You hear it often when analysts try to describe football players: “They’re an old-school throwback-type player.”
What does that mean, though?
Go Long TD’s Ty Dunne tries to explain that with his annual “All Old-School Team.” The “All Old-School Team” highlights those players who play the game in an old-school fashion, meaning tough, hard-nosed, and, most importantly for Dunne, which players remind us of the sport that we all fell in love with as kids.
Fortunately for the Pittsburgh Steelers, two players on the roster meet that criteria for Dunne and fellow analyst Bob McGinn.
That would be tight end Pat Freiermuth and RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson.
Dunne chose Freiermuth for his team, while McGinn chose Patterson.
Dunne highlighted Pat Freiermuth for the way he “embraces the suck” as a blocker, fitting the mold that former Steelers’ great Mark Bruener once did for the Steelers in the 90s.
“The Steelers’ starting tight end today does it all. His presence gives the Steelers offense a degree of unpredictability each snap, and the same cannot be said about most tight ends today,” Dunne writes of Freiermuth for GoLongTD.com. “Freiermuth will both make a dynamic catch in the secondary and seal off a linebacker for Najee Harris.”
Pat Freiermuth at least attempts to do it all. Historically, he’s not been a great blocker. Still, over the last year and a half — after being called out publicly by former Steelers RB Merril Hoge — Freiermuth has improved as a blocker and has been able to stay on the field in all situations for the Steelers.
The grades from Pro Football Focus, particularly as a run blocker, don’t exactly align with that statement, though. Pat Freiermuth has a career-worst run-blocking grade at 41.2, entering Week 14 against the Cleveland Browns. Freiermuth has had some big blocks on the season, though, with the block against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6 that sprung Najee Harris for a 36-yard touchdown.
Pat Freiermuth remains a good receiving weapon for the Steelers, too. He can move all around the formation and offers a matchup problem for opposing defenses in the passing game. He can win in contested-catch situations and is a problem after the catch, too.
He’s new-school in the passing game but old-school from a toughness standpoint, which fits Pittsburgh perfectly.
For McGinn, Cordarrelle Patterson was an easy selection due to his history as a returner. While he hasn’t made an impact in the return game just yet for the Steelers, his work as that No. 3 running back behind Harris and Jaylen Warren for the Steelers is commendable.
“This year, he has averaged 5 yards a carry behind Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren in Pittsburgh. Of course, the best part of Patterson’s game always has been returning kickoffs,” McGinn writes of Patterson. “He owns the NFL record for most touchdowns on kickoff returns with nine, and his career average of 29.1 ranks third all-time behind Gale Sayers (30.6, 1965-’71) and Lynn Chandnois (29.6, 1950-’56). With a scant one punt return, Patterson can’t begin to compare with dual-return specialists such as Brian Mitchell, Allen Rossum, Josh Cribbs, Mel Gray, and Hester.
“Nevertheless, he ranks as the finest kickoff returner I’ve seen.”
Patterson is ticketed for the Pro Football Hall of Fame due to his work as a returner in the NFL. After Devin Hester recently got in, it opened the door further for Patterson, who is even better than Hester, which is saying something.
Hopefully, Cordarrelle Patterson will show his prowess in the return game for the Steelers sometime soon, especially as the weather gets colder and more kickoffs start to land in the landing zone, creating more opportunities for returns. His work as a running back, though, has been commendable, especially as he’s provided a spark for the Steelers at times and has run hard when given the opportunity.
