2023 Week 13 Steelers vs. Cardinals 2 Up and 12 Down

[Steeler Hitman]

Two Up and Twelve Down

 

1. Offense started well and started moving the ball around. Early targets to Pickens looked like they were going to help the offense breakout.

2. I think the coaches had a good game plan and scheme set up, but the offense, special teams, and stupid penalties prevented this from happening.

 

Downs

1. Mason Cole - - I love this guy as a teammate, but he played a bad game and single-handedly stopped a few drives. Center needs to be one of a young QB's best friends. He wasn't on Sunday.

2. Elandon Roberts getting hurt. Jeez can we catch a few breaks misses with injuries? This guy has been playing at a high level and has been a very stabilizing force on defense since losing Holcomb and Alexander. I hope he comes back soon.

3. Pickett getting hurt. As much as many people wanted to see him benched, the reality is that he is needed as a starter to be competitive. The other reality is that he and the offense have not been consistent all season. As much as Matt Canada got blamed, the true nature of the offense came out against a team that was struggling and used the Steelers to gain confidence instead of the other way around.

4. Minkah getting a broken hand. He will not miss additional time, but dang.

5. TJ Watt getting injured. Doesn't look like time will be missed, but again, dang!!!

6. Offensive play-calling took a step back from the previous week. A great start, no adjustments and then allowed (set the table for) the game to get out of hand.  WHy do we continue dump off's behind the LOS, which everyone crowds the line and reads, and why not pound the ball with Warren or Najee on the fourth and one from under center? The shotgun formation has failed on several occasions in those instances if I recall.

7. Coaching, preparation, adjustments, trap game. We again failed here. So many examples.  Time-out having to be taken the first play after two delays.  Team just looked unprepared after the 99 yard TD by the Cardinals and the 14 point swing changed the game.

8. The OL overall. Is this on the OL or the play-calling. Either way they did not continue to dominate as they did early, The Seumalu injury definitely hurt, but Herbig is a mauler as well. The OL seemed to stop opening holes and the protection was sketchy at times. Is it a coincidence that we saw more of Chuks and the OL play was sketchy? 

9. Miles Killabrew - - Horrible game by a special teamer who specializes in special teams play. He had a bad game as well.

10. Red zone offense has become a no fly zone and no scoring zone. The teams ineptness caught up to them this week after doing the same thing against the Bengals. The Steelers offense is leaving points on the field.

11. Steelers defense. I know losing Roberts definitely hurt the communication, but the second half Cardinals looked like the 49'ers against the Steelers. The game flipped based on the Steelers being their own worst enemy. Defense allowed too many rushing yards and could not get off the field on third down. They got away with another TD not called because of a Cardinal penalty on a long pass. We have seen too many big plays given up all year.

12. The realization has set in for me that this team is mediocre at best. It pains me to say that, but they are up and down and have been up and down all year. They are what their record says, but this team has some internal issues and while the fan in me wants them to win, win, win. The reality is that the Steelers seem to be on track for another one and done. They are not building, stacking, or growing from week to week. They look like another 9-8 team. 

[warfelg]

24 minutes ago, Steeler Hitman said:

1. Mason Cole - - I love this guy as a teammate, but he played a bad game and single-handedly stopped a few drives. Center needs to be one of a young QB's best friends. He wasn't on Sunday.

Tomin said today that those snaps were "unacceptable at this juncture".

[warfelg]

Quote

Mike Tomlin said the #Steelers had some adjustments planned for Elandon Roberts' absence, but said they felt how limited they were from a communication standpoints, but the "damage was done" after the 14-point swing of the goalline stop and the 99yd TD drive.

I mean, expected when it's that backups, backup.

[warfelg]

Quote

Mike Tomlin was asked if he an opinion on Diontae Johnson's late TD celebration with team down big: "Not that I'll share with you guys."

 

[warfelg]

Quote

Mike Tomlin indicated that they are open to 'turning all the stones over' in the personnel and schematic realm to fix the issues #Steelers #NFL

 

[Steeler Hitman]

36 minutes ago, warfelg said:

Tomin said today that those snaps were "unacceptable at this juncture".

They are unacceptable at any juncture from a veteran center. This is not like an injury happened and the new center muffed the first or second center because he was not prepared. You dance with your date, but the next time you go out, you look for a better date. I.E. This is probably going to be Mason's last dance as a starting Center in Pittsburgh this season.

35 minutes ago, warfelg said:

I mean, expected when it's that backups, backup.

I think the team did a decent job in preparing by signing Martinez and Jack as insurance. Unfortunately an injury happened before they got fully acclimated to the defense. Really bad luck at ILB this year with the injuries.  I would be on the phone with Shaq before he inks anything in Philly or Dallas. They need an experienced signal caller and more insurance should anything else happen.

10 minutes ago, warfelg said:

Mike Tomlin was asked if he an opinion on Diontae Johnson's late TD celebration with team down big: "Not that I'll share with you guys."

We talked about this. Not an egregious error, but not smart either despite the circumstance of being down 24-3 at that point in the fourth quarter. He will be here for another year, but will probably be playing out his contract unless someone makes the Steelers an offer they can't refuse.

[Steeler Hitman]

19 minutes ago, warfelg said:

Mike Tomlin indicated that they are open to 'turning all the stones over' in the personnel and schematic realm to fix the issues #Steelers #NFL

Typical kind of vague answer without tipping their hand. As I stated in the previous response, I would take a shot at Shaq Leonard to help in the middle.  The current players need to do their jobs at other positions as well. As he said after the game, "A very JV effort." He needs to get some varsity play from the offense in the redzone.

[43M]

Outside of maybe a couple years, it feels like this offense has always been bad in the redzone under Tomlin, even with Ben at QB.    Nowhere as bad as now, obviously, but almost always underwhelming.    

I could be wrong because I never really compared our redzone success rate to the rest of the league over the years, but it at least always felt like we stalled in the redzone far more than we should have considering the talent we often had....and now we have far less and the problem is much worse.

[Dcash4]

1 hour ago, 43M said:

Outside of maybe a couple years, it feels like this offense has always been bad in the redzone under Tomlin, even with Ben at QB.    Nowhere as bad as now, obviously, but almost always underwhelming.    

I could be wrong because I never really compared our redzone success rate to the rest of the league over the years, but it at least always felt like we stalled in the redzone far more than we should have considering the talent we often had....and now we have far less and the problem is much worse.

Oddly, one of our best redzone jumps came when we switched from Haley to Fitcher. We went from like 22nd in scoring to 1st 2018. It's odd to consider a worse coordinator improving things, but honestly I think redzone needs to be simple. Give the ball to your best players. That's it. That's the plan. 

AB had 15 touchdowns that year (career high) and Connor had 12 TDs before he got hurt. 

It's still really hard to score in the redzone, but I wouldn't over complicate it. Najee/Warren, Pickens, Muth. That should be the only people that touch the ball once we get in the red area. 

[3rivers]

3 hours ago, warfelg said:

 

lets see what changes are made. At least the idea exists, because what was out there last week was bad.

1 hour ago, Dcash4 said:

It's still really hard to score in the redzone, but I wouldn't over complicate it. Najee/Warren, Pickens, Muth. That should be the only people that touch the ball once we get in the red area. 

with a legit OL and playaction, these players should score.  There was a time when the steelers ran the ball near the best of the league and would run it in, the opponent knew it .  Now , not at all, instead lucky to get a TD at all.