5 things we learned from Steelers win in Ireland: 'Jumbo' package aids run game
Some observations gleaned from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 24-21 victory Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin:
1. Going Jumbo
Get ready, Steelers fans. For the next home game, you might have yourself a new folk hero.
A few years after Zach Banner became recognizable because he was so often introduced to the crowd during games via “Number 72 has reported as eligible,” Spencer Anderson has become the newest most “eligible” man in Pittsburgh.
After dipping their proverbial toe into it through three weeks of the season, the Steelers relied heavily on using a sixth offensive lineman to aid the running game Sunday. Anderson, the top reserve guard, played a whopping 19 offensive snaps (36% of the game total), typically lined up as a “tight end.”
For perspective, that’s more snaps than “starting” tight ends Pat Freiermuth (15) and Jonnu Smith (13) played. More than tight end/fullback Connor Heyward (16) did, too.
In fact, one could make an argument the Steelers in effect went with seven offensive linemen for many plays — 6-foot-7 Darnell Washington weighs more than 300 pounds and is often suggested as a future NFL tackle.
The “jumbo” look paid off in one of the Steelers’ most productive rushing game of the season: 131 yards. Seven of the Steelers’ eight top-gaining rushing plays — and seven of the 12 highest-gaining plays overall — came with Anderson in the game as an “eligible.”
2. (Still) quick and short
Aaron Rodgers continued to “dink and dunk” more than any quarterback in the league. Among all passers in Week 4 through Sunday, Rodgers’ 2.17-second average time from snap to throw (all data courtesy NFL Next Gen Stats) was by far the quickest in the NFL and the quickest for Rodgers over at least the past decade. The average “air yards” (how far beyond the line of scrimmage) a Rodgers’ pass was intended (2.6) was so low it was almost
For the full four-week season (headed into Monday night’s games), Rodgers has the shortest average time to throw (2.52 seconds), intended pass (4.8 yards beyond the line of scrimmage) and completed pass (2.7 yards beyond the line of scrimmage). His average pass intended 4.7 yards behind the first-down line is also the lowest figure in the league.
The good news? When letting go of the ball in 2.5 seconds or less, Rodgers against Minnesota completed 13 of 16 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown.
3. DK is OK
DK Metcalf’s 80-yard touchdown during the second quarter was the second-longest scoring reception of his seven-year career — the only one accounting for more was an 84-yard reception in October 2021.
Metcalf, who finished Sunday’s game with five catches for 126 yards, has 15 career 100-yard receiving games and 14 career receptions of at least 50 yards. He now has a touchdown in three consecutive games, the first time he’s done that since the first three games of the 2020 season.
The play accounted for the eighth touchdown pass of at least 80 yards over Rodgers’ 21-year career. It was the 91st Rodgers completion of 50 or more yards. That breaks an NFL record set by Drew Brees, who had 90 passes that gained at least 50 yards in his 20-year career.
4. Fast man
Next Gen calculates the speed of players on the field. And what it relayed about Payton Wilson is astounding. En route to his tackle of Jordan Addison at the 1 yard-line on Addison’s 81-yard catch-and-run, Wilson reached a top speed of 22.48 mph.
That is the fastest top speed for any linebacker in the NFL on any play over the past eight seasons. And for context on how fast the 242-pound Wilson was running, consider that no NFL player carrying the ball — no wide receiver, no “scat” back, no cornerback on an interception return — has run as fast as 22.48 mph in a game over the past five seasons.
5. Underwater
The Steelers are 3-1, but they have had fewer total yards than their opponent during each game this season. Sunday was the first time this season the Steelers came within even 100 yards of the opposition — the Vikings outgained them 372-313.
The 312 gained was a season-best, and the 372 allowed was only 3 yards off the low-water mark allowed by the defense this season (the week before, the New England Patriots were “limited” to 369 yards. On average, the Steelers are outgained by 119.0 yards per game, the worst in the NFL.
No other team with a winning record has been outgained in every game so far this season.
Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at [email protected].
Lions Trade Pitch Lands Pro Bowl CB After Injury to Star D.J. Reed
After suffering multiple injuries to their cornerback room in Week 4’s win over the Cleveland Browns, the
The Lions lost two of their top cornerbacks to injuries in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s win over the Browns. Veteran
While Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Monday
And with Arnold struggling over the first four games, it would be reasonable if the Lions felt they needed more help at the position with their sights set on another playoff run.
Could that push them to call the Seattle Seahawks about former Pro Bowl cornerback Riq Woolen, whom NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said is a “possible trade target” for teams looking to improve their secondary ahead of the deadline on November 4?
“With #Seahawks star CB Devon Witherspoon returning on Thursday, teams are monitoring Pro Bowl CB Riq Woolen as a possible trade target by the deadline, sources tell The Insiders,” Rapoport reported Sunday. “Woolen’s playing time has diminished, and in a contract year, teams believe he could be available.”
Is Riq Woolen Trade Too Risky for Lions Right Now?
In the aftermath of Sunday’s injuries, Campbell made it clear that he planned to speak with Lions general manager Brad Holmes about a potential addition at cornerback.
“I think we would look for somebody for help,” Campbell told reporters Monday. “I haven’t talked to Brad yet about all of this, so we’ll discuss all of this,” But we may need somebody for help for practice, you know, at a minimum, so we’ll discuss it.”
Are they willing to give up draft capital for a risky investment like Woolen, though?
The Lions wouldn’t likely need to give up significant compensation to acquire Woolen from the Seahawks if they decided to move him. He had a breakout 2022 Pro Bowl season as a rookie, but he has been largely inconsistent for Seattle since then and is entering the final season of his contract, making him a potential half-season rental.
A realistic trade proposal would look something like this: The Lions trade their 2026 sixth-round pick (via Jacksonville) for Woolen and the remainder of his rookie deal.
The bigger question is whether Woolen would provide the fix the Lions need. Through his first four performances of 2025, Woolen has given up 11 receptions for 152 yards and a touchdown on 18 targets and is allowing an abysmal 106.7 opposing passer rating. He has also earned one of the
Even if the trade cost is low, Woolen might not make things much better for Detroit.
D.J. Reed is a Candidate for Injured Reserve for Lions
Campbell did not provide crystal-clear details on the injuries that Reed and Arnold sustained in Week 4’s win, but he did offer some encouraging intel on both corners.
In Monday’s press conference, Campbell confirmed that Reed would miss time and could land on injured reserve in the coming weeks while he heals from his hamstring injury, but he also made it clear that the “good news” is that he will return in 2025.
“I know you’re already gonna ask, [but] he’s going to be down for a while,” Campbell said Monday. “But the good news is this is not a season-ender. We will get him back, it looks like. So, that’s the good news. He’s a stud.”
As for Arnold, the outlook is even brighter — at least in terms of his availability.
“I don’t know,” Campbell said about Arnold’s status. “I don’t think this is a huge thing, but the question is: Is he going to be ready for this week? That would be really the question, and if it’s not this week, he should be back by next week for sure.”
The Lions (3-1) will face the Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) at 4:25 p.m. ET next Sunday.
