The Steelers Are a Second-Half Team… Hopefully
Photo Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports
It’s the bye week, and the Steelers sit atop the AFC North. This is despite awful play from the offense, particularly in the first half of games. In their stead, the defense has sacked, stripped, and pillaged three opposing quarterbacks, creating opportunities for moments like the fourth-quarter comeback against the Baltimore Ravens. The current standing in the division is a positive, but Steelers fans are disillusioned. They are continuously calling for the firing of Matt Canada through chants in seemingly every stadium in the city.
Nevertheless, there is some reason for optimism. The Steelers are clearly a second-half team — statistically in games and, hopefully, on the season as a whole. If you look back to last year, the Steelers were in a similar situation. Similar, not the same. The main difference between where the Steelers stood at their bye week last year to this year is that the Steelers are currently a playoff team– at least on paper. Last year, they were not. Pat McAfee and company were holding a moment of silence for Tomlin as he faced his first losing season. The turnovers by Kenny Pickett were piling up, and the run game was nonexistent. A feeling of despair filled the North Shore of the Steel City. It seemed all was lost.
Coming out of the bye, however, the Steelers made a run, winning five of their last seven. Suddenly, the laughingstock of the AFC became the team you didn’t want to see in the playoffs. The offense got legs, they won games, and they built momentum, but ultimately they fell short of the playoffs. There is hope for that type of run again this year, and they have much better footing.
One cause for optimism is the fact that they will be getting healthy down the stretch. Diontae Johnson, who has had a redemption arc in Pittsburgh during his absence, is eyeing Week 7 against the Los Angeles Rams as his return game. One would think that his presence alone opens things up for the offense. Not only are his route running and separation elite, he will also draw attention from defensive backs, potentially freeing up George Pickens, who has been a major focus of opposing defenses in recent weeks.
Pat Freiermuth, who is apparently the only person that Kenny Pickett feels comfortable throwing to in the middle of the field, will hopefully grace the gridiron in the near future. This, along with the increased production of Connor Heyward, should galvanize the offense. Yes, this all hangs in the balance of Matt Canada’s game planning, but if last year is any indication, things should smooth out.
Defensively, Joey Porter Jr. seems to be getting the nod as a starting outside corner. If his play keeps up, that will sure up things on the back end while the Steelers patiently await the return of Cam Heyward on the defensive line. The inside linebackers have finally gelled, a stark contrast to last season (don’t even get me started on Devin Bush again). There’s also the fact that T.J. Watt, battling through torn ligaments from a dislocated finger on Sunday, managed to completely wreck the game… again. His pace, with Alex Highsmith on the other edge, should keep the Steelers in games as the season goes on.
That’s not all, though. If the Steelers self-scout appropriately during the bye week, some glaring areas offensively could — and should — be addressed. Primarily, the use of play action. Ranking 31st in the league in the usage play action through five weeks is not at all where fans would like to be. Maybe Canada is playing the long game? A rope-a-dope of sorts, and now they will unleash the play action that every legitimate offense utilizes regularly? I may be wrong, but one can dream.
As the weather turns colder, and the Steelers host warm-weather teams, the run game and play-action can create major issues for defenses. The uptick in the run and pass game last year can be attributed to some of the major adjustments they made during the bye. For all of the faults in this offense, and the frustrations fans are feeling about the front office as a whole, they certainly make improvements throughout the season. My optimism is tempered, as it should be, but it’s hard not to have a glimmer of hope going into a week off of Steeler football. Don’t anticipate a complete overhaul, but the expectation of improvement isn’t unwarranted.
There are some embers burning in Pittsburgh, and there’s a possibility that the Black and Gold could catch fire down the stretch.
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