JuJu Smith-Schuster’s Own Faults

JuJu Smith-Schuster entered 2019 with more attention than he’s ever had in his pro career, not just from fans and media, but from opposing defenses as well. No longer would he have help from talented players like Brown to attract attention from defenders. Juju was THE guy in 2019. The WR1 that secondaries were gunning for from the start. And oftentimes, Smith-Schuster struggled with that added responsibility, failing to create separation on his routes against a mored dedicated defensive effort.

Not only did Smith-Schuster’s production in the offense take a hit, but the opportunities he had to add to his production were also limited as well. The Steelers’ receiver’s targets within the offense dropped to 70 total. Being held out of four games late in the season due to lingering injuries didn’t help his cause, but his per-game targets were cut nearly in half from where they were in 2018.

Some of the blame falls on the shoulders of Smith-Schuster, who was locked up more than you would expect from a WR1 against some truly tough defensive opponents. That said, many of Smith-Schuster’s target share struggles can once again be traced back to quarterback play.