The Pittsburgh Steelers got into a shootout with the Cincinnati Bengals today which was something I didn’t think would work out well for them. Ultimately, it did as they won 44-38. Here are my observations as the game unfolded.
Offense
-George Pickens (3 Rec 74 yards TD) is equal parts talent and equal parts ignorant. Getting a personal foul for his “gun” gesture cost the Steelers points. His earlier unsportsmanlike penalty cost them field position. He’s so talented yet does so many dumb things…
-Najee Harris (16 Car 76 yards TD) looked beyond gassed in the first. Four straight touches but something didn’t look right.
-Najee bounced back well. Grabbed a nice TD in the second.
-Great catch by Calvin Austin III (2 Rec 29 yards TD) for the touchdown! Unfortunately he left the game with a head injury.
-Russell Wilson’s (29/38 414 yards 3TD/INT) late third quarter TD to Pat Freiermuth was outstanding. Very “Mahomes-esque.”
-Speaking of Muth (6 Rec 68 yards TD), this was the kind of game I imagined him having nearly every week after signing that new contract.
-Loved the aggressive play call on third down. Wilson with a dart to Van Jefferson (Rec, 43 yards).
-Offensive line was pretty damn good today. They need to build on this performance.
Defense
-You CANNOT let a team run the ball like this.
-Horrible angle by Minkah Fitzpatrick on Brown’s king run in the first.
-Like it or not Joey Porter, Jr is a marked man. We knew this when we drafted him. That said, he’s made some bad plays today. Grabbing the receiver in the end zone? On a ball that was never going to be caught?? Ugh
-Pass rush is nonexistent. T.J. Watt (3 TKL, 2 Sacks, 3 TFL) is struggling and there’s no pressure from the interior but…
-Watt makes a great hustle play to strip Joe Burrow and then collected another sack in the second half. A much more ‘T.J. like’ performance.
-Third and 21 and we give up a first. That can’t happen. Ever! It leads to a Cincy FG.
-Superb play by Nick Herbig (2 TKL, Sack) to strip Joe Burrow and heads up play by Payton Wilson to to grab it and score.
-Cam Heyward (5 TKL, Sack) isn’t what he used to be but he finds ways to be effective. He had a sack, tackle for loss and a tipped ball that Donte Jackson intercepted.
Special Teams
-Can’t really blame Chris Boswell for the third quarter block. Sometimes guys just get their hands in the right spot. He finished 3/4 on his FGs and 5/5 on his PATs.
Coaching
-Smart move by Mike Tomlin to grab Pickens and talk to him after the pick six. Unfortunately it didn’t take.
-Another time management blunder for Tomlin. Could have called timeout with :12 remaining in the half and taken a deep shot. Let the clock go resulting in a FG.
Officiating
-Was George Pickens stumbling off the line? Yes. Should a DB be able to pull the player to the ground? No.
-Pickens’ “gun” gesture penalty I do have an issue with. It has become subjective. Some officials call it and some don’t. Either way Pickens never should have done it.
-Shawn Hochuli’s crew came in with a penchant for calling a lot of penalties and they lived up to it. There’s just no need for so many flags. Unless it directly affects the play? Let it be.
Up Next: The Steelers return home to play the Browns. This will be their fourth straight division game.
