Tag Archives: Corliss Waitman

On Paper: Steelers Look Stronger After Week 1 of Free Agency

Posted on by Standard Reply

The Pittsburgh Steelers were busy during the first week of 2026’s free agency. As expected, Steelers Nation said goodbye to several familiar faces while welcoming newcomers to Pittsburgh.

Here’s an overview of what’s happened so far:

The James Pierre, Kenneth Gainwell left Pittsburgh almost immediately and were followed by Isaac Seumalo, Calvin Austin III, Connor Heyward, Miles Killebrew and Corliss Waitman.

The Steelers welcomed back Cameron Johnston, extended Cam Heyward’s contract, resigned Asante Samuel Jr. Cole Holcomb, Esezi Otomewo and Jack Driscoll.

They also traded for Michael Pittman, signed Jamel Dean, Rico Dowdle, Sebastian Joseph-Day and Jaquan Brisker.

  • Question: So, how has Omar Khan done?
  • Answer: We’ll know when the games start.

Thank about it: A year ago the Steelers secondary looked stronger on paper with Darius Slay’s signing. Sure he was old, but he’d just started on a team that had won the Super Bowl with dominating defense.

  • The Steelers cut Slay, just as they were entering the home stretch.

In contrast, Kenneth Gainwell was seen as more of a “nice to have,” as relief for Jaylen Warren. Gainwell ended up leading the team in receptions and winning MVP honors.

So instead of trying to make pronouncements, let’s look at how each move has impacted their respective areas on the depth chart – on paper.

Michael Pittman Jr. signs his contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers on the South Side in the March of 2026.

Michael Pittman Jr. signs his contract Steelers. Photo Credit: Alysa Rubin, Steelers.com

Wide Receivers – Stronger, on paper, But….

By trading for Michael Pittman Jr.  the Steelers have something on paper in their wide receiver corps that has eluded them for the last two years – 2 viable starting NFL wideouts. With Pittman playing alongside him, D.K. Metcalf now has someone to take attention away from defensive backs.

  • However, losing Calvin Austin was a blow to depth.

It leaves the Steelers without a viable Wr. No. 3 and a starter in waiting. Yes, Roman Wilson could still be that person, but that was the case this time last spring, and he finished the season on the bench.

Defensive Line – Stronger, on paper…

Cam Heyward might be turning 37 soon, but he put in another All Pro year adding another season to what should be a Hall of Fame resume.

Signing Sebastian Joseph-Day is the type of move the Steelers should have made last spring but didn’t, due to successful attempt to game the comp-pick system. Keeanu Benton, is a good player, and can pressure the passer. Yet, he’s had some good moments against the run, as well as some ugly ones.

Joseph-Day gives them an option there, and a chance to work Benton at end with an eye towards the day when Heyward begins his “Life’s Work.” Signing Esezi Otomewo also shores up depth.

Tight End – Slightly Weaker, on paper…

In truth, losing Connor Heyward isn’t dramatic, but the Steelers still have no one with experience behind Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington. They’re doing to need to add a couple-of-three somebodies.

Darnell Washington, Barrett Carter, Steelers vs Bengals

Darnell Washington dumps Barrett Carter. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Secondary – Stronger, on paper…

James Pierre was the kind of guy you want to keep. Losing Pierre hurt. But the Steelers didn’t see him as a viable long-term starter, and Jamel Dean, on paper, gives the Steelers the chance to field two shut down corners with Joey Porter Jr. yet to reach his prime.

  • Signing Asante Samuel Jr. over Pierre does come with more risk, but also offers a higher return.

The moves also signal Jalen Ramsey remaining at safety, but with DeShone Elliott returning and hopefully at full health, they still had no one behind them. Jaquan Brisker appears to be starter-capable and is a welcome addition.

Running Back – Neutral

You never want to lose your previous season’s MVP, but Rico Dowdle is a proven starter in this league and gives the Steelers an insurance policy with resepct to Kaleb Johnson.

Offensive Line – Weaker, on paper…

The Steelers like Spencer Anderson but Isaac Seumalo has been their best offensive lineman for the past three years. Jack Driscoll gives them depth at offensive tackle, where they need it.

Inside Linebacker – Neutral

Cole Holcomb’s return amounted to a minor surprise, but at this point this is nothing more than a depth signing, as Patrick Queen remains in Pittsburgh and doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere.

Holcomb’s a good guy to have coming off the bench.

Special Teams – Weaker

The decision to let Waitman go and replace him with Johnston, who is older and has had injury issues, is a head scratcher. Calvin Austin was a solid return man, and James Pierre, Connor Heyward were special teams demons and Miles Killebrew was their special team’s captain.

The Steelers should find replacements to fill these holes from the bottom of their roster, but they have created the need to do so.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 Free Agency Tracker

Posted on by Standard Reply

NFL free agency is almost upon us, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been quiet thus far.

Sure, Mike McCarthy and Omar Khan seem set on dropping Will Howard’s name whenever the opportunity arises, and trampling down any Pat Freiermuth trade rumors, but the Steelers have not made any roster moves aside from signing players to “futures” contracts.

Omar Khan, Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan, Photo Credit: Nola.com

All of which promises to make the next 2-3 weeks interesting because the Steelers have one of the largest free agent classes in recent memory, ample salary cap space and an estimated 12 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

One way or another, things look set to get busy in the Steel City very, very soon.

Here is a look at the Pittsburgh Steelers unrestricted and restricted free agents.

Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 Unrestricted Free Agents

Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback
Calvin Austin III, Wide Receiver
Kenneth Gainwell, Running Back
James Pierre, Cornerback
Isaac Seumalo, Guard
Connor Heyward, Tight End
Miles Killebrew, Special Teams (Strong Safety)
Scotty Miller, Wide Receiver
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Wide Receiver
Skylar Thompson, Quarterback
Asante Samuel Jr., Cornerback
Kyle Dugger, Strong Safety
Chuck Clark, Strong Safety,
Jabrill Peppers, Strong Safety,
Cole Holcomb, Inside Linebacker
Isaiahh Loudermilk, Defensive End
Jack Driscoll, Offensive Tackle
Daniel Ekuale, Defensive Tackle
Dean Lowry, Defensive End
Donald Parham, Tight End
Andrus Peat, Offensive Line
Max Scharping, Guard
Adam Thielen, Wide Receiver

Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 Restricted Free Agents

OL Ryan McCollum
LB Jeremiah Moon
DE Esezi Otomewo
P Corliss Waitman

Check back as we’ll link to player profiles and include updates on signings and departures as they become available.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Steelers Report Card for Win over Dolphins – Delivering in December Edition

Posted on by Standard Reply

Taken from the grade book of a teacher happy to see his students delivering for December football, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the MNF win over the Dolphins at Acrisure.

Jalen Ramsey, Tua Tagovailoa, Steelers vs Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolphins MNF

Jalen Ramsey sacks Tua Tagovailoa. Photo Credit: Alysia Rubin, Steelers.come

Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers completed 22 of 27 for 224 yards and 2 touchdowns. Rodgers commanded the field with the authority of a Civil War General leading a counter-attack at Little Round top. He hit 8 different receivers, engineered a penalty to covert a third down, and threw a pure laser for his second touchdown pass. Grade: ASteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Kenneth Gainwell led the unit with 126 all-purpose yards, including 80 on the ground and 46 on 7 passes through the air. At this point, everyone should understand why the coaches have made a concerted effort to work him into the game plan. Jaylen Warren ran for 33 yards on 12 carries and caught 3 passes for 15 yards. Kaleb Johnson had 2 carries for 4 yards. Grade: B+

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth led the unit with 3 catches for 45 yards. Darnell Washington had 3 of his own for 25. Jonnu Smith had 2 catches for 12 yards, but also scored the final touchdown on a 1 14 yard run. Grade: B+

Wide Receivers
If you ever question the value of having a “big” wide receiver, look no further that D.K. Metcalf’s touchdown run. HE caught a bullet from Rodgers, and then bullied his way through 3 Dolphin defenders to find the end zone from about 10 yards out.  Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Adam Thielen only caught 2 passes, with Valdes-Scantling going for a score, but clearly the wide outs playing better with him in the lineup. Grade: B+

Offensive Line
The line was playing its 4th string tackle. It lost its starting guard during the middle of the game. Yet the Steelers dominated time of possession, ran effectively, and Rodgers – 2 sacks notwithstanding, had time to throw. A very welcome performance from a unit under duress. Grade: B+

Defensive Line
No Derrick Harmon? No problem. The Steelers contained De’Von Achane. He had some good runs, but nothing like what we saw against the Bills. Cam Heyward continues to lead the unit. He set the tone early with a tackle for no gain and punctuated it with a sack late. Grade: B+

Linebackers
Did you realize that T.J. Watt was out? And that Nick Herbig had to leave? Patrick Queen made a phenomenal tackle for a loss to force a field goal, and Payton Wilson recorded a sack to obliterate any semblance of a comeback. A very good night for the linebackers. Grade: A-

Secondary
Before garbage time kicked in, Tug Tagovailoa completed 6 of 10 passes for 65 yards with an interception and took two sacks. Asante Samuel Jr. got his first interception snuffing out a Miami attempt to get into scoring position. And Jalen Ramsey’s sack forced the Dolphins to punt away their first possession. Not bad for a secondary where Joey Porter Jr. is the only starter who was both on the roster and playing in the same position on opening day. Grade: A-

Special Teams
Chris Boswell was perfect with place kicks, although he did land one outside of the landing zone. Corliss Waitman and a strong night and both the return game and the return coverage was solid. Ben Skowronek was a monster. Grade: B

Coaching
Let’s get this straight. No one would have compared the Miami Dolphins’ defenes to the 85 Bears going into the game. But the unit had been allowing less than 2 touchdowns per game during the resurgence that began at mid season.

Yet Arthur Smith’s unit had its best night of the season and patched together its first game with four consecutive touchdown drives since 2018. Smith needs to find a way to sustain this, but the unit is coming together nicely as the Steelers reach mid-December.

Its also time to give Teryl Austin credit. He went into this game missing two of his best strong-side defenders. And just two weeks ago a James Cook had humiliated the his defense on this same ground.

  • But Austin’s defense owned this night.

Sure, Miami had some nice runs and moved the ball a little to open the game, but Austin adjusted and dominated the Dolphins, effectively shutting them out of the game in the 3rd quarter.

  • Mike Tomlin has taken a lot of heat this season.

While some of the barbs have been unjustified, when the Steelers have swooned low, they’ve looked as bad as any variety of numbers could suggest. But every NFL season has its ups and downs, and December is the time to bring it together. Two games into the month finds Mike Tomlin’s team doing just that. Grade: A

Connor Heyward, Steel City Shove, Steelers vs Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolpins MNF

Connor Heyward scores with the Steel City Shove. Photo Credit: Jared Wickerman, Steelers.com

Unsung Hero Award
4 Carries for 4 yards doe not impress on the stat sheet. But when 3 of those converted 3rd or 4th downs and one of those was a touchdown it shows you how stats alone seldom tell the full story. Because of that, a because he caught an on-sides kick that had bounced past the first man, Connor Heyward wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers 2025 MNF win over the Dolphins at Acrisure.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Strike Hard, Strike Smart: Steelers Dominate Dolphins 28-15 on MNF

Posted on by Standard Reply

On a cold night at Acrisure Stadium, the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Miami Dolphins 28-15.

The Steelers emerged with their undefeated streak on Monday Night Football that began in 1992 intact and, more importantly, with an 8-6 record and a one-game lead in the AFC North.

Both teams came to the field with something to prove.

The Dolphins had won 4 straight and 5 out of their last 6 and need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Steelers were on a one-game winning streak, having lost 5 out of their last 8. But Pittsburgh prevailed because with the realities of December football closing in, Mike Tomlin’s team found a way to shift into higher gear while the Dolphins sputtered.

Aaron Rodgers, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolphins MNF

Aaron Rodgers flicks it as Minkah Fitzpatrick can only watch. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Dolphins Swing Hard, Steelers Stand Strong

When the Dolphins won the toss and elected to receive, the narrative for this game was a latent storyline waiting to be activated.

Miami had been rushing on anyone and everyone. The Steelers struggled to stop anyone on the ground. The Dolphins defense had been dominating opponents, while the JVness of Pittsburgh’s offense has been on display all season long.

  • But football teams author their own narratives.

And, to that end, there’s one thread that will get lost from this contest: The Miami Dolphins exited their corner swinging hard:

  • Their defense forced a 3 and out on its first go against Pittsburgh’s offense
  • Jordyn Brooks ended Miami’s next drive with a sack of Aaron Rodgers
  • Eleven plays later, Zach Sieler did it again, giving Corliss Waitman his third opportunity to punt
  • On offense De’Von Achane appeared to be finding his footing and building up to a big night

Despite suffering a few misfires, the Steelers yielded nothing, and stood tall. Asante Samuel ended Miami’s second drive with an interception. Pittsburgh ended up punting on the ensuing Steelers drive, but Mike Tomlin threw down the gauntlet by going for it on 4th and 1 at his own 28, and Connor Heyward set the tone for the offense by converting.

Patrick Queen did his part on the next Dolphins drive, dropping Ollie Gorden for a four yard loss on 3rd and 1 at the Steelers 32, forcing a punt.

Jaylen Warren, Steelers vs Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolphins MNF

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

With just over 5 minutes left Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers offense went to work. Rodgers methodically moved the Steelers down the field, mixing up passes to Darnell Washington, Jonnu Smith, Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren while Gainwell and Warren advanced on the ground.

When the Steelers faced a 4th and 1 at Miami’s 15, there was no doubt they were going for it, and once again Connor Heyward delivered.

Five plays later, the offense was executing the Steel City Shove for the 4th time that night as Connor Heyward was putting the Steelers up by 4 with his first rushing touchdown.

Steelers Strike Hard, Strike Smart

Taking a 7-3 lead out of the locker room at halftime doesn’t deliver much of an advantage, but it does give you a foothold – if you can hold it. And Pittsburgh Steelers, as we know, have been abysmal during the 3rd quarter in 2025.

  • To remedy that, Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith leaned into the spirit of Ron Erhardt.

Even though Aaron Rodger’s had gone 13 of 14 in the first, half, the Steelers began the second one by feeding the ball to Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. In doing so they fulfilled Erhardt’s philosophy of “Throw to score, run to win.”

The Steelers ran 5 sright times to open the second half, burning nearly 4 minutes off of the clock by the time they reached the Miami 19. There Aaron Rodgers faked the handoff to Gainwell, and then hit Marquez Valdes-Scantling  who was wide open in the end zone, scoring a touchdown on his first catch as a Pittsburgh Steeler.

Leaning into your ground game when you’re down 14-3 in the second half is certainly doable, but it isn’t a mode your offense can automatically slip into. So after Cam Heyward stuffed Archane for no gain on Mami’s first play the Dolphins were forced to pass. Tua Tagovailoa managed to find Alec Ingold for 4 yards on second down, but on third down Jalen Ramsey sacked Tagovailoa without even laying a hand on him.

  • It was on the next drive where the Steelers offense definitively shifted into high gear.

Aaron Rodgers converted a third down by catching the Dolphins with 12 men on the field. Gainwell ripped of several 9 yard runs, and Pat Freiermuth caught a chunk pass. From Miami’s 26, Gainwell lost a yard. Then Rodgers missed Freiermuth. But on the next play, he iced the game.

He threw a laser to D.K. Metcalf and Metcalf, then took the ball and stiff armed two Dolphin defenders while beating a third on his way into the end zone.


By the time he finished moving, the Steelers were up 21-0, as the Steelers offense was simultaneously striking smart and striking hard.

Rudolph on the Bench, but Misfit Toys Have Their Day

A little over two years ago, the Steelers had been left for dead, only to have Mason Rudolph come off the bench and lead Pittsburgh to 3 straight wins on Christmas weekend.

Although Rudolph remained on the bench throughout the night, the Steelers team that took the filed in many ways represented the NFL equivalent of the Island of Misfit Toys.

  • T.J. Watt was out.
  • Nick Herbig had to leave the game with an injury.
  • Rookie run stuffer Derrick Harmon was injured and unable to play.
  • James Pierre, who has been improving by the week, missed game due to injury
  • Receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Adam Thielen were practice squad call ups and waiver wire pickups
  • Dylan Cook, their 4th string offensive tackle, started his first game

Yet the Steelers collectively came together and not only found a way to defeat, but dominat the Dolphins. After Metcalf’s touchdown, Payton Wilson ended the Dolphins next drive with a sack. By the time Jonnu Smith opened the 4th quarter by running it into the end zone from 14 yards out, it was icing on the cake.

December Football Has Arrived, and the Steelers Are Delivering

December has become a month of deliveries. The NFL is no exception. As the Steelers so painfully learned last year, either you step up and deliver in December, or you wither on the vine.

  • The Steelers opened December with a win over the Baltimore Ravens, on the road no less.

But, as Jim Wexell has pointed out through the years at Steel City Insider, the Steelers have typically struggled after a win against the Ravens. Instead, Mike Tomlin found a way for a short-handed Steelers team to dominate a Dolphins team coming into Pittsburgh on a hot streak, and fighting for their playoff lives.

That’s good. But it is December and deliveries must continue. Now the Steelers need to find a way to go into the Detroit Lions in their own lair.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Steelers Report Card for Win Over Ravens – End of Semester Sprint Edition

Posted on by Standard Reply

Taken from the grade book of a teacher crossing his fingers in hopes that the end of the semester sprint has started, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the win over the 2025 Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

Alex Highsmith, Derrick Harmon, Steelers vs Ravens

Alex Highsmith shut down Derrick Harmon. Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham, via Steelers.com

Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers grabbed the “no long passes for a month” bull by the horns and tossed a 52 yarder to open the day. He launched several more long and intermediate passes throughout the afternoon, finishing 23 of 34 for 284 yards and one touchdown. Things trailed off in the 4th quarter, and that brings his grade down, but Rodgers’ performance was the difference in the game. Grade: A-Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
It was rough sledding on the ground for the Steelers. Jaylen Warren had 8 carries and only 13 yards. Kenneth Gainwell did “better” getting 15 yards and a touchdown on his 4 carries. Kaleb Johnson 4 yards on 2 carries. However, Gainwell had 6 catches for 27 yards, while Warren had 3 catches for 49 yards including a 38 yarder that he took to the house. Connor Heyward had 2 yards. Grade: C

Tight Ends
Darnell Washington had 1 catch for 12 yards and then left the game with a concussion. Pat Freiermuth had 2 catches for 9 yards. Jonnu Smith had zero catches on one target. Grade: C-

Wide Receiver
D.K. Metcalf exploded for 7 catches for 148 yards – this is exactly why the Steelers brought him to Pittsburgh. Calvin Austin turned a Go Ball on 3rd and 5 into a 31-yard gain on the final TD drive. Ben caught one pass for 13 yards that jump-started a drive. New comers Adam Thielen and Marquez Valdes-Scantling only had 2 targets, but in Tony Romo’s estimate, they commanded the attention of the defense in ways that Roman Wilson had been unable to do. Grade: A-

Offensive Line
It was a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde effort for the Steelers offensive line. The line’s inability to create any sort of space to support a running game is simply appalling. It may have been the unit’s worst run blocking effort all year. On the flip side, have we ever seen a Steelers quarterback have that much time to throw against a Ravens’ defense – on the road no less. Grade: C

Defensive Line
The sample size is large enough. Keeanu Benton looks like he has it in him to be a decent to good defensive lineman, but he’s not a true nose tackle. He was moved too early and too often against the Ravens. Yahya Black continues to look good in the absence of Derrick Harmon. Cam Heyward led the group in tackles and made all sorts of contributions that don’t show up on the stat sheet. Grade: D

Linebackers
The Steelers defense, lost on the stat sheet. The linebackers had a role in giving up so much rushing yardage. But they also had a role in the defense’s ability to contain Derrick Henry without stopping him. Look no further than Cole Holcomb leading the team in tackles despite entering the game as an injury replacement. Beyond that, T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig both helped pressure Lamar Jackson into critical third down incompletions. The real star was Alex Highsmith. He had 3 tackles for a loss, including a critical goal line stop of Henry that forced a field goal, hit Lamar Jackson twice and ended the game with a sack. Grade: B-

Secondary
The Baltimore Ravens third down efficiency was 38% which is just a tick above average for them. That’s also about two ticks above average for the Steelers defense. The secondary accounted for one interception by James Pierre and two end zone pass breakups. More importantly, they helped force field goals on multiple occasions when no one was open on third down. That’s a little discussed difference. Grade: B+

Special Teams
Chris Boswell was perfect on his kicks. The Steelers return coverage was solid, never allowing Baltimore to gain an extra advantage. Corliss Waitman boomed off punts averaging close to 50 yards. Pittsburgh’s return game was sound. Grade: B

Cam Heyward, Mike Tomlin, Aaron Rodgers, Steelers vs Ravens

Cam Heyward, Mike Tomlin & Aaron Rodgers walk off in triumph. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Coaching
Arthur Smith did not shy away from changing, incorporating two new receivers into his offense – clearly something had to change. He also decided to be aggressive early and often, throwing several deep strikes. Truth be told, he’d tried to do that in the last two games, without success.

  • They were successful against the Ravens, and that was the difference.

Ditto the solid pass protection from a line playing his 4th string right tackle – the Ravens may not have much of a pass rush, but the Steelers line won the battle it was supposed to win.

Commentators are already jumping on Teryl Austin for allowing the Ravens to pad their stats.

Those gaudy number might make Fantasy Football owners happy, and the Steelers clearly cannot allow that to continue, but judge performance by Reality Football metrics and you’ll that the Steelers defense forced field goals in 3 critical situations and made several other crucial third down stops.

To quote the late, great Craig Wolfley, losses like the last one against the Bills have the potential to be “Chess Grater” games.

  • Mike Tomlin did not allow that to happen.

Pittsburgh was far from perfect against Baltimore. But the Steelers were aggressive, focused, hungry while playing with the intensity you’d expect with the division title on the line. Credit Mike Tomlin for that. Grade: B+

Brandin Echols, Zay Flowers, Steelers vs Ravens

Brandin Echols knocks a touchdown pass away from Zay Flowers. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Unsung Hero Award
He batted away a pass to Zay Flowers in the end zone on Baltimore’s first trip to the Red Zone to force a field goal. After the Steelers scored a touchdown, he sacked Lamar Jackson on third down to force a punt. For those plays and for an afternoon of end-to-end solid play, Brandin Echols wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers 2025 win over the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Steelers Report Card for Loss to Bears: Chicago Blues Edition

Posted on by Standard Reply

Taken from the gradebook of a teacher who is tired of signing the Chicago Blues, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the loss to the Bears at Soldier Field.

Colston Loveland, Jalen Ramsey, Kyle Dugger, Steelers vs Bears

Colston Loveland scores. Photo Credit: AP, via Tribune-Revew

Quarterback
In his first start of the season, Mason Rudolph went 24 of 31. Completing just shy of 80% of your passes looks good superficially. His first interception negated a great defensive start. His fumble turned over the ball while the Steelers were sniffing field goal range, setting up a touchdown that put the Bears up by 10. Beyond the turnovers, his longest completion went for 21 yards and appeared to be incapable of passing downfield. The deep ball was supposed to be his specialty. Grade: FSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Kenneth Gainwell led the way with 92 yards on 10 carries retaining a respectable average even if you take out his 55 yard scamper. Gainwell also had 6 catches for 30 yards, making him the team’s number 1 receiver. Jaylen Warren had a strong day, rushing for 68 yards on 18 carries. Connor Heyward ran once for zero yards. Grade: B+

Tight Ends
Steelers Tight Ends combined for 8 catches for over 60 yards with Jonnu Smith taking two tosses as runs for 6 yards and Pat Freiermuth catching a touchdown pass. Grade: B

Wide Receivers
Calvin Austin led the Steelers wide receivers with 4 catches for 36 yards. D.K. Metcalf had 5 catches for 22 yards, losing on yet another combat catch. Ben Skowronek had a nice catch for 21 yards, but that was the longest catch of the day. Roman Wilson had zero catches but executed an excellent pass break up negating a would-be interception. The receivers must share blame with the quarterback for the failure of the downfield passing game. Grade: F

Offensive Line
Run blocking was solid. Mason Rudolph was only sacked once twice and hit 4 other times. And statistically speaking, that looks pretty good. But one of those sacks helped scuttle the Steelers first drive, and the second one resulted in a forced fumble. Grades here are driven by performance and results. Grade: C-

Defensive Line
The Steelers held the Bears running game in check for the most part, but Caleb Williams did escape four times. The defensive line, as a unit, was overpowered on the Bears touchdown run. Yahya Black recovered a fumble in what should have been a game-changing play. Grade: C

Linebackers
T.J. Watt made an All Pro move by first forcing Caleb Williams into the end zone and then strip sacking him. Nick Herbig pounced on it for the touchdown. However, a neutral zone infraction by Herbig negated a Joey Porter Jr. interception on the final drive at halftime that resulted in the Bears getting three extra points that decided the game. Grade: D

Secondary
Overall play of the secondary was OK at times with Kyle Dugger’s addition paying dividends. He had a pass defensed as did James Pierre. But the Bears passed for 3 touchdowns. Grade: D

Special Teams
The Bears had more kick return success than you’d like to see. After Chicago forced the Steelers to punt to start the second half, Corliss Waitman boomed off a deep punt. Unfortunately a Ben Skowronek penalty forced a re-punt and Waitman did not do a good job of that. This set up the Bears only non-turnover assisted touchdown drive. Grade: D

Coaching
Several times during his tenure we’ve credited Arthur Smith for leading an offense where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Against the Bears, the opposite was true.

The Steelers led in all sorts of offensive stat categories, even edging an impressive 6-minute time of possession advantage. Yet, they came up short on the score board. Turnovers, which are not Smith’s fault are a huge factor here. But so is the Steelers chronic inability to pass down field.

  • Critics are already calling out the 31 points given up by Teryl Austin’s defense.

Fair enough. Numbers don’t lie. The defense wasn’t good enough, especially in the Red Zone. But the defense was also sandbagged by the offense and special teams on each scoring drive and self-sabotaged on the Bears field goal drive. That’s not on Austin’s game planning.

  • Still, Austin’s defense gave up 3 passing touchdowns. That’s three too many.

The Steelers have been playing the Bears in Chicago since 1938, one year before my oldest living blood relative was born in Mt. Oliver. Since then, they’ve beaten the Bears in Chicago precisely one time.

  • Any number of individual plays could have turned the collective outcome.

That may not come down on game plan or coaching, but Mike Tomlin and his staff are ultimately responsible. The Steelers needed a win in Chicago. Instead they got a loss. Grade: F

Kenneth Gainwell, Darnell Washington, Steelers vs Bears

Kenneth Gainwell runs for 55 yards. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Unsung Hero Award
Kenneth Gainwell may have authored the offense’s most explosive play but that was all made possible by the block leveled by Darnell Washington, and for that he wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers loss in Chicago to the Bears.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Steeler Report Card for Win over Bengals: Substitute Students Edition

Posted on by Standard Reply

From the gradebook of a teacher pleased to see his substitute students shine here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the win over the Bengals at Acrisure.

Jalen Ramsey, Steelers vs Bengals

Jalen Ramsey lays in the wood. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Quarterbacks
Aaron Rodgers was 3-3 on the opening drive including his touchdown pass. On the afternoon he finished 9-15-116 yards and no picks. He also had an impressive 8 yard sprint that extended a drive that ended with a field goal. Mason Rudolph entered the game in the 2nd half and looked sharp, going 12 of 16 for 127 yards an a touchdown. Both quarterbacks managed to lead drives that point 10 points on the board. Grade: ASteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Jaylen Warren started out looking like a back who might take over the game. And it seemed like the coaches might let him try, as he ran 62 yards on 10 carries before leaving with an injury. Kenneth Gainwell only managed 24 yards on nine carries in relief of Warren, but did catch 7 passes for 81 yards, including 2 touchdowns. Kaleb Johnson 5 carries for 15 yards which doesn’t include and impressive run that was called back by a penalty. Connor Heyward converted 2 first downs via the tush push. Grade: B

Tight Ends
Darnell Washington’s 4 catches for 67 yards might not impress on paper, but he was a force, barreling through reluctant defenders. Pat Freiermuth had one catch for 19 yards. Washington was also a force in the blocking game. Grade: B+

Wide Receivers
D.K. Metcalf had 5 catches for 49 yards several of which were drive extenders. Roman Wilson caught 1 pass for 17 yards converting a third down on the Steelers opening drive in the second half. Calvin Austin caught one pass for 5 yards and drew another pass interference penalty. Grade: B-

Offensive Line
The Steelers only gave up one sack and 3 other quarterback hits. The line also opened excellent holes for Jaylen Warren although Gainwell did not fair as well. Grade: B

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward led the unit in tackles, and overall performance of the unit was strong. If you take the one long run the Bengals had, the Steelers limited them to a respectable average. Grade: B

Linebackers
Patrick Queen led the team in tackles, Malik Harrison helped shore up the run defense, and Nick Herbig had a sack that not only cost the Bengals 7 yards but rattled Joe Flacco enough to cause a delay of game penalty helping force a field goal when it was still an 11 point game. Grade: B+

Secondary
Kyle Dugger’s pick six came at the end of the third quarter and transformed a 5 point lead into a 11 point lead. James Pierre’s fumble return for a touchdown slammed the door shut on even a theoretical Bengals comeback. But those are not the two most impressive stats from this game.
Kenneth Gainwell had more catches and only 12 yards less than Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Combined. It looked like a completely different Steelers secondary in this match up. Grade: A

Special Teams
Chris Boswell was 2-2 on field goals and 4-4 on extra points. Corliss Waitman had a strong afternoon punting, pinning the Bengals down inside the 20 on two of his three punts. Kick coverage was good and the returns were respectable. Grade: B

Coaching
Arthur Smith clearly has a knack for game planning going into contests, as the Steelers improved success in scoring on their first drives demonstrates. However, in the first half his unit struggled to sustain that, with their final scoring drive in that period should be characterized as “heavily penalty-aided.”

Still, it was a solid outing for the Steelers offense. Not only did they finally manage to win the time of possession battle, the offense executed a 12-play, 6-minute drive in the fourth quarter to turn an 11 point lead into an 18 point lead. This was a welcome sight.

This didn’t just look like a different Steelers secondary against potent Bengals offense, it looked like an entirely different defense. Since Joe Flacco’s arrival, Cincinnati’s offense has been a Fantasy Football owner’s dream.

By leaning into Reality Football — hard hitting and smart playing — Teryl Austin’s defense made it a nightmare afternoon for he Bengals.

Pittsburgh Steelers have been run hot and cold during the 2025 season, but after a rough outing on national TV, Mike Tomlin has his team ready, willing and able to play winning football. Grade: A-

T.J. Watt, Joe Flacco, Steelers vs Bengals

T.J. Watt hits Joe Flacco. Photo Credit: T.O. Steelers.com

Unsung Hero Award
The stat sheet says he only had one tackle, albeit for a loss, 2 tipped passes and one quarterback hit. But that hit was hard. His tipped pass helped set up a third down and on that third down his pressure helped force a pick six, and for that T.J. Watt wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers win over the Bengals at Acrisure.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Beaten by Green Bay: Packers Plaster Steelers 35-25 on SNF

Posted on by Standard 1

The Green Bay Packers came into Acrisure Stadium and dealt the Steelers a 35 to 25 loss on Sunday Night Football. But don’t let the 10 point difference fool you:

  • Green Bay beat Pittsburgh in every sense of the word.

This is the Steelers second loss in as many outings. The Bengals loss, however worrisome, came with some potentially mitigating caveats as it happened on the road on a Thursday night.

No similar apology exists in the wake of the loss to the Packers:  The 2025 Pittsburgh Steelers are simply playing piss poor football of late.

Rashan Gary, Aaron Rodgers, Steelers vs Packers

Rashan Gary sacks Aaron Rodgers. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

First Half Phantasm

Any Steelers fan tuning into the game with just under 6 minutes remaining in the second quarter had to have been feeling good. Chris Boswell had just kicked his third field goal of the night, a 48-yarder.

The defense forced a Green Bay 3 and out, featuring Jordan Love throwing to Tucker Kraft short on a 3rd and 3. Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell went to work, ripping off double-digit carries. Calvin Austin, in his return to action, caught a pass and drew a pass interference call.

After Warren burned off a bit more clock, Aaron Rodgers hit D.K. Metcalf twice – first for 10 yards. His second pass only went 2 yards but it was for a touchdown that put the Steelers up 16 to 7 going into the locker room.

The Steelers were getting the ball to start the second half. Things looked good. But as Obi Wan Kenobi advised Luke Skywalker in the summer of ’77:

Cosmetically, a 9 point lead looked nice going into halftime, but in reality it covered up several Steelers flaws that defined this game.

On their first drive the Steelers marched right down the 23, where D.K. Metcalf penalty dropped them back 10 yards. An incompletion and a sack later and Boswell was hitting a 56 yarder. On their next drive  Pat Freiermuth penalty turned 2 and 8 into 2 and 13. Freiermuth made up for it with a 5 yard pass, but by then it was 4th down and on came Corliss Waitman.

Next time around, on third down Aaron Rodgers went for all the marbles on 3rd and three – he placed the ball perfectly, but Carrington Valentine came up with a picture-perfect pass defense in the end zone, and it was Boswell from 50 for 3 more.

The next time they got the ball, the Steelers reached the Packers’ 30 with just six plays. But a toss to Jaylen Warren failed, costing them 5 yards, and even though they got 11 more on their next two plays, they actually needed 15, so it was Boswell from 48 for another three.

Things happen in football games. Sometimes things go wrong and you must settle for three. Boswell’s second field goal is a good example – you try for 7, you fail, so you accept 3. Sometimes slipups cost you a chance for 7 so you take 3.

But Arthur Smith’s offense left 12 points on the field on a night when the Steelers needed every point they could put on the scoreboard.

Flag Football Arrives @ Acrisure Stadium

When the history of the 2025 Pittsburgh Steelers is written, we probably will forget that the defense authored a strong 30 minutes to open against the Packers.

It wasn’t a shutdown performance. T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig has been quiet. But forcing 3 punts against and two field goal attempts against a legitimate NFC contender – without sniffing a sack or hauling in an interception represents winning football.

  • Yet, like all good love stories, the ending is foreshadowed just before intermission.

After the Steelers touchdown, Jordan Love got the ball with only 34 seconds and two time outs. He got the Packers to their own 47 where T.J. Watt gave them some help with a face mask. That extra 15 yards allowed the Packers to attempt an field goal that they’d missed.

The series didn’t put three points on the board for the Packers, but it did allow Jordan Love to complete 3 straight passes – and it wouldn’t be until 5:40 remained in the 4th quarter that another one of Love’s balls would fall to the ground. (And that includes a successful 2-point conversion pass, which isn’t an official stat.)

Clearly, something was clicking for Jordan Love at Acrisure.

 

 

Perhaps the one time the Steelers pass rush got to him, Love lobbed a perfectly arched moonball to Tucker Kraft and in the process broke the back of the Steelers defense.

They never recovered.

From there on out, just as Joe Flacco had done a week ago, Jordan Love looked like he was playing against the Loyola Maryland Intramural Flag Football All Stars instead of the NFL’s highest paid defense.

Tucker Kraft, Juan Thornhill, Chuck Clark, Steelers vs Packers,

Tucker Kraft torches the Steelers. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

The Steelers defense couldn’t stop Green Bay’s receivers from catching the ball. After the catch they struggled to tackle Packer receivers. Through it all, they barely laid a glove on Love.

  • The Packers put points on the board on all five of their second half possessions.

The Steelers offense could only counter with one non-garbage time field goal – a 56 yarder at that – while squandering away their other possessions with sacks, penalties and turn overs.

The Steelers Are Broken. Can Mike Tomlin Put Together the Pieces?

For the second straight week the Steelers once proud defense was humiliated on national TV.

  • The Steelers will feel the sting of this for some time to come – literally.

The Steelers defense struggled early in the season, but improved remarkably when DeShon Elliott returned to the lineup. Elliott was injured and taken from the game on the defense’s third play from scrimmage in the second half.

  • The fact that things fell apart after that is no coincidence.

Two weeks can be a lifetime in the National Football league. With victories over the Patriots, Vikings and Browns it seemed like the new talent Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan assembled in the off season was coming together.

  • The losses to the Bengals and the Packers reveal things are coming apart in Pittsburgh.

Mike Tomlin needs to find a way to put them back together. Fast. Because the AFC leading Indianapolis Colts arrive next at Acrisure….

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Steelers Report Card for Win Over Browns: Struggling to Keep Up on a Short Week Edition

Posted on by Standard Reply

Taken from the grade book of a teacher who is next to certain that he’ll fail in his assignment to keep this short on a short week, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2025 win over the Browns at Acrisure.

Jaylen Warren, Steelers vs Browns

Jaylen Warren runs to daylight. Photo Credit: Alyissa Rubin, Steelers.com

Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers went 21-30-235 for 2 touchdowns. Keeping it real, Rodgers missed a few throws that contributed to a touchdownless first half. But he more than made up for it with laser strikes to the end zone in the 2nd half. And Rodgers deft management at the line of scrimmage has kept elite defensive coordinators rocking on their heels for 2 straight weeks. Grade: B+Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
It was back to the future for Generation X Steelers fans as offense deliberately incorporated 3 running backs into the game plan. Jaylen Warren led the group with 52 yards on 11 carries, followed by Kenneth Gainwell who got 22 on 6 carries and Kaleb Johnson who got 15 on 6 tries. All of this came against the NFL’s best rushing defense. Warren and Gainwell added for 2 catches and each running back banged out at least one long run. Grade: B+

Tight Ends
Darnell Washington opened the game with a 36 yard pass and finished the day with 3 grabs for 62 yards. Pat Freiermuth had one catch for 11 yards, and Connor Heyward came up with another for 12 yards, and a touchdown. The tight ends blocking efforts were also critical to the success of the offense. Grade: A

Wide Receivers
D.K. Metcalf had 4 catches for 95 yards all of which were chunk plays, one of which was the decisive touchdown. The only other receiver to get a target was Roman Wilson, who caught 1 pass for 11 yards. That helped set up a score. Grade: B

Connor Heyward, Steelers vs Browns

Connor Heyward with the first touchdown of the day. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Offensive Line
Aaron Rodgers was not sacked and the Cleveland Browns only touched him 3 times. 3 rushers had carries for double digit carries and another had a 9 yard run. Yes, the unit had help from the tight ends and Spencer Anderson again appeared in the Jumbo Package. No, the team couldn’t quite run out the clock. But this was a strong performance against a good defensive front. Grade: B+

Defensive Line
The individual stat sheet might look a little sparse outside of Derrick Harmon’s sack. But stat to focus on is Cleveland’s 3.8 yard-per-carry average. The Steelers needed to make the Browns one-dimensional. And they did. Oh, and Daniel Ekuale dropped into coverage Esezi Otomewo paving  the way for a Dick LeBeau style zone blitz sack. Grade: A-

Linebackers
T.J. Watt, Nick Herbig and Alex Highsmith are all credited with parts of sacks by ESPN. Watt also tipped a pass to force a punt. Patrick Queen was laying in the wood while Payton Wilson and Cole Holcomb quietly put in good days. Grade: A

Secondary
Jalen Ramsey had two sacks his 4th and 5th out of 139 career games. No one got an interception, but DeShon Elliott, Daruis Slay, and Joey Porter all got their hands on passes, as did Juan Thornhill. Its been said that the Steelers 6 sacks were in large part due to Dillion Gabriel holding on to the ball too long – there’s a reason why they’re called coverage sacks. On a day when the Browns threw for over 50 passes, they didn’t cross the 50 until the end of the first half, and then didn’t reach the Red Zone until late in the 4th quarter – where they got shut down. Grade: A

Special Teams
Chris Boswell knocked in 3 field goals and missed another due to the turf. Corliss Waitman only punted twice, but one went for 20 yards. Ke’Shawn Williams opened with a phenomenal punt return that got called back for a penalty. Williams and Gainwell did well on kick returns and coverage was solid. Grade: B-

Coaching
Arthur Smith took a lot of heat last year for failing to turn a Steelers offense that had been stuck in schematic purgatory since the days of Matt Canada and Randy Fitchner. We saw glimpses of what he wanted to do last season, but desire failed to connect with results far too often.

The Browns may be 1-5, but they have what may be reguarded as the NFL’s best defense. Per Bob Labriola:

…the Browns came into the game ranked first in the NFL in total yards passing allowed, first in rushing yards per game allowed, and fourth in average gain per rush. They were fourth in sacks per pass attempt, and second in first downs allowed per game.

And Jim Schwartz is regarded as one of the best defensive minds in the game. Yet Arthur Smith’s offense took control of the game and never relinquished it.

The Browns offense, suffice to say, isn’t remotely in the same category as their defense. Nonetheless, Teryl Austin’s defense did what it was supposed to do against a weaker unit – force them to be one dimensional and keep them out of the end zone.

  • After six weeks, the Steelers stand at 4-1 and with a lead over the AFC North.

That’s good, but its not what’s encouraging about the Browns win. Its that the Steelers continue to get better each week, and Mike Tomlin deserves credit for that. Grade: A-

Jonnu Smith Denzel Ward, Steelers vs Browns

Jonnu Smith with 1 of his 3 catches. Photo Credit: Alyssa Rubin, Steelers.com

Unsung Hero Award
The Steelers wide receiver depth chart is thin. And they’re were down a man against the Browns. Such situations requires coaches to get creative. But to do that, they need players who are versatile. This player converted a first down with his first catch, started a scoring drive with his second, and ran for then yards sustaining the Steelers first touchdown drive and for that Jonnu Smith wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers win over the Browns at Acrisure.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

6 Quick Takeaways as Steelers Lose 17-14 to Buccaneers in Preseason

Posted on by Standard Reply

The Pittsburgh Steelers dropped their preseason home opener to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the tune of 17-14, as a late Logan Woodside interception gave Tampa Bay the ball deep in Steelers territory, allowing them to kick a field goal as time expired.

The result itself tells us very little. The game yielded both good and bad takeaways for Steelers fans, and here are 6 of those plus a bonus program note.

Keeanu Benton, Steelers vs Buccaneers 2025 preseason

Keeanu Benton blocks a pass. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

1. Absence of Starters Self-Evident

Mike Tomlin opted to sit at least 20 players going into the game, including 13 who could be considered starters, including his top three skill players, Aaron Rodgers, D.K. Metcalf and Jaylen Warren.

ON the defensive side, T.J. Watt, DeShon Elliott, Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay and Joey Porter also sat.

We’ll only know if that’s a wise football decision if the Steelers can avoid sloppy play in early September, and succeed in dodging the injury bug by late December. But from a product marketing perspective, the product on the field clearly suffered.

Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher

Chuck Noll & Bill Cower after the last game at Three Rivers Stadium. Photo via 6th Ring.com

Not that the men who suited up were delivering sub-standard performances, but this game had the look and feel of a preseason contest – far cry from August of 1994 when a preseason contest between the Steelers and Raiders got so heated that Rod Woodson found himself ejected.

After the game the intensity had Bill Cowher telling Chuck Noll, “I don’t know what you started, but it seems like I’ve got to finish it.” (Or something close to that, this quote’s from memory.)

2. The Kids Are Alright

Collectively, the Steelers looked good in their preseason win over the Jaguars last week. But rookie running back Kaleb Johnson looked lost at times, and Derrick Harmon remained invisible on the stat sheet.

That had some commentators worried, but the take away here was “The Kids Will be Alright.”

  • And against the Buccaneers, they were.

Derrick Harmon drew several double-teams and overall appeared disruptive, and managed a sack Kyle Trask with a pure bull rush. Kaleb Johnson average 4.5 yards a carry on 11 runs including a long one of 14 yards. He also had a catch of 9 yards.

Moreover, Johnson looked sharp as a kick returner, averaging 27 yards a return with a long one of 34.

3. When in Rome, Do As the Romans?

Several members of the Steelers 2024 draft class had their rookie years ruined by injuries. Out of that group, perhaps no one was a bigger X factor than Roman Wilson. When asked about his wide receiver room following the George Pickens trade, Omar Khan expressed confidence in his 2025 group and rejected comparisons to the team’s situation at the same point in 2024.

  • He didn’t mention Roman Wilson by name, but he didn’t have to.

After a shaky start at St. Vincents, Wilson’s name became mentioned more prominently. He played well against the Jaguars, and made two impressive catches against the Buccaneers that totaled 72 yards.

  • Clearly, Roman Wilson is headed in the right direction.

But has he shown enough to make Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan going with Metcalf, Calvin Austin and Wilson as their top 3 wide outs. Even if Scott Miller and Brandon Johnson have looked good in preseason, the Steelers depth at wide out remains thin.

4. Run Blocking A Concern?

The good news is that, for the second straight week, Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu looked good in pass protection.

However, overall the Steelers run blocking, which has been a weakness in training camp, looked so-so at best against the Buccaneers. Yes, Lew Nichols and Evan Hull had long runs, but Kenneth Gainwell “started” and got nowhere in his two runs against Tampa’s number 1s.

Historically, preseason has been a pretty good barometer for performance of specific units. Indeed, in the summer of 1998 it seemed that the Steelers run blocking was slipping. When the regular season started, the unit did OK, particularly when Alan Faneca worked himself into the lineup, but things went south after injuries ended Justin Strzelczyk’s season and career.

5. Punt It Out

One of the few true position battles the Steelers have this summer is at punter. Both Corliss Waitman and Cameron Johnston leaned into the completion Saturday night.

Waitman averaged 58 yards on his punts, and although Johnston “only” average 42 yards, in did get two inside the 20. Danny Smith and Mike Tomlin don’t have an easy decision in front of them, but that’s a good problem to have.

6. Odds and Sods

Cole Holcomb had another outstanding night and appears to be back inform following his gruesome injury suffered in the middle of 2023. Keeanu Benton also deflected a pass and rebounded from a subpar game last week.

If all goes well, the Steelers won’t see Miles Killebrew lining up in the secondary this fall, but he also had a pass defensed. So did Beanie Bishop and Brandin Echols.

The Steelers depth at inside linebacker and in the secondary appears to be solid.

Bonus: Program Note on DAZN

For the second straight week I watched that ad-free replay of the game on DAZN, which owns NFL Game Pass international. And for the second straight week, edits not only eliminated commercials, but also key series.

Last week it was Max Hurlman’s catch and touchdown. This week it was Ben Sauls missed field goal.

I do realize that DAZN is headquartered in London, England and therefore some of their production team might not be well-versed in American football, but get it together guys.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.