Lateral Moves: Analyzing Diontae Johnson’s YAC attack in 2022

One of 2022’s familiar narratives has resurfaced in the wake of Art Rooney’s comments on YAC. Critics say Dionate Johnson lacks YAC, because he runs backwards after the catch, instead of attacking downfield.

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But it’s not just the keyboard gangsters who question DJ’s game. Even BTSC “Stat Geek” listener @pruez43 wants to know if Diontae has been giving up yards after the catch, instead of accumulating them.

Is This Even a Thing?

The narrative is that it’s Diontae’s M.O. to have bad above-the-neck play after the catch; that he gives up more yards than gains. But after analyzing DJ’s 86 catches of the 2022 season, I’ve identified only 8 plays, where his post-catch decision proved costly, and even those were not game-changing moments. Many of the other moments that critics would like to lump into this category are not above-the-neck mistakes, but simply the physics and momentum of an athlete running back to the ball.

Where Did This Narrative Come From?

Diontae’s first catch of the 2022 season came up short of the sticks on a 3rd and 2. He made the catch coming back to the ball, and his momentum took him back a yard as he turned his body around. To some, it gave the appearance that he was giving up YAC. This same type of catch happened twice more that game, including a key 3rd down in overtime, where Johnson spun back 3 yards before being tackled for negative YAC and not converting the first.

How Often Did DJ Do This?

DJ spent a lot of time coming back to the ball in 2022. Sometimes it was a designed route like a curl, but often he was just coming back to a scrambling quarterback. 32 of his 86 receptions fit this situation, more than a third of his entire output. 9 of those 32 plays resulted in negative YAC, and 3 of those 9 were still good enough for a first down. However 20 plays led to positive YAC, including 6 first downs that were converted because of YAC.

Let’s Talk More About Physics

The difference between YAC and lack thereof often comes down to how quickly Diontae turns his body around after making the catch. 60% of the time, he gets turned around within a yard or less of the catch. Twice it took him 3 yards before he started moving upfield. And once he even looped back 5 yards trying to turn around. Often DJ’s momentum was determined by the pressure on the QB: the further the quarterback was flushed out of the pocket, the further and harder the receivers were running back to the ball, and the harder it was for Johnson to get turned around after the catch.

What About Those 8 Costly Plays?

The critics aren’t completely wrong about DJ’s YAC game. There were 8 plays of this variety that can characterized as costly (some in the broadest sense of the word). In Cincinnati, he failed to convert that first 3rd down (although the ref gave him a very meager spot). Later in that game in OT, a wide three-yard turn around after the catch prevented him from converted a 3rd and 4 (just moments after his 1-handed catch of the year). Against New Orleans, he spun out of a potential first down (Steelers would convert the 3rd & 1). In Indianapolis, he decided to run laterally on a 2nd & 14 catch, instead of turning upfield (Kenny converted the next play). Against Baltimore, he tried dancing around during a WR screen that had little chance for success. In Carolina, DJ took an unusually large 5 yards to get turned around from a second quarter catch. Against Vegas, Diontae tried to juke out a defender on a 3rd & 8, but ended up losing YAC (it was still a 1st down conversion). And against Cleveland, he runs backwards, missing the first down, as he heads out of bounds on 2nd & 7 completion (Steelers converted on the next play).

The Bottom Line

Yards after the catch were low this year, but the narrative that DJ is a backwards runner doesn’t hold up to the tape. His performance after the catch did not cost the team any games. He’s just as likely to create splash with his YAC.

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DJ’s 2022 Reception Logs

Game 1 - Cincinnati 7 catches

• 3:54 3rd 2nd & 12 own 30. VIDEO N/A
• 13:21 4th 2nd & 12 own 23. Catch at 30, spins back 2 yds, gets to 29. -1 YAC.
• 12:13 4th 3rd & 2 opp 37. Catch at 30, out of bounds. 0 YAC.
• 3:33 OT 1st & 10 own 20. Catch at 45, out of bounds. 0 YAC.
• 0:51 OT 2nd & 10 own 20. Catch at 31, tackled. 0 YAC.

Game 2- New England 6 catches

• 5:21 1st 3rd & 3 own 32. Catch at 35, falls to 3. 2 YAC.
• 13:40 2nd 3rd & 10 own 47. Catch at 40, out of bounds. 0 YAC.
• 12:19 2nd 3rd & 17 opp 47. Catch at 30, out of bounds. 0 YAC.
• 7:50 3rd 2nd & 9 own 44. Catch at 45, spins back 0.5 yd & tackled for 1st. -0.5 YAC.
• 7:06 3rd 2nd & 10 opp 35. Catch at 37, fights to 33. 4 YAC.
• 0:59 3rd 1st & 10 opp 27. Catch at 15, out of bounds. 0 YAC.

Game 3- Cleveland 8 catches

• 13:00 1st 1st & 10 own 20. Catch at 33, out of bounds. 0 YAC.
• 2:15 1st 2nd & 7 own 28. Catch at 34, makes inside move to 39. 5 YAC.
• 8:58 2nd 1st & 10 own 25. Catch at 31, out of bounds at 32. 1 YAC.
• 7:36 2nd 1st & 10 own 36. Catch at opp 45, spins back 2 yds, out of bounds 47. -2 YAC.
• 14:55 3rd 1st & 10 own 16. Catch at 12, runs laterally, reaches edge to 15 & 1st. 3 YAC.
• 10:22 3rd 2nd & 19 own 45. Catch at 40, spins back 1 yd, knocked out at 39. -1 YAC.
• 3:13 4th 1st & 10 own 20. Catch at 33, out of bounds. 0 YAC.
• 0:09 4th 1st & 10 own 4. Catch at 18, pitched fumble

Game 4- NY Jets 2 catches

• 7:31 4th 1st & 10 own 25. Catch at 25, plows to 30. 5 YAC.
• 6:53 4th 2nd & 4 own 30. Catch at 29, cuts up to 36. 6 YAC.

Game 5- Bills 5 catches

• 1:35 1st 2nd & 17 own 18. Catch at 25, spins back 0 yds, gets to 29. 4 YAC.
• 6:01 2nd 2nd & 10 own 46. Catch at opp 49, taken out of bounds at 49. 0 YAC.
• 15:00 3rd 1st & 25 own 25. Catch at 47, spins back 1 yd, gets to 50. 3 YAC.
• 12:17 3rd 1st & 10 opp 24. Catch at 18, taken out of bounds at 18. 0 YAC.
• 2:41 3rd 1st & 10 opp 38. Catch at 28, spins back 2 yds, jukes, gets to 24 & 1st. 4 YAC.

Game 6- Bucs 5 catches

• 13:30 1st 2nd & 2 own 42. Catch at 47, shuffles back to 46 & 1st. -1 YAC.
• 8:31 1st 1st & goal opp 10. Catch at 6, tackled at catch 0 YAC.
• 6:41 2nd 3rd & 6 opp 45. Catch at 35, tackled at catch 0 YAC.
• 5:34 2nd 2nd & 20 opp 46. Catch at 42, falls to 41. 0 YAC.
• 14:48 3rd 1st & 10 opp 12. Catch at 7, out of bounds at 6. 1 YAC.

Game 7- Miami 5 catches

• 1:51 1st 2nd & 6 own 29. Catch at 24, screen to 33. 9 YAC.
• 6:39 2nd 3rd & 2 own 48. Catch at 47, tackled at catch 0 YAC.
• 8:32 3rd 2nd & 10 own 15. Catch at 27, tackled at catch 0 YAC.
• 8:07 3rd 1st & 10 own 27. Catch at 31, turns upfield dives to 32. 1 YAC.
• 0:48 4th 2nd & 10 opp 47. Catch at 47, jukes, gets out of bounds at 33. 14 YAC.

Game 8- Philadelphia 5 catches

• 8:49 1st 2nd & 5 own 30. Catch at 34, tricky throw to catch, down at 33. -1 YAC.
• 8:15 1st 2nd & 10 own 25. Catch at 23, screen to 34. 11 YAC.
• 10:30 3rd 1st & 10 opp 48. Catch at 45, spins back 0.5 yds, gets to 43. 2 YAC.
• 6:43 3rd 2nd & 10 opp 17. Catch at 14, spins back 0 yds, gets to 11. 3 YAC.
• 1:17 3rd 2nd & 7 own 4. Catch at 8, spins back 1 yd, stumbles, gets to 10. 2 YAC.

Game 9- New Orleans 4 catches

• 6:16 1st 2nd & 10 opp 17. Catch at 9, slants upfield to 6. 3 YAC.
• 1:36 1st 1st & 10 own 37. Catch at 45, goes out of bounds at 45. 0 YAC.
• 1:27 3rd 1st & 10 own 44. Catch at 24, falls at 20. 4 YAC.

Game 10- Cincinnati 4 catches

• 3:48 2nd 1st & 20 own 44. Catch at 48, spins back 0 yds, gets to opp 48. 4 YAC.
• 3:08 2nd 2nd & 12 opp 48. Catch at 42, spins back, tackled at catch. 0 YAC.
• 2:00 2nd 2nd & 9 opp 24. Catch at 21, spins back 0 yds, gets to 19. 2 YAC.
• 15:00 3rd 1st & 10 own 25. Catch at 20, screen gets to 26. 6 YAC.

Game 11- Indianapolis 5 catches

• 14:25 1st 2nd & 3 own 32. Catch at 37, turns upfield to 44. 7 YAC.
• 13:11 1st 2nd & 10 own 44. Catch at 47, spins back 0 yds, gets to 45 & 1st. 2 YAC.
• 3:09 2nd 1st & 10 own 37. Catch at 46, falls to ground at 46. 0 YAC.
• 1:17 2nd 2nd & 8 opp 20. Catch at 14, turns upfield to 11 & 1st. 3 YAC.

Game 12- Atlanta 5 catches

• 13:12 1st 1st & 10 own 37. Catch at 41, spins back 2 yds, dances, gets to 45. 4 YAC.
• 00:43 1st 2nd & 6 own 44. Catch at 50, spins back 1 yd, gets to opp 46. 4 YAC.
• 5:05 2nd 1st & 10 own 25. catch at 45, goes out of bounds at 45. 0 YAC.
• 9:05 3rd 2nd & 10 own 31. Catch at 34, turns upfield to 44. 10 YAC.
• 2:00 4th 2nd & 8 opp 49. Catch at 42, backtracks to 44, gets to 39 & 1st. 3 YAC.

Game 13- Baltimore 6 catches

• 11:37 2nd 1st & 10 own 36. Catch at 45, spins back 2 yds, gets to 44. -1 YAC
• 1:03 1st 1st & 10 own 25. Catch at fall at 36. 0 YAC.
• 13:39 3rd 3rd & 4 own 31. Catch at 39, spins gets to 45. 6 YAC
• 3:54 3rd 2nd & 11 own 43. Catch at 48, spin back 1 yd, break tackle to opp 46. 6 YAC.
• 3:17 4th 2nd & 10 own 25. Catch at opp 45 in stride, to 37. 8 YAC.

Game 14- Carolina 10 catches

• 11:30 1st 3rd & 6 own 36. Catch at 43 on a slant, absorbs hit to 45. 2 YAC.
• 8:09 1st 1st & 10 opp 31. Catch at 31, dance and weave to 27. 4 YAC.
• 14:48 3rd 1st & 10 own 9. Catch at 12, spins 0 yds, gets to 16. 4 YAC.
• 12:03 3rd 3rd & 9 own 19. Catch at 32, goes out at 31. -1 YAC
• 9:03 3rd 2nd & 9 opp 37. Catch at 21, spins back 2 yds, dances up to 19. 2 YAC
• 7:13 3rd 3rd & 6 opp 15. Catch at 10 spins back 3 yds, dodges tackles to 8. 2 YAC.
• 5:57 3rd 2nd & 10 opp 22. Catch at 18, cuts up to 13. 5 YAC.
• 5:29 4th 3rd & 14 own 20. Catch at 31, cuts up, spins to 41. 10 YAC.
• 3:14 4th 3rd & 6 own 44. Catch at opp 48.5, spins up to 48. 0.5 YAC.

Game 15- Las Vegas 5 catches

• 5:28 1st 3rd & 4 own 31. Catch at 39, immediate cut upfield to 43. 4 YAC
• 00:07 1st 2nd & 8 own 41. Catch at 46, spins back 1.5 yards, gets to opp 44. 10 YAC
• 14:26 2nd 2nd & 10 opp 44. Catch at 34, spins back 1 yd, gets to 31. 3 YAC
• 13:14 4th 1st & 20 opp 47. Catch at 44, spins back 1 yd, gets to 44. 0 YAC

Game 16- Baltimore 2 catches

• 12:18 2nd 2nd & 17 own 31.5. catch at 41, spins back 1 yd before getting to 46. 5 YAC
• 11:47 4th 3rd & 4 opp 36. Catch at 33, spins back 2 yds before getting to 15. 18 YAC

Game 17- Cleveland 2 catches

• 8:29 1st 3rd & 8 opp 34. catch at the 23, turns, moves up field to the 2. 21 YAC.

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Kyle Chrise is the host of the BTSC podcast “What Yinz Talkin’ Bout.” New episodes are released every Thursday. Kyle joined Dave Schofield on this week’s Steelers Stat Geek podcast to talk about this topic. Check it out in the player below: