In his second NFL game, Pittsburgh Steelers CB Cory Trice Jr. recorded his first interception. It couldn’t have come at a better time, two plays after a 49-yard Denver Broncos gain that put them in scoring range for the first time all game. Trice made sure they’d come away empty-handed.
So it’s definitely worth breaking this play down. How did Trice make his first big-time NFL play? With great zone eyes, feel for the route, and finish.
Pittsburgh is in Cover 3. A basic coverage shell with three deep players responsible for one-third of the field with four underneath zone players. Two for the curl/flat and two hook zones over the middle. Here’s the basic structure. Trice is to the top at LCB, replacing the banged-up Donte Jackson, and responsible for his deep-third.
Denver is in a 3×1 formation out of 21 personnel, the fullback in a two-point stance to the trip side along with two receivers. The tight end is the backside X-receiver to the top with the RB going in motion, first to the trip side before pivoting to the short side.
To Trice’s side, the backside tight end is running a curl as the back goes out to the flat and extends upfield. Overall, Trice has no threat vertically into his zone. In his zone turn, eyes to the quarterback, he’s reading Broncos rookie QB Bo Nix. His eyes, shoulders, and overall posture that will take him to the football.
What I like most from Trice is the football IQ. In the pre-snap alignment align, this 3×1 look with the reduced split to the trips side is a clue there could be a route coming across to Trice. When the tight end sits underneath — the scheme is clearly not trying to hit him on a fade or slant — it’s another clue. Offenses are trying to make use of all the space on the field so they’re probably not going to have an empty void in the back right half of the end zone.
Trice is alert for a possible crosser being run behind the tight end/running back. And sure enough, it’s WR Courtland Sutton coming across the field, left to right, from his reduced split. Trice gets eyes on the route and identifies it as Sutton runs behind FS Minkah Fitzpatrick.
From there, Trice matches Sutton’s route and gets his eyes back to Nix to track the throw. He finishes it by high-pointing the football, leaping in front of Sutton and finishing the play. Steelers’ ball.
Here’s the whole play from the All-22 aerial view.
Overall, a great rep from Trice. And remember he’s coming in cold off the bench having replaced Jackson two plays earlier. It’s a long time coming for Trice after having his rookie season wiped out by a torn ACL. Given his lengthy injury history, it was fair to wonder if that would doom him. But he’s worked to come back, making Sunday’s impact play all the sweeter.
