Seahawks WR DK Metcalf is a problem the Steelers need to have an answer for

After facing Josh Gordon, Julian Edelman and the Patriots last week, the Steelers are going to get a similar match-up facing DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and the Seahawks in Week 2.

DK Metcalf is at the bottom of the screen.

This is the deep threat he’s always been. He’s big, and fast enough to just take outside leverage and run up the field. It’s really hard to overthrow him. Here Russell Wilson under-throws him a bit, so he slows up while getting in-front of the DB and still makes the catch.

Here’s a better shot of the catch.

Look at his feet, the defenders left shoulder, DK just runs through the defender to get the ball, his strength and bulk allow him to bully the DB without laying hands on him.

That’s who we knew he was. The problem Metcalf had was he didn’t do anything else in college, and teams would camp on the deep ball knowing he wasn’t going to run other routes. That has changed.

DK Metcalf is at the bottom of the screen.

This is the slant that Calvin Johnson used to run all the time. It’s not a quick slant designed to get YAC, this slant is designed to create a window for the ball by blocking the DB with the WR’s frame. DK Metcalf doesn’t make 90 degree cuts, Calvin Johnson didn’t either, but you can’t sit on the go route against him if he’s running this route. That’s a 16-yard gain, and he’s not easy to bring down. Calvin Johnson earned the nickname Megatron by breaking a tackle on these routes and going for big yardage frequently.

He also showed he can make plays for his QB when things go wrong.

DK Metcalf is at the top of the screen.

The route ends, his QB is scrambling and Metcalf just starts running. Wilson’s lob puts DK in a bad spot but he comes down with the catch anyway, converting the third down.

The Steelers are going to need to put effort, and possibly multiple players into guarding Metcalf this week. Of course, Cincinnati did that and then this happened:

Metcalf starts the play lined up off-screen to the left, Tyler Lockett off-screen in the slot to the right.

Several things happen in this play. First, Wilson motions the TE, and the defense confirms that they are running a cover-3 zone. Second, the play action keeps the FS up a bit to start the play. As the run is revealed to be a fake Wilson goes from looking right to looking directly at Metcalf, the Safety who was starting to turn to follow Lockett let’s him go and focuses on DK Metcalf, who has been killing the Bengals all game. Lockett changes direction and catches the ball wide-open right where the FS needed to be.

Just look at Jessie Bates’ (#30, top middle partly on screen) feet. They manipulated him perfectly. You can see DK Metcalf raise his hand as soon as Russel Wilson throws that ball over his head, he knows they got it. They designed that play to take advantage of the attention the Bengals safeties were paying to Metcalf.

That’s the kind of play design you see Bill Belichick torch the Steelers with every year. If Kam Kelly or Sean Davis get caught up in play action and worrying about DK Metcalf, the Seahawks will take advantage.

The Seahawks ran a lot of their offense through DK Metcalf, how the Steelers defend him will be a big factor in the result of Week 2.