The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the New Orleans Saints 16-10 in the NFL’s first game in Paris, France. It was a day in which points were hard to come by, but it felt as though the Steelers were in control from start to finish.
As always, here is my weekly stock report after the Steelers moved to 5-2 on the season.
Stock up
RB Jaylen Warren
Warren came into the contest already one of the most efficient running backs on a per touch basis in the NFL, and today was no exception. Warren carried the ball 18 times for 101 yards,
good for 5.6 yards per carry. The back added three receptions for 36 yards to his line. After posting over 100 scrimmage yards in the first half, it was a quiet second half for offense in general. On a day where there weren’t many explosives on either side, Warren was once again the engine that kept the Steelers offense moving. Even with Dowdle increasingly involved, Warren is the clear leader in the Steelers running back split.
TE Darnell Washington
The Steelers’ best play in the red zone is when they throw the fade route to Darnell Washington. On his only target of the game, Washington used his six-foot-seven-inch frame to dunk on a Saints defender and bring down the ball for the Steelers’ only touchdown of the game. In a game in which the Steelers struggled to get into the end zone, Washington was their only sign of life. The tight end has become a dependable red zone threat with three touchdowns this season and counting, the most of his career.
Defense
Many online have dubbed this the Steelers’ “bend don’t break” defense, and the nickname feels appropriate. Because of the sheer amount of zone coverage they run, opposing quarterbacks have found soft spots and moved the ball downfield. Tyler Shough finished with an efficient 30/38 passing line, but the Steelers defense held New Orleans to just 10 points. The Saints have struggled to run the ball all season long, and Pittsburgh took advantage of that as they only allowed 18 yards on the ground. Pittsburgh had two forced fumbles called narrowly called back, and were always looking to punch the ball out and be aggressive. Patrick Graham deserves a lot of credit
Stock Down
Finishing Drives
The Steelers actually put themselves in positions to score throughout the game after struggling to move the ball much at all last week in Tampa Bay. However, the Steelers could not find the end zone and had to often settle for field goals. Aaron Rodgers was visibly upset on the sidelines in the fourth quarter after having to settle for their third field goal of the game. It might not seem like much of an issue today since they emerged victorious, but the offense will need to turn those field goals into touchdowns if they want to seriously compete for anything down the stretch of the season.
TE Pat Freiermuth
The Steelers tight end had a quiet day with only two catches for 20 yards, but many of the Steelers’ pass catchers had quiet days today. Freiermuth had a crucial drop in the fourth quarter that would have set the Steelers up deep inside Saints territory. It was a well-placed ball by Rodgers, but the tight end was unable to come down with it. As we just talked about, if the Steelers want to compete with the rest of the AFC, they will have to clean up small mistakes like this that force them into field goal situations rather than scoring touchdowns.
Throwing fade routes to DK Metcalf
This is not so much about DK Metcalf as it is about how much the Steelers tried to use this play today. Early in the red zone, the team called Metcalf’s number on a fade route, but the ball was simply uncatchable. Later in the first half, Rodgers tried to hit Metcalf on a similar play, but the ball was uncatchable again. The Steelers tried the play once again later in the game, and while the ball was catchable, it fell incomplete. Fade routes are a thigh-risk, high-reward kind of play that is fine in moderation, but it became the definition of insanity as they continued to call it. On a day in which points were hard to come by, it might have been smart to opt for higher percentage throws, especially in the red zone. Or, give your six-foot-seven tight end more opportunities on those routes. Metcalf had a fine day overall, in which he led the team in yards and caught a downfield post route for a chunk gain of 51.
Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!
- Steelers punish Saints on the ground, win 16-10 in Paris
- Aaron Rodgers passes Peyton Manning on all-time touchdowns list
- Steelers vs. Saints: Week 7 game picks
- Steelers to debut new uniform combo in Paris game vs. Saints
- Steelers keys to victory vs. Saints: Get Jaylen Warren the ball
