Another Pittsburgh Steelers recap of Hard Knocks. Episode Five aired Tuesday night. Like last week, I’ll point out the details, little things, and overall impressions from tonight’s show.
– Mike Tomlin with a team meeting message of learning from failure after two-straight losses to the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens. Put up this slide on his PowerPoint.
“People that lack self awareness have a tough time working through the framework of something with others,” Tomlin said. “And man, we are a communal society. This is the ultimate team game. And you can’t take a step until you’re willing to engage and interact and work with others.”
– As Cam Heyward was talking about the defense needing to tighten up and be accountable, I had to laugh at one of the B-Roll cutaways on rookie DL Logan Lee, still on IR and not practicing while this footage was captured. I know it’s just the editors picking out a shot of a player but it’s funny to hear Heyward’s message and then show Lee as if he is the cause of the problems. Come on, Logan! Figure this out!
– T.J. Watt’s ankle sprain suffered against the Eagles seems like a pretty big non-factor. Clips showing him in the weight room saying he felt “pretty decent” and showing little effects of the injury. If anything, as J.J. Watt noted on the broadcast, a thumb injury is his biggest ailment. In one of his training clips at the team facility, you can see it wrapped as it was for the Chiefs’ game.
– Clip of OC Arthur Smith talking to the offensive room preaching ball security.
“There’s a couple things I could put on here from the last couple games that’s really simple. Big part of the reason we’ve won 10 games is taking care of the football. Last couple weeks…this ball is coming out way too much in multiple ways. That’s always going to decide these big games. Turnover margin.”
– Ryan Shazier shown in the back of this meeting room with the offensive line. He’s served as an assistant coach throughout the year. In camp, he spent a lot of time around the running backs.
– On the other end, DC Teryl Austin preached about the team not playing sound football.
“We’re not communicating with ourselves. We’re not getting into the right spots and finishing the play we should. And that’s on us. That’s our own-goal. Just do this shit right. And you don’t have to do too much. You just gotta take care of your shit. Take care of the stuff you gotta take care of.
As we spoke, he had this play pulled up on screen.
That was this play, an 11-yard run by RB Derrick Henry to open the second half. So I assume an example of Pittsburgh not playing gap-sound and someone being out of position.
My guess? LB Patrick Queen not fitting the A-gap between center and right guard. Every other gap looks accounted for here. But I can’t say definitively if that was the problem and if it was the only issue here. Certainly wouldn’t call it a good rep.
– Mike Tomlin seems to really enjoy playing on Christmas. Likened it to how LeBron James plays on virtually every Christmas Day.
“It’s a beautiful thing, that’s how I look at it. I’m in somebody’s living room on this beautiful day and we’re part of this experience for them.”
– An “Eyes Don’t Lie!” sign in the defensive meeting room.
And I wonder what this “culture” board is in the back of the room. It’s hard to make out. Maybe put up for each turnover/big play created game-by-game?
– Combining two portions from a practice and game clip but Tomlin talking about the Steelers trying to sort of “these bunches and these 4-by” aka 4×1 formations with four eligibles to the pattern on one side. Later, on WR Justin Watson’s touchdown, Tomlin notes Pittsburgh got beat by the switch aka the switch vertical routes the Chiefs’ run. Ties into my theme of miscommunication partially being caused by a changing offensive picture.
– If you’re curious about the meeting play-by-play announcer Ian Eagle was having with T.J. Watt, that’s a production meeting broadcasting crews have with coaches and players. Standard stuff. But that’s why Watt was having the discussion with Eagle and brother J.J. Watt (there were a couple others in the Zoom call as you can see above Eagle’s head: looks like the Watts, Eagle, maybe Steelers PR man Burt Lauten, and perhaps a producer working the game for Netflix).
– Nice moments of Russell Wilson brightening days during his weekly trip to Children’s Hospital, something he does every Tuesday during the players day off. Even on a quick week like Ravens-Chiefs without an official day off, Wilson still found the time. A commitment he’s made dating back to his Seattle days.
– WR George Pickens after making a downfield catch on Chiefs No. 1 cornerback Trent McDuffie.
“He can’t stop me, man. He can’t stop me.”
– “Keep grinding, that ball is gonna bounce our way,” Tomlin said on the sideline to the defense after missed chances. “We gotta get some of these. We got one ball on the ground, another on the air. We gotta come up with them.”
– Most of the in-game footage in the Chiefs’ loss were cutaways to a grunting and frustrated Tomlin watching big plays carve up his defense.
– At the end of the show, the Bengals’ rallying cry to beat the Steelers in Week 18.
“Don’t worry what anyone else is doing,” head coach Zac Taylor said in the locker room after beating the Denver Broncos in overtime. “Just control beating the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
