Devin Bush has been disappointing this year, but he hit a new low against the Los Angeles Chargers. Here’s what the Steelers media had to say on Twitter.
Many thought that Steelers linebacker Devin Bush had reached a new low after his dismal performance against the Detroit Lions in Week 10. We were hoping that the 10th overall pick would prove us wrong, and he did… just not in a good way.
Bush’s Week 11 performance against the Chargers on Sunday Night Football was quite arguably the worst display of effort, block-shedding, and coverage we have seen from a Steelers linebacker in a very long time. All night long, the former first-round pick was manhandled on the ground and picked apart through the air.
Steelers Twitter didn’t refrain from sharing their thoughts on his performance. Here’s what several members of Pittsburgh Steelers media had to say about Devin Bush’s trainwreck of a game in Los Angeles:
Steelers ILB Devin Bush looked neither quick nor fast trying to cover the running back on that 10-yard touchdown pass that put the Chargers ahead, 14-3.
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) November 22, 2021
Devin Bush’s dad about to call the radio station again …
— Colin Dunlap (@colin_dunlap) November 22, 2021
Devin Bush has been the equivalent of a Madden opponent with a bad internet connection. Everything is slightly delayed, but enough that it makes a big difference.
— Tommy Jaggi (@TommyJaggi) November 22, 2021
Bush is borderline unplayable right now. I don’t know what to do with the guy. He’s been extremely bad.
— Nick Farabaugh (@Nick_Farabaugh) November 22, 2021
Sure you’ve noticed, but Devin Bush has not been on the field this drive for the #Steelers
— Mike Nicastro (@MikedUpSports1) November 22, 2021
Steelers fans have a right to be upset with Bush
Devin Bush is now well over a full year removed from the ACL tear he suffered early in the 2020 season. While it’s possible that he still doesn’t fully trust planting and cutting on his surgically repaired knee, that doesn’t change the fact that Bush’s play has been abysmal so far this year. Sadly, it doesn’t seem to be getting any better.
Fans have every right to be upset with his performance. Now in his third NFL season, we expect so much more from a linebacker who ultimately cost Pittsburgh a 1st and 2nd round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been worth a fraction of former draft status to date.
Admittedly, covering a talented running back like Austin Ekeler is a tall task, but it’s how Bush repeatedly lost that was concerning.
After rewatching the game and evaluating every one of Devin Bush’s plays on Sunday Night Football, there are a number of things that he’s not even close to doing correctly. For starters, his technique in coverage is incredibly sloppy. Bush allows his receiver to get inside leverage far too easily and, on several occasions, he stood flat-footed and waited for his man to break on his route before chasing from behind.
His work against the run has been equally as embarrassing, as Bush lacks both the ability and effort to get off blocks and his hustle and pursuit in space are questionable, to say the least.
Though I had my reserves about Bush’s ability to shed blocks coming into the NFL, this does not look like the same linebacker I saw at Michigan. In his college days, Bush played at a different speed, was much more aggressive, and packed a punch on impact.
All we can hope at this point is that Devin Bush is somehow still on the mend and that he will improve by leaps and bounds soon. As of now, however, his performances on the field have been some of the worst we have seen by a Steelers linebacker in recent memory.