JuJu Smith-Schuster Diontae Johnson Must ‘Stay Positive And Keep It Going’ After Benching

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a bunch of broad receivers that may be very proficient. In addition they have a bunch of broad receivers that may be very flawed. And second-year Diontae Johnson is proving to be probably the most flawed of all, as a result of he’s failing on the most basic process of his career, which is solely catching the soccer.

Now with a dozen or extra drops on the season, relying on whom you requested, Johnson was benched for a great chunk of final evening’s recreation after he put two passes on the bottom throughout the Steelers’ first two drives. They designed the opening play of the sport to go to him, however he dropped it. Then he ended their second drive by dropping a third-down ball.

Head coach Mike Tomlin sat him down for the rest of the primary half, taking part in James Washington as a substitute, who would are available and rating a landing, his fifth of the season, which was a profession excessive, and tied the variety of touchdowns that Johnson has this season.

However the latter would come again within the recreation within the second half and play sparingly. He was featured on one drive on which he caught three passes, principally quick work on the perimeter, that resulted in a JuJu Smith-Schuster landing.

The latter veteran receiver was requested after the sport the way you cope with a case of the drops the way in which Johnson is experiencing them now and the way you retain a man like that concerned. He famous his teammate’s struggles, however mentioned, “at the same time, you see Diontae Johnson come back. He came out in the second half and made a couple of plays for us on the drive where we scored. Like I said, just say positive, keep it going”.

Although he did have the chance to make a number of catches within the second half of the sport, we lack readability on what this implies for the subsequent time the Steelers take the sector. Is he going to be again on the market taking part in 85 p.c of the snaps as he normally does, or will he be engaged on a pitch rely till they really feel they will belief him once more?

Does Johnson have the yips? How regarding is that this drawback when it comes to it being one that’s ongoing? Extra importantly, how a lot does this take away him from the offense as a viable weapon? Previous to this drop concern, he was establishing himself because the central focus of the unit.