Film Study: Andy Dalton & A.J. Green Drive the Final Dagger into Steel Curtain

 

 

On the first and only offensive play of the Bengals’s game-winning drive, Cincinnati came out in a four receiver set, with three bunched up on the right side, with the Steelers defense initially showing a 2-high safety look.

 

As many plays as Troy Polamalu has made in his career, his reckless abandonment cost him dearly here. Anticipating a series of short yardage routes run by Cincinnati receivers,  Troy comes down hard to defend the seam or quick out-route, but his over-aggressive play allows A.J. Green to run a deep out-route behind him.

 

The route by Green could also be classified as a corner route. This is every defensive backs’ worst-nightmare: one-on-one coverage vs. Green deep down the field with the game on the line. Keenan Lewis had a descent game covering Green, but A.J. gets the best of him here.