The Pittsburgh Steelers got the much-needed win against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, and DB Jalen Ramsey saw himself thrust into the full-time starting safety role on Sunday when S Chuck Clark was ruled out with an illness. At the same time, DeShonn Elliott and Jabrill Peppers missed the game due to injury.
As Ross McCorkle pointed out, Ramsey represented himself well. He played primarily deep/free safety and logged five total tackles, while serving as an enforcer over the middle of the defense. Ramsey had a couple of big hits in the game, including this one on TE Tyler Warren in the flat on third-and-short to force Indy to kick the field goal.
Ramsey had another big hit later in the contest, putting a licking on WR Michael Pittman. However, Ramsey was flagged for unnecessary roughness as he launched himself into Pittman near the head and neck area, resulting in a penalty. Still, the catch put Indianapolis inside the red zone in scoring position.
Regarding tackling in this game, Ramsey was hot and cold, making some good plays but others that he could have wanted back. In the first clip, watch as Ramsey comes downhill to tackle the receiver after making the catch near the line of scrimmage, breaking down and putting Pittman on the ground as he stumbles forward, attempting to pick up more yardage.
However, in this clip against WR Alec Pierce, Ramsey misses the tackle along the sideline, having CB Darius Slay miss the tip as he jumps up into the air to deflect the pass. Ramsey is out of position coming in to make the tackle, missing at Pierce’s feet as LB Payton Wilson flies in to make the stop to save the touchdown.
What Ramsey did notably well on Sunday was his ability to cover and blanket opposing tight ends, having the size and speed to match up with them in pass coverage. Watch this rep against Tyler Warren, following him as he goes in motion, then manages to stay with him step for step, forcing QB Daniel Jones to look another way, but still throws an incomplete pass.
Former Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger mentioned in a previous podcast that he’d like to see Ramsey as more of a “TE eliminator” in the slot. While Ramsey played more as a traditional safety in this game against the Colts, we did see him operate well against tight ends in coverage and be a big reason why TE Tyler Warren mustered only five receptions for 26 yards as one of the best young tight ends in the game as a rookie.
It was a good showing for Ramsey, who needed a bounce-back game after getting beaten badly the last couple of games. He showcased more of his physicality and instincts at safety while still utilizing his combination of size and athleticism, which hasn’t held up as well on the outside.
Aaron Rodgers mentioned that Ramsey spoke life into the team the night before the game, stating that they needed to play the game with an edge. That edge was apparent for Ramsey, who may continue to stick at safety for Pittsburgh moving forward after better results against the Colts.
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