A week ago, the Steelers were defeated by the rival Bengals, which included a trouncing of the pass defense to the tune of 342 yards and 3 TDs. Joe Flacco orchestrated the attack on just his 9th day as a member of the team, after he was acquired via inter-division trade, much to Mike Tomlin‘s disdain..
Turns out, Tomlin was right to worry; the former Ravens’ QB knew the Steelers defense well and took advantage. The Bengals deploy 11 personnel at the third-highest rate in the league, maximizing their impressive wide receiver trio of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Andrei Iosivas, who combined for 37 targets, catching 26 of them for 308 yards and 2 TDs in the game. The Steelers’ revamped secondary was no match.
“Coverage People”
Revamping the secondary was an offseason priority to enable the defense to match up in man coverage, explained by Mike Tomlin:
“Make no mistake, those top three corners – Jalen Ramsey, Slay, and Joey Porter Jr. – they’re going to be on the field, and I don’t care what (personnel grouping) offenses come out in. They’re coverage people.”
His statement was certainly honored last Thursday, as Ramsey, Slay, and Porter Jr. played 76, 52, and 69 snaps, respectively. The high snap count, however, was not indicative of their performance.
| Player | Defense Grade | Coverage Grade |
| Jalen Ramsey | 43.0 | 37.0 |
| Darius Slay | 29.6 | 33.8 |
| Joey Porter Jr. | 50.9 | 51.5 |
Mike Tomlin’s collection of “coverage people” appears to have a certain deficiency: a lack of coverage. Ghastly grades for a recently rebuilt secondary.
Not included in the rants or grades above was cornerback Brandin Echols, who was also added in the offseason to bolster the secondary.
Brandin Echols
Echols was added via free agency, signing a 2-year, $6 million deal, but quickly became an afterthought once the former All-Pro Jalen Ramsey was acquired. Quietly, Echols has made a name for himself, and none more quietly than last Thursday night.
In 15 coverage snaps, Brandin Echols earned a 78.8 defense grade, topped off by an 82.5 coverage grade. Both were far better than any of his cornerback comrades.
Albeit in limited action, it warrants a more extended look. The Steelers’ “coverage people” could clearly use help in that department, and Echols appears to be ready to fit the bill. The 34-year-old Darius Slay, who doubles as the Steelers’ worst graded corner, could benefit from being on the field less, while Echols (and the Steelers) could benefit from being on the field more.
Their snap split of 52/27 (Slay/Echols) should be distributed more evenly in week 8, especially if you consider the opponent. While the Packers do not use 11 personnel as often as the Bengals, they do it more successfully. Green Bay is 5th in the NFL in EPA per pass from 11 personnel at 0.24, while the Bengals are 18th at -0.01.
To match the Packers personnel, they will need to deploy a nickel defense at a high rate once again, a defense that should consider Echols over Slay.
