The talk of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ last game was the defense. How much it struggled and the curious decision-making that played a role in that. Nick Herbig’s low snap count, left off the field in crucial situations as Joe Flacco led the game-winning drive. Juan Thornhill’s lack of playing time won’t draw near as much criticism. But the personnel choices are just as curious, even if they won’t elicit the think-pieces Herbig’s sideline action did.
Pittsburgh’s starting free safety once Minkah Fitzpatrick was traded in late June, Thornhill hardly saw the field against the Cincinnati Bengals. He picked up just 20 total snaps, 26.3 percent of the defensive total. Instead, it was Chuck Clark logging most of the action. Here’s how the snap counts were split.
Safety Snap Counts
DeShon Elliott – 76 snaps (100 percent)
Chuck Clark – 46 snaps (60.5 percent)
Juan Thornhill – 20 snaps (26.3 percent)
Despite Clark not being signed until the start of the summer and despite Thornhill being regarded as the true free safety on the roster, Teryl Austin called him the Steelers’ “deep range” guy earlier this year, Thornhill hardly saw the field on a day where Flacco and WR Ja’Marr Chase carved up the secondary.
In fairness, Thornhill’s snaps came in some of those passing moments. But it wasn’t enough. Of the Bengals’ four “third and longs,” plays needing seven or more yards, Thornhill picked up just half the snaps. Clark had the other four (Elliott, of course, played all eight). The conversion rate was the same for both, allowing one first down in those moments.
And like Herbig, Thornhill was absent for the pass-situation late in the game. On the Bengals’ game-winning drive, Thornhill didn’t see a single snap. It was all Clark. Mike Tomlin and Austin would cite fear of the run, a mid-game mindset change because of Cincinnati’s strong rushing performance, but the defense couldn’t make a final stop. That opens the team up to question. And Clark struggled throughout the game, missing a tackle on WR Tee Higgins’ touchdown, one of two we charged Clark for on the night.Â
But the results aren’t the point. A free safety is just one cog of it all. There’s a principle of the matter. Why is Thornhill not being used in passing situations? Why is Clark getting the nod? The team might cite Clark’s better run defense. That alone feels debatable but even if the argument is granted, why not use Jabrill Peppers to stop the run? If run defense is such a concern, he’s better than Thornhill or Clark. Peppers logged zero defensive snaps, stuck on special teams as a Miles Killebrew replacement.
The decisions simply seem haphazard. Best players being left off the field. Situational moments where Pittsburgh’s personnel seems wrong. It’s fair and fine to split snaps instead of giving Thornhill every single rep. He’s not Fitzpatrick. But on a night where the secondary struggled, a starting safety and coverage player like Thornhill was left to the sidelines. And Thornhill has played well this season. Better than I anticipated. I was lukewarm on his signing but he’s not the liability he was in Cleveland the previous two years.
It’s a coaching staff issue. Starting with Tomlin at the top but the entire game plan and approach. That trickles down to Austin, DBs Coach Gerald Alexander, all chipping in to create the game plan and team personnel decisions.
Thornhill sidelined isn’t as egregious as Fitzpatrick. But in some ways, the Steelers seem to be struggling how to handle its rotations. The trio of outside linebacker of T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Herbig. The safety split between Thornhill and Clark, not to mention the handful of safety snaps Jalen Ramsey picks up in the team’s base 3-4 package. Pittsburgh’s decisions simply feel all over the place and aren’t serving the situation or the defensive needs best. With a mini-bye to reset and recalculate, Herbig and Thornhill’s snaps will be worth watching tonight against the Green Bay Packers.
