SCB Steelers Quick Hitters: The ‘Taking Shots’ Edition

Good Thursday to you Steelers fans.

When things aren’t going well you become vulnerable. You become an easy target and you open yourself up to cheap shots. That’s what is currently happening with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Not only are they bickering among themselves and dealing with the media but now even their opponents are chiming in. Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, had some comments yesterday about the Steelers and frankly, nothing he said was wrong. The subject of George Pickens’ lack of effort was brought up to Boyd during a media session yesterday.

“It just shows the lack of camaraderie that’s over there,” Boyd told ESPN’s Ben Baby. “I can’t really talk for anybody, but like when things ain’t going well, you still gotta perform at a high level and do what you can to help your team.

“I done seen a clip with him … on a pick, it kind of looked like he wasn’t trying to chase it down. See, I don’t go about that. That’s something that they gotta deal with. When things ain’t going good, that’s when your true colors show. I like to be the same player week in, week out, whether it’s going good or bad for me.”

Boyd couldn’t be more spot on. Adversity reveals your true character. Are you the same player when things are bad as you are when they’re good? If you aren’t, then that is 100% on you. I’m hoping Pickens and the Steelers take Boyd’s comments to heart and come out with some fire and focus on Saturday. Sadly, I don’t see it happening.

The Podcast

Episode 349 of the SCB Steelers Podcast airs tonight at 10pmET. You can catch it live on our YouTube channel or catch it at your own leisure on numerous platforms. This is our annual ‘Airing of the Grievances’ show which now that I think  about it, we’ve been doing a lot of anyway as poorly as this team is in 2023.

For Those That Don’t Remember 1998…

There are some interesting similarities between the current 2023 season and the 1998 season coached by Bill Cowher. That team started the season 3-1 and eventually got to 7-4 before the wheels fell off. The team would go on to lose their final five games, the first of those losses was the Thanksgiving Coin-Flip Debacle in Detroit. Kordell Stewart started all 16 games for the Steelers but finished with a completion rate of 55% with 11 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. To suggest he was under fire would be a huge understatement. While Kenny Pickett’s numbers aren’t nearly that bad, he can understand the firestorm Stewart went through. The ’98 season came off the heels of 11-5,10-6, 11-5 seasons too and when it ended, there was significant change in the organization. Bill Cowher won a power struggle over General Manager Tom Donohoe who was sent packing. While I don’t believe we’ll see Omar Khan fired after just one as GM, I do believe we are about to see significant change.

Ogunjobi

Last week was the first time in quite a while that Larry Ogunjobi played the way we grew used to him playing. Prior to the loss in Indy, Ogunjobi had largely been invisible. Unfortunately he hasn’t been alone. Both DeMarvin Leal and Isaiahh Loudermilk have also disappeared. The latter of the two didn’t even get a helmet last week and was a healthy scratch. To Ogunjobi’s credit, he played hard. As I look at the defensive line landscape for next year, there’s a tremendous amount of uncertainty. Will Ogunjobi return? Will Cam Heyward retire? Montravius Adams is a free agent… Lots of things to consider.