It’s hard to say that the Pittsburgh Steelers have solved their issues after just one game following the firing of offensive coordinator Matt Canada, but it was a definite step in the right direction. It’s always easier after a win, but the atmosphere seemed particularly loose after Sunday’s game against the Bengals. Tomlin could be heard on the walk back to the locker room asking for music to start right away, and shortly after, Keeanu Benton went live on Instagram showing players dancing and having a good time.
Joey Porter Jr. appeared on The Richard Sherman Podcast on Tuesday evening and was asked about the perceived increase in energy and optimism following the win and offensive turnaround.
“It was like a, not a wake-up call, but it was like a sense of urgency,” Porter said. “Like, we gotta get stuff done, and just not even on the offensive side. The defensive side was like, we gotta put the offense in a better position. It’s not just the offensive thing, it’s a whole team thing. Special teams gotta come together, and I feel like we really just wanted that bad taste out of our mouth after the Browns performance, so this win that was much needed. I feel like everybody played a part in that, and man, we just gotta keep rolling, keep stacking these days.”
Anytime somebody has to lose their job and their livelihood, it’s a good opportunity to re-calibrate, take responsibility for the role the team played in making that happen, and rally together as a group to get better. In a small sample size, that is what has happened so far. The big test will be ensuring that the group continues to grow and find a way to build off the success.
The Steelers host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. This is a game that most of the national media will expect Pittsburgh to win. That makes it a great opportunity for the team to stack another positive performance, but it also carries the danger of being a big setback if the team struggles.
