Well, it was nice while it lasted…
In recent weeks, the Steelers began utilizing rookie Chase Claypool as a “No. 1” receiver, and his numbers reflected it.
Opponents, however, were not treating him as a No. 1. Claypool and his team were reaping the benefits of their adversary’s oversight.
That is until Tennessee.
In prepping for Week 4… strike that… Week 7, the Tennessee Titans figured out what Pittsburgh already knew: Chase Claypool is somethin’ special.
Tennessee had the luxury of extra prep time for the Steelers due to their Week 4 matchup postponement. That extra time offered the Titans a solid glimpse of just how the Steelers were using Claypool, his progression through the weeks, and the spark he provided on offense.
Chase Claypool: only player in the NFL w/ 3 rec. TDs gaining 30+ yards pic.twitter.com/xdHYwHx8E7
— PFF (@PFF) October 29, 2020
In six games (two starts), Claypool, affectionately known as Mapletron, has done far more than anyone outside of the organization thought he would. Through Week 6, Chase supplied 356 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns.
Mapletron showed all the tools of a playmaker, and Tennessee was the first to challenge that notion by successfully shutting him down. He drew double teams for the first time this season. Cornerback Malcolm Butler and safety Kevin Byard did an unfortunately stellar job taking him out of the game.
On a short pass in his first opportunity early in the second quarter, Chase was tackled by Jadeveon Clowney two yards behind the line and fumbled. Thanks to awareness the rookie has shown week-in and week-out, Chase recovered the ball. In the next quarter, a pass to Claypool was incomplete, interfered with by Malcolm Butler, which drew a flag. In the fourth, a big spin move on a critical third-down conversion was walked back thanks to pass interference on running back Jaylen Samuels.
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Hopefully, next week Chase will see more opportunities in one-on-one coverage. Short passes have been the name of Ben Roethlisberger’s game, but the Steelers will need to test the Ravens’ defensive backs vertically.
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