While playoff hopes are dwindling for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team was able to come up with a non-conference win against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. There were many positives to take away from the 24-16 victory. The rushing attack was able to gain 156 yards on the ground and wide receiver, Diontae Johnson, who has been clearly frustrated with his target share this season, had his best game of 2022. The pass catcher hauled in 10 catches for 98 yards from backup quarterback, Mitchell Trubisky. Not everyone involved in the game was very impressed with his performance, however.
Steelers wide receiver, Diontae Johnson lines up at the line of scrimmage prepared to run a route against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Acrisure Stadium during a 2022 regular season game. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Johnson and first-year wideout, George Pickens have the potential to be a lethal duo in the passing game for years to come. Johnson recently signed a contract extension and Pickens is in just the first year of his rookie deal. The two combined for 12 catches and 151 yards receiving on Sunday. Panthers' backup cornerback, Keith Taylor Jr. got more playing time than usual after the man above him on the depth chart, CJ Henderson left the contest after suffering an ankle injury.
Taylor Jr. was asked after the game about the difficult task of guarding the two elusive receivers and he didn't necessarily seem to think that the two pass catchers were a burden for him throughout the game:
"I don't think they were really that much of a hard assignment," Taylor Jr. said.
PITTSBURGH, PA - AUGUST 28: George Pickens #14 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the game against the Detroit Lions at Acrisure Stadium on August 28, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Rather than giving props to the two receivers who were a focal point of the Steelers' passing game on Sunday, he blamed himself for letting Johnson get open so often late in the game. It all comes down to execution:
"I would say I've just got to execute better. I practice every day. They practice every day. I just have to execute, just trust my technique instead of pressing all the time."
Taylor Jr. was a 5th round pick by Carolina in 2021 and hasn't been tasked often with guarding pass catchers with Johnson's elusiveness. That has mainly been the job of Jaycee Horn and Henderson in 2022, but after the injury to Henderson, the Panthers' defense switched up assignments and Taylor Jr. ended up with eight tackles, the highest total of his career. Johnson was able to beat him twice late in the game for pivotal third down conversions.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 05: Diontae Johnson #18 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts after scoring a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field on December 05, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Johnson's big day on Sunday showed once more how great he is at creating space and tasking defenders with keeping up with his quick feet and unbelievable cutting ability. Taylor Jr. can say to the camera that it wasn't that much of a challenge, but the numbers and film suggest otherwise as the Steelers' wide receiver completely controlled the Panthers' secondary in the second half leading to the first time in his career that he had an 100% catch rate.
Do you think that Johnson and Pickens are easy to handle for opposing secondaries? Let us know in the comments below!
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