True to their word, Mike Williams did play more snaps in his second game with the Pittsburgh Steelers than his first. His production didn’t match. Williams logged 25 snaps according to PFF, just one-third of the offensive snaps and didn’t receive a target in the team’s 18-16 win over the Baltimore Ravens.
Despite his 32-yard game-winning touchdown catch against the Washington Commanders one week ago, the Steelers weren’t keen on getting Williams reps or involvement. Largely, they stuck with the same top-three receivers as they had prior to acquiring Williams at the trade deadline: George Pickens, Calvin Austin III, and Van Jefferson.
Pickens finished the game with a career-high eight receptions, but Austin and Jefferson struggled. Austin dropped a downfield 3rd and 1 pass on the opening possession of the game while Jefferson let a third down out route in the red zone slip through his hands, though it’s doubtful he would have converted even if he hadn’t dropped it.
Combined, Austin and Jefferson recorded one catch for minus-1 yards on three total targets.
And yet Mike Williams didn’t see much action. His snaps ticked up later in the game but it’s clear the Steelers still have a limited number of groupings and plays for him. He’s not working much in 11 personnel. He doesn’t work in heavy personnel. Instead, WR Ben Skowronek saw lots of work there and even Scotty Miller logged time on the offense’s final possession.
On a short week where the team can realistically get in only one or two light practices before travelling to Cleveland for Thursday night’s game, there won’t be much time for Williams to increase his work. The Steelers’ offense has shown they can get the ball to anybody on a given day. Aside from Pickens’ steady diet of targets, everyone else’s production is popcorn. Today, TE Darnell Washington was targeted four times and posted a career-high 42 yards.
It’s likely Williams’ production will ebb and flow with some outputs similar to today. He’ll have to make his plays count when his number is called. Sunday, it wasn’t. And even with their offensive struggles, a win over the Ravens won’t cause the Steelers to re-evaluate things on top of the AFC North.
