Coming into this season we knew there would be questions marks on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense. In particular, who would step up from the receiver group to complement WR George Pickens.
Looking at the stats you can see there is a big discrepancy in production and targets. Through six games, Pickens leads the team in targets, receptions and yards. The rest of the wide receivers have combined for just 33 targets. That is 11 less than Pickens by himself. WRs Calvin Austin III and Van Jefferson have combined for 30 of those 33 targets.
Austin has put up solid numbers with 10 receptions for 167 yards on 17 targets. He also has the only touchdown reception among the wide receivers, a 55-yard reception against the Los Angeles Chargers. However, he has two or fewer targets in four of six games.
Why?
Part of it is based on personnel groups. The Steelers have played 11 personnel about 48.5 percent of the time. Of that Austin plays 86.5 percent of the 11-personnel snaps.
They play in multiple tight end sets (02/12/13/14 personnel) 51.5 percent of the time. Austin plays just 12.9 percent in those groupings. So, he isn’t on the field for half of the plays.
Another part of it is that Justin Fields just hasn’t looked his way.
When you draft a player like Austin, the idea is to get the ball in his hands and let him make plays. He has speed and can make a guy miss. He’s averaging 10.3 yards on 12 punt returns this season. The ability to make plays is there.
The truth is he is getting open. He’s just not getting the ball thrown his way enough.
Here against Dallas, he’s going to run a drive route against zone coverage. After play-action, Fields will look to Pickens at the top, but he has a safety over the top. He then comes back to the right and heaves a pass to Van Jefferson, which if it were thrown far enough may have worked.
If he hits Austin on the drive route just as he passes the logo, he has room to run with Pickens out there to block for him.
On this play, Austin is going to run a dig route versus man coverage. The play breaks down at the line of scrimmage, but this is to show that Austin is producing the separation needed to warrant being targeted.
With the safety moving to his left, Fields initially looks left to the two tight ends. They’re covered and when he gets back to the right he starts to feel pressure.
This is a nice route by Austin. He sells the deep route, drops his hips, and runs the curl route. He creates five yards of separation, puts two hands up ready for the ball but it gets thrown away.
Next is a go route. By the 46-yard line Austin is even with the defender. If you’re even, you’re leavin’ and he blows by the defender. Fields is looking left all the way despite the safety in the middle of the field and again the pressure gets to him.
Against the Raiders, Fields will look right initially and if he pulls the trigger he could hit Jefferson. Instead, he comes back to the left and looks at Austin on the corner route. With the cornerback taking a couple steps toward Austin, Fields opts for the check down.
They come back to the deep route against Las Vegas and this time Austin gets the ball thrown his way. Fields will try to put it right on the money. If he had put some air under it and let Austin run under it the result may have been better.
This is just a half-dozen examples to illustrate that Austin is getting open. The Steelers drafted him for his speed and big-play potential. Give him a chance to make those plays.
I’m always begging for more slants in this offense. Austin can take one the distance. He wins with the drive route weekly. I’ve also advocated lining him up in the backfield to try to get him isolated on a linebacker or safety where he has the speed advantage. Arthur Smith needs to ask himself, “What would Andy Reid do with him?”
The offensive line is beat up right now and that obviously affects the passing game. No matter who the starting QB is the ball is going to have to come out quicker.
Let Omar Khan keep looking for another receiver. In the meantime, get the ball in Austin’s hands more often.
