2023 GDT Week #3 DA Pittsburgh Steelers Visit Las Vegas Da Raiders

[Steeler Hitman]

 

 

 

 

Who: Da Steelers 1-1 visit Da Raiders 1-1

Where: Allegiant Stadium (Paradise) Las Vegas, NV

When: Sunday Night, 09/24/23 @ 8: 20 pm EST

 

All-TimeAll Time Series & Last Meeting: Da Raiders lead the all-time series 13-11.  The last meeting was the 50th anniversary celebration of the Immaculate Reception. "You mean the Immaculate Deception." Mr. George Atkinson

"No deception here sir!"

Keys to Improving the Offense;

1. Win on First Down. - The offense has been behind the sticks for the majority of the 2023 season. This has been for various reasons: 

A. Poor execution

B. Poor Play Calling

C. Poor blocking in the run game and pass rush pressure

D. Inaccurate passing

2. Kenny has to get back to the end of the 2022 season and pre-season Kenny. - - The QB play has been below average. We can discuss many reasons why, but the root cause is Kenny not being comfortable as we saw Kenny in pre-season and the swagger of the December 2022 Kenny. Getting Kenny better is a must.

3. Use all of your offensive weapons. - - Get the TE's more involved with the passing game.  For the love of baby Jesus, get Pickens the ball more. He just makes big plays for your offense.

4. The interior OL has to start moving people!!! - - The Steelers interior OL has not met expectations. I thought that adding Isaac Seumalu and Nate Herbig to Mason Cole and James Robinson would open the running game up and the Steelers OL would build from what they were doing late in 2022.  That hasn't happened yet. Granted, they played two very good defenses and defensive lines, but expectations have not been met here. They gotta get better. We are just getting beat up. The offense looks better when the OL is bulldozing! 

5. It's all Matt Canada's fault. - - No week can go by without blaming the OC.  I am not the biggest Matt Canada fan, but he is being blamed for the poor execution of the offense. As OC he gets the lion's share of the blame here, but the root cause is the offensive line play is poor, Kenny is not accurate and consistent, Najee missed a few holes and could have hit a few runs better,  Kenny can't get comfortable in the pocket, playing behind the yardsticks, Kenny has been inaccurate, etc., etc., etc., 

They go hand in hand. The OC's playcalling looks smarter when the offensive team can execute.  

A couple of things/suggestions tips: For the OC that everyone loves to hate.

After a good run up the middle, don't muck it up with a jet-sweep or outside toss.

You have a stud in Pickens, use him. Especially since Dionte is out.

You have three pretty good TE's who can help the short and intermediate passing game, use them!

Get the interior OL some confidence.  How? After a seven-yard pass completion on first down, run the ball at the defense in the heart and establish bully-ball. The game is about confidence. Mason Cole said after the Steelers win vs. the Browns, "As an OL we are just not executing! The play calling hasn't been horrible, but we as an OL have not been doing our job. Hat's off to the defense."  That to me is very telling. Matt certainly can do some things better in terms of using all of his weapons and being a little more creative, but he also has to have the offensive players execute. 

  

Maxx Crosby is looking to say hi to Kenny and the Steelers offense!

What is the formula or key to the Steelers' success and possibly being 2-1.  Execution of game plans and being tougher in the trenches!!!

Where's #29 at? You guys got him trying to cover me? 😉 It is probably time to let Little Peezy get involved in the defense more.

The Steelers are an ugly team. They win ugly and lose ugly. However, they are 1-1 and have not looked like a team looking to build from 2022's success and preseason expectations for improved play. They could use a makeover.

 

U-G-L-Y! The Steelers have no alibi they ugly... Hey, hey, they ugly!

If they can go 2-1 after Sunday night, ugly won't look as bad. If they are 1-2 it looks even worse. 😁

Steelers defense won't put up two TD's and the offense will move the ball into the red zone.  It comes down to turnovers again and which QB handles the pressure better: Jimmy G or Kenny P? Steelers steal one in Vegas 26-23.

[jebrick]

This should be the battle of the Stoppable Force vs the Moveable Object

[3rivers]

4 hours ago, jebrick said:

This should be the battle of the Stoppable Force vs the Moveable Object

last years game was close, but Carr is bad in cold weather so maybe this will help the raiders a bit.   It should be close, just not sure of the scoring.   It might happen though, we finally get our first 1st down in the first quarter, just maybe

[warfelg]

https://x.com/throwthedamball/status/1704243969457013191?s=46&t=xd5QJpZuXv2k7qD0xqd6aA
 

https://x.com/benbbaldwin/status/1704212013595984167?s=46&t=xd5QJpZuXv2k7qD0xqd6aA

https://x.com/benbbaldwin/status/1704215079699337412?s=46&t=xd5QJpZuXv2k7qD0xqd6aA

https://x.com/benbbaldwin/status/1704206201972469962?s=46&t=xd5QJpZuXv2k7qD0xqd6aA

[jebrick]

I think KP will have a good game vs the 31st ranked defense and people will say he has turned the corner.  My evaluation from the draft has not changed with him.

[warfelg]

https://x.com/rapsheet/status/1704491598208213040?s=46&t=xd5QJpZuXv2k7qD0xqd6aA

[MOSteelers56]

2 minutes ago, warfelg said:

https://x.com/rapsheet/status/1704491598208213040?s=46&t=xd5QJpZuXv2k7qD0xqd6aA

That's needed. Wasn't he active last week? 

EDIT - No #94 is Arman Watts. I thought that was Fehoko. 

[43M]

6 hours ago, jebrick said:

I think KP will have a good game vs the 31st ranked defense and people will say he has turned the corner.  My evaluation from the draft has not changed with him.

And "justify" not firing Canada.   I wonder if we just got blown out and the offense was horrid against this D if it would finally be enough to dump that clown.

I agree about KP, but sometimes a confidence booster can go a long way.

Not saying it would move the needle at all, because there are clearly alot of issues with him and his game....but I see confidence issues and some coachable mechanic issues, so I havent COMPLETELY given up.   But between what Ive seen from him so far and my lack of ANY faith in the coaching staff to help him get better....Im going to say he is likely going to end up busting in the end.

Sad...but at least I was prepared for it.  

[August4th]

never seen the steelers win on the road against the raiders...hopefully it was a Oakland thing

[MOSteelers56]

2 minutes ago, August4th said:

never seen the steelers win on the road against the raiders...hopefully it was a Oakland thing

Every now and then I think of that Terrell Pryor run and shudder

[August4th]

Just now, MOSteelers56 said:

Every now and then I think of that Terrell Pryor run and shudder

I knew him personally in middle school...so I was proud and mad at the same time when that happened lol

for whatever reason those games in Oakland would always go sideways and we were the more talented team by a good margin in most of them.

[43M]

6 minutes ago, August4th said:

never seen the steelers win on the road against the raiders...hopefully it was a Oakland thing

Even when we had a much better team than them, they beat us.

Tomlin teams almost always disappointed when we've been heavy favorites.   Fortunately, this Steelers team wont be heavy favorites in any game for the foreseeable future.

[Dcash4]

One of my recent favorites:

- Ben gets....hurt? 
- Dobbs sucks
- Ben gets...unhurt?
- Immediately completes 6 straight passes for 70 yards and a TD
- 40 yard lateral to JuJu with 15 seconds left down 3
- Boswell misses the field goal 🙃

[Steeler Hitman]

55 minutes ago, 43M said:

And "justify" not firing Canada.   

If they were going to make the move, tey should have done it in the off season.  I think that Matt has not utilized the weapons to the best of their talents. Example: While Pickett is struggling, get him some more throws to the TE's. You have three very capable targets.  Can we run a more diversified route tree? 🙄  They put 8 or 9 in the box and we are throwing short in the zone.  Matt Canada owns all of that>

However, the OL is not moving people. They are not opening holes in the run game and pass blocking has been a C at best, there has been consistent pressure on Pickett.  Kenny has not been consistently accurate and his decision making has been suspect. Najee missed a few holes, but truthfully, has not done a bad job of making the most of what he gets. He's still ripped off three long runs with the suspect OL. Jalen Warren is proving he can get more time as well. However, the rushing attack has been unsatisfactory overall the first two weeks. THat has not just been poor scheme, but we are getting beat in the trenches. 

I say all of this to say, as much as I would love to see a new OC, now is not the time and truthfully the rest of his offense hasn't helped him much.

I wonder if we just got blown out and the offense was horrid against this D if it would finally be enough to dump that clown.

It is hard to come up with a new scheme at this point. I think the team needs to execute better.  Mason Cole said this after the Browns game and I agree, that the OL needs to do a much better job setting the table for the offense. Being in third and long consistently prevents the offense from getting in rythm and Mr. Creative from being able to open up the full playbook. Third and 12 you have to throw or concede to get a few yards and punt. The Steelers offense needs to get their mojo back from preseason and last year. They have better players and should be playing better. The interior of the 49'ers and Browns DL's ate up our Center and Guards. 

I agree about KP, but sometimes a confidence booster can go a long way.

I am a Kenny Pickett fan and believe in him. Plain and simple, he needs to up his game and play with confidence. Yes the OC can call some better plays to help this and he can better utilize all  of his othr weapons. 

Not saying it would move the needle at all, because there are clearly alot of issues with him and his game....but I see confidence issues and some coachable mechanic issues, so I havent COMPLETELY given up.   

I agree. I think you are spot on here. 

But between what Ive seen from him so far and my lack of ANY faith in the coaching staff to help him get better....Im going to say he is likely going to end up busting in the end.

Sad...but at least I was prepared for it.  

I still believe in this kid. He has not played the equivalent of a full season. The learning curve may be higher, but I think one day he will be able to take over this team and truly lead them. My reasons for optimism are Kenny Pickett is a hard worker, he is a high-character guy, not a character, he holds himself accountable for his actions, and leads from the front.  He is a little older and that may help him in terms of handling the adversity.  He needs some support right now. As much as I am not a Matt Canada fan, objectively, I point the finger at the big McNasty's in the OL who are not consistently opening holes for the RB's and giving Kenny time to stay clean in the pocket consistently.  Once the OL starts punching people in the mouth, the rest of the offense will get its shots in as well.  And yes, even the beleaguered OC  will look a little smarter.   Well, maybe not!😂

[43M]

16 minutes ago, Steeler Hitman said:

If they were going to make the move, tey should have done it in the off season.

Obviously they should have fired Canada right after last season ended...but they didn't.

At some point, they need to send a message...to the coaches, players and even fans, that there is some level of accountability for how bad this offense has been.

As I said before, I dont even blame Canada for all of our issues....but he clearly isnt a good or even average OC and IMO, is hurting Kenny's potential development.   Again, not that Kenny would definitely be much better with a new OC, but at least I could hold the talent more accountable if we had semi competent offensive coaching and playcalling 

Edited September 20, 2023 by 43M