Tag Archives: Cordarrelle Patterson

Cordarrelle Patterson Cut. Did Arthur Smith Bring “False Friends” to the Steelers?

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When news broke that the Steelers cut Cordarrelle Patterson earlier this week observers the reaction of many was, “What took them so long?”

Cordarelle Patterson, Steelers vs Colts

Cordarrelle Patterson runs against the Colts. Photo Credit: AP Photo/Michael Conroy

They may be right – I think the Steelers were probably wise to bring him to camp, but my conclusions track in a different direction. Namely that the Cordarrelle Patterson experiment highlights the dangers of “False Friends” in NFL roster building.

Let’s clarify something important here: Using “False Friends” to describe Cordarrelle Patterson or the other players soon to be mentioned, says nothing about their character, work ethnic or presence in the locker room.

  • Rather, “False Friends” in this context is a concept borrowed from second language acquisition.

Take the words “assist” and “asistir” in English and Spanish. In my first week living in Buenos Aires, Mari my Argentine “aunt” asked me, “Te vas a asistir la clase de Jose Luis hoy?”

Although I was planning to make an appearance at my friend Jose Luis’ English class that afternoon, I responded, “No. Si voy, pero no voy a asistir.” thinking she was asking me if I was planning on helping her son teach the class.

This thoroughly confused Mari, who spoke no English and had many, many virtues — none of which was patience, because “asistir” in Spanish means “attend.” There’s a strong chance I further confounded her by saying something like, “Si. Voy a attender us clase, pero no voy a asistir.” (“Attender” in Spanish sort of means to “help” someone, but I was using it completely out of context.)

The concept of “False Friends” applies here due to Patterson’s relationship with Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Patterson played for Smith, and he was one of the more notable free agent signings in the 2024 off season.

The Steelers also signed Van Jefferson and MyCole Pruitt, two other players with a productive history from their time playing under Arthur Smith.

Pruitt almost certainly cost Connor Heyward snaps, but failed to deliver much on the field. Van Jefferson was not only a substandard NFL WR No. 2 by today’s standards, he was badly outclassed by other lackluster Steelers WR No 2’s from yesteryear such as Charles Lockett and Derek Hill. (Dwight Stone looked like a Pro Bowler compared to Jefferson.)

  • The Steelers signed Patterson due to his kick-returning prowess.

However, the Steelers got no spark from their kick return game in 2024, despite the rule changes and despite Patterson’s pedigree. Bringing Patterson to camp still made sense to this scribe, given how well he ran during limited duty against the Raiders and Colts.

But he got injured at Indianapolis and never got back on track. Giving him one last chance seemed to be a no brainer, low-risk risk high-reward move.

When a coach arrives at a new team, the idea of bringing some of his former players into the fold to recapture old magic can often be irresistible. Sometimes, as then rookie coach Mike Tomlin found out with Allen Rossum and Sean Mahan in 2007 they don’t always work out.

But there’s a flip side to this story:

A year later the Steelers signed Mewelde Moore who was the Unsung Hero of the 2008 season and delivered a critical block freeing Ben Roethlisberger to find Santonio Holmes in Super Bowl XLIII.

Fortunately, former players don’t always turn out to be “False Friends.”

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Steelers Draft Kaleb Johnson in 3rd Round of 2025 NFL Draft

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The wait on Day 2 was long, but the Steelers drafted Kaleb Johnson in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

We’ll have to wait to see if Kaleb Johnson can live up to the Steelers legacy of excellence at running back, but this pick galvanizes Omar Khan and Andy Weidl’s vision for building a roster. During their first two drafts they focused on building their offensive line, with Johnson in the fold they’ve now shifted to putting someone behind the line.

  • And just who are they putting behind the line?

Here’s where it gets interesting. The Steelers hosted 9 running backs at the South Side for pre-draft visits. And based on those visits, commentators concluded that the Steelers were focusing on speed over size.

Kaleb Johnson, Kaleb Johnson Steelers 2nd round pick 2025

Kaleb Johnson rushes for the Hawkeyes. Photo Credit: Ryan Sun AP, via YourEire.com

But, like with the feint towards Shedeur Sanders, the Steelers had something else in mind, as Kaleb Johnson stands 6-1, and weighs 224. As Jim Wexell points out, this makes him a veritable clone of Le’Veon Bell, who was 3/8s of an inch taller and 6 pounds heavier, although Johnson ran the 40 three hundredth’s of a second faster than Bell

When asked to explain the pick, Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s comments were very insightful, offering:

One of the more instinctive backs that I’ve watched in a couple of years coming out of the draft. Perfect fit regardless of whatever run scheme you’re running. He ran multiple (schemes) at Iowa. Really impressive as a volume runner as the game went on, and one of the more impressive stats you’ve seen in the fourth quarter — what he averaged in the fourth quarter. I believe it was over 5 yards per carry. Might have been closer to 6.

Playing his college ball at Iowa, Johnson faced a lot of stacked boxes and did exceptionally well at it. That’s a skill that could serve him well in Pittsburgh, especially if Aaron Rodgers decides to drive a truck and the Steelers go with Mason Rudolph for 2025.

  • But Smith’s comment about Johnson’s ability to wear down defenses is particularly enticing.

The ability to take over games is what distinguishes great running backs from merely good ones. Franco Harris had that ability, as did Jerome Bettis. So did Barry Foster and Le’Veon Bell. Najee Harris was a better back than a lot of scribes give him credit for.

But Harris never really took over a game. Yes, there were times when Harris wore teams down. But those were the exception, not the rule, and if you need further evidence of that, just look to how the Steelers deployed Justin Fields to close out the home win over the Ravens and the road win over the Bengals.

Kaleb Johnson Video Highlights

Here’s a quick clip of some of Johnson’s best work for the Hawkeyes.

https://youtu.be/XwadVKig-js?si=RobvtzmLD3Shm1RM

You can see why Steel City Insider’s Roy Countryman rated him as a 2nd round value pick, and while Dave Bugler rated him as the number 3 running back in the draft.

Johnson will have to win the starting job from Jaylen Warren training camp, and Smith has indicated that Warren could very well retain his third down back role. But this clearly looks like a kid who can play.

Kenneth Gainwell’s roster is certainly secure although he’ll have earn his snaps and, assuming Cordarrelle Patterson doesn’t get a visit from The Turk Monday morning, he’d be wise not to sign a long-term lease in Pittsburgh.

Welcome to Steelers Nation Kaleb Johnson.

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Pittsburgh Steelers 2025 Draft Needs @ Running Back – High

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It used to be, that going into the  NFL Draft the question wasn’t, “Will a running back be taken in the first round?” but “How many?”

And if you think that’s Baby Boomer or Generation X nostalgia, consider that in the 2008 NFL Draft, 5 running backs went in the first round, followed by 3 over the next two years, which maintained the historical average.

Times have changed.

When the Steelers took Najee Harris in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, eyes rolled and critics charged that Kevin Colbert was behind the times. They might have been on to something. The Steelers let Harris go without a fight in free agency.

But the 2025 NFL Draft is said to be running back rich, and the running game is seeing a bit of a resurgence in the NFL. So might Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin draft another running back in the first round here in 2025?

Jaylen Warren, Robert Spillane, Steelers vs Raiders

Former Friends: Robert Spillane tries to tackle Jaylen Warren. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Steelers Depth Cart at Running Back: The Starter

One of the reasons why the Steelers were so willing to let Najee Harris leave in free agency is because Jaylen Warren has been waiting in the wings. Warren first made the Steelers roster as part of the 2022 undrafted rookie free agent class, where he won the third-down back role in training camp.

During his first two years Warren played well enough that both fans and press to call for him to start over Harris, particularly in the early going of the 2022 and 2023 seasons when Harris suffered from slow starts.

In 3 years with the Steelers Jaylen Warren has proven himself to be a running back who hits holes decisively. And, while it doesn’t get talked about much, Warren has proven to be an effective pass catcher capable of transforming check down passes into far bigger gains.

The Steelers gave Warren a restricted free agent tender that kept him with the team, giving him what amounts to a “prove it year.”

And Warren does have something to prove. He’s never had more than 15 carries in a game, and he’s got an alarmingly high fumble rate.

Steelers Running Back Depth Chart: The Backups

Cordarrelle Patterson heads up the Steelers depth chart at running back behind Jaylen Warren. Yes, that’s right, Patterson remains on the Steelers roster, surprisingly, as he was expected to be a cap casualty. Patterson only had 32 carries in 2024, but he ran extremely well in limited duty in the win against the Raiders and the loss to the Colts.

The Steelers signed Kenneth Gainwell in free agency. Gainwell had 3 strong years with the Eagles as a third down back, although his production did slip in his 4th season. Still, he brings 66 games, 280 carries, 102 catches of experience to Pittsburgh.

Also on the roster were Jonathan Ward and Aaron Shampklin who were practice squanders for the Steelers in 2024 and saw spot duty. Rounding out the group is Evan Hull, who spent 2023 and 2024 on the Colts’ practice squad getting into one game, for one carry and one yard. But, according to Steel City Insider’s Roy Countryman, Hull has legitimate “upside” as “an explosive runner (4.47 40) with quick feet who does not shy away from contact.”

The Steelers 2023 Draft Needs @ Running Back

Arthur Smith is an offensive coordinator he believes in the ground game. When he was at Tennessee under Mike Vrabel, it was often said that he ran a “Bill Cowher-style offense.”

  • The Pittsburgh’s running back room is not ready to meet that standard.

Jaylen Warren has flashed he can be a legitimate NFL RB Number 1, but he hasn’t proven it. And as Mike Tomlin seems to be open to doing something other than rushing his running backs “until the wheels fall off” the Steelers need to add a starter-capable running back.

Neither Gainwell nor Patterson fit that bill, the Steelers needs at running back going into the 2025 NFL Draft must be considered High.

 

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Steelers Lose 19-17 to Bengals as Pittsburgh Suffers from Junior Varsity Offense

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The Pittsburgh Steelers lost 19-17 to the Cincinnati Bengals, closing their 2024 season on a four-game losing streak and setting themselves up for yet another “one and done” trip to the playoffs.

There’s nothing mystical about why the Steelers lost this one. Their defense played well. Their special teams played above the line. But they have a junior varsity offense.

George Pickens, George Pickens drop, Steelers vs Bengals

George Pickens with one of various drops. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

#ICYMI Steelers Defense Rebounded

When Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati offense took the opening kick off and moved down the field with methodical precision to score a touchdown after a six minute drive, it looked like we were in for a long night.

And when Burrow, after a 3-play negative 6-yard drive by the Steelers offense stitched together another 11 play six minute drive that reached the Steelers 26 things were looking grim.

  • But Patrick Queen delivered a sack on third down, and forced the Bengals to settle for a field goal.

In fact, that first touchdown was the only one the Bengals would score all night. If you had known going into the game that the Bengals would achieve a 16-minute time of possession advantage, you’d have probably thought Burrow and Company would have put well over 30 points on the board.

Conversely, if you knew going into the game that the Steelers were going to limit the Bengals to 19 points you’d have probably thought that indicated a Pittsburgh victory. The truth is that the Steelers defense stepped up multiple times throughout the night:

  • Cam Heyward batted back 3 passes and should have been credited with a half sack
  • Cory Trice  DeShon Elliott and Payton Wilson all made key stops for losses
  • Keeanu Benton, Preston Smith and Nick Herbig all came up with sacks at critical moments
  • Patrick Queen and Beanie Bishop killed a drive with a pass-deflection, interception combo
  • Joey Porter Jr. deflected a pass to Jamar Chase late in the game

By any measure, the Steelers defense played well enough against the Bengals to win.

Unfortunately, they needed the offense to do its share. The offense wasn’t up to it, as two critical series at the end of both halves reveal.

Defense Delivers, Offense Does Not, First Half

With 3:36 left in the first half, Preston Smith sack Burrow, forcing a Cincinnati punt. Calvin Austin was in route to a decent return, when he put the ball on the ground, with the Bengals recovering and Pittsburgh’s 33.

That seemed to gift-wrap at least 3 if not 7 points for the Bengals. And the Bengals did make it all the way to Pittsburgh’s 21, but there Queen and Bishop combined to pick off the ball, giving Russell Wilson a minute and 10 seconds to get into scoring range.

Wilson hit Pat Freiermuth twice to get things going, but after Replay assist turned a 10 yard gain into a 9-yard gain, the Steelers faced a third and 1. Mike Tomlin chose to be aggressive.

After the game he defended his decision making this way, “If you can’t get a yard you don’t deserve to win.”

  • The Steelers tried a sneak with Russell Wilson on third. It failed.
  • They ran it to Jaylen Warren on 4th down. He failed.

That gave the Bengals the ball at the 37 with 0:48 seconds remaining and allowed the Bengals to kick a 3 point field goal what would ultimately be a two point game.

Special Teams, Defense Deliver, Offense Does Not, Second Half

With 5:25 remaining Corliss Waitman took to the field to punt after yet another three and out. But the ball bounced off of a Bengal’s shoe, and Connor Heyward made the heads up play to recover it.

  • Once again, the Steelers had secured a turnover when they needed it most.

Yet the Steelers offense could only manage 2 yards on 6 plays, thanks to sacks and penalties, and instead of a go-ahead touchdown, the Steelers had to settle for a Chris Boswell field goal.

But the Steelers defense followed with might have been its best effort all night. Joe Burrow only needed to burn 2:29 off the clock on a night when the Bengals already had a 15 minute time of possession advantage.

Burrow only added 29 seconds to that advantage thanks to stout run stuffing by Alex Highsmith, smart pass defense by Corey Thrice and Patrick Queen and Keeanu Benton getting his first sack of the season on third down.

  • The Steelers had a full two minutes to get into field goal range.
  • They managed to run 7 plays during that span.
  • Wilson completed two passes
  • He was sacked once and took off on an ill-advised run on another occasion
  • He missed an open George Pickens

Pat Freiermuth also let a pass slip through his hands on 4th down although it is doubtful that the Steelers would have had time to line up for a field goal had he caught it.

Junior Varsity Offense, Plain and Simple

Seventeen games and four straight losses have revealed a harsh reality about the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers: They have a junior varsity offense.

  • It is as simple as that.

On Steel City Insider, Jim Wexell began arguing at mid-season that “The Steelers have a run-focused offense that lacks a running game.”

In The Athletic Mike DeFabo argues that while the Steelers want their identity to be one as a physical team that pounds the rock, “There’s a serious disconnect between what the Steelers want to be … and what they actually are.”

Both reporters are right, and their comment expose the roots of why the Steelers lost to the Bengals.

And while it is easy to look at how well the Steelers threw against the Bengals just one month ago, Pat Freiermuth Pittsburgh’s only reliable receiving threat when the Bengals visited Acrisure. To wit, on the Steelers last two drives, they tried to air it out instead of “pounding the rock” (the inane pitch to Cordarrelle Patterson notwithstanding) and came up short.

  • Are the Steelers offensive woes rooted in deficiencies of talent or coaching?

That’s a question for Art Rooney II must begin answering next Sunday morning — unless Mike Tomlin can figure out a way to out score “Mr. Jackson” and “Mr. Henry” with a Junior Varsity offense.

Yeah, maybe Art better start thinking long and hard about this question right now.

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Steelers Report Card for Christmas Loss to Chiefs: Failing 3 Straight Term Papers Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher dismayed to see his students fail 3 straight term papers heading into exams, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the Christmas Day loss to the Chiefs at Acrisure.

Travis Kelce, Donte Jackson, Steelers vs Chiefs, Steelers Chiefs Christmas 2024

Travis Kelce scorches the Steelers. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Quarterback
Russell Wilson went 23 of 37 for 205 yards and one interception. He also gave up five sacks and put the ball on the ground again, although he recovered. The Steelers needed an A+ performance from Wilson. Instead they got the opposite. Grade: FSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Najee Harris ran for 74 yards on 13 carries and had 2 catches from 7 yards. Cordarrelle Patterson and 1 catch for 2 yards. The Steelers lost for a lot of reasons against the Chiefs, but collectively the running backs were not one of them. Grade: C

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth had 7 catches for 60 yards, which going into the game should have indicated things were going well. But Freiermuth also had a costly fumble. Darnell Washington had 1 catch for 8 yards but a penalty of his wiped a score off the board. Connor Heyward had 1 catch for 8 yards. Grade: D

Wide Receivers
George Pickens had 3 catches for 60 yards, but 41 of those came on a single moon ball. Calvin Austin had 4 catches for 31 yards. Mike Williams and Van Jefferson had 0 catches on 3 targets. The Steelers needed more from their wide outs. Grade: D

Offensive Line
Russell Wilson was sacked 5 times. The running backs did have decent blocking at times, but the Steelers needed the line to dominate up front. Instead they were dominated more often than not. Grade: F

Defensive Line
The good news is the Steelers actually limited the Chiefs on the ground. The bad news is that they didn’t need to run the ball much. Patrick Mahomes was only touched twice, once by Cam Heyward. Grade: F

Linebackers
T.J. Watt had a tackle for a loss. He also tipped a pass which Patrick Queen couldn’t catch. Nick Herbig had a QB hit. Mahomes had all day to throw. A very below the line performance. Grade: F

Secondary
The Chiefs were only 3-10 on third down conversions. Perhaps that’s because they made 16 first downs though the air. The Steelers secondary did not play well. Grade: F

Special Teams
Nikko Remigio made some noise for the Chiefs both on kick and punt returns. Corliss Waitman helped set one of those up with a short punt. Chris Boswell was 1-1 on field goals and extra points, but the Steelers needed more from their special teams. Grade: D

Coaching
For two weeks the Steelers had to go against NFL heavyweights with one arm tied behind their offense’s back. And, if not for a few mistakes, they could have made a go in both of those games.

Against the Chiefs Arthur Smith had his dynamic playmaker back, and the Steelers offense at full health was simply not up to the challenge. A lot of this may come down to talent and not tactics, but the offensive effort was sub-par.

  • The Steelers defense was a disaster.

Teryl Austin had his defense at full strength, minus Joey Porter Jr., and Patrick Mahomes schooled them at every turn and in every way possible.

Jaylen Warren, Steelers vs Chiefs, Steelers Chiefs, Christmas Day

Jaylen Warren rushes. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

After the loss to the Eagles, the Steelers came out with fire against the Ravens on a short week. On an even shorter week, they came out flat against the Chiefs and their many errors which they committed early and often suggested a lack of focus. And that is firmly on Mike Tomlin’s shoulders. Grade: F

Unsung Hero Award
For a second straight week, this player’s star shown bright. In fact, his rushing was so decisive that, in another context (or perhaps had he been given a chance) he may have even been able to take over the game, and for that reason, Jaylen Warren wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Christmas Day loss to the Chiefs at Acrisure.

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Steelers Report Card for Loss to Ravens: NO More Health Room Passes Edition

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Taken from the desk of a teacher who is tired of writing passes to the health room, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2024 loss to the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Derrick Henry, Steelers vs Ravens

Minkah Fitzpatrick slows down Derrick Henry. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Quarterback
Russell Wilson went 22 of 33 for 217 yards and 2 touchdowns. In many ways, he is the reason the Steelers were in this game for 3 quarters. But his fumble took at least 3 points off of the board. And his pick-six effectively ended the game. Grade: DSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Collectively the Steelers running backs only totaled 90 yards rushing, which on the surface appears anemic. However, Najee Harris had his best night in several weeks. He hit holes with authority and made piles fall forward. Cordarrelle Patterson caught his only pass – after bobbling it. Connor Heyward worked effectively as a blocker and caught one pass. The Steelers lost to the Ravens for many reasons. The running backs weren’t one of them. Grade: C+

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth caught 3 passes for 16 yards. MyCole Pruitt caught 1 pass for one yard and a touchdown, although he was the target on the pick six. Grade: C

Wide Receivers
With each passing game, Calvin Austin seems to do a little more to step up. On his sideline catch he showed incredible concentration and ball skills to bring in a very low percentage pass. Still, there was a breakdown on the 4th down conversion attempt and that could have been a game-changer. Van Jefferson caught 2 passes for 27 yards and Mike Williams caught 3 for 24. Both men look like they could be effective number 3 or 4 wide outs — this team needs a number 1. Flying under the radar is Ben Skowronek who had 2 catches for 25. Grade: D+

Offensive Line
Russell Wilson was sacked 3 times, hit a total of 6 times and had to take off and run 3 more times. Run blocking was a little better, but overall the Steelers needed the line to dominate up front. It did not. Grade: D

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward led the unit in tackles and had one for a loss. But it was a bad night for the defensive line as it neither mounted pass pressure nor stopped the run. Grade: F

Linebackers
Alex Highsmith had a strip sack and Elandon Roberts had a nice tackle behind the line of scrimmage. And Patrick Queen was the team’s leading tackler. But Derrick Henry ran where he wanted, when he wanted, and Lamar Jackson litterally was untouched beyond the sack (per ESPN’s stats.) Grade: F

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Ravens, Minka Fitzpatrick interception Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry

Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepts Lamar Jackson. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Secondary
Minkah Fitzpatrick had what should have been a game-changing interception and he was also stoudt against the run. Damontae Kazee led the team in tackles, but along with James Pierre and Cory Trice, this look like a secondary missing 3 out of 4 starters. Grade: D

Special Teams
James Pierre forced a fumble but the Steelers were unable to recover. Chris Boswell made all of his kicks, but he shanked a kickoff which gave Baltimore 10 more yards on a drive a touchdown drive. In a game like this, the last thing you can do is give Baltimore extra yards. Grade: D

Coaching
Arthur Smith does not have a lot to work with at this point. He’s got a young line with 2 rookies. He’s missing he’s got an offense that’s missing its WR number 1 and really doesn’t have a WR number 2. Yet he found ways to use players at the bottom of his depth chat and make just enough plays that, had it not been for two turnovers, would have been competitive.

  • Teryl Austin had a bad night.

Derrick Henry dominated at a level that the Steelers strived, but failed to attain during Jerome Bettis‘ tenure. Lamar Jackson likewise had a very good night, picking apart the Steelers pass coverage with relative ease.

The Steelers entered this game with fire and fight after a tough loss to the Eagles, and that’s to Mike Tomlin’s credit. Further to Tomlin’s credit, he refused to use the fact that his defense is missing 4 starters as an excuse.

Jaylen Warren, Marion Humphrey, Steelers vs Ravens

Jaylen Warren drags Marion Humphrey. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

If the Steelers are to have any chance against Kansas City, Tomlin must either find a heal his players Mr. Miyagi style or mind-meld Mr. Spock style with his backup secondary get them to fully but into the “Standard is the Standard.” Grade: C

Unsung Hero Award
Nights like this require players to dig deep. They must bring a little something extra to the field. One player who ran decisively, fought for every extra yard and even made a minor splash as a kick returner was Jaylen Warren, who wins the Unsung Hero Award for the 2024 loss to the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

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Ravens Route Steelers 32-17, Tie for AFC North Lead

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The Steelers traveled to Baltimore. This time when “Mr. Jackson” and “Mr. Henry” spoke, all of Pittsburgh listened, as the Steelers suffered a 34-17 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens.

The loss drops the Steelers record to 10-5 while improving the Ravens to 10-5, leaving the teams tied in the AFC North crown. It is also the second straight week the Steelers have gone into “Alpha Male” matchups and come out with their lips busted and their nose bloodied.

  • Clearly, this not the type of performance you want to see from the Steelers in “December football.”

But does that mean the Steelers are doomed to another December derrota? The answer is no, it doesn’t. But that “No” comes with a rather large caveat.

Ar'Darius Washington, Russell Wilson, Russell Wilson fumble Ravens, Steelers vs Ravens

Russell Wilson fumbles at the 4 yard line. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Pittsburgh, Meet “Mr. Jackson” and “Mr. Henry”

Several trends favored the Steelers going into the game.

  • The Steelers had won 8 out of 9 against the Ravens
  • Mike Tomlin had found a way to mortalize Lamar Jackson
  • Although it didn’t get much ink, Pittsburgh had enjoyed similar success vs Derrick Henry

But anyone who thought that the Steelers “had Jackson’s number” was fooling themselves. Lamar Jackson has won multiple league MVP awards in the past and will almost certainly earn the honor multiple times in the future.

As for Derrick Henry, he quite simply runs like the kind of running back that the Steelers offense wishes it had. True, the Steelers have had success in stopping elite running backs this season. One of the few highlights of the flame out in Philly was that the Steelers kept Saquon Barkley down to earth.

  • Both “Mr. Jackson” and “Mr. Henry” took off against the Steelers.

Sure, the Steelers limited Jackson on the ground. But he tossed 3 touchdown passes and, frankly, each one looked  easier. Jackson might have “only” thrown for 209 yards. He didn’t need to throw for more. Henry rushed for 162 on the ground.

Cam Heyward, Elandon Roberts and Minkah Fitzpatrick all logged a few nice stops of Henry behind or near the line of scrimmage. But those were few and far between. The story of the night was the Ravens ripping gaping holes in the Steelers front seven, Henry hitting them to gouge the defense, while members of the secondary barely stopped him from scoring.

  • The Baltimore Ravens were the better team than the Pittsburgh Steelers in all three phases.

John Harbaugh could given out multiple game-balls following this win. But no two players exemplified the Ravens dominance like Jackson and Henry.

ICYMI: The Steelers Were Actually In This Game

The Steelers went into this game down three starters on defense, lost a fourth during the game, and of course George Pickens their most dynamic talent on offense.

  • To score an upset, several players would have to step up.
  • Beyond individual efforts, Arthur Smith would have to coax something extra out of his collective unit

And in a lot of ways that happened. Although you wouldn’t know if you only looked at their rushing totals, Smith platooned Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren more effectively than he has all season.

Calvin Austin, Steelers vs Ravens

Calvin Austin hauls in a sideline pass. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Warren averaged 4 yards a carry and Harris managed 4.7. Neither man had a run longer than 11 yards. That shows just how scrappy both men were in fighting for extra yards and forcing piles to fall forward. Warren also had several catches.

The offense still clearly misses George Pickens, but Smith found ways to get contributions form others:

No, no one will ever confuse this effort for the Greatest Show on Turf. Nor will they mistake the rushing attack for a dominant ground game. But it does so that, had the game dynamics been different, Arthur Smith’s offense may have risen to the occasion.

The defense was more problematic, but they still found ways to make splash plays when it counted.

After the Steelers offense turned over on downs and then gave up a 44-yard run to Henry, Minkah Fitzpatrick struck back with an interception. It was a play that, had the “game dynamics” been different, could have shifted moment in Pittsburgh’s direction.

Pittsburgh Bounces the Ball Baltimore’s Way. Literally

Against the Eagles, the Steelers lost in large part because the defense and special teams created two turnovers that the offense failed to capitalize. On the 7th play of the game against the Ravens, Alex Highsmith strip sacked Lamar Jackson.

  • But the ball bounced to Ronnie Stanley who recovered for the Ravens.
Alex Highsmith, Lamar Jackson, Steelers vs Ravens

Alex Highsmith strip sacks Lamar Jackson. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Baltimore forced a punt on the very next series. James Pierre forced Desmond King to fumble. But it rolled in Chris Board’s direction and the Ravens recovered, and then Ravens scored a touchdown.

The Steelers answered with a touchdown of their own. The Steelers forced a punt. On the next drive they were moving steadily down the field when Russell Wilson took off. He ran for 19 yards and reached the Baltimore four.

There he fumbled. He tried to get it back but the ball Kyle Van Noy who recovered for the Ravens.

  • The ball literally wasn’t bouncing Pittsburgh’s way.

And when it wasn’t, the Steelers helped roll it to the Ravens. Two plays after Minkah Fitzpatrick’s interception figured to get the Steelers right back into the game, Russell Wilson fired off a pass towards Puritt that left his hand a second too soon.

Marion Humphrey caught it and took it to the house, bringing the score to 31-17 and effectively icing the game for Baltimore.

Health Critical for the Steelers

Despite losing badly to the Eagles, the Steelers came into the game against the Ravens with fire and fight. For a second straight week, the Steelers learned that fire and fight alone don’t win games. Playmaking does.

  • Avoid a few errors, and the Steelers contest both of those games
  • Make a few plays, and maybe they could have even won

But to make plays, your best players have to be on the field. The Steelers are missing their best offensive playmaker and 3/4ths of their secondary.

Patrick Mahomes is spending Christmas in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers had better find a way to get healthy. Fast.

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Steelers Report Card for 2024 Loss to Eagles – No Points for Progress Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher who isn’t giving points for progress here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2024 loss to the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.

Patrick Queen, Jalen Hurts, Steelers vs Eagles

Patrick Queen tries in vain to close in on Jalen Hurts. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Quarterbacks
Russell Wilson 14 of 22 for 128 yards and 1 touchdown presents a half-full/half empty situation. On the one hand, the started the game throwing at a lot of air. On the other, he was extremely a crafty in leading the first touchdown drive and he looked to be setting up to do another before the fumble. Justin Fields converted his lone rushing attempt. The Steelers lost this game for many reasons. Quarterback play was not one of them. Grade: BSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Take in these numbers: 14, 12, and 9. Almost looks like a halftime junior high school basketball stat sheet. But those were actually the rushing totals of Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson. Russell Wilson actually had a better rushing average than 2 of the 3 running backs. True, the Steelers were behind the gun much of the game limiting opportunities. And the line’s blocking was subpar. But the Steelers needed more from their running backs and the fumble was fatal. Grade: F

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth led the unit with 3 catches for 22 yards – but don’t be deceived, his touchdown was one of the best “combat catches” you’ll ever see. He was the only other tight end to get a target or a carry. Snap counts indicate that Darnell Washington and Mycole Pruitt were on the field a lot and that being the case, the team needed more from a blocking perspective. Grade: C-

Wide Receivers
Calvin Austin led the unit with 5 catches for 65 yards, making an incredible catch on the flea-flicker. Ben Skowronek was next with 1 catch for 17 yards, Mike Williams had 1 catch for 15 yards. Scotty Miller had one failed target (thanks replay assist) and Van Jefferson had 1 catch for zero yards. These guys try hard, but grades some from results, not effort. Grade: F

Offensive Line
After turning in a number of strong performances, the Steelers offensive line slipped. Russell Wilson was only sacked twice, and hit a total of four times, but he had several passes bad at the line of scrimmage, and the running game struggled. Grade: D

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward led the unit in tackles with five, Keeanu Benton followed with four while Montravius Adams and Isaiahh Loudermilk each had 2. The Steelers contained Saquon Barkley and the line had a huge role in making that happen. Still, the defense lost containment on Jalen Hurts too many times, and those took a their toll. Grade: C-

Linebackers
T.J. Watt almost single-handedly got the Steelers into the game, with his forced fumble and multiple sacks in the second half. Alex Highsmith also got in the act with a sack. If the Steelers linebackers deserve credit for containing the Eagles ground attack, they also deserve blame for losing containment on Hurts and allowing the Eagles’ short-medium passing game to work so well. Grade: C-

Secondary
The good news is that A.J. Brown did not burn the Steelers secondary the way he had 2 years ago. The bad news is that he and DeVonta Smith subjected them to a case of death by 100 cuts as both men topped 100 yards. Joey Porter Jr., James Pierre and Minkah Fitzpatrick all had good individual plays. But the Eagles had a 20-minute time of possession advantage on a night when their All Pro running back looked mortal. They also converted 10 of 17 third downs. Grade: F

Special Teams
Mark Robinson’s fumble was a heads up play that should have sparked the offense. Cordarrelle Patterson did well on his kick returns. The Steelers kick and punt coverage was solid, but not spectacular. Chris Boswell was perfect, bounced extra point notwithstanding, and Corliss Waitman had a good night punting. The penalty on the field goal could have been catastrophic. Thanks to defense it wasn’t, but that brings the group grade down. Grade: B-

Mark Robinson, Cooper DeJeanSteelers vs Eagles, Mark Robinson forced fumble Cooper DeJean

Mark Robinson forces a Cooper DeJan Fumble. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Coaching
A few weeks ago, after the Cleveland loss we said that the whole of the Steelers offense was less than the sum. Arthur Smith, in subsequent games rectified that.

  • But his running game was still a sore spot.
  • And it was glaring weakness against the Eagles.

How many third and 7 or more did the Steelers face. Throughout the season we’ve seen Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren and even Cordarrelle Patterson have their moments. But no back has achieved any level of consistency.

This is a contrast from this point in 2023 and even 2022 when you could make a strong case that either Harris and Warren should start. But platooning them was the smart move.

  • Is platooning them part of the problem today?

I don’t know but Smith had better figure it out quickly, because this offense cannot compete without George Pickens

Let’s credit Teryl Austin for containing the man who is having the most dominating season for a running back that the NFL has seen in a generation. Let’s also credit Austin for keeping a lid on the Eagles offense and limiting their longest catch to 22 yards.

  • But it is fair to ask if that came at the cost giving up too many short and medium passes.

The Steelers were actually in this game until the very end even though the Eagles out-executed them by a mile. Credit and blame Mike Tomlin for both. NFL games don’t award partial credit for “showing your work.” Grade: F

Unsung Hero Award
Everyone know Philadelphia was going to try to feed the ball to Barkley. Containing him was a team effort, but there was one players whose number kept showing up throughout the night, and for that Patrick Queen wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers loss to the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.

 

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Losing Streak in Philly Continues: Eagles Beat Steelers 27-13

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The eleventh time is apparently not the charm. The Steelers went to Philadelphia and dropped a 27-13 decision to the Eagles, bringing the Black and Gold’s win tally there to 0-11 since 1965.

Going into this game the Eagles offered a unique measuring stick to gauge the team’s progress since the drubbing the Steelers suffered in Philadelphia a little over two years ago.

  • Today, the Eagles won because they out-executed the Steelers end-to-end.

But does that mean Pittsburgh hasn’t made any progress? No, fortunately it does not. Despite the loss, the Steelers did show that they’re making progress. However, within that progress there are as many reasons for caution as there are for hope.

Najee Harris, Steelers vs Eagles, Najee Harris fumble Steelers Eagles

Najee Harris fumbles. Photo Credit: SteelersWire.com

It’s Execution, (or Lack Thereof) My Dear Watson

The Eagles brought a 9-game winning streak into the game. They were at home, in a place where the Steelers have struggled. They were favorites for a reason.

Still, it was said the Steelers had a “puncher’s chance.” Multiple times the Steelers had chances to expand their foothold against the Eagles only to falter.

In less than a minute, the Steelers had created and squandered a chance to get ahead of an opponent that was clearly in control of the game. But that didn’t seem to matter, as Danny Smith’s special teams struck back quickly.

  • Mark Robinson forced a fumble on the punt which Nick Herbig recovered
  • The Steelers now had the ball at Philadelphia’s 11
  • Najee Harris ripped off a 7 yard run on the next play
  • Only to have it negated by an unsportsman like call against Darnell Washington
  • That brought up 2nd and 19 instead of 2nd and 3 at the 4
  • Two incompletions later Chris Boswell was kicking a field goal

Sure. We can complain that Washington’s penalty should have been off set. It was not. And the reality is that the Steelers had two fumbles inside of one minute and could only turn those into 3 points.

  • Arguably, these weren’t the Steelers most damaging misfires.

The defense opened the second half by forcing a field goal, watching a Montravius Adams penalty give the Eagles a second shot, only to force another field goal.

  • It took three plays for the Steelers to reach the Eagles’ 26-yard line, only to fumble.
  • The Eagles turned that into a touchdown.
  • The Steelers started the ensuing drive strong, only to scuttle it with a Zach Frazier penalty

Thanks to the penalty the Steelers had a 1st and 21, lost a yard on a pass to Cordarrelle Patterson and punted away their last chance to punch their way into this contest.

The Bad: Execution is Elementary for Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles were the better team in this game and that was evident from the outset.

Jalen Hurts started this game on fire. HE completed 12 of his first 13 passes and finished the evening with 290 yards on 25 completions with two touchdowns.

  • The Eagles converted 10 of 17 third downs
  • They also converted 1 of 1 4th down attempts
  • A.J. Brown had over 100 yards receiving
  • As did DeVonta Smith
  • The Eagles dominated time of possession by almost 20 minutes

To drive that final point home, after the Steelers scuttled their final drive with the Zach Frazier penalty Philadelphia got the ball with 10 and a half minutes and never gave it back.

The fireworks in Philly weren’t limited to the offensive side of the ball. The Eagles defense forced 4 three and outs by the Steelers offense, won the battle at the line of scrimmage, and not surprisingly, held them 3 of 10 on third downs

The Good: Some Progress for Pittsburgh

This was the worst game the Steelers have played in 2024 but, despite that, they’ve improved since their last trip to Philadelphia in 2022.

  • Russell Wilson was only sacked twice, as opposed to 6 sacks for Kenny Pickett in ‘22
  • A.J. Brown’s longest catch was for 21 yards
  • His shortest touchdown was for 27 yards in 2022
  • The Steelers held Saquon Barkley to 3.4 yards – his season average is just under 6
  • T.J. Watt sacked Hurts twice and Alex Highsmith got to him once

And while there’s no doubt that the Steelers offense is struggling without George Pickens, credit Arthur Smith and Russell Wilson for engineering a crafty drive (Ben Skowronek for 17 yards on first down – we all saw that coming) that finished with a phenomenal Pat Freiermuth combat touchdown catch.

Pat Freiermuth, Steelers vs Eagles

Pat Freiermuth makes a combat touchdown catch. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

The duo was looking to do the same with the flea flicker to Calvin Austin hookup that started the second half drive that ended in the fumble.

Needed: A Running Game

If the Steelers have made some progress when measured against elite competition, they clearly remain very far from where they want to be: Russell Wilson may have supplanted Kordell Stewart as the last Steelers quarterback to throw a touchdown pass in Philadelphia, but Mike Nixon still has a win there that continues to elude Mike Tomlin.

There are many reasons for that, but the biggest and perhaps the least obvious reason is that the team cannot establish the run.

The Eagles were successful with their short passing game because they forced the Steelers to respect the run.

  • The Steelers couldn’t command reciprocal respect.

And as a result, Corliss Waitman had another strong outing as a punter. The good news is that, despite that, the Steelers were only a couple-of-three plays away from giving the Eagles a run for their money.

But until Arthur Smith can establish some consistency on the ground, this offense will remain too dependent on parlor tricks to seriously compete with true Super Bowl contenders.

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Steelers Report Card for Win over Browns: Get Right, Don’t Get Back Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher glad his students focused on getting right instead of getting back here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2024 win over the Browns at Acrisure.

Elandon Roberts, Jerome Ford, Steelers vs Browns

Elandon Roberts stops Jerome Ford on 4th and 1. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Quarterbacks
Russell Wilson looked lost early on without George Pickens. However, he managed to find his footing, finishing 15 of 26 for 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions while hitting 9 different receivers. He also scrambled effectively several times. Grade: B+Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Najee Harris started off running strong, and finished with a few strong runs on the final series. In between, he was inconsistent as a rusher, finishing with 53 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown. Jaylen Warren got 47 yards on 9 carries. Warren also caught 2 balls for 25 yards. Cordarrelle Patterson had 3 yards on 4 carries and one catch for negative 2 yards. Grade: B-

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth had 3 catches for 48 yards, but the first set up a score, the second converted a critical third down that set up another score, and the third was a touchdown. Connor Heyward had a key block on the rushing touchdown. Darnell Washington had zero catches on one target but blocked effectively, while MyCole Pruitt had one catch for negative one yards. Grade: B

Wide Receivers
For the first time all season the Steelers were without George Pickens and they felt his absence, particularly early on. Yet, Scotty Miller and Mike Williams stepped up to make 3 small, but critical catches. Van Jefferson had one catch, but it was for a touchdown. Calvin Austin, undoubtedly blanketed by the Browns top corner, had one catch for 4 yards. If the Steelers go without Pickens for longer, they’re going to need more from their wide outs. But yesterday it was enough. Grade: B-

Offensive Line
In the first game against the Browns, the offensive line was an outright liability. The Browns sacked Russell Wilson 4 times and recorded double-digit tackles for losses. This time around the Browns only sacked Wilson once and recorded 6 yards for losses. To be sure, there were times when the Steelers needed to control the line of scrimmage better, but this group put together and above the line performance. Grade: B-

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward led the unit with 5 tackles, playing a critical role in stuffing the run. He also sacked Jameis Winston twice – both drives ended with zero points for the Browns – that’s not a coincidence. Keeanu Benton stat sheet is pretty spare, but his interception provided critical moments for the Steelers. Larry Ogunjobi left the game early and frankly, it was hard to notice. Which shows that Isaiahh Loudermilk was doing a good job. Grade: A-

Linebackers
T.J. Watt opened the action with a tackle for a loss on the game’s first play. Two snaps later, Alex Highsmith was sacking Jameis Winston. Patrick Queen led the team linebackers in tackles. Payton Wilson didn’t make any “splash plays” but he has a nose for the ball. Elandon Roberts authored the linebacker’s biggest play with he stoned Jerome Ford for a 5 yard loss on 4th and 1, forcing a turnover on downs that let to the Steelers final touchdown. Grade: A-

Ben Skowronek, Kadarius Toney, Steelers vs Browns

Ben Skowronek recovers a muffed punt. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Reivew

Secondary
DeShon Elliot led the team in tackles tipped a pass on third down in the Red Zone that set up a missed field goal. Joey Porter Jr. did commit a stupid penalty, but overall his play was strong. Minkah Fitzpatrick continues to keep a lid on the back end of the Steelers defense. Grade: A-

Special Teams
Chris Boswell was 2-2 on field goals and perfect on PATs. Corliss Waitman punted 6 times and turned in an outstanding afternoon. Calvin Austin did a respectable job returning punts. The Steelers kickoff coverage was suspect, as Jerome Ford got a 56 yard return. That mishap was made up for in part by Ben Skowronek excellent job recovering the muffed punt. Grade: B-

Coaching
With each passing week, Arthur Smith is looking like a smarter and smarter hire by Mike Tomlin. Up until 90 seconds before game time, the Steelers offensive coordinator thought he would have George Pickens available to him.

  • Then that change, and the offense lost its most dynamic talent.

It took a while to adjust and the numbers weren’t spectacular. But at the end of the day, Smith’s offense put 27 points on the board.

Teryl Austin’s defense did not have a good night against the Browns on the mistake by the Lake. Yes, it got turnovers twice in critical moments, but gave up too much before and after that. Jameis Winston is a quarterback who can catch fire in a hurry, but he’s also one who can crash and burn.

The Steelers defense made sure he never caught fire. Even on his second touchdown play, Austin’s defense made sure that the Browns burned up over 5 minutes of clock while down 3 scores in the 4th quarter. And when the Steelers offense faltered, Austin’s defense rose to the occasion and got the ball back 2 plays later.

“Get it right, instead of getting back.”

Football is an emotional game and one that must be played with passion. The Steelers loss to the Browns hurt their pride. The desire for revenge is strong. But revenge can be consuming. Mike Tomlin ensured that this did not happen and instead had his team focused on executing against the Browns, and that was a key difference between the two AFC North rivals. Grade: A

James Pierre, Steelers vs. Browns

James Pierre intercepts Jameis Winston. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Unsung Hero Award
You undoubtedly caught this player’s final play on an ESPN highlight reel. Yet his first one was arguably more important because it would have been a clear momentum shifter. Instead, this player who the Steelers didn’t resign last spring, who got cut by Washington and returned via the practice squad kept his chin strap buckled and ran down Jerome Ford preventing him from scoring on the opening kickoff and for that James Pierre wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers 2024 win over the Browns at Acrisure.

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