The Opening Drive 10/11: Steelers Quick Passing Attack Has Been Critical To Their Success
The Browns will have to find a way to keep Aaron Rodgers uncomfortable on Sunday.
The Cleveland Browns defense will be facing a Pittsburgh Steelers offense that largely relies on the short passing game. This strategy aims to neutralize the threat of opposing pass rushes and is also a response to the widespread use of cover-two defensive schemes throughout the league.
Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is getting the ball out faster than any other quarterback in the league, with an average throw time of just 2.52 seconds, according to Next Gen Stats.
The Steelers rank at the bottom of the league in air yards per attempt, averaging only 4.7 yards. They have thrown just six passes that traveled over 20 yards in the air all season. In his media session on Wednesday, Rodgers explained the reasons behind the Steelers’ hesitance to take deep shots down the field.
“Teams are playing Cover 2. When you’re playing Cover 2, there’s not gonna be a ton of big shots down the field,” Rodgers said. “Until we get them in one-high safety looks, it’s gonna be precision passing and short of the sticks. If you’re playing Cover 2, there’s not gonna be a lot of shots open down the boundary, We’re just trying to be efficient.”
Next Gen Stats reports that Aaron Rodgers recorded an average time to throw of 2.17 seconds during the Steelers’ Week 4 victory against the Minnesota Vikings, marking his quickest average in a game since at least 2016. In quick passing situations, he showcased his accuracy by completing 13 of 16 pass attempts for a total of 174 yards and one touchdown. Notably, DK Metcalf caught a 22-yard pass from Rodgers and then sprinted the length of the field for an impressive 80-yard touchdown.
As Week 5 approaches, Metcalf stands out among all NFL wide receivers, boasting an impressive 199 yards gained after the catch. He revealed that he has extensively studied Cooper Kupp to improve his yards-after-catch skills.
In the season opener against the New York Jets, Metcalf demonstrated his ability to create after the reception with a 31-yard catch and run that he largely engineered himself. During that play, he reached a speed of 21.25 MPH, according to Next Gen Stats.
Metcalf went into his matchup with the Vikings with an impressive stat line of 10 receptions for 135 yards and two touchdowns, both resulting from touch passes in the red zone thrown by Rodgers. “Coverage dictated that,” Rodgers said of getting Metcalf involved early. “We moved him around quite a bit, used some good motions to free him up against doubles, and it really just came down to coverage. He had single coverage on the back-shoulder fade. They were in Cover 2, but we had a nice play-action look — and that’s what DK does best. He can really run, and it was good to get him going early.”
Below you’ll find the latest in the BFB catalog for supporters to dig into. Click the link to become a supporter if you haven’t already, and enjoy all the latest from Browns Film Breakdown.
What’s Going On at Browns Film Breakdown
Latest Podcasts:
Final W6 Updates, Shedeur QB2, and NFL Draft Prospects with Cory Kinnan
Stefanski’s Week 6 Updates, and “Behind Enemy Lines” with Nick Farabaugh
Latest Film Rooms:
Browns Defense Full All-22 Review (Week 6)
Breaking Down the Browns 4th Quarter Offensive Schemes and Execution
Latest Articles:
Opening Drive 10/10: More Mailbag Answers and Friday Special Teams
Opening Drive 10/9: More Musings on the Browns Trading Greg Newsome
Opening Drive 10/8: Post-Trade Roster Moves Tell Shedeur Sanders Story
Rodgers strongly believes that no changes are necessary, especially considering the types of defenses the Steelers’ offense faced during the first four weeks of the season.
“There’s been so much talk about, ‘How can we get DK more involved? How can we push the ball down the field more?” Rodgers said. “And I said last week, ‘You’ve gotta run the football.’”
Rodgers mentioned that his connection with Metcalf improved significantly, partly due to the threat posed by Kenneth Gainwell on the ground against the Vikings. Usually the backup tailback for the Steelers, Gainwell stepped up in place of the injured Jaylen Warren, rushing for 99 yards and scoring two touchdowns.
Rodgers expects that the Cleveland Browns, who are set to face the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday at Acrisure Stadium, will implement a defensive strategy under coordinator Jim Schwartz that will force them to prioritize their short, accurate passing attack again.
Despite having a record of 1-4, the Browns have demonstrated a strong defensive performance, allowing the second-fewest yards per game and the fewest yards among teams that have played five games this season. The Browns’ defense has permitted opponents to average 247.8 yards per game, while the Steelers’ offense currently ranks 29th in the league with just 263.5 yards per game.
During his time as head coach of the Detroit Lions from 2009 to 2013, Schwartz faced Rodgers when he was playing at the peak of his powers with the Green Bay Packers. As the 41-year-old quarterback prepares for Sunday’s matchup, he spoke about his expectations for Schwartz and the Browns’ defensive unit.
“It’s how many ways they can get eight guys in the box and still play coverage,” Rodgers said. “That’s the staple of a Jim Schwartz defense.”
Following a rough start where he was sacked seven times in the opening two games, Rodgers managed to stay upright, facing only two sacks in victories against the Patriots and Vikings. He was also pressured just three times in each game, showcasing Rodgers’ quick-release skill that has been pivotal in propelling the Steelers to the forefront of the AFC North.
Steelers quarterback coach, and former John Carroll Head Coach, Tom Arth pointed out that the quick passing game is more about having the patience to take what the defense is giving you. “You look for opportunities to push the ball downfield. Sometimes they come down in man-coverage situations. At the end of the day, our job is to play the play and allow our progression to dictate where the ball goes. If a team wants to play two high safeties and really prevent big plays, we have to be comfortable taking completions, allowing our playmakers to run with the ball in space. They have done a great job of it, and we’ll continue to try to take advantage of it.”
Jim Schwartz was asked about how effective the Vikings’ short passing game was against his defense last week in London, and that he will likely see a similar attack from Rodgers and the Steelers on Sunday.
“Yeah, cover quicker, cover longer. You know, there’s things. But so did Joe Burrow. Joe Burrow threw the ball extremely quick. You know, like you said, Aaron Rodgers, I think he might have the quickest time to throw in the whole NFL at this point, and a lot of them are short targets. So, you just have to cover your short zones, your short, man-to-man, really well, and try to buy a little bit of time, cloud the picture up a little bit, close some windows. We were very effective going against Burrow doing that. So, it’s going to take a lot of the same kind of effort to combat that and buy some time for our pass rush to get home.”
The Browns will need to take away Rodgers’ first read and force him to hold the ball longer than he wants to create pressure and make him think about where he wants to go with the football. The other critical aspect will be tackling in space. When they do get the ball to their playmakers, the Browns cannot allow for Metcalf and others to turn those short completions into big plays with yards after the catch.
If you’re not subscribed over there, rectify that—the Opening Drive remains free, but there’s more quality content coming as we preview the college football weekend and Week 6 in the NFL. If you’re not with us in a supporter capacity, you’ll want to rectify that as well so you don’t miss any of the key content coming this week. Also, tell a Browns fan in your life about the miracles happening at Browns Film Breakdown. We appreciate all of you.
Browns Film Breakdown will return later today with some fresh content.
