What We Saw 2023: Week 7

Steelers @ Rams

Final Score: Pittsburgh 24, Los Angeles 17

Writer: Michael James (@MikeoftheFF on Twitter)

Pittsburgh traveled cross country to visit the Los Angeles Rams Rams for the first time in their new home.  Not a concern for the Steeler faithful apparently, as I was taken aback to see the camera pan the crowd and there were terrible towels all over.  The Rams even had to go to the silent count in their own home stadium at one point when they were backed up on starting position.  Rams would be without their breakout rookie RB Kyren Willams and the Steelers would not have TE Pat Freiermuth.  We would see a very slow start to the offense for both teams, entering halftime with the Rams up 9-3.  Both quarterbacks struggled against the pass rush in the first half as both Matthew Stafford and Kenny Pickett were sacked twice and each committed a grounding penalty.  However, both offenses would pick it up after some halftime adjustments.   TJ Watt intercepted Stafford in coverage to put the Steelers inside the red zone and they would capitalize with a touchdown to add seven points to their score which also happened to be the winning difference for them.

Some interesting notes, Rams K Brett Maher missed two field goals and an extra point today which adds up to the same amount of points the Rams lost by today.  The Rams were also burned today by their lack of time-outs towards the end of the game.  Head Coach Sean McVay had to use all of his timeouts on the Steelers’ final drive to preserve the clock, and thus was unable to challenge the bad spot by the officials that gave the Steelers a new set of downs to run out the clock when it should have been a turnover on downs to give the Rams one last shot.  Because that play happened just on the wrong side of the two-minute warning there would be no automatic booth review to save them either.

Three Up

• Puka Nacua – The rookie did it all today; short routes, crossing routes, down the field sideline “ARE YOU KIDDING ME” on the front page of your favorite sports website routes, 24 points in PPR
• George Pickens – Getting his receiving partner back did wonders for Pickens today averaging over 20 yards per catch, 15 points in PPR
• Darrell Henderson Jr – another “Straight off the couch” player who showed up to familiar territory and produced, 13 points in PPR

Three Down

• Cooper Kupp – You knew it was not his day when he started the game with back-to-back drops, just 6.9 points in PPR
• McVay’s timeout management – The Steelers were awarded a 4th and 1 conversion to end the game when replay clearly showed the official spot was bogus, however, McVay had spent all of his timeouts to conserve the clock and had none left to challenge the play since it was mere seconds outside the two-minute warning.
• The Home Crowd at SoFi –  It seems to be difficult to get a stadium full of Chargers/Rams fans (unless they are playing each other).  On the very first field goal attempt, I was surprised to see a wall of black with terrible towels spinning everywhere.

TRENT JORDAN WATT WITH THE INT 🙌

📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/T87FSng3KS pic.twitter.com/4kyrrtYOfP

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 22, 2023

Steelers

Quarterback

Kenny Pickett: 17/25 for 230 yards, 8 carries for no yards and 1 rushing touchdown

In the first half of this game, the Steelers had five drives, totaling 25 plays for a paltry 66 yards (including two 3-and-outs).   It was a rough start for Pittsburgh as Pickett was sacked on the second play of the game, and then threw incomplete after being hurried by the Rams pressure, which led to their first three-and-out drive.  But then again it’s always a slow start for the Steelers as they rank dead last in opening drive points (zero) in the league.  I know teams usually script their first handful of plays, but it’s clear they need a new script at this point.  Throughout the first half, the Rams brought an extra rusher and the Steelers just didn’t have an answer for it.  Given the total offense numbers at the end of the game, I would love to see what a Pittsburgh team that can put together an entire four-quarters of solid offense is capable of.

Notes

• 3 for 3 on QB sneaks with one yard to go
• Only 78 yards passing in the first half
• Steelers are on a 53-game streak of under 400 total yards of offense, next closest is the Patriots with 13 games.
• 3 for 5 on the deep ball

Missed Opportunities

• 4-12 on third down, all four conversions coming in the second half

Running Back

Big day for the ground game with all three touchdowns coming from carries.

Najee Harris: 14 carries for 53 yards and 1 Touchdown, 3 receptions on 3 targets for 15 yards and 1 fumble (recovered)

At the start of the game, the commentary wished for Harris to stop cutting so much and hit the hole as he’s far more skilled towards that type of running.  I don’t know if someone mentioned it to the Steelers or not but after the five-yard tackle for loss running to the sideline in the first quarter, he spent the rest of the afternoon smashing through the line of scrimmage and looked far better doing it.

Notes

• First carry of the game went for six yards and fumbled it (recovered)
• Was averaging over a 4 YPC average for the game until the last two rushes for no gain
• Two carries and one reception inside the 10-yard line including a touchdown rush

Missed Opportunities

• Crazy flat route on 2nd and goal where he juggled the ball and pulled up just inches from the sideline to then turn and hurdle a man to reach out and just miss the goal line setting up 3rd and goal (inches)

Jaylen Warren: 6 carries for 32 yards and 1  Touchdown, 1 reception on 2 targets for -1 yard

Notes

• Averaged over 5 YPC on his six carries
• Back-to-back red zone carries including a 13-yard pitch out of the backfield up the middle for the touchdown

You've been warned 😏 @Nunless2

📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/T87FSng3KS pic.twitter.com/6KkLTQ4yF4

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 22, 2023

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Getting Diontae Johnson back seemed to balance out the Rams’ secondary opening up opportunities for both receivers on the day.  There seemed to be a lot of ‘friendly communication’ between the receivers and corners this game and getting under each other’s skin

George Pickens: 5 receptions on 8 targets for 107 yards

Notes

• 4 of the 5 deep throws were to Pickens (who caught all three of the deep receptions on the day)
• Made up for a previous drop by breaking free and catching one down the middle of the field in the fourth quarter to convert a third down
• Got all of his work done on the left side of the field
• 1 for 2 out of the slot (an incomplete, and his biggest catch of the day on a go route)

Missed Opportunities

• First deep ball target he was too close to the sideline on his route and didn’t have enough room to get both feet down on the catch to count
• Did have a drop that would have converted for a new set of downs
• Emotions – started with a blindside block penalty earlier in the game that sparked a feud between him and Rams safety Craig Yeast that would result in a taunting penalty later costing the Steelers yards, the worst part was that it sett up a horrible “Yeast is rising” pun from the commentary box

Diontae Johnson: 5 receptions on 6 targets for 79 yards

First game back after injury and made an impact right away

Notes

• The first target of the game was brought in for a 14-yard reception on the sideline
• Emotions – seemed to run angry shaking one defender and breaking through another tackle after a reception for a combined 39-yard reception to convert a 3rd and long

Missed Opportunities

• Huge play over the middle for a 19-yard reception to convert the third down nullified by Pickens’ blind side block
• Emotions – Drew the PI penalty that would have awarded a fresh set of downs to end the game but got it nullified by taunting the opposing player after the play

Connor Heyward: 2 receptions on 3 targets for 23 yards

Notes

• Heyward did not spend a lot of time filling in Freiermuth’s receiving role but rather spent National Tight End’s day mostly in block protection

Rams

Quarterback

Matthew Stafford: 14/29 for 231 yards for 1 Touchdown and 1 Interception, 1 carry for 8 yards

Neither Stafford nor his receivers not named Puka would do each other many favors with the former overthrowing his receivers and the latter dropping balls going through their hands.  The slow start was also attributed to shooting themselves in the foot with penalties.  One penalty on the first drive taking them to third and long (which ended in a sack regardless) and two penalties on the third drive going from first and 10 to second and 30.

Notes

• Stafford still got a little bit of juice in his legs at 35 years old – scrambled to evade a sack and converted a third and long with his feet
• Steelers started bringing the house all fourth quarter and the Rams were not able to adjust.  Stafford became highly inaccurate under pressure including two downfield throws to no one
• 3 for 6 on the deep ball

Missed Opportunities

• Rushed to convert a third down but was nullified by a holding penalty
• Miscommunication between him and Kupp results in intentional grounding
• Opens up the second half with a pass intended for Kupp, route is jumped by TJ Watt (who was out in coverage) for the interception
• 48% completion rate

Just how they drew it up.

📺 @NFLonFOX | 5️⃣ @TutuAtwell pic.twitter.com/xoIYBjnNp5

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 22, 2023

Running Back

Zach Evans went from being the only healthy running back on the depth chart at the start of Monday to remaining the third-string RB anyway as Freeman was promoted over him and Henderson was brought back to the active roster.  During the week Coach McVay spoke of being committed to the run no matter who was in the backfield and he kept to his word 30 rushing attempts to 29 passing attempts.  They would finish the day on a 4.2 YPC team average between the two backs on 127 rushing yards.  A 50/50 usage split by halftime, and a 60/40 split by the end of the game.  There was only one drive where both Henderson and Freeman got touches, every other drive only one or the other got the carries.

Darrell Henderson Jr: 18 carries for 61 yards and 1 Touchdown, 1 reception on 2 targets for 5 yards

Notes

• Got the start, took the first carry 16 yards – welcome back to the Rams
• Only one rush to the outside (for a loss) the rest up the middle
• All of his rushes going for 5+ yards came behind the right side of the line
• The first touchdown drive of the game featured Henderson rushing on 5 of the 8 plays
• The second touchdown drive with a goal to go was to Henderson three straight times (carry, screen, carry) resulting in a touchdown

Royce Freeman: 12 carries for 66 yards

Notes

• Was brought in for the 2pt conversion attempt immediately after Henderson scored

Missed Opportunities

• While both backs were sent out in motion sporadically, Freeman did not register a target in the game

Wide Receiver/Tight End

WHAT A PLAY BY PUKA NACUA

📺 @NFLonFOX | 1️⃣7️⃣ @ASAPPuka pic.twitter.com/ztrVKiuoYh

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 22, 2023

One word. Three letters. HIM. https://t.co/0pNcb1fazr

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 22, 2023

In week five the Rams showed us this offense is capable of supporting both Kupp and Nacua but since then it’s been one or the other.  Today was a Puka day.  The two of them combined for 19 of Stafford’s 29 targets.

Cooper Kupp: 2 receptions on 29 yards on 7 targets

Notes

• Caught the two-point conversion attempt to go up by seven points in the second half
• Two other targets were off the mark, another was well-covered by the Steelers

Missed Opportunities

• Uncharacteristic two drops by Kupp on the first two targets of the day
• Did have an end zone target but was underthrown (to Atwell’s gain)

Puka Nacua: 8 receptions on 12 targets for 154 yards

Notes

• Over half of Stafford’s completions went to Nacua
• Seemed to get shaken up on his first reception for 30 yards but came back in two plays later and wasn’t mentioned in any reports from the broadcast
• Converted a third and long with a 22-yard catch over the middle wide-open
• Converted a third and short over the middle, ran it 36 yards down the sideline after the defender slipped
• Was seen lining up to block Watt on a run play
• Highlight reel toe tap 32-yard sideline reception in double coverage
• Bowled over two defenders on a short catch and run for a total of 20 yards on the reception
• Solo tackle for you IDP’ers
• Second rookie to have 700 receiving yards in his first 7 games (The first one plays for the Bengals if you want a hint to ‘chase’ that answer down)
• 6 of his 12 targets came on short crossing routes just behind the defensive line over the middle (four right to left, two left to right)

Missed Opportunities

• Did whiff a blocking assignment on a run play that got the running back tackled from behind resulting in a punt
• Had a deep bomb to the back shoulder on the sideline but only got one foot in bounds

Tutu Atwell: 1 reception on 2 targets for 31 yards and 1 Touchdown

On a scramble play, Atwell improvised to get open crossing in front of Kupp’s route in the end zone which resulted in him “intercepting” the ball intended for Kupp in the end zone and walked it in for the 31-yard touchdown.  Kupp was never going to catch it, it was well short of him

Tyler Higbee: 1 reception on 3 targets for 7 yards

There is not much here either for TE day sadly.

Notes

• Caught a nice sideline flat route to convert 3rd down, otherwise quiet blocking day for the highly successful rushing attack all game long

Missed Opportunities

• Dropped a big target down the right side of the field