The story of the Steelers' offseason was how Keith Butler was going to change the structure of the defense by adding hybrid safeties to more of the regular formations. The point of using the secondary would be to stop the run adequately without as many linebackers, while also being much better in coverage.
That plan did not work Thursday night in Green Bay, as Aaron Rodgers, Brett Hundley and DeShone Kizer combined for 13 completions on 20 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns, as well as a rushing touchdown in the first half in a 51-34 rout for the Packers. And much of that happened with newly acquired safety Morgan Burnett and first-round pick Terrell Edmunds being tested.
We talk about how the Packers victimized the Steelers' defensive plan:
TWO-MINUTE DRILL
• Where scheme beat team: The key aspect of the Steelers' plan for putting more safeties on the field is for those players to match up with tight ends and major receiving threats. That didn't work too well for Edmunds against Packers tight end Jimmy Graham in the red zone.
The Packers saw the Steelers had Cover 0 defense, leaving no safety playing zone in the middle of the field to help. Instead, Burnett helped Cameron Sutton double-cover Randall Cobb on a slant. Leaving Edmunds on Graham was probably something the Steelers wouldn't do in a regular season game, as they gameplan against each specific opponent.
Edmunds does a good job at the start of the play by getting between Rodgers and Graham with inside leverage. But once Rodgers bought time in the pocket, Graham was able to put a double move on Edmunds and present an easy target for Rodgers:
The Steelers assigned Edmunds to man coverage several times in the red zone. While man coverage was never his specialty in college, it will be a major responsibility for Edmunds to run with various skill players across the field and take away receiving options.
Edmunds showed he could be in position and at least accomplish the basics, despite giving up two touchdowns on three red zone targets. Watch how he does his job outside the numbers by taking lateral steps at the start of the play and maintains inside leverage to force Robert Tonyan to run up the sideline. Edmunds never looks at the quarterback and even manages to challenge the pass by putting his hand up, but Kizer’s pass was perfect and Tonyan made the perfect catch:
This wasn’t a result of a bad scheme on the Steelers’ part, especially considering that they didn’t gameplan for the Packers, but was more of what Mike Tomlin and Butler want to see out of the young players.
It’s the same reason why Mike Hilton didn’t play a single snap of defensive football while Sutton saw 45 snaps and Coty Sensabaugh played 40. The Steelers are looking to see who thrives in different situations and recovers from his mistakes. Sensabaugh did a good job tackling the football, but often got matched up against the Packers’ top receivers with Hilton and Joe Haden in street clothes.
Sensabaugh was lined up against Davante Adams in the slot in a third down situation. Sensabaugh lined up to press Adams, but a simple jab step backed him off and Sensabaugh had to chase Adams down after he’d already caught the ball and gained the first down.
The Packers were able to use their starters and depth offensive weapons to exploit the very weaknesses Butler has been trying to mask with the new players and systems he’s implemented. Though the Steelers were testing out different players, the Packers’ level of success in exploiting matchups should be a major teaching point for the defense moving forward. Should enough key players get hurt during the season and the Steelers' youth not develop, the Packers' 51-point performance could be a bad omen.
• All about the tackling: As tackling is a major factor in defense and has been such a flaw for the Steelers issues in recent seasons, let's keep up each week with how many tackles a defender makes, as well as how many reasonable opportunities are missed:
Bostic saw the most action in the game with 46 snaps, but only had three opportunities to make tackles. The best performances in this facet came from L.J. Fort, Morgan Burnett, Matthew Thomas and Casey Sayles. Fort played only 13 snaps but had 6 opportunities to make tackles in that time and capitalized on five of those opportunities. This shows that he was active against the run and the pass and was able to use his speed to find the ball.
Burnett found the ball five times in 27 snaps, making the tackle in all but one opportunity. He played a lot more free safety in this game as Sean Davis was out, but the Steelers are looking for him to be a leading tackler in the secondary.
Thomas showed off his football speed by being all over the field. Even on the 82-yard touchdown catch-and-run by Jake Kumerow, Thomas could be seen on the back end of the play chasing Kumerow and coming close to catching him despite not being anywhere near the play. He's showing the kind of athleticism he flashed in college and has not been a liability against the run or the pass.
Sayles is a new face at defensive end who was proving to be disruptive and a hustler finding the ball. He only played 23 snaps but he made the tackle all three times he got to the ball carrier, a good start for a player on a team that needs depth on defense:
The worst performances were from Malik Golden and Ola Adeniyi.
Golden had a nice pass-defensed, but as a reserve safety he needed to be more consistent when he found the ball carrier. He had five opportunities and only made two tackles. Golden got himself in position to make plays enough with five opportunities on 32 plays.
Adeniyi was similar with five opportunities on 33 snaps, but only capitalized with one tackle in those chances. Some of those were because he was playing contain and forcing the play back inside, but he still needs to be more consistent in those chances to be effective in the outside linebacker rotation.
CARTER'S GRADES
Here I'll grade group and individual player performances. Each group will get a traditional letter grade with an explanation of their successes and failures. Then, players worthy of mention will be noted with different grading scales. Each player will be given "stars" or "skulls" based on their performance. Players who did well receive stars and players who graded poorly get skulls.
Here is the stars/skulls grading scale:
⭐ Had a big play or a decent game
⭐⭐ Very impressive, multiple big plays
⭐⭐⭐ Elite performance
☠ Gave up a big play without redemption
☠☠ Total performance was a disappointment
☠☠☠ Horrible, inexcusable
QUARTERBACKS: B-
Both Josh Dobbs and Mason Rudolph threw interceptions returned for touchdowns with their first passes. Both would also bounce back to throw touchdown passes, but Dobbs had the far better game and actually conducted the offense well.
Mason Rudolph: ☠
Rudolph finished the game with five completions in 12 attempts for 47 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Though his touchdown pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster was a good read and showed good patience, he struggled to put together drives and relied on James Conner and Terrell Edmunds' forced and recovered fumble on special teams to get him in position. It is notable that he showed a short memory and did not let his interception stop him from playing with confidence.
Josh Dobbs: ⭐
Also bouncing back strong from an early interception, Dobbs went on to complete 12 passes on 18 attempts for 192 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 27 yards on five carries, extending drives with his legs and his arm on third downs. His two touchdown passes were to James Washington and essentially jump balls, but he did a good job showing that he can conduct the offense and put the ball in position for his teammates to make plays.
RUNNING BACKS: A
The running game got moving against the Packers with 151 yards on 27 carries and two touchdowns. The assortment of potential backups to Le'Veon Bell had a much better game after struggling against the Eagles with only 91 yards on 31 attempts last week.
James Conner: ⭐⭐
Conner had his best performance in a Steelers uniform with 5 carries for 57 yards and a 26-yard touchdown run. The biggest criticism of Conner's rookie season was how he wasn't comfortable working through gaps between the tackles and running hard. He showed his growth against the Packers' starting defense as he led an entire touchdown drive on his own.
That drive was capped off with a strong touchdown run where he was able to show patience and evaluate where his linemen won at the line. Notice how he showed the patience to keep his feet moving once he got the ball, but didn't run himself into trouble and instead worked his way to the hole. Once he got going, he brushed his way past two defensive backs and scored:
Jaylen Samuels: ⭐
After a rough game last week, Samuels had a much better showing against the Packers with 38 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. He also made three receptions for 13 yards. That's a 4.33 yards per touch average and more of what the Steelers saw in his college tape. He still needs to improve in pass protection.
RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS: A+
The Steelers continue to get production out of their young receivers with 17 receptions for 219 yards and three touchdowns. They were the highlight of the night with several big plays from multiple contributors.
James Washington: ⭐⭐⭐
Washington shined bright with five catches for 114 yards and two amazing touchdowns. He was drafted to be a big play receiver who won combat catches regardless of coverage, and he did just that throughout the night. The first of his touchdowns was reminiscent of Randy Moss with how he jumped higher than a defender and reached over his head to snag the touchdown, all without using a push-off. It's not just Rudolph whom he has a connection with, as both of his touchdown receptions in this game were thrown by Dobbs.
JuJu Smith-Schuster: ⭐
Though he only had a single reception for four yards, it was a touchdown in tight red zone coverage and he only saw ten snaps. Smith-Schuster has scored in both preseason games and looks ready for the regular season.
OFFENSIVE LINE: B+
This group was the worst last week but had a strong rebound against the Packers. Much of that might be because the Packers lack the deep and tough defensive front possessed by the Eagles, but their performance allowed the Steelers' ground game to average 5.59 yards per carry. They did surrender three sacks, but their performances were enough to allow Dobbs and Rudolph to process defensive progressions.
Matt Feiler: ⭐
A strong showing at left guard that was a big factor in opening holes for Conner to run through early. Feiler needs to continue this ascent as he is the immediate interior replacement behind B.J. Finney, and Ramon Foster has already suffered an injury that took him out for the preseason.
Chukwuma Okorafor: ⭐
We talked about how Okorafor needed to improve from his first NFL preseason game, and he did. Okorafor showed more of the quick feet and good body placement that's been expected, but he looked more aggressive in his run blocking and dealt with pass rushers better by using his long arms to keep people from getting inside his frame.
DEFENSIVE LINE: C
Though this group did a better job against the run, allowing only 77 yards on 29 attempts, it didn't generate as much of a pass rush as Butler needs for his scheme. Much of that could be because Cam Heyward wasn't in the game, but that's still a problem when quarterbacks are scrambling out of the pocket or buying time for talented receivers to work their way open against a young secondary.
Casey Sayles: ⭐
Sayles had a decent performance and found himself disrupting plays when he got his chances. Keep an eye on him moving forward as the Steelers need more defensive ends capable of playing as interior linemen in their sub packages. Sayles showed the ability to move and chase players down, while also changing the line of scrimmage.
Dan McCullers: ☠☠
McCullers saw plenty of time at defensive tackle and continues to not be an impactful player. He doesn't look as if he's improved athletically and that's his biggest liability as he's not a mauler on the inside, nor is he quick or any bit of a hustler. We've seen how he doesn't get enough drive when he's firing off the ball and trying to change the line of scrimmage, but one of the Packers' touchdowns came at the expense of his being unable to keep his pass rush lane.
Watch McCullers twist to the outside on this play. By twisting to the edge, he then has the responsibility to maintain that edge on his side of the line. McCullers stops moving his feet during the play and takes himself away from where Brett Hundley is going, opening up the lane for an easy touchdown run:
If McCullers can't be a hustle player who at least chases down ball carries in these moments, he has to be a player who dominates the middle of the field as a defensive tackle. He has yet to do either, and looks like he's running out of space on the Steelers' roster.
Stephon Tuitt: ☠
Though Tuitt didn't have a horrible game, the fact he did not have a good game was a bad sign. He only played 24 snaps and he didn't miss a tackle, but he only was in position to make two tackles all game. If Tuitt is going to have a strong rebound season after being injured throughout 2017, he needs to cause more chaos at the line.
LINEBACKERS: B
A much better performance against the run and looked competent as a group at maintaining gap integrity. Wouldn't put a ton of the problems in pass defense on this group, but they were still part of the Packers' 280 yards and three touchdowns through the air.
Jon Bostic: ⭐
Bostic wasn't all over the place like Steelers fans were used to seeing from Ryan Shazier, but he was making solid tackles and in position to defend against the pass. He drew a tough pass interference penalty in the first half, but he provided much more of what the Steelers need in a traditional mack inside linebacker than what they've had without Shazier.
Bud Dupree: ☠
Dupree's lone sack was typical of what's expected from him in past years. He has a great first step and is explosive off the ball. He beat the backup offensive tackle and was untouched getting to the quarterback. But that was his lone big play, and the team needs him to show growth in how he engages offensive linemen and wins at the point of attack.
Matthew Thomas: ⭐
Thomas looked more comfortable in the Steelers' scheme than what is to be expected from an undrafted rookie who struggled to pick up his college defense at Florida State. He ran with the Packers' tight ends and running backs deep down the field in coverage and was sticking to his assigned gaps against the run. His three tackles on three opportunities are a good sign that he could make the team.
L.J. Fort: ⭐⭐
Fort had the best day of all defenders as he only played 18 snaps but made several plays in those limited opportunities. His five tackles on six opportunities was a solid performance once he found the ball carrier, and he found the ball almost every other play he was on the field. His speed continues to be an asset for depth and his sack was one of the few defensive highlights of the game.
SECONDARY: D-
This was the tortured group of the day, as the Packers' top three quarterbacks feasted on them by picking at mismatches. Green Bay put up 280 yards and three touchdowns through the air, as well as an additional touchdown on the ground.
Terrell Edmunds: ☠
Edmunds was not all that horrible, despite being the player picked on for the first two passing touchdowns of the game. The first instance was against Jimmy Graham, a matchup reminiscent of Rob Gronkowski vs. Sean Davis, and Edmunds only gave up the score after Aaron Rodgers extended the play. Edmunds' second touchdown surrendered was an instance of solid coverage being beat by a perfect throw and catch. He's still learning, and a performance like this can turn into a positive learning opportunity.
Coty Sensabaugh: ☠
No Haden and no Hilton meant that Sensabaugh got to match up with Adams and the Packers' top receivers. It did not go well for him as he gave up big plays and showed why he's lower on the depth chart at cornerback. His penalty for lowering the helmet was a perfect example of why the rule looks to be a detriment to league play, as it wasn't an egregious mistake and was closer to textbook tackling form. He led with his shoulder and only made contact with his shoulder to the midsection of the receiver — that's exactly what the best coaches teach.
Nat Berhe: ☠☠
Berhe may be the last guy the Steelers rely on at safety when the final roster is made, but he still needs to be better. He was able to find the ball, but he did not look good in coverage and got completely turned around by Kumerow on his 82-yard touchdown. Watch for Berhe coming from the middle of the field being the second highlighted defender; in this instance he either needs to make the tackle or find a way to force Kumerow towards the sideline so he can squeeze him off the field. He does neither and gives up a big play:
Brian Allen: ☠☠
Allen was the first defender highlighted in the above play, as he was covering Kumerow. He made a fundamental mistake by selling out and leaving his feet without actually making the play. Once you do that, you've put yourself in a position where you're mostly useless for the rest of the play, if the pass is completed.
The pass was indeed completed and it was the Packers' biggest play of the night. He also was called for a pass interference penalty in the end zone just before another of the Packers' touchdowns, making for a rough night. Allen is admittedly an experiment as he played most of college as a receiver, but the Steelers need roster spots for guys who can contribute. If Allen wants to be on the final 53, he will need to do much better than this performance.
Morgan Burnett: ☠
Burnett would be getting a star for his tackling and a sack had he performed better against the pass. His lone missed tackle came on a slant that gave up more yards after the catch, and he didn't have a great day in coverage. A mitigating factor is that Burnett played a lot of free safety due to the absence of Davis, and once Davis returns, Burnett will return to where he's most comfortable, strong safety.
Cameron Sutton: ⭐
Sutton was the lone bright spot of the secondary in coverage. He was almost always in position and challenged the ball each time he was targeted. Look for how he and Hilton share snaps in the next two games.
THE ROAD AHEAD
The youth on offense continues to grow and show positive signs moving forward. Both Smith-Schuster and Washington look like they could be problems for opponents, and both Dobbs and Rudolph have thrown touchdowns in their preseason opportunities. The offensive line's improved showing, coupled with a huge game from Conner, are all positive signs for how depth on the offense is developing.
Defensively, the Steelers know that when they start gameplanning for opponents that performances should improve, but the sloppy mistakes of the secondary and the lack of a pass rush should be a source of concern in their long week before playing the Tennessee Titans. Watch for which defenders might get more snaps in the next game and who the coaches want to see more of before the season starts.
