Steelers keep unbeaten streak alive vs. Lions

With QB Ben Roethlisberger on the COVID list it was a Mason Rudolph day in a classic Heinz Field mudder on Sunday afternoon. The Steelers got the ball first and he got them off to a fast start, marching down the field and finding his college teammate James Washington wide open in the back of the end zone.

The Oklahoma State connection, Rudolph➡️Washington, 7-0 PIT

After that the wheels starting spinning in the mud. Five three-and-out’s and a Rudolph INT later the Lions finally got on the board. A 48-yard punt return (tackled by P Presley Harvin III) set the tone, then RB Jermar Jefferson found a crack in the first layer of the defense and the second layer never got there.

7-7

Rudolph threw 7/7 for 52 yards over the next 13 plays and eight-and-a-half minutes, penetrating to Detroit’s 2 yard line before settling for a FG. 10-7 PIT

Detroit answered by driving 67 yards in 12 plays, but in only four-and-a-half minutes. They also stalled at their opponent’s 2 yard line and leveled the score as time expired. HALFTIME SCORE: 10-10

Detroit came out of the gate running like Seabiscuit in the second half. Five of the six plays of their opening drive were rushes, and all 85 of their yards were on the ground. This TD run features some of the most sickening tackling you’ll ever witness; I do not recommend watching it again.

Lions backup kicker missed PAT, 16-10 DET

The Steelers needed to string together some first downs and give their defense time to collect themselves, and they did exactly that. Mason started it out with this beauty:

“QB mobility”

Helped along by three defensive penalties (two offsides and a late hit), Mason got his boys down to the Detroit 5 yard line before throwing three incomplete passes. Pittsburgh answered Detroit’s TD with a FG. 16-13 PIT

The Steelers and Lions combined for 16 punts and 10 three-and-outs today. Tackling and ball-security were issues for both sides all day, but the conditions didn’t bother K Chris Boswell. He knocked through a 51-yarder to tie it at 16 with 11:31 in the fourth quarter.

The remaining six drives of regulation totaled 45 yards, four first downs and zero points. END OF REGULATION: 16-16

In OT, the Lions had three first downs, two punts and a missed 48-yard FG. Twice the Steelers got into field goal range, but fumbles from WR Diontae Johnson and TE Pat Freiermuth gave the Lions second and third lives in the sudden death situation.

Time expired as Detroit lateraled the ball back and forth and they ran out of bounds to end the game with a whimper.

FINAL SCORE: 16-16

WR Chase Claypool battling a week-to-week toe situation presented an opportunity for Ray Ray McCloud. He had a team-high (and personal career record) nine catches, four for first downs and two third-down conversions.

In addition to Roethlisberger and Claypool, the Steelers lost Kevin Dotson, Joe Haden, Trai Turner and TJ Watt to injury in-game. I’ll have another post this week on those guys and what that means for later this week.

Steelers survive Bears 29-27

The Steelers got by with a little help from their good friends the officials, surviving a potential mauling from the Bears at home on Monday Night Football.

The Bears were flagged 12 times for 115 yards in the game, including four offsides penalties in the fourth quarter and a key taunting penalty to extend a Steelers’ drive with 4 minutes to play. I’ve always been a friend of the officiating community.

New friend RB Najee Harris opened the scoring on the Steelers’ first possession with his third rushing (and fifth overall) TD. 7-0 PIT

Harris: 62 yards, 1 TD, 45% success rate (10/22)

After an exchange of punts, Cam Heyward recorded his second career interception. It was a great moment, but I think it will be overturned by New York for banned substances (lol).

[missing media]

The Steelers’ next drive featured an fantastic catch from Diontae Johnson who was wearing his CB like a sweater at the yacht club (tied around his shoulders) and still made the grab. Three plays later this happened: 14-0 PIT

Freiermuth TD #1

Chicago had managed only two first downs their first five possessions. They were finally able to string together 12 plays and kick a FG to get on the board :15 before intermission. HALFTIME SCORE: 14-3 PIT

The Bears struck first in the second half. They were helped along by a deep hookup to WR Marquise Goodwin that Tomlin challenged because he never had control of the ball, but the play stood as called. DE Cam Heyward gave great chase on a third down screen to prevent a TD, and Chicago settled for the FG. 14-6 PIT

It didn’t take long for the Steelers to respond. On their next drive Johnson and WR Chase Claypool both had rushes of 11 yards, setting up this beauty:

Freiermuth TD #2

It seemed like the Steelers were preparing to run away with the game. Headed to the fourth quarter the score was 20-6 PIT (Boz missed that last PAT). Then Chicago came storming back.

The Bears scored all three of their TD’s in the fourth quarter and had a lead for exactly 80 seconds of this game. If you’re the Steelers you couldn’t pick a worse 80 seconds to trail a football game.

Fortunately we have a friend of our own who’s a fourth quarter ace: K Chris Boswell. He went 3/3 on FG’s in the fourth quarter – two from 50+ and the 40-yarder to reclaim the lead with :26 to play – one week after being concussed on that fake FG against the Browns.

We’d be remiss not to mention our other old friend Ben Roethlisberger, whose 50th career come-back drive ties him with Tom Brady for third all-time.

Having spent their final timeout trying to ice Boswell’s last FG, Chicago was limited in options. They were able to connect on a couple quick outs to get close to striking distance, but at the end it came down to a 66-yard FG attempt as time expired. It bounced three times before reaching the back of the end zone.

Old friend TJ Watt was back on his grind tonight, compiling 7 tackles, 3 for loss, 3 sacks and a huge pass break-up one the penultimate play of the game.

FINAL SCORE: 29-27 PIT, on to Detroit

Sky Cam: Steelers @ Browns

1) This was RB Najee Harris’s first successful run of the day, and it was a nice one! He found a hole sealed by LT Dan Moore and TE Zach Gentry and hit it hard for nine yards and a first down.

Play #1

Take another look at the backside of that play, where TE Pat Freiermuth is working on Myles Garrett.

“Sweep the leg!”

2) The first play in this clip is from the Steelers’ first drive. Anthony McFarland’s only touch of the day was chased down by Garrett after a meager one-yard gain. The next play McFarland was on the field Ben faked the pitch to him, rolled out to his right and connected with WR Diontae Johnson for a 17-yard gain.

When the Steelers put McFarland back out there on their second drive they knew he would have the proverbial blinking red light on his helmet. The Browns smelled blood, thinking they were looking at the same play they had stuffed the prior drive and nine of the 11 defenders on the field bit HARD on the play.

I was surprised as anyone to see a 39-year-old Ben Roethlisberger running a naked bootleg, but it was a smart call with the play fake to give Roethlisberger some clean green to work with.

On the back-end, Johnson put on a route-running clinic. He was in lock-step with his corner for most of the play. He sold the vertical route and the moment the defender turned his head to run, Johnson cut off the curl and sat down underneath a 10-yard cushion.

3) I have very few criticisms of WR Diontae Johnson. He’s an elite route runner and separator(⬆️), he has the hands to make those get-off-the-couch catches, and he’s a willing and capable run blocker. The one thing I’ll say is I’d like him to be more aware of his body language, specifically post-play.

Ben misses DJ for a walk-in TD

He was open in a big way, for a long time on this play, but Ben’s primary read was to the other side of the field. Once that fizzled out he turned his eyes and made the throw – granted, poorly. One might argue that your primary read in a trips situation should always be to that side, but that’s a separate discussion.

We’ve seen Diontae holding his palms up after plays on a number of occasions this year, clearly frustrated with the game and, likely, his quarterback. Letting your opponent see your frustration gives them the advantage; anyone who’s seen Karate Kid knows that.

4) As you probably know the Browns came into the game on Sunday as the#1 rushing attack in the NFL. After four quarters of great team defense, they no longer occupy the top spot in that category.

I think DT Isaiah Buggs was also held here by the center. After he’s taken to the ground he gets back up and does the “fourth down” hand sign in the general direction of his sideline, but he’s clearly doing it AT the Browns’ center. He’s gotta watch himself with the new taunting rules.

5) It wasn’t a banner day for NFL Officiating. This is a grab bag of some of the more egregious ‘fficial flubs, starting with the one all of our uncles still won’t shut up about: the play that concussed K Chris Boswell was in fact a dirty, illegal hit.

I’ll let the expert do my talking more me

When DT Malik McDowell sacked Ben and landed with his full 295 pounds on the QB, the referee – who was standing five yards from the play – threw a flag without hesitation. After a brief discussion, that very same referee announced to the stadium and the world that he had changed his mind.

Roughing the passer flag picked up

Clowney got away with one, too.

At this stage in his career, Ben should be getting these calls

As I pointed out in the above tweet, this is after the officials flagged RT Chukwuma Okorafor for being (at most) inches out of position on one pass set on the Steelers’ first drive. Later there was a questionable holding call against Kendrick Green on Ben’s two-point conversion scramble. It’s okay to call a high strike zone, but you gotta give those high strikes both ways.