Article

Steelers Vs. Giants Week 8: PFF Grades And Total Snaps

By Clayton Eckert

Posted on October 30, 2024 at 12:00 am

Sorry it’s a broken record story, another slow start in the first half on the scoreboard. Tied at nine at halftime, but thankfully turned it up in the second half with big plays in all three phases for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ third straight win (26-18).

In this article, I will provide data from Pro Football Focus (PFF) and takeaways from watching the film.

Offense:

Excellent (90-Plus Grades):

TE Darnell Washington (92.2 grade, 30 snaps) was the highest grade on offense and overall. Not the volume of last game as a receiver, but impactful. One target, an explosive 29-yard catch, getting open on a corner route and nearly tight roping the sideline for a potential house call. The first of two back-to-back explosive plays on the second drive, but the offense unfortunately stalled on every red zone trip of the game (0-4). Great blocking overall, which PFF agreed with. 81.6 RBLK was the second-best of Week Eight and 74.4 PBLK.

Great (80-Plus Grades):

WR George Pickens (81.6, 53) caught 4/5 targets for 74 yards but no TDs. Two were near scores, one negated on the first drive (T Broderick Jones facemask). Would have been refreshing for this slow start offense and the other crazily not getting two feet down with room in the back of the end zone. Caught a great deep throw from Russell Wilson on a corner route for a double-explosive 43-yard gain, the longest play for Pittsburgh’s offense, including YAC. Season-high 29 YAC and 3/4 catches also went for first downs.

Good (70-Plus Grades):

T Dan Moore (75.6, 65) led the o-line, deservingly IMO. Led the team in Week Eight with 75.1 RBLK and 70.3 PBLK. Two pressures, a hurry, and QB hit. Pittsburgh was zone run heavy in the game, and Moore fared well in that, along with only a few lost reps on 30 run block snaps. More lost reps in pass pro for sure. Also got dinged, forcing him to exit, but returned after one play in which backup Calvin Anderson allowed a sack. Knock on wood, continued health after missing his first snap of his solid 2024 campaign.

WR Van Jefferson (74.8, 53) matched or had season-highs in targets (five), catches (four), yards (62), yards per catch (15.5), two missed tackles forced, first downs (three), and longest catch (36 yards). That explosive play was an awesome catch on an underthrow, making a great adjustment to his back-shoulder to make the contested catch. Also noted an overall strong outing as a blocker, which PFF agreed with (71.9 RBLK). Nice contributions overall.

The Bad (Below 50 Grades):

G Mason McCormick (44.5, 66) had the lowest offensive grade. First time in this tier in six games played. Not all bad, but negative plays soured his game. Most egregious: handily pancaked in pass pro, sack allowed, holding penalty, on the ground multiple times, and poor pass block on Wilson’s fumble turnover. Two notable reps on explosive plays: Pickens’ 43-yarder, and RB Najee Harris’ 26-yard explosive run. 53.9 RBLK, and abysmal 16.3 PBLK, including two hurries (no sacks). PBLK felt low and thought Jones had a worse game.

Defense:

Excellent (90-Plus Grades):

EDGE T.J. Watt (91.7, 69) was the highest-graded defender and his usual clutch self. Most notable was a fourth-quarter strip sack, and he recovered his own forced fumble to rectify QB Wilson’s demoralizing fumble turnover the prior drive late in the game. Seven total tackles, four stops, two TFLs, six pressures, and two QB hits that were both sacks (T-NFL best in Week Eight), and a FF in another star performance. In 2024, 93.7 DEF (second), 93.2 RDEF (first), and 90.9 PRSH (fourth). Dominant.

Great (80-Plus Grades):

Three here. EDGE Alex Highsmith (87.5, 64) had a career-high 12 pressures and whopping six QB hits, ranking first in the NFL in Week Eight, four hurries, four total tackles (all stops), and two sacks (T-first) in a monster game. Created havoc for much of the game, taking advantage of all the attention Watt garners. Expected an elite grade. So great to see him another week healthier, compared to a lesser performance in his first game back from injury last week.

The EDGE duo had all four of Pittsburgh’s sacks, all in the second half, and had the two best PRSH grades of Week Eight. Wow.

Cam Heyward (86.7, 49) was also strong, creating a three-headed monster from Pittsburgh’s d-line that NY struggled with. Seven total pressures, five hurries, two QB hits, six total tackles, and four stops, all against the run. 79.7 PRSH, 73.5 RDEF, and 71.1 TACK this game. 91.0 DEF, 84.4 RDEF, 78.1 TACK on the season leads all IDL through Week Eight, and 87.9 ranks third. Animal.

LB Elandon Roberts (81.3, 24) excelled in his usual ways in RDEF (81.0) and TACK (79.5). Three total tackles, all stops in run defense, including a TFL showcasing his stellar downfield abilities and plus pursuit on another. On the season, 89.9 DEF (third) and 93.3 RDEF (first). Playing his role to a T overall.

Good (70-Plus Grades):

Two players. CB Joey Porter Jr. (77.4, 72) tied for a team lead in total tackles (eight). Coming down to finish plays from deep zone coverage often (more than my liking, TBH), equating to only three stops. Charted for six targets, three catches, for only 16 yards, for a nice 56.3 rating against. Solid game grades across the board: 81.4 TACK (sixth league-wide), 76.5 COV, 70.4 RDEF. Encouraging overall, with an asterisk next to some debatable DPI no-calls.

S Minkah Fitzpatrick (76.5, 72) had one particularly enjoyable play in coverage, a 3rd and 3, where he delivered a big hit on the receiver to jar the ball loose for the incompletion. Four total tackles as well, two for stops, for his highest individual 78.4 TACK grade. 71.8 COV was also solid, earning a team-high 39.6 rating against on that PBU, his lone target. Fitzpatrick’s 90.6 season TACK is first among safeties, and 82.1 ranks fifth.

The Bad (Below 50 Grades):

Five here. EDGE Jeremiah Moon (49.1, 7) was up and down, in the bad tier for the third week in a row (four games played). I noted a few positive reps, including a pressure on an incompletion, setting the edge in run defense, and another plus pass rush in the waning moments. Some negatives included being pancaked on a double team against the run and losing on a pass rush. Bit lower DEF grade than I anticipated, and PFF’s individual grades were higher that that mark: 57.9 RDEF, 53.7 PRSH.

DL Dean Lowry (44.0, 9) lands here again, doing so in 5/6 games in 2024. No pressures or sacks on six pass rush snaps (53.1 PRSH). Noted him getting a push on a couple occasions, but more lost reps. Noted one plus rep in run d, but the other was far from desirable. Individual grades were all higher than his DEF as well: 55.0 RDEF, 53.1 PRSH.

DL Keeanu Benton (43.4, 37) was a guilty party to Pittsburgh’s struggles in run defense. Pushed back, washed, on the ground, including a 17-yard chunk run, a 3rd and 1 conversion allowed, and a missed run tackle. Noted only one positive run d rep. Pass rushing, while not stellar, was better. Had an assisted QB hit on a nice swim move, but his only charted pressure. Only one tackle, a stop, tracking down a 3rd and 12 screen limiting it to seven yards. Second game in the bad tier, fingers crossed more consistency post-bye.

S DeShon Elliott (42.1, 54) had his first bad grade of 2024. Worst 39.4 TACK and 33.8 RDEF. A deflating missed tackle on the Giants fourth quarter 45-yard TD run cut into Pittsburgh’s previously comfortable 23-9 lead with plenty of time left. Another poor angle, with a gaping hole for a ten-yard chunk. Did have seven total tackles (T-third on the team) but just two stops, encouragingly for no gain. The latter’s been more typical in 2024, with his 83.4 season RDEF ranking fourth among safeties. But the bad outweighed the good in Week Eight.

DL Larry Ogunjobi (36.3, 48) was the lowest-graded defender. You guessed it, struggled in run defense and tackling as well (35.7 RDEF, 30.1 TACK). Also had a missed run tackle, with two particularly poor reps in my notes on chunk 17 and 26-yarders. This, along with the quantity, double-digit lost reps were painful, unfortunately. There was some good, like a nice TFL on a QB draw, but must be better overall. Pass rush was better, but more losses in my notes there too. Here’s to hoping team run defense looks much better post-bye.

Special Teams:

Excellent (90-Plus Grades):

NONE.

Great (80-Plus Grades):

Austin (86.9, 4) lands here with the aforementioned 73-yard punt return TD, the jump-for-joy turning point of the game. This was the first TD for either team, not coming until late in the third quarter. He also enjoyed a fair catch bluff, with the punt sailing over his head for the touchback. Did elect to field one instead of a fair catch, taking a huge hit that was dangerous.

Good (70-Plus Grades):

Two here. James Pierre (74.4, 22) had a strong showing overall. 24-yard assisted kickoff-return tackle, great punt coverage, including a two-yard tackle, a block on Austin’s explosive return, and coverage on the Steelers’ last punt that was fair caught at the seven-yard line. Some cons were being blocked on a long 45-yard kick return and not landing a block on the punt return unit.

Damontae Kazee (74.3, 4) had a great block on Austin’s big punt return, and nice to see PFF taking notice in his return from a two-game absence to injury.

The Bad (Below 50 Grades):

NONE.

Surprises:

Better than anticipated offensive grades: Calvin Anderson – 60.0 grade, one snap, a sack allowed, 0.0 PBLK…huh? Though Broderick Jones (56.9) would be in the bad tier.
Lower than expected offensive grades: Austin (66.6, namely explosive TD) and RB Najee Harris (63.1) on another great 100 rush yard game, including five plays of 10-plus yards.
Beanie Bishop’s 64.5 COV grade given his game-sealing interception. Was charged by PFF for some chunk yardage (of the cleanup variety), and a rub concept got him on a 4th and 2 conversion. But still lower than I anticipated.

Who were yours?