Overreactions from Steelers Nation: Giving up already?!
Welcome to my weekly edition of “Overreactions from Steelers Nation” a weekly column where I poke fun at fans, reporters, and so-called experts while trying to figure out if some of these hot takes are real – or just for attention.
If there’s one thing to look forward to in my weekly columns, it’s that fans will never be satisfied… Not that I’m saying they should, especially following a 30-6 drubbing by the Houston Texans, but this season has been exceptional for the amount of complaining I’ve seen around the Internet.
Yes, I understand the team has problems – both offensively and defensively for that matter – yet, they’re 2-2 through the first quarter of the season. I could understand the sentiments if this was a team that just came off of a Super Bowl or started 0-3 or worse.
But to have these thoughts so early? Let’s have a look at what I’m seeing and why it’s likely an overreaction.
Fire Tomlin/Canada/Etc.
The largest amount of kvetching came following Mike Tomlin’s weekly Tuesday press conference, because he didn’t announce the firing of offensive coordinator Matt Canada.
I hate to break it to yinz, but that’s not how this news would be delivered. If Canada were let go – and I believe that decision has already been made in advance of Sunday (and regardless of outcome) – Tomlin wouldn’t be the one announcing it, nor would he really comment on it in his pressers either.
The cat calls for Canada’s head are childish too. I’m not defending the guy, and believe the team should move on from him sooner than later, but he’s never had a fair shake either.
Critics will point to several quarterbacks being unsuccessful in his system, but was it ever? In Canada’s three seasons at the helm he has had nearly 40-year-old surgically repaired arm Ben Roethlisberger, a first round bust in Mitchell Trubisky, and a rookie from a “not so deep” QB draft class in Kenny Pickett.
Not to mention the offensive line has had a major overhaul, which leads me to Canada’s failures going hand-in-hand with afterthought o-line coach Adrian Klemm and his successor Pat Meyer, the latter of whom should feel his seat warming up too.
The line has somehow regressed despite offseason upgrades. How does that happen?
And while we’re on the fire everyone train, let’s toss defensive coordinator Teryl Austin’s name out there too, because a supposed elite defense has looked anything but, ranking just as poorly as the offense in bottom-dwelling rankings in points and yards.
How bad is it in the Steel City right now? Well, I’ve seen fans calling for the returns of coaches they ran out of town the same way they want to do the names mentioned above. I never thought I’d see the day where folks wanted Todd Haley back…
Bench Kenny
That leads me to Kenny Pickett, who started his 16th game as a pro last Sunday.
Of those 16 games, Pickett hasn’t completed three of them. Yet, we have local and national talking heads questioning if “he’s the guy”.
Do we know what “FFS” means? If not, look it up, because that’s my reaction! Honestly, 16 games is not enough of a barometer to measure any player, let alone a quarterback. Not that I’m comparing Pickett to the Peyton Mannings or Josh Allens of the world, but it took a few seasons for those guys to warmup and eventually become the players they were too.
Keeping the conversation in-house, Ben Roethlisberger wasn’t as hot as some like to believe during his first seasons in the league. Yes, he won every game as a rookie, but that was behind a legendary defense (and a complimentary run game).
In Big Ben’s rookie season the Steelers failed to score more than 20 points in eight games: half of the season. Yet, the still won all but one of those games due to defense.
In Bill Cowher‘s final year as head coach, following their win in Super Bowl XL, the Steelers got shutout twice. Roethlisberger, now in his third season, threw 23 interceptions: his most as a pro.
So yes, let’s bench Pickett in lieu of the various other problems is facing. Clearly, someone like Trubisky is the answer, despite his inability to throw for more than a single touchdown in over half of his 50-plus pro starts. (And no, Mason Rudolph isn’t the likely answer to take this team to glory either.)
Tank for the draft
For another segment of fans, including those calling into radio shows right after the game, we’ve arrived at the point where Pickett should be replaced already. Tank for a top pick is the mentality of these fans despite only being four games into the season!
Pipe down there folks. You may think the Steelers are the laughing stock of the NFL, but it’s really those teams in larger markets like the New York Giants (who actually made the playoffs last season) or 0-4 Chicago Bears (who have lost 14 consecutive games going back to last October).
Another 0-4 franchise, the Carolina Panthers, could also be in the “running” for Caleb Williams in next year’s NFL Draft. Oh wait, nevermind, they shipped all of their draft capital away to take Bryce Young in this year’s draft. See how getting the “next guy” isn’t always an instant fix?
So please stop with the tank/draft talk, especially in October!
Final Thoughts
I understand the frustration and disappointment of this year’s team. Much of what I have said doesn’t excuse the poor play through four games, but I preface this by saying this is how modern era football works. Your more successful teams are those that are largely still intact from last season: San Francisco, Dallas, Philadelphia, Buffalo, etc. Even in the case of Buffalo, a week one loss was doom and gloom for them, and now looks silly doesn’t it?
With only three preseason games and lots of newness on the Steelers, it will take time for the team to gel. It’s true they have no identity, especially on offense, and I could see a bye week looming where changes are made.
Among those changes could be sitting Matt Canada down and promoting Mike Sullivan from QB coach to OC. Sullivan has previous experience leading offenses for the Buccaneers and Giants, working near miracles with quarterbacks Josh Freeman and Eli Manning.
Rookies can find more of a role on the field too. Omar Khan didn’t move up in the draft to select LT Broderick Jones for him to sit very long. It’s likely the juggernaut of pass rushers Jones would’ve faced in his first three pro starts – Nick Bosa, Myles Garrett, and Maxx Crosby – led to the decision to stick with Dan Moore Jr.
We should also see more of Joey Porter Jr. and Keeanu Benton on defense, with the latter being named as a co-starter on the depth chart as of this week. TE Darnell Washington will also be pressed into action with Pat Freiermuth expected to miss several weeks.
These adjustments should help as the Steelers enter the bye and come out of it with the weaker slate of their schedule featuring three consecutive home games against the Jaguars, Titans, and Packers following another west coast trip to the Rams.
Let’s wait and see how that plays out through October before jumping ship, shall we?
