While Patrick Queen and Russell Wilson drew the headlines of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason additions, it was CB Donte Jackson and S DeShon Elliott who made game-changing plays in Sunday’s win over the Atlanta Falcons. Both had interceptions, the first pair of new Steelers to intercept passes in a Week 1 game.
Elliott picked QB Kirk Cousins off on the Falcons’ second drive of the game. Jackson got Cousins in the fourth quarter, returning it 49 yards the other way to set up one of six Chris Boswell’s field goals.
But it wasn’t just those two game-changing plays. They were consistent throughout the game. According to our charting, Elliott and Jackson were targeted seven total times. Here are the results:
Jackson And Elliott Targets
– Seven Targets
– Two Completions
– 24 Yards
– Zero Touchdowns
– Two Interceptions
– 1.8 QB Rating Against
It doesn’t get more shutdown than that.
Predictably, a cornerback in Jackson was targeted five times, Elliott twice. Jackson is remembered for his interception and his dropped interception early in the game, but he also made a key breakup on a third down, squeezing a sideline pass and tipping it away to prevent a conversion and big gain. Great rep as he spent the day taking away WR Darnell Mooney, who finished with one catch for 15 yards.
Besides his interception, Elliott’s other target came two plays before Jackson’s sideline stop. Driving on a flat route by TE Charlie Woerner and impacting the catch point to knock it away.
Not exactly breaking up a touchdown there but still putting Atlanta in 2nd and 10. With Jackson’s breakup, they forced a punt to stall the Falcons’ drive out at midfield.
The rest of the season won’t always be this bright. There will be tougher moments against better competition more warmed up than what Pittsburgh saw Sunday. But they stepped up big as role players in a full defensive effort to take the Falcons down.
