Tag Archives: Joe Greene

Steelers Offense Struggling? Training Camp History Says Chill

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If you’re a Steelers fan you know the story of training camp thus far: The defense has performed exceptionally well while the offense has struggled.

Al Saunders explained that “ defense has taken the “offense’s lunch money whenever it wanted to.”

Jim Wexell quoted Mike Tomlin as calling “’a really big day, kind of the culmination of a big week for us,’ but it was another fizzle by the offense.”

Mike DeFabo laid out 4 overarching concerns about the Steelers offense supported by detailed dissections of Arthur Smith unit’s struggles in “7 on 7 Shots” and on the goal line drill.

How, pray tell, should Steelers navigate this no man’s land between hope for the defense and despair over the offense?

Jack Sawyer, Evan Hull, Malik Harrison, Steelers training camp 2025, Steelers at St. Vincent's 2025

Jack Sawyer and Malik Harrison force an Evan Hull fumble in 7 on 7 shots. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Is it already too early write 2025 off as yet another year when Mike Tomlin “wasted a great defense,” failing to capitalize on T.J. Watt’s prime while cheating Cam Heyward?

Of course it is.

And there’s proof. To find it you need to look back to past summers at St. Vincents. Fear not. There’s no need return Joe Greene doing the Oklahoma Drill in 1969, or Chuck Noll installing the shotgun July 1989, or even Ben Roethlisberger turning heads as a rookie in the summer of 2004.

  • You don’t even need to go back before the pandemic.

You only need look back to this point in the summer of 2023. Of course we all remember how flawless the Steelers looked in preseason that August. This skeptical scribe even allowed himself to nip at the Kool Aid.

Of course preseason was a mirage. But what were they saying before the preseason started?

Everyone’s forgotten. Including me. Fortunately, thanks to the magic of the internet we can look it up.

2023 = 365 Days of Summer @ St. Vincents

Roy Countryman traveled to St. Vincents and had this to say on August 9th, 2023:

* Kenny Pickett is processing his reads quickly, and with the added muscle he put on during the offseason it allows him to uncork passes into tight windows with just a shade more velocity.

*The Steelers offense has a plethora of weaponry, and should have the option to get creative with play-calling, especially in red zone scenarios with versatile players such as Connor Heyward and Kendrick Green. There should be no excuse they are not a top 10 team in red zone efficiency.

Wooh. Roy Countryman is easily one of the best Steelers-focused draft analysts in the business, but those to observations didn’t age well.

But Countryman was in good company. His boss at Steel City Insider, Jim Wexell offered this on August 6th. After detailing his efforts to secure an excellent one-on-one with George Pickens, he widened his focus to the rest of the offense offering this:

…. combined with the precise Diontae Johnson, the receiving corps – with savvy veteran Allen Robinson scoring once again in 7 Shots – is picking up steam with quarterback Kenny Pickett.

The raves began pouring in Friday night, and Saturday afternoon the Steelers’ passing game reached its offseason apex. It might be time to get excited.

For real.

A few days later after the Steelers cleaned Tampa Bay’s clock in preseason, the excitement did start to get real.

And there were reasons for things to be real, one of those was Wexell’s assessment of Broderick Jones:

But there’s more to the excitement, and part of it is the infusion of that freakish Georgia talent. Joining Pickens this season from the ruling kings of college ball is first-round pick Broderick Jones, who looks to one day put a decade-long stranglehold on the very difficult and very important left tackle position.

Now, here comes the part of the article where the author admits to exercising artistic license earlier in the piece: I lied about not remembering the reports from training camp 2023.

I remembered the positive vibes coming out of St. Vincents two summers ago, but I wanted to confirm my memory and find concrete examples to offer as evidence. While that’s part of the craft of any good writer, it also reminds us that research often yields unintended insights.

Wolfley’s View

The late, great Craig Wolfley published his own piece on Steel City Insider on August 8th of 2023. While Wofley’s take was overall positive, he didn’t paint his picture broad strokes that his follow writers at Steel City Insider did.

  • Instead, he honed in on individual players.

Wolfley sang the praises of George Pickens, predicted Keeanu Benton’s strong rookie year, and gave a special shout-out to rookie Nick Herbig. He also was positive on Borderick Jones, but Wofley warned, “he still has a tendency to give away the inside pass rush.”

Wolfley’s observations about each player were pretty close to spot on. And that tells us something important, beyond reminding us of how lucky we were to have Wolf and how much we miss him.

It really just goes to show you that training camp evaluations are as much of an art as they are a science.

Daily battle reports from training camp are since part of it, as they represent hard snapshots taken in real time. The ability to stich those together, that’s where the art lies. And Craig Wolfley had an uncanny knack that surpassed the rest of his peers.

Steelers Yin an Yang

Image credit: Sybildeckerdf via Pin Interest

So yes, the Steelers defense has looked good so far, and yes the offense has taken its time to find its footing. While that might not be encouraging, its hardly surprising as that’s the side of the ball that’s seen the most turnover.

So if you’re feeling bad about the direction of the Steelers offense, just think back to how good you felt about it two summers ago, let the feelings balance out. When you get the that point, remind yourself of Chuck Noll’s credo that “Life is a journey” and enjoy the ride.

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Steelers Draft Derrick Harmon in 1st Round of 2025 NFL Draft

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Omar Khan described it as “an easy choice.” Mike Tomlin claimed “He has Steeler DNA” and with that the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Derrick Harmon in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Derrick Harmon played defensive tackle for Oregon in 2024 after playing his first three collegiate years in Michigan State. Harmon stands at 6’4” and a half and weighs 313. His 45 tackles, with 101⁄2 for loss, five sacks and four passes batted away in 13 starts were enough to earn him second team All American honors.

Derrick Harmon, Derrick Harmon Steelers 2025 first round draft pick.

Mett Derrick Harmon, the Steelers 2025 First Round Draft pick. Photo Credit: Post-Gazette.com

Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell rated Derrick Harmon as number 7 on his annual “Ass Kickers List” and his scribe Matt C. Steel declared “Harmon might be the guy that the Steelers tell the Chiefs ‘unless the player we like is still on the board.’”

Going into the 2024 season not only was the defensive line not seen as a weakness for the Steelers, it was viewed as a potentially rising strength.

Things looked very different when finishing Thanksgiving leftovers gave way to the Christmas rush as the Steelers were schooled by Derrick Henry first in the regular season, then again in the ridiculing suffered at the hands of the Ravens in the playoffs.

  • Mike Tomlin did not blink when asked if this factored into the Steelers plans.

When asked if it was important to beef up his defensive line, he volunteered “Extreme urgency to be quite honest with you.” When asked if the struggles of his run defense fueled that urgency, Tomlin leaned in again detailing:

The tape is the tape, and so we’re behaving appropriately. You don’t have a chance to have a top-notch defense unless you’re smashing the run and getting after the quarterback, and this is a guy whose résumé says he’s capable of contributing in both areas.

Harmon’s name had been linked to the Steelers as soon as the pre-draft process began, but Pittsburgh had also been linked to Kenneth Grant, a nose tackle from Michigan. The thinking was that the Steelers need a big man in the center, akin to a modern day Casey Hampton, to stuff the run and allow Keeanu Benton to move from nose to end, as Gerald Williams had once done.

Grant was off  the board long before the Steelers got their chance to pick, and Tomlin dashed any hopes of Harmon going to nose “I don’t think nose is his game, but the rush component at three and five, and some of those things, certainly.”

Video Highlights of Derrick Harmon

Here’s a quick look at some of Harmon’s highlights from his days with the Ducks and Spartans

https://youtu.be/SZKFszoOzCw?si=66txqDK8a2HirUeu

 

Hopefully, Derrick Harmon can quickly deploy some of that run stuffing magic against Derrick Henry.

Historical Resonance with Harmon

Derrick Harmon has been compared stylistically to Cam Heyward. Cam Heyward was the last defensive lineman drafted by the Steelers in the first round back in the 2011 NFL Draft. On that evening Kevin Colbert broke form and declared it to be a “Historic day for the franchise.”

  • Neither Omar Khan nor Mike Tomlin were ready to take that plunge last night.

But the selection resonates with Steelers history in other ways. The Pittsburgh Steelers went into the 1969 NFL Draft facing a lot of pressure to draft a quarterback. Terry Hanratty was a hometown hero and a Notre Dame grad to boot at a time when Pittsburgh was still predominantly Catholic.

He did take Hanratty in the second round, but that didn’t stop him from picking Terry Bradshaw a year later. Here in 2025 the Steelers admit to their need to add a quarterback, and many expected them to draft Shedeur Sanders. (Mel Kipper blasted them for not doing so. That’s another reason to like Harmon).

Like Noll before him, Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan kept their own counsel and drafted the defensive tackle. They could easily follow Noll’s template and draft a quarterback next. Expecting history to repeat itself isn’t realistic, but the Steelers and Derrick Harmon have already created some historical resonance.

Welcome to Steelers Nation Derrick Harmon.

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Steelers 2025 Draft Needs @ Defensive Line – In a Word, “Urgent”

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ICYMI the Baltimore Ravens ridiculed the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2024 Wild Card game. The ridiculing came in many forms and fashions, but one number stands out:

299

That’s 299 yards rushing against the Steelers logged by Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson.

While it is grossly unfair to lay the blame for that fiasco solely on the shoulders of the Steelers defensive line, there’s no question the solution to fixing it begins by strengthen that group.

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

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

Steelers Defensive Line Depth Cart: The Starters

The only question about Cam Heyward as he returns for his 15th season is how long can he outrun father time? Cam Heyward hasn’t just been a dominant defensive lineman who has earned mention alongside franchise legends Ernie Stautner and Joe Greene, he’s become the face of the franchise.

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

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

On the field he remains productive and he remains a leader.  In 2024 Heyward recorded 8 sacks, 20 QB hits, 12 tackles for losses while batting down 11 passes.

Alongside Heyward, the Steelers have Keeanu Benton, whom they drafted in 2023. Benton authored a sensational rookie year, teasing that the franchise finally might have found somebody worthy of wearing Number 95.

Yet he struggled to build on that during his second season, as his stat line is almost identical to the first, despite making 5 more starts and playing almost 50% more of the defensive snaps. The Steelers waived their third defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi, creating an opening on the line with no obvious heir apparent on the roster.

Steelers Defensive Line Depth Chart: The Backups

Montravius Adams heads up the defensive line depth chart. Adams arrived after a bit of practice squad poaching during the 2021 season and immediately became a starter. Adams is a solid depth player who can contribute in a pintch but will never worry opposing offensive line coaches.

Much can be said about Isaiahh Loudermilk, who had a solid rookie year, but plateaued thereafter.

Dean Lowry remains on the roster at this point, after the 8 year veteran played 12 games and logged 21% of the defensive snaps during 2024.

The Steelers signed a pair of journeymen defensive lineman in free agency. Daniel Ekuale brings 6 years, 57 games and 21 starts of experience from stints in Cleveland, Jacksonville and New England. He started 16 games last year for the Patriots, logging a sack and 52 tackles.

Esezi Otomewo brings 9 games and 2 years of experience with the Vikings and Jaguars as a defensive end.

The Steelers will also welcome back Logan Lee, whom they drafted in the 6th round of the 2024 NFL Draft but lost to injury for the season during preseason. They also have Domenique Davis and Jacob Slade listed as defensive lineman on their off season roster.

If the Steelers have a wild card on their defensive line depth chart it is DeMarvin Leal. The Steelers drafted Leal as a defensive end in the 3rd round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He didn’t play much as a rookie, but passed the “eye test” in limited action. Yet he was invisible his second year. In 2024 he got a look at outside linebacker but was lost for the year with a neck stinger.

The Steelers 2025 Draft Needs @ Defensive Line

Omar Khan went off-script this spring. Normally when the Steelers have a glaring need going into the off season, the team signs a free agent even if it plans to prioritize that position in the draft.Pittsburgh Steelers, NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Needs Scale

Think back to 2019, when they signed Mark Barron and then drafted Devin Bush.

Not only did they not sign a starter capable or potentially starter-capable defensive lineman, they cut Ogunjobi. In an ideal world, the Steelers would find a someone who can play nose tackle allowing Benton to move outside, but they must find a starter.

And if they weren’t missing their second-rounder, a double-dip at defensive line in the top three rounds of the draft certainly won’t be out of the question. After all, the Steelers not only need a starter for this year, but they need to start thinking of who will take Cam Heyward’s place.

No matter how you slice it the Pittsburgh Steelers needs at defensive line going into the 2025 NFL Draft must be considered as Urgent.

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Film Review: Fighting Back: The Story of Rocky Bleier

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In the fall of 1980 I was a third grader at Harmony Hills Elementary School endowed with the belief that the Pittsburgh Steelers were destined for One For the Thumb. The logic behind my thinking that Queen had written “We Are the Champions” for the Steelers was infallible – the Steelers were the champions. In an 8 year old’s mind, “were” communicated both past and future as well as present status.

Rocky Bleier, Terry Bradshaw, Rocky Bleier comeback

Terry Bradshaw hands off to Rocky Bleier. Photo Credit:

So when ABC started running clips promoting Fighting Back: The Story of Rocky Bleier they had me hooked. Rocky Bleier wasn’t my favorite Steeler, that would have been Terry Bradshaw or Lynn Swann, but after my grandpa Bill saw me with a Steelers hat on a asked me if I was “Rocky Bleier,” Rocky shot up on my list.

There was one problem: It aired on Sunday night (December 7th to be exact), and it would end well past my bedtime. Now mom and dad were somewhat flexible about letting us stay up to watch stuff , but on this occasion, my mom wouldn’t budge.

  • She let me watch up until the first commercial break, but then it was off to bed.

She promised me it would be on again in the summer as a rerun and I’d be able to see it then. ABC probably did show it again, but if they did, I was never aware of it.

While I never forgot, I never gave it too much thought. Until one day in an on-line chat while he was still at the Post-Gazette, a reader ask Ed Bouchette about the movie, and he responded with something like, “There are a lot of good sports movies out there, but the Rocky Bleier one isn’t one of them.”

  • Someone else in the chat mentioned that the full movie was on YouTube.

Hum… This had potential. Obviously it took awhile, but two nights ago, with my wife off to Budapest I decided to finish what I started 16,059 days ago – Watch the rest of Fighting Back: The Story of Rocky Bleier.

And here is my review. Let’s cut to the chase:

My mother is a wise woman. She was right to send me to bed.

Let’s be clear, the movie has its moments. Robert Urich turns in a strong performance as Rocky Bleier. Art Carney does a believable impression of Art Rooney, Sr. who also narrates the story. And I suppose Richard Herd does a respectable job as Chuck Noll, given that Noll was every bit as inscrutable then has is now.

  • Several of the Super Steelers got to play themselves.

So it’s really cool to see the locker room banter between Joe Greene, Dwight White, Gary Dunn, Bennie Cunningham and others. You almost get a fly on the wall feeling. The story’s opening is also strong – and I’m surprised at just how much I detail I remembered of what I’d seen as an eight-year-old.

The Vietnam sequence, given the production standards for a 1970’s made for TV movie is also up to par.

  • But the story really does break down after Belier’s combat injury.

Instead of focusing on Rocky’s herculean and heroic rehabilitation and recovery, it leans hard into the romance between him and his future wife Aleta. I suppose the basics of how they met, when Aleta was married to someone else, and how they reconnected after her divorce are true.

But the actual plot that involves their courting and her agreeing marry Bleier is too predictable and “Ollywood” to the core (“Ollywood” pronounced ‘O-she-wood’ is an Argentine Spanish pronunciation of “Hollywood” that my wife and I revert to whenever something becomes too cliché.)

Seriously. If anyone who’d seen oh, say a couple of three, Hollywood TV productions from the 1970’s could have predicted their story arc and probably scripted much of the dialogue.

SPOILER ALERT: Not only does their romance wax and wane, but in the movie, Bleier’s doubts about their future haunt him all the way to the day before Super Bowl IX. Seriously. The other players pick up on it and start to worry as does Art Rooney. Rooney pulls him aside for a private chat, but Rocky continues to brood and sulk…

…Until suddenly and unexpectedly, the night before the game Aleta appears and all is well.

  • That’s a shame from a critical perspective.

Because Rocky Bleier is a true American hero with an incredible story that inspires everyone. The plot could have and should have been woven around his struggles with rehab and subsequent comeback.

As Andy Russell details in a Steeler Odyssey, Bleier suffered several set backs and there were multiple moments when his football career would have ended had he been anyone else or been playing for any other team.

And while the movie does draw parallels between Rocky’s finding his form as a football player and the evolution of the Steelers Dynasty, this is what should be the central focus of the story.

With a touch of clever script crafting, they could have molded the narrative so that the story’s football climax was Rocky Bleier’s touchdown catch and on sides kick recovery in Super Bowl XIII.

So be it. Fighting Back: The Story of Rocky Bleier is a product of its times and overall is above average for a 1970’s made for TV movie.

Fortunately, its freely available (as of 12/24) on YouTube – complete with O.J. Simpson Hertz commercials and promos for shows like Eight is Enough and Hart to Hart.

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Stop Worrying About T.J. Watt. He & the Steelers Will be Fine Down the Stretch

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Raise your and if, after Corliss Waitman shanked his punt in the loss to the Browns on Thursday Night Football, you said to yourself, “OK. Its T.J. Time….” [See my raised hand.] And raise your hand if you were disappointed when T.J. Watt didn’t…

…Sack Jameis Winston
…Negate a double team by batting down his pass
…Strip the ball from a carrier
…Come up with an interception out of blue

But of course none of the above happened. Although he’d put in a quiet night up in to that point,  all of Steelers Nation expected T.J. Watt work one of his game-saving miracles. Yet, Watt wasn’t able to do that. And Steelers Nation stood disappointed.

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

T.J. Watt sacks Joe Burrow. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

On one level that shows how spoiled we are, but that’s understandable. Before Watt’s time we’d come to expect the same of Troy Polamalu, James Harrison and Rod Woodson. Our parents and grandparents held similar expectations for Joe Greene, Jack Lambert and Mel Blount. And more often than not, at least in our memories if not in reality, all of them delivered.

  • So the disappointment is understandable. But the panic we’re seeing is not.

“T.J. Watt’s been invisible.”
“Opposing offensive coordinators have found a way to neutralize Watt.”
“If T.J. disappears the way Minkah Fitzpatrick has, we’re screwed.”
“T.J. Watt has found his kryptonite.”

  • So here’s a word to the wise to those who are worried about Watt: Don’t.

T.J. Watt’s recent slump calls to mind a comment about another Hall of Famer I read in the summer during the lead up to the Steelers 1995 season.

I can’t remember the publication, perhaps it was Street and Smith’s, but in reviewing the Steelers defense it said something like this about Kevin Greene: “…after amassing 10 sacks during the first ten weeks of the 1994 Steelers season, Greene only registered 4 over the final six weeks and none in the playoffs. Is it double teams or age?”

Kevin Greene, Stan Humpheries, 1993 Steelers free agents, 1993 Steelers free agency

Kevin Greene sacks Stan Humphries in 1993. Photo Credit: AP, via al.com

The implication that we’d witnessed Father Time gaining a step on Kevin Greene in real-time sounded ominous.

It reality, it was ridiculous. Kevin Greene posted 9 sacks in 1995 plus 1.5 more in the playoffs and helped the Steelers reach Super Bowl XXX.

The Steelers let him go in free agency, and Greene went on to post double-digit sack numbers in four more seasons with the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers.

  • The moral of the story? T.J. Watt is will be fine.

The kryptonite comment above is amusing, but it also based on a false premise. T.J. Watt may be a generational talent, but he’s not Superman. He’s also played 91% of the Steelers defensive snaps this season which is up from 83% last season.

Anyone else think that Watt may have made it to that Thursday night game a little more tired than everyone else?

With 7.5 sacks this season Watt’s “only” on schedule to log 11 more. But as we saw against the Giants and Falcons, Watt can and does wreck games with a single play. Moreover, both Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig have proven they’re able to capitalize as opponents double and triple teaming Watt.

Week 12 brings the Steelers to Paycor Stadium against a talented and dangerous Cincinnati Bengals team who’d like nothing more than to play the role of AFC North spoiler.

  • T.J. Watt will take 104 career sacks, 31 forced fumbles and 7 interceptions to Cincinnati.

Watt has logged 12 (11.5%) of his career sacks, 5 (16%) of his forced fumbles and 2 (28%) of his interceptions in games against Cincinnati.

In other words, don’t be surprised if T.J. bounces back big against the Bengals.

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Steelers Defeat Giants 26-18 on MNF Stand Alone Atop the AFC North

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The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the New York Giants 26-18 heading into the bye week with a 4-2 record and sole ownership of the lead in the AFC North.

  • That’s good. But the 8-point margin of victory is a little misleading.

The game shouldn’t have been that close, yet it was. While some of the reasons for the closeness are cause for concern, the key takeaway is the simple one: The Steelers won a game that they were “supposed” to win.

T.J. Watt, Daniel Jones, Larry Ogunjobi, Steelers vs Giants, Steelers vs Giants MNF,

T.J. Watt strip sacks Daniel Jones. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Steelers Offense: Unleashed but Unfulfilled…

For the Steelers offense, the game against the Giants offered case study in the whole being less than the sum of its parts. Just look at the numbers.

  • Najee Harris ran for 114 yards on 19 carries including 4 runs of over 10 yards
  • Russell Wilson went just under 300 yards passing, no interceptions and a touchdown
  • Wilson completed at least four of his “moon balls” sustaining the long ball’s return
  • Jaylen Warren averaged over 5 yards a carry, looking like himself
  • The Steelers top three pass catchers were, don’t look now, wide receivers

If I’d have told you ahead of time that the Steelers offense would fire on so many cylinders, you’d have thought this was a blow out.

Russell Wilson, Najee Harris, Steelers vs Giants

Russell Wilson hands off to Najee Harris. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Yet with 0:42 seconds left, Daniel Jones had led his team to the Steelers 35 with a chance to tie the game. While that is certainly not how you want to end a game to a 2-5 team, there’s no reason to overreact.

  • The Steelers offense enters the bye week on an upward trajectory.

Poor performance in the Red Zone notwithstanding this was easily their most dynamic offensive performance of the year. The Steelers did have two touchdowns negated, one by a penalty and another by instant replay – showing that at least they’re capable of getting into the end zone, even if execution lacks.

Beyond the Red Zone issues the Steelers offensive line did struggle against the Giants pass rush. That’s not surprising – rushing the passer is one of the few things that the Giants do well, and the Steelers offensive line won some battles and lost others but on balance, they held their own.

Defense Dominates Buckles and then Delivers

The worst thing you can do when playing a struggling team is to let them reach a place where they start to feel that they can win. After a first half featuring a 9-9 field goal kicking derby between Chris Boswell and Greg Joseph, the Steelers were in the process of letting the Giants do just that.

After taking the opening kick off the Giants had advanced to the Steelers 31, largely on the strength of Tyrone Tracy’s rushing. What followed was perhaps Pittsburgh best 3-play defensive series thus far this season:

  • On first down DeShon Elliott stoned Tracy for no gain.
  • On second down T.J. Watt dropped Daniel Jones for a 7-yard loss.
  • On third down Alex Highsmith took his turn and sacked Jones costing New York 3 more.

Yet, this was hardly a straight A night for the Steelers defense. Tyrone Tracy burned the middle of Steelers defense several other times including a 45 yard touchdown several other double digit runs.

But even then the Steelers defense rebounded quickly, with Alex Highsmith breaking up a 2 point conversion attempt literally before it even started.

The Watt Factor

During the second half, there were at least 4 times when the Steelers could have and should have put the game away.

1. Calvin Austin’s electrifying 73 yard punt return for a touchdown
2. Russell Wilson’s picture perfect moon 29 yard “moon pass” to Calvin Austin for a touchdown
3. The Steelers mid 4th quarter possession when they settled for 3
4. The ensuring Giants possession when the Steelers secondary 3 straight incompletions to force a field goal

At that point, just over 5 minutes remained and all the Steelers had to do was kill the clock. Najee Harris started them in the right direction by getting 4 yards on first. Then Russell Wilson tried to tuck it and run – he didn’t tuck it well enough as Bobby Okereke forced a fumble.

With the ball at the 47, New York was in the driver’s seat. Malik Nabers and Tyrone Tracy got them to the Steelers 22.

  • On first down Cam Heyward stopped Tracy after two.
  • On 2nd and 8 T.J. Watt foreshadowed things to come by stopping him for no gain.
  • On 3rd down Watt executed the perfect trifecta, sacking Jones, stripping the ball and recovering
Joe Greene, Roger Staubach, Steelers vs Cowboys

Mean Joe Greene closes in on Roger Staubach in the Super Bowl. Photo Credit: Kickoff Coverage.com

Football is the ultimate team game. In any given generation, there are a few players who can single handedly shift the outcome of a game. Most of them are quarterbacks. A few are wide receivers, tight ends, and in an earlier era running backs.

  • The number of defensive players who can do this is even slimmer.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have seen them before: Joe Greene, Mel Blount, Jack Lambert, Rod Woodson, Troy Polamalu, and James Harrison.

And today T.J. Watt not only stands prominently on that list but continues to add to his contribution.

Many Hands in the Pile

Watt of course didn’t win this game on his own. He had plenty of help all the way up to Beanie Bishop’s final interception. They beat the Giants because, as Mike Tomlin explained, “I had a bunch of guys that wanted to be the reason why we were successful.”

And that’s a dynamic the Steelers need to maintain coming out of the bye week.

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The 1988 Steelers Season: The Year I Re-Found My Faith in the Black and Gold

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The 1988 Steelers finished 5-11. That’s a franchise worst since Chuck Noll’s 1969 inaugural 1-13 campaign. Just how bad were they? Consider:

  • Dan Rooney openly decried “stupid plays”
  • Chuck Noll quipped that they would struggle against a grade school team
  • Cornell Gowdy started 14 games at strong safety and disappeared from the NFL
  • David Little and Rod Woodson were co-MVPs… on the 28th ranked defense

Yet the 1988 Steelers will always hold a special place in my heart, because that’s the season I re-forged my faith in the Black and Gold.

Bubby Brister, Chuck Noll, Bubby Brister super tecmo bowl raiting, Steelers 1988

Chuck Noll and Bubby Brister. Photo Credit: Mike Powell, Getty Images

A Steelers Fan Confesses to “Youthful Indiscretion”

I grew up in the 70’s in Maryland outside of DC, the child of two “Pittsburgh Expats” who weren’t serious Steelers fans. Sure, we went all in for the Super Bowls, and Steelers jackets, shirts, hats, scarfs, gloves were glued to me through elementary school.

  • As the 70’s faded into the mid-80’s I began to stray.

Washington’s first Joe Gibbs era was underway and, honestly, all things being equal, I’d have probably traded Black for Burgundy and “converted” to the home team.

  • But my older brother did convert.

Thanks to sibling rivalry, rooting for the then Redskins was out of the question.

Rooting for the Steelers was hard because there was so little news on them. What did filter down made it clear that the Pittsburgh was pretty mediocre.

But I still liked football. And I longed for a team that could thwart either Washington or San Francisco’s quest to break the Super Steelers records.

So I’d get behind the Bears and/or Giants and even hoped Buffalo would develop to the point where they’d fit the bill (pun intended.) That changed in 1987. I’d reached high school and that’s when guys got serious about sports. I needed a skin in the game at both the lunch table and inside the locker room

  • And there was no question: The Pittsburgh Steelers were my team.

Still, I didn’t follow the ’87 Steelers closely. And in Super Bowl XXII I backed the Denver Broncos. What followed was one blissful quarter and then dejection as Doug Williams authored perhaps the most incredible 15 minutes in football history.

The lesson was clear: Never trust in another set of colors that wasn’t Black and Gold.

1988 – Going All In on the Steelers

The Steelers actually started 1988 on a high note.

The ’87 Steelers had finished 8-7 overall and 6-6 in non-strike games despite starting quarterback Mark Malone’s 46.4 passer rating. Tony Dungy’s opportunistic defense had scored 5 touchdowns. Even Joe Greene was back in Pittsburgh as defensive line coach.

Joe Greene, Joe Greene Steelers assistant coach

Joe Greene during his time as defensive line coach. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

The Steelers began the off-season by committing to moving on from Malone, and thus began my days of scouring the Washington Post sports section for any hint of news. The Steelers shipped Malone off to San Diego for an 8th round pick, flirted with trading for Jack Trudeau with the Colts (Indy also wanted Louis Lipps – killing the deal), until finally bringing in Todd Blackledge.

The pundits pronounced the Steelers as winners in 1988 NFL Draft, and I drank the Aaron Jones Kool aid, thinking his prediction of 20 sacks was realistic. Chuck Noll declared that winning in preseason was important to him and on cue, the Steelers went 3-1.

  • Then Steelers Nation lost Art Rooney Sr. on August 25, 1988.

While Pittsburgh lost one of its finest citizens, viewed from a 16-year-old’s eyes the Chief’s passing also seemed to signal the start of a new era on the field.

The Steelers 1988 Season – Opening a New Era with a Win Over and Old Foe

And so it was on September 4th 1988 that the Pittsburgh Steelers would play their first game ever without Art Rooney, Sr. against the Dallas Cowboys. Rookie quarterback Bubby Brister won his first start as Earnest Jackson scored two touchdowns giving Chuck Noll his final win over Tom Landry.

A glance at the Post’s Sports section revealed that wins by Cleveland, Cincinnati and Houston had created a four-way tie in the division. The AFC Central would be tough, it seemed, but the Steelers seemed well-positioned to make a run.

  • Or so this naïve 16-year-old thought.

Week 2 brought the Steelers to Washington to face the defending Super Bowl Champions. The game set the tone for the rest of the season.

The ’88 Steelers lost to the defending Super Bowl champions by 30 to 29 as Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams threw for over 400 yards. It is tempting see the close score and conclude that Steelers combined a lucky turnover with a few garbage time scores to make the outcome look a lot closer than it really was.

  • The opposite is actually true.

The ’88 Steelers actually went toe-to-toe with Washington, as Brister and Louis Lipps hooked up to burn Darrell Green for an 80-yard touchdown early. Brister did it again by connecting with Dwight Stone for a late 72 yard score. Brister ran for a score of his own, but Harry Newsome bobbled a snap costing Pittsburgh an extra point. (Video courtesy of Steel City Star.)

That extra point didn’t seem to mean much as the Steelers held a 9 point lead going into the 4th quarter, but alas, the defense couldn’t hold as Williams led Washington to not one, but two scores.

That formula repeated itself throughout the season as the loss at RFK started the Steelers on a six-game losing streak.

Nothing went right for Pittsburgh. Bubby Brister got hurt and coaches couldn’t choose between Todd Blackledge and Steve Bono as a replacement. It didn’t matter. Both were terrible. Harry Newsome suffered four blocked punts of his six blocked punts during the steak.

As the losses mounted, pundits demanded that Chuck Noll step aside. Things reached a fever pitch in week 8 as Terry Bradshaw joined the chorus.

The Steelers responded by exploding for a 39 to 21 win over the Denver Broncos that included six Gary Anderson field goals and 2 Rodney Carter touchdowns. Rod Woodson led the defense with 10 tackles, a forced fumble and an interception. The day also saw Greg Lloyd’s first start and first ejection.

Carter, who rushed for over 100 yards, also completed a halfback option pass. When reporters quizzed Noll about this, he quipped that he’d gotten the idea in a letter from a fan.

  • The win over the defending AFC Champions, failed to morph into a midseason rally.
Bubby Brister, Reggie Williams, Craig Wolfley, Merril Hoge, Steelers vs Bengals Riverfront Stadium

Reggie Williams sacks Bubby Brister. Photo Credit: Cincinnati Enquirer

The 1988 Steelers lost their next four games. The Bengals demolished them 42 to 7. The Steelers hit rock bottom in the mud at Cleveland Stadium the week before Thanksgiving as Newsome suffered another blocked punt and Mike Webster sailed one snap well above Newsome’s head and another came in so low that Newsome couldn’t handle it.

That left the Steelers in the thick of the Aikman derby i.e. the right to draft Troy Aikman. The only question was whether Pittsburgh had hit rock bottom.

Thanksgiving Interlude as Steelers Sit @ 2-10

Dan Rooney was not happy. He grabbed Ed Bouchette pf the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in the coffee room and declared, “I want to get it across that I’m not taking this situation alright.”

The story went “viral,” or at least it was picked up by the Washington Post, and it certainly caught the attention of the young 16-year-old whose daily highlight came at about 6:45 in the morning when the Post had something on the Steelers.

Rooney minced no words, explaining to Bouchette, “I don’t think we can say all is well and good. At times [Sunday] we played alright, but stupid plays took us out of the game.” Rooney then criticized Noll’s decision to punt on 4th and a foot at Cleveland’s 44. And of course he was not happy with the punting errors.

Having grown up outside of Pittsburgh I was unacquainted with just how unique the Rooneys were. So the most part, the uncharacteristic nature of Rooney’s frankness went over my head.

I was at least as focused Rooney’s observations that “At times we played alright,” and “I think we have some pretty good players” and his assertion that the 1988 Steelers were better than their 2-10 record.

That’s what the 16 year-old in me had seen from Monday morning newspaper summaries and ESPN NFL PrimeTime clips. The losses to Cincinnati and Cleveland had been ugly sure, but the Steelers had led against the Jets and Buddy Ryan’s Eagles until losing at the very end, just as they done at Washington. Earlier in the season, after recovering not one but two on sides kicks, they’d given the Bills a run for their money too.

Add those should haves, could haves and might haves together, and that would transform the Steelers record from 2-10 to 6-6.

Offensive mainstays such as Earnest Jackson and Frank Pollard had been benched in favor of Merril Hoge and Warren Williams, with Hoge earning his first 100-yard game in the loss to the Jets. On the defensive side, Rod Woodson was already establish a Hall of Fame trajectory, Greg Lloyd was making a name for himself, as were fellow members of the Steelers 1987 draft class Hardy Nickerson and Thomas Everett.

  • While he never said it explicitly, those were the players Dan Rooney had been referring to.

But perhaps the one who was the most to that ’88 team was a player who hadn’t been on the field since week 4….

The 1988 Steelers “Unleash Hell in December”

History geeks will remember week 3 of the 1988 Steelers season as their near upset of the Bills. But the game also marked the first start of an unheralded 2nd round guard from Kentucky.

Unfortunately, that left guard injured his knee when his uncle Art Still fell on it, costing him the next 8 weeks of the season. Few noticed his absence.

  • But Chuck Noll noted his return as he made Dermontti Dawson his starting right guard coming out of Thanksgiving.

The Steelers opened December with a 16-10 win over the 3-9-1 Kansas City Chiefs. A week later they went down to the Astrodome and flipped the script of the season. (Video courtesy of Steel City Star.)

 

The a game that saw the lead change 10 times, saw both teams return kicks for touchdowns, while Bubby Brister connected with Louis Lipps for touchdowns of 80 and 65 yards. Finally, with the Steelers down 34 to 31, Bubby Brister capped off a 4th quarter comeback with a 16 yard touchdown pass to Merril Hoge.

A week later irony caught up with the Steelers, as Mark Malone who logged his final win in Pittsburgh a year earlier against the Chargers, led San Diego to a 20-14 win over the Steelers in his final start as an NFL quarterback.

The Steelers closed the 1988 season at Three Rivers Stadium, with Chuck Noll hosting his mentor Don Shula. Many wondered if it would be Noll’s final game in Pittsburgh. (IT did, in fact, turn out to be Mike Wester’s final game in Pittsburgh.)

  • Chuck Noll was never wont to pep talks, but he share before the game, “I re
    Mike Webster, Don Shula Steelers vs Dolphins 1988, Mike Webster last game Steelers

    Mike Webster talks to Don Shula before his final game with Steelers. Photo Credit: Gene J. Puskar, AP via Pro Football Talk.

    ally want to win this on.”

His players responded. Dwayne Woodruff, the defense’s lone Super Bowl veteran, opened the scoring with 78 yard pick six of Dan Marino. Louis Lipps rushed for a 39-yard touchdown on a reverse. Gary Anderson kicked four field goals, Rodney Carter rushed for a touchdown and Darin Jordan made another pick six as the Steelers won 40-24.

Finishing 5-11 brings no bragging rights, but it at least allowed me to do a bit of “How’d Miami do yesterday” trash talking in Driver’s Ed with avowed Miami Dolphins fan named Frank.

21 years before Mike Tomlin would utter his infamous “Raise hell in December” promise the 1988 Steelers did just that. We’ll never know how much credit Dermontti Dawson’s return deserves for that turn around, but injecting future Hall of Famers into your starting line up does tend to improve things.

’88 Steelers Set the Stage to “Shock the World”

As soon as the season ended Dan Rooney made good on his midseason comments to Ed Bouchette. Things got tense. Chuck Noll almost resigned. But, with an assist from Joe Greene, Noll and Rooney continued to talk, agreed to changes, and The Emperor remained.

Rooney, who once commented that he and his wife Patricia wanted Chuck Noll to raise their kids of anything ever happened to them, clearly didn’t want to end on a bad note.

  • But Rooney wasn’t simply making an emotional decision.

In his autobiography Rooney remarked that 1988 was the year “Chuck really showed his greatness” with his post-Thanksgiving rally following a 2-10 start. As Rooney remarked, “I thought – our whole organization thought – better days lay ahead.”

The 16 year old fan rooting for the team from in suburban Maryland agreed. A year later, the 1989 Steelers vindicated us both. No, they didn’t win the Super Bowl, but they fulfill Bubby Brister’s promise to “Shock the world.”

But that is another story….

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T.J. Watt Is Already the Pittsburgh Steelers Sack Leader – Let that Sink In

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The Steelers victory over the Browns on Monday Night Football was the essence of an “ugly win.” Anytime your defense scores more touchdowns than your offense, you know it ain’t pretty.

  • But Steelers History passed a critical milestone at Acrisure Stadium.

T.J. Watt became the Pittsburgh Steelers all-time sack leader.

T.J. Watt, Deshaun Watson, Steelers vs Browns MNF, Steelers vs Browns, T.J. Watt Steelers all time sack leader

T.J. Watt sacking Deshaun Watson. Photo Credit: Matt Freed, AP via San Diego Tribune-Review

Let’s repeat: T.J. Watt became the Pittsburgh Steelers all-time sack leader. Let that sink in for a moment. We’re not talking about the Houston Texas, or the Los Angeles-Anaheim-St. Louis-Los Angles Rams.

We are talking about the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This is the franchise that has defined defensive excellence for three generations. This is the franchise that gave us the Steel Curtain and a generation later gave is Blitzburgh. This same franchise who had a member of their defense set the record for the longest run in Super Bowl history.

The Steelers were the first, and only, football team to have its defensive line featured on the cover of Time Magazine, back when that meant something.

Effective defense in the NFL goes way beyond getting after the quarterback, but you’d be wise to start there.

So just how does T.J. Watt’s accomplishment stack up in terms of the Steelers larger legacy? Let’s take a look:

Pittsburgh Steelers All Time Sack Leaders

Before diving into the stat sheet above, let’s offer a big shout out to my friend and staff writer Tony Defeo. When the Steelers cut Woodley, Defeo put his accomplishments in context by calling out how Woodley had led the Steelers in sacks per game.

The totals above include Woodley’s full body of work, but if you look at Woodley’s career from his debut to the 2011 win against the Patriots, he averaged 0.8 sacks per game.

  • That was an incredible accomplishment, but Watt is beating him by a mile.

Kevin Greene, a Hall of Famer, is next. After that you get Joey Porter, Bud Dupree and the original Steel Curtain makes an appearance with Ernie Holmes.

What else can we learn from this?

First, the numbers reveal how the modern game has evolved. While each member of the original Steel Curtain makes this list, only Holmes is in the top half. Dwight White, L.C. Greenwood and Joe Greene are in the middle. Jack Lambert and Jack Ham aren’t anywhere to be seen, with Andy Russell only eking his way in at the bottom.

Bud Carson and George Perles’ defense didn’t need to blitz often because the NFL didn’t handcuff its defensive backs before the Mel Blount Rule.

Second, you can see the difference between great Steelers pass rushers and those who were truly special. The great ones sacked the quarterback somewhere between 40 and 50% of the games. Get beyond that, and you’re truly at an elite level.

Fourth, there’s an additional metric for differentiating players on this list, and that’s players with forced fumbles. Sacking the quarterback is critical, but so much more meaningful if you can knock the ball out while doing it. (Just ask Alex Highsmith and Deshaun Watson.)

Unfortunately data isn’t available for members of the original Steel Curtain or 1980’s stalwart Keith Willis. But it does show us that players like Jason Gildon and even Lamarr Woodley weren’t as dynamic, while driving home the fact that guys like Greg Lloyd and James Harrison had innate playmaking ability.

Finally, and not surprisingly, T.J. Watt leads the field here too – by a mile. This guy sacks the quarterback in almost every game and causes a forced fumble in just under 1/3 of his games.

My take away? Man, I’m glad T.J. Watt is a Pittsburgh Steeler.

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The Case for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2023

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The moment we’ve all been waiting for since Mike Tomlin exclaimed “Kenny F__king Pickett” after last December’s  comeback over the Ravens is almost here. This Sunday at 1:00 pm the Pittsburgh Steelers begin their 2023 season against the San Francisco 49ers at Acrisure Stadium.

Last year, I dedicated my season preview to my friend, the late, great, Ivan Cole. Prior to each season, Ivan would write his “The Case for the Steelers in…,” and my goal wasn’t simply to follow his form, but to try to find his tone. It felt good then and it feels right now, so this year I’m doing it again.

As a quick reminder, Ivan’s “The Case for the Steelers” articles weren’t predictions on what the Steelers would do, but rather vision of what they could do. Here goes.

Mike Tomlin, Kenny Pickett, Steelers vs Ravens

Mike Tomlin says “Kenny F___ing Pickett.” Photo Credit: Getty Images, via Heavy Sports.com

A Quarterback Room That’s the Envy of the League?

We are told that quarterback is the NFL’s most important position. That’s always been true. It is more true today.

Look back to previous eras. Who were Jim Brown and O.J. Simpson’s quarterbacks? No one remembers.
Yet glance around today. Who were Patrick Mahomes and Matthew Stafford handing off to in the last two Super Bowls? We’ve already forgotten.

In this sense the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback room is the envy of the the NFL. In Kenny Pickett the Steelers have a player who looks poised to make the proverbial “2nd year leap.” Pickett’s 2022 passing numbers won’t impress Fantasy Football fans. But the moxie and mental toughness he showed in leading 2 come from behind wins late in the season means far more to Reality Football fans.

Behind Pickett, the Steelers have Mitch Trubisky, a former first round pick. Trubisky’s brief tenure as starter revealed why the rest of the NFL wrote him off. However, his play in the wins against the Buccaneers and Panthers shows why he can be a long-term backup in Pittsburgh.

Mason Rudolph rounds out the room. Rudolph will never win respect from most Steelers fans. But let’s be honest. Every other NFL coach would sleep better if their third string quarterback had 17 games and 10 starts of NFL experience under his belt. Do you doubt that the third string quarterback matters? If so just remember: The Mike Tomlin Era has basically been the Golden Age of Steelers 3rd String Quarterbacks.

Running Backs – Depth Here Where Its Undervalued Elsewhere?

Even if the NFL undervalues running backs in the salary cap era, a strong running game can certainly for a critical component of a championship team.

If that’s the case, then the Steelers are in good position with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. Harris has his critics, but he’s posted consecutive 1000 yard seasons running behind substandard offensive lines and/or while injured. Jaylen Warren earned playing time as an undrafted free agent rookie last summer and gives every indication of pushing Harris, a former first rounder, for playing time.

Going into training camp, some speculated the Steelers would only carry 2 running backs on their opening day roster. But Anthony McFarland quelled that with an outstanding preseason where he proved himself as a true dual threat.

Aerial Attack – Enough Footballs to Go Around?

Connor Heyward, Steelers vs Browns

Connor Heyward makes a key 3rd down conversion. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

One of Matt Canada and Kenny Pickett’s biggest challenges could be spreading the football around. Diontae Johnson remains a reliable all-purpose threat. George Pickens has yet to be thrown a pass in his catch radius that he can’t bring around. And Calvin Austin has field-stretching speed.

  • And when he does, Allen Robinson and Pat Friermuth can do their damage underneath.

And of course we’d be remiss if we didn’t discuss Connor Heyward, who after making several impact plays in 2022, is following that up by making himself into an offensive Swiss Army Knife.

Rounding it out, you have Gunner Olszewski who in Mike Tomlin’s words, plays with “toughness and versatility and smarts.” If nothing else, rookie Darnell “Mt. Washington” should net the Steelers a couple of three pass interference penalties in the Red Zone.

Flipping Both Lines

Two years ago it took 7 Ben Roethlisberger rallies to overcome the deficits created by historic weaknesses on both the offensive and defensive lines. By the end of 2022, both units improved to the point where they were no longer liabilities.

  • Going into 2023, both lines appear to be growing into strengths.

Watch Jaylen Warren’s prseason run against the Bills again to understand how much better the offensive line can be this season:

While the contribution from newcomer Isaac Seumalo is evident, the truly exciting thing is that the best play was authored by Dan Moore, the once-maligned left tackle who has improved so much he’s keeping first round draft pick Broderick Jones on the bench.

Last year’s arrival of Larry Ogunjobi gave the Steelers defensive line the shot in the arm it desperately needed. In the blink of an eye, Pittsburgh’s rush defense improved from 32nd to 9th in the NFL. Yet, to achieve that Cam Heyward still needed to play 75% of defensive snaps.

Last year’s starting nose tackle Montravius Adams returns, which is a good sign. But an even better sign is that rookie Keeanu Benton is not only pushing him for playing time, but might supplant him as starter as he has already pushed free agent signinee Breiden Fehoko to the practice squad.

Isaiahh Loudermilk, after suffering a bit of a “sophomore struggle,” had a strong camp and preseason. Last, but not least is DeMarvin Leal, the Steelers 2022 2nd round pick who saw his playing time increase late in the season just as the Steelers run defense was improving. Coincidence? I don’t think so either.

Linebackering: Reinforcing the Foundation and Ripping Down to the Studs

If you look at the great Steelers defense from the 1970’s onward, you’ll see that there’s one constant that unites them: Exceptional linebackers.

Yes, they’ve had Hall of Fame players on the defensive line and in the secondary. But think of how easy it is to picture Greg Lloyd, Kevin Greene, Chad Brown or James Harrison strolling out of a DeLorean and playing alongside Joe Greene, Mel Blount and/or Troy Polamalu. Now repeat the same exercise with good players Ray Seals or Bryant McFadden. It isn’t quite as easy, is it?

So let’s look at what Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin did with their linebacker room this off season.

T.J. Watt, Steelers vs Ravens

T.J. Watt stuffs J.K. Dobbins. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

We’ve all seen that statistics showing the Steelers ’22 defense with and without T.J. Watt, and the same dynamic was at work with the impact of Alex Highsmith. Turning inward, the Steelers defensive staff mixed and matched 3 different inside linebackers all season long.

Yet, even if linebacking improved from 2021 to 2022, the whole was less than the sum of its parts. So Omar Khan strengthened the foundation on the outside, while tearing things down to the studs on the inside.

First, the Steelers signed outside linebacker Markus Golden – a virtual statistical clone of Bud Dupree, whom everyone wanted back. They also drafted Nick Herbig who promted fans to ask during preseason, “Why did he last until the 4th round?” The Steelers outside linebacking depth is sound.

Shifting inside, Omar Khan renovated without mercy. Gone are Devin Bush, Robert Spillane and Myles Jack. In their place are Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts and Kwon Alexander. Mark Robinson, a converted running back, returns for year two.

Prudence demands we offer the “Its only preseason” caveat, but if early returns are any indication, the Steelers may have flipped their inside linebacker position.

Secondary: Calculated Risks and Hedged Bets

In 2022, the Steelers secondary authored highlights in abundance. It was a ball-hawking unit that hauled in over 20 interceptions. That was an NFL best, if you’re wondering. Yet turnovers are only one metric. An analysis of others finds the ’22 pass defense wanting.

  • The Steelers defense gave up 6.5 yards per pass attempt, ranking it 25th in the NFL.

As they did elsewhere, the front office made several bold moves. Some carry risk. The Steelers invested heavily in the development of Cam Sutton and Terrell Edmunds. Both men had provided vital stability.

Tomlin and Khan are ready to trade stability for splash and spark, and brought in Patrick Peterson, Keanu Neal and drafted Joey Porter Jr. to replace them.

Damontae Kazee, Steelers vs Saints

Damontae Kazee intercepts Andy Dalton, Photo Credit: Don Wright, AP

Peterson is a future Hall of Famer. He was exceptional in Minnesota last year. Yet, he’s 33 and cornerback is a young man’s game. Neal entered the league as first round pick. He started his career with a bang, but got derailed by injuries on and off since then. His counterpart, Damontae Kazee, also carries some injury baggage.

While these concerns are real, the Steelers have made several moves to mitigate these risks.

Chandon Sullivan and Elijah Riley both looked outstanding in preseason and provide depth. Khan snatched up veteran corner Desmond King after cut down day. Patrick Peterson could also shift to safety if needed; indeed, some suggest his long term future is at safety.

Behind all of these names stand Minkah Fitzpatrick, a man who is playing himself into carrying the label of being a “generational talent.”

A Word on the AFC North

The dynamics in the AFC North have changed and decidedly not in the Steelers favor. Or so we are assured. Let’s concede the obvious:

  • The Baltimore Ravens always field consistent winners.
  • They’ve kept former NFL MVP Lamar Jackson in the fold.
  • Joe Burrow is already proved he’ll be one of this generation’s great quarterbacks.
  • The Cleveland Browns are finally reaping the fruits picking in the top-third of the draft for over a decade.
  • Now they have Deshaun Watson to guide them for a full season.

The task is tall. But “Iron Sharpens Iron.” Here, a few facts from the ’22 might be illuminating:

  • The ’22 Steelers went 1-1 against the Bengals.
  • They went 1-1 against the Ravens, earning their win in late December.
  • 2 weeks later a freak, 4th quarter goal line fumble separated Baltimore from a playoff upset of Cincinnati.
  • Pittsburgh went 1-1 against Cleveland last year; their win came with Watson starting

Dare I suggest that “Iron Sharpening Iron” has already begun…?

Let the Kenny Pickett Era Begin in Earnest

I’ll close as my friend Ivan always did by reminding readers that these “The Case For” column’s aren’t predictions but best-case scenarios. We all know too well how a few inopportune injuries can lay waste to the best laid plans of mice and NFL coaches and general managers.

But with that caveat in mind, I think we can all say that there are plenty of reasons for optimism as the Kenny Pickett era begins in earnest in general. And specifically, a “Best-secnario” for this season ending with a Lombardi Trophy are a lot more realistic than they’ve been in a long time.

Bring on the 49ers!

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Sometimes Lady Luck Ain’t Fair: Cory Trice’s Injury Begins the Winnowing of the ’23 Steelers Draft Class

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It only took the first day of padded practices. The injury was actually contactless. Yet the winnowing of the Steelers 2023 draft class has begun.

And its first victim is 7th round draft pick Cory Trice.

Cory Trice is a 6’3” cornerback who played in 30 games for Perdue making 5 interceptions. Trice tore an ACL in his left leg 2021, but he rebounded to post a strong season for the Boiler Makers in 2022.

Cory Trice, Cory Trice injury

Steelers 7th round pick Cory Trice is carted from the field. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Despite his injury history, Dane Brugler of The Athletic rated him as the 14th best corner in the draft and the 88th best player overall. NFL scouts felt differently. Trice didn’t go a 88, but 153 picks later. Still, when the Steelers drafted him at 241 in the 7th round, drafnics immediately pronounced him as “steal.”

Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell took stock of Trice’s medical history and draft pedigree to conclude: “They HAD to take this cornerback.”

Maybe they did. And maybe couple of 3 years from now we’ll say that Corey Trice was to Lombardi Number 7 what Deshea Townsend was to Lombardi Number 5 and Lombardi Number 6. Let’s hope so.

But today the story on Corey Trice is something different and cautionary, if not darker:

  • Lady Luck plays as big of a role in successful NFL drafting as does science and art.

Normally when you think of Lady Luck’s role in the draft you think of the players you could or couldn’t take. Think of missing out on William Jackson and getting Artie Burns instead. Or not getting O.J. Simpson and having to “settle” for drafting Joe Greene.

  • But Lady Luck continues playing her role long after a pick reaches the podium.

All reports on Corey Trice from OTA’s, Minicamp and non-padded practices were positive. This kid looked like a keeper. Yet, on Tuesday August 1st, Kwon Alexander tackled Jordan Byrd. Corey Trice didn’t touch either man or anyone else during the play, but as soon as it was over he stood in in pain favoring his left side, having sustained an injury to his right leg.

“That’s just unfortunate,” Mike Tomlin explained, “but that’s football and life.”

Tomlin is right. Sometimes Lady Luck just ain’t fair.

In 2011 running back Baron Batch started off at St. Vincents looking like a late round steal, only to tear his ACL. Further back, 6th round pickc ornerback Barron Miles was having a very strong camp until suffering a knee injury in the 1995 Steelers preseason game against the Bills, and was lost for the year.

Batch returned in 2012 to earn 49 yards on 25 carries, but Barron Miles never played down in the NFL, (although he was quite successful in the CFL.)

Those two fared better than Senquez Golson, the Steelers 2nd round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Golson missed his rookie training camp with a torn rotator cuff, suffered a Lisfranc injury in his second summer at St. Vincents, got injured again in ’17 and after being cut he spent a few days on Tampa Bay’s practice squad and was done.

That’s three NFL careers – two would-be steals and one premium pick – all ended in the blink of Lady Luck’s eye.

  • Corey Trice should remain hopeful. Lady Luck sometimes grants second chances.
Greg Lloyd, Rashaan Salaam, Steelers vs Bears 1995

Greg Lloyd closes in on the Bears Rashaan Salaam in the Steelers 1995 win over the Bears. Photo Credit: Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images via the Bleacher Report

Ahead of the Steelers 1987 draft Tom Donahoe spied a dominating outside linebacker in some grainy footage from Ft. Valley State. The Steelers picked Greg Lloyd in the 6th round that spring, but Lloyd tore an ACL in preseason against Washington and spent his rookie year on IR. Lloyd got injured again in the summer of 1988 and spent the first seven games in IR.

But Lloyd appeared in the final nine games of 1988 including four starts.

Here’s where things get a bit uncanny. Where did Lloyd make his first start? On November 13th 1988 at Philadelphia. Where was his last start for the Steelers? November 23rd, 1997 where he injured himself on the turf at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium during the 1997 Steelers loss to the Eagles.

It would seem that even when she grants second chances, Lady Luck certainly lacks no sense of irony.

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