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The game tonight I felt was a pretty even matchup for both teams. At this point in the season I'm not really looking for wins but hopeful we continue to see some of our young guys like Pickett, Pickens and others to continue to improve. Looking back to Pickett's first start 7 games ago to his performance tonight he has continued to show steady improvement week in, week out and I find some sort of comfort in seeing noticeable improvement in his game. Too many people are overly critical of Pickett's play at QB and I don't think the criticism is justified. We saw good balance on offense tonight (172 rushing/174 passing) as the Steelers got the running game going early. Pickett was sacked a couple times early in the game with pressure coming from the left side but honestly I don't fault Dan Moore on one play Pickett as he stepped up into the pocket allowed Moore's man to work off his block and slide over and tackle Pickett for the sack but Moore was shaky in pass protection much of the game. Benny Snell and Anthony McFarland stepped up tonight and made some nice runs filling in for Najee Harris who went down with an ab strain averaging 5.0+ YPC. The O-line has continued to show improvement this season and this is the 3rd week in a row the running game has put up good yardage. Tonight two things stood out to me was Pickett's ball placement and his anticipation on his throws was better than it's been in his previous starts. He wasn't without his faults as he missed a few throws, the missed TD in the endzone to Pickens and another that was overthrown to Johnson in the first quarter. Pickett had 3 very catch-able balls dropped tonight, 2 by Pickens and an easy TD by Johnson who has to make that catch. I really don't like seeing those designed QB run plays called......Pickett had a nice gain on one of those plays but on the other one he only gained like 3 yards and I don't want to see our Franchise QB running head first into a Defense multiple times in a game.....as he almost got SMASHED on one of those designed runs. Some questionable play calling in the 3rd Quarter once again....I'm not sure anyone noticed but they were calling the same plays as in the first half all too often. If you watch this clip you will even hear it....turn the volume up and you hear the Colts Defender yelling.
As for the Defense I wasn't impressed as they gave up 300+ yds over 3 Quarters of play to the worst offense in the NFL after allowing just 6 yds offense in the first quarter. This $108 Million Defense is a **** show but I think it's more scheme with Teryl Austin than it is talent on the Defense. Arthur Maulet had a nice game tonight and so did Alex Highsmith. I'm still waiting to see Mark Robinson get some reps at ILB out there on Defense as I like his motor. Hopefully we see that in the next 6 games. I don't think TJ Watt is 100% but he's getting there! Cam Heyward seemed to struggle tonight too. The secondary got torn up by a rookie TE who more than doubled his season total receptions (7) with 8 for 98 yds. Steelers never seem to account for the TE out there on Defense.
Our Specials teams tonight looked shaky early on punt coverage downfield and to start the 2nd Half the Colts almost took it to the house....89 yds to the Steelers 18yd line and 4 plays later the Colts closed the gap to 16-10. Danny Smith, it might be time for him to go too....All 3 of our coordinators are not very good.....I'll say this I think Cody White is a good GUNNER....better than Boykin.
Per Tomlin's Post Game:
Najee Harris - Abdominal injury being evaluated
Game Balls:
Kenny Pickett - His best game as a Steeler.....I am excited about his progress at QB. He was accurate tonight and had good anticipation on his throws. Nice 2 point conversion to Pickens also. Gotta give him credit for that 75 yd TD drive in the 4th Quarter to take the momentum away from the Colts. That was a back breaking drive that put some nails in the Colts coffin tonight and he did it on the road in a hostile environment! Also Pickett apparently called the 3rd down call to Benny Snell that resulted in go ahead TD. Pickett said he made that call based on game film study he saw of the Colts Defense in previous games. IMPRESSIVE!
Benny Snell - He did a great job filling in for Najee Harris 12 carries for 62 yards but one other positive on Snell his blitz pickups tonight were excellent giving Pickett time on his throws
Arthur Maulet - Nice game tonight from Maulet 10 tackles, 1 sack....made some key stops tonight.....he wasn't left on a island out there at CB tonight either. I think they rotated Pierre in and Sutton to the slot instead.
Alex Highsmith - Came up big on that final drive in the 4th Quarter with a sack and a pressure to close out the game.
Isiah Loudermilk - Nice blocked FG tonight....he needs to see more play time on that D-line.
Matthew Wright - 3 for 3 on FG's tonight including a 52 yd FG that hit the upright and slid in. He needs to improve on kickoffs though
Game Goats:
Dionte Johnson - caught a slant tonight and instead of turning it upfield for a 1st down he turned and ran sideways then backwards on a catch that should have been an easy First Down instead it put us in 3rd & 6. Also he dropped an easy TD pass that was right in his hands.....gotta make that catch.
Kickoff/Punt Coverage - It was bad in the first half and even worse to start the 2nd Half they really let the Colts back into the football game. Not sure who to blame but Danny Smith.....perhaps we need 3 new coordinators this off-season
FU's:
Matt Canada - WTF? I don't understand his play calling most of the time but tonight there was some really bone headed calls that left me scratching my head....3rd & 2 and throw 15 yds downfield incomplete, 3rd & 15 and toss a 2 yd screen pass. Also the screen pass to Gentry, the running play on 2nd & 18 in the first half, the shovel pass to Derek Watt near the goal line....if Watt didn't reach back and grab that it would have been an INT. The more motion I see pre-snap the worse the outcome of the play is for our Steelers. I just don't think that pre-snap movement does anything to confuse an NFL caliber Defense.
As for the Defense I wasn't impressed as they gave up 300+ yds over 3 Quarters of play to the worst offense in the NFL after allowing just 6 yds offense in the first quarter. This $108 Million Defense is a **** show but I think it's more scheme with Teryl Austin than it is talent on the Defense. Arthur Maulet had a nice game tonight and so did Alex Highsmith. I'm still waiting to see Mark Robinson get some reps at ILB out there on Defense as I like his motor. Hopefully we see that in the next 6 games. I don't think TJ Watt is 100% but he's getting there! Cam Heyward seemed to struggle tonight too. The secondary got torn up by a rookie TE who more than doubled his season total receptions (7) with 8 for 98 yds. Steelers never seem to account for the TE out there on Defense.
Our Specials teams tonight looked shaky early on punt coverage downfield and to start the 2nd Half the Colts almost took it to the house....89 yds to the Steelers 18yd line and 4 plays later the Colts closed the gap to 16-10. Danny Smith, it might be time for him to go too....All 3 of our coordinators are not very good.....I'll say this I think Cody White is a good GUNNER....better than Boykin.
Per Tomlin's Post Game:
Najee Harris - Abdominal injury being evaluated
Game Balls:
Kenny Pickett - His best game as a Steeler.....I am excited about his progress at QB. He was accurate tonight and had good anticipation on his throws. Nice 2 point conversion to Pickens also. Gotta give him credit for that 75 yd TD drive in the 4th Quarter to take the momentum away from the Colts. That was a back breaking drive that put some nails in the Colts coffin tonight and he did it on the road in a hostile environment! Also Pickett apparently called the 3rd down call to Benny Snell that resulted in go ahead TD. Pickett said he made that call based on game film study he saw of the Colts Defense in previous games. IMPRESSIVE!
Benny Snell - He did a great job filling in for Najee Harris 12 carries for 62 yards but one other positive on Snell his blitz pickups tonight were excellent giving Pickett time on his throws
Arthur Maulet - Nice game tonight from Maulet 10 tackles, 1 sack....made some key stops tonight.....he wasn't left on a island out there at CB tonight either. I think they rotated Pierre in and Sutton to the slot instead.
Alex Highsmith - Came up big on that final drive in the 4th Quarter with a sack and a pressure to close out the game.
Isiah Loudermilk - Nice blocked FG tonight....he needs to see more play time on that D-line.
Matthew Wright - 3 for 3 on FG's tonight including a 52 yd FG that hit the upright and slid in. He needs to improve on kickoffs though
Game Goats:
Dionte Johnson - caught a slant tonight and instead of turning it upfield for a 1st down he turned and ran sideways then backwards on a catch that should have been an easy First Down instead it put us in 3rd & 6. Also he dropped an easy TD pass that was right in his hands.....gotta make that catch.
Kickoff/Punt Coverage - It was bad in the first half and even worse to start the 2nd Half they really let the Colts back into the football game. Not sure who to blame but Danny Smith.....perhaps we need 3 new coordinators this off-season
FU's:
Matt Canada - WTF? I don't understand his play calling most of the time but tonight there was some really bone headed calls that left me scratching my head....3rd & 2 and throw 15 yds downfield incomplete, 3rd & 15 and toss a 2 yd screen pass. Also the screen pass to Gentry, the running play on 2nd & 18 in the first half, the shovel pass to Derek Watt near the goal line....if Watt didn't reach back and grab that it would have been an INT. The more motion I see pre-snap the worse the outcome of the play is for our Steelers. I just don't think that pre-snap movement does anything to confuse an NFL caliber Defense.
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