To say that Martavis Bryant is disappointed in the way his 2017 season has unfolded would be an understatement. Bryant, who put up 549 yards and eight touchdowns in just ten games as a rookie in 2014 has 419 yards and two touchdowns after playing 12 games this year. On top of that, we have the entire saga involving his suspension for a game.
While Martavis Bryant has lost rooting interest of a lot of the fan base, and has been removed as a commodity from fantasy football circles, his play in 2017 has made an impact on the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he may be one of the underlying reasons as to why the Steelers beat the Patriots this year.
Why Martavis Bryant is difference Steelers need to beat Patriots
Martavis Bryant is a deep threat. We can talk about all of the contested passes that he has dropped, and all of the times he has been off with Ben Roethlisberger by inches on so many plays. The fact of the matter is that he is a threat to catch the ball for a game-changing play on every single snap. That demands respect.
The Steelers, understanding that Bryant has the speed, strength, and athleticism to burn cornerbacks deep one-on-one, send Bryant deep a lot. What this does is demands the attention of any sort of safety alignment the defense will bring. The Steelers use that respect to create mismatches for Antonio Brown. It is in part as to why Brown is on pace to have one of the best seasons ever.
Take the play below for example. Eric Weddle is originally shaded over to Brown’s side. However, he knows the deep threat of Bryant on the other side of the field is lurking. Roethlisberger looks to Bryant to get Weddle on his high horse to his side. When Roethlisberger sees Weddle break, he is attacking Antonio Brown one-on-one.
Below, the Steelers line Bryant up in the slot. With no other defenders on the left side of the field, Tony Jefferson fears that Bryant, with that much space in a one-on-one scenario, could break the big play. So, he leaves Antonio Brown with a cornerback and the sideline. Brown won.
When the Steelers and the Patriots met in the AFC Championship, the main storyline taken away was how the Steelers defense could not stop Tom Brady. However, that fails to bring up the fact that the offense, the supposed strength of the team, scored nine points in the first 56:34 seconds of that game.
The Patriots had a clear plan of attack for the Steelers on that night. It was aided by the injury to Le’Veon Bell, but the team was set to sell out on stopping the run with the front seven, sending extra help to Antonio Brown, and leaving the secondary players on islands.
-
Ep 103: Tom Brady Retires, Sean Payton To Broncos, Super Bowl Primer
by Full Press Coverage on February 5, 2023 at 3:49 pm
With the Steelers having Cobi Hamilton, Eli Rogers and Sammie Coates as their secondary wide receivers, Roethlisberger took the bait of throwing to his players in the plus matchups and lost.
On the first drive of the game, down 3-0, the Steelers faced third and one. As shown below, the Patriots have two players accounting for Le’Veon Bell and two players accounting for Antonio Brown. For Sammie Coates, there is nothing but room to run. Of course, he is Sammie Coates, the pass is incomplete, and Bill Belichick wins the round.
When Bell left the game, the gameplan was simple, Antonio Brown. Below, Brown is double covered as he runs a short slant. On top of that, at least four other players have eyes on him. They did not care who else was on that field, they were not afraid.
Another third down where the defense asks Ben Roethlisberger if he wants to try Cobi Hamilton or not. He tried. No good.
In the play below, the linebacker underneath had responsibility for DeAngelo Williams but completely abandoned it to secure a triple team on Antonio Brown. Williams caught the pass, but the safety closest to the 50-yard line pushed him out of bounds short of a first down.
Against the Ravens, Ben Roethlisberger looked towards Bryant, and Weddle reacted. In New England, Roethlisberger is staring down Cobi Hamilton as the safety runs towards Brown instead.
And, of course, Brown saw two bodies in the red zone.
As much as the Steelers fans base does not like Bryant right now, one thing is clear, he is better than Cobi Hamilton and Sammie Coates. He has not put up the statistics to back it up yet, but that is because he is still demanding the same respect in Week 13 that he was in Week 1.
It would be tough to imagine that Bill Belichick and Matt Patricia will draw up a similar game plan as last contest, especially when you factor in a full and healthy Bell and JuJu Smith-Schuster underneath and over the middle. How they adjust their game plan to factor in the safety respect demanded to Martavis Bryant while still understanding that Antonio Brown is the heart of the offense and quite possibly the MVP of the NFL is going to be fascinating to watch. It is a code that has not been solved this season, as Brown dashes towards a record pace, but it will face its toughest test on Sunday.
– Parker Hurley is Pittsburgh Steelers team manager of Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @parkerhurley Follow @FPC_Steelers and Facebook.
-
Ep 142: Former Washington Quarterback And Super Bowl Champion Doug Williams Joins The Showby Full Press Coverage on February 3, 2023 at 10:19 pm
Former Washington quarterback and Super Bowl champion Doug Williams joins […]
-
Ep 141: Andy Reid, Eagles, And Conference Championship Weekend w/ Joe Bannerby Full Press Coverage on January 27, 2023 at 5:36 pm
Clark and Ira are joined by former Eagles President Joe Banner to talk […]
-
Ep 137: Hall Of Fame Discussion w/ John Turneyby Full Press Coverage on December 30, 2022 at 5:33 pm
Football historian John Turney of Pro Football Journal joins Clark and Ira […]
-
Ep 136: Remembering The Longest Game Ever Played With Larry Littleby Full Press Coverage on December 24, 2022 at 1:09 am
On the 51-year anniversary of the longest game ever played (Chiefs vs. […]
-
Ep 135: Hall of Fame Semifinalist Jahri Evans Joins The Showby Full Press Coverage on December 16, 2022 at 3:51 pm
Former Saints guard and 2023 HOF Semifinalist Jahri Evans joins Clark and […]
-
Ep 134: Remember AFL/NFL Star John Hadl with Nick Canepaby Full Press Coverage on December 8, 2022 at 2:39 pm
Former Hall of Fame voter, Nick Canepa, joins Clark and Ira to discuss the […]
-
Ep 133: Hall Of Fame Semifinalist Henry Ellard Joins The Showby Full Press Coverage on November 30, 2022 at 4:28 pm
Former Rams and Redskins wide receiver, Henry Ellard, joins Clark and Ira […]
-
Ep 132: Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 Semifinalists w/ Rick Gosselinby Full Press Coverage on November 22, 2022 at 6:15 pm
Clark and Ira are joined by Pro Football Hall of Fame voter Rick Gosselin […]
-
Ep 131: 'Football Heaven' With PFHOF Senior Advisor Joe Horriganby Full Press Coverage on November 17, 2022 at 5:55 pm
Pro Football Hall of Fame Senior Advisor, Joe Horrigan, joins Clark and […]
-
Ep 130: Remembering John McVay With Hall of Famer Eddie DeBartolo Jr.by Full Press Coverage on November 13, 2022 at 1:42 am
Clark and Ira are joined by Hall of Fame owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. to […]
-
Ep 271: NFL Championship Roundby Full Press Coverage on January 26, 2023 at 1:58 pm
-
Ep 270: NFL Divisional Roundby Full Press Coverage on January 19, 2023 at 1:31 am
-
Ep 269: NFL Playoff Previewby Full Press Coverage on January 12, 2023 at 4:13 am
-
Ep 268: Week 16 Fantasy Rankingsby Full Press Coverage on December 21, 2022 at 9:45 pm
-
(Episode 3.2) Offseason Talk with the "Command This!" Podcastby Full Press Coverage on February 1, 2023 at 3:04 am
George Carmi hosts Steve, Dev, and Phil as they discuss the Commanders […]
-
Ep 167: Super Bowl LVII Previewby Full Press Coverage on February 1, 2023 at 12:33 am
This season premiere featured a preview of the NFL's season finale. In […]
-
2/7 - Super Bowl Headlines, Mahomes, Tom Brady Podcastby Full Press Coverage on February 7, 2023 at 3:30 pm
Ian and John discuss some of the headlines heading into Super Bowl 57 […]
-
2/6 - Kyrie Irving Traded, Sean Payton To Broncos, Early Super Bowl Oddsby Full Press Coverage on February 6, 2023 at 3:04 pm
Ian and John discuss the Kyrie Irving trade, Sean Payton heading to […]
-
2/3 - Tom Brady Retires... For Goodby Full Press Coverage on February 3, 2023 at 2:20 pm
Ian and John react to Tom Brady's second, and likely final, retirement. […]
-
1/31 - Tom Brady and the 49ers, Aaron Rodgers Futureby Full Press Coverage on January 31, 2023 at 9:00 am
Ian and John discuss whether or not the 49ers loss in the NFC Championship […]
-
Talkamania Episode 230by Talkamania on September 6, 2022 at 11:43 pm
-
Talkamania Episode 229by Talkamania on August 5, 2022 at 3:37 am
-
Boot 2 The Face Episode 211 "Steel Reserve"by Boot 2 The Face on January 28, 2023 at 6:59 pm
We preview the Royal Rumble and other things in the week of pro wreslting. […]
-
Boot 2 The Face Episode 210 "No Monè, No Monè, No Monè"by Boot 2 The Face on January 19, 2023 at 12:55 am
Rucker and EJ are back discussing Rucker going to Impacts Hard to Kill […]
-
Suns at Netsby Broken Controller Media on February 7, 2023 at 5:00 pm
-
2/7 - Super Bowl Headlines, Mahomes, Tom Brady Podcastby Full Press Coverage on February 7, 2023 at 3:30 pm
-
Ep 2: Top 5 Super Bowls Of All Timeby Full Press Coverage on February 7, 2023 at 3:26 pm
-
Full Press MMA - Monday, February 6thby Full Press Coverage on February 7, 2023 at 12:00 am
-
Ep. 93: Vanderbilt Head Baseball Coach Tim Corbinby Full Press Coverage on February 6, 2023 at 11:03 pm
-
Bucks at Trail Blazersby Broken Controller Media on February 6, 2023 at 11:00 pm
-
Thunder at Warriorsby Broken Controller Media on February 6, 2023 at 10:00 pm
-
Mavericks at Jazzby Broken Controller Media on February 6, 2023 at 9:15 pm
-
Kings at Rocketsby Broken Controller Media on February 6, 2023 at 8:30 pm
-
Spurs at Bullsby Broken Controller Media on February 6, 2023 at 7:45 pm
-
1/6 - Damar Hamlin Update, Bills/Bengals, AFC Playoffs, Week 18 Picksby Full Press Coverage on January 6, 2023 at 3:11 pm
-
Winter Classic: Bruins Rally To Beat Penguins At Fenwayby Full Press Coverage on January 4, 2023 at 2:09 am
-
1/3 - Bills/Bengals Postponed; Bruins Topple Penguins In Winter Classicby Full Press Coverage on January 4, 2023 at 2:05 am
-
1/2 - Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Week 17, Bills/Bengalsby Full Press Coverage on January 3, 2023 at 3:22 am
-
12/30 - New Year's Eve, Luka Doncic, NBA Talk, Week 17 Preview and Picksby Full Press Coverage on January 1, 2023 at 2:29 am
-
Aaron Rodgers, Packers Win Third Straight; Playoffs In Sightby Full Press Coverage on December 27, 2022 at 7:36 pm