The “Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” from the Steelers Week 3 victory over the Houston Texans
The Good, Bad, and Ugly column is a breakdown of several segments of every Pittsburgh Steelers 2020 regular-season game into each of a grading category of “good”, “bad”, or “ugly”. To get to the nitty-gritty, Travis Newton dissects three moments from each game which could be best classified under each of those labels.
Good – Eric Ebron Touchdown Reception
Steelers Ball: 2nd Quarter 5:09 – 3rd-and-10 HST 10
For a second-straight week, the Steelers offense took much of the first half to get warmed up, but a touchdown connection from Ben Roethlisberger to Eric Ebron sparked some momentum for Pittsburgh.
The pair teamed up for Ebron’s first touchdown in a Steelers uniform. The tight end, who spent his previous two seasons with the Colts, used his big frame to box out the defender and make the leaping catch, just getting two feet down inbounds.
Roethlisberger has always been surrounded by elite tight end play, so don’t be surprised if you see these two connect in the endzone throughout the rest of the season, as they continue to work on their timing and familiarity after an abridged preseason.
Bad – Randall Cobb Touchdown Reception
Houston Ball: 1st Quarter 6:07 – 3rd-and-8 PIT 28
Although the Steelers defense is amongst the top in the league, opposing Quarterbacks have been able to expose the Pittsburgh Secondary for big plays. Randall Cobb’s 28-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter was one of those plays.
Cobb’s first touchdown with the Texans came as a stutter step by the receiver froze the feet of defender Mike Hilton. Cobb caught the out route at the 10-yard line and strolled into the endzone for Houston’s first points of the game.
Ugly – Diontae Johnson Fair Catch
Houston Ball: 1st Quarter 1:38 – 4th-and-11 HST 41
A mental error by Wide Receiver and Punt Returner, Diontae Johnson set the Steelers offense up with terrible field position, backed up to the 5-yard line.
One of the first rules as a Punt Returner is to put your heels on the 10-yard line and let the ball bounce into the endzone if it goes over your head.. Johnson broke this rule when a 54-yard punt pulled the second year player all the way down to the 5-yard line where he called for a fair catch. The error set the Steelers up deep in their own territory, which eventually led to a three-and-out.
Johnson has shown struggles throughout the first three games from the returner position, including a muffed fair catch that gave the New York Giants the ball just yards from the endzone on his first return attempt of the season.
