Steelers Vertex: The change in receiver usage helped spark a comeback

It looks like without end since we acquired to interrupt down a Steelers win, however our beloved Black & Gold are AFC North Champions with their come-from-behind win over a troublesome Indianapolis Colts groups. Whereas there have been a number of issues which helped the Steelers come alive within the second half, we’ll deal with one particularly.

Let’s get a fast reminder of the place this nerdiness is coming from.

Vertex– a single level the place two or extra strains cross.

Typically to make a fantastic level, it takes two totally different methods of study to come back collectively and construct off one another in an effort to drawl a correct conclusion. On this case, the 2 strategies are statistical evaluation and movie breakdown. Enter Dave Schofield (the stat geek) and Geoffrey Benedict (the movie guru) to come back collectively to show a single level based mostly on our two strains of considering.

The subject at hand this week is wanting on the Steelers utilization of their huge receivers towards the Colts. Whereas the gamers had been the identical all through the sport, their utilization modified for the primary half to the second.

Right here comes the breakdown from two totally different strains of study.

The Stats Line:

Anybody who even remotely adopted the Steelers Week 16 recreation towards the Indianapolis Colts noticed a totally totally different crew within the second half, particularly on offense, then how the Steelers performed to begin the sport. With solely 100 yards passing by Ben Roethlisberger within the first half, he exploded for 242 extra yards within the second half together with 3 touchdowns. However it was not merely Roethlisberger and his statistics which had been totally different. The distribution of passes among the many Steelers receivers was fully totally different within the second half on Sunday.

In the course of the first half, Diontae Johnson noticed the vast majority of the appears from Roethlisberger as he was focused 10 instances and had 5 receptions for 27 yards. JuJu Smith-Schuster was subsequent with 7 targets the place he made 4 receptions for 52 yards. The one different gamers goal within the first half had been Eric Ebron who had 2 targets with 1 reception for 11 yards and James Conner who caught his solely goal for 10 yards.

Probably the most irritating statistic I famous at halftime on Sunday was not solely did Chase Claypool and James Washington not have a reception, they weren’t even focused within the first half.

Within the second half, the Steelers distributed the ball a lot in another way. Dionte Johnson was solely focused 4 instances the place he had 3 receptions for 48 yards and a landing. Smith-Schuster was focused one other 7 instances with 5 receptions for 44 yards and a landing. Ebron obtained 5 extra targets with 4 extra receptions for 36 yards and a landing whereas James Conner caught 4 extra passes on as many targets for 35 yards.

The place the most important distinction got here within the second half was Chase Claypool was lastly concerned with the offense the place he was focused 6 instances the place he caught 4 passes for 54 yards. Sadly, Claypool didn’t come via on a 2-yard landing reception within the Steelers first drive of the second half.

James Washington was additionally extra concerned in a second half the place he was focused 3 instances we had 2 receptions for 20 yards. The one ball thrown to Washington which wasn’t caught was one play after Claypool‘s missed landing alternative when Roethlisberger focused him on fourth down however the defender made a fantastic play to not enable the ball to ever get to Washington in the long run zone.

Simply to be thorough, the ultimate reception by the Steelers was Vance McDonald who was solely focused as soon as the place he had a 5 yard reception.

So these are the numbers damaged down by halves for the Steelers receivers. However what did the Steelers do in another way with how they utilized them? As soon as once more, can have to check out the movie to get that reply…

The Movie Line:

The Pittsburgh Steelers first half offense seemed loads just like the offense we’ve seen from this crew, with related outcomes. Final week we talked concerning the Steelers actually making an attempt to get play-action within the offense, and after Ben Roethlisberger had a traditionally unhealthy recreation, the crew got here out in Week 16 wanting like that they had earlier than Week 15. The Steelers had been once more confronted with selecting between the offense that was working for the run recreation and getting receivers open, and the offense that was predictable and failing, however that their quarterback might run.

1st quarter, 14:55. Diontae Johnson is the receiver to the highest of the display screen.

The primary play of the sport, what else would they run however a fast slant to Diontae Johnson that will fall incomplete? The Steelers movement Jaylen Samuels out to unfold out the beneath linebackers and have Vance McDonald run to the flat to clear house for the throw. However Ben Roethlisberger throws the ball at Diontae Johnson’s toes and Johnson fails to catch it.

The Colts would costume it up, however the protection would largely keep the identical for many of the recreation. They ran cover-1, with the corners taking part in principally man with zone within the center from the safeties and linebackers. It labored effectively. It additionally let the Colts copy a Ravens technique and choose their matchups with Steelers receivers and keep away from mismatches.

2nd quarter, 5:48. Diontae Johnson is the receiver to the underside of the display screen.

The Colts aren’t anxious concerning the beneath routes, they’ve assist to the within from the linebackers. Discover the formation, the Steelers performed Diontae Johnson because the X receiver nearly each play of the primary half. That made the offense extra predictable. Additionally have a look at Ben Roethlisberger’s drop, as once more we see him dropping to a full ten yards behind the road of scrimmage. You possibly can see the pocket is holding 5 yards in entrance of Roethlisberger, and the sting rushers are having little or no hassle attending to him due to how far he’s dropping.

This all ties collectively. Roethlisberger dropping to get away from what has been a really shaky pocket, throwing shortly to keep away from the push from the skin, and that requiring the Steelers offense to be extra predictable and deal with making an attempt to make these slants and drags work, slightly than mixing up what they do.

At half time the Steelers would change issues up considerably.

third quarter, 9:17. Chase Claypool is the receiver to the highest of the display screen.

The Steelers moved Claypool to X receiver to begin the second half, and he stayed there for his or her total first drive.

third quarter, 8:22. Chase Claypool is the receiver to the highest of the display screen, Eric Ebron is the tight finish to the underside.

With Claypool on the X bringing higher deep menace, the Steelers put all the opposite receivers to the opposite aspect, after which run Eric Ebron throughout the sphere to create a double assault deep, behind the linebackers which can be being held quick by JuJu Smith-Schuster’s beneath route. Seeing the Colts counting on a hybrid man/zone protection, the Steelers assault one aspect of the sphere with what is going to find yourself being 4 routes as Benny Snell slips out of the pocket late.

third quarter, 1:39. Diontae Johnson is the receiver on the entrance of the stack to the highest of the display screen.

Chase Claypool on the X places Johnson the place Claypool was within the stack, and whereas dropping corners deeper to satisfy Claypool in the course of his route is an efficient technique, doing the identical to Diontae Johnson isn’t, and the Steelers get 25 yards on a cross interference penalty.

Chase Claypool didn’t play the X your complete second half, the Steelers switched them backwards and forwards bit, with Johnson’s landing coming when he was lined up on the X, and he was there for the landing to JuJu Smith-Schuster within the 4th quarter.

4th quarter, 7:43. Diontae Johnson is the receiver to the highest of the display screen.

Johnson cuts inside, Eric Ebron stays in to dam, and a Roethlisberger pump faux freezes the security to the highest of the display screen simply sufficient to get a cross to Smith-Schuster for the lead.

Within the second half the Steelers receivers moved round, making the Colts cornerbacks play totally different positions and cope with totally different assaults. On the identical time Ben Roethlisberger appeared to be extra comfy within the improved pockets he loved, taking a bit extra time and throwing downfield extra. Whereas Ben Roethlisberger discovering his groove was the main issue within the second half flip round, the receivers shifting round, and the offense getting away from continually concentrating on Diontae Johnson careworn the protection and created higher alternatives for Roethlisberger to assault the protection.

The Level:

It took multiple easy repair for the Steelers to show round their recreation towards the Indianapolis Colts. As proven, it took at least a secure pocket to present Ben Roethlisberger time, a change within the utilization of receivers to open issues up towards the protection, and the flexibility and confidence by Roethlisberger to execute every play. Had any one among these three not occurred, the Steelers most likely would have been going through a four-game shedding streak. As an alternative, the Steelers discover themselves AFC North Champions and taking part in a principally meaningless recreation in Week 17.

Whereas the flexibility to guard Roethlisberger and him stepping as much as make the throws is extra of a “Jimmy’s & Joe’s” challenge (that means gamers making performs), shifting across the receivers to create more room within the secondary was all concerning the “X’s & O’s.” So despite the fact that Coach Tomlin says the Steelers simply have to execute what they do higher, making a change in scheme, even so barely, helped put gamers in a greater probability to make performs.