Tag Archives: Kenny Pickett

Suffocated by “Sludge Ball,” Steelers Fall to Jaguars 20-10 at Acrisure

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The Jacksonville Jaguars came to Acrisure Stadium and, as they did on their last 2 trips to Pittsburgh, they beat the Steelers, this time to the tune of 20-10. As former division rivals, the Steelers and Jaguars have a rich history. The signature games in their series always reveal something important about the Steelers.

This week’s lesson is more mundane but equally important: For the 2023 Steelers “Sludge Ball” simply won’t cut it.

Jaylen Warren, Foyesade Oluokun, Steelers vs Jaguars

Foyesade Oluokun stops Jaylen Warren. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Attrition Takes Its Toll

The 2023 Steelers way of winning games has been simple, ugly and taxing to the heart. Notice, the use of “way of winning games” as opposed to “formula,” because surely this is not how Mike Tomlin, Matt Canada and Teryl Austin have planned things. But the Steelers four wins have common elements:

  • Take advantage of opponents’ errors
  • Compensate for giving up big gains with splash plays on defense
  • Make a big play or two on offense early in the game
  • Come on strong in the 4th quarter on both sides of the ball
  • Above all, avoid catastrophic mistakes

This isn’t sustainable. One reason why its not sustainable is that you get into trouble when you star players get hurt. Early in the week Jim Wexell mused to Jeremy Hertz that Minkah Fitzpatrick was due to make a game changing play.

  • Fitzpatrick left in the 1st quarter with a hamstring injury.

This further depleted a secondary that saw Darius Rush and Luqman Barcoo get first team reps on Friday ahead of the game. Losing Fizpatrick was big, but losing Kenny Pickett before the half was bigger, as the 4th quarter would make painfully clear.

No, Don’t Blame the Officials

Following the game, daggers were drawn in Steelers Nation and pointed at the officials. Alan Saunders of SteelersNow perhaps said it best:

The non-call in Pickett’s injury was all the more galling considering that Keanu Neal has been penalized for a far more benign hit on Trevor Lawrence. And the penalty that negated a Chris Boswell field goal, was in Mike Tomlin’s words, the first of its kind that he’s seen in 17 years.

  • But you know what?

None of that mattered. The Steelers still had chances to win the game. They simply squandered them.

Big Plays Can’t Overcome “Sludge Ball”

The Jacksonville Jaguars offense put up some nice statistics against the Steelers defense. But, as it has throughout the season, the Steelers defense struck back with big plays:

  • The Steelers forced the Jaguars to settle for field goals with key 3rd down stops on their 1st two possessions.
  • The first time Jacksonville reached the Red Zone Kwon Alexander stripped the ball and Cole Holcomb recovered it
  • The next time it was Damontae Kazee’s turn, as he intercepted a pass in the end zone.
  • Nick Herbig ended the Jags’ first drive of the second half with a strip of Tank Bigsby
  • Elandon Roberts wrecked their next drive with a sack on first down
  • T.J. Watt and Armon Watts led a “gang sack” on third down to force another punt
Elandon Roberts, Alex Highsmith, Trevor Lawrence, Steelers vs Jaguars

Elandon Roberts and Alex Highsmith Sack Trevor Lawrence. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

That’s three turnovers for the Steelers and two sacks to scuttle drives. How many points did the Steelers score off of those “Splash” plays? Three.

Two weeks ago on his podcast, Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell called out the Steelers offense for sticking to “sludge ball.” Wexell defines “Sludge ball” as insisting on handing the ball to Najee Harris on first and second down, setting up 3rd and 7 or 3rd and 8. Steelers then fail to convert those third downs, forcing punts.

  • Against the Rams last week, the Steelers inched away from “Sludge Ball.”

But sludge ball was back with a vengeance against the Jaguars. The Steelers first four drives amounted to 12 plays and 4 punts. Perhaps the team was working its way out of it before Pickett got hurt because they did score on their fifth possession and had another score taken away by penalty on their 6th.

But the offense under Mitch Trubisky opened the 2nd half with 8 plays and 2 punts. (I guess we can count that as improvement, right? NOT!) Diontae Johnson, Geroge Pickens and you could argue Connor Heyward and Jaylen Warren made some nice plays.

But the Steelers can’t expect to win many games when punter Pressley Harvin is a candidate for offensive MVP.

Mitch Lacks the Clutch Gene

Alas, Pressley Harvin was a candidate for offensive MVP, yet the Steelers still had a chance to win. But expecting Mitch Tribuisky to do what Kenny Pickett has done late in games simply isn’t realistic. Tribusky lacks the “clutch” gene.

  • Yes, Tribuskiy looked smart in leading the lone touchdown drive.

But he threw a horrible interception that basically sealed the game for Jacksonville, and he forced two more passes in to triple coverage that should have been picked off. Even after his interception, the Steelers had a shot at winning, on paper at least.

But Tribuskiy stuck with safe, 6 or 7 yard check down passes. One of the times he got away from that, he threw one of his “Should have been interceptions.”

  • IT was almost as if, even with the game lost, Tribusky was playing not to lose.

Given the circumstances, it was almost another form of “Sludge Ball.” And ironically, that was fitting.

 

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Steelers Report Card for Win Over Rams: Threading the Needle Edition

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From the gradebook of a teacher threading the needle between grading on outcome vs rewarding for progress here is the Steelers Report Card for the win in Los Angeles over the Rams.

T.J. Watt, Steelers vs Rams, T.J. Watt Interception Rams

T.J. Watt starts 2nd half with interception. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Quarterback
Kenny Pickett started the game going 6-13-78 in the first half. He closed the second half going 11-12-152. He also converted 3 first downs including a touchdown and the game-icer (albeit with a generous spot.) While Pickett does need to pick it up sooner, he’s now led 6 game winning drives in his young career. You can’t put a price on that. Grade: BSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Together Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren rushed for 85 yards on the ground. They added 4 catches for 14 yards through the air. Both are low quantities. But quality is the key measure of the running backs’ effort vs the Rams, as both scored rushing touchdowns, and Najee Harris ripped off several other impressive runs. Grade: B

Tight Ends
Darnell Washington got his second start and did not get a target in the passing game. Connor Heyward had 2 catches on 3 targets for 23 yards. Grade: C

Wide Receivers
George Pickens did his damage on just 5 catches for over 105 yards. Diontae Johnson had 5 catches for 79 yards. Allen Robinson and one catch for 7 yards. Those types of numbers won’t keep Fantasy Football owners happy, but the wide outs are what got the offense moving. Still, both men committed boneheaded penalties that set the team back. Grade: B-

Offensive Line
In the early going, it looked like it was going to be a long afternoon for Kenny Pickett. But the line tightend up, and Pickett was only sacked twice, although he was hit 7 other times. The Rams defenders likewise made 4 tackles for losses and made 3 other stops for no gain. Yet, when the game was on the line the Steelers ran the ball when needed to and scored. Grade: C

Defensive Line
Larry Ogunjobi ended the Rams’ first drive with a sack that forced a punt. Montravius Adams and DeMarvin Leal both contributed to key stops in the running game. This unit needs to do more to compensate for the loss of Cam Heyward, but it is making progress. Grade: B-

Linebackers
Nick Herbig got his first NFL sack and Alex Highsmith helped pressure Matthew Stafford into Ogunjobi’s sack. At halftime Sean McVey and the Rams’s staff thought they were sitting pretty having neutralized T.J. Watt. So the Steelers worked him into coverage and Watt intercepted the Stafford on the first play of the game. Grade: B

Minka Fitzpatrick, Levi Wallace, Steelers vs Rams

Minkah Fitzpatrick and Levi Wallace try to stop a catch. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Secondary
Puka Nacua shows another wide out dominating the Steelers to be sure. But Cooper Kupp had two catches for 29 yards. But the Steelers blanked him in an 4th quarter effort that saw the Rams make a total of 25 yards and Joey Porter Jr. had a big hand in making that happen. Minkah Fitzpatrick led the team with 11 tackles and was as critical in shutting down things at the line of scrimmage as Troy Polamalu ever was. Grade: B

Special Teams
Chris Boswell was perfect, and Pressley Harvin punted strong in his return, with particularly good hang time as the Rams had zero returned punts. Calvin Austin did a respectable job of returning, although he did bobble a kick which he recovered. Grade: B

Coaching
To the naked eye, this was yet another game that saw the Steelers give up big runs on the ground and an excessive number of passes to a key receiver through the air. And of course the Steelers offense was dormant until the 4th quarter.

Yet the defense improved as the game wore on, and the offense did put together a good drive in the first half but had to settle for a field goal. But what was mainly different on offense was the did make some positive plays early on. They couldn’t quite get into a rhythm because Pickett had difficulty on third downs, but this is progress of a sort.

  • The Steelers defense also showed in game improvement both against the run and the pass.

While those improvements were enough to ensure that the Steelers had more points when the clock struck zero than the Rams did, let’s also acknowledge that the Rams missed 3 kicks costing them 7 points.

  • This underlines the reality that the both Matt Canada and Teryl Austin must end the slow starts.
Isaac Seumalo, Steelers vs Rams

Isaac Seumalo reflecting before the game. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

The win over the Rams improves Mike Tomlin’s record coming out of the bye week to 13-4 and their season record to 4-2. Few would have predicted this after the 49ers or Texans games. Grade: C

Unsung Hero Award
Of all of Omar Khan’s “Khan Artist” off season moves, this one intrigued fans of “Steelers Football” more than any other. Yet, offense’s slow start had some questioning the move. But against the Rams Isaac Seumalo stepped up to deliver key blocks at critical moments and for that he wins the Unsung Hero Award for the win over the Rams in Los Angeles.

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4 Thoughts from the Steelers 24-17 Win Over the LA Rams

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“Steelers Beat Rams 24-17 in Los Angeles.” This headline makes it look so simple.

  • But was anything actually simple about this game?

The Steelers struggled — on both sides of the ball — for multiple quarters. They committed a series of boneheaded, drive scuttling penalties.

  • Yet, when it was all over, they came out on top.

The win gives the Steelers their first victory in Los Angles over the Rams since Super Bowl XIV. While no one should call this a Super Bowl team, perhaps that championship gives us a takeaway that applies to this team.

But there’s also a takeaway from their last win over the Rams in 2019 that applies. And that in turn takes us to the key to victory in this game: The ability to flip their once tried-and-true “throw to score, run to win” script.

Najee Harris, Steelers vs Rams

Najee Harris takes off. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

1. Leaning into the Words of John Facenda

NFL Films made the league into the behemoth it is today. In the age before cable TV, YouTube or social media Steve Sabol and company told stories about the National Football League in ways that transcended both time and culture — even Argentines who only discovered American football in the mid-1990s revere John Facenda as a legend.

  • NFL Films’ legacy remains vital to this day.

Our Twitterized (or Xized) communication infrastructure has reduced history to shorthand sprinkled with emojis. Viewed through that lense, the Super Steelers four Super Bowls in six years look inevitable.

  • But NFL Films threaded the needle of combining legend-making with context.

How many people remember that the 1979 Steelers began the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XIV trailing? Well, they did.

John Stallworth, Rod Perry, Super Bowl XIV

John Stallworth catches the go ahead touchdown in Super Bowl XIV

But they won anyway because, as John Facenda explained, “Great teams don’t have be great all of the time, just when they need to be.” This was his lead into Terry Bradshaw’s 73 yard go ahead bomb to John Stallworth.

  • Something similar seems to be true about these 2023 Steelers.

Are they a “great team?” Hardly. But they have some great players who have repeatedly proven that they can step up when the team needs them to.

T.J. Watt’s interception is the obvious example — the Rams had scored just before halftime and, could have iced the game by opening the second half with a touchdown.

But Watt intercepted Matthew Stafford’s first pass and, 3 plays later, Kenny Pickett and Chris Boswell  put the Steelers ahead 10-9.

  • What offers the best example, but he’s hardly the only example.

The Rams running backs Royce Freeman and Darrell Henderson Jr. ran frighteningly well at times. Both ripped off, multiple, double digit runs. Yet, at other times they got stuffed for little or no gain. Minkah Fitzpatrick helped turn that tide by coming up and making several plays at or behind the line of scrimmage.

Puka Nacua entered the third quarter with more yards receiving than the entire Steelers offense, yet Joey Porter Jr. played a huge role in shutting him down when it counted.

2. A Welcome Similarity from 2019 – to a Point

The Steelers last played the Rams in on November 2019 at Heinz Field. There are also several similarities to that game.

People likely remember that game for plays like Minkah Fitzpatrick’s 43 yard fumble return for a touchdown, a rhythm changer similar to Watt’s interception.

My lasting memory of that game is of Mason Rudolph. Statistically speaking, his best game that season was at home against the Ravens where he suffered a concussion. But against the Rams he really stepped up and, for the first time, really took charge of the offense.

Hopefully, that part of history won’t repeat itself, because against the Rams, Kenny Pickett made progress. Not only did he improve as the game moved on as he did against the Ravens, but he carried himself like someone in command in a way that he hadn’t done before.

And nowhere was that command more apparent than when it counted the most.

3. Flipping the “Throw to score, run to win” Script

When Bill Cowher interviewed Ron Erhardt for the 1992 offensive coordinator position, the ex-Parcells lieutenant described his offensive philosophy as “Throw to score, run to win.” Earnhart meant that while you might throw the ball to put points on the board, you beat the other team by running ball successfully, thereby keeping the other team from scoring.

And for a long time, that’s been the Steelers core offensive philosophy even if one could quibble that the Steelers went astray during the Roethlisberger Era.

And that’s the philosophy that Matt Canada used to right the ship during the 2nd half of 2022 following the bye week.

George Pickens, Steelers vs Rams

George Pickens catches one on Ahkello Witherspoon. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.come

But ironically, the Steelers employed the opposite approach in coming back to beat the Rams. During the second half, Kenny Pickett 11-12 for 152 yards with zero touchdowns or interceptions.

Pickett hit George Pickens, Diontae Johnson and Connor Heyward for hook ups of 39, 18, 21, 11 and 11 yards on the Steelers two touchdown drives.

Yet, as they did after Watt’s interception, as soon as the Steelers reached the Red Zone, they muscled it in. First Jaylen Warren exploded for a 13 yard touchdown.

Next time, was Najee Harris who forced is way for a 3 yard touchdown, two plays after ripping of 10 and 5 yard runs.

4. Who Are the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers?

OK. Let’s agree that invoking John Facenda and Super Bowl XIV is a bit grandiose. After all, the Steelers started the 4th quarter with barely 100 yards of offense. But the win still reveals a few important things about this team:

  • This a defense doesn’t simply help its offense with splash plays, it adjusts as the game progresses
  • This is an offense takes advantage of opportunities that defense and special teams provide it
  • Kenny Pickett continues to clutch

Clearly the Steelers have to stop giving up so many yards so early in games and the offense needs to start scoring touchdowns before the second half. But the fact that they’re continuing to make in-game improvements suggests that they’re capable of doing it as the season goes on.

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Don’t Look Now: Steelers Put Pat Freiermuth on IR, Activate Diontae Johnson, Cut Gunner Olszewski

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It was too good to be true. Coming out of the bye week the Steelers had reached full health with a clean injury to prove it. Then T.J. Watt’s name popped on to with a heel injury. (Breath easy, Watt will play vs. the Rams.)

But Pat Freiermuth wasn’t so lucky. On Thursday he reinjured his hamstring injury. Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell described it this way “…when he re-injured it, he cussed loudly and walked off the field and you knew what happened had to be the hamstring.”

Pat Freiermuth, Steelers vs. Browns,

Focused Pat Freiermuth scores the go ahead touchdown. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

The Steelers ruled him out for the Rams game on Friday and on Saturday morning they put him in injured reserve meaning Freriermuth will miss at least the next four games.

  • That’s bad news for the Steelers.

Pat Freiermuth’s been a reliable receiver with a knack for catching with clutch balls. He’s had a slow start to 2023 (but what player not named Jaylen Warren hasn’t for the Steelers offense) but by the end of 2022 he was developing similar rapport with Kenny Pickett to the one he enjoyed with Ben Roethlisberger in 2021.

  • The hope was that he’d continue that starting with the Rams game. His hamstring had other ideas.

Hamstring injures can be tricky. A non-athlete reading, “He pulled his hamstring” sounds mundane. I mean, who hasn’t pulled a muscle and gone about their day as usual? But hamstrings don’t work that way.

In 1995 Yancey Thigpen exploded to break John Stallworth’s single-season reception record with 85 catches (yes, it was different era.) Yet in 1996, a hamstring injury limited him to 6 games and 12 catches. 2 of those catches were for touchdowns, showing just how much the ’96 Steelers missed Thigpen. A few years later, a hamstring injury suffered in the 1999 Pro Bowl limited Dermontti Dawson to 7 games in 1999 and 9 games in 2000, ultimately forcing his retirement.

Hopefully Pat Freiermuth will fare better.

But his re-injury and trip to injured reserve reminds us that hamstrings heal on their own time and on their own terms.

Hot Rod Next Man Up, Gunner, King Gone, Rush Arrives

One man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity in the NFL. With Freiermuth on injured reserve rookie Darnell Washington will get an extended look at tight end.

Friermuth’s misfortune is means that Rodney Williams roster spot is safe. Williams is a reserve tight end who transformed and impressive preseason into a practice squad spot. Against the Ravens, in his first game on the active roster he almost recovered Miles Killebrew’s blocked punt. But what came next was more impressive, as Williams willed himself to make a tackle and save a touchdown following Gunner Olszewski’s fumbled punt return.

The punt was ultimately the last straw for the Steelers on Olszewski, whose fumbling problems with the Patriots have followed him to Pittsburgh.

The extra roster spot does clear the way for the Steelers to activate Diontae Johnson, who is believed to have fully recovered from a hamstring he suffered in the opening day loss to the 49ers.

  • The Steelers also made one under the radar move on defense.

While Steelers Nation clamors for Joey Porter Jr. to start over Levi Wallace (or Patrick Peterson or perhaps both!), the Steelers parted ways with Desmond King, the former Houston Texans cornerback whom they signed following cut down day.

King came to Pittsburgh with almost 50 starts and the pickup was hailed as another “Khan Artist Coup.” Yet, he only appeared in 3 games returning 4 kicks in 15 special teams plays and logging a single defensive snap.

  • To replace King the Steelers signed Darius Rush from the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad.

Rush was a highly rated cornerback prospect going into the 2023 NFL Draft. The Indianapolis Colts took him in the 5th round but cut him at the end of summer. The Chiefs picked him up, put him on the active roster for a few games, but then put him back on the practice squad.

Now he’s with the Steelers and must remain on the active roster for at least 3 games.

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How Hatred of Matt Canada has Gotten Out of Hand (Even if He’s Doing a Bad Job)

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What exactly did the Steelers win over the Ravens at Acrisure Stadium last Sunday really mean? How will we see it in a few years when we look back?

  • Will it be a turning point for the Kenny Pickett-era?
  • Or will be an example of “On Any Given Sunday” at work?

Today, there’s way to know.

There is one thing we can be certain of today: Sunday’s win against the Ravens marks the point where hatred for Matt Canada reached surreal levels.

And no, this veiled “Give Matt Canada more time” plea. This is different.

Matt Canada

Matt Canada talking to reporters on the South Side. Photo Credit: Brooke Pryor via Twitter

Canada Hatred Reaches Surreal Level in Steelers Nation

Matt Canada comes from a long line of unpopular Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinators. Its part of the job description.

But Matt Canada stands in a class of his own. He’s charting new territory as this Twitter (or X) exchange reveals:

Andrew Fillipponi isn’t some random fan who happens to have a large X following, he’s a credentialed member of the Pittsburgh press – at least he’s not making a pretense of journalistic integrity.

By the time the game was over, Andrew Fillipponi’s tweet drew 217,900 views, 1,333 retweets and 1840 “Likes.” You can see how my numbers stack up (Gracias Gus por collaborar con tu RT!)

So let this sink in: Going into the Ravens game fans weren’t focused on the rivalry or the AFC North lead, but hoping things would go so badly that Rooneys would be forced to break a 90-year precedent and fire a coordinator midseason.

This boggles the mind.

Joe Walton was a bad offensive coordinator. The 1989 Steelers had breathed life into a nascent Steelers Nation. In 1990 Walton’s stumbling, overly sophisticated offense sucked the oxygen out of the room.

Did I want Chuck Noll to replace him? Sure. I thought Dick Hoak would have made a great in-season replacement. I even toyed with the idea of writing Noll a letter and suggesting it (ah, to be a naïve teenager again.)

  • Yet, I always rooted for Steelers to win, and for Walton’s offense to ‘click.’

Ditto Ray Sherman and Kevin Gilbride (and Bruce Arians and Randy Fitchner). But I guess that makes me old school.

From Surreal to Sublime

Let’s call a horse a horse: For most of the afternoon the performance of Matt Canada’s offense strengthened the case for his dismissal. Sure, a wily-eyed optimist could say that unit was making baby steps before exploding for the Kenny Pickett to George Pickens hook up.

  • But at the end of the day this was yet another one touchdown game for the Steelers offense.

With that said, Kenny Pickett seemed to get better as the game progressed. He made tough throws to convert 2 third downs on that drive and then audibled when he say the Ravens were in zero coverage and about to bring the house. Pickett made them pay by hitting Pickens for a 42 yard TD.

Finally, the offense had a big play to match the splash plays authored by Miles Killebrew and Rodney Williams on special teams and Joey Porter Jr. on defense.

Yet many Steelers fans STILL felt compelled to find fault with Matt Canada:

Excuse me? When did the measuring stick for an offensive coordinator shift?

Funny, I always thought you’d judge an offensive coordinator on total yards, Red Zone and third down performance, time of procession and, get this, whether the Steelers have more points on the board than their opponent does when the clock strikes zero.

  • But apparently that’s not the case.

Apparently the best measure of an offensive coordinator is his facial expressions after a big play….

I supported the decision to bring Matt Canada back. And I’ll man up and say I was wrong. This isn’t the first time nor will it be the last. The Steelers offense has been terrible in 2023. The progress they showed late last season looks like a mirage.

But I’ll root for his offense to succeed because when it does, the Steelers succeed. And when it performs poorly I’ll criticize Canada, based on the X’s and O’x and not on his non-verbal behavior in the coaching booth.

That’s the way things should be. Shouldn’t need to be said, but I guess it does.

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Steelers Report Card for Rebound Win over Ravens: Baby Steps and Big Plays Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher who is oscillating between baby steps and big plays here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2023 rebound win over the Ravens at Acrisure Stadium.

Joey Porter Jr., Steelers vs Ravens

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

Quarterback
The stat sheet says Kenny Pickett went 18 of 32 for 224 yards and one touchdown. But those numbers fail to tell the story of how Pickett improved as the game wore on, who his accuracy got better, and how he made a key audible to burn the Ravens. Grade: A-Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Here’s another case where the stat sheet simply isn’t sufficient to judge a player. Jaylen Warren only had 40 yards on the ground on 9 carries and 3 catches for another 39. But he imposed his will to earn those yards, setting up a score. Najee Harris had 14 carries for 37 yards. Grade: B

Tight Ends
Darnell Washington got his first start and was targeted twice. Connor Heyward moved into the number 2 tight end role and caught 3 passes for 23 yards. Grade: B

Wide Receivers
Allen Robinson but one converted a third down on the touchdown drive. Calvin Austin got one target in limited activity due to concussion concerns while Miles Boykin got a target. The real start of the unit was George Pickens. Everyone in the stadium knew that Pickett would target Pickens. He did it anyway. And Pickens came away with the ball every time it counted. Grade: B+

Offensive Line
Kenny Pickett was sacked 3 times and hit 5 other times while the Ravens made 3 tackles for losses. Overall the line play was a little better than it has been, but was still far from what the Steelers need it to be. Grade: D

Defensive Line
The Steelers were down two defensive lineman so this was a game where the Ravens likely expected to run well. And they started off running well. But the Steelers defensive line held its own as Keeanu Benton led the team in tackles and Larry Ogunjobi made a downfield tackle to force a fumble. Grade: B

Linebackers
T.J. Watt helped stall a scoring drive with one sack, recovered Alex Highsmith’s strip sack which should have ended the game. When it didn’t Watt sacked Jackson on Baltimore’s final possession. Grade: A

Secondary
Yes. Baltimore dropped two sure touchdowns in the end zone and another all but sure touchdown later in the day. But another scene that repeated itself several times during the game was Lamar Jackson slamming his helmet to the bench. And that’s because as the game wore on, Jackson had nowhere to pass leading to abortive runs. Damontae Kazee recovered a fumble, and of course Joey Porter, Jr. made his first career interception covering Odell Beckham in the end zone. Grade: B

Special Teams
Chris Boswell was again perfect, and Brad Wing kicked well enough to make people wonder why he’s been out of the league so long. The Steelers return coverage was solid. Gunner Olszewski made some nice returns, but almost cost Pittsburgh the game with yet another fumble. The real stars of the unit were Miles Killbrew who blocked a punt and Rodney Williams, who saved a touchdown after Olszewski’s fumble. Grade: A-

Coaching
It took 8 quarters, but Matt Canada’s offense finally scored a touchdown. But it looked good doing it. Seriously, Canada’s offense took some baby steps, those were evident in the field goal drive that followed the blocked punt.

Productivity on the Steelers offense remains the exception when it must become the rule. Baby steps are nice, but leaps beyond the occasional big passing play are in order.

If Matt Canada has been a lightning rod for criticism, Teryl Austin’s has gotten a pass, although his defense’s deficiencies have been on display. They were in display again in the first quarter, but his unit tightened down and held the Ravens scoreless for nearly 3 quarters.

  • Sure, the Ravens made some dumb decisions and dropped 2 if not 3 touchdowns.

But that’s how football works. You take advantage of mistakes and if possible you force them. Teryl Austin’s defense forced those – Lamar Jacksons’ frustration made that evident.

A loss as lopsided as the humiliation the Steelers suffered in Houston can break the will of a football team. Fans and the press demanded dramatic changes. Tomlin made a few minor ones visible to the public and likely made more in private.

Elandon Roberts, Justice Hill, Steelers vs Ravens

Elandon Roberts stuffs Justice Hill late in 4th quarter. Photo Credit, Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

But most importantly, he kept his team on an even-keel and prepared them for a physical AFC North football and they prevailed. Grade: C+

Unsung Hero Award
The middle of the Steelers defense has been a mess. They’ve been flashes from this group of players, but too often the errors have outweighed them. Yet against the Ravens, Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts and Kwon Alexander stepped up to make several critical plays at critical junctures and for that Inside Linebackers win the Unsung Hero Award for the 2023 win over the Ravens at Acrisure Stadium.

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Steelers Beat Ravens 17-10 as 4th Quarter Fireworks in All 3 Phases Fuel Comeback

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The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Baltimore Ravens 17-10 at Acrisure Stadium to enter the 2023 bye week with the lead in the AFC North.

The 17-10 score suggests that this was yet another, hard-fought defensive battle in the iconic series between these two rivals.

  • Yet there was nothing simple in how the Steelers scored their 17 points.

And that’s fitting. There’s something about this young Steelers season that escapes the numbers. The Steelers have struggled for much of this year just as they struggled against the Ravens. Yet the takeaways from this latest rebound win against the Ravens suggests that maybe those struggles might be bearing fruit.

George Pickens, Steelers vs Ravens

George Pickens after scoring a touchdown vs the Ravens. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

First Half = More of the Same from the Steelers Offense

As an organization the Steelers seem to have an uncanny ability to tune out the noise from the peanut gallery. And that’s good because during the first half Matt Canada’s offense gave this critics plenty to crow about. While the Ravens were busy putting 10 points on the board, Brad Wing was busy staking his claim to NFL comeback player of the year by punting the ball away for Pittsburgh.

Canada’s offense only suffered one three and out and even put together one 10 play drive before sending Wing out. So theoretically, there was progress.  The Ravens might have only scored 10 points, but Baltimore receivers had dropped 2 passes in the end zone. A more lopsided result only seemed to be a question of “When” and not “IF.”

  • But like any good drama, this game’s first chapters foreshadowed things to come.

If the Steelers defense hadn’t been giving up points, it was keeping fantasy owners happy by giving up yards. Yet late in the third quarter Lamar Jackson hit Justice Hill for a 10 yard gain, he seemed to be destined for more only to have Larry Ogunjobi come up from behind an knock the ball loose.

Damontae Kazee picked it up and 7 plays later, Chris Boswell was getting the Steelers on the board. That did little to satisfy booing fans. But the attentive eye noticed that Kenny Pickett to George Pickens had accounted for 25 of the 26 yards the Steelers offense earned. Could this be the start of a trend….?

There wasn’t much time for back patting in Pittsburgh, because the Ravens marched down the field with authority. They reached the Steelers’ 23, until John Harbaugh overplayed his hand, going for it on 4th and 2 passing up an automatic field goal.

Alas, Lamar Jackson misfired in the end zone 2, burning Baltimore’s a chance to put points on the board. Could another trend be forming….? That’s why we play second halves.

3rd Quarter Uneventful – And that was Half Good

Peyton Manning recently tried to dispel the notion of “half time adjustments” and “Half time momentum.” The effort of the Steelers offense in the third quarter would seem to support that.

  • Brad Wing punted another three times.

The Steelers offense started with a three and out. Then they managed 8 plays for 27 yards on their next possession. And on their final possession of the third quarter they managed another 8 plays for 43 yards, including two more Pickett to Pickens hookups.

That did little to quite the “Fire Canada” chants, but punting aside, Kenny Pickett’s passing seemed to get more precise as the quarter progressed, didn’t it?

On defense the Steelers defense forced the Ravens to put twice. But perhaps more importantly, they were starting to get to Lamar Jackson. That was only the beginning.

Fourth Quarter Fireworks — for Everyone

Has there ever been a more exciting fourth quarter in Steelers history? Perhaps. But this one literally had fireworks on every side of the ball.

The staff at Acrisure Stadium got the 4th quarter started in style with Renegade. The Ravens tried to respond, but with Kwon Alexander stuffing Justice Hill for a losses, the Steelers secondary locking down Baltimore receivers, and Cole Holcomb to cutting off a Lamar Jackson run, forcing a punt.

  • Special teams coach Danny Smith decided to get aggressive.

Special teams captain Miles Killebrew soared through the wedge blocking Jordan Stout’s punt, with Rodney Williams barely missing a touchdown. So the Steelers had to settle for a safety.

The Steelers failed to take the lead, but Jaylen Warren almost single-handedly moved them 49 yards, setting up another field goal. Could the Steelers really turn this around?

The Steelers defense followed with another shut down led by Elandon Roberts making spectacular plays first in pass coverage, then in stuffing Justice Hill. The Ravens punted, but return man Gunner Olszewski, as he is wont to do, fumbled with only Rodney Williams’ tackle saving a touchdown.

  • Perched on the Steelers seven yard line, the Ravens were ready pounce and to put Pittsburgh away.

But Kwon Alexander tackled Mark Andrews for a loss, bringing up 3rd down on the Steelers five. Lamar Jackson fired for Odell Beckham Jr., but Joey Porter Jr. had other ideas, intercepting the ball in the end zone.

  • Kenny Pickett took over at the 20, a Steelers quarterback in command of his offense.

He wasn’t perfect, misfiring on his first two passes. But that didn’t phase him. On his next two he found Allen Robison and George Pickett to convert third downs moved to midfield. The Steelers only needed a field goal to win, but Pickett saw the Ravens line up in zero coverage, crowding the middle of the field. He called an audible went for all the marbles, launching at George Pickens for a 41 yard bomb and a touchdown.

  • Yet that was not the end.

A minute 17 is a lot of time to give Lamar Jackson. And Jackson hit Zack Flowers for 19 yards on his first try. On his next try Alex Highsmigh hit the ball out of Jackson’s arm and T.J. Watt scooped it up, returning it to the 18, seemingly sealing the win for the Steelers,

  • Yet that was still not the end.

A penalty prevented the Steelers from running out the clock, giving the Ravens the ball back with a chance to tie with 49 seconds.

Jackson made four drop backs. He hit Mark Andrews on one of them, but T.J. Watt hit him on his last.

Four Takeaways to Put the Steelers Rebound vs Ravens into Perspective

What to make of all of this? Suffice to say, the Pittsburgh Steelers have taken one of the strangest routes to 3-2 and a hold on the division lead in franchise history. The drama underlying this comeback win shouldn’t obscure the fact that the Steelers cannot allow their punter to audition for the offensive MVP award week in and week out.

And the Ravens dropped 2 touchdowns in the end zone and another in the open field that likely would have resulted in another touchdown. That won’t happen again.

But even taking that into account, there are 4 takeaways from this win:

  • Rookies, such as Broderick Jones and Joey Porter Jr. are finding their NFL footing
  • The re-made inside linebacking crops is starting to gell
  • Kenny Pickett finally seems to have recovered the poise he showed late last season
  • And Pickett seems to be developing a rapport with Pickens

If Mike Tomlin can find away to sustain these trends coming out of the bye week, the next 12 weeks could get interesting.

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Steelers Report Card for Trashing @ Texans – Regression Regrets Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher who regrets not paying closer attention when regression theory was covered in algebra, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the loss at the Texans.

Mike Tomlin, Steelers vs Texans

Mike Tomlin, alone on an island. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Quarterbacks
Four games into 2023 finds Kenny Pickett not only not building on his late 2022 progress, but regressing. His overall numbers against the Texans of 15 for 23 for 114 for 1 interception are poor, and they fail to communicate his poor decision making and lack of moxie. Mitch Trubisky came in and went 3 of 5 but almost threw a terrible interception. Grade: FSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth caught 3 of 4 target. One pass went for negative yards. He also was called for pass interference that transformed a 3rd and 4 to a 3rd and 15. Darnell Washington got his first catch and converted a third down. Connor Heyward was open twice on critical downs but didn’t get a target. The Steelers needed more. Grade: F

Wide Receivers
George Pickens was the leading receiver with three catches for 25 yards. Yes, you read that right. He could have gotten a yard more when the Steelers needed it setting up a critical 4th and 1.   Calvin Austin had 3 catches of 25 yards. Allen Robinson had one catch for 8 yards. Grade: F

Offensive Line
One offensive line was essentially starting its second team going against one of the NFL’s fiercest pass rushes. The other started first round first round draft picks and veterans on their second contract. Guess which one allowed 6 quarterback hits, 3 sacks and 7 tackles for losses? If you guessed the veteran one. You’re right. Unfortunately that also describes the Steelers. Grade: F

Defensive Line
The Texans rushing didn’t road grade against the Steelers averaging 3.7 yards per carry. But in some ways it was worse. Because the Texans committed to the running game, they set up manageable third downs. Failure to stop the run starts up front. Grade: F

Linebackers
And the rest of the failure to stop the run rests with the linebackers. Elandon Roberts had a very nice tackle for a loss. Unfortunately, it was only one of three on a day when T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith only touched the quarterback a handful of times and were held sackless.  Grade: F

Secondary
C.J. Stroud may have only completed just over 50% of his passes. The problem is he completed the ones he needed to as 14 of his 16 completions resulted in first downs. The secondary missed tackles and gave up two touchdown passes. Grade: F

Special Teams
Chris Boswell was a perfect 2 for two on field goals. Brad Wing‘s encore as a punter went well. Desmond King did a respectable job as return man. Steelers coverage units gave up more than you’d like to see, but overall, they were OK. Grade: C

Coaching
Where to begin?

Let’s start with the defense. IT says here that Teryl Austin’s unit will have better days. The inside linebackers will learn to play better. Joey Porter Jr. is doing all that’s being asked of him as corner and will get more time improving the unit. Minkah will be Minkah.

But as of now the Steelers defense ranks last against the run and last in yards per throw. The Texans debacle only confirmed that tendency.

  • If there’s hope for improvement on defense the offense is a different story.

The Steelers offense is a unit that simply cannot get it together. Center Mason Cole described the Steelers offense perfectly “We will be running the ball well and one bad run will scare us away from it and you get in a bad situation.” Cole’s conclusion is perfect.

When the offense just borders on establishing a rhythm, it will give up a sack, someone will get tackled in the backfield, or the offensive coordinator will do something dumb, like calling a play out of the shotgun on 4th and 1.

  • Kenny Pickett isn’t getting better, he’s regressing.
Najee Harris, Steelers vs Texans

Najee Harris rushes hard. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

A better offensive line and some semblance of consistency around him might help. But he isn’t getting that.

Mike Tomlin promised changes. Dramatic ones are unlikely, at least this week. But he must do something. Fast.

Unsung Hero Award
The Steelers got trashed in Texas. But there were two players who stood out for the better. Both men played with yard, ran with fire and delivered with the ball in their hands. And for that Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren win the Unsung Hero Award for the humiliation in Houston.

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Trap Game or Truth Game? Texans Humiliate Steelers 30-6 in Houston

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The Pittsburgh Steelers flew to Houston and dropped a 30-6 loss to the Texans. The humiliation the Steelers suffered in Houston wasn’t as bad as the score suggests.

It was far worse.

Prior to the game NPR’s Jeremy Scott quizzed Jim Wexell on whether this matchup had “…all the ingredients of a trap game.”

Wexell’s response? “Absolutely.”

It is tempting to credit the Steel City Insider scribe for being clairvoyant. But is that what’s called for here? Because the question this scribe is asking today is this: Was this really a “trap game?” Or does this defeat expose the painful truth about this football team?

Let’s try to find an answer.

Jaylen Warren, Jaylen Pitre, Steelers vs Texans

Jaylen Pitre knocks ball loose from Jaylen Warren. AP via Tribune Review.

Did History Reverse Itself in Houston?

You can often peg the outcomes of football games, even blowouts, on a pivotal series or play. The Steelers loss to the Texans is no exception.

After logging the one of the worst first haves in recent franchise memory, the Steelers flirted with respectability to start the 2nd half.

Sure, the Steelers stalled in the Red Zone settling for a Chris Boswell field goal, but the defense forced a 3 and out, and then offense was right at it again, getting back to the Red Zone in just four plays. There they had to settle for another field goal. But that narrowed the score to ten, and the defense delivered on its next series.

It started off promising, with Najee Harris exploding for a 23 yard run. Kenny Pickett and Darnell Washington hooked up, giving the rookie his first NFL catch for 10 yards. Things bogged down after a catch by George Pickens on third and 18 netted 17 yards.

  • This brought up a make or break 4th and 1 situation.

Seeing the Steelers lining up in the shotgun immediately brought me back to the Steelers 2008 trip to Houston. That was the very first game Steel Curtain Rising covered, and on its first series on opening day, Houston coach Gary Kubiak went for it on 4th down. Here’s how it unfolded:

That was a bold move, worthy of an elite team, and rather brash, considering the pedigree of the Steelers run defense….

Perhaps someone should have reminded Kubiack of Bum Philip’s old dictum, “It ain’t bragging if you can do it. But just saying it don’t make it so…” because quarterback Matt Schaub, went for it, came up short, and Pittsburgh dominated thereafter.

Pretty ironic, isn’t it?

Given the game situation and field position, Mike Tomlin’s decision to go for it was pretty conventional. Now, had the Steelers converted that 4th down, right now we’d be praising Matt Canada’s play call as “bold.”

But instead we’re stick to a simple, objective observation:

  • Matt Canada’s play call was stupid.

Instead of trying to muscle out a single yard, Canada tried to outthink everyone, and we watched Jonathan Greenard push Broderick Jones aside to sack and injure Kenny Pickett.

  • For all intents and purposes, the game was over there.

The question is, did play just end the game for the Steelers? Or did it close the door to bigger and better things for the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers?

Down on the Defense?

The headline of this article leads with “Trap game or Truth Game?” To answer that, we’ll define a “trap game” as “A game where a good team under performs and loses against a team with inferior talent.”

The thinking going into 2023 were that the Pittsburgh Steelers were a team that might establish it as a contender whereas the Houston Texas were a club looking for respectability. In other words, to suffer a trap game a team needs to be good in the first place.

  • The Pittsburgh Steelers really didn’t look a “good” team today and haven’t all season. Have they?

But appearances can deceive. The defensive side of the ball is perhaps illustrative here. The Houston Texans were playing a second sting offensive line against a Steelers defense that has terrorized quarterbacks all season long.

Yet, neither T.J. Watt nor Alex Highsmith got a sack, and the duo barley laid a glove on C.J. Stroud. Neither did any of the Steelers defensive lineman. While that’s concerning, there’s no reason to think that this is indicative of what to expect for the rest of the season.

And while the Steelers run defense didn’t give up a long run, it suffered death by a thousand cuts from Dameon Pierce. Stroud made some nice throws, but was basically a 50/50 passer.

  • But at the end of the day, there’s still hope for the Steelers defense.

That isn’t to say the Steelers defense will rebound to dominate the way they did in Cleveland, but they will rebound.

The irony is, the Houston Texans offense did what Matt Canada’s couldn’t, or perhaps wouldn’t

Is Canada’s Offense A “Couldn’t” Or a “Wouldn’t”

This morning in Steelers Nation you won’t have to look far to find calls to Fire Matt Canada. And that’s been true most Monday mornings since Canada took over.

Yours truly has declined to lean into such sentiment, at the expense of page views, because the Steelers offensive coordinator has been the most hated figure in Pittsburgh sports since George Herbert Walker Bush sat in the White House. And, taken in context, the struggles of Canada’s first two offenses were understandable.

  • But the Texans game is trying even my patience

During the first half the Steelers offense managed one interception and three punts. It failed to enter Texan territory. Exchange those for even a pair of field goal drives, maintain the two field goal drives that the Steelers opened the second half with, and you don’t find yourself in a do-or-die 4th down conversion situation with 3 minutes left in the third quarter.

But that was the situation. And instead of letting the offense try to impose its will, Canada got cute. And it blew up in his face.

  • And that’s been the story of the Steelers offense this season.

It does well for a few drives or parts of drives. Then it falls on its face at critical moments. Taken literally, and offensive coordinator’s job is to coordinate things so that the opposite occurs. Matt Canada is failing at his job.

Does Canada fail to grasp the value of physical football? Or does he ignore it because, like his predecessors Joe Walton and Kevin Gilbride, he wants to show the rest of the NFL he’s a genius? Or Canada actually doing the best he can with substandard offensive line and quarterback that we all overestimated?  Mike Tomlin, Hell Yeah, There's Going to be Changes

I don’t know, but Mike Tomlin needs to find the answer, quickly.

Trap Game or Truth Game Question Answered

Mathematically the loss brings the Steelers to 2-2, which is an OK place to be after week 4 in the NFL. But this is one case where the way the Steelers lost this tells us more than the outcome itself.

  • The Steelers failed the eye test today.

They didn’t look like a contender descending into “Any Given Sunday” territory against a lesser team. No. They looked like a team will be lucky to flirt with .500 – and that’s without knowing the severity of the injuries suffered by Dan Moore, Pat Freiermuth, DeMarvin Leal and Kenny Pickett.

When asked after the game if changers were coming, Mike Tomlin snapped, “Hell yeah. There’s going to be changes.”

Good. Because many things must change for 20/20 hindsight to transform this loss into a trap game.

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Steelers Report Card for Win over Raiders: Glimpsing of Ron Erhardt’s Ghost Edition

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From the grade book of a teacher who is using “work to do and bills to pay” as an excuse for his late grade sheet and not the fact that he thinks he caught a glimpse of the late Ron Erhardt, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the road win vs the Raiders.

Cole Holcomb, Davante Adams, Steelers vs Raiders

Cole Holocomb throttles Davante Adams. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

Quarterback
Pundits are parsing this as Kenny Pickett’s best game. Was it? Pickett threw 16-28 for 235 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions. This was his first multi-touchdown pass game and the Steelers did lead in time of possession. Nonetheless, their 6-15 third down conversion rate must improve. Grade: B-Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Najee Harris earned a gritty 65 yards on 19 carries, with a long run of 17 on the Steelers touchdown drive, showing that it was rough sledding up front for most of the night. Connor Heyward got his first carry of the season for zero yards. ON the night, Steelers running backs rushed for 94 yards, a season high which, while still too low represents and improvement. Grade: B

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth caught 3 passes for 41 yards including a perfectly executed play action pass during the Steelers first trip into the Red Zone. That play was set up in no small part by a 14 yarder that he caught two plays before. Grade: B

Wide Receivers
This week it was Calvin Austin’s turn to get open deep in the middle of the field. And Austin delivered by burning the Raiders secondary for a quick six points. George Pickens only had 4 catches but they went for 75 yards and either converted third downs or otherwise set up scores. Allen Robinson had 4 catches, including a third down converter that iced the game. Grade: B+

Offensive Line
Kenny Pickett was only sacked once. But don’t let that stat deceive you, he took some vicious hits after the pass. And while the running game did enjoy more success this week, the Raiders still recorded 5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Not good enough. Grade: D

Defensive Line
Josh Jacobs looked normal, rushing for just 62 yards and a long of only 10 – much better than what we saw the last two weeks. Overall the line authored a strong game, Keeanu Benton breaking through to make a phenomenal sack which saved a touchdown. Grade: B

Linebackers
A glance at the stat sheet suggests “off night” for T.J. Watt, who only had 2 sacks and 3 other QB hits. But those sacks wrecked drives. Kwon Alexander led the unit with 7 tackles, while Cole Holcomb delivered a thunderous hit on Davante Adams that scuttled the Raider’s opening drive of the second half. Marcus Golden also got a sack. Grade: B+

Secondary
No the plus side, Levi Wallace and Patrick Peterson both came down with interceptions. On the flip side, the secondary got caught on a deep route on 3rd and 1 and was again fooled on a two- point conversion. Grade: B

Special Teams
Chris Boswell was 3-3 for field goals of 42, 43 and 57 yards. Pressley Harvin averaged 53.8 on 6 punts, pinning the Raiders inside their own 20 on 3 occasions, although his penultimate punt was a short 41 yarder that had terrible hang time. The Steelers return coverage was solid, although they did give up a penalty on a field goal. Grade: B

Coaching
We have a mixed bag on both sides of the ball.

The Steelers defense was sound. It took away the ball 3 times, sacked Jimmy Garoppolo 4 times, contained Josh Jacobs, limited the Raiders to 4 of 15 on third down and opened the 4th quarter by forcing a turnover on downs.

But the unit got caught with its pants down twice on running plays, and the Raiders moved the ball far too easily on their 2 fourth quarter scoring drives. Yes, you can say Minkah Fitzpatrick’s roughing the passer call was bogus. But the Steelers defense had 2 chances to make a stop and failed then allowed a 2 point conversion.

Matt Canada certainly succeeded at one thing in the season’s first two weeks: He got Steelers Nation to forget Randy Fitchner and Todd Haley.

And for much of the game against the Raiders, he did little to jog their memories. As the Steelers offense vacillated between three and outs and field goal drives with one quick strike sprinkled it to keep things interesting.

But at two points in the game, it was almost as if Ron Erhardt’s Force Ghost* appeared to Matt Canada and the entire Steelers offense instructing, “Use the Force.” Seriously. The Steelers third quarter touchdown drive couldn’t have been scripted with better precision. And if the unit followed that with 2 back-to-back three and outs, it responded at the very end to kill the clock.

Mike Tomlin saw to it that the horrific performance against the 49ers had no ripple effect. After the Cleveland win he kept the team focused on a short week, ensuring that it didn’t go to their heads. Grade: C

Jaylen Warren, Robert Spillane, Steelers vs Raiders

Former Friends: Robert Spillane tries to tackle Jaylen Warren. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

*Truthfully, on that series the Steelers looked more like a Ken Whisenhunt offense than an Erhardt one, but Whiz is still with us and God willing will be for a long time.

Unsung Hero Award
A week ago this player missed his block, causing a sack on third down. This week the same player met Maxx Crosby head on and bought his quarterback time setting up a deep strike. He also ripped of a number of long runs and pass receptions to set up scores and for that Jaylen Warren wins the Unsung Hero Award for the win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

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