Steelers Grades, Snap Counts vs. Eagles: Rough Day for the Secondary
The Pittsburgh Steelers started ugly and finished just short of a comeback upset victory in Sunday night’s 16-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Here’s the player grades and snap counts from the Week 7 loss.
QUARTERBACK
The trendline for Kenny Pickett’s PFF grade has to be concerning. After posting a 66.9 and a 65.8 in his first two games, he has had a 49.5, 65.6 and 51.9 in his last three.
| QB Mitch Trubisky | 0 | 0% | |
| QB Kenny Pickett | 76 | 100% | +42% |
Trubisky, Cleveland 80.3
Trubisky, Tampa Bay, 78.8
Pickett, NY Jets, 66.9
Pickett, Buffalo, 65.8
Pickett, Miami, 65.6
Trubisky, Cincinnati, 62
Trubisky, New England, 61.6
Trubisky, NY Jets, 60.7
Pickett, Eagles, 51.9
Pickett, Tampa Bay, 49.5
RUNNING BACK
Jaylen Warren’s role grew slightly week-to-week, but he continues to be more successful with the ball in his hands than Najee Harris. Warren had a 70.7 grade, third-best on the offense, while Harris had a 62.7. The best grade on the team? Fullback Derek Watt, who caught a touchdown pass in his four snaps and posted a 90.4.
| RB Najee Harris | 54 | 71% | -6% |
| RB Jaylen Warren | 22 | 29% | +6% |
| FB Derek Watt | 3 | 4% | -5% |
| RB Benny Snell Jr. | 0 | 0% |
OFFENSIVE LINE
Kevin Doston was the best-graded offensive lineman for the second week in a row, but the whole unit took a large slide down the board against the Eagles. The top grade went from an 83.9 to a 68.1. Chuks Okorafor brought up the rear with a. 49.4.
| LT Dan Moore Jr. | 76 | 100% | |
| RT Chukwuma Okorafor | 76 | 100% | |
| LG Kevin Dotson | 76 | 100% | |
| RG James Daniels | 76 | 100% | |
| C Mason Cole | 76 | 100% | |
| C J.C. Hassenauer | 0 | 0% | |
| TE Trent Scott | 1 | 1% | +1% |
| T Jesse Davis | 0 | 0% |
TIGHT END
Pat Freiermuth still hasn’t gotten back to his pre-concussion workload, moving upward only incrementally against the Eagles. It’s worth noting he’s also dealing with an ankle injury. Freiermuth was the Steelers’ second-best offensive player with a 72.1 grade. Gentry had a poor game with a 44.7 grade, dragged down by below-average receiving and run-blocking grades.
| TE Pat Freiermuth | 47 | 62% | +3% |
| TE Zach Gentry | 29 | 38% | -7% |
| TE Connor Heyward | 7 | 9% | +2% |
WIDE RECEIVER
It was the worst-graded day for the young career of George Pickens, with his offensive pass interference penalty adding to the negative of four un-caught targets. He was an offense-worst 42.5 grade. Slot wide receiver Steven Sims was very good in his return from injury and got his most significant offensive playing time of the season. He posted a 65.2 grade.
| WR Chase Claypool | 61 | 80% | -5% |
| WR Diontae Johnson | 72 | 95% | +2% |
| WR George Pickens | 65 | 86% | +7% |
| WR Gunner Olszewski | 0 | 0% | -13% |
| WR Miles Boykin | 8 | 11% | +2% |
| WR Steven Sims | 11 | 14% | +14% |
DEFENSIVE LINE
Chris Wormley got the biggest boost in playing time with Larry Ogunjobi out, and he seems to deserve it. Wormley is putting together a nice season, and had a 71.6 grade against the Eagles, better than even Cam Heyward (67.3). The Steelers played very little base, with Montravius Adams taking just eight snaps at nose tackle. Isaiahh Loudermilk almost needs moved to the outside linebackers group at this point. All but five of his snaps were as an edge rusher.
| DT/DE Cam Heyward | 39 | 68% | -9% |
| DT/DE Larry Ogunjobi | 0 | 0% | -63% |
| NT/DT Tyson Alualu | 15 | 26% | +8% |
| DT Chris Wormley | 41 | 72% | +38% |
| 0 | 0% | ||
| NT Montravius Adams | 24 | 42% | +10% |
| DE Isaiahh Loudermilk | 23 | 40% | +8% |
| DT Carlos Davis | 12 | 21% | +21% |
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
For the second straight game, Malik Reed out-graded Alex Highsmith, which is probably not what the Steelers were looking for. Reed had a sack and a pass breakup for a 62.6, while Highsmith posted a 59. No playing time at all for Jamir Jones isn’t a good sign for his future with the team. T.J. Watt will be back next week and they need to open a roster spot for him to return.
| OLB Alex Highsmith | 50 | 88% | +1% |
| OLB Malik Reed | 32 | 56% | +3% |
| OLB Jamir Jones | 0 | 0% | -5% |
| OLB Ryan Anderson | 7 | 12% | -4% |
| 0 | 0% |
INSIDE LINEBACKER
It was noticeably a quiet day for Myles Jack, usually the Steelers leader in defense tackles, who had just four and only two solos. But the grade reflected an even worse afternoon than that, with Jack putting up a team-low 26.9, with failing grades in both run defense and coverage. Devin Bush had one of his best days, with a 69. Robert Spillane took five snaps at outside linebacker.
| ILB Myles Jack | 51 | 89% | +5% |
| ILB Devin Bush Jr. | 42 | 74% | |
| ILB Robert Spillane | 26 | 46% | -12% |
| ILB Marcus Allen | 0 | 0% | |
| 0 | 0% |
DEFENSIVE BACK
Cam Sutton played almost exclusively outside, with 42 of his 57 snaps coming as an outside corner, and had the best day on the whole defense with a 78.2 grade. None of the Eagles four passing touchdowns went in Sutton’s direction.
Ahkello Witherspoon, on the other hand, was victimized twice and posted a 33.0 grade. Terrell Edmunds (42.9) also yielded two touchdowns, though Minkah Fitzpatrick (64.1) was also involved in one of them. Edmunds played a good bit against opposing slot receivers.
| SS Terrell Edmunds | 56 | 98% | -2% |
| FS Minkah Fitzpatrick | 57 | 100% | |
| BCB Ahkello Witherspoon | 30 | 53% | +53% |
| BCB Cam Sutton | 57 | 100% | +50% |
| 0 | 0% | -98% | |
| SCB Art Maulet | 35 | 61% | +11% |
| FS/SCB Tre Norwood | 3 | 5% | -11% |
| SS Miles Killebrew | 0 | 0% | -1% |
| BCB James Pierre | 27 | 47% | -5% |
| 0 | 0% | ||
| 0 | 0% | ||
| 0 | 0% |
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