6 steps the Steelers can take to keep their momentum going after the bye week
Coming out of their Week 6 bye the Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of work ahead, as their divisional rivals have all posted wins – and the AFC North is now the only division in the NFL where every team is above .500.
Somehow, some way, the Steelers have a two-win advantage over their division rivals. In order to maintain the pace I am suggesting several ideas to help the team keep momentum into the coming weeks.
Some of these concepts have already been seen in games, while others are points of emphasis that can help improve the team. Let’s have a look at some of those ideas.
Joey Porter as a starter
It should be no surprise that in two of the Steelers three wins this season Porter has played his most snaps.
Most fans will be quick to criticize when Pro Football Focus is wrong, however, the site rated Porter as their top graded cornerback of Week 5 against the Ravens. And not just rookie corners, but all corners!
Moving Porter to the outside does a few things for the Steelers defense. First, it allows 33-year-old Patrick Peterson to not have to play every single down. Second, Porter has shown the tenacity to be a shutdown corner, which has helped Levi Wallace (who plays on the opposite side).
Porter may be young, but his impact has already been felt. There’s a reason the team chose him 32nd overall and now its his time to shine.
Move Patrick Peterson to “big” slot duties
Peterson is a future Hall of Famer, but his days as an outside corner look to be about over.
That was questioned this offseason when he signed with the Steelers, to which he replied (and I’m paraphrasing) “Mike Tomlin will allow me to be a football player.” That was asked in regard to if the team envisioned him to play cornerback or safety, but it appears the future hand was shown against Baltimore where Porter entered and played on the outside during the entire second half.
This shifted Peterson inside – not to be a simple slot corner, but a dimebacker of sorts, lining up with and winning matchups with Ravens TE Mark Andrews. While Peterson also lined up on some receivers, Chandon Sullivan is still on deck to perform those duties.
Having Peterson’s experience in a hybrid role, especially being larger than most of the Steelers corners, might be the best way to use his talents while also allowing Porter to grow too. The team can kill two birds with one stone in this way, as Peterson would be an upgrade in this role while Porter raises the profile of the boundary corners.
Broderick Jones as a starter
Despite reports that Dan Moore Jr. was getting first-team reps after returning to practice this week, Coach Tomlin stated he would need to see more from the season’s starting left tackle before making a determination if Moore will start against the Rams this Sunday.
Moore gave way to this year’s first round pick, Broderick Jones, as the starter against the Ravens. Jones was drafted 14th overall to shore up QB Kenny Pickett‘s blindside, so it was always a matter of if, not when, he would take Moore’s spot.
With the way Jones handled his own in his first full game, the Steelers are likely thinking now instead of later too. That’s a good thing for a Steelers offense and second-year quarterback that needs a boost.
Find Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth
Another big boost would be involving the tight ends more in the passing game.
Freiermuth is expected to be back on the field within the next week or two, while the rookie Washington is a big target who isn’t getting targets.
Freiermuth has caught 8 of 13 targets while Washington has caught 1 of 4. Both are big physical specimens who should create mismatches. They also have the hands and capability to break big plays. It’s just a matter of getting them in a position to do so, which would behoove the Steelers and OC Matt Canada to do so.
Keep Keeanu Benton going
If it seems like I’m talking about this year’s Steelers draft class as the answer to a lot their questions, that’s because they are. With three picks in the top 50, it’s time to utilize those players: including the 49th overall pick from Wisconsin.
Benton has been on the field by default: injuries to Cameron Heyward an DeMarvin Leal have opened the door for the second round selection, who has made the most of his time by impressing onlookers with his ability to beat single coverage and seemingly devour double teams.
Benton has yet to play even half of a full game and he’s had several QB hits and one sack on the season. It’s time to unleash his full potential by pushing him into a more prominent role until Heyward returns.
Use Najee Harris in the passing game
Finally, all of the conjecture about starting RB Jaylen Warren over Najee Harris is silly. Harris and Warren represent a nice 1-2 punch, with a change of pace in running styles.
The truth is, Warren appears to do better because he’s used more in the passing game.
To date, Warren has 25 targets to Harris’ 9. That leaves Harris with only five receptions through the first five games, after catching 115 passes for 696 yards and six touchdowns in his previous two seasons (34 games).
The downgrade in balls thrown Harris’ way has allowed teams to key in on stopping him in the run game and not having to account for him whatsoever as a receiving threat. This is a gigantic mistake in scheming up game plans and needs to be addressed quickly, as Harris can easily have as big of an impact as Warren.
(For reference, Warren has caught 49 passes for 380 yards and no touchdowns in 21 games for Pittsburgh.)
