Steelers vs Panthers Takeaways: Diontae Johnson's Shut Up Game
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The Pittsburgh Steelers kept their season alive with an impressive win over the Carolina Panthers. Now, they head back to the South Side with plenty to learn from, and plenty of good to reflect on.
In a game that might have been their easiest (or less stressful) to watch this season, the Steelers showed themselves plenty. And with three games ahead of them, there were plenty of takeaways to learn from moving forward.
Noah Strackbein's Takeaways
Steelers Got Themselves a Running Game
This is half about how good Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren have been the last few weeks and half about how the Steelers should not move on from James Daniels and Mason Cole this offseason. Because for the first time in a long time, the Steelers have themselves a run game.
The two runners combined for 124 yards and two touchdowns on the day, and are seamlessly becoming the life of the Steelers' offense. While Kenny Pickett develops - or works through concussion protocol - Pittsburgh's ground game is carrying this team.
It took a while, but if this continues, it's a key piece to the future of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Diontae Johnson's Shut Up Game
Diontae Johnson and Mitch Trubisky have their past, but these two were red-hot in Carolina, connecting for 10 receptions and 98 yards.
This again goes two ways. For starters, Johnson was untouchable in his route-running, which was great for some to finally see. Scrolling through social media afterward, you saw fans ask questions like "how good are Diontae's routes?" Many replied that he's one of the best route-runners in the NFL. Which he is.
Then there's the connection with Trubisky that many believed wouldn't be there because of how these two played together last time. You add in a halftime locker room fight against the New York Jets that led to Trubisky's benching, and it's tough to imagine there was no bad blood.
But apparently, there wasn't. And if the Steelers need to rely on Trubisky again this season, it's good to know Johnson and him have that connection - because the offense needed it.
Johnson has received a ton of slack this season. Is some of it deserved? Certainly. But he's fallen into the trap of being a disliked man by many out there, and most of the time, it's unwarranted.
Hopefully, this keeps some of that hate away for a few weeks.
Stephen Thompson's Takeaways
Steelers Win in Trenches
Last week was a wake-up call. The Ravens out-muscled the Steelers on their home turf and even though it was only a two-point loss, it was embarrassing for a team that not only takes pride in stopping the run on defense and establishing it themselves. The Steelers want to be the aggressor up front - not just for pride but because it has become a key element of their winning formula.
This week they completely shut down a Carolina rushing attack that ranks in the top half of the league in total rushing yards and yards per attempt and has scored the 10th most rushing touchdowns in the NFL. Not only that, but they were physical running the ball themselves. It didn't matter who was carrying the ball - they had room to run behind the Steelers offensive line.
This was a fantastic response to the Ravens' domination of the trenches last week and reinforces how important that area is for this group.
Big-Time Players Make Big-Time Plays
While the win was convincing, it wasn't guaranteed really at any point this afternoon. The Steelers needed their stars to make plays and they did - something they couldn't be counted on to do in clutch moments of then this year.
Diontae Johnson came up with key catches on third down twice during the Steelers' final drive to help keep the ball out of Carolina's hands and eat up more clock before adding a field goal to create a more comfortable two-score lead. Alex Highsmith, T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward also demonstrated how important it is for them to get to the quarterback and put pressure on opposing lines.
The Steelers have as much top-line talent - especially on defense - as most of the league. All the pieces just hadn't clicked or been on the field at the same time. When they do, beautiful things happen.
Marcus Allen's Inexcusable Penalty
It is not the fact that Marcus Allen committed a personal foul that makes him unworthy of snaps or a roster spot, but the way he committed it. You can excuse Johnson's from earlier in the game, where he was emotional following a big play and got carried away in the heat of the moment. That was not what Allen did. He walked all the way across the field to confront an opponent personally and make a show of inserting himself into a Panthers huddle when the Steelers had a chance to put a stranglehold on the game.
That was the most inexcusable of inexcusable penalties. It is very rare that you see a mistake in football so directly cost a team points as the one Allen made. It led directly to three points for the Panthers and made the game unnecessarily close. You cannot understate the extent of the stupidity and, quite frankly, selfishness that went into that play. Allen knew better and ignored his better judgment. That's what makes it so egregious.
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