With friends like Mark Schlereth, who needs enemies? If there’s been one constant this offseason, it’s Schlereth, former Denver Broncos offensive lineman and current analyst, criticizing Russell Wilson. Professionally and personally, Schlereth has taken his shots. And so when Wilson and the Steelers’ offense struggled Saturday night, Schlereth put the blame on one man. Russell Wilson.
On the latest episode of his Stinkin’ Truth podcast, Schlereth tore into Wilson for not knowing how to play quarterback.
“Russell Wilson has to got to do a better job of understanding football and throwing the football to open receivers,” Schlereth told co-host Mike Evans. “As opposed to pulling the football and taking sack after sack after sack. Three-and-out, three-and-out, and three-and-out.”
Wilson, the most-sacked quarterback since entering the NFL, was dropped three times against the Bills. He and the offense struggled to record a first down, let alone points, and put up a goose egg across five drives.
Taking shots at Wilson’s “toxic positivity” in the past, Schlereth believes Wilson’s selfish nature is the reason for his and the Steelers’ woes.
“You know what I think his problem is…He wants to be a hero. I think he wants to be a hero. I think he wants to be the reason…If he had any sense about him, he’d stand in front of the podium, and he would sit there and say, ‘I have to be better. My offensive line was fine. I gotta put the football on the targets. I’ve gotta read the defense.’ The middle of the football field is the middle of the football field for Russ will, you don’t even have to cover it ’cause he’s not gonna throw it.”
While Wilson’s sack problems are well-documented, there’s nuance that Mark Schlereth misses in his constant criticism that clouds his analysis. To say or believe the Steelers’ line was “fine” would be a ridiculous assessment not shared by anyone who watched the game, including Mike Tomlin and Bill Belichick, who placed the problems on the offensive line. When OT Broderick Jones is getting pushed around like a child, the blame doesn’t fall solely on Wilson.
Somehow, that is Wilson’s fault, as is the Steelers’ max-protect play-action with no receiver open and no checkdown, which was the culprit on one of the three sacks. Jones again struggled to give his quarterback much time. Frankly, Schlereth’s words don’t even align with what happened Saturday night. Two of his sacks came on third and long with routes trying to develop deeper downfield. Not playing on schedule due to an ineffective running game and penalties were just as problematic.
Here’s a cut-up of all three. Keep in mind two of these came on 3rd and long, bad places for the offense to begin with.
In none of those clips is there anything open by the time Wilson is hit. Perhaps he should receive some blame for the middle clip, bailing to his right instead of hitching up into the pocket, a tendency that’s gotten him into trouble, but the bulk of this lands on the offensive line.
Wilson isn’t above critique. He has been sacked a ton in his career, and it’s a number he has to clean up if he wants to succeed in Pittsburgh. But Mark Schlereth’s analysis has gone from informative to angry and just plain spiteful. Personal, not professional, and it doesn’t match what happened at Acrisure this weekend.
