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Good Monday to you Steelers fans.
The up and down season for the Pittsburgh Steelers continues. After beating the Tennessee Titans at home, the Steelers were bludgeoned in Kansas City losing 36-10. Here were my observations from the game.
Offense
- Broken record isn’t it? Start slow… Look unorganized… Zero Creativity.
- The toss sweep on fourth and one may have been Matt Canada’s worst call of the season.
- I am now coming to grips with the fact that Ben Roethlisberger is done. His entire family was in Kansas City last night. Understand that his family NEVER travels to away games.
- Diontae Johnson is a much-improved player and is deserving of any accolades coming his way. That said, mistakes like he made are what will keep him from being a true number one receiver.
- There was a point yesterday where I think Najee Harris got pissed off and he started running with more authority. Yes, the Chiefs had built a lead but he ran much differently than last week and from the way he started the game.
- Many have questioned why Ray Ray McCloud gets more snaps than James Washington. I believe it comes down to elusiveness and “run after catch” ability. Outside of that? I got nothing.
- The Steelers cannot go into 2022 with Kendrick Green at center. The effort is there but the ability is not. The experiment needs to end.
- Zach Gentry did a decent job in relief of Pat Freiermuth but he’s a number two/three tight end for sure in the NFL. No threat to stretch the field but he’ll block and catch those short throws over the middle.
- It’s painfully obvious the Steelers lack a game-breaker. There is no one that threatens a defense with any sort of ‘run and catch’ ability. That has to be addressed.
- Credit to Chase Claypool. He made some combat catches yesterday and that’s something we need to see week in and week out.
Tweet of the Day… I think the next two games are going to go a long ways toward proving this last comment true or false.
James Washington liking tweets about him getting passed over being bullshit
Mike T lost this team
— rizzo (@rizzosarge) December 27, 2021
Defense
- Why is Ahkello Witherspoon celebrating a pass breakup while down 23-0? It’s a microcosm of this team.
- Minkah Fitzpatrick is an absolute warrior. He’s being asked to do so much more than he should be.
- I don’t know who leaked the information about T.J. Watt’s ribs but the Chiefs were happy to hear it. They consistently used a back or another lineman to chip and whenever they did the shot was right to his ribs nearly every time.
- Joe Haden plays hard. I’m so appreciative of that.
- Robert Spillane is not the same guy as we saw last season. Guessing the familiarity and his knee injury are the main culprits.
- Terrell Edmunds has had some good moments this season but his bad moments are likely going to keep him from coming back.
- The Steelers face an interesting decision with Joe Schobert. He hasn’t had the impact most hoped he would but he’s also been the team’s most consistent linebacker and I’m not sure that’s saying much either.
- Isaiahh Loudermilk has established himself as a guy who can be relied on moving forward. He has work to do especially in pass rushing but I like the progress he’s made in his rookie season.
- The depth at OLB is bad. You have to have competent depth that at the very least concerns the offense.
Special Teams
- Corliss Waitman did a terrific job punting. Pressley Harvin III was away from the team tending to his father’s funeral arrangements. The business side of this game is cruel and Waitman’s performance will likely earn him an opportunity to compete for the job next year.
- Bad miss by Chris Boswell on his first field goal attempt. Not sure of the hold but the kick was ugly. He rebounded to nail a field goal and PAT.
- The Steelers MUST find a kick/punt returner who is a threat. McCloud just isn’t the guy.
Coaching
- Mike Tomlin’s message has worn thin in this organization. That’s the best explanation I have for the same mistakes and mental errors being made over and over.
- The only way Matt Canada returns is if Ben Roethlisberger is gone and the entire O-Line is improved. In other words, I don’t see how he’s back.
- Canada’s call for a flea-flicker on the second series (or was it the third) was preposterous. Ben gets the blame for the throw but that play should have NEVER been called. You use that play closer to mid-field AND when you have established a little bit of a running game. The Chiefs had no reason to fall for it and they didn’t.
- It’s hard to blame Keith Butler for the defense. He’s playing with an arm tied behind his back with no Stephon Tuitt, no Tyson Alualu, no Chris Wormley and no Devin Bush. All that said, the organization must move on from him.
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