After re-watching the Packers game, here are three plays that made me go hmmm, for various reasons. In general, I either focus on a theme, more nuanced observations, or just things I didn't notice watching live. These can be but are less likely to be "highlight" plays. I present these to you with a short explanation why I picked them and then let you readers discuss the plays.
Perfection - Getting the ball to Tucker Kraft in the red zone on variations of this play has proven to be perhaps the Packers' most successful red zone play other than just handing off to Josh Jacobs near the goal line. Kraft has shown that once he gets a head of steam, even if you can tackle him, he's going to carry you for more yardage and make you sorry you tried. With Christian Watson back, here the Packers improve on this play by using their two best blocking wide receivers, Watson and Malik Heath, to pave a path to the end zone for Kraft. An underrated aspect of this play is how quickly the ball gets into Kraft's hands. A microsecond slower and TJ Watt knocks down the pass. A slower execution and the two Steelers in pursuit likely get to Kraft around the 12 yard line. Heath's block springs Kraft and then Watson is just the insurance block, as I don't think any DB was stopping Kraft with a full head of steam inside the five yard line.
Two Out of Three Ain't Bad - The best part of this play is Sean Rhyan. The Steelers send six on this play. Initially he is holding up two pass rushers. When he senses the rusher on his left is going to try to loop around the rusher on his right, he one-handedly throws the right side rusher to the ground and ends up helping out Jenkins with his rusher. Josh Jacobs is there to pick up the loop-around rusher and all is handled on the interior, as it basically became a four-on-four. That left the Packers' tackles one on one with the Steelers' dangerous outside rushers. Zach Tom had the most difficult task, and throughout the game did as fine a job as you can expect on Watt, not giving up a sack and allowing a couple of pressures. Tom was severely tested on this play and in an effort to keep Watt off of Love ends up being called for a hands to the face penalty. Watt's rush forced Love to move to his left and into the path of the speed-rushing Highsmith, who after being chipped by Kraft, was battling with Rasheed Walker. Had Love been able to stay centered in the pocket, Walker likely would have redirected Highsmith past Love, but that wasn't the case. Highsmith and Watt hit Love in a rather dangerous one-two combination, especially Watt going after Love's legs from behind while Highsmith was taking him down. The result was a penalty on Watt. Watching it in slow motion, the saving grace was that Highsmith's hit lifted Love's feet off the ground and that's where they were when Watt submarined him from behind. Had Love's feet been planted, this play could have had a very bad outcome.
WTF? Keisean - While this play certainly flummoxed me, it didn't make me go Hmmm, it was much more of a WTF? This is the second time now that Keisean has either 1) given up on a receiver's route or 2) completely lost track of his man downfield. Whatever the reason, big plays ensued and this is not something that can be excused. Pass interference penalties where you're being aggressive in trying to stop a completion happen, and they are easier to accept. As the leader of the Carrington Valentine fan club, I can tell you one thing, this type of lapse would not happen to Valentine. If the receiver ran off the field into the locker room to take a piss, Valentine would have follow him there. Nixon needs to clean this up.