Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is garnering headlines for the criticism he leveled at his former team following its 21-18 loss at home last Thursday against the New England Patriots, stating that the Steeler Way may be no longer exist within the franchise. TV personalities like Stephen A. Smith called out Roethlisberger for his comments, stating that he should shoulder part of the blame for the team’s downward spiral on the offensive side of the football the past few years.
Colin Cowherd joined the chorus on Thursday thought he did not criticize Roethlisberger for his comments.
“Big Ben has a right to an opinion,” Cowherd said on The Herd. “I don’t think he’s necessarily wrong and they do not feel like a relevant Super Bowl-worthy discussion football franchise today. I’m not saying you have to fire the coach, but the coach maybe has to be tweaked and give half of this team to offense. Little more ingenuity, little less concerned about toughness, little less concerned about the chest out, the alpha, a little more concerned about details. I think that’s a reasonable ask. I don’t think they’re miles off. I tend to think they’re a quarterback off.”
Cowherd points to both QB Kenny Pickett and head coach Mike Tomlin as two key variables that need to be addressed for Pittsburgh to needed return to being a legit contender in the AFC. Cowherd has made his case against Pickett being the team’s long-term answer at quarterback in the past, and the results on the field thus far could back up his stance. Pickett hasn’t really taken the bull by the horns and cemented himself as Pittsburgh’s franchise quarterback for the next 10-plus years. He’s flashed at moments and has displayed late-game heroics to help will Pittsburgh to victory in a handful of games, but he has yet to put together a full game where he executes from start to finish.
Cowherd also points to Tomlin, who has been named as someone who should be on the hot seat after Pittsburgh’s last two losses to the Cardinals and Patriots. Cowherd doesn’t believe that Tomlin needs to be fired as he has proven to be a good coach in the past, but rather that he must relinquish some control and hire an offensive guru to run that unit.
When you look at the Steelers’ roster and the talent they have at the skill positions and on the offensive line, it doesn’t appear like Pittsburgh is too far off from fielding a competitive team, especially considering that the Steelers are fighting for a playoff spot with the roster they currently have. The offensive scheme must improve, thus the team’s next hire at offensive coordinator is going to be a crucial one. Fixing a couple of spots along the offensive line, like center and offensive tackle opposite of Broderick Jones, would help as well as getting better play out of the quarterback spot. This could done by having Pickett step up in 2024, his third season in the league, or pursuing a new option if the team doesn’t think Pickett can be that guy.
Either way, things need to change offensively in Pittsburgh for the Steelers to be a relevant playoff contender again. Cowherd’s point of tweaking the structure at which Tomlin operates by finding an innovative play caller would be a great step in that direction.
