When I saw this game on the schedule when it was announced I penciled it in as a loss! The Steelers have only won 1 game in 92 years against the Bears @ Chicago and that lone win came early in the 1995 season on Overtime on a FG by Norm Johnson. The first half of this game the Steelers were able to do just enough on Offense with the running game leading the way thanks to big runs by Gainwell & Warren as they had over 100 yds on the ground. Unfortunately for the Steelers DK Metcalf went down with a leg injury as he hopped off the field and despite returning in the 3rd Quarter he was really ineffective the rest of the way.....didn't see him run any routes over 10 yards the rest of the game. Steelers offense looked mostly one dimensional the rest of the way. Mason did what he could today but if he has any faults it's his inability to process and go through his progressions. Several times today.....even on the last TD Drive to make it 31-28 Mason had DK Metcalf crossing from left to right and Gainwell crossing righ to left....Metcalf was wide open.....Rudolph tossed it to Gainwell who was tackled immediately....a toss to Metcalf was an easy TD....and he didn't even see it. That is the type of stuff you expect to see from a first or second year QB....not a Veteran like Rudolph. Another thing I just don't understand when it comes to this offense is the lack of throws over the middle of the football field. I mean what NFL offense besides the Steelers doesn't use the middle of the football field? Especially when you have a TE group like Freiermuth, Washington & Smith.....perhaps the best TE grouping in the NFL. Washington alone should see a minimum of 7 or 8 targets a game. He was targeted 2 times today....UNREAL! BTW Rudolph has 1 throw over 10 yards today. He should never start another game for the Steelers from this moment on! Almost 200 yds rushing today and the Steelers came up short. Hard to pin the blame all on the offense but they need to be better.
Defensively this group consistently is inconsistent! They gave up 338 yards today against a very good Bears offense....had one splash play the sack/fumble by Watt in the endzone for a TD. Besides that there wasn't many good things today on the Defensive side of the football. Duggar had a couple nice hits and pass breakups. They made up for that though by having breakdowns in the secondary.....I still don't know what Echols was doing on that TD pass to DJ Moore in the 3rd Quarter......He appeared to be in Zone but the rest of the secondary was in man coverage. How can these guys be that incompetent and not know what the Defensive scheme is? If I didn't know any better I'd swear it's intentional.
Special Teams has been good this season but today our Punter Corliss Waitman was absolutely attrocious....3 punts of 34, 40 & 33 yards.
I have said all along for weeks now this team will be lucky if we win 2 games from here on out.....well we are 1-2 since that statement and I stand firm on it. It's time to completely blow up this Coaching Staff including Mike Tomlin. It's obvious that Matt Canada wasn only part of the problem on offense because now we have Arthur Smith and they still don't throw the football over the middle of the football field. Don't get me wrong I'm glad Canada is gone and he was part of the problem but the other part of that problem is obviously one guy in this organization and that's Mike Tomlin. Is there another offense in the NFL that doesn't use the middle of the football field? If there is I'd like to know because I watch alot of football and I haven't seen it. Even the Cleveland Browns with rookie QB Shadeur Sanders were tossing it over the middle of the field last week in his first NFL action. Also Teryl Austin I don't care for him....he's gotta go as well. The entire organization needs to make these changes or this football team will never get any better! It's just never going to happen!
Next week the Steelers will host the Buffalo Bills who are not a very good football team....much like the Steelers with only 1 good receiver on offense....going to be interesting to see but my money is on Josh Allen to absolutely torch the Defense as the Steelers slide to under .500 for the first time this season. It's all but over Steeler Nation....My only wish for Christmas is that the Rooney completely fires the entire coaching staff! I've never seen a bigger bunch of under achievers....and yes they can FIRE Omar Khan & Andy Weidel. Lets rebuild this team through the NFL Draft like they always have done!
One other thing of note.....he had no catches today....but I'll say this....Roman Wilson can get separation! We just need someone to get him the football!
Per Tomlin's Post Game:
DK Metcalf - Ankle injury able to return
Broderick Jones - Stinger
Joey Porter Jr - Hip Pointer wasn't able to return
Asked about Rogers - He said he thinks he will be able to return next week
Game Balls:
Kenneth Gainwell - 10 carries 92 yds 6 rec 30 yds
Jaylen Warren - 18 carries 68 yds 1 TD
TJ Watt - 1 sack, 1 forced fumble.....I wish we could give this guy a few other Defensive players with his motor. Congrats on passing your brother JJ on the sack list!
Game Goats:
Mason Rudolph - This guy should never be behind Center ever again for the Steelers. I'm sorry he's just not good. 1 throw over 10 yards today. He can't progress through his reads. Too many missed looks at wide open receivers....including DK Metcalf twice today. 2 easy TD throws. Steelers would have been better running the Wildcat today!
DK Metcalf - This guy is one of the biggest wastes of $133 Million Bucks! He's just a soft *** Seahawks WR! Send him packing! I can't stand the guy! I would have rather kept Pickens....way more talented receiver!
Corliss Waitman - 3 punts.....34, 40 & 33 yards......Was GOD ******* AWFUL today! Bring in someone else! Cameron Canaday or whatever his name is
Bradon Echols - WTF page was this kid on that TD throw to DJ Moore? Defense was in man coverage but he must have thought it was Zone......BRUTAL! How can they make so many mistakes!
FU's:
The Officials really blew the whistle too early on the Steelers tush push....that needs to be allowed to be played out....almost looks like it was intentional by the officials....with the Steelers well within FG range and the Bears Defense on the ropes all it took was a early whistle to give the ball to the Bears on a play that the Steelers got the push they needed for a first down to keep the drive going. The end result was the Bears tying the game at 14 all. DON'T EVER TRY TO TELL ME THE NFL ISN'T RIGGED!
Defensively this group consistently is inconsistent! They gave up 338 yards today against a very good Bears offense....had one splash play the sack/fumble by Watt in the endzone for a TD. Besides that there wasn't many good things today on the Defensive side of the football. Duggar had a couple nice hits and pass breakups. They made up for that though by having breakdowns in the secondary.....I still don't know what Echols was doing on that TD pass to DJ Moore in the 3rd Quarter......He appeared to be in Zone but the rest of the secondary was in man coverage. How can these guys be that incompetent and not know what the Defensive scheme is? If I didn't know any better I'd swear it's intentional.
Special Teams has been good this season but today our Punter Corliss Waitman was absolutely attrocious....3 punts of 34, 40 & 33 yards.
I have said all along for weeks now this team will be lucky if we win 2 games from here on out.....well we are 1-2 since that statement and I stand firm on it. It's time to completely blow up this Coaching Staff including Mike Tomlin. It's obvious that Matt Canada wasn only part of the problem on offense because now we have Arthur Smith and they still don't throw the football over the middle of the football field. Don't get me wrong I'm glad Canada is gone and he was part of the problem but the other part of that problem is obviously one guy in this organization and that's Mike Tomlin. Is there another offense in the NFL that doesn't use the middle of the football field? If there is I'd like to know because I watch alot of football and I haven't seen it. Even the Cleveland Browns with rookie QB Shadeur Sanders were tossing it over the middle of the field last week in his first NFL action. Also Teryl Austin I don't care for him....he's gotta go as well. The entire organization needs to make these changes or this football team will never get any better! It's just never going to happen!
Next week the Steelers will host the Buffalo Bills who are not a very good football team....much like the Steelers with only 1 good receiver on offense....going to be interesting to see but my money is on Josh Allen to absolutely torch the Defense as the Steelers slide to under .500 for the first time this season. It's all but over Steeler Nation....My only wish for Christmas is that the Rooney completely fires the entire coaching staff! I've never seen a bigger bunch of under achievers....and yes they can FIRE Omar Khan & Andy Weidel. Lets rebuild this team through the NFL Draft like they always have done!
One other thing of note.....he had no catches today....but I'll say this....Roman Wilson can get separation! We just need someone to get him the football!
Per Tomlin's Post Game:
DK Metcalf - Ankle injury able to return
Broderick Jones - Stinger
Joey Porter Jr - Hip Pointer wasn't able to return
Asked about Rogers - He said he thinks he will be able to return next week
Game Balls:
Kenneth Gainwell - 10 carries 92 yds 6 rec 30 yds
Jaylen Warren - 18 carries 68 yds 1 TD
TJ Watt - 1 sack, 1 forced fumble.....I wish we could give this guy a few other Defensive players with his motor. Congrats on passing your brother JJ on the sack list!
Game Goats:
Mason Rudolph - This guy should never be behind Center ever again for the Steelers. I'm sorry he's just not good. 1 throw over 10 yards today. He can't progress through his reads. Too many missed looks at wide open receivers....including DK Metcalf twice today. 2 easy TD throws. Steelers would have been better running the Wildcat today!
DK Metcalf - This guy is one of the biggest wastes of $133 Million Bucks! He's just a soft *** Seahawks WR! Send him packing! I can't stand the guy! I would have rather kept Pickens....way more talented receiver!
Corliss Waitman - 3 punts.....34, 40 & 33 yards......Was GOD ******* AWFUL today! Bring in someone else! Cameron Canaday or whatever his name is
Bradon Echols - WTF page was this kid on that TD throw to DJ Moore? Defense was in man coverage but he must have thought it was Zone......BRUTAL! How can they make so many mistakes!
FU's:
The Officials really blew the whistle too early on the Steelers tush push....that needs to be allowed to be played out....almost looks like it was intentional by the officials....with the Steelers well within FG range and the Bears Defense on the ropes all it took was a early whistle to give the ball to the Bears on a play that the Steelers got the push they needed for a first down to keep the drive going. The end result was the Bears tying the game at 14 all. DON'T EVER TRY TO TELL ME THE NFL ISN'T RIGGED!