Drunken Cowboy
Footballguy
He is one of the worst OL in the league. I think 74 of 78 with 20% snaps at OT
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*** 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers: one and done again. (17 Viewers)
- Thread starter Godsbrother
- Start date
steelers1080
Footballguy
I'm still hopeful that he can be coached up, but our coaching staff did him dirty. He should have been at LT and stayed at LT. He's flip flopped so many times he never had a chance to develop. But now he's regressed terribly. We'll see what happens the rest of the season, but hopefully next offseason we lose Moore and Jones can finally play 100% at LT with Fautanu at RT.
irish eyes
Footballguy
The coaches & coaching under this regime that have come through this organization is pitiful. It all lays at the feet of one person but I digress. I don't want to be ridiculed for bashing the Almighty great one.
irish eyes
Footballguy
This team is becoming a joke, it's sad. How much longer do we have to endure this circus.
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
Yea. I feel like they went after Aiyuk so hard because there’s no way they are giving Pickens a second contract.
Drunken Cowboy
Footballguy
This is nonsense. If he could play at all it shouldn't matter
5-ish Finkle
Footballguy
Ive always assumed this was a large possibility.
The clock on his "Steelers lifespan" accelerated the moment he did the whole "I aint blocking and getting hurt" stuff last year
karl.Racki
Footballguy
Steelers are offering a late round pick to Jets for Mike Williams. Schefter said teams will discuss next week after this week’s game.
5-ish Finkle
Footballguy
Its got most all the trappings of a "Tomlin Special", for sure. Theyre at home in prime time, at least, which helps a bit.
Win or loss, I expect this game to be fugly either way.
5-ish Finkle
Footballguy
Seeing scuttlebutt that Mike Williams may not leave Pittsburgh with the Jets.
irish eyes
Footballguy
Agree
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
How about now?
KingPrawn
Footballguy
Williams? Heck, Davante Adams may not want to leave
5-ish Finkle
Footballguy
Welp, I guess it was pretty fugly after all....for NY.
Obviously, Russ gets another start in a week. Some of his early throws were....un-good. Got bailed out by Pickens at least 3 times. Credit where it's due though, he looked a lot better after the half. Playcalling was better after the half as well. (Jets losing, like, all their CBs didn't hurt either).
Fairly hapless Giants team rolling in nex Sunday. Any hurt dude's looking to be back on the OL by then maybe (Frazier)? Decent chance for Russ to start out 2-0...
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belljr
Footballguy
Don't be a jerk!#!#;#
Good decision to start Russ.
He started 2 for 9 for 19 yards but finished 16-29 for 269 yards, 2 passing TDs, 1 rushing TD, 0 interceptions.
Season high 37 points for the offense but Beanie Bishop returned an interception to the 1 yard line, so easy TD.
Liked how Russ had good touch on the passes, got Pickens and Darnell Washington involved and engaged.
Russ didn’t play perfect and can play better, but a good 1st start.
Judge Smails
Footballguy
Russ much looser the 2nd half. Nice win
kupcho1
Footballguy
More Tomlin coaching malpractice. Up 15 with 2:42. Failed to get 1st down at Jets 19 and the clock is ticking.
Should we
(a) let the play clock run down to 0:01, call time out, kick the field goal and make it a 3 score game or
(b) throw the challenge flag and stop the clock, lose the challenge and then go for it on 4th down?
Regardless of the outcome, it was stupid to do what he did.
Should we
(a) let the play clock run down to 0:01, call time out, kick the field goal and make it a 3 score game or
(b) throw the challenge flag and stop the clock, lose the challenge and then go for it on 4th down?
Regardless of the outcome, it was stupid to do what he did.
Godsbrother
Footballguy
Looked a little shaky in the first half but Wilson played well in the second half.
Not sure that Fields couldn’t have done the same but am happy with the convincing performance. Go Steelers towledge
Not sure that Fields couldn’t have done the same but am happy with the convincing performance. Go Steelers towledge
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
Russ throws a better ball (deep and short) and makes better reads and decisions. Fields is a better runner. The offense just looked better (after 1Q).
What are you talking about?
3rd and 4 at the Jets 22, 3:28 left, Warren ran for 3 yards, Steelers challenged the spot and the play was upheld.
4 and 1, Russ QB sneak, 1st down. Good call to not risk a FG block and essentially end the game. Jets challenged the ruling and the play was upheld.
Did you happen to see Tomlin’s best call of the night to start Russ?
Godsbrother
Footballguy
Glad to admit that Tomlin was right t start Wilson last night.
apalmer
Footballguy
Tomlin haters wanted to kick so they could complain he's "too gutless to try to pick up the first down and end the game".
steelers1080
Footballguy
He got lots of flack from media and Steelers fans, but it would have been a mistake to get really deep in the season without knowing what we have in Wilson. The Jets and Giants are two of our easiest opponents left, better to start him there than against the Ravens and Bengals.
After knocking the rust off (and opening up the play calling) Wilson looked really good. The touch on his passes is just not something that Fields has shown thus far. Better CBs might make it harder moving forward, but last night was probably our strongest performance in 5 years.
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
That was from March when it was obvious to me that...
Russ isn't 'cooked'.
crushedspirit
Footballguy
Wilson unlocks more from the offense, and I'm sure that's what Tomlin was hoping to see. He reads the game better than Fields and is unafraid to let it fly. This might lead to more turnovers down the line, but at least there's a deep threat which might back up the safeties more than usual. Fields is more content to not pull the trigger and run instead.
Pickens is a very average route runner and separator, but he does posses elite ball tracking and contested catch skills. Wilson gives him a far better chance to showcase those skills over Fields. Justin looks for an open man and is reluctant to throw into coverage, this is why he prefers a DJ Moore over a George Pickens. One gets open due to his route running and separating skillset, while the other doesn't and every other pass to him is basically contested, like last night.
Pickens is a very average route runner and separator, but he does posses elite ball tracking and contested catch skills. Wilson gives him a far better chance to showcase those skills over Fields. Justin looks for an open man and is reluctant to throw into coverage, this is why he prefers a DJ Moore over a George Pickens. One gets open due to his route running and separating skillset, while the other doesn't and every other pass to him is basically contested, like last night.
Cookiemonster
Footballguy
Both QBs are limited. Russ has a noodle arm and lost his quickness but throws an easier catch and sees the field better. IF (and a big IF) Fields can learn when to take a little off his throws and make better reads, he could be a much better option in the future. He has had years to do this though, and hasn’t. I’m cool with riding either QB at this point. It’s not like we can upgrade at that position. A better WR is all we can hope matters now.
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
Yea, I worry some of those deep balls are INTs in other games, but seeing balls with touch as opposed to bullets makes a huge difference. Gives WR a chance to make a play, or draw penalty. Hell, the Pickens play where he did draw a flag, the ball still was right in his hands at the waist. Russ is just a better QB right now still.
Hopefully no trap game loss on MNF. We can be 6-2 going into the bye week, with hopefully a new WR2 in tow, and Sutton coming back as well as Frazier . . . .
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
There were definitely some running opportunities that young Russ or Fields would have taken. I think Russ will run more eventually when needed, but yesterday he was still getting his legs back.
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
I was actually impressed by Wilson's ability to evade pressure. I thought for sure we would see more sacks. He also makes decisions quickly. His noodle arm is going to cost them at some point. Those deep throws from him have touch but they're also ducks. He kind of reminds me of Big Ben during the latter part of his career. The Jets were pretty much down to backups on the secondary yesterday so that helped a lot. With that said, Wilson knows exactly how to play to Picken's strengths. Still not feeling great about our QB situation but it was a slight improvement.
Grid71
Footballguy
It's actually a major shift for the Steelers. Tomlin put it on Russ and the Offense to salt away the game by going for the first dahn. He wanted to test Russ against that tough Jets front 7. Turns out Russ proved Tomlin right.
I see where you are coming from. Going up 3 scores with a gimme FG would have sealed the game, but Tomlin wanted a statement win for his decision to play Russ.
kupcho1
Footballguy
Nonsense. I've been one of Tomlin's staunchest defenders. But I'm not a simpering fanboy that won't call him out for making a terrible decision.
Grid71
Footballguy
You are a tough one to impress. Weakened secondary or no, that was a tough Jets front 7 and took shots in Sauce's direction. When is the last time we saw the offense score 37 points?
Russ knows as most of us do, Pickens is "open" when covered 1-1 deep even against the best corners in the league.
Negatives - Russ had some real bad throws early going 2 of 9, but killed it from late 2nd Q on. Backpedal was scary a couple times, though he managed to avoid the sacks.
Desert_Power
Footballguy
Good analysis here.
I do think it is a bit unrealistic to expect these balls to Pickens to always go so well though. Will want to see more progression from Russ in other areas.
belljr
Footballguy
With regards to the 4&1 - i was fine either way tbh.
The smart thing would to have kicked and gone up presumably by 3 scores. But it was a short 1 yard and 1st down ends the game also.
You don't get the 4&1 and Jets need 2 tds and a 2 point conversion with 2:36 left and 1 timeout.
The smart thing would to have kicked and gone up presumably by 3 scores. But it was a short 1 yard and 1st down ends the game also.
You don't get the 4&1 and Jets need 2 tds and a 2 point conversion with 2:36 left and 1 timeout.
5-ish Finkle
Footballguy
The sidearm flip to Muth may have been his most impressive pass to me from last night. Under duress, still saw the play, put it out there where only Pat could catch it however he could before getting creamed. Fields isn't making that throw. He probably isn't even seeing that possibility.
Not expecting that this changes the needle all that much over the course of the year, but I'm giving credit where its' due. Russ looked like at least "75% of his old self" last night. Is that enough to win playoff games (cuz that's all I really care about, honestly)? Remains to be seen. Good result in game 1 though, regardless.
Really hope they find ways to use both QBs in the red zone. The goal line stuff shrieked for a Fields package. It'll make them a tougher offense to defend.
Not expecting that this changes the needle all that much over the course of the year, but I'm giving credit where its' due. Russ looked like at least "75% of his old self" last night. Is that enough to win playoff games (cuz that's all I really care about, honestly)? Remains to be seen. Good result in game 1 though, regardless.
Really hope they find ways to use both QBs in the red zone. The goal line stuff shrieked for a Fields package. It'll make them a tougher offense to defend.
crushedspirit
Footballguy
That is going to be the boom/bust issue with Pickens going forward. There are some DBs out there that will turn around and pick those passes off, and those bounces off DB shoulder pads won't always go your way.
If the guy could learn to be a better route runner and separator, the sky would be the limit for him. As of now, he's a ball tracking contested ball specialist. There will be dud games ahead for GP, and they'll need others in the room to pick up the slack.
5-ish Finkle
Footballguy
They're lacking a reliable chain mover. Don't care if it's at TE or WR, but they've been lacking it all year, which I'm quite certain they're aware of. Them knowing it doesn't change the fact that they basically screwed themselves there by not being more aggressive in FA/the draft for those kind of a WRs, for the moment anyway.
Even if they thought Roman Wilson had the potential to be that sort of guy (and maybe he does...if he can ever learn plays/whatever. His odds don't look great for '24 though :-|), they needed to have more than a single rookie WR lined up as someone who could fill that kind of role.
What I don't see is anyone that really fits that bill who is a reasonable get right now. "Mike Williams types" sure ain't that guy.
Grid71
Footballguy
Drive summary scored a TD 4 of the last 5 possessions. Thing of beauty.
| 1st | POSS | PLAYS | YDS | RESULT | |
| 15:00 | PIT 30 | 3:27 | 7 | 42 | FG |
| 9:43 | PIT 36 | 1:35 | 3 | 9 | Punt |
| 2:27 | PIT 30 | 0:49 | 3 | -2 | Punt |
| 0:37 | PIT 34 | 0:52 | 3 | 2 | Punt |
| 2nd | POSS | PLAYS | YDS | RESULT | |
| 12:45 | PIT 31 | 4:25 | 9 | 58 | FG |
| 5:29 | PIT 30 | 2:19 | 4 | 28 | Punt |
| 1:15 | PIT 46 | 0:48 | 4 | 54 | TD |
| 3rd | POSS | PLAYS | YDS | RESULT | |
| 12:41 | PIT 21 | 4:52 | 11 | 76 | FG |
| 7:22 | NYJ 1 | 0:07 | 1 | 1 | TD |
| 2:37 | PIT 25 | 5:28 | 11 | 75 | TD |
| 4th | POSS | PLAYS | YDS | RESULT | |
| 7:53 | PIT 25 | 7:27 | 13 | 75 | TD |
crushedspirit
Footballguy
A savvy WR who can be a security blanket working underneath would be essential. Someone who knows when to sit in soft zones right at the sticks.
I agree with your assessment. Mike Williams does very little to improve the team. A Christian Kirk type working from the slot would improve this offense. There are other names out there for sure, but I think he could be had in a trade.
Let’s try this again. You’re batting zero.
1. Late in the game. 3rd and 4. Warren picks up 3 yards, Tomlin challenges the spot. Spot upheld. Good challenge by Tomlin to try and end the game there.
2. 4th and 1. Russ sneaks for 1st down to essentially end the game. Even if they don’t get it they’re up 2 scores with 2-3 minutes left. Attempting a FG is risking a block and TD return. Good call by Tomlin.
3. Tomlin decides to start Russ at QB. Great call by Tomlin.
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