A Steelers Depot daily segment. A quick hit of some Pittsburgh Steelers-related stories that may not require a complete article but nuggets worth mentioning and passing on to you guys.
Your Depot After Dark for April 19.
Polamalu On Celebrity Game
Troy Polamalu (celebrating his 43rd birthday today) and wife Theodora joined the YaJagoff! show to talk about the upcoming celebrity flag football game and Resilience Bowl to be held May 21 that will support the Neighborhood Resilience Project and aid the Pittsburgh community.
Polamalu rattles off some of the celebs who will be attending the game and event. Ben Roethlisberger, Kurt Angle and A-listers to be named later will be at Acrisure Stadium to support the cause.
Check out the entire conversation below.
Faneca Draft Memory
A quick trip down draft memory lane. On this day in 1998, the Steelers came away with a great draft haul, selecting LSU OG Alan Faneca in the first round and Georgia WR Hines Ward in the third.
And check out the drip from Faneca. That’s a future Hall of Fame guard you’re looking at.
And the cool draft logo. The NFL has gotta bring that stuff back. That and the Super Bowl designs that used to be funky and unique that now feel all too similar.
Steelers Strength Of Schedule
Though I’m no fan of the “strength of schedule” analysis, the NFL is too unpredictable and ever-changing due to injury. But if you’re into these kinds of things, Pro Football Network ranks the Steelers’ strength of schedule as the fifth-hardest in the league. Opining about the Steelers’ season, author Dallas Robinson writes:
“The Steelers were left for dead after Week 15, but a three-game winning streak with Mason Rudolph center propelled Pittsburgh into the playoffs and kept Mike Tomlin’s non-losing-season streak alive. Can he continue to work his magic with either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields starting for the Steelers in 2024?”
One reason for the Steelers tough SoS is because of the AFC North they play in. A division that finished over .500 top-to-bottom last year, that obviously influences this ranking. Still, the Baltimore Ravens have an easier schedule (ranked 22nd) and the Cincinnati Bengals have the fifth-easiest schedule despite facing the Ravens, Steelers and Browns twice each in 2024.
Pittsburgh having to play the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will certainly post tough out-of-division challenges this year. The Atlanta Falcons are considered to have the year’s easiest schedule while the New England Patriots are projected to have the most difficult.
Watson Breaks Down Steelers
There’s not much love for Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson around here, but credit to him for this cool film room segment breaking down All-22 tape from the season. That included a clip of a completion against the Steelers in Week Two. Though there’s no big revelation, Watson discusses the protection, the Steelers’ blitz and his process on throwing a backshoulder throw.
You can watch the clip below. Just fast forward about 10-20 seconds to begin with the Steelers’ example.
