2018 is expected to be a crucial year for Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Artie Burns as the organization will need to decide next offseason if they want to pick up his fifth-year option for the 2020 season. Burns. who recorded 54 total tackles, 1 interception and 13 passes defensed during the 2017 regular season, was also charged by Pro Football Focus as allowing 42 receptions for 579 yards and 4 touchdowns.
With several weeks still remaining before the start of the Steelers 2018 training camp, I thought I would run a short series that contextualizes the 42 receptions that Burns was charged by PFF as allowing during the 2017 regular season. If all goes well, this series of posts should be completed this week.
In each of the posts in this series there will be a data table and video. The video will include the all-22 view of each reception Burns was charged with allowing while the table will include important data related to the play such as down, distance, line of scrimmage, pass distance, targeted player and much more. A brief context of each play is also given in the table below.
We’ll kick this series off with a contextualization of the 14 receptions Burns purportedly allowed during the Steelers first five regular season games against the Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars.
I invite everyone to watch the included video while following along with the data in the table. After doing so, please feel free to comment on these 14 receptions that Burns was charged by PFF as allowing in these five games.
| WEEK | QRT | TIME | DWN | DIST | LOS | YDS | DIR | PDIST | YAC | SUCC | QB | TARG | CONTEXT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 9:32 | 2 | 17 | CLV 30 | 1 | SL | -3 | 4 | N | D.Kizer | M.Dayes | RB screen to left against zone |
| 1 | 4 | 4:20 | 2 | 9 | PIT 10 | 7 | SL | 0 | 7 | Y | D.Kizer | D.Njoku | TE speed out to left under zone |
| 1 | 4 | 3:40 | 4 | 2 | PIT 3 | 3 | SL | 3 | 0 | Y | D.Kizer | C.Coleman | Quick slant for TD |
| 2 | 3 | 2:13 | 1 | 10 | MIN 48 | 6 | SL | 4 | 2 | Y | C.Keenum | L.Treadwell | Short hitch route underneath zone |
| 2 | 3 | 1:25 | 2 | 14 | MIN 44 | -1 | SL | -3 | 2 | N | C.Keenum | D.Cook | Misdirection RB screen to left |
| 2 | 4 | 9:34 | 2 | 4 | MIN 7 | 15 | SM | 12 | 3 | Y | C.Keenum | L.Treadwell | Quick slant against press |
| 3 | 1 | 13:20 | 2 | 11 | CHI 25 | 0 | SL | -2 | 2 | N | M.Glennon | T.Cohen | WR screen to RB in bunch left |
| 4 | 1 | 11:35 | 2 | 16 | PIT 46 | 7 | SL | 6 | 1 | N | J.Flacco | M.Wallace | Short curl route underneath zone |
| 4 | 2 | :06 | 2 | 10 | MID 50 | 6 | SL | 6 | 0 | Y | J.Flacco | B.Perriman | Quick out route underneath off coverage |
| 4 | 4 | 8:48 | 1 | 10 | BLT 31 | 5 | SL | 5 | 0 | Y | J.Flacco | M.Wallace | Short hitch route underneath zone |
| 4 | 4 | :58 | 1 | 10 | PIT 42 | 12 | SL | 12 | 0 | Y | J.Flacco | C.Matthews | Comeback to left sideline |
| 5 | 2 | 4:40 | 3 | 4 | JAX 36 | 4 | SL | 4 | 0 | Y | B.Bortles | K.Cole | Short hitch route underneath zone |
| 5 | 2 | 4:07 | 2 | 10 | JAX 40 | 18 | SL | 13 | 5 | Y | B.Bortles | M.Lee | Comeback to left sideline against man |
| 5 | 2 | 1:06 | 1 | 10 | PIT 48 | 3 | SL | 2 | 1 | N | B.Bortles | A.Hurns | Quick DB blitz hot underneath left |
