Tim Benz: 'Feats of Strength' (7-11 connection) and 'Airing of Grievances' (pass coverage) as Steelers outscore Eagles

I could make things really easy this week. The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-29, on Sunday to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 1979.

And pretty much the entire week all anyone will talk about is two things. So let’s keep it brief.

Feats of Strength? Chase Claypool.

Airing of Grievances? Defense.

OK. We done here?

—30—

No? Need more than that?

Fine! But if the Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns next week, I’m citing one stat, making two jokes about Cleveland and checking out.

•••

FEATS OF STRENGTH

“Need anything at ‘7-11’?” Let the puns begin.

7/11 ... always open. pic.twitter.com/vkv49AK6vL

— Chase Claypool (@ChaseClaypool) October 11, 2020

After Sunday’s connection between quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and rookie wide receiver Chase Claypool, the convenience store chain might wanna jump into the deep end of the endorsement pool right now.

The two hooked up for … wait for it … seven catches on 11 targets for 110 yards and three touchdowns. Claypool also scored on a rushing touchdown.

The first RUSHING touchdown of @ChaseClaypool's career ?

? FOX ?https://t.co/tI5aUTu7te pic.twitter.com/cVmmJUoFJq

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 11, 2020

NFL research tweeted Claypool is the first Steelers rookie to score a receiving and rushing TD in the same game since Franco Harris in 1972.

Via the NFL communications department, the Notre Dame product joins Jerry Butler (1979) and Harlon Hill (1954) as the only rookie wide receivers with four touchdowns in a single game in NFL history.

Claypool’s performance was much needed, not just from a scoring standpoint. But also because Diontae Johnson hurt his back and only had one reception. Claypool filled that void.

Based on Claypool’s explanation, this could’ve been a game where Johnson was heavily targeted.

“We knew we could get after the cornerbacks a little bit. They played a lot of man, and they played a lot of one-high,” Claypool said. “So that opened a lot of things up across the field. Then one of the corners (Darius Slay) went down, and we attacked the guy who came in (Craig James). We definitely watched the film, and we knew where we could attack them.”

This is the first time since Week 12 of the 2018 season the Steelers scored 30 or more points in a game. This is the first time in team history where the Steelers have scored 26 or more points in each of their first four contests.

Pass protection and pass rush: Teams don’t get 38 points via 35 dropbacks without good pass protection.

Especially when facing a team with the most sacks (17) in the NFL through four weeks.

Philadelphia’s Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave combined for one sack. That was it. And the Steelers did that with offensive guard David DeCastro leaving the game early.

So credit offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett and his blocking unit.

Meanwhile, the Steelers had five more sacks in the game. That gets their total up to 20, tied with the Los Angeles Rams for the league lead. Some of that happened without T.J. Watt, too. He missed time in the second half with an upper-body injury of some sort.

But, on his birthday, Watt did register a sack in the first half.

A sack for the birthday boy @_TJWatt! #HereWeGo

?: #PHIvsPIT on FOX
?: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/BGCKhfX8uY pic.twitter.com/mNoOTGr0TY

— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2020

The outside linebacker has 27 sacks in 27 career games at Heinz Field. He has collected at least half a sack in 16 of the Steelers’ last 17 home games, including each of the last 13 games.

Big one from Boz: Maybe I’m just leery of extra points after watching the end of the Pitt game Saturday night versus Boston College.

Maybe it was how poorly the defense was playing, or the fact the Steelers took a delay of game penalty to push him back.

But Chris Boswell’s extra point to give the Steelers a 38-29 lead was clutch. It made the contest a two-score game. And he was forced to make it from an extra distance because of the penalty.

That was a subtle big play.

Zach attacked: A talking point coming into the game from Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was how much attention Eagles tight end Zach Ertz was getting from opposing defenses.

Ertz is a Pro Bowler. The Eagles have been missing injured starting receivers, Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson.

Maybe the Steelers employed the same mentality and that’s why the Philadelphia wide receivers were so surprisingly effective.

More on that to come. But the Steelers only allowed Ertz one catch on six targets for six yards.

Red zone and third downs: On offense, these were good things.

The Steelers were 3 of 3 in the red zone. They were 11 of 15 on third-down conversions.

On defense, though? Well, maybe now is a good time to get to our “Airing of Grievances.”

•••

AIRING OF GRIEVANCES

The defense: The sacks were great. But the Steelers defense made unheralded Eagles receiver Travis Fulgham look like an All-Pro.

“Who?” replied cornerback Steven Nelson after the game when asked about Fulgham.

“13,” replied the reporter.

“Oh, 13.”

Yes, Steve. The guy who just caught 10 balls for 152 yards.

“It’s the NFL. If you are on the field, you are very capable. He played a decent game, 13 did.”

Yes. Yes, “13” did. In fact, “13” looked like Mike Quick, dipped in Harold Carmichael, rolled in Terrell Owens.

The tackling left a lot to be desired, too. Minkah Fitzpatrick failed to wrap up and then bumped off an Eagles receiver for extra yards once. Bud Dupree and Mike Hilton whiffed on Miles Sanders’ 74-yard touchdown run.

Pittsburgh native Miles Sanders goes 74 YARDS for the @Eagles touchdown! #FlyEaglesFly @BoobieMilesXXIV

?: #PHIvsPIT on FOX
?: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/BGCKhfX8uY pic.twitter.com/Y3Sl2naxph

— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2020

Also, as mentioned above, the Steelers defense was every bit as bad on third downs and in the red zone as the Steelers offense was good.

The Eagles were also 3 for 3 in the red zone, and they were 10 of 14 on third downs.

All this with a struggling Carson Wentz at quarterback, a banged-up offensive line, and a depleted group of receivers.

Officiating: No, it wasn’t a great day for the officials.

In either direction.

The Eagles seemed to get hosed on two very tight defensive pass interference calls. Meanwhile, Chase Claypool got busted for an equally shady offensive pass interference call. And Vince Williams’ roughing-the-quarterback hit on Wentz was dreadful.

Plus, at least once apiece Watt and Cox were egregiously held and neither one drew a flag.

M.A.S.H. unit: The Steelers suffered some key injuries Sunday. Coach Mike Tomlin said Johnson might be available versus the Cleveland Browns this week. But there was no information about either center Maurkice Pouncey (foot) or DeCastro (abdominal injury).

Watt seemed to hurt his shoulder but came back on the field during the team’s last defensive drive.

Eek, Ebron: After a solid game against the Houston Texans, which featured a nice touchdown catch, Steelers tight end Eric Ebron fumbled in the second half. He also dropped a pass that was initially ruled an interception.

The Eagles came in hemorrhaging yards and touchdowns to opposing tight ends. But Ebron and Vance McDonald only combined for a pedestrian six catches for 47 yards.