A Steelers Depot daily segment. A quick hit of some Pittsburgh Steelers and Steelers-related stories that may not require a complete and dedicated article but nuggets worth mentioning and passing on to you guys. The same as our recent Depot Daily, but now late at night to better capture the news of the day.
Your Depot After Dark for Nov. 24.
Analyst Urges Steelers Change
Sunday will mark the first game of the post-Matt Canada era. And analyst Matt Harmon is begging for the Steelers’ offense to look different. As tweeted earlier today, Harmon says he wants Pittsburgh to utilize WR George Pickens on more than just go routes.
“George Pickens so far this year, 50.4 percent of his routes this year have been a go, a corner, or a post route,” Harmon said. “That is insane. Can we get the guy a route over the middle of the field?”
According to Harmon’s numbers last year, Pickens ran those routes 46.7 percent of the time. So we’re seeing an increase in his second year. The good news is Pickens has been targeted and made more plays over the middle than he did a year ago, greatly improving his YAC because of it. Still, between the numbers has hardly been utilized by the Steelers and it would be nice to see it increased a little more, at the least.
Steelers’ Playoff Implications
It might not technically be “must win” for the Steelers this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals but it’s close. The numbers prove it. Per Pro Football Focus, Pittsburgh has a 76 percent chance of making the playoffs. If the Steelers lose? Their odds tumble to 39 percent.
Losing to the Bengals would put Pittsburgh at 6-5 and 2-2 in the AFC North. And allow the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns extra chances to gain ground.
Deebo Visits Practice
In Yesterday’s Depot after Dark, we shared a photo of a young and skinny James Harrison in high school. Fast-forwarding to present day, Deebo showed up at the team’s UPMC Rooney Sports Complex during today’s practice.
Mike Tomlin shared this photo of the team of them captioned with “Never a bad day when James Harrison stops by practice.”
This weekend’s game will feature two of the three NFL teams he appeared in regular season games for in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. Harrison was a Bengal for the 2013 season before returning to the Steelers.
