Tag Archives: Matt Canada

Win in the Trenches: Steelers Beat Browns 23-9 @ Acrisure Stadium

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The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Cleveland Browns 23-9 at Acrisure Stadium, improving their record to 4-1 and lengthening their lead in the AFC North.

This win had an unfamiliar feel to it, and that unfamiliarity doesn’t simply stem from the fact that the Steelers controlled all three phases for 60 minutes. While that’s a positive on its own merits, the “why” behind that control is most important and the Steelers controlled the game because they won the battle in the trenches.

T.J. Watt, Dillion Gabriel, Steelers vs Browns

Even 3 Browns can’t stop T.J. Watt. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Embracing AFC North Football

The game against the Browns gave the Steelers their first taste of AFC North Football since the Ravens Ridiculed them in the playoffs. As former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher admonished after that game, it wasn’t so much that the Ravens won, its in the way they won.

Baltimore beat the Steelers that day because the Ravens won and the Steelers lost in the trenches in equal parts. Baltimore was bigger, stronger, faster and better in every possible way that night.

  • Let’s acknowledge that the Cleveland Browns are hardly the class of the AFC North.

To find a time when they were, you’d have to hop in your DeLorean and go back to 80’s when it was the AFC Central, when in fact we were actually watching Doc Brown and Marty McFly on the silver screen and complaining how $5.00 movie tickets were a ripoff.

IF that’s true, then it’s also true that the Browns are fairly strong where AFC North teams must be strong – on the defensive and offensive lines.

Cleveland brought the NFL’s top rushing defense and resident game-wrecker Myles Garrett to Pittsburgh and dared the Steelers control the line of scrimmage.

  • As we will see, Arthur Smith’s first accepted and then vanquished that challenge.

On the other side of the field, Teryl Austin’s defense entered the game with one simple objective: Force the Browns to try to beat him with rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins has been a legitimate bright spot for the Browns, already drawing comparisons in some quarters to Nick Chubb.

While Cleveland’s offensive tackles might not scare anyone, their interior line is strong and one of the reasons the Steelers lost in last year’s trip to the shores of Eire. The Steelers run defense proved to be up to the task, limiting Judkins to 36 yards, and the Browns to 65 in total.

That in turn resulted in Gabriel throwing 52 passes – just what Austin and Mike Tomlin wanted.

Mr. Smith Goes to Pittsburgh

Bemoaning the offensive coordinator is one of Steelers Nations’ favorite pastimes. It was true (for good reason) in the days of Joe Walton, Ray Sherman and Kevin Gilbride. It continued to be true during the days of Bruce Arians and Todd Haley.

But it took Randy Fitchner and Matt Canada for Arians Antagonists and Haley Haters to see just how good they had it. Last year was Smith’s first year in Pittsburgh and while it was clear he had a different style, the results were largely the same (see the JV offense fielded in the regular season finale against the Bengals.)

  • In 2025, we’ve seen glimpses of how this Smith’s offense can be different.

And what a refreshing sight it was the see another of the units leaves blossom. Smith set the tone early with a 36 yard play-action pass to Darnell Washington on the opening play. Smith’s message was clear: We may run, we way pass, but regardless, we will be physical.

Darnell Washington, D.K. Metcalf, Steelers vs Browns

Arthur Smith is starting to weaponize Darnell Washington. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Smith committed to the run, dividing carries between Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell and rookie Kaleb Johnson. Tight end Jonnu Smith also earned 10 yards on a jet sweep. This commitment paid dividends down the stretch. In the second half Warren and Gainwell both posted double-digit carries while Johnson notched one for 9 years.

Forcing the defense to focus on the run, allowed Aaron Rodgers to hit D.K. Metcalf for several “chunk” plays using play action of 20 plus yards. It also helped him set up a touchdown throw to Connor Heyward.

This proved to be the difference for an offense that moved the ball but was forced to settle for 3 field goals in the first half, to a unit that scored two touchdowns and pulled away in the second half.

The foundation for all of this, was of course the offensive line play that neutralized Myles Garrett and rest of Cleveland’s rushers and opened lanes for the running backs.

A Good “Problem” to Have

The Steelers lost Alex Highsmith early in week 2 against Seattle. Nick Herbig took his place and has put up T.J. Watt like numbers since then. With Highsmith returning to full health the question was: What would the Steelers do?

The answer is: Unleash all three.

  • Watt and Highsmith split a sack to force a critical three and out.
  • On another third down Watt batted away a pass to force a punt
  • Herbig dropped Gabriel for an 11-yard loss from 2nd and goal at the Steelers 3
  • Herbig’s sack, combined with a Joey Porter Jr.  knocking away a pass from Jerry Jeudy on third down forced a punt

They had company, Derrick Harmon got a sack while Jalen Ramsey helped wreck the Browns 2nd drive in the first quarter and their penultimate one in the 4th quarter.

Jalen Ramsey, Dillion Gabriel, Steelers vs Browns

Jalen Ramsey with one of his two sacks of Dillion Gabriel. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

The Steelers defense did more than just throw a pressure party on Gabriel. Darius Slay, James Pierre, and Patrick Queen all tipped away passes at key moments, while Cam Heyward and the rest of the defensive line bottled up Cleveland’s ground attack.

Key Step But a Long Journey Lies Ahead

Winning their first AFC North game is important for the Steelers, but how they were able to win it could prove just as important — and that’s a two sided coin. For the first time all year, the Steelers hurt themselves with penalties. They can’t give quarterbacks more experienced than Dillion Gabriel 2nd and 3rd chances.

But if they can build on their success and discipline away their penalties, then the Steelers will have exited the Browns game with a solid foundation to stand on in the 12 games to come.

 

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6 Late & (Not So) Random Hits on Steelers Preseason Win Over Jags

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The Pittsburgh Steelers opened the 2025 preseason with a 31-25 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday night. Family time keep me from watching the game until Sunday night and work to do and bills to pay prevented me from publishing this until today.

With that, here were 6 (not necessarily) random takeaways from the game.

Kaleb Johnson, Steelers vs Jaguars preseason 2025

Kaleb Johnson rushes in his preseason debut. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

1. Still Sweating the Offense?

It was what, a little more than a week ago the word out of St. Vincents was that the defense as dominant but that the offense was, generously put, sluggish.

Well, that sluggish offense just put up 31 points on a humid Florida night. What’s more, Mason Rudolph looked almost flawless, and Skyler Thompson even has some calling for Will Howard to do a red shirt year on IR.

  • Take all of that with a grain of salt.

The glow of those preseason stat sheets can transform into a ugly, smudgy glare once the games count for real. Kenny Pickett and Matt Canada can attest. Still it was good to see.

More importantly, it was the way that they got those 31 points that impressed.

2. Air Arthur?

Don’t look now, but Steelers quarterbacks threw 38 passes – and they did so voluntarily and effectively. The good news is that Steelers offensive tackles Troy Fautanu and Broderick Jones looked good and kept their quarterbacks clean.

It is easy to see why. The Steelers want to see what they have in Roman Wilson, and know that they need him to prove himself to be starter capable this season. He looked good on Sunday night. So did Scotty Miller.

Perhaps more importantly, Smith’s quarterbacks exploited the middle of the field – something at Russell Wilson was loath to do last year, and frankly it was an area that Steelers offense avoided brief lifetime of the Kenny Pickett era.

3. Pierre Proving You Can Come Home Again?

During the preseason-less COVID summer of 2020, Steel City Insider wrote about an undrafted rookie free agent cornerback named James Pierre. Pierre made the final roster, got some playing time and was working his way in as a starter in 2021.

He hit some rough patches and didn’t play as much in 2022 or 2023. The Steelers let him walk as a free agent but brought him back when Washington cut him.

James Pierre, Steelers vs. Browns

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

Pierre was mainly brought back for special teams, and resigned for the same reason. But he’s had as strong camp and played extremely aggressively Sunday night. He may get caught up in the numbers game, but it won’t be an easy decision.

4. Flying to the Ball

Teryl Austin’s defense flew to the ball Sunday night. And if DeMarvin Leal and Jack Sawyer didn’t generate much pass rush, It didn’t look like there were any missed tackles.

Sebastian Castro, Juan Thornhill, Chuck Clark, Beanie Bishop and Brain Echols all looked sharp and likely to make Grady Brown and Austin burn the midnight oil as they finalize cuts in the secondary.

Payton Wilson and Cole Holcomb also had good nights as inside linebacker could be another “problematic” area on the depth chart to winnow down.

5. The Kids Will Be Alright

Thus far the reports on rookies Derrick Harmon, Kaleb Johnson and Jack Sawyer have been nothing but positive. The same can be said for Yahya Black and Will Howard (who was hurt.)

Yet, the rookie who shown brightest was none other than Carson Bruener, who played well both on special teams and defense.

In contrast, Harmon, Johnson and Sawyer looked like, well rookies getting their feet wet in their first preseason game.

  • Is that a reason to worry? Absolutely not.

IF James Harrison had flashed the potential the type of player who’d make 4 scores of sacks, he’d wouldn’t have been cut 4 times. Yes, Ryan Shazier authored a strong preseason debut. And Franco Harris’ was sensational.

But there are two other names to keep in context: Jarvis Jones and Huey Richardson.

Jones recovered a fumble and had ESPN calling him Harrison’s heir apparent. You can read more about Richardson’s debut here, but he had a sack, two pressures and a forced fumble while playing inside linebacker and defensive tackle en route to becoming the worst first round bust in Steelers history.

In short, there’s either worrisome or wrong with rookie looking like rookies in their preseason debut.

6. NFL’s Been De-emphasizing Preseason, Tomlin Leans In

When he arrived in Pittsburgh, Mike Tomlin didn’t shy from playing his starters, although he wisely paced them. But with the arrival of the 17 game season, Mike Tomlin has played his starters less and less. T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Patrick Queen, Aaron Rodgers and D.K. Metcalf among others did not suit up.

That however provided opportunities for young guys to get a shot at their NFL dream.

And as we saw, the men took their opportunity to heart. Good for them.

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If Art Rooney II Is Keeping Tomlin, He Must Lean into His Father’s Example

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The embers of the Ravens ridiculing of the Steelers in the 2024 Wild Card game continue to burn brightly. But Art Rooney II has already made it clear he’s not parting with Mike Tomlin.

  • The wisdom, or lack thereof, of that decision is not today’s focus.

No one should really be surprised by Rooney’s decision. His father was faced with a similar situation with Chuck Noll after the 1988 Steelers finished 5-11, and Dan Rooney opted to stick with his head coach.

Art Rooney II, Mike Tomlin, Mike Tomlin contract

Art Rooney II and Mike Tomlin. Photo Credit: Chuck Cook, USA Today via 93.7 the Fan

But if Art is going to imitate Dan in deed, then he must also follow his father’s form. Dan forced Noll to fire assistants and Art II will likely follow suit. Forcing the firing of assistants is easy. As Dick Hoak boasted as his retirement press conference, “You’re hired to be fired, so I guess I beat the system.”

If Art Rooney really wants to set up Tomlin for success, he needs to lean into his father’s example, and pair Mike Tomlin with his own Tom Donahoe.

The Days of Dan, Tom and Chuck

Dan Rooney made headlines during the 1988 season when he decried “stupid plays” that contributed to the Steelers 2-10 record at Thanksgiving. Rooney promised changes after the season. Chuck Noll resisted and almost resigned.

But the two came to an agreement, Noll got a contract extension and even saved a few assistant’s jobs. Rooney’s announcement came with a surprise, Tom Donahoe had been promoted to Director of Pro Personnel and Development.

Donahoe was charged with scouting both opposing teams and even the Steelers themselves. And there was more as Ed Bouchette explains in Dawn of a New Steel Age:

Rooney gave Donahoe one more important duty. He was to assist Noll in hiring his coaches, another first….
Donahoe fervently approached the task of finding the new assistants. He compiled a list with Noll, then arranged interviews between the candidates and the head coach….
Donahoe wanted Noll to interview [Rod] Rust. Noll said he could not, because Rust was still employed by the Chiefs. Donahoe explained the situation to him, and Noll agreed to talk to Rust. The interview was arranged for the week of the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

This was the first time Noll had ever had anyone charged with helping him hire assistants. And Noll needed the help. Noll’s early staffs boasted legends such as Bud Carson, George Perles, Dan Radakovich and Tom Moore.

But by the 80’s Noll, never one to gossip, was out of the NFL’s coach loop and stumbled from one-lack-luster coaching hire to the next (Tony Dungy excepted.) So Dan had Tom help Chuck replace the coaches he’d just fired.

Art Rooney now must do the same with Mike Tomlin.

Apple Never Falls From the Tree?

If Mike Tomlin belongs on any coaching tree, it is the Chuck Noll coaching tree, as Dungy was a disciple of Noll, and Dungy hired and mentored Tomlin in his early NFL years.

But Noll’s “tree” didn’t grow far beyond that. His contemporaries Bill Walsh and Bill Parcells had true coaching trees. At best Noll has a bush.

And so it is with Mike Tomlin. As his playoff losing streak grows, fans seldom tire of pointing out that after 18 years in the NFL, Tomlin hasn’t spawned much in the way of coaching off spring. Whether that’s relevant to his legacy is besides the point.

  • The blunt truth is, Tomlin does poor job of identifying and grooming assistant coaches.

He’s done a fairly good job of hiring seasoned assistants. Mike Munchak, Danny Smith, Al Everest, Brian Flores, Karl Dunbar stand as examples. But Tomlin’s attempts to cultivate innovative, young coaching minds have flopped miserably.

  • Offensive line assistants Adrian Klemm and Jack Bicknell were disasters.

As secondary coach Carnell Lake helped resurrect Keenan Lewis’ career and William Gay became “Big Play Willie Gay” under Lake’s tutelage.

But Lake also oversaw Cortez Allen’s flame out. Sean Davis had a spectacular rookie year, then faded. Artie Burns had a solid rookie year, before becoming a bust. Lake, by all appearances, pushed for the Steelers to trade up for Shamarko Thomas – ouch!

And we won’t even begin to discuss the Matt Canada disaster.

Can Coaching on Coaching Hires Work?

Chuck Noll, who refused consider using the shotgun until 1989, was in, a word, set in his ways. So whether having Donahoe help him screen coaching candidates would work was an open question.

But it worked.

One of the first candidates Donahoe lined up for Noll to interview was Dave Wannstedt, who later became a successful defensive coordinator. (Don Shula hired Wannstedt before Noll could, and then Jimmy Johnson hired his first defensive coordinator in Dallas.) Noll hired Rod Rust and Dave Brazil. Rod Woodson credits Rust for teaching him how to dissect film and Dave Brazil presided over the 1990 Steelers number 1 defense.

Donahoe also steered Noll to George Stewart, who transformed the special teams from a glaring lability to an asset.

And he also recruited John Fox as the Steelers new secondary coach, who went on to be a successful defensive coordinator and NFC Champion head coach.

  • Who should Art II tap to help Tomlin find better assistants?

Andy Weidl would seem like a good resource but its just a guess. But Art II should give it a shot. The only thing he has to lose is another playoff game.

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5 Keys to the Steelers Success in the 2nd Half of the 2024 Season

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The Pittsburgh Steelers exit the bye week with a 6-2 record and embark upon a brutal 9-game stretch that includes all 6 of their AFC North games including one Thursday night game and another Wednesday night game.

These games will put the Steelers through a crucible, testing them as they haven’t been tested before.

  • Steelers won’t win all of those games.

How well they pass this test will determine whether this team not only reaches the playoffs but whether they arrive there with a chance to make a run at Lombardi Number 7. (Please spare me the “win a playoff game mantra.”)

Here are X keys to for the Steelers success in the 2nd half of the season. Quick note: things like “Keep T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward healthy” are not “keys” as those are out of Mike Tomlin’s control.

Russell Wilson, Russell Wilson first start Steelers, Steelers vs Jets

Russell Wilson rolls out in his first start with the Steelers. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

1. Lean In to Arthur Smith’s Offense

For the first six games, Arthur Smith’s offense didn’t look much different than Matt Canada’s. Yes, Smith’s differences in philosophy were evident, but offense’s biggest weapons were Chris Boswell’s leg and Justin Fields legs.

When Russell Wilson took the helm against the Jets, a different offense began to emerge.

Wilson’s “Moon Balls” to George Pickens, Calvin Austin and Pat Freiermuth did more than just create “chunk” plays for the Steelers offense, it opened up rushing lanes for Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren.

This must continue. The Steelers are going to need a dynamic offense to prevail in the AFC North.

Calvin Austin, Steelers vs Giants,

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

2. Improve in the Red Zone

One thing that the Steelers offense hasn’t done appreciably better with Wilson at the help is score in the Red Zone. They did a little better in his first start against the Jets, but settled for field goals twice against the Giants, which transformed what should have been a blow out into a close game.

3. Beef Up the Run Defense

This need goes hand-in-hand with the offensive needs. If the Steelers execute Smith’s offense effectively, they’ll control the clock. But controlling the clock doesn’t really work if you settle for field goals instead of touchdowns.

One of the reasons that the Steelers can’t afford to keep settling for field goals is that it allows other teams to run the ball.

  • And the Steelers have struggled to stop the run – at times.

When the Chargers came into Acrisure, all eyes were on J.K. Dobbins and one of the NFL’s most vaunted rushing attacks. Yet the Steelers shut them down. Yet…

This is priority A 1 for Teryl Austin. Whether it means using the nickel defense less, playing Elandon Roberts more, coaching Patrick Queen to cover his gaps better or snapping Keeanu Benton out of a sophomore slump, he has to figure it out.

4. Continue to Build Cohesion on the Offensive Line

Once again the Steelers offensive line started slowly, but this time we know why: Injuries.

Everyone one of the training camp projected starters not named Dan Moorehas missed time, with Nate Herbig, James Daniels and Troy Fautanu lost for the season.

Given that the line has held its own, but it will need to do more than that on the back-end of the season. One player who clearly must step up is Broderick Jones. A year ago Jones earned his first start at left tackle against the Titans and that sparked the beginning of the turn around for the offensive line.

In 2024 he’s struggled at times. There is no doubt that injuries hampered him in the summer and early part of the year, but injuries or naught, the Steelers need better play from Jones during these last nine games.

5. Find a Way to Unleash Minkah Magic

Minkah Fitzpatrick has had a quiet season. That doesn’t mean he has played poorly. In fact, he’s done a good job of manning the back door and keeping a lid on the opposing offenses.

But to neutralize the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson and the Steelers are going to need him to be a playmaker again.

 

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Special Teams Are Special – Steelers Beat Falcons 18-10 on 6 Boswell Field Goals

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Mike Tomlin opened his 18th year in Pittsburgh by going down to Atlanta and leading the Steelers to a 18-10 win over the Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Understanding the story of this game requires understand its backstory.

Look at what has happened since the Steelers closed the preseason against the Lions:

That’s three blows to an offense that was already a question mark. But there’s another way of looking at it:  The Steelers had the Falcons just where they wanted them.

No, this certainly wasn’t Mike Tomlin’s ideal situation going down to Atlanta. But it was one he and the team was prepared for. Everyone knew the Steelers offense would be work in progress early in the season.

The question was could the defense and special teams carry the Steelers while Arthur Smith’s offense found its footing? Against the Falcons both units answered with a resounding “Yes.”

Chris Boswell, Chris Boswell 6 Field goals, Steelers vs Falcons

Chris Boswell kicking 1 of his 6 Field goals. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

Holding Their Own on the Margins

Politics has been and will remain a verboten topic on Steel Curtain Rising. But we are in election season and from now until November both blue, purple and red pollsters will remind us: Elections are won on the margins.

  • The same holds true for many football games.
  • The Steelers win over the Falcons offers a perfect example.

The first 24 minutes against the Falcons featured one of the lowest octane games that you’ll ever see, as both offenses exchanged field goals and punts. DeShon Elliott gave the Steelers a shot at opening up the game with an interception of Kirk Cousins on Atlanta’s second possession, but Pittsburgh had to settle for a Chris Boswell field goal.

Things perked up with just under 4 minutes remaining in the half, as Atlanta put together an impressive 90 yard drive that ended with Kirk Cousins and Kyle Pitts to score a touchdown with just over 30 seconds remaining.

On the touchdown rookie Beanie Bishop appeared to botch his assignment by sticking too closely to his zone and allowing Pitts to get behind him in the end zone. He blinked, to use a Tomlinism.

  • There were just 32 seconds left in the half. Would Mike Tomlin blink too?

During the Ben Roethlisberger era, this would have been a no-brainer. For all the grief Tomlin took over clock management, he always tried to put more points on the board in these situations. Most often, his offense succeeded.

However, with Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett helming Matt Canada’s offenses, Tomlin would often just play it safe. With Justin Fields Tomlin opted not to play it safe. Perhaps two chink and dink passes to Calvin Austin and Pat Freiermuth lent the illusion that Arthur Smith was calling this conservatively.

But on 1st and 10 from Pittsburgh’s 42, Justin Fields found George Pickens downfield for a 41-yard pass which brought them to Atlanta’s 25-yard line, giving Chris Boswell a chance to make his 3rd field goal of the day, which was “only” a 44 yarder.

The Steelers were still going into the locker room at halftime down, but they were down by only one point. But more importantly, they went into the locker room having grounded the Falcons momentum.

An Efficient, If Not Entirely Effective Offense

In his return to Atlanta, Arthur Smith fielded an offense that was efficient, if not entirely effective. Do it leave a lot for negative nitpickers to pick at? Absolutely:

  • Zach Frazier and Justin Fields had two more fumble exchanges
  • Fields gave up 2 sacks
  • The attempt to run a reverse failed disastrously
  • The offense only didn’t reach the Red Zone until just over 9 minutes remained in the game
  • Inside the Red Zone the offense failed to convert on fourth down
  • The Steelers didn’t even sniff a touchdown

Yes, Arthur Smith does leave Atlanta with ample opportunities to improve. But the evidence also makes it clear that he has a solid base to improve upon.

  • Najee Harris authored a strong afternoon
  • Cordarrelle Patterson flashed that he can give the offense a third option rushing
  • 8 separate players caught balls, offering hope that the passing game won’t soley depend on George Pickens
  • The Steelers were reasonably good on third downs
  • Pittsburgh posted an 11-minute time of possession
  • The Steelers protected the ball

Moreover, the Steelers remained committed to the run. That kept the Falcons defense honest, which allowed Fields to find Pickens for several long gains.

Defense Dominates, Special Teams Special

One of the downsides of watching a close game where your team’s offense is efficient but not necessarily effective is that it can mask an exceptional defensive performance. And the Steelers defense turned in a good performance in the first half before thoroughly dominating in the second half.

Cam Heyward, Montravius Adams, Steelers vs Falcons, Kirk Cousin

Cam Heyward and Montravius Adams fold up Kirk Cousins. Photo Credit: AP, via Tribune-Review

  • Just how dominant were the Black and Gold?
  • Well, if ESPN’s play-by-play stats are correct, they limited the Falcons to 31 yards in the 2nd half

T.J. Watt had two strip sacks taken away from him before closing the game with a sack the finally counted. Cam Heyward was stout at the line of scrimmage and should have been credited with a half sack that he and Montravius Adams logged. Alex Highsmith helped kill another drive by deflecting a pass. Keeanu Benton and Larry Ogunjobi helped keep the pressure on Kirk Cousins.

And just when Atlanta just might be mounting a comeback after the Steelers were forced to punt, Donte Jackson picked off Cousins and set the Steelers up for their final score.

But for as efficient as the offense as and for as much as the defense dominated, special teams were the difference maker for the Steelers.

Calvin Austin made some nice returns, and the Steelers punt gunners did a great job of covering Pittsburgh’s final punt.

  • But Chris Boswell’s performance was not of this word.

Not only did he go 6-6 on field goals, but he knocked them in from 57, 51 and 56 yards. And when  Cameron Johnston went down, Boswell stepped right in and booted a 43-yarder.

  • Can the Steelers expect ride Chris Boswell’s leg all the way to their 7th Lombardi?

Of course not. But thanks to Boswell’s seemingly bionic leg and his nerves of steel, the Steelers have taken their first step in that direction and finish week one with the AFC North division lead.

 

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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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Steelers Report Card for the 2023 Season – Glad the Grading is Over Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher who is glad to be done with grading for a while, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2023 season.

T.J. Watt, Jake Browning, Steelers vs Bengals

T.J. Watt strip sacks Jake Browning. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Quarterbacks
Both Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky disappointed. Kenny Pickett not only failed to make the “second year leap” he posted some historically anemic passing numbers. Trubisky had multiple chances both as a reliever and a starter to show why he belongs in this game, and he squandered them. The difference is Trubisky turned over the ball, Pickett did not. Mason Rudolph in contrast, elevated the entire offense. IT was a different unit with him on the field. And his performance pulls the group’s grade up. Grade: C+Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren entered uncharted territory for the franchise this year, becoming the only 2 running backs to get a carry (although Anthony McFarland did catch 2 passes in the opener.) Both men earned over 1000 yards from scrimmage, with Najee Harris rushing for 1035 yards – his third consecutive 1000 yard season. We saw as the season progressed, the running backs were capable when they had the blocking. Grade: A-

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth got hurt in the opener and then played through injuries for the first several weeks until missing several games in the middle of the season. His effectiveness was limited, but he did come on late. Darnell Washington did a respectable job for a rookie. Connor Heyward was a quality role player and his presence as a blocker was notable late in the season. Grade: C

Wide Receivers
The Steelers wideouts had their ups and downs. George Pickens flashed early in the season, but struggled in the number one role. His attitude came into question, but he closed the year with a bang. Diontae Johnson was injured early in the season, and took some time to find his stride. Calvin Austin flashed on a few plays, but otherwise was a non-factor. Allen Robinson served as a serviceable slot receiver. Myles Boykin didn’t see much action outside of special teams. Grade: B

Offensive Line
This unit was easily the biggest disappointment for the first half of the season. Pass blocking was poor and run blocking appeared to be non-existent at times. The change began when Broderick Jones entered the starting lineup. However, the rest of the line improve, particularly as Isaac Seumalo got his legs under him. The improvement was important, but the difficulty the Steelers had running the ball against Buffalo shows that this group has a long way to go. Grade: C-

Defensive Line
This group got a taste of what life could be like after Cam Heyward, and at times that was pretty scary. Early in the year it looked as if the Steelers run defense might revert to 2021 form. However, the unit improved as Keeanu Benton worked his way into the line up. Still, it would be nice to call out a few other up and comers. Grade: B-

Alex Highsmith, Steelers vs Browns, Alex Highsmith interception

Alex Highsmith intercepts Deshaun Watson out of the gate. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune Review

Linebackers
T.J. Watt authored another Defensive Player of the year worthy performance. Watt proved time and time again he is a generational talent capable of altering the course of a game by himself. Alex Highsmith’s numbers were down a bit from his previous year, but Highsmith delivered, as did outside linebacking backups Markus Golden and Nick Herbig. At inside linebacker, it took a while to jell, but the Steelers had quite a troika there in Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts and Kwon Alexander. Then of course Holcomb and Alexander got hurt, as did Roberts, forcing the Steelers to look to the street for replacements. Those guys did well enough, but the absence of the starters was significant. Grade: B+

Secondary
When the Steelers opened against San Francisco, Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace were the starting corners, with Minkah Fitzpatrick, Damontae Kazee and safety Keanu Neal formed a troika while Eric Rowe sat on the Carolina Panthers practice squad. When the Steelers closed at Baltimore, Joey Porter Jr. was a starting corner, Levi Wallace was back as a starter as Patrick Peterson was playing safety alongside Eric Rowe. Yes, this unit weathered a lot of adversity. And while their numbers might not have been flashy, they had as big a part of keeping the Steelers in games as did any other unit on the defense. Grade: B

Miles Killebrew, Steelers vs Patriots

Miles Killebrew blocks his second punt of the season. Photo Credit: AP, via Tribune-Review

Special Teams
Miles Killebrew was a one man wrecking crew blocking 2 punts during the season. Calvin Austin may not have done much as a receiver, but he proved to be a good punt returner. Godwin Igwebuike proved to be a solid kick returner with “upside.” Steelers kick coverage could have been better at times, but it was never a liability. Pressley Harvin’s punting was inconsistent, and that brings the group’s grade down. Grade: B+

Coaching
The Steelers coaches’ score card for 2023 contains ugly, bad and good.

The ugly stems from the ill-fated decision to retain Matt Canada. None of the progress evident during the final half of the 2022 season was evident in 2023. Instead, the Steelers fielded one of the most anemic offensive efforts franchise history. Three and outs became the norm. The Steelers failed to establish the running game and Kenny Pickett did not progress.

For as disappointing as Kenny Pickett’s failure to make the “second year leap” was, the Steelers worst stretch of the season came when Kenny Pickett was out. Mitch Trubisky showed a lot of leadership, looked in command on the field, but he ultimately failed to rally the team in relief of Pickett and floundered in his first two starts.

  • Mike Tomlin had treated Mason Rudolph as a “nice to have” and he should have given him stronger consideration sooner.

The Steelers defense had its struggles early on too. But as the troika of inside linebackers found their stride, the unit perked up. Then they started to get hurt. Many Steelers fans question why Mike Tomlin extended Teryl Austin for two more years.

They should not. Austin’s defense may never have broached shut down level, but it displayed an uncanny knack for delivering big plays at critical moments. This continued throughout the season, despite the fact that Austin had to rebuild the middle of his defense, almost on a weekly basis.

Mike Tomlin, Steelers vs Patriots

Mike Tomlin on the sidelines. Photo Credit: AP, via Tribune-Review

If Mike Tomlin deserves criticism for retaining Canada and the horrid 10 quarter stretch that followed Pickett’s injury – and he does – he also earns credit. When the bottom falls out on and NFL team late in the season like that, free fall generally ensues.

Mike Tomlin made sure the opposite happened, defying the odds and landing his team in the playoffs, where they made a spirited run at a Super Bowl favorite. Grade: C+

Front Office
The improvement of the Steelers in 2023 can be tied, in many respects, directly to integration of its rookie class into the starting line ups. Omar Khan and Andy Wedil’s first draft won accolades.

That was nice, but the Steelers 2023 draft class helped the team win games, which is far more important.

Chris Boswell, Steelers vs Bengals,

Chris Boswell boots it. Photo Credit: Barry Reeger

The front offense proved to be quick on its feet, as the Steelers found themselves cycling through street free agents at safety and inside linebacker. Likewise the free agents Khan brought to Pittsburgh also accounted itself well. Grade: A

Unsung Hero Award
The Steelers offense had trouble scoring for most of the year. At times it had difficulty doing anything right. But there was one player who could be counted on to score when his number was called, and he delivered 56 times out of 59 and for that Mr. Automatic Chris Boswell wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers 2023 season.

 

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Mr. Smith Goes to Pittsburgh: Steelers Hire Arthur Smith as Offensive Coordinator

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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is set to hire Arthur Smith as his 5th offensive coordinator. In making the move, Tomlin may not have quite turned over all possible loose stones, but he did make good on his promise to look outside the organization.

Smith is most recently served as the Atlanta Falcons head coach, and prior to that he worked for two years as the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator. He will be the first Steelers offensive coordinator in the 21st that neither has ties to the team nor the city of Pittsburgh.

Ironically however, a quick look at Smith’s track record suggests he could help the franchise remain true to its roots.

Mike Tomlin, Arthur Smith, Steelers vs Falcons

Mike Tomlin shakes hands with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Photo Credit: Post-Gazette.com

Of Running, Ryan and Combos

In his season-ending press conference, Mike Tomlin clarified that he wanted his next offensive coordinator to have experience and that he wanted someone who can foster Kenny Pickett’s development.

  • Arthur Smith checks both boxes.

The Miami Dolphins drafted Ryan Tannehill with the 8th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft he started 88 games for them over 6 seasons. Tannehill’s numbers were OK, but never delivered what you’d need and expect an 8th overall pick to deliver. He never started a playoff game although the 2016 Dolphins did make it to the playoffs, Tannehill did not play as they got crushed by the Steelers.

The Dolphins moved on after 2018 and Tannehill headed to Tennessee where he joined Smith, who’d just been promoted to offensive coordinator. The difference was eye popping. Tannehill’s average passer rating at Tennessee was 91.2. In his two seasons with Smith that soared to 117.5 and 106.5

That pickup caught the attention of NFL owners, undoubtedly helping Smith land the head coaching job in Atlanta. And what’s telling here is that without Smith Tannehill’s passer rating dropped to Miami-like levels.

  • And there’s no real secret to Smith’s success with Tannehill – he leaned into the running game.

Under Smith’s guidance, the Titan’s rushing offense ranked 2nd and 3rd in rushing in the NFL. That’s welcome news for Steelers Smash Mouth Football purists who’ve longed for the team to get back to its roots.

  • It also may signal that Mike Tomlin’s willing to challenge the conventional wisdom.

The NFL is a quarterback-driven league. If anyone ever doubted that, look no further than Josh Allen’s role in defeating the Steelers during the playoffs. But you can build a Super Bowl team around a solid running game and a strong defense as the 2015 Denver Broncos demonstrated (please spare me the “but they had Peyton Manning” replies, Manning was a glorified game-manager at that point in his career.)

With the Smith hire, it seems that Tomlin is acknowledging that the Steelers don’t have a super star quarterback and is acting accordingly.

The other encouraging sign in Smith’s resume is his background as a tight ends coach. Working as with tight ends gives a coach a unique perspective on the dynamics that drive both the running and passing games. I can’t speak for the rest of the league, but both Bill Cowher promoted both Mike Mularkey and Ken Whisenhunt from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator, and the Steelers offense flourished under both.

With that said, if during the Steelers 2022 win over the Falcons, Atlanta didn’t lean into its running game when it should have and they lost because of it, so that’s something to keep in mind.

Of Precedents and Pedigrees

The Steelers tendency to keep things in the family when it comes to finding offensive coordinators is nothing new. Tom Moore, Chan Gailey, Mularkey, Whisenhunt, Bruce Arians, Randy Fitchner and Matt Canada were all in-house hires. Both Joe Walton and Todd Haley had ties to the city and/or the team.

So Smith is now just the 4th “virgin” Steelers offensive coordinator hire, with Ron Erhardt, Ray Sherman and Kevin Gilbride being the first three.

Looking at his track record, Arthur Smith looks a lot more like Ron Erhardt than a Sherman or a Gilbride. That’s a good thing.

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Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 Season in Review: Expect the Unexpected

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It started in a moment of triumph. Mike Tomlin’s “Kenny f___ing Pickett” after Pickett’s last-minute comeback against the Ravens on January 2nd started 2023 giving Steelers Nation permission to “Believe.”

  • And Steelers Nation believed.

Before the ’22 campaign even ended, Steel City Study’s Jeremy Hertz declared, “I can’t wait for training camp next summer!”

Then Omar Khan led the most aggressive free agency effort in franchise history. Next came the draft, where the Steelers 2023 draft class won universal praise, even from hardened skeptics.

  • Belief morphed into expectation.

Expectations skyrocketed after a sterling Steelers preseason. All of it remains understandable, even in 20/20 hindsight, but the story of the Steelers 2023 season is simple: Expect the unexpected.

Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, Steelers 2022 Training Camp, Steelers St. Vincents 2022

Mason Rudolph and Kenny Pickett in 2022 at St. Vincents. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Ominous Opening Day Omen

In 2023, for the first time since 2014, the Steelers opened the season in Pittsburgh. Their opponent was the San Francisco 49ers, an NFC heavyweight and a Super Bowl favorite.

  • What a perfect opportunity for the Pittsburgh Steelers to prove themselves.
49ers fans Acrisure Stadium, Steelers vs 49ers

49ers fans invade Acrisure Stadium. Photo Credit: 49ers.com

Yet even before the opening kickoff, something was amiss: 49ers fans were taking over Acrisure Stadium. Steelers fans gloat when Steelers Nation invades stadiums on the road. It’s not so funny when the tables are turned. As Jack Lambert said, the Steelers should be the intimidators.

  • This phenomenon in the stands foreshadowed events on the field.

The Steelers were terrible. The offensive line got dominated like rag dolls by the 49ers. Kenny Pickett was tentative, inaccurate and ineffective. The Steelers defense appeared to play a speed slower than the 49ers offense.

The 49ers exposed Pittsburgh as pretenders not contenders. Worse yet, the Steelers saw Diontae Johnson, Pat Freiermuth and Cam Heyward fall to injuries.

But it fell to Anthony McFarland that set the tone for what was to come. McFarland was the only player who stood out that disappointing day. His arrow was pointing up. Or so it seemed. McFarland went on IR after the game and got cut before season’s end.

Yes, expectations were dangerous things for the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers and their fans.

2023 Pittsburgh Steelers Validate Ken Beatrice’s Wisdom

When future generations browse the 2023 Steelers season on Pro Football Reference and glance at weeks 2-12 they’re think, “OK, the opener was bad and the Houston loss was ugly, but they won several close games against some decent teams. They must have improved.”

That’s the logical conclusion. It’s also the wrong one.

From week 2 to week 12 the Steelers validated legendary Washington DC radio journalist Ken Beatrice’s argument that “…Every Sunday in the NFL, very few teams win games. It is most often the case that the other team loses.” The Steelers didn’t win those games, they avoided losing them.

  • The Steelers offense was atrocious.

It quickly became apparent Mike Tomlin erred badly in retaining Matt Canada. He tried moving Canada to the sidelines. That didn’t work. But more than Canada ailed the offense.

The offensive line struggled. The progress and promise they showed in the second half of 2022 was a mirage. Najee Harris, when he wasn’t getting tackled behind the line of scrimmage, struggled to manage a couple-of-three yards in what Jim Wexell decried as “Sludge ball.” Jaylen Warren looked better, but he got fewer carries.

Kenny Pickett struggled, except during the 4th quarter, when his “clutch gene” kicked in. To be fair to Pickett, with Pat Friermuth and Dionte Johnson out, he had few weapons to target. George Pickens flashed, but struggled in double coverage. Allen Robinson was nice to have and Calvin Austin was little more than a place holder.

The Steelers defense struggled against the run without Cam Heyward, and at cornerback Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace left fans screaming for Joey Porter Jr. to start.

Joey Porter Jr., Steelers vs Ravens

Joey Porter Jr. gets his first interception. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Yet the offense avoided turning over the ball, and the defense showed an uncanny knack for making big plays at the right time:

  • Week two vs Cleveland saw Minkah Fitzpatrick open with a tipped pass that Alex Highsmith turned into a pick six.
    Alex Highsmith closed with a strip sack by Highsmith that T.J. Watt returned for a TD
  • Next week, Levi Wallace closed a 23-18 game with an interception vs. Oakla.. er Las Vegas
  • Against Baltimore, Joey Porter, Jr. picked off a pass in the end zone with 4 minutes remaining
    Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt followed with another strip-sack, fumble-recovery combo
    T.J. Watt closed the game with a sack
  • Against Los Angeles, T.J. Watt opened the second half with an 24 yard interception return, setting up a touchdown, in a 24-17 win
  • Against the Titans, Kwon Alexander closed 20-16 game with an end zone interception.
  • Against Green Bay, Damontae Kazee closed a 23-19 game with an interception at the Packers’ 2.
  • In a 20-26 win over Cincinnati, Trenton Thompson ended the Bengals opening drive of the 2nd half with a Red Zone interception.

And this list of plays that saw the Steelers defense either score, set up scores and/or take certain points off the board for the opponent doesn’t include numerous other turnovers, key third down stops and/or sacks.

What’s makes this stretch of defensive fireworks all the more impressive starting in November, the Steelers practically lost a starting inside linebacker and/or a starting safety to injury each and every week.

No, they weren’t pretty, but the Black and Gold kept winning. Until they didn’t.

December Arrives. And Unpretty Winning Turns to Losing Ugly. Fast.

Firing coordinators during the season is something the Steelers never do. It just isn’t in their DNA.

Yet, Mike Tomlin opened Thanksgiving week by firing Matt Canada after an awful outing in Cleveland. Kenny Pickett and the offense perked up a bit that week against Cincinnati, but were struggling against the 2-10 Arizona Cardinals at home the following week.

Zack Moss, Steelers vs Colts

Zack Moss gets Indy on the board. Photo Credit: AP, via Tribune Review

Shortly before halftime, on 3rd and 3 at the goal line, disaster struck as Kenny Pickett tried to run it in himself. Pickett didn’t score, but he did get injured. Najee Harris tried again on fourth down and failed.

  • The bottom fell out on the Steelers.

What followed was perhaps the worst 10 quarter stretch of football in the Mike Tomlin era. The Steelers lost the following week at home, against the 2-10 New England Patriots as Mitch Trubisky struggled.

A week later, the Steelers managed to play even worse against the Indianapolis Colts. Not only did Trubisky’s struggles continue, Damontae Kazee got ejected and ultimately suspended. Worse yet, the Colts closed the game by ramming the ball down the middle against a Steelers defense that was powerless to stop it. It looked like they had quit.

When the NFL announced Damontae Kazee’s suspension, it was for the rest of 2023, including the playoffs. Kazee appealed. The NFL acquiesced, agreeing to allow Kazee’s return for the playoffs.

That seemed like a cruel joke. The Steelers had just dropped 3 straight and were looking worse with each passing week. The only thing standing in between Steelers ending 2023 on a 6 game losing streak was the chance that John Harbaugh might rest his starters in the season finale against Baltimore.

Rudolph to the Rescue

Mason Rudolph, once Ben Roethlisberger’s heir apparent, toiled in obscurity for three years. Rudolph dove into free agency during the 2023 off season, but he returned to Pittsburgh because no one else wanted him. Rudolph mopped up at the ass-end of the Colts game and looked as bad as everyone else.

Mason Rudolph, Steelers vs. Seahawks, Najee Harris

Mason Rudoph and Najee Harris during the Steelers 2023 win over the Seahawks. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.come

So Mike Tomlin appeared to be desperate when he named Mason Rudolph as his starter for that Bengals game. Then a funny thing happened:

The Steelers not only won their next three games, they won convincingly. They even won in Seattle, and the Steelers NEVER win in Seattle. The offense came alive, and players like Eric Rowe and Myles Jack literally stepped off to couch to make game-changing plays on defense.

What was different?

  • One thing. You had competent quarterback play.

Mason Rudolph forced defenses to respect the deep ball. They couldn’t crowd the box. Opposing special teams coordinator didn’t automatically tell his punt return unit to get their helmets on each time the Steelers were in 3rd and 5 or more.

George Pickens – a candidate to be benched for the rest of the season after Indianapolis – exploded for 326 and 2 touchdowns in two games, and a delivered a devastating block in the season finale. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren romped. Defenders like Nick Herbig and Patrick Peterson made splash plays at critical moments.

And so it was that the Steelers went from being a 7-7 team looking at a near-certain 7-10 finish on December 16th in Indianapolis, to a 10-7 team that stood in Buffalo just 7 points away from tying the AFC’s number 2 seed with just 7:18 left in the game.

Word to the Wise, Put 2023 Lesson to Work

Kenny Pickett demonstrably failed to make the “2nd year leap” in 2023 as hopped. And the tempting take away would be that it is unreasonable for the Steelers to expect him to make that leap in 2024.

But perhaps Pickett will prove once again the lesson coming out of 2023 for the Pittsburgh Steelers is to expect the unexpected.

 

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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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