Tomlin’s Takeaway: Safeguarding the football
Thankfully for the Steelers in 2020, turnovers haven’t been an issue. They are tied-fifth in giveaways (8) and have the third-best turnover differential (+7) in the NFL. As for Cincinnati, they are -1 in the difference of the two but ignores what their defense is accomplishing.
Furthermore, in Tomlin’s presser, he recognized the safety duo of Cincinnati, Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell. The two leading tacklers of this defense, & Bates, who leads the team in interceptions at two, have been an underrated tandem.
The safety tandem of Von Bell (89.7 @PFF grade) and Jessie Bates (82.7 @PFF grade) anchored the #Bengals defense in an upset win over the Titans.
— PFF CIN Bengals (@PFF_Bengals) November 2, 2020
The pair produced two PBU’s and an INT, while allowing just two of six targets thrown their way to be completed for 16 yards 🔒
The worry for Tomlin roots not only in the talent of these two but the lack of physical repetitions for Roethlisberger who will no doubt be rusty after missing practice all week and dealing with minor injuries in both knees.
CB William Jackson III has also been a pleasant surprise to his former play level when he first entered the league in 2018. Although he has given up three touchdowns on the year, he’s allowing a career-low 6.8 yards per target & has also picked up one interception.
Safeguarding the football and being cognizant of these three names, as Tomlin describes, will be necessary for whoever starts. In the words of Tomlin, they finally “return to the kitchen” after three weeks on the road & look to extend this quest of perfection to nine games against the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals.