a chance for a come-back, making the loss even more agonizing. Also noted good blocking on a kick-return as well.

Great (80-Plus Grades):

NONE.

Good (70-Plus Grades):

Four here. Darnell Washington (75.7, six), K Chris Boswell (72.5, six), Rodney Williams (70.2, 14), and Kyron Johnson (70.1, 20). Boswell deserved even better with his 56-yard field goal connection, second longest kick in Pittsburgh stadium history per Alex Kozora.

The Bad (Below 50 Grades):

The lowest graded special-teamer was Thompson (49.7, 14), who also made this list on defense.

LS Christian Kuntz (59.8, eight) wasn’t dinged for a bogus false-start-penalty for an “abrupt head movement” 5:06 left in the game. Yet, it’s another painful play in this atrocity of a game.

Surprises:

K Chris Boswell’s 72.5-FG-grade with a historically great field goal.

S Damontae Kazee (59.2, 51) had another poor showing, and should have been in the bad tier IMO. Disagree with his 79.0-TACK-grade, pushing an 11-yard-scramble out-of-bounds, and the other on a 28-yard catch. Blasted in coverage including a 37-yard-explosive play on the first-drive, and allowed the second-touchdown of 24-yards on a poor reaction/angle over his outstretched hand. Inexcusable.