Unfortunately, we have a playoff story that’s become all too familiar for the Pittsburgh Steelers. When making it to the playoffs, they come out slow, unable to dig themselves out of a rut (21 points) and get bounced by the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round 31-17. Haven’t won a playoff game since 2016, and our own Alex Kozora dove into some ugly stats of the weird as to why.
Offense:
Excellent (90-Plus Grades):
NONE.
Great (80-Plus Grades):
The best grade on offense was G Isaac Seumalo (83.1, 65 snaps). I noted a solid game overall but did have some lost reps, particularly in pass pro, coinciding with his grades (82.5 RBLK, 72.6 PBLK). Seumalo allowed two pressures, including a QB hit (long time-to-throw), and enjoyed a couple of blocks out in front of screens.
Good (70-Plus Grades):
T Dan Moore (77.5, 65) similarly had a better game as a run blocker, with his best 81.4 RBLK of the 2023-2024 season, while tying for his best overall grade. 69.4 PBLK, including a pressure/hurry, but nice day compared to several low-lights in the game and his year.
The Bad (Below 50 Grades):
Three players here. T Broderick Jones (36.9, 65) was a different story, rather poor in the rookie’s first playoff game. Five pressures allowed matched a season-high, four of which were hurries, a QB hit PFF didn’t chart him for, a sack, and also allowed a pressure on a penalty/no play. Also, a down run blocking performance (47.4), his worst of the year, and a lowly 25.0 PBLK, the second worst of Wild Card Weekend.
Rookie TE Darnell Washington (33.0, 23) also had a rough day, namely with two false start penalties and unable to catch his lone target on a low pass from QB Mason Rudolph that PFF deemed a drop. Noted a good day as a run blocker, the grades concurring (74.2), but also had more issues than usual in PBLK (35.8), his second-worst mark to close his first year.
The lowest grade was C Mason Cole (28.7, 65). So, Jones and Cole were the two worst linemen of the weekend. It was an ugly day for Cole as a pass blocker, with a horrendous 8.5 PBLK, including six pressures and five hurries that were each season highs, a hard QB hit leading to a third and seven fail, and also some poor snapping once again. No sacks were allowed, but the grade was warranted.
Defense:
Excellent (90-Plus Grades):
NONE.
Great (80-Plus Grades):
The highest grade on defense was rookie DL Keeanu Benton (80.2, 33). He was the best Steelers rookie, starting with five combined tackles. Made some solid stops in the run game, three of three yards or less, but struggled to shed and got washed on multiple occasions, too (66.1 RDEF). He was given a stellar 88.5 PRSH, his third best of 2023-2024, with two hurries, including a “wow” one with brute force sending the lineman to the turf. Excited for his future.
Good (70-Plus Grades):
Four here. DL Armon Watts (75.0, 13) had one combined tackle on a two-yard run stop, provided a hurry, and also noted another good shed in run defense. The latter, unfortunately, was unable to wrap up the RB in time and also noted a rep where he struggled to shed the blocker.
S Eric Rowe (73.3, 57) was unfortunately on mop-up duty for much of the game, cleaning up messes from his teammates. Second on the team with eight combined tackles (83.3 TACK) with no misses, but just two were stops. Also provided nice TE coverage for a pass breakup, along with another that was an interception near the end zone that would have been huge. Nice downhill plays, and hope he sticks around next season.
S Minkah Fitzpatrick (72.9) led the team in defensive snaps and tackles in his welcomed return, the latter indicative of the poor defensive outings of others. Fantastic downhill plays, including an instant read/react and awesome run-tackle for a loss of four. He shot out of a cannon on another five-yard catch and a couple of other short-run tackles, with one holding Buffalo to a field goal. A rare low-light was a huge one, missing an open-field tackle that led to the final dagger Buffalo touchdown.
DL Cameron Heyward (71.9, 55) played well with six combined tackles (third on the team). Two were stops, pursuing a screen down the line for no gain, and an immediate win eating up the gap for the two-yard tackle. Also provided three pressures, one leading to an incompletion, but that tied for most on the team that particularly struggled early to make QB Josh Allen uncomfortable. Hopefully, the steady veteran is back next season.
The Bad (Below 50 Grades):
Three here. Rough day for CB Patrick Peterson (48.7, 66). Part of a blown coverage for a wide-open touchdown. He terribly missed a sack. He allowed separation in coverage along with the inability to square/make the open-field tackle, resulting in an explosive 34-yard gain. So, two missed tackles as opposed to four solo tackles. All clean-ups and none were stops, mostly going for chunk plays.
LB Myles Jack (48.0, 26). Four combined tackles for two stops. The best was avoiding a blocker to push out a three-yard screen. Now the pain. He was beaten horrendously in TE coverage for a 29-yard touchdown, dagger first play following an offensive turnover (WR George Pickens fumble). Two same-drive, fourth-quarter penalties were also excruciating: one was a debatable holding where feet seemingly got tangled, and an unnecessary roughness when Allen decided to finally slide. Jack attempted to slow up, a prime example of a defender’s egregious disadvantage.
The lowest grade was LB Mark Robinson (42.0, 23). He had five combined tackles but only one stop, a big hit on a four-yard run tackle short of the sticks. 17 of his snaps came in run defense, struggling to shed and fill overall, and another tackle coming with the game well out of control. Not sure I would have graded him below his counterparts in this tier, though.
Special Teams:
Excellent (90-Plus Grades):
The highest-grade on special teams and overall was Montravius Adams (91.7, two), with a huge field goal block in the second quarter, a try that would have extended Buffalo’s early lead to 24-0 if made.
Great (80-Plus Grades):
NONE.
Good (70-Plus Grades):
Washington posted his seventh 70-plus special teams grade as a rookie (73.7, nine), something he can hopefully continue to build on for year two while he aims to improve and get more involved in the 2024 offense.
The Bad (Below 50 Grades):
The lowest-graded special-teamer was Moore (44.8, three), who had the dumb, unnecessary roughness penalty on a fourth-quarter extra point. That was a debatable call, but it was one of the many gut-wrenching plays in the devastating playoff loss.
Surprise:
P Pressley Harvin (54.4, seven). While it’s a bad grade, it didn’t match the atrocious day. Four punts, three of 42 yards or less, the longest there even with a bounce. Long of 51, just outside the 20-yard line, along with 30 and 31-yarders, the latter fair caught right at the 20. 38.5 YPA, 38.5 NET. Sayonara.
Who were yours?
STEELERS VS. BILLS WILD CARD ROUND SNAPS:
Snap Leaders Wildcard Round: OFF-Rudolph/OL. DEF-Fitzpatrick. ST-Nick Herbig.
Thanks for reading, and let me know your thoughts in the comments.
