Connect with us

Steelers News

Steelers Grades, Snap Counts vs. Eagles: Rough Day for the Secondary

Published

on

Ahkello Witherspoon

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%
DE DeMarvin Leal 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%
OLB T.J. Watt 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%
ILB Mark Robinson 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%
BCB Levi Wallace 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%
BCB/SCB Josh Jackson 0 0%
BCB Quincy Wilson 0 0%
FS/SCB Elijah Riley 0 0%