What We Saw: Week 5

The What We Saw team recaps everything you missed from Week 5

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What We Saw A Year Ago
Series Navigation
Introduction
Bears @ Commanders
Jaguars @ Bills
Texans @ Falcons
Panthers @ Lions
Titans @ Colts
Giants @ Dolphins
Saints @ Patriots
Ravens @ Steelers
Eagles @ Rams
Bengals @ Cardinals
Jets @ Broncos
Chiefs @ Vikings
Cowboys @ 49ers

Ravens @ Steelers

Final Score: Steelers 17, Ravens 10

Writer: Nick Beaudoin

 

If you just read the box score, you’d probably assume that the Pittsburgh Steelers played well in this game and the Baltimore Ravens did not; however, it was actually quite the opposite. The Ravens controlled the ball, clock, and line of scrimmage for the majority of the game, but could not get out of their own way in the end, leaving points on the field on multiple occasions and making far too many mental errors to walk away with a win. Credit to Head Coach Mike Tomlin and the Steelers’ defense and special teams for fighting tremendously the entire game. They were not perfect by any means, but they were able to take advantage of many Ravens’ mistakes and capitalize at the most opportune times. It wasn’t pretty for either team, but Pittsburgh did just enough to earn the win.

 

 

Three Up

  • George Pickens – With Diontae Johnson on IR, George Pickens put the team on his back, making big plays when the Steelers needed them most.
  • Jaylen Warren – He came up big in the fourth quarter, making defenders miss and gaining three straight first downs to give the Steelers a late field goal.
  • Lamar Jackson – Despite two late turnovers, Lamar played well in this game and continues to improve his pocket presence every week.

Two Down

  • The Entire Baltimore WR Corps – Finally at full health, this was an absolutely embarrassing performance by Baltimore wide receivers, who combined for seven drops, at least three of which should have been touchdowns.
  • Najee Harris – His explosiveness doesn’t seem to be there anymore, and he was once again hampered by poor offensive line play.

 

Baltimore Ravens

 

Quarterback

 

Lamar Jackson: 22/38, 236 Yards, INT, FL, 4 Sacks | 6 Carries, 45 Yards

Up until the four-minute mark of the fourth quarter, Lamar Jackson looked fantastic. He was confident, calm, and comfortable in the pocket, picking the Steelers apart and only reverting to his legs when he needed to. His offensive line (more so in the first half) dominated the line of scrimmage, giving him time to go through his reads, extend plays, and fit throws into tight windows on multiple occasions. He also made a few big-time plays on third-and-long, extending Ravens’ drives in unlikely situations. Through five weeks, Jackson has impressed in new Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken’s offense. There will be many more QB1 performances in store (like this one should have been), and although he had two late turnovers, the team should not have been in that position, and I am not putting the blame on Lamar.

 

Missed Opportunities

  • There were at least three dropped passes (not including when Zay Flowers simply fell over after beating everyone deep) that should have been guaranteed touchdowns. Lamar was visibly frustrated on the sidelines as Nelson Agholor tried to apologize, and (in my opinion) he started to lose focus at the end of the game, resulting in two poor turnovers.
  • The interception late in the fourth was entirely on Lamar. This was a poorly thrown fade to Odell Beckham that was covered perfectly for rookie Joey Porter Jr.’s first career interception.
  • There were opportunities where he could have chosen to run earlier. Both the Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman dropped touchdowns were solid passes, but also had the potential to be walk-in touchdowns if Jackson had chosen to run instead.

 

Running Back

 

Gus Edwards: 12 Carries, 48 Yards

 

Gus Edwards did a perfect Gus Edwards impression this week, plodding his way to 48 yards on 12 carries. There was not a ton of room to operate against a solid Pittsburgh defensive line, but Edwards still did a respectable job earning 4.0 YPC. The Ravens got away from their power running ways, leaning on the return of Justice Hill with zone reads out of the shotgun and pistol to keep Pittsburgh’s fierce front seven honest. There will be better game scripts for Gus Edwards in the future, but assuming both are healthy, the backfield seems to be leaning toward a 50/50 split.

 

Missed Opportunities

  • Justice Hill returned from injury this week and was also used in red zone situations, punching in the Ravens lone touchdown on a 14-yard scamper in the first quarter.

 

Justice Hill: 7 Carries, 32 Yards, TD | 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 13 Yards

 

Justice Hill (foot) returned from a two-week absence, adding an electric element to the backfield that Edwards simply cannot provide. Despite a costly lost fumble in the second quarter, Hill played well overall, averaging 4.6 YPC and adding 13 yards on four receptions. Although none of these numbers are eye-popping, he displayed quickness and burst, while also serving as a consistent receiving outlet for Jackson – something the Ravens have needed for years. Hill seems to have earned himself a permanent role in the offense, assuming he can stay healthy.

 

 

Missed Opportunities

  • Hill lost a fumble on a perfectly designed screen pass in the second quarter. This was just one of many Ravens miscues on the day, which gave Pittsburgh great field position and allowed them to get on the scoreboard with their first field goal.

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

Zay Flowers: 11 Targets, 5 Receptions, 73 Yards

 

Flowers’ managers can’t be too upset with his final stat line, but this was a day to forget for the rookie first-round pick due to several costly drops. He also tripped over his own feet after beating the entire defense deep (admittedly, it was not a perfectly thrown ball). Still unable to find the end zone, “The Joystick” is clearly Lamar’s favorite option on this team. He received 11 targets and was often standing wide open against the Pittsburgh secondary. His role in the offense and ability to separate are unquestioned, which proves his ceiling is yet to be seen, and makes this still an encouraging performance from a fantasy standpoint. Better days are ahead for Flowers.

 

 

Missed Opportunities

  • Flowers had a few costly drops and failed to adjust to a deep ball in the fourth quarter that may have resulted in a very long touchdown.

 

Rashod Bateman: 3 Targets, 1 Reception, 8 Yards

 

Rashod Bateman had an extremely disappointing return from injury, with one catch for 8 yards on three targets, including a dropped touchdown that hit him right in the hands. The former second-round pick has big-play ability each week, but we have not seen it at all this year.

 

 

Odell Beckham: 4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 13 Yards

 

Odell Beckham also did nothing to help the offense today, with two receptions for 13 yards on four targets. He briefly left the game in the second quarter with an injury but was back in play after halftime. He was on the receiving end of a poorly thrown fade in the fourth quarter, leading to first-round pick Joey Porter Jr.’s first career interception.

 

 

Nelson Agholor: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 64 Yards

 

Nelson Agholor was the top contributor of the four Ravens wide receivers against the Steelers, hauling in four receptions for 64 yards. However, his one drop was a costly one as it would have been an almost certain touchdown.

 

 

Mark Andrews: 10 Targets, 6 Receptions, 65 Yards

 

Mark Andrews dominated the middle of the field, averaging 10.8 YPC, and consistently getting open whenever Lamar needed him most. He never fully created separation, but was a first-down machine in intermediate routes, catching perfectly thrown balls in stride from Lamar. Despite receiving 10 targets, this performance was closer to his weekly floor and would have been much better if he was able to bring in the touchdown pass in the second quarter.

 

 

 

Pittsburgh Steelers

 

Quarterback

 

Kenny Pickett: 18/32, 224 Yards, TD, 3 Sacks | 6 Carries, -6 Yards

 

In one of the most vanilla offenses in all of football, Kenny Pickett somehow mustered enough of a drive to win the game in the end. The Steelers had virtually no run game, and arguably no passing game until the fourth quarter, either. They made no attempt to throw inside the hashes, opting to force-feed back-shoulder fades to George Pickens anytime the Ravens presented one-on-one opportunities. For most of the game, it wasn’t working, but when it mattered most, Pickett took his shot and allowed Pickens to do the rest. Although he ended up with 224 yards passing, most came late, and many were earned after the catch by Pickens and Jaylen Warren, who made people miss out of the backfield. Otherwise, the Steelers struggled to move the ball all day, and this was a difficult offense to watch.

 

Missed Opportunities

  • Pickett is an athletic quarterback, but did not use his feet at all in this game. It would be nice for Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada to spread out this offense and let his quarterback utilize his athleticism.
  • The offense is stale and boring. There were two instances where they were able to use backfield misdirection pre-snap, and both of them ended in positive plays.Canada needs to be more creative to give Pickett a chance to succeed. Cue the “Fire Canada” chants.

 

 

Running Back

 

Najee Harris: 14 Carries, 37 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 3 Yards

 

We’ve all been secretly hoping and rooting for the late-season repeat Najee Harris breakout, but there is no sign of this happening anytime soon. The Ravens defense is a very tough matchup, and there was little to no room for Harris to run; the former Alabama standout averaged a miserable 2.6 YPC on the day. Many are quick to blame Najee, but there is only so much one can do if you’re hit in the backfield almost every play. The Steelers were about as predictable as they come in the first half: running on first and second downs, then trying to compensate on third, and the Ravens knew exactly what was coming. They did find a little more success in the second half when they started running outside pitches (as opposed to straight up the gut), but it was still minimal. The floor is alarmingly low for Najee these days, and the “sell” window has likely already passed. Things continue trending down for the former first-round pick.

Missed Opportunities

  • The Steelers don’t seem to ever be in the red zone, which is a constant missed opportunity for the goal line back.
  • I’d like to see him dance a little less in the backfield. The Najee of old used to hit the hole hard. With that being said, there is not much room for him to do this.

 

Jaylen Warren: 9 Carries, 40 Yards | 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 39 Yards, FL

 

All aboard the Jaylen Warren hype train, and for good reason. Now, let’s get this straight. Jaylen Warren is not a better football player than Najee Harris. There is a reason that Najee Harris was a first-round pick, and Jaylen Warren was an UDFA. However at this point in their careers, Warren’s explosiveness and ability to make people miss is making him harder and harder to take off the field. Due to his size, Warren will never be a three-down back, but he is undoubtedly a better receiver than Najee and is elusive with the ball in his hands. This will prove important for fantasy as the Steelers will likely be facing many negative game scripts this year. Late in the fourth quarter, it was the Warren show, making defenders miss for three straight first-downs, giving the Steelers a field goal and inevitably a chance to win the game. It was another encouraging week for Warren.

 

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

George Pickens: 10 Targets, 6 Receptions, 130 Yards, TD | 1 Carry, 16 Yards

 

George Pickens was the offensive hero of this game. He was the only Steelers’ player who made consistent plays, keeping the team alive in big moments, and beating CB Marlon Humphrey for what would be the game-winning 41-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter. In the absence of Diontae Johnson, Pickens was able to perform like a true WR1, not only winning the one-on-one matchups, but gaining 16 yards on a well-designed jet sweep, and making several key blocks for his teammates that created much-needed space for them to run. Pickens has a reputation as a bit of a head case, but he’s extremely talented and leaves it all on the field for his team. He is the type of player that coaches want on the field with the game on the line, and today was the perfect example of that.

What is still discouraging about Pickens is his inability to create separation. The Steelers offense essentially moved solely through him, but almost every pass was a simple back-shoulder sideline fade. With that being said, Pickens is making the plays, but it still feels unsustainable to put up the WR1 numbers people are expecting week in and out.

 

 

Allen Robinson: 9 Targets, 5 Receptions, 29 Yards

 

I miss Allen Robinson in his prime, but unfortunately, those days are gone. Despite receiving nine targets, Robinson is no longer a fantasy asset, but more of a sure-handed low ADOT possession receiver in this offense.

 

Calvin Austin: 1 Target

Darnell Washington: 2 Targets

 

Nobody else in the Pittsburgh receiving core showed any signs of life today. A few made short receptions, but were immediately swarmed by a solid Ravens secondary. Outside of Pickens and Warren, were not able to a single yard after the catch. This team desperately needs Diontae Johnson back.

 

 

 

Series Navigation
Introduction
Bears @ Commanders
Jaguars @ Bills
Texans @ Falcons
Panthers @ Lions
Titans @ Colts
Giants @ Dolphins
Saints @ Patriots
Ravens @ Steelers
Eagles @ Rams
Bengals @ Cardinals
Jets @ Broncos
Chiefs @ Vikings
Cowboys @ 49ers

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