Snap Counts: Steelers Make Unexpected Offensive Adjustment

Alan Saunders |

Updated: Oct 23, 2023

Steelers TE Connor Heyward — Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Connor Heyward at training camp on Aug. 2, 2023. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Pittsburgh Steelers showed off one of the benefits of their newly versatile defensive deployments and made a big change on offense in the team’s 24-17 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

The offensive change came as something of a surprise, as the Steelers, playing without tight end Pat Freiermuth, played two tight ends for the majority of the game. Which tight end got the bulk of the reps was also something of a surprise. Even though Darnell Washington is listed as the second-team tight end and started the last game Freiermuth missed, it was Connor Heyward getting the most work at the position in L.A. Heyward took 51 snaps to Washington’s 31, and with 59 total snaps of offense, the second-year Michigan State product played almost the entire game.

The fact that Washington played 31 additional snaps (and Rodney Williams 11) meant that the Steelers played a whole slew of two tight end formations in that game. Perhaps the Steelers wanted additional blocking to help against Aaron Donald and company, or perhaps wide receiver Diontae Johnson is not yet back to full strength. He played just 39 snaps, while George Pickens played 53.

The changes on defense were more expected. When the Steelers went to a timeshare between three starters at inside linebacker and two at strong safety, the idea was that they could use bigger, run-first players like Elandon Roberts and Keanu Neal against run-happy teams. The better coverage players like Damontae Kazee and Kwon Alexander would play more against spread offenses.

That trend hasn’t played out as neatly as first anticipated, but it did on Sunday. Against a pass-heavy offense that almost always plays with at least three wide receivers on the field, the Steelers weren’t only trading a defensive lineman for a defensive back by using their Nickel sub package, they were changing the personnel to match the scheme fit as well.

That meant that nose tackle Keeanu Benton, Neal and Roberts all saw reductions in playing time against a more-spread offense. Kwon Alexander, Damontae Kazee and DeMarvin Leal got larger roles as a result.

STEELERS OFFENSIVE SNAP COUNTS

Pos	Player	SF	CLE	LV	HOU	BAL	LAR
QB	Kenny Pickett	63	54	62	49	66	59
QB	Mitch Trubisky	0	0	0	10	0	0
QB	Mason Rudolph	EQB	EQB	EQB	EQB	EQB	EQB
RB	Najee Harris	33	31	31	29	37	34
RB	Jaylen Warren	25	23	28	29	32	27
RB	Anthony McFarland	5	IR	IR	IR	IR	IR
RB	Qadree Ollison	—	0	1	—	—	—
RB	Godwin Igwebuike	—	—	INA	INA	INA	0
WR	George Pickens	56	46	55	58	58	53
WR	Allen Robinson II	56	47	50	50	57	38
WR	Calvin Austin III	35	41	45	53	37	7
WR	Diontae Johnson	27	IR	IR	IR	IR	39
WR	Miles Boykin	5	4	8	6	12	0
WR	Gunner Olszewski	INA	1	INJ	INA	4	—
TE	Pat Freiermuth	32	41	49	30	INJ	IR
TE	Darnell Washingon	24	26	29	25	46	31
TE	Connor Heyward	17	10	13	15	37	51
TE	Rodney Williams II	—	—	—	—	4	11
LT	Dan Moore Jr.	63	54	62	8	INJ	59
RT	Chukwuma Okorafor	59	54	62	59	66	59
LG	Issac Seumalo	63	54	62	59	66	59
RG	James Daniels	63	54	62	INJ	INJ	59
C	Mason Cole	63	54	62	59	66	59
OT	Broderick Jones	4	0	0	51	66	0
OT	Dylan Cook	INA	INA	INA	0	0	INA
C/G	Nate Herbig	0	0	0	59	66	0
OL	Spencer Anderson	0	0	0	0	1	0
OL	Ryan McCollum	—	—	—	—	0	—

STEELERS DEFENSIVE SNAP COUNTS

Pos	Player	SF	CLE	LV	HOU	BAL	LAR
DT	Larry Ogunjobi	43	51	49	46	48	49
DT	Montravius Adams	34	52	47	41	56	46
DE	DeMarvin Leal	26	39	33	21	INJ	23
NT	Keeanu Benton	29	28	21	29	33	19
DT	Armon Watts	INA	22	18	34	18	17
DT	Isaiahh Loudermilk	31	14	9	13	13	0
DT	Cam Heyward	14	IR	IR	IR	IR	IR
NT	Breiden Fehoko	—	INA	INA	INA	0	INA
OLB	T.J. Watt	48	70	59	62	60	57
OLB	Alex Highsmith	49	68	52	63	61	53
OLB	Markus Golden	25	19	20	13	14	14
OLB	Nick Herbig	16	17	13	4	5	12
ILB	Cole Holcomb	53	78	53	63	64	56
ILB	Kwon Alexander	47	52	47	27	31	47
ILB	Elandon Roberts	29	27	17	42	29	19
ILB	Mark Robinson	0	0	4	0	0	0
CB	Patrick Peterson	67	85	71	71	63	67
CB	Levi Wallace	67	78	67	71	66	49
CB	Joey Porter Jr.	7	14	27	10	28	53
CB	James Pierre	0	0	0	0	0	2
CB	Chandon Sullivan	13	47	18	21	24	22
CB	Desmond King			0	0	1	—
FS	Minkah Fitzpatrick	68	46	72	71	70	68
S	Damontae Kazee	49	77	53	34	43	58
SS	Keanu Neal	33	61	41	45	42	17
SS	Miles Killebrew	0	2	1	0	1	0
DB	Elijah Riley	0	10	0	0	0	0