Film study: Ben and Bell's 43-yard hookup, some problems in protection and a better job vs. the outside zone

Ben Roethlisberger said he missed a few opportunities for big plays down the field in the Steelers’ 30-23 victory against Houston Monday night, but he did make a terrific play on what coach Mike Tomlin said was one of the biggest plays of the game. On the 43-yard pass to Le’Veon Bell when the Steelers trailed 13-0 in the second quarter, Roethlisberger hung strong in a collapsing pocket just long enough to make the play happen.

Bell did a fantastic job on the route, but the big play never would have happened if not for Roethlisberger’s ability to sense the rush and to deliver an awkward but effective pass to Bell at just the right time.

The Texans rushed four. OLB Brooks Reed had a one-on-one matchup with Heath Miller and bull rushed him into the lap of Roethlisberger. OLB Whitney Mercilius had a one-on-one matchup with Kelvin Beachum and did the same thing – a bull rush that collapsed the pocket quickly.

Roethlisberger sensed the pressure and whipped a pass to Bell just before Miller was pushed into him. The play – an option route in which Bell makes a read – needed time to develop and Roethlisberger waited until the very last moment before getting off the pass with a sidearm release.

Bell made the correct read when he noticed ILB Brian Cushing turned his hips to the outside to chase Bell, who had lined up to the left of Roethlisberger and looped out of the backfield. Bell cut to the middle of the field, ran past Cushing and caught the pass in stride for the big first down that led to the Steelers’ first points of the game.

It was a huge play. It was third-and-8. And the way the Texans were moving the ball to that point in the game it very easily could have been 16-0 or 20-0 had the Steelers punted the ball on that possession.

Bell is at his best as a receiver out of the backfield because the Steelers can dictate matchups, getting him on linebackers like Cushing or safeties. He is effective when the Steelers go empty and line him up as a receiver, but defenses can adjust and get a cornerback on him in those situations if they wish. They cannot do that when he stays in the backfield.

The Steelers did something similar later in the second quarter on the play before the touchdown 35-yard pass to Martavis Bryant. The Steelers called a screen pass to Bell, who followed center Maurkice Pouncey for a 28-yard gain to the Houston 35. Two plays: 71 yards that jump-started scoring drives.

Bell didn’t have his best rushing game of the season. In fact he missed some gaping cutback lanes on the first two drives, but the beauty of Bell is his versatility out of the backfield and the way he can impact games in different ways. Bell only had 57 yards rushing, but he set up the first 10 points of the game with those two catches and runs out of the backfield. He also later scored on a pass when he cut off his route when he noticed there was a breakdown in coverage.

Who says Roethlisberger isn’t on the same page as his receivers? He is with someone other than Antonio Brown. His second-best receiver just happens to be a running back.

Here are some more observations from the game:

*Houston RB Arian Foster is still at the top of his game and exploited the Steelers’ struggles defending the outside zone in the first half before the Steelers made some adjustments and did a better job in the second half. He had 102 yards on 20 carries but only 14 yards after halftime. In the first half, the Steelers had players in position to make plays; they just didn’t get off blocks to make tackles often enough. Lawrence Timmons missed on one occasion that allowed Foster to gain an extra five yards. Later, Cam Heyward and Sean Spence were in position and Foster bounced it to the outside, using his speed to get to the edge. On Foster’s 33-yard run to the 11 on a third-and-3 in the first quarter, Spence could not get off a block and Troy Polamalu jumped inside. Foster cut back to the outside for the biggest play of the scoring drive.

* Steelers OLB Jason Worilds played his best game of the season. He and Brett Keisel did a nice job collapsing the pocket on the third-and-6 when the Steelers had the Texans backed up on their first drive, but they were only rushing four and no one else could get off a block to sack Fitzpatrick when he ducked and eluded the pressure. Fitzpatrick scrambled and found an open receiver to keep the drive alive. They later scored a touchdown to cap a 10-play, 94-yard drive.

Worilds continually pressured Fitzpatrick all game and had a hand in both turnovers at the end of the first half. He was in on the tackle when Foster fumbled. Worilds hit him first and Spence made the jarring hit. On Keisel’s interception, Worilds forced Fitzpatrick into a bad throw by getting pressure.

*Defensive coordinators are going to keep dialing up stunts until Ramon Foster and Beachum demonstrate they are capable of picking them up. Houston had great success with the E-T stunt that allowed the tackle to pick off Beachum and for the end come free on Roethlisberger twice to make big plays. The first one led the Roethlisberger fumble on the second drive. The second one led to another sack on Roethlisberger on third-and-5 late in the second quarter. The Steelers had to settle for a Shaun Suisham field goal.

Foster and Beachum lost their technique in both instances, turning their hips and shoulders toward the sideline without stopping penetration. Offensive line coach Mike Munchak has stressed setting with depth to deal with stunts and the Steelers have done it well at times, but this was not a good game for Foster and Beachum in that regard. If they stay square to their oncoming rushers and stop penetration earlier it would allow them to pass off the end and tackle, and in essence, swap blocking assignments.

*Roethlisberger did a nice job of cutting down Mercilius on Antonio Brown’s touchdown pass to Lance Moore. Brown was getting pressure from the backside by JJ Watt, but he had a clear passing lane because Roethlisberger cut Mercilius, who was not completely fooled by the reverse action.

*Rookie nose tackle Daniel McCullers only played 10 snaps, but he opened some eyes on one of them in the third quarter when he drove Houston center Chris Meyers 10 yards into the backfield, forcing a Fitzpatrick scramble for a short gain.