The Pittsburgh Steelers finale is now in the books, going winless in the preseason, falling short against the Detroit Lions 24-17. Mostly encouraged, though, with the starting offense and defense showing good things. Got up 14-0 early, and the damage was done against backups.
In this article, I will provide data from Pro Football Focus (PFF) and takeaways from watching the film.
Offense:
Excellent (90-Plus Grades):
Two WRs here. Jaray Jenkins (94.2 grade, 8 snaps) topped the offensive grades. He caught one of his two targets, a nice intermediate post route over the middle. That’s an area of the field that was refreshing to see utilized more than the rest of the preseason and for quite some time, to be frank. The incompletion was a close call, barely unable to get his second foot down on a 3rd-and-7 go-ball.
George Pickens (91.3, 5) ran a nice post-corner route early, getting wide-open on 3rd-and-11, 32-yard explosive play that included YAC. The latter was nearly true on his other target, catching a screen on the first pass of the game and almost forcing a missed tackle, but Pickens’ arm touched down for a loss of six. Can’t wait to see his skills on display this season.
Great (80-Plus Grades):
One player here, another WR in Dez Fitzpatrick (83.0, 20). He caught both his targets, featuring the longest of four explosive plays on offense. Nearly a triple-explosive at 59 yards, a nice go-ball catch from QB Kyle Allen despite DPI, and awesome YAC to boot on a 3rd-and-8. Fitzpatrick graded solid all preseason on offense, a welcomed sight towards the end of the depth chart battle at the position.
Good (70-Plus Grades):
A whopping eight here, a refreshingly positive trend after offensive struggles.
QB John Rhys Plumlee (79.9, 9) had played strictly special teams to date, finally getting an opportunity at quarterback, with all four showing good things in their own right. Top grade at the position, exceeding his prior circumstances. He showed zip on his throws, and athletic ability on the move and RPO game. The latter included one bad decision, keeping when it wasn’t there on 3rd-and-3, bailing too late on the incompletion.
QB Russell Wilson (77.6, 5) only needed two passes for Pittsburgh’s liking, with a nice connection to Pickens on the aforementioned explosive 32-yard post-corner route. Very reassuring to finally see that connection. Wilson went 2/2 for 26 yards, no TDs, INTs, or sacks, and a 118.8 rating. Most importantly, an opening drive score that’s been seldom in Pittsburgh.
Rookie C Zach Frazier (76.4, 20) continued his strong preseason, including no pressures or sacks allowed in all three games. A 78.8 PBLK and 75.4 RBLK in this one, solid marks and play that is great to see with the lack of depth behind him.
WR Quez Watkins (75.8, 19) caught his lone target for ten yards, a slant late in the game from Plumlee, and showed the want to as a blocker that is required in OC Arthur Smith’s offense. With special teams struggles this preseason and guys like Fitzpatrick faring better, his days may be numbered, though.
RB Aaron Shampklin (73.7, 16) had seven rushes for just 13 yards and wasn’t targeted in the passing game. Tough running and FMTs were on full display, an important context the rough baseline stats lack context on.
WR Van Jefferson (73.7, 16) made two catches on as many targets for 18 yards. Both came from QB Justin Fields, most notable was hanging on despite a big hit from the defender, showing reliability that is reassuring. Pittsburgh may still add to the WR room, but liked what Jefferson showed in the preseason overall.
QB Kyle Allen (73.4, 17) played the most at the position, but also had a low volume of five passes. The Fitzpatrick explosive was the highlight, unleashing a great go-ball for the excellent connection. He was the distributor on the close one to Jenkins as well, showing the ability that is far more discussed with Wilson and Fields. I noted some short area accuracy issues though, but a stronger than I anticipated preseason.
T Dan Moore (70.1, 15) was solid IMO, with PFF grades crediting his pass pro more (80.3 PBLK, 67.3 RBLK). The important caveat is Detroit played mostly backups. Still, music to our ears compared to last season. Hopefully that can carry over to the regular season, especially considering the statuses of Troy Fautanu (injury) and Broderick Jones (injuries, play seemingly effected).
The Bad (Below 50 Grades):
Five here. G Joey Fisher (46.7, 26) particularly derailed late in the game, with back-to-back fourth down penalties (Illegal man downfield, false start). That screams of getting in Mike Tomlin’s doghouse. Also noted run block issues, pushed back leading to a four-yard loss, and failing to connect on a pull.
TE Matt Sokol (46.6, 11) wasn’t targeted and lacked impact as a blocker overall, including being on the ground in my notes. G Anderson Hardy (44.8, 15) had a positive RBLK in my notes (56.5 grade) but thoroughly struggled in the pass game. His 7.4 PBLK grade was dead-last positionally in Week Three across the league, including a QB hit allowed.
G Spencer Anderson (42.0, 14) has seen better days, namely a sack allowed when he was manhandled from RT alignment. His 12.5 PBLK grade was third-worst of the week, and while he has versatility, would be better suited to help at center than tackle IMO.
G Isaac Seumalo (40.7, 12) was lower in the grades than expected. He was part of a key combo block with Frazier that sprung the 31-yard explosive TD run by RB Cordarrelle Patterson and another on the goal-line score from RB La’Michal Perine. He was beaten badly on one run block, but a 41.9 RBLK grade seemed criminal.
Another lineman that was penalized, T Tyler Beach (35.9, 12), a false start. That was on special teams, though, with PFF seemingly penalizing his offensive grade for it, too. I noted one plus run block but lacked impact otherwise and looked lost on one particular rep in my notes (blocked no one).
Defense:
Excellent (90-Plus Grades):
A no-brainer atop the defensive grades: EDGE Nick Herbig (97.0, 9). Made noise on minimal snaps, with three pressures, two sacks, and a FF. One pressure was up the middle off inside alignment, intriguing to imagine with T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith also on the field. One sack was an inside spin after being doubled and won off the edge on third and forever on the other, a strip sack. Some nice run defense, too, including an edge set and three-yard tackle. Highest graded EDGE this week, and preseason. Wow.
Great (80-Plus Grades):
Three here. DL Keeanu Benton (89.9, 6) had a combined sack, displaying a nice counter with strong hands to get home on his pass rush, which looked impressive in the finale as a springboard to his second season. He nearly made the excellent tier with his former Wisconsin teammate, too; keep them coming.
DL Larry Ogunjobi (84.6, 6) graded well as a pass rusher (81.3), including a hurry in very little playing time. CB Kyler McMichael (82.2, 22) provided a nice deep-ball pass breakup, teetering on being there early, thankfully not a DPI. PFF credited him for a team-high 83.7 coverage grade on that lone target. One assisted tackle, late game on a 14-yard catch.
Good (70-Plus Grades):
Two players. CB Cory Trice (78.9, 19) was a force as a tackler, starting with a loss of three run-tackle, and was all over a screen for just one yard. Good grades across the board. But he was unfortunately on the post-game injury report (groin) that will hopefully be swift compared to his last, which ripped Trice’s rookie season away (knocks on wood).
DL Dean Lowry (76.2, 31) provided a FR (Herbig strip-sack), a hurry, a bat, and nice push on other pass reps. PFF gave him props, with an 84.0 PRSH grade. He played most at DE, along with DT. Run defense was another story (56.2), though I did note a good rep taking on a double team.
The Bad (Below 50 Grades):
Unfortunately, eight players. LB Jacoby Windmon (49.4, 46) had several poor run defense reps in my notes, including missed tackles and always shooting like a missile quickly, but runners cutting away from those quick commitments.
CB Donte Jackson (49.2, 9) was also guilty of a missed tackle, unable to corral the flat route on the eight-yard gain. That 23.2 TACK grade was worst among Steelers. DL Willington Previlon (47.6, 29) was dinged most on RDEF (45.2). While he had a two-yard run stop, he was poor on a TD run, and was washed late game in my notes.
LB Marcus Haynes (45.5, 42) looked out of place, frankly. Missed tackles, lost in coverage, missed sack, oh my. One positive was a 1st-and-goal run tackle for no gain. 77.1 RDEF grade seemed too generous compared to all others below 50, as expected.
S Ryan Watts (44.5, 28) provided a pressure off two pass rushes and pushed an eight-yard scramble out-of-bounds. It feels like a broken record, but tackling was the bad news for him, too. Charged with one in run defense, and noted poor technique/effort on another. Most discouraging was an assisted tackle on a 14-yard catch, suffering a stinger that was very scary to watch. Thankfully walked off, but so unfortunate in the game’s waning moments.
DL DeMarvin Leal (38.9, 13) had a half sack and flashed pass-rush improvements that have been much better this preseason. On the flip side, he missed a potential run tackle for loss, which PFF grades account for heavily. Also, a very low 40.8 coverage grade, which they charted as a two-yard gain. Didn’t note that, but seems unreasonable.
CB Kiondre Thomas (37.3, 40) had five combined tackles. One was a 1st-and-goal no-gain run tackle in the first half and I was in on a couple of four-yard ones against the run a bit later. The others were off catches, big-gainers of 16 and 21 yards late in the game. On top of that, two missed tackles.
LB Kyahva Tezino (26.0, 14) had three tackles, including an assisted one-yard run stop. Inexperience reared its head on another, penalized for a horse collar as they were going out-of-bounds on a 29-yard catch allowed. Egregiously, though, a 77.0 tackling grade was his best individual mark.
Special Teams:
Excellent (90-Plus Grades):
NONE.
Great (80-Plus Grades):
NONE.
Good (70-Plus Grades):
Just one, Ryan Watts (72.6, 15), who played on four units. He showed good effort to push a 24-yard kick return out-of-bounds, but I noted him as one of several blocked out on the big 37-yard kick return.
The Bad (Below 50 Grades):
Five here. Scotty Miller (46.3, 3) played punt coverage team solely, noting a poor tackle angle. Darius Rush (43.4, 11) was offsides on the field goal team, missed a tackle opportunity in punt coverage, and didn’t land a block as a first-team gunner in my notes. Three-teamer in this game.
Beach (40.2, 3) makes the unwanted list again. He was on field goal team only, with a false start on an extra-point attempt.
Thomas Graham (31.5, 9) was a two-teamer, kick-return and kick-coverage. No tackles or misses per PFF, but was pancaked on coverage team, and was unable to block shed on another big return late game. I was also lower on his day on defense than PFF, which is not ideal for the potential slot corner.
Luquay Washington (30.0, 18) played on five units, and lands as the worst grade with a holding penalty on the kick return team, with no tackles or misses.
Surprises:
- Seumalo’s low run block grade.
- So many on defense, namely in the secondary.
- Leal’s grades.
Plenty to choose from, who were yours?
STEELERS PRESEASON WEEK 3 VS. LIONS AND TOTAL SNAP COUNTS:
SNAP LEADERS(GAME):
OFF- M.McCormick
DEF- J.Elliott
ST- J.Windmon
SNAP LEADERS(PRESEASON):
OFF- Z.Frazier
DEF- K.Johnson
ST- J.Colletto
TOT- K.Johnson
Thanks for reading, and let me know your thoughts in the comments.
