1. Muuuuuuuuuth
The Pittsburgh Steelers are experiencing plenty of attrition at wide receiver, with three of the top five at that position injured and unavailable for Sunday’s game at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Luckily for the Steelers, 258-pound tight end Pat Freiermuth is acting the part of a productive wide receiver in the passing game.
Freiermuth is tied for the team lead in receptions (19). His four receiving touchdowns lead the Steelers and are tied for the fourth in the NFL, regardless of position. No tight end has more touchdown catches.
What’s more is, according to Pro Football Focus, Freiermuth is lining up in the slot — a spot traditionally reserved for wide receivers — more than all but two tight ends in the NFL. For 60.2% of the 167 Steelers passing plays for which Freiermuth has been on the field, he has lined up in the slot.
Only eight players in the league (two tight ends and six wide receivers) have more receptions out of the slot this season. No player has more touchdowns after running a route lined up in the slot (three, tied with six others).
Incidentally, Freiermuth is judged to have had three “contested catch” opportunities, and he has caught all three. He has not been charged with a drop this season.
2. No explosions
The Steelers this season have been susceptible to the big play. Per Sharp Football Analysis, they have allowed 19 gains of at least 20 yards on passing plays. That’s the second most in the league.
Opponents are averaging 11.5 yards per completion against the Steelers, worse than all but eight other teams in the NFL. The Steelers have the 12th-highest average depth of targeted throw against them at 8.3 yards downfield.
At least the Steelers this week are facing a team and a quarterback that don’t figure to try to test them all that much. Starting undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels for a third straight game Sunday, Tampa Bay’s season “explosive play rate” ranks 31st among 32 NFL teams at 11%. Explosive plays are defined by receptions that gain at least 20 yards or rushes that gain at least 10.
According to Next Gen Stats, Daniels ranks last among qualifying quarterbacks in average completed air yards (2.3) and average intended air yards (5.9). For context, the second-lowest QB in average completed air yards is 3.9.
3. Driving questions
The Steelers defense has a peculiar oddity in a pair of metrics that wouldn’t seem to go together all that well. According to Steelers Nation Radio’s Matt Williamson, only 20% of opponent possessions against Pittsburgh have failed to attain at least one first down. That’s the lowest rate in the league for any defensive unit.
But in what seems to align with a “bend-but-don’t-break” mantra, though the Steelers have been poor at inducing three-and-outs, they have been quite adept at not allowing what matters most by an opponent possession: points.
Only six NFL defenses are allowing fewer average points per drive than the Steelers’ 1.85. Of course, they are doing it in large part by allowing drives to often get into “scoring range.” Opponents are scoring on 40% of drives against the Steelers. Only four teams have allowed fewer offensive touchdowns this season than the Steelers (nine).
4. Already a shutdown?
Daylen Everette is only one start into his NFL career. But he’s already earning a reputation as a cornerback to throw toward at your own risk.
When targeting a receiver whom Everette has in coverage, opponents are completing just 47.1% of their passes this season (per PFF). Among the 85 NFL cornerbacks who have played as many coverage snaps as Everette this season, only five are forcing a worse completion percentage. A third-round pick, Everette’s rate is best among rookies, and that includes the eight cornerbacks who were drafted ahead of him.
PFF credits Everette with four “forced incompletions” among 29 targets to players he has in coverage, a rate that ranks seventh best among the NFL corners who have played as many coverage snaps as Everette.