Steelers WR vs the Seahawks Secondary
Make no mistake, Pete Carroll and the rest of the NFL saw the young receiving corp fail to get separation and take advantage of combat catches. This was an area that saw many simple mistakes that created complex problems.
Off the bat, Steelers Nation thinks about Donte Moncrief’s drops. I also think about a pass interference on Diontae Johnson and a false start on Moncrief as well. The Johnson PI call (pick play) was one where a veteran could avoid it and still execute the concept.
The Steelers receiving corps is young and mostly inexperienced. The Seahawks secondary will surely be looking to take an aggressive approach against them in their game planning.
This aggression could either break the young receivers or create an opportunity for big plays. The Seahawks under Carroll have a knack for being “ball hawks.” This aggressive type of play can lead to mental mistakes (such as a missed swat away that lead to a 55-yard touchdown.)
If Randy Fichtner is doing his homework, he should be able to game plan some pass plays to take advantage of the Seattle secondary. A big part of this will be in establishing a ground game, but we’ll get to that later.
One big question is at the #2 receiver spot. With Donte Moncrief dealing with a finger injury (which could have lead to so many drops in New England) the Steelers seriously need someone to step up and give him relief. James Washington is one that would be a perfect fit this week.
After a strong preseason, James Washington can be the X-Factor this week. The Seahawks certainly will look to double team Juju due to his ability to win combat catches in one-on-one situations. This will allow Washington to take the top off the defense who may not put a lot of safety help his way.
If the Seahawks do prepare to give Juju extra attention and look to take away the deep ball on the other side, look for Diontae Johnson to get underneath route like we saw against the Patriots. If the Steelers offense gets rolling, these routes and receivers could become a “pick your poison” scenario.
The receivers will have to step up not just this Sunday, but the rest of the season. They will all be tested and will have opportunities to get their numbers called more often.