When the Steelers signed Joe Haden to a two year, $22 million extension, they locked down their best cornerback in recent seasons. Six games into 2019, Haden doesn't have an interception, but he's played well and has regularly challenged passes.
He hasn't been the superstar cornerback who's expected to make game-changing plays, but he's continued to be competitive, consistently challenging passes and tightening passing windows. Let's look at how he's played and why he is due for some big plays:
Haden is the fourth-most targeted defender for the Steelers with 21 targets. He's allowed 13 of those for catches, for 154 yards, nine first downs and two passes defended. He's improved over the last three games, giving up 106 of those yards against the Patriots, Seahawks and 49ers, but only 48 total yards to the Bengals, Ravens and Chargers.
Most of the receptions Haden's surrendered this season have been while he's played with outside leverage, allowing receivers to cut inside of him and present an easier target for quarterbacks. But that seems a result of scheme and game planning, rather than poor play on his part.
Here's a 22-yard reception Haden gave up to Kendrick Bourne of the 49ers. Notice how Haden is lined up on Bourne's outside shoulder and runs tight with Bourne until he cuts inside and creates separation. But what tells me this is a mistake by another defender is the fact that the defense is in man coverage across the board with no zone help over the middle and only four pass rushers.
Haden's job was to drive Bourne into the middle of a defense that was supposed to be Cover 1 Robber and a safety or linebacker was to help in a patrolling zone role. No defender was there, and the result is a big play for the 49ers:
That was safety Minkah Fitzpatrick's first game, and it could be expected for the defense to have communication breakdowns with him and Devin Bush — and other young players — still learning how to adjust to opposing offenses.
Haden is still dangerous when he knows he's on an island and isn't expecting help, even when playing with outside leverage. That showed later in the 49ers game when Fitzpatrick got his first interception with the Steelers off a pass Haden tipped.
The Steelers are in a Cover 3 zone, which forces Haden to maintain outside leverage to force his receiver inside to where other zone defenders can help. But Jimmy Garoppolo has the advantage of play action off a heavy run formation, which forces Bush, Mark Barron and Mike Hilton's intermediate zones closer to the line.
That opens up a deep in route for Dante Pettis with no inside help to Haden. But Haden recognizes the 49ers' usage of only two receivers and commits to the in route. When Garoppolo is pressured by Bud Dupree, he targets Pettis, but Haden trails him so well that he bats the ball away and Fitzpatrick makes the interception:
Haden is still a cornerback who can challenge any receiver across the field. He doesn't overly rely on athleticism and knows how to play different situations based on his assignments and how they align with how receivers might try to beat him.
Watch how he negates a third-down attempt when lined up with Keenan Allen against the Chargers. Here you see him establish inside leverage and force Allen towards the sideline. But Allen thinks that's to his advantage because that's where he wants to go.
Once Allen works past Haden's jam, he pushes off to create separation. But Haden is still trailing the whole time and stays close enough to knock it away when Phillip Rivers throws the ball:
The Steelers are improving across the board on defense. Steven Nelson has provided a huge boost in coverage at the opposite cornerback position while Hilton and Cameron Sutton are playing inspired slot cornerback coverage. As Fitzpatrick, Bush and Terrell Edmunds continue to grow in the defense, all of whom are 22 years old or younger, open opportunities over the middle will decrease.
When that happens, quarterbacks will start to throw more challenging passes to their top receivers, where Haden will be waiting to make a play and be the game changer the Steelers paid him to be.
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