Steelers’ loss- NFL tagged as another embarrassment for….
It’s hard to know where to begin with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Taking notes seems like the right thing to do, but it’s not so refreshing. It’s more like a kick in the gut.
Let’s stop making excuses for this sorry excuse for a team. The Pittsburgh Steelers stink. Say it.
Punting instead of attempting a 57-yard FG late in the third quarter in Saturday’s season-opening loss at Indianapolis was an ill-advised decision, especially considering the game was indoors and the Steelers’ kicker Chris Boswell had the leg. The Steelers never had a chance to win.
The Steelers’ defense is beset by injuries, but Indianapolis was missing its starting quarterback, its starting running back and its starting right tackle. In addition, the Colts lost its top receiver and their number two running back in the middle of the game. All teams have injuries by Week 15.
The Steelers defense was abysmal. Indianapolis ran 13 practice-squad plays for 70 yards in the fourth quarter en route to a field goal. Indianapolis had three drives of 70 yards or more in the second quarter, and the defense had no takeaways. The defense had three sacks for a total of 13 yards of loss. It’s the league’s highest-paid defense, but it’s a disaster.
T.J. Watt rushes the passer on nearly every play Saturday, and the Colts often run the ball where he vacates. The Steelers should trade him this offseason in a big package that likely includes two first-round picks. He’s 29, he’s played well this year, and he’s avoided injury, but by the time they fix this defense, he’ll be out of his prime or he’ll be retired. Trading him would help rebuild the team, and it would do Watt a disservice.
Damontae Kazee’s hit on the Colts’ Michael Pittman clearly targeted the head and deserved an ejection. Kazee also knocked out Indianapolis’ top receiver out of the game, which is a good trade for the Steelers.
The Steelers have now lost by three or more points in each of the past six seasons, but the players love coach T.
The Steelers were penalized eight times for 101 yards on Saturday, but they love coach T
George Pickens seems to quit on plays, as he did Saturday when Jaylen Warren ran near the goal line and Pickens decided not to block, completely giving up on the play.
T.J. Pickens and Diontae Johnson, and possibly Najee Harris, do not want to play for the Steelers. Let them go. They have talent, but they hurt more than they help. The Steelers should use Pickens and Johnson better, but that’s no excuse for throwing them away. A team that talks about culture all the time shouldn’t tolerate this kind of thing.
The players love Coach T., but the team is so bad that their 2019 first-round draft pick, defensive end Devin Bush, made fun of it on Twitter. Bush now is a backup linebacker for Seattle.
In the event that Tomlin does leave the Steelers, owner Art Rooney II will strip him of the power to hire and fire coaches, which would be the right thing to do if Tomlin is going to be retained, particularly regarding the former. Tomlin will feel insulted and quit.
Is Bruce Arians, 71, too old to be a head coach or an offensive coordinator? The offense needs an offensive-minded coach. The offense has averaged fewer points since Canada was fired.
Unless Tomlin’s coaching future is in doubt, the Steelers will never have a legitimate top-tier offensive coordinator. He has one year left on his deal. If he’s not re-signed or fired, no one with an option will take the job amid this uncertainty. The safest bet is Tomlin is re-hired and Byron Leftwich/Eddie Faulkner will be the OC next year.
Kenny Pickett is a shambles. But then again, so are the Bears. And yet, here we are at the start of the season with Trubisky starting at quarterback against Cincinnati on Saturday. (If Pickett doesn’t return.)
It’s hard to tell if the Steelers’ backs, receivers or tight ends are worse or worse because of subpar quarterback play and a subpar offensive game plan, but, given the context, they all stink. It’s hard to believe that the Steelers would have a center named Creed Humphrey and a tight end that’s invisible.
Kevin Dotson, formerly of the Steelers, is playing better with the Rams, probably because he’s been moved back to the right guard, where he has experience, after the Steelers used him as a left guard. But one size doesn’t fit all, so the Steelers need to trade up to left tackle for Broderick Jones next season. Jones is better at left tackle, and it’s a more impactful position. The Steelers have allowed Dan Moore Jr., often praised for his hard work, to point to Jones’ superior talent in the wrong direction.
The Steelers are an abysmal team from top to bottom, in disarray. They need to start looking at the bigger picture, not just winning the next game and eking out narrow victories. They need to understand what the NFL is all about: score more and faster. And none of that will happen with Tomlin as coach. The Steelers are forever stuck in the muddle.
There is no way Tomlin is not coming back next year. You don’t have to prove it. But he will.
The Steelers have a quarterback issue. You don’t need to prove it, but Pickett will be the starter next year. (You’ll be surprised by how few changes the Steelers will make this off-season.)
