Stock Up Stock Down From Steelers’ Week 3 Win
Photo Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
The Pittsburgh Steelers continued their winning ways, taking down the Las Vegas Raiders 23-18. The Steelers made things harder than they needed to be as they watched their 16-point lead shrink to just five in the fourth quarter. With a little help from some baffling decisions by Raiders coach Josh McDaniel, they were able to eek out the win. Thanks to a Baltimore Ravens loss, Pittsburgh now sits atop the AFC North.
As the Steelers bounce back from their bumbling Week 1 and start drawing extra interest from around the league, let’s see whose stock you should be buying, selling, and or holding.
Buy
Matt Canada(hear me out)
Part of playing the market is buying low, and Matt Canada is GameStop-before-Reddit cheap. Canada has long drawn the ire of Steelers fans for his playcalling and lack of creativity within the offense. So, when it was announced on Sunday that he had moved to a more prominent role in the offense where he would work more closely with quarterback Kenny Pickett, most assumed things would go from bad to worse.
But Canada performed much better this week. The offense used shifts or motion on 80% of their plays in the first quarter, the highest rate ever under Canada. In Weeks 1 and 2, the Steelers offense used motion on just 49.1% of their plays, putting them 21st in the NFL. Its just one example of how his scheme became less stultified.
Kenny Pickett, Dual Threat
When people think of dual-threat quarterbacks, their minds often go to the Lamar Jacksons and Justin Fields of the world, not Kenny Pickett. However, Pickett has proven to be more than capable with his legs, and on Sunday night, he hit a top speed of 19.27 mph on a play that was brought back due to an illegal shift.
On the next play, he again took off for a 10-yard gain, hitting a top speed of 17.92 mph. With the Steelers ‘ offense’s inability to run the ball effectively, there is a chance we could see more designed runs for Pickett to capitalize on his athleticism and open up the ground game.
Sell
Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace
The secondary had a rough game despite nabbing three interceptions. They allowed Jimmy Garoppolo to throw for 324 yards. Much of the secondary’s woes can be attributed to Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace.
The casual fan who watched the game might assume that Wallace played well, just based on his two interceptions, but this isn’t the case. Jimmy G targeted Wallace 13 times, racking up eight completions, 104 yards, and two touchdowns. Wallace’s second INT did seal the game, but it came in the final, desperate seconds after the Raiders bumbled their way out of a chance for a crazy comeback. Wallace’’s poor play was partly responsible for creating this scenario.
Peterson is another cornerback who has started to look his age this season. In Week 1, Brandon Aiyuk scored two touchdowns while covered by Peterson, and this week Peterson had another embarrassing moment when he flailed for a pass that was already in the hands of Davante Adams, who had beaten him deep.
funniest shit i’ve seen today pic.twitter.com/w6enuuXhRx https://t.co/xLvwxs3uks
— 🤺 (@philfanacc) September 25, 2023
In the coming weeks don’t be surprised to see Joey Porter Jr take over for one of these two.
The Idea That Dionte Johnson Is Irreplaceable
Yes, I know Johnson is probably one of the most underrated wideouts in the entire NFL and that when he comes back from his injury, it will only add to the Steelers’ offense. But it has become clear that Pittsburgh isn’t lost without him like some fans thought they’d be when he first got injured.
Of course, adding him back to the offense will give Pickett another target who is usually reliable, but we should take the time to appreciate players like Calvin Austin, who have stepped up and showed that they deserve a spot in this offense even when Johnson returns.
Hold
TJ Watt Is the DPOY
In the discussion for best defensive player in the NFL, T.J. Watt has been routinely disrespected. We often hear the names of Micah Parsons, Nick Bosa, and Jalen Ramsey in the conversation, while Watt is usually an afterthought for most. Even in his division, he is routinely compared to Myles Garrett.
Watt again showed why he should be the clear-cut answer for best defensive player in the NFL. He recorded six pressures and two sacks in 29 pass rushes on Sunday night while working against Jermaine Eluemunor, giving him a 20.7% pressure rate. Eluemunor had allowed just one pressure in his first two games this season.
Watt routinely has made good offensive linemen look like turnstiles when he faces them, and it is time that he is considered to be not only the best edge rusher in the NFL but the best defender in the NFL.
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