Quick film room breaking down a pair of successful passing concepts the Pittsburgh Steelers used Saturday in their preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Though it’s only exhibition action without intense game planning, Mike Tomlin admitted there would be more strategy given that the two teams squared off in a joint practice two days earlier. That was evident on both sides of the ball of this game.
Though Pittsburgh’s quarterbacks weren’t as sharp as in the opener, there were a couple notable plays and fun concepts OC Arthur Smith dialed up.
Mills Concept
A two-man route combination designed to put the safety in conflict. The outside receiver runs a deep post while the slot receiver runs a dig route. Here’s what it looks like. If the safety bites the dig, throw the post. If the safety gets depth to protect against the post, hit the dig.
On this play, Mason Rudolph reads it well. The Bucs safety is flat-footed on the dig, leaving WR Roman Wilson one-on-one on the post. He uses his speed to run past the cornerback (bottom of the screen), who thinks he has help over the top. Rudolph hits him for a 42-yard gain. Had the ball been a little more in front so Wilson didn’t have to slow down, this may have been a touchdown.
A solid concept and execution you’ll see around the NFL on Sundays. And probably again in Pittsburgh later this season.
Fake Power Toss
Here’s a new one I don’t remember Pittsburgh running last season under Arthur Smith. Popular in the college game and trickling up to the NFL level, the play starts with a fake power toss, the guard pulling to influence the linebackers’ key and cause them to get downhill to play the run. A receiver runs behind down the seam.
On this play, QB Skylar Thompson fakes the toss to RB Kaleb Johnson while RG Doug Nester pulls. Tampa Bay’s linebackers freeze on it as WR Scotty Miller runs an over/crossing route behind them. Thompson throws a good ball to Miller, who makes the catch before the safety can close. Really nice throw and catch for a 23-yard completion.
The linebackers froze just enough here but this is an even better example of what the play can look like.
Pittsburgh ran this concept multiple times in training camp. Knowing that and its success here, expect to see it during the regular season for hopefully an equally big (or bigger) play.
Preseason action focuses more on individual evaluation than unit-wide and scheme review. But Arthur Smith had a couple of fun wrinkles dialed up to create big plays in the Steelers’ passing game. More of that is needed once the games start counting.
