Breaking down the two sacks Pittsburgh allowed in their 18-10 Week 1 win against the Atlanta Falcons.
3RD AND 4, 13:44 3RD, 11 PERSONNEL. FIVE BLOCK + RB CHECK/RELEASE VS FOUR-MAN RUSH
James Daniels gets beat by an inside spin move by Grady Jarrett and tries to double on a Matthew Judon inside stunt. Jaylen Warren checks and releases quickly, and right after he breaks free, Jarrett gets free to make the play. Broderick Jones missed on his block with Judon stunting to the inside, but Jarrett had beaten Daniels by the time Judon crossed his face.
Jarrett was a free rusher after beating Daniels with the swim, and Justin Fields can’t escape, taking a 15-yard loss on the play and forcing the Steelers to punt.
Blame: James Daniels
3RD AND 13, 4:22 4TH, 11 PERSONNEL. SIX BLOCK VS. FOUR-MAN RUSH
This one ends up partially Fields, as he holds onto the ball for too long, missing an open Calvin Austin III and rolling out to get sacked. The initial protection was good, but Fields bails out of the pocket, with LB Troy Andersen getting picked up by RB Jaylen Warren. It’s just too much time to ask your O-line to block, and Fields gets sacked while rolling out. LB Kaden Elliss also fakes a blitz here before dropping back into coverage to guard Austin, but Austin was open with Ellis initially showing blitz, and Fields should’ve hit him.
The stunt by Ellis confuses LG Spencer Anderson, who ends up not blocking anyone until late in the play. Andersen dives at Fields after disengaging from Warren, and Troy Andersen should’ve been the player who Spencer Anderson blocked. It’s a good defensive design by the Falcons, especially against an inexperienced guard in Anderson. He deserves half the blame for not picking up the blitzing linebacker, although Fields had the chance to rip it to Austin for a first-down completion.
Fields tried to buy himself time with the pump fake as he scrambled to his left, but he should’ve just thrown it to Austin, as the pump fake ended up allowing the pressure to close in as Matthew Judon and Grady Jarrett combined to bring him down.
Blame: Half on Justin Fields, half on Spencer Anderson
SACK BREAKDOWN (GAME + SEASON)
James Daniels: 1.0
Spencer Anderson: 0.5
Justin Fields: 0.5
PENALTY BREAKDOWN (GAME + SEASON – ACCEPTED PENALTIES ONLY)
Spencer Anderson: 1
