Lost in the talk about the Steelers' offensive struggles between Ben Roethlisberger's limitations because of his age and Matt Canada's play-calling is the need for X-factor players who force tough decisions by defenses.
Najee Harris has forced defenses to commit to the run, but it takes more than just a running back to scare defenses into tough decisions. That's where Diontae Johnson comes in as the Steelers' top receiver who forces cornerbacks to either play near-perfect coverage or command help from teammates that could open up chances for his teammates.
Just four seasons ago the Steelers had one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL because of its dynamic playmakers like Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. The two being on the field at the same time forced defenses to overcommit to one of them an open up ideal matchup opportunities for the other, as well as other teammates.
Since Brown left, the Steelers have had talented receivers who give Roethlisberger options in the offense, but nobody has brought a complete package that has forced defenses to consider several different threats.
Johnson has been the closest to being that complete threat as a receiver, and that's only materialized this year. But it's been a consistent factor this season for the Steelers' offense. He leads the team in all major receiving categories with 76 receptions, 914 yards and six touchdowns.
But beyond stats, Johnson provides the Steelers with a receiving threat whose routes start with his crisp release off the line of scrimmage, maintained without tipping where he's going and finished with clean breaks at the top of the route with consistent hands. Johnson went from dropping 15 passes in 2020 to just three drops in just eleven games.
But what makes Johnson so dangerous is how consistently beats cornerbacks regardless of their alignment. Some receivers, like Chase Claypool, struggle facing pressing cornerbacks who try to jam receivers and disrupt the timing of routes. While some receivers use their hands to fight off pressing cornerbacks, Johnson's release into his route often protects his frame from any jabs to his chest and once he's going, he's hard to stop.
Watch how on this simple in route, Johnson starts by forcing Anthony Averett to honor both his left and right as potential options for the route before backing him off and cutting inside to make the catch. Johnson also quickly forced a missed tackle to get extra yards:
That's the other aspect that scares defenses about Johnson, as Pro Football Focus has him recorded for forcing ten missed tackles this season, 13th-most among receivers and his 414 yards after catch is fourth-most of his position.
Johnson's skills as a runner open opportunities for Canada to make easier quick passing options, and those options grow even more when opponents are scared to press him at the line. Watch how this quick pass turned into a first down as Johnson stepped back and relied upon RayRay McCloud and Zach Gentry to get out and set blocks in open space for more yards:
For teams like the Ravens who like to keep cornerbacks on specific sides of the field, that can prove troublesome to leave their top cornerback, Marlon Humphrey, on other options while Johnson is giving Averett fits.
But even when Johnson faced Humphrey he was forcing issues that opened up easier opportunities for Roethlisberger. Watch this play where Humphrey indicates with his stance he's giving up inside leverage and tries for a trail technique on Johnson. Johnson's explosiveness when he cuts inside after setting up Humphrey creates more than enough separation for Roethlisberger to get the Steelers in field goal range:
And even when Humphrey was trying to press Johnson, he had problems.
Johnson's first touchdown was a result of a miscommunication in the Ravens' secondary thanks to a well-schemed play from Canada. But his second touchdown was all about how well Johnson sold his inside route and broke down Humphrey.
Look closely on this play and you can see that pre-snap, Humphrey established inside leverage with his left foot being inside of Johnson. That's a clear indicator of man coverage and that he'll try to maintain that leverage, so Johnson has to get him to overcommit to open back up the outside, where his route will take him.
Using Pat Freiermuth as a quick shield, Johnson's route forced Humphrey to cut so far inside that whenever Johnson did decide to cutback, it would be too late, and he would be wide open going back to the outside:
That kind of quickness and burst in his routes makes him an immediate X-factor threat that defenses have to respect.
The key for Roethlisberger and Canada moving forward is how they can maximize having that kind of threat on the field. Defenses will scheme up ways to help cornerbacks avoid single coverage who can't keep up, and defensive backs who might not even be assigned to help will feel pressured in crucial moments to leave their assignments to help against Johnson.
That's what happened with Freiermuth's two-point conversion right after Johnson's touchdown. Notice how cornerback Jimmy Smith ends up having the flat zone to the sideline as his responsibility on this play, but he gave it up in an effort to help against Johnson's route to the end zone.
By the time he realized Freiermuth was just walking to the flat, it was too late to stop Roethlisberger's quick pass:
That's where the Steelers' offense does have hope to become more of a threat this season.
Johnson can't be the lone receiving threat, but Freiermuth and Harris have both shown they can be consistent contributors this season. If Canada wants to turn his unit's season around, scheming up route combinations based off Johnson's ability as an X-factor receiver will be key.
The Steelers need to stack Johnson more with Freiermuth, Harris and Claypool to force defenses to decide between letting Johnson work against single coverage, or applying extra help against him and exposing another
