Good Tuesday to you Steelers fans.
Let me remind you, what you see in the preseason isn’t always the same as what the coaches of the Pittsburgh Steelers see. Did Kenny Pickett out-perform Mason Rudolph? He sure as hell did in my book. So why then is Pickett listed as the number three QB while Rudolph is the backup? Let’s go back in time, to 2004 to be exact. Ben Roethlisberger was a first round pick. Tommy Maddox (27 career starts prior to 2004) was the starter. He had led the Steelers to the postseason in 2002 and then was at the helm for a troublesome 6-10 season in ‘03. Backing him up was Charlie Batch, the local product who played at Eastern Michigan then four seasons with Detroit who drafted him. During his stint with the Lions, Batch started 46 games. Therefore it made sense that the rookie Roethlisberger would begin the season as the #3. So let’s compare that to 2022. Mitchell Trubisky has started 50 career games. Mason Rudolph has started 17. Kenny Pickett has started… zero. You’ll recall that Batch was hurt which elevated Big Ben to the backup spot which allowed him to make his appearance when Maddox went down with a season-ending injury. I’m sure Pickett is disappointed. I would be too. The Steelers know exactly what they have with Rudolph and that knowledge tells them he isn’t the future. So why not get Pickett into the backup role and get him prepared? HE is the future, not Rudolph. This is much more than numbers though and Mike Tomlin knows it. It’s also about a weak offensive line and a brutal schedule to start the season. With all this in mind, I’m not getting worked up over this right now.
MVP
Many of us spend a lot of time wagering on the NFL, college football and who knows what else? But have you ever bet on someone to win the Most Valuable Player of the Year Award? How to bet on the NFL MVP can be a daunting task because there are so many factors that must be considered. Obviously there are injuries, strength of schedule and the talent around the player you are considering. But also remember that the award is more like a marathon rather than a sprint. For example, how many times in recent years has Russell Wilson been considered an ‘MVP candidate’ the first six weeks of the season only to fall off completely? There are two Steelers I would consider. One is Najee Harris who will likely have a bazillion touches. If he can add a bunch of receiving yards and a huge number of touchdowns then he’s got a shot. The other, yet longer possibility, is T.J. Watt. First off, QBs have won nine straight MVPs and the last time a defensive player won the award was 1986 when Lawrence Taylor did it. In other words, I’d stay on the offensive side of the ball.
Tweet of the Day… This is a good question and I agree!! Patches look like participation awards.
Anyone know why the Steelers don’t where Captain patches? I’m glad they don’t ~ those things look silly, but was always curious.
— Allegheny Andy (@CityOf_6) September 6, 2022
Captain, My Captain
The Steelers announced their captains yesterday. Offensively they are Mitchell Trubisky and Najee Harris. Defensively they are Can Heyward and T.J. Watt. And on Special Teams the captain is Miles Killabrew. To me, this is a great mix of young and old. All five are very deserving based on their play and importance to their respective units and the team.
Numbers Game
Normally it isn’t unusual to see a number of guys change their jersey number once the rosters have been completed. In this case, only Larry Ogunjobi appears to have made a switch. Rather than the number 65 he was sharing with Dan Moore, Ogunjobi will now wear 99. To be clear, the NFL would not have allowed two players to have the same number in the regular season. It’s allowed in the preseason but not the regular season. In case you missed it, Malik Reed who came over from Denver will wear 50 and Jesse Davis, the former Dolphin and Viking, will wear 77.
Celebrating 50 years of “Immaculate”
We’ve got a brand new shirt/hoodie in our online store with DC4L Custom Tees celebrating the 50th anniversary of the “Immaculate Reception!” Get yours right here.
FOCO
The great people at FOCO have released their brand new Steelers Spring Collection and I’ve got it right here for you. We get a small percentage back on anything that you buy so please consider it! AND…. Check out their selection of reusable bags too! There are tons of great Steelers item on their site outside of the Spring collection too!
Our Online Store
Please visit our online store! We have been so fortunate to work with DC4L Custom Tees! They are wonderful to work with and are willing to work with you on just about any design you can come up with!
Quick Hitters is Brought to You By
