The Patriots got their first victory of the season, 20-3 over the Steelers, on Sunday. Breaking down five key plays in the game through video and written analysis, including:
• Perfect blocking on TreVeyon Henderson's touchdown
• The Steelers' pass protection failing on Christian Elliss' strip sack
• Both deep passes from Drake Maye to Romeo Doubs (and the interception)
• Christian Barmore's strip sack that led to Elijah Ponder's game-clinching touchdown return.
1-10-PIT 39 (8:29) (Shotgun) T.Henderson left guard for 39 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
When a running back scores a virtually untouched 39-yard touchdown between the tackles, it means the blocking was perfect on all three levels, and the back was fast enough to take advantage. That's what happened here. Everyone on the field executed at a high level.
Step 1: LG Alijah Vera-Tucker needs to win and turn the DT to the inside. Check. Much better game from him.
Step 2: C Jared Wilson, who is uncovered, needs to seal off the backside linebacker, and RG Mike Onwenu needs to seal the other DT. Double check.
Step 3: RT Morgan Moses needs to pull and take out the frontside linebacker. Check.
Step 4: Mack Hollins (nickel) and DeMario Douglas (backside safety) need to execute their blocks. Double-check. Douglas actually takes out both safeties.
Step 5: Henderson needs to run to daylight and avoid the last defender to finish the run. Check.
Chef's kiss. No notes. Put it on a poster in the o-line and WR rooms!
3-7-NE 22 (8:05) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers sacked at NE 31 for -9 yards (C.Elliss). FUMBLES (C.Elliss) [C.Elliss], touched at NE 30, recovered by PITT.Fautanu at PIT 42.
I've watched Aaron Rodgers play most of his career. He is probably the smartest quarterback not named Peyton Manning. If he's getting decapitated from behind, it's because he thought the play should be blocked up, and one of his blockers screwed up. That's what happened.
Before the play, the Patriots go from showing Cover 2 man coverage to showing an all-out blitz. Rodgers sorted things out at the line, and five of the players in the six-man protection were on the same page against the Patriots' six-man pressure. It's unusual, but they were trying to slide the LT (Elliss), LG (Gabe Jacas), C (Christian Barmore) and RG (Milton Williams) to the left, despite all four players starting at the LG and going out. The RT was to take Dre'Mont Jones, and the RB was to take Robert Spillane. That's a tough ask, especially for the right guard, but in theory it should work.
What was the problem?
The left tackle, Troy Fautanu, never looked at Ellis. He thought he had Jacas. That meant Fautanu and LG Mason McCormick both blocked Jacas, leaving Elliss open for a free and painful run that could have ended Rodgers' career. This was more about the Steelers, specifically Fautanu, than the Patriots.
3-5-NE 38 (13:43) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass deep right to R.Doubs to PIT 33 for 29 yards (A.Samuel).
1-10-PIT 33 (12:59) D.Maye pass deep left intended for H.Henry INTERCEPTED by P.Queen at PIT 10. P.Queen to PIT 13 for 3 yards (H.Henry)
On my preliminary watch of the film, one area of regression for Maye to this point is his pocket manipulation. It's been erratic and usually subpar. It was a strength last season. It could very well be because he's not used to Vera-Tucker and Jared Wilson at center.
On the first deep pass to Doubs, this was Maye from last year. His pocket manipulation was terrific, as he escaped horizontally out the front side, and then was able to hit Doubs for a big gain.
However, on the very next play, Maye's fourth interception, his pocket maneuvering was again a problem and led to another costly and, really, unforced turnover.
After the play-action fake (which could have and needs to be a lot better), Maye's back foot hits the 43-yard line. Despite no edge pressure, Maye's back foot ended up at the 41.5-yard line, which invited the pressure (Greg Van Roten could have been a lot better) that caused the short-armed throw that was 6 yards short (it didn't look tipped to me, as the spiral seemed sound).
Either way, it was a terrible read. Once LB Patrick Queen drops that deep to the crosser — which Ernest Jones did all game in the opener — the deep stuff is considered dead, and Maye either needs to find a way to check it down to FG Reggie Gilliam, Maye needs to scramble, or he needs to throw it away while in field-goal range.
What Maye can't do is climb the pocket for no reason to invite a more difficult throw. If he just shuffled left instead of up, both throws to Henry and Gilliam would have been a little easier.
"I don’t think (the ball was tipped). Again, I didn’t slow it down," Mike Vrabel said. "When the linebacker drops that deep, we should probably just get it down to Reggie [Gilliam]. I think he realizes that and knows that. Those are the decisions that the quarterback makes. Those are the decisions that Drake makes. Again, if they get us – they’re that far off in coverage and (the linebacker) panics (drops to the route) that far, then we have to go somewhere else with the ball."
1-10-NE 8 (2:12) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass deep right to R.Doubs pushed ob at PIT 29 for 63 yards (R.Jenkins).
There's some contradictory evidence on film about whether this was a designed rollout, but I think it was.
Pro rollout:
- Maye bails to the right pretty quickly
- There are three routes to that side of the field short (Henderson), medium (Douglas) and deep (Doubs)
- Douglas seems to look back for the ball outside the pocket, like it was designed
Against the rollout:
- Mack Hollins is running a speed out to the left at 5 yards. That route doesn't make a lot of sense with the rest of the picture. Some sort of vertical route to hold the safety would be more understandable.
- Hunter Henry doesn't look like he was intentionally trying to pin OLB Jack Sawyer inside, which you would do on a designed roll-out. Sawyer just goes inside on his own, which makes the play work. Maye may have bailed when he saw Sawyer beat Henry inside.
It doesn't really matter. The play works because Doubs runs a hard route, and Maye reads the cornerback well and throws the over to Doubs.
UPDATE: It was a designed rollout.
2-21-PIT 30 (13:46) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers sacked at PIT 21 for -9 yards (C.Barmore). FUMBLES (C.Barmore) [C.Barmore], RECOVERED by NE E.Ponder at PIT 19. E.Ponder for 19 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Rodgers was going to have something downfield with either Pat Freiermuth (deep middle) or Roman Wilson (deep in-cut) against the Patriots' quarters coverage if it was blocked up.
It wasn't.
Christian Barmore manhandled RG Spencer Anderson. Once the guard's feet got too narrow, Barmore had him. And then the DT made a great play on the ball as Rodgers did not secure it.