Tag Archives: Steelers vs. Raiders

Steelers Report Card for Win over Raiders – Business of Winning Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher pleased to see his students back to the business of winning here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2024 win over the Raiders.

Najee Harris, Steelers vs Raiders

Najee Harris dives for a 36-yard touchdown. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

Quarterback
Justin Fields went 14-24-0-0 for 145 yards through the air while running 11 times for 59 yards, including 2 touchdowns and several first-down scrambles. Although Fields turned in a winning performance his legs rather than his arm was his biggest weapon. He had an ugly interception erased by a penalty, and he erased a touchdown pass by throwing from way beyond the line of scrimmage and threw a terrible lateral that should have been a turn over. While he did make a couple of nice throws, he also missed a couple of key targets, and the Steelers only had to punt 3 times, they also only went 4-13 on third downs. Grade: CSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
This was the Najee Harris we’ve been waiting for. Harris ran 14 times for 106 yards and a touchdown. Even if you take out his 36-yard touchdown run, he was still averaging 5.3 yards per carry. Harris was hitting the holes with more authority and forcing the piles forward. Jaylen Warren had 6 carries for 7 yards, but he did bail Fields out on a blown lateral and was strong in run blocking. Aaron Shampklin and Jonathan Ward combined for 4 carries. Grade: A-

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington and Connor Heyward combined for 4 catches for 26 yards and the tight ends came up big in the blocking game. Grade: B

Wide Receivers
The Steelers wide receivers combined for 5 passes for 88 yards, with 31 of those coming on a stat-padding play to George Pickens late in the game. Calvin Austin had the other two catches for those of you taking notes for next week’s fantasy football starts. All of this isn’t on the receivers, but the Steelers clearly need more here. A lot more. Grade: D

Offensive Line
The running backs enjoyed their best run blocking of perhaps the entire season, and this is in no way coincidental with the fact that the Steelers were able to field the same 5 offensive lineman (until Zach Frazier got hurt, that is.) Still, Justin Fields got sacked 3 times and had to run out of pressure on several others. Grade: C+

Defensive Line
The Steelers shut down the Raiders rushing attack, and that starts with the defensive line. Cam Heyward led the unit with 4 tackles and a critical sack, while Keeanu Benton batted down a pass and covered first forced fumble. Grade: B+

Linebackers
The Raiders held T.J. Watt all day, but Watt continued to wreak havoc, making tackles behind the line of scrimmage and making not one, but two game-changing forced fumbles. Elandon Roberts had another strong game and Payton Wilson continues to quietly carve a role for himself in this offense. Jeremiah Moon wasn’t a liability – not bad given his status as 5th stringer. Grade: A

Secondary
DeShon Elliott made a heads up play in recovering and returning the second fumble for 10 yards, and Donte Jackson helped seal victory with his third interception of the season. Why where both of these guys so easy to acquire? The Raiders had a nice opening drive that made it look like it was going to be a long afternoon. At the end of the day it was a long afternoon – for Las Vegas as the Raiders went 2-11 on third downs. Grade: A-

Special Teams
Chris Boswell went 4 of 4 on field goals including the first two which went for 52 and 49 yards respectively. Jaylen Warren returned the opening kick off far enough that the Raiders didn’t let him do it again. Minkah Fitzpatrick recovered the on-sides kick attempt, and Corliss Waitman did a fantastic job of punting.

The real star was Jeremiah Moon who took a perfect angle and blocking the first punt of the 2nd half allowing the Steelers to dictate the tone of the final 30 minutes. Grade: A

Coaching
It would be a little strange to criticize Arthur Smith for an offensive effort that put 32 points on the board, a season high and a total that they only topped once last season.

So we won’t.

The Steelers running game was at its best all season. Some of this was due to improved execution on the part of Najee Harris, but some of it was due to better coordination between the rusher and the blocker. (See the pitch to Harris that finally worked.)

  • And the Steelers showed once again that Justin Fields is a dangerous weapon in the Red Zone.

But 32 points, while representing progress, shouldn’t obscure the fact that this team’s passing game doesn’t remotely look NFL-ready. The 1988 Steelers passing attack was far more potent. Some of this is tied to personnel, some of it is tied to execution. One can see Arthur Smith is trying to make the best with what he has. The effort may continue.

It says here that the Las Vegas Raiders offense probably doesn’t provide a good measuring stick to judge an NFL defense.

So be it. During the first three weeks of the season, Teryl Austin looked like he was fielding a Super Bowl quality defense. The unit slipped a two weeks ago, and last week that looked like an outright mirage.

The Steelers defense dominated the Raiders. Yes, they gave up an easy touchdown on the first drive, but the Raiders never made a serious threat to contest the game after that. By the time Aidan O’Connell was throwing his final interception the entire Raiders squad looked like it really just wanted to hit the showers.

Patrick Queen, Ameer Abdullah, Steelers vs Raiders

Patrick Queen tackles Ameer Abdullah. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

One week after they were left “squashing grapes” instead of drinking wine, the Steelers authored the type of bounce back name they needed to, and that is to Mike Tomlin’s credit. Grade: B

Unsung Hero Award
For the first five weeks of the season this player was getting talked about not so much for what he had done, but for what he was failing to do. While he hadn’t made any blaring errors, he still didn’t seem to make much of an impact. Against the Raiders, he led the team in tackles, dropped several runners behind the line of scrimmage and used his speed as an asset throughout the game and for that Patrick Queen wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers 2024 win over the Raiders in Las Vegas.

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Steelers Rough Up Raiders 32-13 as T.J. Watt Forces 2 Fumbles

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The Pittsburgh Steelers traveled to Las Vegas and roughed up the Raiders 32 to 13 as Steelers Nation yet again took over another opposing team’s venue.

The win snapped the Steelers two-game losing streak and allowed them to keep pace with the resurgent Baltimore Ravens in the race for the AFC North. The reasons why the Steelers reversed their fortunes against the Raiders are simple:

  • They swarmed to the ball
  • The Raiders made many mistakes, and Pittsburgh capitalized on every one of them
  • The Steelers created their own opportunities

Let’s provide some depth to each of the above.

T.J. Watt, Patrick Queen, Ameer Abdullah, Steelers vs Raiders, T.J. Watt force fumble Raiders

T.J. Watt forces a Ameer Abdullah at the goal line. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Swarming to the Ball

Throughout the 80’s and 90’s longtime Washington, DC sports radio journalist Ken Beatrice repeatedly reminded listeners “Most NFL teams lose games, very few teams win them.”

Beatrice’s wisdom has aged well and the Steelers last two games exemplify it.

Yet, Dallas came precariously close to losing the game to Pittsburgh. At the goal line with time expiring, Elandon Roberts launched himself at Rico Dowdle knocking the loose. If the Steelers can cover that ball, they head into the locker room with a W. Alas, Dak Prescott converted and lived to throw the winning touchdown pass with time expiring.

The conventional wisdom is that recovering fumbles is a 50-50 proposition at best – a lot depends on where the ball bounces. But a lot is not everything. Against the Cowboys network commentators detailed how the Steelers emphasis recovering fumbles in practice.

  • Methinks that Mike Tomlin hath reinforced that lesson during practice last week.

With the Steelers down to their 5th string outside linebacker, the Raiders were able to limit T.J. Watt as a pass rusher. But T.J. Watt is anything but a one dimensional player.

  • Las Vegas learned that lesson. Twice.
Justin Fields, Steelers vs Radiers

Justin Fields rushes for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

With just over 4 minutes left, the Raiders were looking to add to a 1 point lead. After a nice 17 yard catch that saw Minkah Fitzpatrick leave the game, the Raider ran right with Dylan Laube. T.J. Watt punched the ball loose, with Keeanu Benton recovering.

  • Six plays later Justin Fields pranced into the end zone to give the Steelers the lead.

Late in the third quarter T.J. Watt struck again. The Raiders had just responded to a Steelers touchdown with a 9 play 69 yard drive. Ameer Abdullah had just plowed his way for 10 yards with DeShone Elliott barely stopping him at the one.

  • The score was 22-7 and a Raiders touchdown would put the right back in the game.

Abdullah had been very close. Las Vegas could have put points on the board by rolling the dice with a replay challenge.

Instead, the Raiders went back to the same well, and they went to the well one too many times, as T.J. Watt forced another fumble, with Elliott scooping up the ball and returning it 10 yards.

The Steelers couldn’t convert that turnover into points, but they did move far enough downfield to pin Las Vegas deep into their territory.

Capitalizing on Mistakes

Those forced fumbles by T.J. Watt and the recoveries by Benton and Elliott didn’t happen in a vacuum. After Watt’s first forced fumble, Justin Fields tried to hit George Pickens and threw what would have been an ugly interception.

But a roughing the passer penalty nullified the turnover. Four plays later Fields scored his first touchdown. Prior to Watt’s second forced fumble, the Raiders scored a touchdown, only to nullify it with an illegal man downfield. Watt and Elliott make sure Las Vegas didn’t get a second chance.

  • This was very much the story for the Las Vegas Raiders this afternoon.

Earlier in the third quarter Justin Fields had hit Jaylen Warren for a 6 yard gain on third an 17. Yet the Raiders K’Lavon Chaisson slammed into Fields after the throw, committing a roughing the passer penalty and gifting the Steelers with another first down in the process.

Two plays later one of those dreaded pitches to Najee Harris finally worked, as Harris ran down the sidelines for a 36 yard touchdown with a critical block by Pat Freiermuth paving the way.

Many of the Raiders wounds were self-inflicted, by the Steelers took advantage of every one of those.

Creating Their Own Opportunities

If the Steelers had only taken advantage of Raider errors, one could argue that Las Vegas simply lost this game. Instead, the Steelers can claim that they won it because they created their own opportunities.

Jeremiah Moon, who was in at outside linebacker for DeMarvin Leal, who was in for Nick Herbig, who in turn was in for Alex Highsmith, posted a rather spare stat sheet this week with 2 total tackles.

  • Yet he arguably made most statement-worthy play for the Steelers by blocking the Raiders punt.

Yes, the Steelers had to settle for a Chris Boswell field goal, but it did put the Pittsburgh up by 2 scores effectively allowing the Steelers to dictate the tempo the rest of the game.

With the Steelers up 22-7 and the game already in hand with 9 minutes left in the 4th quarter, Corliss Waitman pinned Las Vegas down at their 13. Cam Heyward sacked Aidan O’Connell, pinning them down at their 3. Heyward helped scuttle his next attempt, and on third down Donte Jackson picked him off, setting up Justin Fields second touchdown of the game.

  • Fields second touchdown is a perfect example of the Steelers creating their own opportunities.

The Steelers passing attack remains a work that’s very much in progress. Yet the Steelers committed to the run, averaging just over 4 yards a carry and relied on Fields’ leg for 2 touchdowns and several first downs.

  • On the flip side the Steelers run defense has been wanting in the last two week.

Pittsburgh not only limited Las Vegas to 57 yards on the ground, but Steelers defenders dropped 7 Raiders rushers behind the line of scrimmage. When all is said and done, the Las Vegas Raiders look like a team are a lot more likely to contend for a top-ten draft pick than a berth in a conference championship. But as Mike Tomlin explained:

Winning is our business. Football is our game. Winning is our business. We hadn’t been handling business. And so, it was just good to get back to taking care of business. This is a normal state for us. It needs to be.

And at 4-2, it has been the normal state for the Steelers twice as often as it has not.

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Dice Don’t Decide Football Games: Steelers Beat Raiders 23-18 as Josh McDaniels Loses Gamble

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The Steelers 24-18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders improved Pittsburgh’s record to 2-1 and gave the franchise its first road win against the Raiders since 1995.

While nothing is set in stone this early in an NFL season, week 3 is the moment where tendencies emerge, when players establish consistency (or not) and when a team’s collective positives start outweighing its collective negatives or vice a versa.

  • Going into the game the “bad” had far outweighed the “good” for the Steelers offense.

Matt Canada’s offense improved against the Raiders, but it didn’t improve enough to even the scales to the point where anyone would fear them. However, if the Steelers offense can sustain the progress it revealed in the second half, they’ll be on the road to earning respect from their peers.

Kenny Pickett, Steelers vs Raiders

Kenny Pickett evades pressure. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

Steelers First Half Journey All Too Familiar

Mel Blount once shared in an NFL Films clip that Chuck Noll motivated the Super Steelers by reminding them, “Life is a journey in which you never arrive.” The Emperor’s wisdom is as sound today as it was then.

But the 2023 Steelers offense can be forgiven for wanting to focus on the arrival part, because their journey has not been a pleasant one. Sure, San Francisco might have the NFL’s best defense and Cleveland’s defense is also tough. But Pittsburgh’s offense proved it didn’t belong on the same field.

  • And for much of the first half the offense looked like it might stick to the same script.

Yes, Kenny Pickett and Calvin Austin hooked up deep pass followed by a long catch and run that ended in the end zone. In fact, Pickett and George Pickens had done something similar just 6 days before. And that’s the problem. Because just like the week before the offense could only manage field goals 44 and 54 yard field goals.

The other, non-scoring drives of the first half lasted all of 9 plays and ended with Pressley Harvin punts. The Steelers were splitting carries between Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, but neither man was effective.

The stat sheet shows that Pickett didn’t throw an interception. Which is good. What the stat sheet hides is that Pickett hit Marcus Peters right in the numbers for an easy Pick Six that Peters dropped. Which is bad.

  • The Steelers defense was also following a similar script to the one they’d written vs Cleveland.

No, the outside linebackers weren’t scoring touchdowns, but T.J. Watt was wrecking drives, almost single handedly. Going into the half it looked like the Steelers might need their defense to win this one again.

That wasn’t what anyone wanted, but maybe it would be needed.

Canada Channels His… Inner Shanahan in 2nd Half…?

The opening of the second half also had a familiar feel to it, but finally, familiarity felt friendly.

The Steelers defense forced a quick three and out thanks to a heads up play made by deep downfield by Cole Holcomb. The Steelers offense got the ball and kicked another field goal. And although this one was another 52-yarder, it was different. The 54 yarder that preceded it had followed an 11 play drive. This one came on the heels of a-9 play drive.

And this was part of the formula that carried the Steelers to 7 wins in their last 9 games of 2022: Ball control offenses that settle for three but survive thanks to superior defense. This wasn’t what we expected or hoped to see in this new season, but in hindsight everyone would have welcomed something similar against San Francisco.

The real teachable moment came 5 plays later after Patrick Peterson picked off Jimmy Garoppolo 2nd interception of the night.

If you’ve watched the Steelers offense all season, what came next almost seemed like something out of a one of those comedies where the clumsy, bumbling character gets hypnotized or touched by an angle and is suddenly deft, dexterous and intelligent. It seemed like that’s what happened to the Steelers offense.

For six plays, the Steelers executed with the type of precision you’d expect to see from a Kyle Shanahan led unit. Here’s how the action unfolded:

  • 17-yards Pickett to Pickens on a play action pass
  • 4 yard run by Jaylen Warren
  • 16-yard screen pass to Jaylen Warren
  • 14-yard pass up the middle to Pat Freiermuth
  • 17-yard run by Najee Harris, taking Pittsburgh into the Red Zone for the first time in 2023
  • Play action resulting in a 13 yard touchdown to Pat Freiermuth

The Steelers defense stopped the Oakland Los Angeles Oakland Las Vegas on 4th down, giving the Steelers a 23-7 lead with 13:13 left in the 4th quarter.

The game seemed to be over. But then, just as it would in a sitcom, the hypnosis or the angel’s touch disappeared in a blink, as the Steelers offense bumbled their way to two straight three and outs that netted a total of 10 yards, failing to milk even two minutes from the clock.

That Shanahanesque drive may not have been a mirage, but it looked an awful lot like it the law of averages working its will.

That’s certainly the conclusion Raiders Coach Josh McDaniels reached.

Jaylen Warren, Nate Hobbs, Steelers vs Raiders

Nate Hobbs tackles Jaylen Warren. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

Canada Makes Raiders Regret Their Lack of Respect

During an on-line chat, the Post Gazette’s Gerry Dulac once assured me that, for all the animosity felt on the field, Steelers legends like Jack Lambert held a deep respect for the Raiders of the ‘70s.

  • The same cannot be said for head coach Josh McDaniels.

After the Steelers first three and out of the 4th quarter, the Raiders answered with a touchdown. On their next drive they reached the Red Zone, where Josh McDaniels opted to kick a field goal at 4th and 4 on the Steelers 8. That reduced the Raiders deficit to 5, but meant they had just 2 minutes and 22 seconds to get the ball back and score a touchdown.

Pundits are struggling to understand Daniels’ decision, but it really is easy to explain: He feared the Steelers defense and disrespected their offense.

Daniels’ bet that the Steelers offense couldn’t earn a first down. He represents Las Vegas, and the smart money was on his side.

  • But dice don’t have memories. Matt Canada apparently does.

He ran twice to Jaylen Warren, forcing the Raiders to burn two time outs. Then on third and 2, he lined up in a formation the Steelers had run from previously, and motioned Pickett to his left, who found Allen Robinson for 6 yards and the first down.

The Steelers offense couldn’t get another first down, but they burned the Raiders’ last time out and enough time off the clock to give the ball back to Jimmy Garoppolo with 24 seconds left.

Garoppolo only needed 7 of those to throw an interception right to Levi Wallace, allowing Kenny Pickett to line up in the victory formation.

Dice don’t decide football games football games, players do.

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Steelers Report Card for Win over Raiders: Living Up to Legacy Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher who is pleased to see his students adding to the legacy left to them, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the win over the Raiders on the 50 Anniversary of the Immaculate Reception.

Cam Heyward, Cam Heyward Franco Harris Number 32, Steelers vs Raiders

Paying homage to Franco, Cam Heyward leads the Steelers out of tunnel. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Quarterback
Kenny Pickett went 26 of 39 for 244 yards with 1 touchdown and one interception. In truth, Pickett did not look sharp for much of the first 55 minutes of the game. But he delivered perfectly when the game was on the line. Grade: B-Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren combined for 76 yards on the ground on 22 carries, although perhaps those numbers would have been better had the Steelers committed more to the run. The duo also combined for 7 catches for just under 50 yards. Derek Watt was stopped on third down. Grade: B-

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth caught 7 of 8 passes thrown to him for 66 yards and the arrow on this kid continues to point up. Zach Gentry caught 1 pass for 1 yard and missed the block on Derek Watt’s run. Connor Heyward took a surprise pitch 21 yards and showed veteran savvy by sliding down in bounds to keep the clock running. Grade: B

Wide Receivers
Diontae Johnson had 5 catches for 64 yards on 7 targets, leading the group. George Pickens caught 5 passes on 5 targets including a 25 yarder, the night’s longest, and the game winning touchdown. Steven Sims and one catch for 7 yards on 1 target. Myles Boykin helped push Kenny Pickett to a first down on 4th and 1. Grade: B

Offensive Line
Kenny Pickett wasn’t sacked all night and was only touched on 4 occasions. That’s good. However, the run blocking wasn’t there on a consistent basis, forcing lots of 3rd and longs and consequently, punts. The Steelers need to be able to run the ball in cold weather. Grade: C

Defensive Line
Larry Ogunjobi have only had one stop for a loss, but he helped dominate the Raiders upfront after the opening drive. Montravius Adams had 3 tackles as part of an effort that shut down the Raiders running game on a night when running the ball meant everything. Grade: A

Linebackers
Alex Highsmith closed the third quarter with a 13 yard losing sack of David Carr which helped begin the Steelers rally. T.J. Watt had a tipped pass and a tackle for a loss. Robert Spillane led the team in tackles with 12. Grade: A-

Secondary
Arthur Maulet made a heads up play intercepting the ball immediately after Pickett’s turnover. Minkah Fitzpatrick Short circuited their next drive with an interception of his own, and helped set up a sack on a blitz late in the fourth quarter. Cam Sutton made an interception that all but sealed the win for the Steelers. Grade: A

Special Teams
The Raiders did have one long punt return, but its impact was limited. Kick coverage was good and Steven Sims fair caught all but one punt. Pressley Harvin was solid on his returns. Chris Boswell did make two field goals, but he also missed to more. Yes, weather was a factor, but kicking at Acrisure Stadium should be his specialty. Grade: C-

Coaching
Matt Canada’s offense struggled for much of the night and one has to question why the Steelers passed 39 times on a night with 9 degree weather. Still, had the field goals not been missed, the last minute drive wouldn’t have been necessary, but it was and his unit executed to perfection.

  • And the toss to Connor Heyward was a beauty that sealed the game.
Mike Tomlin, Mike Tomlin Franco Harris Jersey, Steelers vs Raiders

Mike Tomlin wearing a Franco Harris jersey. Photo Credit: Fred Vuich, AP via St. Albert Gazette

Teryl Austin’s defense made an immediate adjustment that neutralized the Raiders running game and his defense kept delivering even as the offense missed a field goal and punted 3 times in the second half alone.

  • In early October the NFL had left the Pittsburgh Steelers for dead.

They had a rookie quarterback and had been smacked around by the league’s heavyweights and up and comers a like. At this point the smart money was on Pittsburgh spending Christmas “competing” for a top 5 pick.

Instead the Steelers competed for a playoff spot on Christmas Eve. On a night when the Steelers celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Immaculate Reception and said goodbye to Franco Harris, Mike Tomlin harnessed that emotion without letting his team get caught up in it. Grade: B+

Sung Hero Award
The Steelers tapped him to lead introductions carrying a Number 32 banner. When the game started, Cam Heyward showed why he was worthy to carry on Franco Harris’ legacy, with two sacks, a pass defensed, another tackle for a loss and numerous others for no or little gain, and for that he wins the Sung Hero ward for the 2022 win over the Raiders at Acrisure Stadium.

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After 50 Years, Will the Raiders Complaining about the Immaculate Reception Stop?

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I just turned 50 years old, an age that, according to studies, is when people begin to grow happier.

  • I’m just an infant in this whole “50-something” experience, but I sure hope those studies are correct.

Speaking of turning 50, the Immaculate Reception, a play that many football historians consider to be the greatest and most unlikely in NFL history, will celebrate its 50th birthday on December 23.

Immaculate Reception, Franco Harris, Jimmy Warren, Steelers vs Raiders

Franco Harris making the Immaculate Reception. Photo Credit: Harry Cabluck, AP

To commemorate this play, the Steelers and Raiders, the protagonist and antagonist of that incredible play (or antagonist and protagonist, if you consider silver and black to be your favorite colors), will square off in a primetime affair on Christmas Eve — or 50 years plus one day after the divisional-round matchup at old Three Rivers Stadium that proved to be the grand stage for this magnificent moment on December 23, 1972.

It’s hard to imagine anyone reading this article who would need a refresher on the Immaculate Reception, but if for some reason you do, let me explain it to you: With mere seconds left in the game, and the Raiders, who were representing the City of Oakland at the time (and not Las Vegas), leading 7-6, Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw dropped back to pass on fourth and 10. After avoiding several Raiders’ pass-rushers, Bradshaw, with his howitzer of a right arm, uncorked a pass down the middle of the field that was intended for running back Frenchy Fuqua. Unfortunately, Fuqua was headed for a collision with Jack Tatum, the Raiders’ late, great safety who preferred decapitations over pass breakups. Sure enough, the two players met right as the ball was arriving. “BOOM!” to quote the late, great John Madden, the Raiders head coach at the time.

The ball went ricocheting backward, which seemed to signal the end of the play and the Steelers’ season, a surprisingly magical campaign that included 11 victories and a division title. The Steelers, who were founded in 1933 and had never won a playoff game in their four-decade history, were about to go home again without advancing in the postseason. In fact, the Chief, Art Rooney, the founder and owner, was so sure his team was S.O.S (Same Old Steelers) that he left his suite at TRS before the fourth-down play and hopped on the elevator so he could be there in the locker room to console his fellas after a heartbreaking defeat.

  • But, wait! Out of nowhere came Franco Harris on a white stallion to save the day for the Steelers.

Harris, the very-popular and productive rookie running back, snagged the backend of the football just inches before it reached the old, hard TRS astroturf and galloped down the left sideline for what looked like a miraculous game-winning touchdown with just five seconds left.

I say “looked like,” because even though delirious Steelers players and fans rushed into the end zone to celebrate with Franco, the game-day officials weren’t initially sure what to call the play. Was it a touchdown, or was it an illegal touch?

Believe it or not, there was a rule that existed back then that prohibited an offensive player from catching a pass after it had already been touched by another eligible receiver. Why did this rule exist? I’m sure the NFL had its reasons, but this rule caused the on-field officials to delay the call. In fact, the referee for the game, Ed Swearingen, reportedly called up to the head of NFL officiating at the time, Art McNally, to tell him that he didn’t think there was illegal touching on the play, a determination that McNally said he agreed with.

  • That was six points for Pittsburgh! The Steelers won the game and launched a dynasty in the process.

To reiterate, the play has gone on the become the stuff of legend. Here I am talking about it 50 years later. The NFL still thinks so much of this play that it made sure to honor it on its 50th anniversary.

The Steelers have always been happy with the Immaculate Reception, of course, and didn’t need to wait for it to turn 50 in order to appreciate it.

The Raiders, on the other hand, have never gotten over the possibility that Fuqua touched the football right before Harris did. They’ve always thrown around wild conspiracy theories about the officials and their motives in the immediate aftermath of the play. They sometimes even bring up the fact that Franco Harris may have trapped the football to the turf before pulling it in and galloping for a score.

  • Fact is, none of this stuff can be proven one way or another. (Myron Cope argued to the contrary in Doble Yoi)

I could see if there was clear evidence that the ball hit Fuqua before reaching Harris, but there isn’t. The play has been dissected a zillion times at many different angles, and nobody has ever been able to determine anything definitively. In fact, if I understand the archaic rule correctly, once the ball hit Tatum (and there’s just as much evidence that it hit him as there is of it touching Frenchy), all bets were off regarding illegal touching. As for the football hitting the turf before Franco could catch hit, again, where’s the clear-cut evidence?

And those conspiracy theories about the officials being afraid to call it an illegal play for fear of being mobbed by thousands of angry Steelers fans? That seems like a stretch.

Again, nothing about the Immaculate Reception can be proven or disproven — even 50 years after the fact–and if the Steelers were on the losing end of the officials’ ruling, they could have had just as big of an ax to grind as Oakland — if not bigger.

I don’t know why the Raiders, after 50 years, still can’t let go of a play that has always been shrouded in a cloud of mystery, especially when they went on to have so much success for the next decade and won three Super Bowls by 1983.

Instead of being bitter about a play that happened 50 years ago, the Raiders and their fans should be bitter about how far their organization has fallen over the past two decades due to incompetent ownership and/or living in the past, a la the Cowboys and Commanders.

It’s time to let go of the Immaculate Reception, Raiders.

  • You’ve moved three different times since the early-80s, which means you have no trouble moving on from cities.

It’s now time to move on from the past.

 

 

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A Steelers Fan Salutes John Madden: He Was “What the Game of Football is All About”

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My boomer brethren in Steelers Nation will blanch at this, but at one point in my youth, I thought that John Madden had been a player or coach for the Steelers.

John Madden, Joe Greene, Super Bowl XIV Press Conference

John Madden interviews Joe Greene before Super Bowl XIV. Photo Credit: Anonymous/AP via the Virginian-Pilot

John Madden, NFL Hall of Famer, former Oakland Raiders head coach, CBS, FOX, ABC and NBC broadcaster and video game entrepreneur passed away on Sunday, December 28th. Here we honor his memory and his life’s work.

Born 4 months before the Immaculate Reception, my understanding of the concept of “Steelers Rival” was the Houston Oilers. My introduction to John Madden came from watching games on CBS. So instead of being associated with the arch-rival evil Oakland Raiders, to me John Madden was simply to “Voice of the NFL.”

  • And what a voice he had.

For 22 years John Madden commentated in tandem with Pat Summerall and together they embodied the absolute best in sports television broadcasting. Summerall with his deep baritone did the play-by-play, while Madden handled the color commentary, with an emphasis on color.

Listening to Summerall, it was easy to imagine him narrating a documentary on say, the Gettysburg Address or the D-Day landings or some other hinge-of-history moment. Listening to Madden, it was easy to imagine him chowing down with truckers at a highway greasy spoon somewhere west of the Mississippi.

  • You wouldn’t think such a pairing would work, but it did – to perfection no less.

Football is a complex sport. As Andy Russell once observed, success or failure in football often comes down to subtle shifts in angles and alignments that are often lost on even the most educated fans.

Russell is right which speaks precisely to John Madden’s genius. John Madden had the ability break down the complexities of any given play and explain them to the average viewer. And he could do it in the space of about 20 seconds. He did it hundreds of times each weekend for 3 decades.

But if Madden had an uncanny gift for explaining the science of the angles and alignments of football, he was never a football nerd. Far from it. He knew that the game’s art lay in the elegance that grew from overpowering your opponent in the trenches.

And that’s what Madden loved the most, the big guys, the offensive lineman, the tight ends and the fullbacks . I can remember one 49ers game in the late 80’s where Madden remarked, that if someone came down from Mars and asked to see a football player, you’d show him 49ers fullback Tom Rathman.

And I suppose that love for the working-class, blue collar ethos of the game is what led me as a naive grade schooler to assume he’d been associated with the Steelers, an assumption riddled with irony…

John Madden and the Steelers

John Madden stared down Chuck Noll during all of the franchises’ epic games in the 70’s, from the Immaculate Reception, to the 1974 AFC Championship, to the 1975 rematch at Three Rivers Stadium, and to the AFC Championship loss in 1976 suffered in the absence of both Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier. When John Madden retired in 1977, his record coaching against Chuck Noll and the Steelers was 6-5, a mark any of his contemporaries would have envied.

  • Yet after that, Madden seldom crossed paths with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

According to Steel City Star, during their 22-year run at CBS, Madden and Summerall never called a Steelers game. At FOX they only called three, the Steelers 1994 and 1997 opening day blowout losses to the Cowboys and the 1996 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

That shows you just how fundamental John Madden was to the game, given that my football attention is almost singularly focused on the Steelers.

John Madden did of course called Super Bowl XL and later Super Bowl XLIII, famously assuring viewers after Ben Roethlisberger’s hookup with Santonio Holmes that he got both feet in bounds, had control of the football and, most importantly, scored a touchdown.

But by that point, he was already a Living Legend and one who’d found yet another way to grow his footprint on the game on the field

John Madden Football

Without a doubt the best Christmas present I ever got as an adolescent was one that came for Christmas of 1989 – John Madden Football for the Apple II. As mentioned many here many times, although both of my parents are Pittsburghers to the core, neither are into sports.

John Madden Football, John Madden Football IBM PC 286

Without a doubt, the BEST Christmas present I EVER got as a kid.

My big brother handled that part of my education early on, but by the mid-80’s he was off to college. So I was on my own. Watching shows like NFL PrimeTime and reading the Washington Post sports page helped.

  • But John Madden Football really opened my eyes.

Before Madden , words like “slot,” “stunt,” “weakside,” “sweep,” and “nickleback” were little more than noise uttered between the cacophony of plays. Playing John Madden Football did more than breathe life into those terms – it added a new dimension to the game. Suddenly I could not only recognize formations in real time, but I understood why coaches were making their choices. .

How many hours did I spend playing John Madden Football on the Apple IIc my parents got me to help with school work?

  • Far, far too many to count.

I do know that I played it enough to prove that the Steelers of the 70’s could whip the tails off of the 49ers of the 80’s. I played enough to build my own All Time Steelers team featuring a QB depth chart of Terry Bradshaw, Bubby Brister and Bobby Layne throwing to Lynn Swann, John Stallworth and Louis Lipps, with Joe Greene and Ernie Stautner playing in front of Mel Blount, Rod Woodson and Dwayne Woodruff (apologies to Jack Butler for my youthful ignorance.)

Obituary after obituary for John Madden tells of how generations of fans learned the game by playing John Madden. I can vouch that this is a global phenomenon. Countless Argentine football fans, when asked how they learned the game before the days of NFL GamePass and/or free illegal game streaming sites, would simply respond, “Madden.”

Indeed, when asked to explain the opening scene of Friday Night Lights, the one featuring Frank Winchel’s grandmother quizzing him on his playbook, I went to the book case and showed my wife the playbook that came with John Madden Football back in 1989.

What the Game of Football is All About

John Madden brought the game of football into people’s living rooms in ways few have done before or since. One anecdote suffices.

On opening day 1993 CBS carried the Bears vs the Giants as a national telecast. As the game came down to the wire, and the opposing teams lined up at the goal line for one final play, I told my roommates, “Watch. Madden is going to tell us ‘This is what the game of football is all about.’” 10 seconds later, as if he’d been listening to me, Madden declared, “This is what the game of football is all about!”

  • How fitting. Because John Madden himself is what the game of football is all about.

Thank you, John, for your contributions to the game we all love. I’m sure you and Summerall are already calling games together again now that you’re both on the other side.

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Upside of Steelers Loss to Raiders? Trai Turner Spitting Incident Proves Rivalry Still Strong

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It sure was an ugly scene on Sunday, as the Steelers fell to the Raiders, 26-17, in a Week 2 clash at Heinz Field.

Trai Turner, Mike Tomlin, Steelers vs Raiders

Mike Tomlin restrains Trai Turner. Photo Credit: Post-Gazette.com

The Steelers injury situation on the defensive side was ugly–the team lost cornerback Joe Haden and linebacker Devin Bush to injuries before the game, as well as Tyson Alualu and T.J. Watt to ailments during it.

The defensive performance after said injuries was hideous–Raiders quarterback Derek Carr played like Kenny Stabler, particularly in the second half when he took advantage of Keith Butler‘s depleted unit and seemed to pass at will.

The offense was again pretty darn ugly–you can’t get any uglier than what the Steelers have been doing on that side of the ball for the first two games of the 2021 regular season.

It was an all-around ugly game, for sure, but at least the Steelers remained aggressive all afternoon, including linebacker Robert Spillane, who laid the wood a time or two while filling in for the injured Bush–he even drew a questionable unnecessary roughness penalty for a hard shot on Carr.

The offensive line, a beleaguered and embattled unit that is made up of mostly young guys who are trying to learn their crafts and become a part of a cohesive unit right before our very eyes, certainly was chippy on Sunday. Rookie center Kendrick Green didn’t seem to mind mixing it up with many Raiders defenders all day long.

Despite the loss, it was cool to see that so much intensity still exists between two traditional rivals whose most famous feuds took place in the 1970s.

Youngsters like Spillane and Green may one day become famous (or infamous) characters in the Steelers/Raiders mutual hatred, but it looks like veteran guard Trai Turner got indoctrinated into the rivalry two games into his Steelers’ career.

That’s right, following running back Najee Harris‘ 25-yard touchdown catch and run early in the fourth quarter, a play that brought Pittsburgh to within two points with 11:15 remaining, Turner was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct. Raiders defender Marquel Lee was also penalized 15 yards, meaning the dead-ball fouls offset. No big deal, right? Only problem for Pittsburgh was that Turner was ejected, while Lee was not.

Why? CBS cameras soon revealed that Turner spat on Lee after charging through half his Steelers’ teammates to get in the face of the Las Vegas defender. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was incensed at the game-day officials and was demanding an explanation while also giving them an earful.

Turner has no defense–again, he can clearly be seen spitting in Lee’s face. But did you see how angry Turner was as he charged after Lee? What could Lee have done to anger Turner so much? According to Turner, he was only retaliating for Lee spitting on him first.

Do you believe Turner? I do. I mean, Lee plays for the Raiders. This is the same organization whose mantra used to be, “If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying.” Actually, that is probably still the Raiders’ mantra. Remember when George Atkinson sucker-punched Steelers receiver Lynn Swann away from the play in a game between the two teams back in the 1970s? Whether you remember it or not, it happened. Chuck Noll was even sued by Atkinson after the legendary head coach accused the defensive back of being part of the criminal element of the NFL.

I’m not saying the Steelers are innocent; they’ve obviously had their share of maniacs who have contributed to this 50-year rivalry between the black and gold and the silver and black. What I’m saying is that Lee likely spat first and deserves just as much of the public flogging as Turner has been on the receiving end of since Sunday.

Anyway, I don’t want to get into the Immaculate Reception or anything like that–Lord knows that gets brought up every time the two teams meet–but isn’t it nice to see that this rivalry is still so down and dirty after all of these years?

Maybe these two proud organizations will do it right and finally meet up in the postseason again.

That’s when the real spit (and blood and punches) will start flying.

 

 

 

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Even The Super Steelers Of The 70’s Needed Help Making The Playoffs From Time To Time

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Judging by the title of this article, you probably think I’m going to recount all of the previous times the Steelers entered the final week or weeks of the regular season needing help from teams playing other teams in stadiums not occupied by the Steelers in-order to make the playoffs.

Sort of, but not really.

It is true that the 1989, 1993, 2005 and 2015 Steelers teams all needed help heading into the final regular season weekend, and they all got that help. But, then again, the 2000, 2009 and 2013 editions also needed other teams to be charitable, but the good will sadly wasn’t forthcoming (thank you, Ryan Succop).

steelers vs cowboys, super bowl xiii, super bowl 13, terry bradshaw, mike webster

Terry Bradshaw behind Mike Webster in Super Bowl XIII. Photo Credit: Al Messerschmidt

Yeah, so while many are bullish on the new Cleveland Browns and their chances of going to Baltimore this Sunday and taking out the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium (let’s not forget the Steelers have some business of their own against the Bengals at Heinz Field to take care of), Pittsburgh’s playoff chances are clearly hanging by the proverbial thread–and that is a precarious spot to be in.

  • Although, I will say this about the Browns: if any team is equipped mentally to perform this task, it’s them.

They’re not just some team that is used to barely finishing out of the playoffs–believe it or not, at 7-7-1, this is actually true for them. They’re likely not just another team looking forward to a tropical destination this January. They’re probably not even playing for pride–this is what veteran teams do. They’re a team full of youngsters who may actually be drunk on winning.

The Browns won a grand total of one game over the previous two seasons. These Browns are new to this whole winning thing, and I’m sure they’d like nothing more than to hold onto the feeling–even for just one more week. This is Cleveland’s Super Bowl. This is Cleveland’s chance to prove to the whole world that they’re a force to be reckoned with, both this Sunday and many future Sundays to come.

OK, that’s enough rationalizing for one article. Let’s get back to the task at hand: the 2018 Steelers need help this Sunday in-order to make the playoffs. How pathetic, right? Honest to God, this is the third time in the past six seasons Pittsburgh, despite the presences of studs like Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Cam Heyward, has AGAIN found itself in this position. How can this keep happening?

  • I’ll tell you how: life in the NFL. This is nothing unique to the Steelers.

In fact, most teams and most fan bases need a hand up and a handout from time to time…even the Steelers of the 1970’s, arguably the greatest football dynasty of all time.

That’s right. The Super Steelers team featuring Hall of Famers Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Mike Webster, Joe Greene, Jack Ham, Jack Lambert and Mel Blount needed help making the playoffs.

In the middle of their run of four Super Bowl titles in a six year span, the Steelers actually needed the help of others in-order to keep their playoff streak that would eventually reach eight years straight between 1972-1979 from being interrupted.

While the nine-game winning streak to close out the 1976 regular season was legendary–the defense yielded a grand total of 28 points over that span as the team rebounded from a 1-4 start to begin the year–Pittsburgh wouldn’t have made the postseason and wouldn’t have had a chance to win a third-straight Super Bowl if the Raiders, the team’s biggest rival of the 1970’s, wouldn’t have defeated the Bengals in the penultimate game.

The Steelers were Oakland’s biggest obstacle to championship success at that time, and with an 11-1 record and nothing much to play for, it would have been easy to roll over and allow Cincinnati to seize the old AFC Central Division title. But to the Raiders credit, they took care of business, paving the way for a postseason rematch with Pittsburgh–a rematch in-which the Silver and Black came out victorious on the way to their first Lombardi trophy.

A year later, Pittsburgh entered its final regular season game needing a victory and, again, a Cincinnati loss in-order to make the playoffs. The Bengals were playing fellow AFC Central rivals, the Oilers. Unlike the Raiders a year earlier, Houston had absolutely nothing at stake and nothing to play for. A victory by the Bengals would improve their record to 9-5 and earn them a division title over Pittsburgh based on a tiebreaker.

  • To their credit, the Oilers took care of Cincinnati, and the Steelers were once again AFC Central Division champions and playoff bound.

You might not think it’s that big a deal that Pittsburgh almost missed the playoffs a couple of times back in the ’70’s. But, remember, the “Same Old Steelers” days of the 1960’s weren’t that far in the rear-view mirror.

Even though Dan Rooney was now running the team and not his father, owner Art Rooney Sr., the legendary lovable loser who took care of things for the better part of 40 miserable seasons, it may have been easy to panic and revert back to the old ways of doing business–for example, firing head coach Chuck Noll, who had just been sued by the Raiders George Atkinson for his “criminal element” comment, a comment that eventually led to Noll, under oath, admitting that Mel Blount and some other Steeler players were also part of that element.

  • You may also think I’m being a bit disingenuous with this article.

After all, only four teams made the playoffs from each conference in those days, and it was easier to miss out from time to time. True, but teams didn’t have to deal with free agency or a salary cap, either.

Point is, parity has been a part of the NFL since the days of Pete Rozelle, the legendary commissioner, and not even the Steelers of the 1970’s were immune to it.

It’s just plain hard to make the playoffs in the NFL, and even a dynasty needs some help from time to time.

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Mike Tomlin’s Mistake? Trusting His Defense Too Much

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Trust forms the lifeblood of human relationships. Without trust, society, let alone football teams would function. Yet if trust is essential to a football team’s success, trust, as Mike Tomlin is finding out, can get you into trouble.

  • The phrase “trust can get you into trouble” conjures images of lies, deceit and betrayal.

Anyone of those can scuttle the fortunes of a football team. But there are other ways that trust can fail. Think of the parent who instills sound study habits in their children, proctors nightly homework sessions, tutors intensively before tests only to see their child try their damndest yet fall flat on their faces when exam time arrives.

And therein lies Mike Tomlin’s biggest mistake from last Sunday – he placed too much trust in his defense.

Mike Tomlin, Cam Heyward, Steelers vs Raiders

Mike Tomlin talks with Cam Heyward in Steelers loss to Radiers. Photo Credit: Peter Diana, Post-Gazette

Let’s be clear: This site harshly criticized Mike Tomlin after the loss to the Raiders. I stand by those criticisms. By Tomlin’s own admission, medically speaking, Ben Roethlisberger could have entered the game one series earlier than he did.

When Ben did enter the game, he moved the offense at will, opening with a completion to Antonio Brown, then he hit Jaylen Samuels before connecting with JuJu Smith-Schuster on four straight passes.

There’s no reason to think that things would have been any different if Ben would have replaced Joshua Dobbs one series sooner. And holding Ben out was game changing, and perhaps season ruining decision.

But part of the reason why Mike Tomlin held Ben out is also similar to the reason why he saved his time outs:

  • He was trusting his defense to make a play.

It is easy to scoff at such a notion given the way the Steelers defense has given up easy touchdown drives all season long, and particularly at the end of halves.

But remember that the Steelers defense is fielding 4 first round picks, 2 second round picks, 1 third round pick, and two major free agent signings. And that doesn’t count Cam Sutton and Artie Burns who weren’t playing.

  • Invest that type of NFL personnel capital in your defense and you should expect them to deliver.

And if “Heinzsight’s” film reviews over on Steelers 247 are to be trusted (and they should) then it is pretty clear that the Steelers defenders have been in the correct coverages and executing those coverages fairly well, but have been failing to make plays.

Consider the catch that Seth Roberts made in between Terrell Edmunds and Morgan Burnett.

Seth Roberts, Terrell Edmunds, Morgan Burnett, Steelers vs Raiders

Seth Roberts smokes Terrell Edmunds & Morgan Burnett. Photo Credit: Tony Avelar, Raiders.com

Slam both of them for failing to make a play, but the men were where they needed to be.

Throughout his career, when the game is on the line, Mike Tomlin has repeatedly put its outcome in the hands of his players. Think of handing off to Le’Veon Bell with no time left against San Diego in 2015, or having Ben Roethlisberger throw to Antonio Brown on Christmas in 2016.

Against the Raiders, Mike Tomlin placed a similar trust in his defense, but unfortunately the Steelers defense failed to deliver.

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Steelers Report Card for Loss to Raiders: Sobering Reality of Stumbling into Mediocrity Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher struggling with the sobering sight of once star students stumbling toward mediocrity, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the (latest) loss to the Raiders in Oakland’s Black Hole.

Seth Roberts, Terrell Edmunds, Morgan Burnett, Steelers vs Raiders

Seth Roberts smokes Terrell Edmunds & Morgan Burnett. Photo Credit: Tony Avelar, Raiders.com

Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger was 25 for 29 for 2 touchdowns and no interceptions, although he had some close calls. But Ben moved the offense at will in the 4th quarter and did well in the first half. Joshua Dobbs saw his first extensive work, and he disappointed. While his passes weren’t wild they were also a little off. Dobbs best play was a run, which is never good for a quarterback. Dobbs led the offense to two punts, an interception and a turnover on downs. Not good enough. Grade: DSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Mike Tomlin can claim that rushing the ball is an 11 man job, but we know that neither Jaylen Samuels or Stevan Ridley will be a threat on the ground anytime soon. As a positive, Roosevelt Nix made a great block and Ridley hit the hole perfectly for the first TD, Jaylen Samuels looked really good coming out of the backfield. Grade: C

Tight Ends
Both Vance McDonald and Jesse James made a number of key catches up the middle on an afternoon where Steelers offense put a premium on those short and medium passes. McDonald, however could not convert on the 4th and one, and he missed his block on Darrius Heyward-Bey’s reverse. Grade: C

Wide Receivers
Antonio Brown had a slow afternoon but still caught 5 of 7 balls thrown his way. But one of those set up a score and another sparked the 4th quarter rally. The real star of the Steelers offense was JuJu Smith-Schuster, who literally is budding into a super star before our very eyes with 8 catches for 130 yards. James Washington caught two passes for 28 yards. Grade: A-

Offensive Line
The Raiders only sacked Ben Roethlisberger once and kept the Steelers quarterbacks clean, but Oakland’s rushing defense is one of the worst in the league, yet the Steelers offensive line could do nothing to take advantage of them. Even a smidgen of rushing offense could have made a difference in the 2nd half. Grade: C-

Defensive Line
Stephon Tuitt made another splash play, while Cam Heyward and Javon Hargrave took turns stoning Raiders runners at or behind the line of scrimmage. This was nice, but the Steelers really needed someone to make a stop on 4th and 1. That’s not all on the line’s shoulders, but it starts with them. Grade: D

Stephon Tuitt, Derek Carr, Cam Heyward, Steelers vs Raiders

Stephon Tuitt sacks Derek Carr. Photo Credit: Karl Rosner, Steelers.com

Linebackers
T.J. Watt tipped a pass and looked stout in run support as did Bud Dupree who added a sack. L.J. Fort saw extensive time at inside linebacker, and most frequently the back of his jersey was seen chasing down wide receivers or tight ends. The fact is that Oakland was able to complete passes down the middle when it needed to, and while that’s not all on the linebackers they must do their part. Again, where was the drive-ending 4th quarter splash play? Grade: D

Secondary
Mike Hilton came up with a key sack and recovered a fumble. However, he had his hands on a pick that got away, as did Sean Davis. Mike Hilton also blew the coverage on the game winning touchdown. Morgan Burnett came up with a nice pass deflection in the end zone, but that was only after he and Terrell Edmunds got burned for the Raider’s 39 yard pass that set up their final score. The Steelers played the Raiders tight at times, but when it counted, in the 4th quarter, Oakland sliced through Pittsburgh’s secondary as if it were Swiss cheese. Grade: F

Special Teams
Ryan Switzer had some decent punt and kick returns, and the Steelers return coverage was solid. None of Jordan Berry’s punts were returnable. All positives.

That’s two missed field goals in a game decided by 3 points. Unacceptable. Grade: F

Coaching
The Steelers offense was bound to be one dimensional, and yet Randy Fitchner came up with a solid game plan given the limitations and his players executed it well enough.

  • As for Keith Butler’s defense, 13 games into the 2018 season what you see is what you get.

When the Steelers get pressure on the quarterback this defense is capable of playing with just about any offense in the league. And, as compared to a year ago, the Steelers defense isn’t giving up big plays in droves the way they were.

But the Steelers pass rush is only solid when it needs to be relentless. And that reality, along with coverage lapses and inconsistencies against the run adds up to a brutal truth:

  • This is a defense that simply cannot be counted on to salt a game away.

While a lot of fans are ready to scapegoat Keith Butler, it is entirely possible that Butler is doing well with the talent he has at hand. Hum, “The talent he has on hand” that’s an interesting concept to take into account when evaluating Mike Tomlin’s performance in this game.

Joshua Dobbs, Steelers vs Raiders

Joshua Dobbs Photo Credit: Karl Rosner, Steelers.com

Mike Tomlin is taking heat for his use of time outs when the Raiders were in the Red Zone, but this scribe strongly suspects that Tomlin was giving his defense a chance to “Grow up” so to speak. If that’s the case, then its hard to fault his motive, even if his defense clearly wasn’t up to the challenge.

  • The same cannot be said about Mike Tomlin’s other gamble, namely keeping Joshua Dobbs in the game.

Per Mike Tomlin’s own admission, Ben Roethlisberger was “medically cleared to play” when he reached the sideline. Tomlin also conceded that Ben could have come back in the game a series earlier.

Who knows why Mike Tomlin kept Joshua Dobbs in when Ben was ready to return? Really, it doesn’t matter because it was the wrong choice, a choice that will carry consequences far beyond dooming the Steelers to a loss to a 2-10 team. Grade: F-

Unsung Hero Award
Being asked to step into James Conner’s shoes cannot be easy, but that is what the Steelers asked of Jaylen Samuels. And while Samuels struggled running the ball, he did quite well as a pass catcher, and really impressed with his second efforts and determination to grind out extra yards. And for that Jaylen Samuels wins the Unsung Hero Award.

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