Anatomy of a Touchdown Special Edition Part Two: Breaking Down the Pittsburgh Steelers

Anatomy of a Touchdown

Special Edition Part 2:

Breaking Down the

Pittsburgh Steelers

Jason Seibel

Yesterday I broke down the first half of the Week Four matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers. At halftime, after four touchdown passes from Ben Roethlisberger and a missed Cairo Santos field goal, the score was 29-0.

In this piece, I’ll review the second half of the game, and break down certain plays utilizing screen shots from the film. Additionally, I’ll identify any key players who played in the game in October but won’t be playing on Sunday with an (IR) designation to show the differences in the rosters between Week Four and the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

As the Chiefs took the opening kickoff, the Steelers were set to receive the ball in the second-half kickoff, in order to add to their score.

First Defensive Drive (Third Quarter)

The name of the game for the Steelers offense in this game was “big play” completions. It seemed that Todd Haley’s–remember that guy?–play sheet only had pass plays that said “this will go for 30-yards” written on them. This drive was no different.

After a couple of fantastic runs from Steelers’ running back Le’Veon Bell, and a nice shot across the middle to tight end Xavier Grimble, Big Ben hit wide receiver Markus Wheaton (IR) for a huge 30-yard score. To add insult to injury, rookie cornerback DJ White looked completely lost on the play.

This picture doesn’t quite capture the complete look of “where the hell is the ball?” that White showed during this game. I find it interesting that the Chiefs didn’t use White hardly at all in the first quarter, but defensive coordinator Bob Sutton appeared to put him on the field in place of Stephen Nelson. That burned them on the first drive as Roethlisberger and the Steelers went directly after him, leading to Ben’s fifth passing touchdown of the game.

After the extra point–in which the Chiefs jumped offsides…again–the score was 36-0.

First Offensive Drive (Third Quarter)

As this drive got going, I was looking for any adjustments the Chiefs were making on offense. There was none. On the second play from scrimmage, quarterback Alex Smith mishandled the snap, fumbled the ball, picked it up, and to his credit was able to get his eyes back down field and connect with wide receiver Albert Wilson.

But, on the very next play, Smith barely had time for his receivers to go into their routes before the pocket completely collapsed and he was brought down by defensive end Cameron Heyward (IR).

The drive continued to move backwards. On the same play where running back Spencer Ware dropped an  easy swing pass out of the backfield, left tackle Eric Fisher was flagged for illegal use of hands, and then guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif committed a false start. Even a 14-yard gain on the following play wasn’t enough to get the 21-yards needed for the first down, and the Chiefs were forced to punt.

Again.

It was already ugly, but it was getting downright unwatchable.

Second Defensive Drive (Third Quarter)

One thing I really noticed in watching this tape is what a versatile running back Bell is. He is so patient when he has to be, but he can put his head down and just muscle himself forward, to gain as much yardage as possible. The first play of this drive was no different.

The next play was a perfect example of his patience, waiting for a hole to open before dashing through for an 18-yard gain.

After a couple of decent defensive plays including stopping Bell in the backfield and blowing up a screen pass to Wheaton–even though he escaped two tackles before being run out of bounds for no gain–the Steelers were forced to punt for the first time since the first quarter.

Second Offensive Driver (Third Quarter)

I’ve never seen the Chiefs offense look this bad before. This is really almost painful to watch. For every positive play the Chiefs make, they have an incomplete pass or a running play that doesn’t go anywhere. It was almost like the defense was in the Chiefs’ offensive huddle for most of the game. Then, half the time the Chiefs got a play to work, they would should themselves in the foot with a penalty.

When the Chiefs somehow managed to get to midfield, Smith figured he didn’t have anything to lose and took a shot to Tyreek Hill deep. Even though the pass didn’t connect–to be honest it was a perfect shot from Smith, but just excellent defense by rookie corner back Artie Burns–it was a great attempt.

It was a simple fly route, where Smith had Hill and Burns in one-on-one coverage. At this point in the game–down by five touchdowns, with five minutes left in the third quarter–Alex figured he take his chances.

When Smith let it fly, Burns was running step for step with Hill, which is no easy task. As we all know, this isn’t really in Alex’s wheel house as far as throws go, but I was happy while re-watching this to see this here.

Smith would have laid it perfectly into Hill’s hands for six, had Burns not made an incredible defensive play, getting his hand in the way just as the ball got there. Like I said, I’m looking for silver lining here, but it was a good play, despite the outcome.

Something else I noticed on this drive that was a theme throughout the game: Alex was under pressure for most of the contest. That isn’t to say that the offensive line played bad–keep in mind, this was still only the fourth game of the season with a new right tackle in Mitchell Schwartz and guard Zach Fulton who replaced rookie guard Parker Ehinger. It’s just that the Steelers were sending a blitzer in some capacity on nearly every down.

Following the huge incompletion to Hill, Smith was able to string together a couple of completions to Maclin and Conley, including one where Conley made a tip-toe sideline grab that was ruled a catch, challenged by Tomlin, and subsequently upheld by the officials.

Most of us don’t know what a catch looks like, but that’s it. Apparently.

After a short pass to Wilson, Smith attempted to hit tight end Travis Kelce in the end zone. Even his head wasn’t in this game by this point, as he let an easy catch for a touchdown bounce out of his hands and fall incomplete.

After two more incompletions from the Steelers’ three-yard line, Smith had backup tight end Ross Travis wide open in the end zone. Smith laid the ball in perfectly for Travis, but he was unable to hang on to the catch, and the Chiefs turned the ball over on downs.

Third Defensive Drive (Third Quarter into the Fourth Quarter)

Perhaps by this point the Steelers weren’t trying very hard, or maybe the defense finally had enough of being pushed around all night. Either way, after three rushing plays to Bell that netted six yards, the Steelers punted the ball away, giving it to the Chiefs near mid field.

Third Offensive Drive (Fourth Quarter)

The first play of the drive, Smith tossed the ball to Kelce over the middle. Travis Kelce is one of the best tight ends in the game. The stats and his play speak for themselves. But this was a bad game for him. Probably the worst of his career. He wasn’t able to hold onto anything that came his way.

On the next play, Smith found and open Wilson in the soft spot of Pittsburgh’s zone for a 20-yard gain. He followed that up with a couple of quick strikes to Maclin and Kelce as well as a solid five-yard gain by Spencer Ware on third-and-one.

On second-and-three, the Chiefs finally got into the end zone for the first time all night.

Hill lined up to Smith’s left, and ran a quick little out-and-in route. On the outset, it appears that this play wasn’t necessarily designed to get in the end zone, but just to get a first down, based on where Hill turns and looks for the ball.

When Smith throws the ball, Hill is covered pretty closely. As with most of the other Chiefs’ receivers on the evening, he doesn’t catch the ball cleanly.

First he bobbled it.

Then he secured it and did a wicked Madden NFL 17-esqe spin move.

Then, without touching his knee to the ground, he extended himself across the end zone line.

Here’s the deal, we all know Hill is a superstar, but it was kind of fun, amid all this horrible film, to watch the birth of a fantastic football player. The body control he showed on this play was incredible. From bringing in a juggling ball with a defender hanging on him, to spinning away from that defender to launching himself across the end zone from two yards out. It really is an incredible play to watch.

After the Santos extra point, the score was 36-7, Steelers.

Fourth Defensive Drive (Fourth Quarter)

I don’t know if the Chiefs scoring a touchdown offended the Steelers, or they just weren’t done yet, but Pittsburgh came out firing after the kickoff. His initial pass fell incomplete, but that didn’t stop him from picking up a couple of first downs.

And then this happened.

When I say Bell is good, I mean that in vein of Jamaal Charles good. Say whatever you want, but this guy is elite. This play turned into a 44-yard gain. I don’t know how that happens. There were six Chiefs within five yards who should have been able to get a hand on him.

That huge run set up another Steelers touchdown as Deangelo Williams plunged over the goal line from two-yards out. After the extra point, the score was 43-7, Steelers.

Fourth Offensive Drive (Fourth Quarter)

This was another forgettable drive, as Smith took a sack, was pressured out of the pocket and threw it away, and the Chiefs punted. More of the same.

Fifth Defensive Drive (Fourth Quarter)

At least the Chiefs defense was able to return the favor and force a three-and-out on the Steelers. Though to be fair and unbiased, it was three vanilla runs with Bell Roethlisberger on the bench, already done for the night.

Fifth Offensive Drive (Fourth Quarter)

This drive ends with a Chiefs’ garbage-time touchdown to Travis Kelce which was meaningless, unless you had him on your fantasy team. It was also punctuated by this play from Spencer Ware who took this hand off and scampered for 46 yards.

After a penalty on the Steelers and a couple of short Ware runs, the Chiefs were set up at the goal line with a fourth down. But, when you’re loosing by 36 points, and there’s no time left on the clock, you go for it, because…well, why not? Right?

It was a well designed play and Smith does a great job of looking off the safeties before going to Kelce who ends up wide open in the back of the end zone.

And that’s pretty much how the game ended. With Kelce in the back of the end zone. Yes, there was an extra point and a subsequent kickoff to the Steelers, who then quickly kneeled and began their celebration while the Chiefs began their bye week.

But that’s not quite where this piece ends.

Final Thoughts

While writing this piece, I came across this little nugget of NFL factoid that I found interesting. After doing my own independent research, I found it to be true, so here you go:

 

So what do the Chiefs have to do in order to make it 8-2? First, they have to contain Bell. The elite running back will get his yardage. There’s not really anything that can be done. But the big plays have to be contained. That goes for the passing game as well.

Roethlisberger was slinging the ball at will on the Chiefs. Granted, the Chiefs now have a guy named Terrance Mitchell playing opposite of Marcus Peters who, at first glance, seems to be better than anything the Chiefs trotted out on the field during this matchup. This will be key since Sutton isn’t a fan of having his best cornerback (Peters) follow the Steelers’ best wide receiver (Brown).

The offense has to be better. I don’t know how else to say it. The distraction of trying to work Jamaal Charles back into the offense will be long gone going into this game. Spencer Ware is healthy, and I think head coach Andy Reid needs to mix in a healthy dose of Charcandrick West as well, to give the Steelers defense a change of pace look.

On the passing side of the Chiefs’ offense, Hill has 12 more games of experience under his belt, and has become a solid weapon for Smith. Kelce has been very hot lately and Maclin and Conley should be 100 percent going into this game as well. If the Chiefs stick to their game, they can move this ball. The Steelers defense is not nearly as good as the Chiefs offense made them look in this game, and they’re down a couple of key players due to injuries.

Both teams live and die by their quarterbacks. Yesterday I pointed out that Roethlisberger looks more like Blake Bortles when he’s on the road. Within the confines of Arrowhead, this shouldn’t be any different. A healthy Justin Houston (who didn’t play in this game), Tamba Hali and Dee Ford rushing him should make him uncomfortable enough to make a couple of mistakes.

 

On the Chiefs side of the ball, Alex Smith has to be “playoff Alex Smith.” The team can’t afford to have Chiefs vs Tennessee Titans Alex Smith. No. 11 steps it up in the playoffs. He led this team to their first postseason victory in over 20 years last season. It’ll be up to him to do it again, giving the Chiefs their first home playoff victory since the 1993 season. 

Finally, Arrowhead Stadium has to be the home field advantage that everyone who cheers for the Chiefs thinks it is. The fact is, the Chiefs have only won two home playoff games there in their history. That stat doesn’t match up with claim that “nobody wants to come to Arrowhead.” In fact, if you haven’t heard, Kyle Brandt from the NFL Network show Good Morning Football said as much on Wednesday morning.

 

 

If the Chiefs want to move on to the AFC Championship game, they will have to turn this “myth” and make it a legend. Period. The Arrowhead mystique must return on Sunday.

That’s it, guys. Over 5000 total words on the film and the breakdown. Can they do it? Will they do it? I’ll be screaming as loud as I can at my 70-inch Sharp Aquos on Sunday, hoping they can. 

Thanks for reading, and Go Chiefs!