3 reasons why JuJu Smith-Schuster is the best receiver the Steelers could ask for
At just 23 years old his is already the veteran presence of this group.
From a playing standpoint, he is having more impact on the field than any of us are seeing, and it goes beyond yards and touchdowns. He is constantly double-teamed every single game the Pittsburgh Steelers are playing since the start of 2019 and that is true today. He just has a natural nose for the end zone and defenses know this.
When he isn’t getting double-teamed all game he is pulling in multiple touchdown passes. We saw it in the red zone in Week 1 against the Giants. We even saw it in 2019 against the Dolphins in Week 8. His playstyle doesn’t mean that he is going to get a ton of separation in double teams and that is okay. Teams can not leave him in single coverage against anybody in the league, because even if the defensive back is there JuJu catches it anyway. That is what being a possession receiver is.
His match up forces teams off of keeping an extra safety over the top of James Washington or Chase Claypool. If he lines up on the inside he is drawing attention away from Diontae Johnson on the same side of the field, which is giving Johnson that much more room to create separation. This isn’t to take away from the play of the other wide receivers, but JuJu just being on the field takes away the option of double-teaming any of the other receivers. That is why the Pittsburgh Steelers have been able to pick and choose whichever matchups they want to exploit week in and week out in 2020 and the results have been great.
He also keeps everything light in that room. It helps when you have quieter personalities like Claypool and Washington, but when the #1 receiver is still having fun, not acting off, even when he isn’t getting a ton of touches no one else in that group is going to complain about their own target share. He keeps it light after the whistle. He is in on every celebration the wide receivers are doing in the red zone this year and it is showing how well he gets that group to gel.
They are all having fun, whether or not they are getting the matchups the coaches want to exploit that week or if someone else is. It is really a winning mentality. You never heard Hines Ward complain about targets he wasn’t getting. You never saw Hines Ward look upset after not getting a throw his way, even when it would’ve been the right call. It is a winning mentality that JuJu is instilling in that group that goes beyond individual performance and accolades.