Following each game in the 2024 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 written 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 18 vs Cincinnati Bengals
1. Tighter Than A Snare Drum – Mike Tomlin has his own way of doing things. I don’t always agree with his decisions. In fact, I question a lot of them. He has always leaned conservative when it comes to making decisions. Over the last month of the season, the Steelers have had four consecutive losses and haven’t looked good in any of them. He is a generally relaxed person.
However, throughout this losing streak he has never looked more tense. Every choice he makes is the wrong choice. Whether he chooses to be aggressive or conservative, it’s been the wrong decision. The tough schedule and finishing against division opponents have him overthinking everything.
2. Fourth Follies – At the end of the first half after going for it on fourth down on his own side of the field and failing, Tomlin said if we can’t get a yard we don’t deserve to win. Coming into this game, the Steelers were 27th in the league on fourth-down conversions. He didn’t want to give Cincinnati the ball with three timeouts. Did he not realize that after the first drive, 73 yards and a touchdown, the defense allowed just 107 yards on 31 plays (3.45 yards per play) over five drives in the first half? He always trusts the defense. This time he didn’t and gave up an easy field goal. Doesn’t look good when you lose by two.
3. A Work Of Art – Some artists are exceptionally talented, but not all art is good. Before the final drive of the first half, the team’s top three receivers — Calvin Austin III, Pat Freiermuth and George Pickens — had a collective one target with zero receptions. After analyzing how poorly they played in the first half, OC Arthur Smith decided a toss to the left with Najee Harris was a good way to start the second half.
Late in the game, he decided a toss to the right with Cordarrelle Patterson, his first touch and I think his first offensive snap of the game, was also good. Both runs lost yardage. And why was Harris in the game on the final drive when Jaylen Warren is the better blocker and receiver? Eighteen weeks into the season, with a healthy team, the offense should not look that bad.
4. Why The Sutton Change? – Over the last four games, the defense has struggled and looked confused often. Over the last four games, Cam Sutton has dominated the number of snaps over Beanie Bishop Jr. as the nickel defender. Sutton was activated in week 10. In the first five weeks, Sutton played 89 snaps to Bishop’s 114. The defense allowed 23.8 points and 310 yards per game.
Over the last three games prior to this one, Sutton had played 93 snaps and Bishop 41. Sutton played often tonight, Bishop did not. Over the last four games with Sutton playing more, the defense has allowed an average of 27.3 points and 381 yards. There are a lot of factors going on to get to those numbers but who did Beanie anger to get demoted?
5. Finish The Play – This has been an issue the past couple games. The defense needs to play to the whistle. If one defender hits the guy with the ball, don’t watch him. Get in there and hit the player. It was Sutton last week; there were multiple defenders this week. If you’re blitzing and you think you were held, finish the play to the whistle and then you can complain to the official.
I’m looking at you, Elandon Roberts. If you didn’t stop to argue you might have been able to blindside the quarterback.
6. Not So Special – Let’s reminisce back to early in the season when Danny Smith’s special teams were thrilling us each week with feats of strength, speed of foot and kicks of distance. Those were the good old days. This game was a disaster. Having Chris Boswell kick it to the goal line to force returns hasn’t worked like they hoped. Austin held a punt a little too loose and it popped out. There was a dropped snap on a punt that was nearly blocked and a low snap on an extra point that luckily was handled well.
Timing is everything and this timing was not good.
7. Everything The Light Touches – I don’t think we’re being greedy. I see others do it and it looks quite enjoyable. When, oh when, will we have a passing offense that uses the entire field? The two previous seasons the offense refused to use the middle of the field, living on sideline passes. This offense has rotated the field 90 degrees. Instead of not using the middle on the vertical axis, this offense doesn’t use the middle on the horizontal axis. There is nothing on the intermediate level. It’s dink, dunk, deep or duck.
Someday, when we grow up, maybe we’ll get to see use of the whole kingdom.
8. Missed Connections – George Pickens really stunk it up in this one. Two clear drops. Had another knocked out of his hands on a nice play by a defender. One catch for zero yards on six targets. He got open late in the game and Russell Wilson completely missed him. Through the losing streak: 14 receptions, 171 yards and zero touchdowns. This team has an excellent history of finding talented receivers. Several of those have found their way out of the organization. It will be an interesting offseason when it comes to him.
9. Trice’s Tryout – Cory Trice Jr. was put into an unenviable position in this game. Much of the time he was opposite a probable Triple Crown-winning receiver. He had help at times from the safety but was also left alone quite a bit. He gave up a lot of space to not give up the deep ball. I’m sure he was instructed to do this.
So, some easy receptions were allowed. Give him credit, he battled out there. Never saw him complain or drop his head. He seemed to play with confidence. He finished with 11 tackles, including one for a loss. We have to remember he’s a seventh-round pick. Let’s see how he plays against guys who aren’t All-Pros.
10. Different Year, Same Question – Damn you, Ben Roethlisberger. You spoiled us. Russell Wilson has led me through all the emotions this season. We got to see an 11-game stretch that has some good and some eh. Statistically, it’s not terrible.
Better than recent seasons based on TDs and yards but not impressive overall with a record of 6-5. A couple of weeks ago I thought a three-year, $100 million dollar deal was reasonable. Now, I’m not so sure. The rookie class coming out doesn’t look impressive. The free agent crop doesn’t look that great. Do you re-sign Justin Fields and roll with him? He said he doesn’t want to learn another offense. What if Smith gets a head coaching job? Then Fields would have to learn a new offense or go with Smith. I don’t know what the answer is, but this team needs more from that position.
