Packers @ Steelers
Final Score: Steelers 23, Packers 19
Writer: Mike Miklius (@SIRL0INofBEEF on Twitter)
Whenever the Packers and Steelers meet, it’s a dream for the announcers; the talking heads love nothing more than to gush over the histories of Green Bay and Pittsburgh. The Steelers struck first thanks to a five-minute touchdown drive ending with a Najee Harris dash up the middle. Green Bay responded with a five-minute march, capped off by a Romeo Doubs catch in the end zone. Pittsburgh answered with, yes, another five-minute touchdown drive. This time, Jaylen Warren found paydirt on a nifty 16-yard dash. The Steelers added a field goal before Jordan Love found Jayden Reed for a 35-yard score on 3rd-and-16. The Packers missed the extra point to leave the score at 17-13. The second half slowed down with both teams trading field goals. Green Bay had a chance to earn the win, but a pair of late Jordan Love interceptions sunk their hopes. Here’s what I saw in this one.
Three Up
- Jaylen Warren impressed as the Steelers’ best running back.
- Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks both flashed as weapons for Green Bay.
Three Down
- Jordan Love missed too many shots today. Accuracy issues rear their ugly head once again.
- Kenny Pickett did not impress in the pocket.
- The Packers’ backfield struggled, save for one carry for a long gain.
Green Bay Packers
Quarterback
Jordan Love: 21/40, 289 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, sack | 2 carries, 11 yards
Jordan Love made some great throws today, but more often I watched him miss his targets or throw into bad situations. On the Packers’ first drive, Love found a rhythm, hitting his first four passes, including two to Christian Watson. After a near pick, he threw a pretty strike to Romeo Doubs for the Packers’ first touchdown. Love put the ball where only Doubs could get it and Doubs made a beautiful toe-tapping catch.
Green Bay’s next drive was short with a Love pass batted down at the line and another dropped by Watson. On the third drive, Love took a sack and then overthrew Dontayvion Wicks, leading to a third and long. He made up for it by hitting Jayden Reed for another touchdown. Love’s two picks came late; the first was an end zone shot to Christian Watson that a defender deflected right into another’s arms. The second pick was a desperate shot on the last drive that was easily taken away. Watching Jordan Love, you can see why people like him. Granted, he’s still young, and it’s his first year as a starter. Unfortunately, the NFL is no longer a patient league, and Love just makes too many mistakes that can’t be covered over by “potential.”
Running Back
Aaron Jones: 13 carries, 35 yards | 6 targets, 4 receptions, 19 yards
Aaron Jones had a hard time finding any space today. He was regularly met at the line and Green Bay just couldn’t get the rushing attack firing. Jones’ longest run, a nine-yard gain, came right before halftime on a meaningless play. He is still the top back here, but it wasn’t there for him today. It was a disappointing performance on the heels of an outing that offered reasons for optimism for his fantasy managers and potentially crushed the playoff hopes and dreams of a few.
AJ Dillon: 9 carries, 70 yards | 3 targets, 1 reception, 11 yards
AJ Dillon has the gaudier numbers, but it felt like he was a bit lucky. Dillon’s smash-forward style felt more effective against a stingy Steelers defense at times, but in reality, his stats were padded by one big run: a 40-yard gain where he went mostly untouched. It was a play that Jones might have broken for a score, and one that any back in the league would’ve gained at least 20 yards on.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Jayden Reed: 5 Targets, 5 Receptions, 84 Yards, TD
Jayden Reed didn’t enter the box score until the Packers’ third drive when he hauled in his touchdown. The rookie out of Michigan State ran a great route and got open behind double coverage for an open grab. He set new career highs in receptions and yards in this one, and hasn’t been a stranger to the end zone this season; today’s touchdown was his fourth score of the season. I was impressed with Reed and want to see more.
Luke Musgrave: 4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 64 Yards
Luke Musgrave made two wide-open catches. The rookie tight end ran impressive routes and used his athleticism to find holes in the defensive zone before hauling in both passes. Musgrave could have had a third catch but the throw was off-target, a familiar refrain this season.
Dontayvion Wicks: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 51 Yards
Dontayvion Wicks made two big catches, both on plays where he worked free and found space in the defensive zone. He nearly had another long grab but Jordan Love missed him. I am curious to see what Wicks might do with more snaps moving forward.
Romeo Doubs: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 31 Yards, TD
Romeo Doubs’ touchdown was the catch of the day for Green Bay. He ran to the corner of the endzone, elevated to grab a high pass, and toe-tapped safely for the score. It was a tight window and a great job by Doubs to stay in bounds while hauling in the touchdown.
Christian Watson: 7 Targets, 2 Receptions, 23 Yards
Christian Watson was the target leader, but it sure didn’t feel like it. Watson and Love couldn’t get on the same page, and both of Love’s interceptions looked like they were plays designed for Watson. It was yet another disappointing output for a player that many fantasy managers had high hopes for. At this point, it’s fair to say that Watson won’t take a step until Love does.
Tucker Kraft: 3 Targets, 1 Reception, 6 Yards
Pittsburgh Steelers
Quarterback
Kenny Pickett: 14/23, 126 yards, 1 sack | 4 carries, 16 yards
Kenny Pickett feels like the Steelers’ Jordan Love but in a whole different way. Pickett does some things well, but more often than not I just think, “Yeah, that’s not the guy.” Pickett completed a couple of quick-hitting passes on the opening drive before overthrowing Diontae Johnson. The drive finished with three running plays and a screen pass. The next drive saw Pickett throw an interception that was called back: he missed Diontae Johnson again but was bailed out by a pass interference call away from the intended receiver. The third drive started with a sack and ended with a 12-yard pass on third-and-a-mile. Kenny Pickett feels like a game manager in this offense, and someone who the Steelers will need to eventually replace if they want the franchise to return to elite status.
Running Back
Jaylen Warren: 15 Carries, 101 Yards, TD | 4 targets, 2 receptions, 9 yards
Okay, I’ll ask it: why isn’t Jaylen Warren the clear lead back here? Sometimes, the stats are misleading. In this case, they aren’t: Warren showed more explosiveness and burst, and he is the guy I want to watch if I’m a Steelers fan. His touchdown run was the perfect example. Warren ran with good acceleration, spun off the first tackler, and took it 16 yards to the house. Warren is the better back and the one I prefer to start.
Najee Harris: 16 Carries, 82 Yards, TD | 4 targets, 3 receptions, 14 yards
Najee Harris ran well today, but comparatively, he looks like Warren’s backup. Harris runs well, but I just don’t see the explosiveness I want from my lead running back. Harris obviously continues to play an important role in this backfield, a primary one if today was any indication. I just think he works better spelling Warren than the other way around. The coaching staff clearly sees things differently, as Harris is built more like the prototypical (stereotypical?) Pittsburgh Steelers running back, with apologies to Fast Willie Parker.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
George Pickens: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 45 yards
George Pickens caught a quick-hitting pass early and it looked like maybe this outing would silence his frustrations. Well, there wasn’t much to go around today in terms of passing volume. Pickens made a pair of big catches in the second half. The first looked underthrown but Pickens made a great adjustment to haul it in. The second was called back due to an offensive pick and eliminated what would have been a huge gain. The lack of volume today killed everyone and will make life difficult from week to week for Pickens and his fantasy managers.
Connor Heyward: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 32 yards
Connor Heyward had a decent day, but hold on: two of those catches came on third and very long against a defense that was playing back. It’s nice that Pickett and Heyward have established some semblance of a connection, but we need to see a lot more before we can get excited from a fantasy perspective.
Diontae Johnson: 4 targets, 1 reception, 17 yards
After drawing 23 targets in two games coming into this one, Diontae Johnson never stood a chance at producing today. I saw pass interference on two of his targets, one of which was called back, and two uncatchable balls. The result: this sad stat line. Between Pickett’s lackluster play and Matt Canada’s offensive play calling (from either the booth or sideline), Johnson offered a hint today that he may not offer as high of a floor as many in the fantasy community envision for him, especially with a couple of tough divisional road matchups on tap.
Darnell Washington: 1 target, 1 reception, 6 yards
Calvin Austin: 1 target, 1 reception, 3 yards | 1 carry, 6 yards