Following each game in the 2023 Steelers season I will once again be giving you my 10 takes. These aren’t going to be hot takes that are meant to shock the world. This will be instant reactions to the game written while still in that period just following the game when the emotions are high, and the ideas are fresh. Included will be thoughts, observations, queries, and reasons that caused me to yell at the television.
Regular Season Week 4 vs. Houston Texans
1. Trench Stench – This whole team was trash but let’s start up front. The offensive line was terrible. Even with two backups, one of which is a first-round pick, they couldn’t handle a defensive line that included (no offense to these guys) Kurt Hinish and Khalil Davis. At the half the offense had 53 yards of offense. Nico Collins has 57 alone on the final drive of the first half. The whole offensive philosophy doesn’t work. The hope this team gave me last week was washed away and completely forgotten this week.
2. Smells on the Other Side, Too – The Texans were in a worse situation along the offensive line with multiple starters already out of the game. From the get-go the Texans reserves manhandled the Steelers defensive line. Huge holes that Dameon Pierce will surely be telling campfire stories about in his future. There was some improvement in the second half but too little too late. Non-starters pushed this once proud defense around. Just awful.
3. 5 Up, 5 Down – Defense involves a lot of reading and reacting along with effort. One team had it, one team didn’t. The Steelers defense was taking shallow angles to the outside and not able to keep up with Houston’s speed to the outside. When the Texans made a tackle there were five defenders making the stop. For the Steelers, there were five defenders in the wake after contact. Deplorable effort to make the stop. The “want to” just isn’t there.
4. Do Not Enter – It’s no secret that Kenny Pickett prefers to throw the ball outside the numbers. It’s the pattern he has shown since he has become the starter. Last week, he got out of his comfort zone and threw eight balls inside the numbers and averaged over 20 yards per play. The absolute worst thing that can happen to him is throw an early interception in the middle of the field. It became a no-go area.
I can only remember one throw inside after that and that was to George Pickens in the end zone. He’s not processing and plays fearful of making mistakes. That isn’t a franchise quarterback.
5. First-Drive Follies – Yes, teams script plays to start the game and they usually (for most teams) end in some points. Teryl Austin’s game plan on the first drive was puzzling. He had multiple plays with his pass rushers dropping deep into coverage. The linebackers were too deep on passing plays. There was no one to spy a rookie quarterback to prevent easy scrambles.
T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith do drop in coverage from time to time, but you save that to confuse the quarterback later in the game. Austin needs to have a better game plan when he knows the offense struggles to score.
6. That Call Gave Him Fitz – Minkah Fitzpatrick must be wondering who he angered in the referee rooms. Last week he was called for a roughing the passer call that looked worse than it actually was. This week he was called for pass interference in the red zone. A call that seemed so egregious that the booth announcers seemed stunned it was called watching the replay.
Throw in the offensive pass interference call on Pat Freiermuth into the mystery-call bin. The game is fast and for the most part I think the officials get the vast majority of calls correct. Each week, however, there seems to be more of the highly questionable variety.
7. End it Now – The tight end group. Uh, where do I begin? Again, speed and effort are a big part of this game. The tight ends were not given this memo. First was Connor Heyward on the left wing, tasked to get out of his stance, get across the formation to freeze the unblocked edge defender and then release into the flat. He was so slow to get out of his stance that the defender got an easy sack. Darnell Washington from the right side, also supposed to come across the formation, was slow out of his stance and ran into the running back. I don’t know what Freiermuth was supposed to do on one play, but he got picked up and thrown across the formation.
The urgency and effort to get to a spot and make the effort to block isn’t there. Quickly engage and lose slowly is the mantra of the tight end. It gives the runner a chance. They were not up to the task.
8. Waiting on You, Pal – In what was a close game for a little while we were all waiting. Waiting and hoping the offense would find a groove. A lot to ask of a Matt Canada-called offense, I know. I got the feeling the offense and probably the coaching staff were also waiting. Not for the offense, but for the defense to bail them out. Again.
Week in week out the anemic offense must hope the defense comes up with a turnover or score to get the target off its back. It’s beating a long dead horse but changes in the play calling/caller need to be made. It won’t be this week but if it doesn’t happen during the bye week, I’m giving up hope it will this season.
9. Are Yinz Okay? – This question is for you, the receivers and the defensive backs. I’m sure other teams play zone defense against the Steelers, but the receivers don’t get open. The Steelers’ zone defense allows anyone to make a catch. Third and 12? Here’s 15. Late in the second quarter? Take as much as you want. The defensive backs looked slow. I didn’t notice it as much this week, but they’ve also looked confused pre-snap through the first quarter of the season. There are a lot of new parts in the defense but there doesn’t seem to be any cohesiveness so far.
10. Looking for a Positive – There’s not a lot from this game. Chris Boswell was perfect. Brad Wing punted well. That’s about it. But after all the Jekyll and Hyde through the first four weeks there could be joy going into the bye week. A win next week versus Baltimore at home and the Steelers will be the AFC North leaders. With a minus thirty-eight-point differential right now it doesn’t look plausible but when has this team ever done what we thought it should. That’s something to hope for, right?
