Behind the Steel Curtain
When a Ravens outside zone run goes for 13 yards vs. one yard.
Welcome back to BTSC’s “One random Steelers play” series. (Here’s the first edition if you’d like a reminder of how this works).
The TL:DR? We’re using a random number generator to find a singular play from the Steelers’ 2024, then using it as an excuse to talk about last season and some general football insights in this dead part of the summer.
This time, the random number generator chose Week 16 and play 137 of the Steelers’ Dec. 21 34-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
That play happened to be the Ravens gaining one yard on a fourth-quarter, third-and-one tight end sneak to Mark Andrews. The short-yardage sneak is one of the more straightforward plays in football, and there wasn’t much to discuss.
So instead, I decided to exercise my right to quality control and skip forward one snap to the 138th play of the game. This one also wasn’t a good result for the Steelers, but at least it was interesting...
The context: Ravens ball on the Steelers 28-yard line. Baltimore is up 31-17 with 5:19 left in the fourth quarter. It’s first and 10.
Here’s the play:
As always, let’s start by hitting pause pre-snap:
In 12 personnel (two tight ends, one running back) and up two scores late in the fourth quarter, it’s pretty clear right off the bat that the Ravens are focusing on the run game. And the Steelers seem aware, with four defensive linemen on the field to go along with four linebackers.
Six defenders are at the line of scrimmage, with eight in the box — one more than the number of Ravens blockers.
While Dean Lowry, Montravius Adams, and Cam Heyward are in three- or four-point stances, Isaiahh Loudermilk is lined up as a 5-tech in a two-point stance, poised to help Alex Highsmith hold the edge on the left side of the formation.
You can see the middle linebackers, Patrick Queen and run-stuffer Elandon Roberts, shading the other side of the formation to help out Nick Herbig.
And while this is a run play, there’s a cool quirk in coverage from the Steelers here. Cory Trice Jr., the left side cornerback, follows Zay Flowers’ motion across the formation in what looks like he’s mirroring his assignment in man coverage.
However, he and Minkah Fitzpatrick simply switch spots on the field, with Trice taking over middle-field free safety duties to keep the cover-3 shell.
Now for the actual play.
The play side of the Steelers defense does a good job walling off what looks like left outside zone for the Ravens. Cam Heyward powers through a one-on-one block. Loudermilk and Highsmith win outside. Roberts flows over to help.
Pittsburgh pushes the line of scrimmage back. But look at Derrick Henry’s feet the moment after he gets the ball:
He’s already heading towards the cutback lane on the right side of the line — something he and the Ravens probably...
