Good Friday to you Steelers fans.
The Pittsburgh Steelers trailed at one point 29-0 to the Minnesota Vikings last night. They rallied and had a chance to go for the tie but Pat Freiermuth couldn’t hang on to the ball. The Steelers fell to 6-6-1 by the score 36-28. Here are my thoughts on what transpired.
Offense
- Chase Claypool needs to grow up. When every game counts you can’t afford to take stupid penalties like he did on the first drive or celebrate a first down with :30 left and your team is driving to tie the game. Stupid and immature.
- Mike Tomlin has to stop worrying about protecting his defense and let Ben Roethlisberger go no-huddle all the time. It really is the only time this offense clicks.
- Speaking of Big Ben, if you think he is the problem on this team then you aren’t paying attention.
- Offensive line play was terrible especially in pass blocking. Way too many blown assignments.
- I just can’t see Kendrick Green remaining the center long term.
- Najee Harris had a run on third and three that was all him. One of the better three yard runs you’ll ever see. Glad he got the TD eventually.
- In order for Pat Freiermuth to become a true number one tight end then he has to show up more often. Until his TD catch late in the game he had been largely a non-factor.
- Blocking requires strength and technique but it also requires effort. Our tight ends and wide receivers needed more of it last night.
Tweet of the Day… This is a direct shot from ‘Da Beard.’
Way back in 2014 when I was playing…
Tick Tock was spelled this way and meant the clock was running
Time flies— Brett Keisel (@bkeisel99) December 10, 2021
Defense
- Why is Marcus Allen being used on D?? Because they have zero faith in anyone else.
- Cam Sutton didn’t have a chance on the Vikings’ first TD. Whether he got screened or not it wouldn’t have mattered.
- The gameplan concerning Justin Jefferson made no sense.
- Terrible personal foul call on Minkah Fitzpatrick in the end zone. Did exactly what the league wants them to do. Lead with shoulder.
- Devin Bush played better last week. This week? Not so much.
- There is absolutely no way the defense should be celebrating in the end zone down 29-7 following Ahkello Witherspoon’s first pick. That was a terrible look.
- It was good to see some emotion and fire from Fitzpatrick who was clearly tired of making play-saving tackles on the back end every damn down.
- Was the front seven exhausted from an intense rivalry game and short week? It had to be something because they were atrocious.
- I said this early in the season… T.J. Watt is going to have to play through the pain because those injuries he has will not heal until the offseason.
- Hoping Alex Highsmith’s injury isn’t too bad. His father reports it is a bad bruise.
- Probably not Cam Heyward’s best night. He made a few “Cam-like” plays but was largely absent.
Special Teams
- Chris Boswell missed a 49-yarder in the first. He’s now missed two of his last three kicks and sailed a kickoff out of bounds on Baltimore’s last drive Sunday. He needs to clean it up quickly.
- Pressley Harvin III is playing out the string. He won’t be back next year.
- Ray Ray McCloud allowed a punt in the fourth quarter to land on the ten yard line and then be downed inside the five. You HAVE to field that even if it is a fair catch. Can’t give up yards.
Coaching
- Dumb challenge by Mike Tomlin early in the game. Third and 18 and he’s trying to get back six yards? Already know they will try to get a few yards to shorten the FG attempt so why challenge?
- Matt Canada calling three straight running plays, trailing and in the fourth quarter. Then getting a delay of game penalty which forced them to punt. So bad…
Pro Bowl
Voting for the 2022 NFL Pro Bowl is now underway. You can vote for all of your favorite Steelers by clicking this link right here. I’m of the opinion that Chris Boswell, Cam Heyward, Diontae Johnson and T.J. Watt should 100% be on their way to this game.
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