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. These 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 11 vs Cleveland Browns
1. How About a Little Fire, Scarecrow? – The longer you play with fire, you’ll eventually get burned. Oh, this is how the Steelers play. Don’t worry. They win the close games. Kenny Pickett is great in the fourth quarter. He’ll take care of things in the end. Don’t worry about him being bad for three quarters in just about every game. There are a lot of things wrong with this offense, but this was, in every sense of the word, offensive.
2. Safety Dance – Injuries have hit hard lately at the linebacker and safety spots. Already down Minkah Fitzpatrick and Keanu Neal, Elijah Riley had to leave this game as well. Give some credit to Trenton Thompson. In his first career start and really his first extensive action on defense he played well. He finished with six tackles, three of those in space with no help around him. He had two pass breakups, including one that had a chance to be a pick-six. He stepped it up and played a good game.
3. Who’s to Blame? – The offensive line struggled. Pickett looked like he was playing scared. Matt Canada set an NFL record for number of screens called. I tuned in to watch the Steelers play and I watched a high school football game. A BAD high school football game. Mike Tomlin is the head coach. He sets the tone. I am a supporter of him, and this team wouldn’t have six wins without him. But what was the game plan? Facing a rookie quarterback, you let him pick apart a zone defense. Thank goodness David Njoku dropped every other pass thrown to him or it could have been worse. But it comes back to the offense. If you don’t trust your quarterback to throw the ball downfield, why have him out there? This offense has looked progressively worse over the last month.
4. Going to War-ren – In this season of giving thanks, I am thankful for Jaylen Warren. On this particular day, he accounted for 58 percent of the Steelers’ total yards, caught all three of his targets and scored their only touchdown. As this offense has circled the bowl, he has gained 113, 110 and 145 total yards in the last three games. He gives you hope. He is the flash of light in a field of darkness. On defense, the Steelers expects T.J. Watt to make a play to bail them out. Warren is becoming that player on the offense.
5. I’m With DJ – There were several reports online about Diontae Johnson being frustrated on the sidelines. Several teammates and coaches were said to have talked to him to try to get him to calm down a bit. But I get it. He should be frustrated. We are too. He was open. Throws were offline or late or never came. He and Pickett didn’t look like they were on the same page all game. It looked like he was open on a crossing route when Pickett got sacked in the second half. Johnson and George Pickens have a lot of talent and they aren’t getting used like they should be.
6. DB Flags – I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Playing defensive back in the NFL is hard. They’re going to have their share of penalties in the coverage and frankly you must accept it. It’s going to happen in coverage. But lining up in the neutral zone is unacceptable. That’s the second time Joey Porter, Jr. has been called for that in the last three games. Getting called for facemask while tackling is ridiculous. You shouldn’t be tackling that high. Patrick Peterson got called for it today. Porter has been called for that twice in past games. Don’t make things harder than they need to be.
7. PR Firm – I’m trying to find some positives here. Calvin Austin III was good on punt returns. I think he made all the right decisions. He averaged 17 yards per return and didn’t try to go east and west. He picked his way forward through traffic. He made good decisions on the punts he let go whether they went out of bounds or into the end zone. Making good decisions back there is important in the management of field position. He’s going to break one soon.
8. Myles Versus Watt – These two are so often spoken of in the same breath, especially in the Defensive Player of the Year category. T.J. Watt is going to get our vote. I think that goes without saying. But it’s okay to appreciate Myles Garrett too. He was in the Steelers’ backfield most of the game. He is the same type of playmaker as Watt. Statistically, he and Watt are so similar and are just as disruptive. Take either away from their respective defense and that defense gets a lot worse. You don’t have to like him but it’s okay to appreciate his ability.
9. 20 Percent – I have to give it up for Elandon Roberts again. The man was all over the field. He had 15 of the Steelers’ 74 tackles in the game. Fifteen is also his new career high with the previous being 11 in his rookie season. The other inside linebackers, Mykal Walker and Mark Robinson, combined for three total tackles. Roberts has been everything the Steelers expected and more. Youth needs to be added to this linebacker group in the draft next year and Roberts would be an amazing veteran to show them the way.
10. Where Do We Go From Here? – This was a disappointing loss. Cleveland has a good defense, but its offense had the same game plan as Pittsburgh did and executed more effectively when the game was on the line. Dorian Thompson-Robinson wasn’t great, but he looked much better than Pickett did. The Steelers aren’t going to make a staff or quarterback change on the offense. They aren’t going to change the scheme at this point. This offense is sliding down like gravy on your mashed potatoes. They needed to win this game. Do we want them to make the playoffs with this offense? Watching an offense that seems too scared to take literally any chances is awful.
