While officiating issues were rampant in the Steelers' 33-30 loss to the Chargers, there were plenty of factors in their control they failed to grasp.
Let's dig deep ...
TWO-MINUTE DRILL
• Where scheme beat team: The Steelers had to know the Chargers' offensive plan, especially with their star running back, Melvin Gordon, injured. Even if Gordon was active, a study of the Chargers' offense shows that it runs through its star receiver, Keenan Allen. Allen currently has 996 receiving yards this season after his 148-yard night against the Steelers, and that's 543 yards more than their next highest player, both being running backs.
This was the prime opportunity for Keith Butler to find a way to force the Chargers to win with a different player and showcase how he could adjust for the many ways Ken Whisenhunt, former Steelers' offensive coordinator, would scheme to get Allen open.
That didn't happen.
Allen is a receiver who can line up anywhere on the field and find success, but he's at his best in the slot. He likes his matchups there and flashes great footwork to get open. His skills bring a challenge for defenses to either assign their best cornerback to him no matter where he lines up, or pass the duties around between interior defenders, including slot cornerbacks, safeties and linebackers.
The Steelers went with the latter approach, as Allen caught 14 passes on 19 targets, gaining 10 first downs and converting three-of-six when targeted on third downs.
Even when the Steelers assigned cornerbacks to guard Allen, he was getting open. Here's a big third-down conversion that kept the Chargers' first second-half touchdown drive alive. The Steelers are in man coverage and put Mike Hilton on Allen, but Allen is lined up behind Mike Williams, who is being guarded by Coty Sensabaugh.
Similarly to how the Steelers have used Antonio Brown to get open behind other receivers, the Chargers had Allen run a zig route behind Williams, who ran right at Hilton, to spring him open. The zig is a route that starts to the inside and then works outside, forcing the defender to display elite footwork. Hilton never has the chance to test his footwork against Allen because he gets cut off by Williams and loses sight of Allen on his zig:
The Chargers found creative ways to open Allen up while being guarded by defensive backs throughout the night. Allen gained 83 of his 148 yards against Hilton and Joe Haden. One play that won't register on the stat sheet was his two-point conversion on a shallow cross where the Chargers sprung him over the middle. Haden is in press and cannot follow through the traffic as Allen crosses the field, while Terrell Edmunds also has to come from across the field and never has a chance to stop Allen:
Whisenhunt found many ways to get Allen open, similarly to how Randy Ficthner has done for Brown, and Butler's lack of answers ended up hurting the Steelers late. While much of this could have changed had Sean Davis not wiped out a potential Haden interception that ended up being a touchdown for the Chargers, Allen still made in impact in their 16-point comeback.
What was most baffling was how the Steelers were caught in zone defenses and didn't have a plan to counter Allen lining up in the slot, where he would be closer to linebackers. The Chargers took advantage of that situation on the first play of the game when they hit Allen for a 14-yard completion against Bud Dupree.
It's understandable that early in the game, a mismatch like this could happen while the Steelers are trying to prepare for the run or a balanced attack, but the Chargers still used it with their last pass of the game that ultimately killed the Steelers' chances of a win.
It was third-and-four with the ball on the Steelers' 36. The Chargers needed a first down to give their kicker a better chance than a 50-plus-yard field goal to win the game. They lined up in an empty set, telegraphing their plan to pass. The Steelers came out with their base defense against the Chargers' three-wide receiver, one-tight end and single-back look. That seemed reasonable considering the short distance for a first down and because the Chargers had gained 16 yards on three carries already on that final drive.
But when the Chargers lined up with an empty set, the Steelers were caught at a disadvantage, especially with their best cover inside linebacker in L.J. Fort on the sideline. Despite having a timeout in their pocket, they ignore the mismatch and let Jon Bostic try to cover Allen. Allen easily wins on an out route, and the Chargers convert:
Allen gained 65 yards against the Steelers' linebackers, including four first downs and converting one-of-two third downs when targeted while a linebacker was covering him. Fort gave up 39 yards, but on the only time he was targeted on against on third down, he brought Allen down short of the marker and forced a field goal attempt which Michael Badgley missed.
While Allen's success is only one part of this wild game, it was the key element that kept the Chargers' offense believing it could succeed. If the Steelers cannot stop offenses with one key weapon in the slot, that's bad news for when they face teams like the Patriots that feature complete offenses with talented slot receivers like Julian Edelman.
• All about the tackling: Missed tackles were a main problem of the Steelers in 2017, as Pro Football Focus revealed with their number crunching:
Last season, the #Steelers missed a tackle on 16.1% of run plays (31st in NFL).
They added sure tackling veterans this offseason in S Morgan Burnett and LB Jon Bostic, who ranked 1st and 8th respectively at their positions in tackling efficiency. https://t.co/R2sUJejvPY
— PFF PIT Steelers (@PFF_Steelers) July 19, 2018
Because of that, our commitment this season is to keep a close eye on this facet.
Fort has been a player I've praised all season, and he showed why with 12 tackles on 52 snaps with no misses. That's finding the ball over 23 percent of the time and ending the play each time. An impressive feat for anyone, let alone an undrafted player.
Notable is how Davis missed plenty while Edmunds did not. The safeties combined for 16 of the team's 64 tackles, meaning the ball was getting past the defensive front plenty.
• Top matchups: Each week we pick three matchups between key players that are likely to be big factors.
• Villanueva/Feiler vs. Bosa/Ingram: While Matt Feiler deserves praise for allowing only one sack to Joey Bosa, what Alejandro Villanueva did was spectacular. Melvin Ingram not only never sacked Ben Roethlisberger, he also did not register a tackle. That's elite stuff against an elite edge rusher. Advantage: Steelers.
• Allen vs. Hilton/Haden: As we explained with our scheme breakdowns, Allen feasted on the Steelers' secondary. The only cornerbacks he faced were Hilton and Haden and he gained 83 yards against them. Advantage: Chargers.
• Brown vs. Hayward: Brown matching up with Casey Hayward is the definition of a five-star matchup. Hayward has been an All-Pro and a Pro Bowl player for the past two seasons, while Brown is the NFL's most dynamic receiver. Brown won the day with 154 yards on 10 catches and a touchdown. The Chargers tried to leave Hayward in single coverage early, but even when they assigned safety help he got beat. Advantage: Steelers.
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
QUARTERBACK: C-
When the Steelers needed Roethlisberger to give their defense a break in the second half, he didn't score until their lead had been relinquished. His mistakes balanced with his successes, thus earning him an average grade.
Ben Roethlisberger:
Early, I saw Roethlisberger having a huge night. He connected on two big passes to Brown and looked like he was ready to return to the form he showed in his career game against the Panthers. He started the game by converting each of the Steelers' first three third-down attempts.
But the problem came when his offense failed to convert all of the remaining seven third downs, ending just 3-for-10. This became the third game in a row where the offense converted less than 40 percent after going 5-for-14 against the Broncos and 3-for-11 against the Jaguars.
I went back and forth about a star or skull for Roethlisberger, but his horrible miss of Justin Hunter, his poorly thrown interception and his failure to get the Steelers' offense going until late in the fourth quarter sealed his grade. He wasn't the worst player on the field, but he wasn't good.
RUNNING BACKS: B-
When given the opportunity, the Steelers' young backs contributed what they could.
James Conner:
Before his injury, Conner gained 60 yards on 15 carries for a solid 4.0 average, while gaining 14 yards on three receptions. Not a big day, but when his number was called he showed up. His two first-quarter touchdowns showed that he's bold in the red zone as that gave him 12 touchdowns on the season, nine coming inside the 5-yard line.
Jaylen Samuels:
While he looked bad in the ground game, his three catches for 20 yards brought a breath of fresh air to the Steelers. And his 10-yard touchdown reception tied the game as he dodged defenders.
Roosevelt Nix:
Just watching him on the goal line reminds me how tough a player Nix has always been. Both of Conner's touchdowns featured Nix plowing the way, doing exactly what he's supposed to do.
OFFENSIVE LINE: A
The Chargers boasted two prime edge rushers that only registered a single sack, while the line opened up holes for the limited run plays called.
Maurkice Pouncey:
Especially on the goal line, Pouncey was great. He was sealing his man away from the hole and winning in the middle of the field. He also accelerated to the second level on some key runs.
David DeCastro:
Saw some crushing blocks by DeCastro, especially on his pulls. Always a great player.
Ramon Foster:
Though he was tagged with a tough holding call, he still did a good job throwing some lead blocks and keeping the interior of the line clean.
Alejandro Villanueva:
Also tagged with a holding call, but limiting Ingram to zero tackles was amazing.
Matt Feiler:
Wasn't spectacular in the run game and did allow a sack, but he only allowed a single sack to Bosa in a long game with 45 passing attempts.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS: B+
Against a talented secondary, this group shined in big moments with its biggest players, but didn't get the help it needed from its secondary options.
Antonio Brown:
After ridiculous questions arose if Brown was the team's No. 2 receiver last week, Brown showed off with 10 catches on 13 targets for 154 yards and an amazing touchdown. The Chargers tried using their all-pro cornerback in single coverage on Brown early and were getting torched. They tried to adjust by assigning double coverage to Brown, but he still beat it.
Watch how he set up his post route by slowing down his break at the top of the route just enough to freeze safety Adrian Phillips and get open space for the score:
He's still the best.
JuJu Smith-Schuster:
Not as huge a day as he's had, but 49 yards on six catches from nine targets was solid. But what gave him the second star was his downfield blocking for both Conner and Samuels. Smith-Schuster kept his head up on Samuels' touchdown reception and cleared his path by coming across the middle and throwing the block. That's a good teammate.
Ryan Switzer:
Only two catches for nine yards, but he broke open and drew a pass interference penalty that set up the team's second touchdown. He continues to be scrappy and held onto the ball after a tough head-to-head shot over the middle in the second half.
Vance McDonald:
He did have an impressive first down amid his 28 yards from four catches, but Derwin James limited McDonald over the middle of the field. McDonald needed to get open more for Roethlisberger to be the security blanket he's been, but it never materialized.
DEFENSIVE LINE: B-
Not a bad day, as they got Stephon Tuitt back and gave the linebackers chances to make tackles in the hole.
Javon Hargrave:
Another sack brought his total to 6.5 and he got pressure on multiple occasions. He also changed the line of scrimmage early and helped against the run. But the Chargers found ways to neutralize him late by avoiding his style of play.
Cam Heyward:
Had a pass defensed and four tackles while holding down his gaps most of the game. Not a huge game, but he was a contributor as always.
Stephon Tuitt:
Less tackles than Heyward with two, but he also had a key swat on a third down to get the Steelers the ball back in the second quarter. He wasn't the wrecking ball he has been on his best days, but his return was a boost.
Tyson Alualu:
Wasn't called upon much, but when he spelled for the starters he was not able to help in the second half. Missed a tackle and didn't contribute much else.
LINEBACKERS: D+
If graded on their first half they would get high marks, but we cannot ignore how they failed to show up in big moments.
Vince Williams:
Williams lost his streak of three straight games with a sack and wasn't enough of a help against the run late. He did have five tackles, but on the final drives he was too hesitant. Here's Justin Jackson's 18-yard run where the Steelers defensive line has forced him to commit to one hole. The problem was that the Chargers' guard Dan Feeney was in that hole and Williams stepped up too late to help.
The Chargers get Fort walled off with Mike Pouncey, but Feeney's pull should've immediately alerted Williams to the run coming. If Williams properly reads it, he charges into the hole and engages Feeney much sooner, preventing Jackson from hitting C-gap and having the big gain:
These problems plagued the Steelers late, as 83 of the Chargers' 85 rushing yards came in the second half.
L.J. Fort:
His twelve tackles with zero misses were a huge performance that helped limit the Chargers' offense from as many splash plays over the middle. Saw his most snaps of the season with 52 and was put in several tough spots as he guarded Allen five different times, but only allowed two first down on those attempts.
T.J. Watt:
Only one tackle and missed one at the end of the game that could've created a longer field goal. Watt had a tough game as he generated pressure, but he never got home and could've done more to help against the run.
Bud Dupree:
Four tackles and held down his edge to force runs back to the inside plenty throughout the game. Though he did decent job sealing the edge, he still has to do better in finishing plays and contributing against the pass. Not a particularly bad game, but not one of his better ones either.
SECONDARY: D-
The secondary kept the Steelers in the game early, but was unable to stop the Chargers on key third downs late, as the Los Angeles finished by converting all three of its third downs in the second half.
Sean Davis:
Despite nine tackles, Davis missed three more and committed a huge mistake when he put his head down and blasted Haden on what could've been a game-altering interception. It ended up outweighing his nine tackles with a pass breakup.
Joe Haden:
Haden caught a bad break with Davis ruining his interception, but he still gave up six catches on seven targets and allowed three first downs. He is usually the guy that takes away a top receiver, but Allen gained 40 yards on five catches from six targets on Haden.
Mike Hilton:
Hilton has had a great season, but this was his longest night. Was targeted five times and allowed four completions for 89 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown should have been called back because of a false start, but he still was beat throughout the game and the four first downs he allowed were the most of anyone in the secondary.
Terrell Edmunds:
Seven tackles and a sack that helped set a strong tone early. He also had a huge hit on Austin Ekeler that forced an incomplete pass and flashed his big hit potential. The rookie was not the issue with the secondary.
Coty Sensabaugh:
Sensabaugh's performance synopsizes his season. He was in position all game but failed to produce when the other team was on target. Allowed four catches on four targets for 44 yards.
Artie Burns:
One play on a two-point conversion and he gave up the score to 38-year old Antonio Gates. Not much else to say at this point.
THE ROAD AHEAD
The Steelers head on the road to face the Raiders, who played the Chiefs tough into the fourth quarter last Sunday before losing 40-33. If they hope to win, the Steelers have to get back to winning on third down. We'll get to that later this week in Carter's Classroom.
MATT SUNDAY GALLERY
Steelers vs. Chargers, Heinz Field, Dec. 2, 2018 - MATT SUNDAY / DKPS
