Story by
Darnell Washington's Rising PFF Grades Illustrate Tight End's Impact on Steelers' Offense
- Story by
- Darnell Washington's Rising PFF Grades Illustrate Tight End's Impact on Steelers' Offense
Darnell Washington's Rising PFF Grades Illustrate Tight End's Impact on Steelers' Offense originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh . Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Darnell Washington has only gotten better with an increased role in the Steelers ' offense.
Advertisement
The massive tight end had his best performance as a receiver in a 27-6 win over the Browns on Sunday, finishing with three receptions for a career-high 94 yards, including a 58-yard catch-and-run play in the third quarter.
Washington's rumble down the sideline set up Jaylen Warren for a one-yard touchdown run.
Washington's ability to make impact plays as a big target for Aaron Rodgers and blocker in the running game can create huge matchup problems for opposing defenses. As Washington has become more comfortable in Mike McCarthy's system, Pittsburgh has utilized him in various packages and seen positive results.
| Week |
Opponent |
Washington grade |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
vs. Falcons |
65.6 |
| 2 |
at Patriots |
73.7 |
| 3 |
vs. Bengals |
71.2 |
| 4 |
at Browns |
74.3 |
| 5 |
vs. Colts |
72.8 |
| 6 |
at Buccaneers |
54.9 |
| 7 |
vs. Saints |
81.5 |
| 8 |
vs. Browns |
91.8 |
In the Steelers' latest victory, Washington posted a PFF grade of 91.8, his highest mark of the season. His PFF grades throughout the year have shown that he is a steady presence, as he has posted a grade above 70 in six of Pittsburgh's eight games.
Advertisement
While there was a dip against the Bucs, Washington's grades have been stellar in the last two weeks. The Steelers are hoping that he can maintain that level of excellence following their bye week.
Steelers PFF grades vs. Browns
Steelers offense grades
| Rank |
Player |
Position |
Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Darnell Washington |
TE-R |
91.8 |
| 2 |
Jaylen Warren |
HB |
87.5 |
| 3 |
Brandon Johnson |
RWR |
77.1 |
| 4 |
Zach Frazier |
C |
73.3 |
| 5 |
Pat Freiermuth |
TE-L |
72.8 |
| 6 |
Spencer Anderson |
RG |
72.7 |
| 7 |
Rico Dowdle |
HB |
69.6 |
| 8 |
Germie Bernard |
RWR |
65.6 |
| 9 |
Aaron Rodgers |
QB |
65.1 |
| 10 |
Troy Fautanu |
LT |
61.4 |
Steelers defense grades
| Rank |
Player |
Position |
Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Daylen Everette |
RCB |
98.0 |
| 2 |
Yahya Black |
NT |
82.6 |
| 3 |
Patrick Queen |
WLB |
75.6 |
| 4 |
Nick Herbig |
ROLB |
73.1 |
| 5 |
Cameron Heyward |
DRT |
72.5 |
| 6 |
Robert Spears-Jennings |
FS |
71.4 |
| 7 |
Asante Samuel Jr. |
LCB |
67.9 |
| 8 |
DeShon Elliott |
FS |
67.0 |
| 9 |
Jalen Ramsey |
FS |
66.1 |
| 10 |
Keeanu Benton |
DLT |
63.4 |
