Tag Archives: Mark Robinson

Grading the Steelers 2019 Draft Class – Bush Trade = Brutal Mistake

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Steel Curtain Rising “grades” drafts 5 years after the fact, in keeping with Chuck Noll’s belief that it took 5 years to judge a draft.

Travel and work commitments kept me from grading Steelers 2019 and 2018 draft classes, so this spring we’ll grade those draft classes, starting with 2019.

Devin Bush,

Steelers rookie Devin Bush on the fields of St. Vincents. Photo Credit: AP, via Yahoo! Sports

First Round – Devin Bushy Jr., The Third Time Non-Charm

Kevin Colbert’s track record of trading up was excellent. In 2004 he got Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu and in 2006 he got Super Bowl XLIII’s MVP Santonio Holmes.

Going into the 2019 NFL Draft the Steelers defense was still reeling from the loss of Ryan Shazier 15 months earlier. Kevin Colbert needed to be aggressive and traded up 2nd and 3rd round picks to draft Devin Bush.

  • 10 months later, Colbert’s bold move with Bush appeared to be a brilliant gamble.

Believe it or not, Devin Bush had a solid, if not spectacular rookie year.

Devin Bush, Devin Bush touchdown, Steelers vs Chargers

Happier Times: Rookie Devin Bush dives for a touchdown. Photo Credit: Karl Rosner, Steelers.com

He registered one sack, made 2 interceptions, batted away 4 passes, made 109 tackles, recovered 4 fumbles and returned one for a touchdown. Looking beyond the numbers, Bush made splash plays in a timely manner – a halmark of greatness. Bush started his sophomore year strong, making a sack and batting away 3 passes before tearing his ACL in early in his fifth game.

  • Devin Bush was never the same.

Whether his ACL tear never fully healed or the injury spooked him, Bush was a shadow of his rookie year flash, ultimately losing snaps to 7th round rookie Mark Robinson late in his final season. Grade: Bust

Third Round – Diontae Johnson, The Failed POC

Diontae Johnson had a strong rookie year, appearing in 16 games and making 12 starts. His catch totals went from 59, to 88 to 107. That prompted Omar Khan to give him a “prove it contract” in the spring of 2022.

  • Alas, Johnson failed his “Proof of Concept” but certainly wasn’t a total loss.

Johnson had a solid 2022, catching 86 passes but no touchdowns. In 2023, that number dipped to 51 as Johnson became a sideline and locker room distraction. The Steelers traded him, and Johnson ended up playing for Carolina, Baltimore and Houston wearing four jerseys in less than 12 months.

Diontae Johnson, Robert Jackson, Steelers vs Browns

Diontae Johnson beats Robert Jackson for a big gain. Photo Credit: Caitlyn Epes, Steelers.com

Getting 67 starts, nearly 400 catches and 25 touchdowns out of a third round pick is pretty good. Grade: Quality Value Pick

Third Round – Justin Layne, Failer of “The Idiot Test”

The Steelers drafted Justin Layne with their 2nd 3rd round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and got 3 season out of him, with his performance peaking in 2020, when he logged 11% of the defensive snaps.

His most noticeable act with the team was getting arrested for speeding and smoking marijuana while driving, thereby failing the idiot test. Grade: Bust

Fourth Round – Benny Snell Jr., 15 Minutes of Fame for “Benny Snell Football”

The Steelers drafted Benny Snell in the 4th round of the 2019 taking a step towards restablishing a three-deep running backs room. Over 4 years Snell made 5 starts and appeared in 67 games, netting just under 1000 yards. Coming off the bench, “Benny Snell Football” paved the way for Kenny Pickett’s first comeback win on Monday Night Football against the Colts.

Benny Snell, Steelers vs Colts, Steelers vs Colts 2022 MNF

Benny Snell rips off a long one. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

In this scribe’s estimation, Snell proved he was a worthy RB No. 3. Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan felt differently. So did the rest of the NFL. Grade: Serviceable Pickup

Fifth Round – Zach Gentry, Catcher of Big Ben’s Last Pass

The Steelers drafted Zach Gentry as a project, as he was converting to tight end from quarterback early in his college career. Injuries complicated that transition, but by his 3rd season he on track to becoming a serviceable 2nd tight end.

Zach Gentry, Steelers vs Chiefs, Steelers vs Chiefs 2021 Wild Card, Ben Roethlisberger, Ben Roethlisberger last pass

Zach Gentry catching one of Ben Roethlisberger’s last passes. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

He failed to build on that progress in his 4th year, but he’ll always hold the distinction of being the person who caught Ben Roethlisberger’s last pass in the 2021 Wild Card loss to the Chiefs. Grade: Serviceable Pickup

Sixth Round – Sutton Smith, Who?

The Steelers cut Sutton Smith in training camp. He spent a few days on their practice squad that November and got into a few games in 2021 after bouncing around to various practice squads. Grade: Bust

Sixth Round — Isaiah Buggs, Not Worth Bugging You About

Isaiah Buggs was one of those players whose highlight reel made you wonder you wondered why he lasted to the 6th round. The Steelers stuck with Buggs for 3 seasons, during which he appeared in 29 games and started 7 of those.

Buggs flashed some potential in those starts, but he had other issues. That was evident when the Steelers cut him heading into Ben Roethlisberger’s regular season finale with the playoffs on the line. He went to Detroit in 2022, had a decent year that earned him a 2nd contract, but the Lions cut him at the end of his second season right before the playoffs due to off the field issues. Grade: Disappointment

Sixth Round — Ulysees Gilbert, Ulyesses Gilbert’s No Grant

Ulysees Gilbert was one of those “…but he’s got potential” draft picks that never found his grove. He appeared in 28 games for the Steelers, totaling 69 defensive snaps, although he did log over 500 on special teams. Grade: Bust

Seventh Round — Derwin Gray, Another Nameless Terrapin

The Steelers took a flyer on Derwin Gray and he appeared in 5 games, playing 25 snaps on offense and 11 on special teams in 2020 after doing a one-year apprenticeship on the practice squad.

Overall Grade for the Steelers 2019 Draft Class – F

By the time the 2019 NFL Draft arrived, the Steelers had been in “Reload While We Have Ben Roethlisberger Mode” for a while. Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin of course had no way of knowing that Ben Roethlisberger was six months away from a career-transforming injury.

But even without that knowledge, Ben Roethlisberger had just turned 37, making 2019 a make or break draft for the “Reload for Roethlisberger” strategy.

  • And Colbert and Tomlin blew it.

In Snell and Gentry the Steelers got two serviceable pickups. Neither man played a day of a second contract. Diontae Johnson did earn a second contract, but he proved himself to be anything but a long-term answer at wide out.

Trading up to get Devin Bush was brutal mistake which the franchise perhaps hasn’t fully recovered from. Overall Grade: F

 

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Pittsburgh Steelers 2025 Draft Needs @ Inside Linebacker – Low

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For seven long years, questions at inside linebacker have been a staple of Pittsburgh Steelers off seasons. The team has tried promoting in house, it has tried signing low level free agents, it has tried trades, it has tried big-ticket free agents, it has tried draft picks, and its tried trading up to draft players.

Yet, almost every spring, they’ve found themselves back at the drawing board.

As the 2025 NFL Draft approaches, it is fair to ask whether this time things are different.

Patrick Queen, Steelers vs Ravens, Isaiah Likely

Patrick Queen forces a fumble. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Steelers Inside Linebacker Depth Cart at: The Starters

At inside linebacker the Steelers are led by veteran Patrick Queen and “rising sophomore” Payton Wilson. The Steelers invested a lot of salary cap space to bring Queen to Pittsburgh, and while it took time for him to find his footing in the Steelers defense, he was clearly a defensive leader by season’s end.

As a rookie, Payton Wilson made his presence known when he picked off Lamar Jackon’s pass right before the half in the Steelers upset of the Ravens at Acrisure Stadium. Two weeks later at Paycor Stadium against the Bengals he recovered a fumble that Nick Herbig forced taking to the house.

  • Both were game-changing plays.

Wilson still must build on and improve on that rookie performance, but the early returns are promising.

Steelers Inside Linebacker Depth Chart: The Backups

When free agency started, the Steelers were expected to resign Elandon Roberts. Instead, they signed Malik Harrison away from the Baltimore Ravens. Harrison is a special teams ace, who like Roberts is known for being stout against the run – although his missed tackle percentage did jump in 2024.

After spending a year on injured reserve, Cole Holcomb has been cleared to return. In eight starts for the Steelers in 2023, Holocomb was well on the way to proving himself as an impact player, having forced 2 fumbles, batting away two passes and making 4 tackles for losses.

Finally, the Steelers will bring back Mark Robinson. Robinson was their 7th round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. While Robinson’s role in the defense has declined, as his snap count has dropped from 19% to 13% to a mere 1%, that dip is as much about the other players as it is Robinson.

Still, Robinson is a core special teamer, and certainly someone you want to bring to camp to compete for a roster spot.

The Steelers 2025 Draft Needs @ Inside Linebacker

The turmoil at inside linebacker described in the intro can of course be tied directly to the tragic loss of Ryan Shazier. The Steelers haven’t had anyone on the roster since then who can fill his shoes and probably do not have that player under contract now.Pittsburgh Steelers, NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Needs Scale

That’s not a knock on the current inside linebacker depth chart.

Before his injury, Shazier was trending towards performing the same level of franchise Hall of Fame legends such as Rod Woodson or Troy Polamalu (can you just imagine Shazier and T.J. Watt playing together in their primes?) Players like that do not grow on trees.

But the Steelers do have their deepest inside linebacking corps since they boasted Shaizer, Sean Spence and Vince Williams.

Sure, if another Shazier-like player falls in their laps, the Steelers should take him, but otherwise their draft needs at inside linebacker going into the 2025 NFL Draft must be considered Low.

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Steelers Must Keep Elandon Roberts, “Tooth Chipper,” in Pittsburgh

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Finding stability and inside linebacker has been something that’s eluded the Pittsburgh Steelers since they lost Ryan Shazier on December 4th 2017 on that fateful night in Cincinnati.

  • Although that was eons ago in NFL time, its ripple effects echo to this day.

One of the better moves the Steelers have made in the process has been to bring Elandon Roberts to Pittsburgh. But even if that’s true, has he done enough to remain part of the Steelers plans for 2025 and beyond? Let’s take a look.

Elandon Roberts, Terry McBride, Steelers vs Cardinals

No helmet, no problem, as Elandon Roberts tackles Terry McBride. Photo Credit: Matt Freed, AP via Newsday

Capsule Profile of Elandon Roberts’ Career with the Steelers

Elandon Roberts was one of two key free agency signings the team made in the spring of 2023 to bolster their inside linebacking corps, the other being Cole Holcomb. But Omar Khan hedged his bets by signing Kwon Alexander at the close of July.

  • The plan was to platoon the trio based on game situation.

The plan was working well, until Cole Holcomb suffered a season-ending injury against the Titans. Injuries felled Alexander a week later against Green Bay. That left Elandon Roberts to shoulder the load alongside a hodge podge of Mykal Walker, Mark Robinson and, at the end of the year, Myles Jack.

Roberts excelled making 101 tackles, two and a half sacks and bringing down 10 ball carriers behind the line of scrimmage.

Nonetheless, during the 2024 season the Steelers went all in on beefing up the middle of their defense, signing Patrick Queen to a record contract and drafting Payton Wilson in the third round. Roberts nonetheless started 15 games, although his snap count dropped from 54% in 2023 to 44% in 2024.

His production, however, dropped more, as he registered 46 tackles and only 5 tackles for losses with one sack. For what it is worth, Elandon Roberts led the Steelers in tackles in the playoff ridiculing inflicted by the Ravens.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Elandon Roberts

Elandon Roberts offers Exhibit A supporting the reality that statistics too often fail to capture a player’s value. As Mike Tomlin says, Roberts is a “Tooth Chipper.”

Elandon Roberts doesn’t just run to the ball – he craves contact with the ball carrier. There’s a reason why missed only 10 tackles in almost 1000 snaps with the Steelers. He’s got a knack for laying on the wood just when the game situation demands it. His forced fumble at the goal line against Dallas provides a perfect example.

Elandon Roberts, Jerome Ford, Steelers vs Browns

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

As the Baltimore Ravens so brutally demonstrated in the playoffs, the Steelers need guys who can and will step up to stop the run. Elandon Roberts is one of those players and he belongs in Pittsburgh.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Elandon Roberts

Roberts was a clear asset for the Steelers in 2023, but the numbers don’t lie. His snap count dipped by 10%, yet his tackles and his tackles for losses dropped by close to half. There could be many reasons for this, but the Steelers ignore these numbers at their peril.

And if Elandon Roberts is such a stud against the run, then why, after getting 63% of the defensive snaps in the playoffs against the Ravens, did Derrick Henry run wild?

Moreover, he’ll be 31 next year. The Steelers defense is old enough. Time to fill his roster spot with new blood.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Elandon Roberts

There are only starting two inside linebacker slots in the Steelers defense, but they unit has shined when they’ve had a troika of starter-capable players.

They won a Super Bowl with James Farrior, Larry Foote and Lawrence Timmons. They went to another with Farrior, Timmons and Foote. Ryan Shazier, Vince Williams and Sean Spence gave them championship-caliber play.

The Steelers appear to have found a good player in Payton Wilson and they’ve invested heavily in Patrick Queen.

  • Elandon Roberts fills out that troika nicely.

And while the Steelers will certainly need to pay Elandon Roberts more than the veteran minimum, it won’t break the bank to keep him in Pittsburgh. He’s one free agent Steelers can, should and likely will keep in in Pittsburgh for the next couple of three seasons.

 

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“Choto” Steelers Fall to Chiefs 29-10 on Christmas Day

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The Kansas City Chiefs came into Acrisure Stadium on Christmas day 2024 and delivered a 29 to 10 drubbing to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This marked Pittsburgh’s third consecutive loss to an NFL heavyweight team, it ruined the franchise’s perfect record in Christmas games and, worse yet, ceded the lead over the AFC North to the Baltimore Ravens.

  • The loss itself wasn’t entirely unexpected.

The Chiefs after all are 2 time defending Super Bowl Champions. But way in which the team lost was sobering, because for the first time in a very long while, the Steelers looked completely choto.

“Choto” is of course Argentine slang for “coming up short,” but using it carries a distinct anatomical connotation, which we can all agree is appropriate.

Russell Wilson, Steelers vs Chiefs, Chiefs sack Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson is sacked. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Steelers Begin by Breaking the 1st Rule of Playing Mahomes

“When you’re playing Patrick Mahomes, you have zero margin for error.” My friend Matt C. Steel has been hammering this point when writing about how the Steelers must approach team building in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era.

So while Jaylen Warren bobbling the opening kickoff in the end zone had no practical impact on the game, one had to wonder if it was a harbinger of things to come – and indeed it was.

  • The Steelers started with a 7 yard strike to  Pat Freiermuth – Good
  • Najee Harris followed with a 1-yard run – Not so good
  • Russell Wilson got sacked for an 11-yard loss as he recovered his fumble – Bad
  • Corliss Waitman only manages a 40 punt – Not so good
  • Nikko Remigio returns the punt for 25 yards – Bad

Only one minute and thirty five seconds had elapsed. The score remained 0-0, but the Steelers had managed to make 5 errors on 3 offensive and 2 special teams plays.

I guess the fact that Patrick Mahomes required 8 plays to get Kanas City his first score does go to show that the principle that it is easier to tear down that it is to build applies to football.

On their next drive the Steelers actually showed a little life with a 10 yard Najee Harris run. But that was unfortunately scuttled by another Russell Wilson sack. This time Corliss Waitman boomed off a 58 yard punt. And Mark Robinson forced Nikko Remigio fumble, yet once again the Steelers couldn’t recover.

  • On his next go-around, Patrick Mahomes only needed 7 plays to add another touchdown.

And it was here that the Steelers would make their “final” stand against the Chiefs, as a 41 yard hook up to George Pickens and authoritative runs by Jaylen Warren had the Steelers knocking at the door Kanas City’s 8.

  • Warren ripped off another decisive run to reach the end zone.
  • But a Darnell Washington penalty took that off the board.
  • Russell Wilson tried to force it to Pat Freiermuth, but got picked off by Justin Reid

Two minutes and sixteen seconds remained in the first quarter, and the Steelers were already down 14-0 and the game was already over for Pittsburgh. Technically you could argue that the Steelers were still in it until Freiermuth’s fumble early in the 4th quarter.

But for all practical purposes, it was clear very early on that the Steelers were going to come up painfully short against the three time champion Kansas City Chiefs.

Let’s look at why.

Offense Needs More than George Pickens

After the game Matt C. Steel wrote extensively on Steel City Insider about what ails the Steelers offense. In Matt’s view over-reliance on the shot gun has ill suited the Steelers during this 3 game run.

Instinct tells me that there’s a lot of merit to Matt’s argument from a technical, X’s and O’s perspective. Practically, I suspect he’s missing the point.

  • The Steelers simply don’t have enough talent on offense.
  • Scheming  can’t make up for it, at least not in championship-level matches

The offensive line got manhandled. The group is young. They may “get there.” But they is not ready for prime time.

The offense also lacks dynamic playmakers in the passing game. George Pickens is a “Play Maker” albeit one who brings a lot of baggae. Pat Freiermuth is a “play maker.” Calvin Austin could develop into a “play maker” or perhaps even a “Play Maker,” but he’s not quite there yet.

Russell Wilson, at age 36 can still play winning football. Perhaps even he can even play championship football. But he can’t carry this team by himself. And frankly he’s hurt the team when he’s tried.

Justin Reid, Steelers vs Chiefs, Steelers Chiefs Christmas

Justin Reid intercepts Russell Wilson. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

After 15 games it is clear that the Steelers run focused offense is focusing on the wrong running back.

Najee Harris, by all accounts, goes out of his way to piss off the press when the cameras aren’t rolling. Because of that he took some unwarranted criticism over the last two seasons. But as he closes out his fourth year, Najee Harris simply isn’t consistent enough to be a feature back in this offense.

Omar Khan and Andy Weidl showed they understand that when they declined to pick up his 5th year option. The coaches would be wise to follow suit by shifting carries from Harris to Warren for the duration of the season.

Damning Day for the Defense?

Much has been made of the Steelers league-leading investment in the defense, in the form of blue chip contracts for T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward and Minkah Fitzpatrick – among others. This investment of salary cap space flies in the face of the conventional wisdom that in the 2020’s, the NFL is all about offense.

Pittsburgh has gambled that focusing on defense will allow the Steelers to go toe-to-toe with the Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jacksons and Patrick Mahomeses of the NFL.

  • Well, they did do it against Jackson the first time they faced him
  • They were missing 4 starters for the game against Hurts and the 2nd game against Jackson
  • But they were at full heath against Maholmes

And Maholmes not only dominated the Steelers, he made it look easy. “Easy” as in he made it look like he was Ricky Steamboat going up against Mr. X at the Mid Hudson Civic Center in a 1980’s Saturday morning Championship wrestling match up.

  • Yes, there’s a reason why Patrick Mahomes is 15-1 seeking his third straight Super Bowl.

But that’s precisely the point. If Mahomes the measuring stick then the Steelers are indeed choto.

Very very choto.

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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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Who Survived the Turk? Steelers Release Initial 2024 Roster

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As required by NFL rules, the Pittsburgh Steelers made final cuts for this summer to narrow their roster to the 53-man regular season limit.

Omar Khan, Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan

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

There were some difficult choices as several young promising prospects got caught up in the proverbial “numbers game,” while injuries have simplified other decisions in a rather unwelcome fashion.

Here is an initial look at the depth chart, although it will be a surprise of Omar Khan does not make additional moves either via the wavier wire or through a trade.

Quarterbacks
Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Kyle Allen

No surprises here, despite what the National media might want you to think.

Running backs
Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, Cordarrelle Patterson

Not surprising, if perhaps a bit disappointing that the Steelers will again tempt fate by only keeping three running backs.

Wide receivers
George Pickens, Calvin Austin, Van Jefferson, Scotty Miller, Roman Wilson

The Steelers have typical kept 6 wide outs. Sign of an impending personnel move or just indicative of the fact that Arthur Smith runs a tight end centric offense? We’ll know soon.

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth, Connor Heyward, Darnell Washington, MyCole Pruitt

Puritt makes the team and Rodney William’s expense. Expect Connor Heyward to do double duty at fullback.

Offensive Line
Dan Moore Jr., Isaac Seumalo, Zach Frazier, James Daniels, Broderick Jones, Troy Fautano, Ryan McCollum, Mason McCormick, Spencer Anderson

Dylan Cook has been put on the injured reserve designated to return list.

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi, Keeanu Benton, DeMarvin Leal, Montravius Adams, Dean Lowry, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Logan Lee

Rookie Logan Lee’s inclusion is a bit of a surprise and DeMarvin Leal remains on the line for a time despite reports that he’s moved to outside linebacker. One of the deepest defensive lines the Steelers have fielded in a long time.

Inside linebacker
Patrick Queen, Elandon Roberts, Payton Wilson, Tyler Matakevich, Mark Robinson

Its not normal for the Steelers to keep 5 inside linebackers, but special teams is keying Matakevich and Robison’s presence, although the latter could go if a trade or waiver wire pickup is made.

Outside linebacker
T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig,

The Steelers might not have quantity here, but they certainly have quality.

Safety
Minkah Fitzpatrick, DeShon Elliott, Damontae Kazee, Miles Killebrew, Jalen Elliott

Keeping 5 safeties is a bit unusual, but the Steelers do believe in their 3 safety package.

Cornerback
Joey Porter Jr., Donte Jackson, Cory Trice, Darius Rush, Beanie Bishop

Cam Sutton will begin the year serving out an 8-game suspension. When he does he’ll add experience to a very young group.

Specialists
Chris Boswell, kicker; Cameron Johnston, punter; Christian Kuntz, long snapper

A Word on the Ones Visited by The Turk

Running backs La’Mical Perine, Jonathan Ward, Aaron Shampklin and fullback Jack Colletto all had their moments during training camp and/or preseason, but non made the cut. Expect Colletto and one of the other running backs to return to the practice squad.

German outside linebacker Julius Welschof had a strong preseason and was expected to be a practice squad lock, but has been put on injured reserve, as has rookie safety Ryan Watts.

The Steelers designated Dylan Cook and Jeremiah Moon as injured reserve designated to return, meaning both are eligible to return after sitting out the first for weeks of the season.

Cole Holcomb, who missed all of training camp, remains on the physical unable to perform list but is eligible to return after 4 weeks.

As mentioned above, Omar Khan is undoubtedly working the phones and scouring the waiver wire. So while this 53 man roster to change between now and opening day in Atlanta.

 

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Mirror Image: Steelers 9-3 Preseason Loss to Bills a Complete Contrast from Last Summer

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For the second time in 363 days the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Buffalo Bills met at Acrisure Stadium in preseason. And for the second time in 363 days Mitch Trubisky teamed with a former Pitt starting quarterback to walk away victoriously.

  • Alas, unlike one year ago, this was exactly the opposite result that Mike Tomlin hoped to see.

In many ways the Steelers 2024 preseason effort was a mirror image of its 2023 counterpart. A year ago their “dress rehearsal” game against the Bills marked their second preseason victory, with the men in Black and Gold looking better than the week before.

This year their loss to the Bills marks a second consecutive loss and, true to form they looked worse than they had in the week before.

Just how concerned should the faithful in Steelers Nation be? Let’s dive in.

Russell Wilson, Steelers vs Bills Preseason

Russell Wilson on one of his 3 sacks. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

The Wilson Era Begins…

What a difference a year makes.

This time last August, it only took six play plus a 54 yard Calvin Austin punt return for Jaylen Warren and Pat Freiermuth to put the Steelers up 14 to nothing over the Bills first stringers. The Kenny Pickett era appeared to be building momentum.

Of course it was all a mirage that disappeared as soon as the regular season started, setting in motion a series of events that would lead to the Russell Wilson’s arrival in Pittsburgh.

Wilson, limited in training camp, made his debut at Acrisure and unfortunately the Steelers offense looked eerily similar to how it had looked for much of last year.

The Steelers played Russell Wilson for 5 series. For the record, he did complete 8 of 10 passes for 47 yards and no interceptions. On paper that looks good.

What we saw on the field of play was something different. These numbers that sum up those 5 series: 4 punts, 3 sacks, 2 three-and-outs and 1 missed field goal. If it is true that Wilson protected the ball and was relatively accurate with his passes, it is also true that most of his completions were Pickett-like check downs.

Perhaps Wilson’s inability to find anyone open downfield lends credence to those who believe that a trade for Brandon Aiyuk is just what the Dr. ordered for this offense. That may be the case. But it is also true that Arthur Smith’s play action calls were ineffective largely because the Steelers hadn’t established the running game while Wilson was in.

And that’s because the Steelers offensive line wasn’t getting it done upfront, leading to contributing factor for Wilson’s lack of success: He had very little time to throw.

Can’t Keep Up with the Jones

The Pittsburgh Steelers offense started 2023 as an uncannily futile unit that struggled for most of the year until finishing with a bit of a bang. Most fan will gleefully point to Matt Canada’s firing the moment when the offense’s fortunes began to turn.

  • But like many popular perceptions, this one isn’t quite accurate.

The Steelers offense began its first sustained improvement in week 8 against Tennessee when Broderick Jones got his first start at right tackle. And that fact makes what we’ve seen the last two weeks all the more worrying.

Last week, Justin Fields was under duress for much of his time on the field with a lot of pressure coming from the ends. Against the Texans Troy Fautanu started on the right with Jones on the left. Because of Fautanu’s Jones was back on the right side, and he struggled against the Bills.

Broderick Jones is playing with a brace on his right arm, he claims it’s not limiting him, but the eye test reveals something different. Steelers fans have spent much of the off season debating just how long the Steelers coaches should wait, if at all, to bench left tackle Dan Moore.

Thus far this preseason Dan Moore has been the most consistent tackle of the group….

Fields of Dreams and Field of Disappointment

Justin Fields entered the game at the tail end of the first half and essentially got two opportunities to run the two minute drill, helping the set up the Steelers only score, a Chris Boswell field goal.

Fields outing at once showed by the Chicago Bears made him the 11 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft draft and why the let him leave the Windy City for a song. Fields features athleticism the Steelers haven’t seen at quarterback since the Kordell Stewart era. He has an ability to break from the pocket with more authority that perhaps any other quarterback in the game today.

Yet, while he looked sharp on some throws, he badly misfired on others, overthrowing T.J. Luther on what should have been an easy touchdown. HE also badly misjudged a few option plays and the Steelers went 0-3 on 4th down conversions with Fields.

Good Problems to Have and Just Problems

The Steelers do have positive takeaways coming out of the Bills game. Nate Herbig and Keeanu Benton continued to shine as did Patrick Queen in a defensive effort that kept the Bills out of the end zone.

Tyler Matakevich looked strong on special teams and Mark Robinson led the team in tackles playing at inside linebacker while Jacoby Windmon continues to fly under the radar.

Backup running backs La’Mical Perine both looked good Aaron Shampklin in limited duty. Some of these guys are going to get caught up in a numbers game, but that is a proverbially good problem to have.

  • But the loss to the Bills revealed that the Steelers have plain old fashioned problems.

In this sense two pictures really are worth 2000 words. The lead image to both this preseason game and last weeks is of the starting quarterback getting sacked. And right now, despite all of the draft picks they’ve invested in it, the Steelers offensive line looks like a weak link.

And that’s a problem.

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Dirty Red’s Back! Steelers Resign Tyler Matakevich after 4 Year Stint with Bills

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With training camp looking the Pittsburgh Steelers have resigned inside linebacker Tyler Matakevich. We all saw that coming, right?

Desmond King, Tyler Matakevich, Steelers vs Chargers

Tyler Matakevich tries to tackle Desmond King. Photo Credit: Chargers.com

The move does amount to a minor surprise at a position that the Steelers were perceived as having decent depth at, heading into Labrobe. So what else does this mean other than Omar Khan, like Kevin Colbert before him and unlike Tom Donahoe before him, believes that you can come home again.

The free agents Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts as set as the Steelers starters at inside linebacker. They also have third round draft pick and Payton Wilson third year player Mark Robinson for depth.

Cole Holcomb, last year’s starter is also on the roster, but he suffered a devastating injury in the Steelers win over Tennessee. That prompted this tweet from Jim Wexell:

Tyler Matakevich

Jim Wexell is of course referring to Jacoby Windmon who played his college ball at UNLV and Michigan State.

Remembering Dirty Red

The Steelers drafted Tyler Matakevich in the 7th round of the 2016 NFL Draft and he immediately drew comparisons between his then coach Jerry Olsavsky as being the kind of player who wasn’t big enough or fast enough, but who made up for it with heart and effort.

Tyler Matakevich made the team and was officially the “next man up” at inside linebacker when Ryan Shazier went down on the fateful night in Cincinnati. However, an injury prevented the Steelers from starting him, but Matakevich did enter training camp at the top of the depth chart to replace Shazier.

Alas, Matakevich finished camp at the bottom of the depth chart behind Jon Bostic and L.J. Fort. Bostic and Fort were gone after the 2018 season, but as a special teams standout, Matakevich stayed and the smart money was on him staying in Pittsburgh as free agency arrived.

  • Matakevich opted instead to go to Buffalo, citing a shot at getting more snaps on defense.

Matakevich put in four quality years with the Bills, but his defensive snap count peaked in 2020 at 72, was down to 43 in 2021 and well below what it had been in Pittsburgh for the last two years. So it would seem like Matakevich’s role, should he make the roster, will primarily be on special teams.

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Steelers Report Card for Loss to Cardinals: James Connor Homecoming Edition

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Taken from the gradebook of a teacher who is focusing on the homecoming of a former student after a wet and ugly loss, here the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2023 loss to the Cardinals at Acrisure.

James Conner, Steelers vs Cardinals

James Connor rushes for a touchdown. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune Review

Quarterbacks
Kenny Pickett’s numbers of 7 of 10 for 70 yards are solid and he did start the game strong, but 2 of his three incompletions came on third down including one in the Red Zone. Mitch Trubisky was 11 of 17 for 117 yards and a garbage time touchdown, but the Steelers were still 4-11 on third downs. Grade: C-Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Najee Harris ran for 63 yards on 16 carries and Jaylen Warren ran for 59 on 9. Both enjoyed some long runs but neither man got into a rhythm. Grade: B-

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth had 3 catches on 12 targets for 29 yards. Connor Heyward had zero catches on 2 yards. Darnell Washington didn’t get a target, but then again, the answer to what ails the Steelers offense clearly isn’t to force-feed the tight ends. Grade: C-

Wide Receivers
George Pickens had a solid game with a deep catch to open things up and a few difficult ones on the sideline finishing the day at 4 for 86. Diontae Johnson also had 4 catches for 33 yards including a touchdown where he channeled his inner Bobby Shaw. Calvin Austin had 3 catches for 19 yards – so much for taking the top off the defense, while 3 catches for 19 yards. Grade: C

Offensive Line
Mason Cole had at least 3 bad snaps, one of which helped scuttle a drive that started with promise another which caused a turnover. Unacceptable. Overall the Steelers run blocking wasn’t enough to take advantage of the Cardinals weak run defense. Nor was pass protection particularly tight. Grade: F

Defensive Line
Keeanu Benton had a tipped pass as did Larry Ogunjobi. The defensive began the day stuffing the run. That changed as the day progressed. Grade: D

Linebackers
Again, early in the day it looked like T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith were going to feast on Kyler Murray and the Cardinals running backs. However as the day wore on the opposite happened. Losing Elandon Roberts hurt. With Mykal Walker and Mark Robinson on the field the Steelers were down to their 4th and 5th string tight ends. But we don’t grade on a curve and the Cardinals carved up the middle of the Steelers defense. Grade: F

Secondary
Joey Porter Jr. committed a pass interference penalty in the end zone on a third and 8 incompletion. The Cardinals scored a touchdown. The Cardinals were 10 of 17 on third down conversions and Minkah Fitzpatrick still managed to lead the unit in tackles despite being out for part of the game due to a broken hand. Grade: F

Special Teams
Chris Boswell missed a field goal. Miles Killebrew was flagged 3 times on punt returns, the last of which set up the Cardinals final touchdown. Calvin Austin did have an 11-yard punt return, but that’s not enough to bring this group’s grade up. Grade: F

Coaching
So firing Matt Canada in season wasn’t a panacea. To quote Myron Cope, “Whoever would have thunk?”

The Steelers offense got off to a good start, but then couldn’t finish in the Red Zone. When it couldn’t get into the end zone through the air the first time, it tried and failed again on the ground. Pass protection was weak, bone headed penalties cost the team a couple of first down conversions and the offense lacked “coordination” as it had under Canada.

The performance of Teryl Austin’s defense performed in direct proportion to the presence of Elandon Roberts on the field. With him they were good. Without him they were terrible.

  • Austin couldn’t make the adjustment.

One might say, “Oh, it’s too harsh to throw all that onto a coach who is down to his 4th and 5th string inside linebackers.” Yeah, right. Bill Belichick might be down, but you’d better believe he’s licking his chops thinking of ways he can jumpstart his offense by exploiting the middle of the field.

Trap games tripped up Mike Tomlin’s teams throughout the Ben Roethlisberger era. Some suggested, with some merit, that this was in part due to Roethlisberger being an “adrenaline junkie.” Well, Ben’s been gone for two years. Can’t blame this one on him. Grade: F

Unsung Hero Award
Deciding on an “Unsung Hero” after an awful, ugly game like this is a challenge. So today we think outside the box. Sunday’s lost might have been a bad day for the Steelers, but it was a good one for Pittsburgh football, as Western Pennsylvania native and Pitt Panthers alumni made his home coming to the Steel City to the tune 105 yards on 25 carries in an afternoon that saw him get better with each carry, and for that James Conner wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers loss to the Cardinals at Acrisure Stadium.

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