Washington Commanders

Pittsburgh Steelers: What Went Right and Wrong vs. Redskins

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

After a slow start, the perennial playoff contending Pittsburgh Steelers made relatively easy work of the host Washington Redskins.

On Monday night outside our nation’s capital, Mike Tomlin’s Pittsburgh Steelers spotted the Washington Redskins a pair of early field goals. The Black and Gold looked a little out of sync in the early going in what was the 10th interconference matchup of Week 1.

Then Ben Roethlisberger and company got a wakeup call. And Jay Gruden’s team paid the price.

The Steelers rolled to an impressive 38-16 victory over the defending NFC East champions and played solid football for the final three quarters. So what went right and what went wrong (if anything) for Tomlin’s club?

Sep 12, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams (34) carries the ball against the Washington Redskins during the first half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

What went right?

Controlling the tempo: The Steelers’ offensive line should get five game balls for their performance in this contest. Mike Tomlin’s squad rolled up 435 total yards on 68 plays and controlled the clock for 33:18. Pittsburgh’s ground attack amassed 147 yards on 30 attempts while quarterback Ben Roethlisberger dropped back to pass 38 times and was sacked just once on the evening.

When it was all said and done, the Steelers pulled off the hat trick. DeAngelo Williams ran for 143 yards and a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. Wideout Antonio Brown was targeted 11 times and hauled in eight passes for 126 yards and two scores. And Big Ben overcame an early deflected interception to throw for exactly 300 yards and three touchdowns. All 38 of the Steelers’ points came in the final three quarters.

But none of this would have been possible without the play of tackles Andrew Villanueva and Marcus Gilbert, guards David DeCastro and Ramon Foster and four-time Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey – who we didn’t see in 2015. This fearsome five eventually wore down an already-suspect Washington defense.

Sep 12, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin on the field before the game between the Washington Redskins and the Pittsburgh Steelers at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

What went wrong?

Getting picky: When you win by 22 points and dominate the game for the final 45 minutes, it’s difficult to come away with some areas of improvement. The Steelers won basically every battle, from the statistical to the physical.

But…Pittsburgh did allow Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins to throw for 329 yards and failed to sack the fifth-year signal-caller. This was a team that ranked third in the league with 48 quarterback traps in 2015. It’s also worth noting that you didn’t see a lot of blitzing from defensive coordinator Keith Butler’s unit by design.

Like we said. Picky.

The Steelers still have their share of questions at cornerback and instead opted to let Cousins slowly make his way downfield. As it turned out, he didn’t throw a touchdown pass on the evening while being picked off by Pittsburgh linebackers Ryan Shazier and James Harrison.

It will be interesting to see if Butler and head coach Mike Tomlin utilize the same strategy against the Cincinnati Bengals wideouts on Sunday at Pittsburgh.

Sep 12, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) catches a touchdown as Washington Redskins strong safety DeAngelo Hall (23) and cornerback Bashaud Breeland (26) defend during the first half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Conclusion

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s resourcefulness was a big part of the team’s easy win. He connected on a number of key fourth-down passes, which included a touchdown to Antonio Brown. In the third quarter, he managed to pick up a fumbled snap, regain his composure and hit wide receiver Sammie Coates for 42 yards down the left sidelines.

All told and thanks to a patient defensive unit that limited Washington to just one touchdown and 16 points, it was a complete victory against a fellow 2015 playoff participant.

What also stands out is that Mike Tomlin’s club put 38 points on the board and scored five offensive touchdowns minus running back Le’Veon Bell (suspended) and wide receivers Martavis Bryant (suspended) and Markus Wheaton (injured). That’s a scary thought if you are an opposing defense later this season when all are eventually available.