Steelers 4 Downs: Taking stock of coverage skills for inside linebackers
Share this post:
1. Cover me
Much was made last season about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ deficiencies in coverage among their inside linebackers. An offseason positional makeover was thought to have addressed the issue, but now injuries are forcing the Steelers back to the drawing board.
So where do things stand? It was brought to light this week when NFL Next Gen Stats relayed that a member of that maligned 2022 Steelers inside linebackers group seems to be turning the narrative that he can’t cover on its head in 2023. Per Next Gen, the Raiders’ Robert Spillane has induced the best expected points added when targeted of any linebacker (minus-21).
While methods vary and subjectivity is involved, Spillane in 2022 had the seventh-worst season Pro Football Focus coverage grade of any inside linebacker among 80 in the league who qualified. That was worse than then-teammates Devin Bush (45th) and Myles Jack (51st). The three of them combined to allow an opponent passer rating of 118.7 and seven touchdowns when in coverage in 2022.
The Steelers tried to upgrade over the offseason, signing Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts and Kwon Alexander in free agency. Those three to this point of 2023 have combined for a 94.3 passer rating and no touchdowns.
2. Next men up
That’s a marked improvement. But Holcomb and Alexander are out for the year. That leaves the man thought to be the weakest of those three in coverage (Roberts). But in PFF grades, Roberts sits 42nd among 71 qualifying linebackers, between Alexander (18th) and Holcomb (62nd). In 130 coverage snaps, Roberts has allowed 17 catches on 17 targets for 169 yards.
Enter Mykal Walker, the recent signee who is expected to join Roberts and Mark Robinson in forming the Steelers ILB corps going forward. A starter most of last season for the Atlanta Falcons, Walker in 384 coverage snaps produced the ninth-best passer rating when targeted (85.8) among any NFL linebacker.
Walker had two interceptions, four pass breakups and what PFF terms four “forced incompletions” last season. All are more than any Steelers inside linebacker had or has had in 2022 or in 2023.
Incidentally, Robinson in 40 career coverage snaps has allowed four receptions on four targets for 70 yards.
3. Trouble moving the ball
A pair of numbers unearthed by Sharp Football suggest the Steelers will have trouble moving the ball Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.
Cleveland has allowed opponents to reach the red zone or score on only 17.2% of drives this season, the best rate in the league. The Steelers offense, meanwhile, has been the worst in the league at driving inside the 20 or getting points (17.7% of possessions).
In addition to expecting several Steelers punts and play between the 20s, one stat suggests Sunday’s game will feature relatively few passing yards as well. Games involving the Browns are averaging a league-low 336.4 combined passing yards per game. For perspective, Steelers games this season have averaged an output of 428.7 passing yards — 180.3 from the Steelers and 248.4 from their opponents.
4. Dynamic duo
Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris each will tell you the 183 yards on 31 carries they combined for during last week’s win against the Green Bay Packers was attributable to strong play by the offensive line.
The data from Next Gen Stats, though, shows Warren and Harris deserve plaudits, too.
Next Gen calculates “rush yards over expected” (RYOE) as a means of determining how many yards more (or less) a ball-carrier gains than is expected for each carry based on the relative location, speed and direction of blockers and defenders.
Warren last week was a plus-37 RYOE and Harris a plus-15. They ranked fourth and ninth in the NFL, respectively, for Week 10. On 56.3% of Harris’ carries, he gained more than what the physics say should be expected (third-best in the NFL last week). For Warren, the rate was 53.3% (fifth-best for Week 10).
Hey, Steelers Nation, get the latest news about the Pittsburgh Steelers here.