Welcome back to your weekly Pittsburgh Steelers mailbag. As always, we’re here for the next hour to answer whatever is on your mind.
To your questions!
The Chin: Not counting your preseason prediction: How do you see this squad finishing out with regard to record and potential playoff chances?
Alex: My predictions midseason feel less important and useful than they did at the start of the year, which wasn’t much. My preseason prediction was 10-7, Wild Card, and one-and-done…again. And that’s basically where I’m still at. They’ll be in the 9-8, 10-7 range and in the playoff hunt until the very end. A favorable schedule and 2-0 AFC North record and good Aces up your sleeve the second half of the season. Win the games you “should” (they’ll probably lose one but then beat a team they aren’t expected to, like the Bengals or something, to even it out) and go even just .500 in the division the rest of the way and it’s hard to see this team not playing on Wild Card weekend.
But I’ll stick with my original thought. 10-7, Wild Card, get bounced.
George Hareras:
Hey Alex,
Do you think it’s just the football world we live in that these young QBs are scrutinized so much? Not all that long ago, QBs had a few years to develop.
That being said, will KP develop into a top 10ish QB? Do you think Tomlin is being too conservative to allow KP to reach his potential?
Thanks!
Alex: I think it’s just true of the sport and kind of the culture we’re in. It’s a gotta-have-it-now world. It’s why every social media app is trying to give you a viewing experience in a minute or less. And rookies across the board in the NFL, regardless of position, have been asked to play sooner and sooner. Cam Heyward sat his first two years. That doesn’t happen anymore.
So I think it’s just the nature of the sport today. To answer your question, based on what I’ve seen so far, no, I don’t think he’ll be a Top 10 QB. Not ruling it our or saying it’s impossible but we’re 20 starts into this thing and if Pickett had a good chance to get there, it would be a lot more obvious. You’re right he’s playing in a hyper-conservative offense but I don’t think those “shackles” are the thing that’s holding him back here. If he was playing like a C.J. Stroud, the offense would open up for him.
srdan:
Hi Alex,
Where are you on Allen Robinson? Would you give him snaps over Austin, Pony RBs, Hayward?
Alex: There’s a rotation. They don’t really have a great third option and Heyward is seeing a ton of snaps with Freiermuth out and Washington being more limited. Robinson is doing what he was brought to do. Make the tough catch on third down, block a little bit (though the results there have been meh). And be a leader in that room. His stats are ugly but they weren’t expected to be anything more.
This team will need a better No. 3 receiver next year though. Sneaky need on this team’s list.
Ethan Fager: Hey Alex, do you think the Packers are going to double up on Pickens still or do you think they will turn more attention to Diontae allowing for some more one on ones for Pickens?
Alex: I’m not sure. If they don’t have their top CB Jaire Alexander, they might. But their secondary is looking shaky right now so I don’t know if they want to double and leave the other guy on an island. They could play a lot of two-high to protect their corners, which would open up the run game for the Steelers. That might be the Packers’ gameplan. They have a solid front so if I’m them, I know I can’t allow the big play and I’ll trust my d-line and linebackers to win 1v1 moreso than their corners.
Mohith Dhillon: Solely considering offensive players, what position do you think the Steelers need to upgrade next season? This is not including offensive coordinator, just to clarify. What about on the defensive side of the ball? For defensive, I would say a cornerback to pair with jpj (although fingers crossed on Cory Trice’s recovery and development).
Alex: There’s three.
1. Center – Mason Cole has been better after a really poor start but he’s not a long-term answer. Pittsburgh has always had great centers on championship and contending teams and they should get back to that.
2. Wide Receiver – Mentioned above, they have two guys in Johnson and Pickens. Two talented dudes but they lack a third. They have not gotten third WR production the last two years. Nothing in 2022, especially post-Claypool, and very little this year except the occasional home run play to Austin and third down choice route to Robinson. Would be looking at a slot type. I think they want a big slot type. Like they had with JuJu, like they tried with Claypool, like they sorta have in Robinson. They want someone who can block in the run game.
3. Offensive Tackle – At this point, could be left or right since Jones looks flexible. Okorafor is probably done, Moore is who he is, and you’d like to add another stud if you could.
Chuck Anderson: Alex, what’s a pleasant surprise you can imagine seeing in the second half, from both the O and the D? Could be an individual / position group / entire unit.
Alex: Defensively, the run defense getting better. Which is less of a surprise considering Cam Heyward’s return. All this defense has to do is be top ten against the run and stop allowing so many explosive plays. They do that and keep doing what they’re doing and they’ll be a strong group.
Offensively, the continued growth of Broderick Jones. But really, I just want to see them make the layups. So many plays left on the field. Just make the routine plays routinely. That’s what they have to do. If they had done that the last two games, they might beat Jacksonville and they put up 30 on Tennessee.
falconsaftey43:
A lot to digest, but what do you make of this? Sacks/Turnovers are good in both. It can’t just be luck to dominate like that defending your own territory.
I joked that it’s a “ball control defense.” Allow the opponent to grind clock because your offense can’t, and they shorten the game for you. Silly, but somewhat true. Browns defense gets off the field consistently. The Browns defense ends up facing two more drives per game than the Steelers, despite the Browns being 1st in TOP and the Steelers 30th.
Alex: Just including the end here for brevity’s sake. Super interesting numbers though that essentially show how much the Steelers’ defense tightens up once the ball is on their side of the field.
You’re right they are a bend/don’t break type of defense. And it’s funny to see the point about letting the opponent reduce the number of possessions for you…though Pittsburgh’s defense allows a ton of chunk plays. I think it’s one reason why the Steelers are better on their side. Just less space for the offense to work with and maybe that helps naturally put a lid on things. Pittsburgh doesn’t blow a lot of coverages. They’re just not an athletic secondary. So closer to their end, maybe that athletic mismatch is minimized. I’d want to see the splits broken down between their 30-50, 10-30, inside the ten. The Steelers have the 8th-best red zone defense in football so they are good down near their goal line.
And this defense just knows…they can’t give up points. So maybe they really dial in in those moments. They have to hold teams to field goals or else they lose. Perhaps that’s some of the defensive structure of just doing everything to not allow the ball in the end zone and just give the opponent the field goal.
Chad Prince:
AK,
A few weeks ago in this forum I posed the question if Keeanu Benton should be starting. I thought he should’ve been back then.
Now that Heyward is back I still am of the opinion he should start. I truly believe he’s the 2nd best defensive lineman on the team. Porter and Jones finally got their starting spots. Is it time for Benton?
Alex: Well we’ll see what happens with Adams. What his status is with that ankle – didn’t practice Wednesday. But yeah, after that Titans game, it’s hard to argue otherwise. And I like what Adams has done. But Benton’s run defense is stronger. He’s more stout. So I’d be fine with flipping their roles going forward.
BananasFoster:
Hey Alex- Let’s get it to 6-3 this Sunday!! Have a question on Denzel Mims. Any chance you think he cracks the 53? He’ has talent. Was a stud coming out of Baylor.
Alex: Probably nothing immediate. Injuries can always have an impact and we’ll see if they make any roster moves on Saturday or just roll with four RBs. But I don’t see Mims making much of an impact right now. Not going to rule it out down the road because they could use a third receiver and Frisman Jackson coached him/liked him at Baylor but it would take some injuries to create a path for Mims. Kinda like you’re seeing with Darius Rush right now.
MattSteelCurtain91: With Thanksgiving coming up you win a contest to eat with 5 Steelers greats! Who you choosing and what’s on the table?! Keep in mind must choose 2 Offense players 2 defense players and 1 member of the coaching staff. Can be living or dead!
Alex: Ha, good question. They can choose their food – I’m good with whatever. It’s a fun question but to kinda put a spin on it, because it really otherwise just boils down to (which five Steelers would you like to talk to) who would be the five to help you win an eating contest on Thanksgiving?
You gotta go something like Casey Hampton, Max Starks, maybe LeVon Kirkland, Flozell Adams (?) and for a coach…just give me Bill Cowher. I dunno, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the All-Star five for an eating contest. I’d be of little help, I know that much.
