The Steelers' 2018 secondary improved from 2017. That doesn't mean a whole lot considering how it's still arguably been the worst group on the team, but the improvement allowed them to limit big plays. Much of that came from safety Sean Davis helping to improve coordination.
For the first time in Davis' career, he will be able to start at the same position he played at the previous season. After arriving as a slot defensive back and being moved all around the secondary as a rookie, then playing strong safety in 2017 and free safety in 2018, Davis can finally make a home at free safety in 2019.
Maybe that's what he needs to find consistency. Let's take a look.
Davis being switched to free safety was a result of multiple factors. He showed he could play the pass and fight through combat catch situations to force drops from receivers, tight ends and running backs. But Terrell Edmunds was drafted to be that eraser role I wrote about earlier this month, so Davis was able to back up to free safety where he could focus more on those pass plays and less on run defense.
The problem Davis had was his inconsistent approach to various situations. Sometimes he would take the perfect angle, then in the same game make an egregious error. Like this missed tackle when he had a good chance to take down the Saints' Alvin Kamara, whose back was turned. Davis reads the option and cuts on Kamara, but on the tackle he comes in with his pads very high and his helmet on the wrong side of Kamara. The result is an easy escape and a touchdown:
Keeping up with the inconsistency theme, that game against the Saints was the perfect example of Davis being great one minute then bad the next. Go back to my War Room article on that game and you'll remember he missed three crucial tackles but had a crucial touchdown saving breakup against Michael Thomas and recorded an interception in that game, one of the few by the Steelers last season.
Mike Mitchell was a hard-hitting safety but couldn't make enough plays against the pass, so Davis took over the position to counter that problem. Watch how he backs up Joe Haden when Thomas beats him up the sideline and Brees immediately recognized it with a quick throw. Davis plays center field and reacts quickly to charge through Thomas' hands and jar the ball loose for a drop:
For Davis to be what the Steelers need, he has to limit mistakes. When I watch his approach to different situations, it seems Davis is at his best when he's going full speed and knows exactly how to react in a given situation. Maybe after a year of familiarity with facing the kind of challenges that come with free safety, things normalize for Davis, and defensive-back coachers Tom Bradley and Teryl Austin will see more consistency across the board.
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