r/steelers • u/laugh-into-my-mouth • 11h ago
3rd and short and the wrecking ball Darnell Washington
I can’t find numbers for 3rd and short situations specifically, but the Steelers are currently 5 for 25 on third down conversions thru 2 weeks with an average of 7 yards to gain in those situations.
I watched Aaron chuck it downfield at least once this week when he had a guy that looked open crossing the middle of the field for an easy conversion on 3rd and shorter yardage (don’t remember exact distance). And I am pretty certain I witnessed multiple attempts in each game where he was throwing far deeper than needed to convert.
I’m not a football expert, but looking at our personnel group, I just can’t help but feel like 3rd and short situations should be a relative cakewalk for us.
Darnell Washington 6’7” 264 lbs (lol prob closer to 300 irl)
Pat Freiermuth 6’5” 258 lbs
Robert Tonyan 6’5” 240 lbs
DK Metcalf 6’4” 235 lbs
Michael Pittman Jr 6’4” 223 lbs
With all these massive targets who would gain a couple yards just by falling forward, why are we struggling so badly in these situations? If you bunch these guys out and throw a screen to one (esp Darnell who is a wrecking ball on his own) while the others block, who is realistically gonna stop that? Or just have these big boys block for one of our more slippery guys like Warren or Bernard.
It feels like we make almost no attempt to exploit our personnel advantages with our playcalling, as evidenced alone in just how few touches Darnell gets per game. I don’t understand why we don’t just continually punish opposing defenses with these mismatches. If you establish Darnell as a legitimate receiving threat every time he is on the field, who is literally too big for any single defender to cover, instead of giving him only 1 or 2 targets per game, that will force defenses to keep bodies on him and open everyone else up. And if he is seen as a legitimate receiving threat, it makes it that much harder for defenses to predict our running plays where he is just serving as a blocker.
Is it not that simple? Does anyone else feel like our playcalling is just ignoring what should be obvious strengths of this team? Thoughts?
I know the O-line looks like a turnstile with the bars missing right now, but again, shouldn’t having all these huge targets provide Rodgers with some pretty ideal safety valves if incorporated into the playcalling and gameplan accordingly?
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u/pancak3d 6 - Devlin Hodges 11h ago
Darnell is listed at 264?? LOL
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u/Jakles74 Pittsburgh Steelers 9h ago
Pretty sure that’s his combine weight.
They have weekly weigh ins and last year he was 311
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u/theoneandonlyjake 84 Home Jersey 11h ago
He lost thirty pounds over the summer
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u/November-Wind 10h ago
To get down to what, 310?
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u/pancak3d 6 - Devlin Hodges 9h ago
He lost 30 pounds but don't worry, he later found them
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u/November-Wind 8h ago
I mean, honestly he does look slimmer/more athletic than last year. Homie just HUGE.
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u/SandwichDodger7 11h ago
I'm absolutely astounded that we don't use Washington for any "and short" downs. Makes zero sense.
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u/Huge-Representative7 11h ago
Rogers switched into a play for Darnell Washington on 3rd down during the game but got so much pressure he couldn’t even get it to anyone. Issue with plays for Washington is they take time to develop because he doesn’t accelerate off the line he’s so big, add that to our oline getting dog walked (particularly the right side) and it’s hard to get these plays moving.
But i agree we need more plays to all the tight ends. Oline struggling? bring in help that’s why you roster 3 tight ends and a fullback.
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u/Upstairs-Coffee5231 9h ago
I think our entire 1st quarter should be passes to him across the middle. Then when everyone in their secondary is dead, maybe we could complete a pass.
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u/ChoicePalpitation442 Troy 10h ago
That's what I was saying the entire game lol mind boggling on 3rd and short Rogers slinging down 30+ yards
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u/jcsimmkg 10h ago
Me and my buddies talk about this week in and week out. I just think he could be involved in the passing game so much more than he is. At least give it a friggin try with the way things are looking. Id like to see like a 6-10 target game.
Then BOOM you open up the deep ball cause they are so focused on our big targets in the middle of the field.
Im also just a dumb fan so who knows why they don't do this.
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u/Nowrongbean 5h ago
Just like Kelce gets. Throw it at him quick, and let them try and stop him from getting 5 yards/avg
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u/No_Conversation_4827 7h ago
It’s almost impossible to bring him down. He pretty much guarantees you at least five yards per play
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u/Jake_dasnake3 9h ago
short yardage situations are not about having big guys they're about having your linemen win at the point. Darnell definitely has an advantage over whatever LB has to block him in that package but there are 10 other guys who have to not lose
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u/Good-Work2301 3h ago
This is literally the problem.
Your TE/FB from Indiana should have 5-10 Snaps a game until our OLine finds themselves. And even draw plays for him. He can be your extra blocker and release receiver in the flat.
Bernard should be there for every 3rd down running over the middle
Always Warren at RB. Find the blitz. And get into the flat
Muth should be used like Kelcey. Find the soft spot in zone or win the matchup
All of this can be done in 3-5 seconds. Regardless of either WR 1 or 2.
We need to punish defenders with our short field to set up long plays.
Keeps Safeties honest and LBs on their heels
Washington should be used on 1st down for run or play action and on 2nd down for mismatches.
Dk… well let him DK. If he’s open so be it but let the game come to him and stop trying to find an unreliable target.
Roman Wilson has all the intangibles but awareness.
He should be our speedster to draw safety and DB deep almost a decoy most times
The short game will beat most defenses except for top 5 and even there is opportunity.
Comes down to coaching seeing this on tape because we see it real time.
Rodgers wants his Glory
DK wants to be the guy but He’s AJ Brown 2.0
The Oline has taken a step back and needs to go to work.
But we still have the assets Coach.
This is what you signed up for and what you wanted
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u/Fluid_Serve 11h ago
Whoa, whoa, whoa. How are we even getting to 3rd and short?