5 things we learned about Steelers: Penalties reduced to minimum in win against Texans

Five things we learned from Steelers 28, Texans 21

1. Message received

Disturbed by the 10 penalties his team committed in Week 2 against the Denver Broncos, coach Mike Tomlin made an unsolicited proclamation that the mistakes would be corrected.

Tomlin brought officials into practice at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex during the run-up to the game against the Texans. Whether it was through Tomlin’s words or the referees’ presence, the Steelers got the message.

Just two penalties were called against the Steelers, and there wasn’t a single offside, holding or pass interference call to be found. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was flagged for intentional grounding on a pass in the second quarter that he threw out of the end zone. Left tackle Alejandro Villanueva was called for being an ineligible man downfield on a third-quarter drive.

Those penalties didn’t cost the Steelers, either, as they got a touchdown and field goal, respectively, on the two drives.

2. Rundown on the run defense

A week after allowing the Broncos to rush for 104 yards and average 4.0 yards per carry, the Steelers resumed the domination in run defense that they showed in the season-opening victory at the New York Giants.

For the second time in three games, an opposing team managed just 29 yards rushing against the Steelers. This effort didn’t seem as dominating as when the Steelers held Saquon Barkley to six yards on 15 carries, but the results were the same.

Texans running back David Johnson totaled 23 yards on 13 carries, and the Texans averaged 1.9 yards per attempt. The Steelers also kept quarterback Deshaun Watson contained in the pocket throughout the game. Watson had one rushing attempt for 5 yards.

The defense improvement in all areas was evident in the second half when the Texans gained just 51 net yards on 17 plays. Johnson had 4 yards on three carries over the first two drives as the Steelers forced a three-and-out each time.

3. Tight end talk

Tomlin joked that he can now go a week without having to answer questions about the usage of tight end Eric Ebron.

Ebron became a bigger part of the offensive game plan against the Texans, and he led the Steelers with five catches for 52 yards and a touchdown. He entered the game with four receptions for 61 yards and no touchdowns.

Ebron displayed his athleticism on his 10-yard touchdown catch that pulled the Steelers within 14-10 in the second quarter. Facing coverage from safety A.J. Moore, Ebron twisted his body to face the ball and caught the pass as he was falling backward.

Ebron’s contributions should have come as no surprise to Texans coach Bill O’Brien. He has watched the big tight end catch a TD pass in four of the past five games Ebron has faced the Texans.

Not to be outdone, Vance McDonald had a crucial 14-yard catch on a third-down pass that set up the Steelers’ go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.

4. Specialty items

Ray-Ray McCloud continues to make plays in the return game, proving his inclusion on the 53-man roster after training camp was a deserving one.

McCloud averaged a modest 23.5 yards on two kickoff returns, yet he continues to leave the impression that each time he touches the ball he is on the verge of breaking a big gain. He also filled in as the punt returner after Diontae Johnson exited in the second quarter with concussion symptoms.

McCloud averaged 12.5 yards on two punt returns.

Before his injury, Johnson made the curious decision to signal a fair catch at the 5 rather than take a chance the ball would go into the end zone. The Steelers drive stalled, and the Texans got the ball back with optimal field position en route to a touchdown that gave them a 14-3 lead.

Punter Dustin Colquitt averaged 40 net yards on four attempts, but he had a chance to pin the Texans deep in the third quarter when he punted from the Steelers 46. Showing his “floor” isn’t much sturdier than predecessor Jordan Berry’s, Colquitt’s punt traveled 34 yards and was downed at the 20.

5. Stepping up

The departure of Johnson in the second quarter paved the way for James Washington to get more playing time.

Washington played a season-high 49 snaps, and he was on the field for 61% of all offensive plays, another season best. After catching one pass in the first half, Washington had four catches for 30 yards in the second.

Washington’s 7-yard catch on a fourth-and-1 on the final drive helped the Steelers run out the clock. Chase Claypool caught just one of four targets, but the 24-yard reception to the Texans 3 preceded the three kneel downs by Ben Roethlisberger that ended the game.

Claypool also became a bigger part of the game plan. He logged 61 snaps and was on the field for 76% of the offensive plays, a higher percentage than Ebron, JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner. It doubled Claypool’s playing time over the first two games of the season.