Unconventional.

In the NFL that could describe a team in 2024 that tries to win with a defense first mentality.

The Steelers continue to attempt winning in this unconventional manner.

Pittsburgh has always prided itself on its “Steel Curtain” defense. The teams of the 70’s had an unprecedented defense that was the toughest in the league. During the Bill Cowher era it was defense and running the ball to win a lot of low scoring games. Mike Tomlin has followed in those footsteps, always prioritizing defense over offense.

Here’s the thing.

When the Steelers won Super Bowls they had good to great offenses, too. Bradshaw and Ben. Harris, Swann, Stallworth, Bettis, Parker, Ward, Holmes, Heeeeeeath. They could score points.

The one Super Bowl they made with someone other than Ben or Bradshaw was lost because Neil O’Donnell was an average quarterback leading an average offense.

Welcome to the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers.

An average quarterback leading an average offense. And that is being kind.

Even if Russell Wilson takes the reins next week, who is he throwing the ball to? Van Jefferson? Calvin Austin? And I am not sure you can bench Justin Fields right now. 

Here is the other thing. Football in 2024 is different. The game has changed, as have the rules. It all favors the offense. You must score points to win these days. The Steelers best offensive player is Chris Boswell, the field goal kicker.

Mike Tomlin loves it this way.

It is exactly the kind of football he desires to play. And to be fair, Tomlin knows he doesn’t have Ben Roethlisberger anymore. When Roethlisberger was his quarterback scoring wasn’t an issue.

It is the precise reason he hired Arthur Smith as his offensive coordinator. Smith is a run heavy play caller, with a conservative nature.

What happens when the Steelers play a good team?

The Falcons looked lost and Denver is feeling its way with a rookie quarterback. They didn’t exactly attack or threaten the Steelers defense. Some of that is due to the Steelers defense, but some was simply incompetence.

While the defense was rock solid, and dare I say dominant, the offense sputtered. The Steelers have scored one touchdown in two games. Winning with six field goals or 16 points is not sustainable. Yet, that is exactly what the Steelers will try to do. Win with defense, grind out drives, run clock, and kick field goals.

At 2-0, the Steelers have the Chargers coming to Pittsburgh this week for the home opener. After that, the Steelers have road trips to Indy and Vegas while hosting Dallas, and the New York teams. These are all winnable games. As I stated in my preview, 6-2 is a must heading into the early November bye week. After the bye week it is Washington then an absolute gauntlet.

That brings me back to the original question.

Can the Steelers win consistently in this rather unconventional way? In 2024?

It is hard to imagine this can continue.

 

 

One touchdown.

Broderick Jones had more holding penalties than that in one series on Sunday.

It is hard to believe that the defense, as good as it may be, will hold down the Cowboys, Bengals, Ravens, Browns, Eagles, and Chiefs like they did the Falcons and Broncos. Those are games, particularly in this high flying era of football, that will require point totals over 21 points in most cases.

How much should we expect from this offense?

Are they capable of scoring multiple touchdowns in one game?

That seems in doubt at this point.

Justin Fields does offer some athletic upside. But there is still too much great throw-bad throw-bad throw-scramble-bad throw-great throw. That is a lot of stuff that can go wrong between great throws. I think even if Tomlin decides to go to the steadier hand in Russell Wilson, that a package for Fields should be kept in the playbook. Facts are facts. Neither Fields nor Wilson is an above average quarterback. If either rises to that level I will happily eat my words.

George Pickens is a stud. He is an elite receiver in a rudimentary offense that should get him the ball even more. The remainder of the receiving corp is, well, rudimentary. Van Jefferson never was and never will be. Calvin Austin is a number four receiver in a number two body. Rookie Roman Wilson has yet to play due to injury, but how much should be expected from the third rounder? Of course he can’t be any worse than what is taking the field now. I don’t even know the rest of the group.

Pat Friermuth is a steady force at tight end. Darnell Washington finally caught a big pass for the only Steelers touchdown of the year and is an invaluable blocker. Little has been seen of Connor Heyward, which is interesting considering he had elevated his status last year. Mycole Pruitt has seen some run at tight end, but was injured Sunday.

Najee Harris has run like a stormtrooper so far this year. Harris is playing for a contract, whether from the Steelers or some other team. He has always been a hard runner, but he has turned it up a notch this year. Jaylen Warren has not been as active thus far because of an injury, but will most likely start showing his stuff sooner rather than later.

That brings us to the area where the Steelers must improve the most. The offensive line. Broderick Jones looked good last year, despite playing on the opposite side of his natural position of left tackle. This year he seems disinterested and marginally disgusted at the prospect of playing right tackle again. Sunday, he shared time with rookie first rounder Troy Fautanu. After a series that included two holding calls and a false start penalty, Jones never took the field again.

 

 

Jones stated if he isn’t starting he may as well not play. Regardless of his irritation, that attitude won’t work.


If Jones would become a bust it would be a devastating blow for a team that already wasted a first round pick on former quarterback Kenny Pickett. Fautanu will need a little time, but looks like the real deal. Another rookie is snapping the ball this season. Zach Frazier has actually graded out well in the first two games. James Daniels is an adequate veteran at right guard, but left guard is being manned by Spencer Anderson due to an injury to Isaac Seumalo. And our old friend Dan Moore is still at left tackle. Moore is like a cat with 18 lives. He consistently looks average on his good days and terrible on his bad days. I think most Steelers fans would like to see Jones replace Moore at his natural left tackle spot. Get Seumalo healthy and improvement would seem likely. Nobody is certain when Seumalo will return, and Tomlin seems to love Dan Moore.

Harris and Warren are quality backs and Fields scrambling ability is a strength, but without better offensive line play it may not matter what plays are called and run.

At least the Steelers have Chris Boswell. No jokes. Having Boswell be automatic from 55 and in makes Mike Tomlin’s decisions much easier. Unfortunately I think it also leads to some conservative play calling as well. Knowing the three points is automatic, the Steelers don’t often go for a kill shot in the end zone.

If new punter Corliss Waitman punts at sea level like he did in the altitude of Denver that becomes another weapon for Tomlin. Conservative playcalling is easier when you know the punter can flip the field for you.

The bottom line is the Steelers have a run oriented play caller in Arthur Smith. That was intentional on Tomlin’s part. He likes the grinding style that allows him to lean on his defense. However, it is 2024 and teams that win championships score points.

In the past 15 years, only one Super Bowl champ scored under 21 points. The Chiefs, Niners, Rams, Bengals, Eagles and the Brady led Bucs all had big offense. They are the teams that have made it to the Super Bowl recently.

The Steelers still haven’t replaced Ben Roethlisberger. Arthur Smith is conservative to a fault with his play calling. Mike Tomlin is extremely stubborn.

This style works if 10-7 or 9-8 is your thing.

If Super Bowls are your goal, then way more talent and firepower will be necessary on offense.

Of course, a playoff win would be a step in the right direction.

Dare to dream.

Two Cent Takes

NFL

~The Steelers and Broncos played one of the worst games I have seen in recent memory. Some of the lowlights: combined 6-25 third down conversions, yards per pass 5.0 and 6.2, red zone td conversion combined 1-5, 19 penalties. That is what you call ugly.

~Once again we are seeing sloppy play and choppy games because most starters play very limited snaps in preseason. Therefore, the first two or three weeks is more like preseason. 

~Something I have said since day one of his career is Tua Tagovailoa is like a rag doll out there. He just isn’t big enough to absorb hits. Now his career is in flux after another concussion. Regardless of Tua’s career decision, the Dolphins are not very good. They lost a lot off the defense and Tyreek Hill doesn’t have a lot of compliments to his talent on offense.

~Doug Pederson could be in trouble in Jacksonville. After the slide last year,  the Jags picked up this year with two straight losses to start the season. Trevor Lawrence suddenly has seen the shine taken off his rising star. Things are not good in Jacksonville.

~Place this one in the “now I’ve heard/seen everything” category.

 

 

~Biggest shocker of the week was Baltimore coughing up a lead at home to lose to the Fighting Minshews of Las Vegas.

~It is only two games, but Sam Darnold seems to be proving to be a capable NFL quarterback. It helps to have Justin Jefferson on your side.

 

 

~More baffling results from week two: Saints blowout Cowboys and Cardinals blowout Rams.

~Detroit is not right. Something is amiss in the first two games.

~Give every dog their due: Baker Mayfield is having a great second act. Tampa is now the favorite, in my opinion, to win the NFC South.

~Caleb Williams is learning the speed of an NFL defense is far different than Stanford. That said, his offensive line is going to get him killed. He was lucky to walk away after the bludgeoning the Texans gave him.

~The Eagles did what so many teams do after having a late lead. They played soft. The Falcons flew down the field with ease to score the winning touchdown. It happens so often in the NFL.

College Football

~What a lousy week of games. Get used to it. Nobody is going to want to schedule quality non conference games going forward. Again, the playoff committee needs to develop a system that rewards good scheduling.

~I think Notre Dame was very angry. I think Purdue is very bad. Notre Dame lost a starting offensive and defensive lineman for the season. An interesting note, Northern Illinois and Texas A&M are both ranked. Of course they are. It is important to keep the Irish in the conversation. Insert eye roll here.

~Quin Ewers got hurt Saturday in Texas’s blowout win. The now number one Longhorns have two patsies before they play rival Oklahoma. It helps to have Arch Manning as your backup.

~UCLA football may be hitting rock bottom right before our eyes.

~Either Boston College is better than I think, or Missouri ain’t it.

~Idiot of the week #1: Deion Sanders having his son stay in the game and throw the ball late in a 28-9 win. Not just running out the clock risks injury to one of your players, INCLUDING YOUR SON!

 

~Idiot of the week #2: returning champ Pat Narduzzi getting a big win against arch rival West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl then complaining about the officials. Hey, at least Pat is consistent.

 

 

NHL

~Sidney Crosby signed yet another team friendly contract extension yesterday. More thoughts on the greatness that is Sid on my Musings podcast this week.

MLB

~To my surprise, the Yankees are going to win the AL East.

~Is it me, or are the Detroit Tigers within 1.5 games of a playoff spot. Good for the, for not going quietly.

~With the all time modern day loss record staring them in the face, the White Sox have caught fire winning three in a row. Say it ain’t so…

The Weekly Shiny Penny

Bo Nix had a rough game Sunday against the Steelers, but he earns this week’s Shiny Penny with this response to a fairly mediocre question in the post game press conference.

 

 

A Penny For My Final Thought…

I have ranted on a weekly basis on my Musings podcast about the Pittsburgh Pirates.

I have written many times here about the Pirates problems.

How about all the frustrations being a current Pirates fan.

  • For the 9th straight season the Pirates are just playing out the string in September.
  • The Pirates are soooooooooo boring. They aren’t remotely entertaining to watch. One can only be so interested in a Bryan Reynolds or Oneil Cruz at bat.
  • The Pirates have so many non competitive players on the major league roster.
  • They call up kids who are good stories and play hard but are certainly not difference makers.
  • Pirates pregame continues to act like these guys are close. Monday night Michael McKenry suggested the Pirates are ready to claim the role of consistent contenders from the Cardinals. He and Matt Capps then proceeded to tear apart Cardinals players who are so clearly better Than what the Pirates roll out on the field. Oh, and maybe someone should remind them that the Brewers are in the division. All of it was very rich coming from guys covering a perennial last place team.
  • Greg Brown then continued the nonsense questioning whether the Cardinals would bring back manager Oliver Marmol. Here is the thing, good organizations don’t accept failure year after year. They make changes. Maybe Brown should question Derek Shelton’s return.
  • The Pirates have managed to make watching Paul Skenes less fun. Skenes gives up a run last night and loses. Kudos to Skenes for never complaining about this collection of losers he is surrounded by.
  • Because the owner can’t be trusted to ever do the right thing, some media members are suggesting Pirates fans follow Pens and Steelers fans in chanting Fire _____. The Pens did it with Ron Hextall and the Steelers did it with Matt Canada. Really? This is where we are? An empty stadium hasn’t influenced Bob Nutting. One negative story after another hasn’t influenced the owner. Other teams calling out Nutting for not spending hasn’t influenced him. But chanting will influence him? C’mon.

Last week GM Ben Cherington said Derek Shelton’s job was safe. That means either both of these chumps are back or neither is back. Nutting can’t undermine his GM and demand a change at manager after Cherington made that statement. The only thing Nutting can do is simply clean house. It is absolutely what he should do. I doubt he will. I am not sure he is even paying attention. He is busy counting his money.

This is easily the most depressed I have been as a Pirates fan, and that is saying something considering it has been 45 years since the last World Series.

My Orioles brethren are prepping for another playoff run. My Phillies friends are looking for another shot at a World Series. The Royals, a small market team, have gone from 100 losses to the playoffs. The Brewers, another small market team, is heading back to the playoffs. The Indians, a small market team, has been one of baseball’s best this season.

The Pirates have Bob Nutting, the missing in action Travis Williams, Ben Cherington, and Derek Shelton heading towards their sixth straight season together.

I guess I shouldn’t be so depressed. They did finish next to last one of those seasons.

Just my two cents…