Rookie Dalton Kincaid finished the season strong.
The Pittsburgh Steelers defense finished the season struggling in defending tight ends.
That would not seem to portend well for the Steelers in their playoff opener Sunday against Kincaid’s Buffalo Bills.
Kincaid, the first tight end selected in last year’s draft at No. 25 overall, had his two highest yardage totals of his young career the past two weeks (87 and 84 yards) as Buffalo charged into the playoffs.
“It’s like a lot of young guys, as the season goes on you learn a little bit more about them and what they can do and where you feel comfortable with them,” Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. “I think that’s probably what’s happening there. He’s been there all year, and all of a sudden, he starts to increase in his production, because I think the quarterback is familiar and comfortable with him, he’s familiar and more comfortable with the offense, and those things go hand in hand.”
Dalton Kincaid isn’t second-guessing his life choices at all, not after his 73 catches set a single-season record for #Bills tight ends and were the most by a Buffalo rookie at any position. https://t.co/uHzXDVHeWs
— Tribune-Review Sports (@TribSports) January 11, 2024
The problem from the Steelers’ end is they allowed six touchdowns to tight ends over the final seven games of the regular season. It’s not a coincidence this began after injuries (and a suspension) started to decimate their corps of inside linebackers and safeties.
The good news is safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick and Damontae Kazee are expected to return against the Bills after three-game absences, and inside linebacker Elandon Roberts also returned to the lineup last week.
Still, the Steelers have allowed opposing tight ends an average of six receptions per game over the past seven weeks. In their three most recent meetings against tight ends who finished the season with more catches than Kincaid (he had 73, eighth among NFL tight ends), the Steelers allowed an average of 8.3 receptions per game to them.
Only five NFL teams gave up more tight end touchdowns this season than the Steelers (seven).
Over his past two games, Kincaid has had receptions of 51, 29, 26 and 18 yards.
“When you watch him run, he’s really a smooth runner,” Austin said. “He really catches the ball easily.”
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