Tag Archives: Mykal Walker

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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Kenny Pickett’s Lasting Lesson to the Steelers? If You’re Gonna Fail, Fail Fast and Fail Big

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In case you’ve been under a rock, the Pittsburgh Steelers traded Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles in a move that no one saw coming mere days before it happened.

  • In a blink of an eye, Omar Khan has ended the Kenny Pickett era of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

That’s amazing when you consider that just over one year ago hardened, serious X’s and O’s types over at the Steel City Insider were declaring that “The Super Bowl window is open” largely thanks to Kenny Pickett’s improvement at the tail end of 2022.

Russell Wilson signed with the Steelers on the same day Pickett got traded, so perhaps someday we’ll look back and say that Wilson’s arrival in Pittsburgh marked the moment the Super Bowl re-opened.

  • But if that’s the case, Pickett will be watching from the opposite side of the turnpike.

Kenny Pickett played in 25 games for the Pittsburgh Steelers, threw 713 passes, completing 13 of those for touchdowns while throwing another 13 for interceptions. Pickett leaves Pittsburgh without having any real signature moment (my God, doesn’t feel like “Kenny Fucking Pickett!” happened 100 years ago?)

  • But there is lesson to be drawn from the Kenny Pickett era: If you’re going to fail, fail fast and fail big.

And ironically the Steelers lived the best example that lesson immediately after Pickett made his final play as a Steeler.

Kenny Pickett, Johnathan Ledbetter

Kenny Pickett scrambles for the end zone in vain. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

The first half against the Cardinals was ending. On third down at the goal line, Kenny Pickett, after being unable to find an open receiver, tried to run it in himself. He failed and got injured in the process. Mike Tomlin could have gone for three, gotten points on the board and lived to fight another day. Instead he went for it on 4th with Najee Harris who came up short.

A similar situation played out a week later against New England after a Mykal Walker Red Zone interception yielded three fruitless attempts and another 4th down attempt when kicking a field goal would have been the wise mathematical decision.

And be crystal clear on one thing: When a team moves on from a first round draft pick after just 25 games, you’ve failed big.

Richardson was Chuck Noll’s last first round draft pick. Noll picked him during the 1991 NFL Draft in a panic move when none of the players he’d targeted remained on the board. Richardson only saw spot duty in 5 games as a rookie (although he did have an impressive preseason debut). He struggled so badly during his sophomore summer at St. Vincents that Bill Cowher traded Huey Richardson to Washington for a 7th round pick.

The Steelers sent Pickett to Philadelphia and a 4th for a third and two 7ths – what has been described as the NFL equivalent of some couch change.

To a man, Mike Tomlin, Omar Khan and Art Rooney II all expressed confidence in Pickett. While there were rumblings that at least one of the brain trust was having second thoughts, all reports indicate the Steelers had every intention of a QB depth chart topped by Wilson and Pickett – otherwise they would have made at least a token effort to resign Mason Rudolph.

But the Steelers didn’t lift a finger to keep Rudolph in Pittsburgh, and now he’s a Tennessee Titan.

But apparently the move was spawned by Pickett’s reaction to the Steelers decision to sign Russell Wilson. That calls to mind Tommy Maddox’s outburst after the Steelers drafted Ben Roethlisberger. When he confronted Bill Cowher, Cowher’s retort was that Maddox’s reaction validated the Steelers decision to draft Roethlisberger.

Yet, Pickett faced a far different choice. He’s not a veteran facing the prospect of having to share a quarterback room with his successor. He could have embraced the opportunity of challenging a Super Bowl veteran for a starting role or alternatively being mentored by one.

  • Instead he viewed Wilson’s arrival as a threat.

Pickett didn’t want to fight for his job. One can only surmise that Wilson’s arrival provoked a total meltdown. So as a consequence he now finds himself on the other end of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, waiting on either 2 years or a serious injury to Jalen Hurts for his next chance to start.

I hope he’s happy with his choice.

Keep up with Steelers Free Agency. Click here for all of Steelers 2024 coverage.

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Steelers Report Card for Meltdown vs Colts: Who DIDN’T Get an F Edition

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From the grade book of a teacher who is in no mood for mercy here is the Steelers Report Card for the meltdown loss to the Colts.

Mol Alie Cox, Mark Robinson, Steelers vs Colts

Mol Alie-Cox burns Mark Robinson for a touchdown. Photo Credit: AP, via Tribune Review

Quarterbacks
Mitchell Trubisky was 16 of 23 for 169 yards with one touchdown and 2 interceptions. His first interception shifted the momentum to the Colts. His second one basically killed any chance the Steelers had of a comeback. How terrible was Tribusky? Mason Rudolph went 2 for 3 for 3 yards and a sack in mop up duty and he’s starting next week. Grade: FSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
The Steelers totaled 74 yards on the ground with Jaylen Warren getting 40 of those while Najee Harris was held to 33. Harris’ fumble knocked the bottom out of the game for the Steelers. Grade: F

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth had 3 catches for sixteen yards as the tight ends were inconsequential. Grade: F

Wide Receivers
Diontae Johnson had 4 catches for 62 yards to lead the team. George Pickens had 3 for 47 yards. Allen Robinson had 3 for 19. While those number read more like the type of stat line you’d expect from Louis Lipps, Dwight Stone and Drew Hill the real crime here was Pickens non-block on what should have been a Jaylen Warren touchdown. That’s part of the malaise that infects this offense. Grade: F

Offensive Line
The Colts registered 4 sacks and 9 QB hits. And Indianapolis, known for their terrible rushing defense, stoned Steelers running backs at regular intervals. Grade: F

Defensive Line
Larry Ogunjobi had a nice sack to wreck a drive early, but the Colts ran on the Steelers at will when it counted – indeed a pair of practice squad running backs made it look like Marshall Faulk AND Eggrein James were both still playing in Indianapolis. Grade: F

Linebackers
T.J. Watt had two sacks, but Mykal Walker and Mark Robinson both go burned for touchdowns. Grade: F

Secondary
Damontae Kazee’s ejection and ultimate disqualification might be a little harsh, but it cost the Steelers dearly. As did Joey Porter’s pass interference call with 35 seconds left in the first half that gave the Colts the ball on Pittsburgh’s 14. Grade: F

Special Teams
Between Chris Boswell missing an extra point, Pressley Harvin erratic punting and leaky punt return coverage, the Steelers special teams weren’t very special. Grade: D

Coaching
So Matt Canada has been gone for over a month and the Steelers offense not only hasn’t gotten better, it has regressed. This is disappointing but not surprising.

The Steelers lack talent on offense. They lack coordination on offense. They lack motivation and leadership on offense.

  • The Steelers defense IS deeply depleted.

But what’s damning about their performance isn’t the 3 touchdown passes that they gave up, but rather than the Colts were one play shy of running the ball 13 straight times – and the Steelers defense lacked the ability, or worse the willpower to stop them.

Steelers vs Colts, Nick Herbig, Connor Heyward, blocked punt

Connor Heyward blocks a punt! Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

In the past, even through the earlier parts of this season, Mike Tomlin excelled at coaxing the most the talent he has at hand and getting his players to respond when their backs were to the wall.

This year the opposite is happening. Grade: F

Unsung Hero Award
They teamed up on what should have been a game-turning, blocked punt and recovery for the Steelers and for that Connor Heyward and Nick Herbig win Unsung Hero Award honors from the Steelers meltdown at Indianapolis.

 

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If You’re Gonna Fail, Fail Big: Steelers 21-18 Loss to Patriots Leaves Lessons

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The hits keep coming. Thursday Night Football saw the New England Patriots waltz into Acrisure Stadium with a 2-10 record and leave with a 3-10 mark after beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-18.

  • This one stings. And so it should.

The Steelers have just dropped back-to-back home games against twin 2-10 teams. Ouch. But losses leave lessons to be learned. In fact, there’s a saying in business “Fail quickly.” The 2023 Steelers looked like they might be taking that route in the season opening stinker vs San Francisco.

Instead they rallied, stitched together 7 wins, a few of which were ugly while some others resembled respectability. Now they’ve lost two games to weak teams after seemingly turning a corner in Cincinnati.

And the reason why is clear: Having lost the ability to fail quickly, Mike Tomlin’s decision-making in both games shows he’s willing to Fail Big, even though he clearly desires a different outcome.

Mike Tomlin, Steelers vs Patriots

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

Belichick Still the Boss

Last season, week two, brought the Patriots to Pittsburgh, and yours truly savored at the chance to see the Steelers go up against Bill Belichick sans Tom Brady. The hope was for a return to the pre-Brady days when the Steelers owed Belichick.

At first glance the 6-3 Steelers should have had every advantage against the Patriots. Pittsburgh was playing at home on a short week against one of the few teams in the NFL that has a worse offense than theirs. But this overlooks a few inconvenient facts:

  • The Patriots have an excellent run defense
  • The ground game is the only thing that has sort of worked for the Steelers’ offense
  • The Steelers were down to their 4th and 5th string linebackers

That last part is a bit of a fib. Although Elandon Roberts had left the game against the Cardinals with a groin injury, he did play 81% of the snaps against the Patriots. But the injury clearly impacted him. And the truth is that his counterpart, Mykal Walter was in between practice squad gigs just 38 days ago.

  • Bill Belichick took note and mercilessly attacked the middle of the Steelers’ defense.

And for the game’s first 20 minutes or so, Bailey Zappe channeled his inner Tom Brady. Seriously. By the 7:38 mark of the second quarter, he’d thrown 3 touchdown passes on the Steelers’ defense – or half as many as Kenny Pickett has thrown all year.

Mitch Trubisky, Steelers vs Patriots

Mitch Trubisky hit. Photo Credit: AP, via Tribune Review

The Patriots dominated just as thoroughly on the other side of the ball.

  • Steelers tried to run and failed
  • The Patriots’ pass rush collapsed the pocket around Mitch Trubisky
  • And when it didn’t, their coverage confused him

The best plays on the Steelers first scoring drive were Tribuiky’s 15-yard scramble and the pass interference penalty that negated his first interception. But Trubisky had no such luck on his second interception, which set up an easy score (shout out to Connor Heyward for crossing the field to prevent a pick six.)

Credit Trubisky for showing a lot of mental toughness for ignoring the boos and chants for Mason Rudolph that were raining down from Acrisure Stadium throughout the first half. He closed the first half with a solid drive that saw the offense mix it up with a successful reverse to Calvin Austin, solid runs by Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris, and a 25-yard touchdown strike to Diontae Johnson.

Being down 21-10 at the half isn’t pretty, but it sure beats 21-3.

…The NFL Will Seldom Note and Quickly Forget

Professional football is a pass-fail endeavor. There are no “A’s for effort.” That’s the way it should be. But let’s also acknowledge something here which few elsewhere note:

  • The Steelers’ defense performed a 180 degree adjustment against the Patriots’ offense.

It began at the tail end of the first half. New England had time to score, but sacks by Elandon Roberts and tackles for losses by Minkah Fitzpatrick stifled those hopes. Cam Heyward got into the act in the 2nd half, sacking Bailey Zappe on third down and forcing a punt.

Mykal Walker, who’d been exploited for most of the first half got an interception, killing the next drive. T.J. Watt, Patrick Peterson, and Heyward stepped up to make critical stops.

  • The Steelers opened the second half down 21-10.

The defense did its part, in the final two quarters, forcing 5 punts, securing a turnover, and not allowing the Patriots to even sniff a score. It wasn’t enough to redeem the 21 points so easily allowed it in the first half, but the effort gave the offense a chance to either succeed or fail.

Failing Big

Mike Tomlin signaled his intentions at the end of the first half to either go for it all and win or fail big by trying. The Patriots got the ball back with 2:50 remaining, and after two good plays by the defense, Tomlin called a time out. Ultimately the Steelers didn’t get a chance to score before half time, but Tomlin had set the tone.

Against the Cardinals, the Steelers reached the Red Zone, and on 4th and 1, after losing Kenny Pickett to injury, Mike Tomlin went for it. The Steelers didn’t make it, and the bottom fell out.

Take Tomlin at his word when he said he had no regrets because he did the same thing against the Patriots. Mykal Walker’s interception gave the Steelers the ball at the 10 yard line.

The Steelers called 3 plays, none of which worked, although Tribuisky salvaged one with a 7-yard scramble. Mike Tomlin didn’t blink. He went for it on fourth, but the pass protection broke down and an ugly dump off to Jaylen Warren netted just 1 yard. The Steelers needed 2.

Miles Killebrew, Steelers vs Patriots

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

Miles Killebrew blocked a punt to give the Steelers a second chance, and this time the Steelers scored. Tomlin went for 2, and Pat Freiermuth got the 2-point conversion, making it a 3-point game. The mathematicians will note that had Tomlin kicked a field goal instead of going for it on 4th, the Steelers could have tied the game.

  • Tomlin wasn’t interested in a tie: He wanted a win.

The Steelers had the ball twice after narrowing the gap on the scoreboard to 3 – they managed 35 yards on 13 plays, going for it on 4th twice, succeeding once and failing the next time. Tomlin played to win but ended of failing. But at least he failed big.

Benefits of Failing Big

Mike Tomlin is in the middle of one of the toughest moments of his coaching career. But the temptation to treat this as a unique experience is a false one. Mike Tomlin is doing what he’s always done, put the game in the hands of his players at critical moments. Tomlin’s decision to go for it on fourth isn’t any different than:

The difference in the last two weeks is that the Steelers have failed big whereas in two out of the three cases above, they succeeded. Failing big stings. But it does offer a dose of reality therapy, bringing home various painful truths:

  • The offensive line is average at best, with at least two starters that need replaced.
  • Ditto the wide receivers. Johnson and Pickett have talent but attitude issues.
  • As for Austin and Allen Robinson? They’re placeholders.
  • Firing Matt Canada was no panacea, as the answers certainly aren’t to be found in house.

The downside is that there’s really not many ways to apply that insight this late in the season. So Mike Tomlin should continue to play to win while being prepared to fail big.

If nothing else, we’ll find out who is mentally tough on this team.

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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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Steelers Report Card for Loss to Browns: Nightmares Like its 1999 Edition

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Taken from the gradebook of a teacher worrying that he hasn’t seen a quarterbacking nightmare like this since 1999, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2023 road loss to the Browns.

Diontae Johnson, Steelers vs Browns

Too high! Diontae Johnson reaches for a poorly thrown pass. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune Review

Quarterback
Kenny Pickett went 15 of 28 for 106 yards. In this case “…at least he didn’t turn over the ball eh” does not apply. Pickett inaccurate and especially so on third downs. The lion’s share of his 15 completions were safe, check down route. The Steelers haven’t seen type of timid, 3 yard passing plays since the days for Kordell Stewart in 1999. Grade: Fsteelers, report card, steelers grades, coaching, special teams, unsung heroes, steelers 2018season

Running Backs
Jaylen Warren ran for 129 yards, and while the biggest chunk of that came on his 74 yard explosion, he had several other good runs. Najee Harris had 35 yards on 12 carries, with half of that coming on one carry. The Steelers could not afford “Sludge Ball” when Harris was carrying, but that’s what they got. Grade: B

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth’s much ballyhooed return resulted in one catch for 7 yards. Darnell Washington had a catch for 8. It wasn’t that the tight ends were necessarily bad, but they weren’t an asset. Grade: C-

Wide Receivers
George Pickens led the team with 4 catches for 38 yards. Again this is not a misprint of a Charles Lockett stat line from the 1980s. Allen Robinson was next with 3 catches for 20 yards. Diontae Johnson had 2 catches for 16 yards and was misaligned with Pickett on another play. He’s now claiming on social media that he ran the right route and openly griping in the locker room. Ouch. Grade: D

Offensive Line
Kenny Pickett was only sacked 3 times, but the first one set the tone for the game (and should have been a safety) the second one came on third down, and the final one helped force a field goal when a touchdown would have given the Steelers the lead. He was only hit 4 other times, but he was under pressure for much of the game. The run blocking was good at times. Run blocking took a step back. Sometimes holes were there, other times both Warren and Harris were either getting hit behind the line of scrimmage or met walls when they got there. Grade: F

Defensive Line
The Steelers limited the Browns running backs to sludge ball of their own with Cam Heyward and Keeanu Benton making their presence known. More pressure on Dorian Thompson-Robinson would have been nice. Grade: B

Linebackers
Elandon Roberts stepped up in the absence of the other two members of the starting troika and led the team with 15 tackles including 2 for losses. T.J. Watt only had one sack but that helped get the ball back for the Steelers in a tie game. Mykal Walker didn’t stand out in his first start, which is good. Grade: B

Secondary
Joey Porter Jr. and Patrick Peterson both had tipped passes while Chandon Sullivan had two with Sullivan coming down with a very difficult interception. Damontae Kazee looked solid. The Browns were 4-17 on third down conversions – worse than the Steelers, if you’ll believe. Grade: B

Special Teams
Chris Boswell was perfect, Calvin Austin was strong as a punt returner, Pressley Harvin had one bad one that went off the side of his foot, but other than that was strong. Punt coverage was a little leaky. Grade: B-

Coaching
The Steelers came into the week starting a raft of practice squanders on defense, and at times early in the game that was painfully obvious. However, once the Steelers defense settled down, they started making Dorian Thompson-Robinson look like a rookie.

One can criticize Teryl Austin’s group for giving up the final field goal drive, but with the game tied the defense delivered the ball to the offense twice in the game’s final six minutes.

  • The Steelers offense, outside of the play of Jaylen Warren, was an unmitigated disaster.

Pressley Harvin punted four times in the first half alone. And if the touchdown to open the second half was good, And although a touchdown to open the second half was nice, it is yet another case of Matt Canada’s offense being able to drop an random a pure big play into a bucket full of raw sewage.

If it is true that Kenny Pickett NEEDED to make some of those passes with the game on the line why wasn’t Jaylen Warren given a carry at clutch time when the Steelers needed to both move the ball and get a score?

Worse yet, sniping started almost immediately in the locker room after the game. Mike Tomlin needs to fix this. Fast. Grade: F

Trenton Thompson, Steelers vs Browns

Trenton Thompson bats away a pass on third down. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Unsung Hero Award
Going into the game Mike Tomlin made a distinction between practice squad players who were “developmental” and “capable” with Mykal Walker falling into the latter category. However, it was it was the “developmental” guy who kept a lid on the top of the Steelers defense was stepping up twice to bat away passes, once in the Red Zone and once on third down and for that Trenton Thompson wins Unsung Hero Honors for the Steelers loss to the Browns at Cleveland.

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