The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cincinnati Bengals in a big way last Saturday in Week 16, and as if the 34-11 final score wasn’t enough to show dominance the advanced analytics certainly echo that sentiment. Following the game Zebra Technologies, who officially works with the NFL to provide all their advanced analytics and Next Generation (Gen) Stats, provided some detailed statistics for the Steelers offense and defense after the game.

So what did the advanced analytics show which might not have been obvious for the casual observer? What better place to start than with the quarterback position…

Mason Rudolph

“Mason Rudolph’s 44-yard completion to George Pickens just before halftime traveled 55.7 yards in the air, the longest completion by air distance by the Steelers since 2017. Pickens had 0.7 yards of separation from the sideline at the time of the catch (completion probability: 25.0%).”

Rudolph is in line for his second straight start vs. the Seahawks this Sunday in Seattle. Can he keep up his high level of play? If the Steelers want to make the playoffs they’ll need him to step up.

Najee Harris

“Najee Harris continued to stake his claim to the Steelers starting RB job as he gained +19 RYOE (6th highest of the week), picking up 78 yards on 19 carries in a big win against the Bengals. 57.9% of his carries went over expected – the 2nd highest share of the week, only trailing Zamir White (59.1%).”

Harris might not be a fan favorite for many of the black-and-gold faithful, but he has been nothing but steady since being drafted. He is nearing another 1,000 yard season, and has been durable throughout this career. The Steelers still prefer to give him the bulk of the workload, even with Jaylen Warren waiting in the wings and being more dynamic.

George Pickens

“George Pickens hit a top speed of 21.54mph on his 86-yard TD (fastest in Week 16 & 11th fastest this season), which came on the Steelers’ 2nd play from scrimmage. It was the fastest top speed reached by a Steelers ball carrier since 2017. Pickens gained 77 YAC on the play (+71 YACOE, most on any play in over 2 seasons). Later in the game, on his 66-yard TD, he hit a top speed of 21.5mph – 2nd fastest in Week 16 and tied 15th fastest on the season. He finished the day with 4 receptions (6 targets) for 195 yards & 2 TDs while generating career-highs in RecYOE (+139) & YACOE (+90). Pickens’ +139 RecYOE are the 3rd most in a game by any receiver since 2018.”

George Pickens had a game to remember vs. the Bengals, and that is something you can’t take away from him. Some might say his first touchdown was nothing more than a bad angle by the safety, which is true, but Pickens also was able to show the speed and elusive traits necessary to pull away at a whopping 21.5mph. Let’s hope the Rudolph-to-Pickens connection picks up right where it left off in Seattle.

Joey Porter Jr.

“Joey Porter Jr. shadowed Tee Higgins on 32 of 40 routes, limiting Higgins to 1 reception on 2 targets for 15 yards as the nearest defender. Since Week 7, Porter has shadowed opponent’s top receivers on a majority of their routes in 7 of 11 games. On Higgins’ 80-yard TD, Porter Jr. lined up over Higgins before the snap. However, Higgins caught the ball on a slant route outside of Porter’s zone.”

Porter Jr. gets a lot of attention for his penalties. He is one of the most flagged defensive backs in the NFL, but it doesn’t mean he is playing poorly. Just like offensive linemen, cornerbacks who blanket their receivers are usually not seen or heard of. However, when targeted and you draw a flag, people think you are not playing well. In this regard, the advanced analytics show Tee Higgins was just the latest receiver who fell victim to “JPJ” and that was with the Steelers heavy zone approach in this game.

Be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17.