The Steelers Can Lean Into Ugly
Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Moments after taking Lamar Jackson to the ground, T.J. Watt ripped off his helmet, looked to his home crowd, and let forth a primal scream. Watt’s outburst perfectly encapsulated the release that his team’s fanbase felt as his sack put the finishing touch on an ugly but essential win over the Baltimore Ravens.
The Steelers were officially 3-2, but it wasn’t supposed to look like this. The offense was supposed to break out. The defense was supposed to be elite. This team had become a preseason darling, and they were supposed to make good on that.
Mired in the frustrations of Steeler Nation, Mike Tomlin’s group entered Sunday hoping to simply execute. Early in the week Najee Harris noted, despite all the rumblings about his coaching staff, the importance of player execution.
“I see everybody talking about this coaching stuff about play-calling. Do y’all know how football works?” Harris said. “We have to execute at end of the day, no matter who’s back there calling the plays… It has nothing to do with coaches. It’s just players. We have to play better.”
While Sunday had its fair share of bad moments, ultimately the Steelers at least executed when it mattered the most. Whether it was the blocked punt in the end zone, Joey Porter Jr.’s big interception, George Pickens’ touchdown, or Watt’s fumble recovery and subsequent sack to close the game, the team did what is sometimes necessary — they survived a multi-round fight by scoring big in the late rounds.
And perhaps that’s ultimately what this team should attempt to be. Despite all the preseason chatter, maybe at its core the Steelers are a team that needs to manage games, fight the long fight, and execute in the most important moments.
Certainly a coaching staff would never publicly admit to a team’s limitations. A locker room is built on the merits of working hard and overcoming circumstances. But Mike Tomlin, as he noted after the Cleveland Browns win, is not ashamed to win ugly, and that might be the most realistic path to success in the first ¾ of the season.
Kenny Pickett certainly possesses the intangibles to lead in late-game moments, but to this point in his career he has yet to put anything consistently on tape that would lead you to believe he has the ability to be a high-level NFL signal caller. Until he improves his ability to deal with pressure, process through his reads, and make good decisions, he will continue to handcuff his team regardless of who their offensive coordinator is.
Despite the addition of Isaac Seumalo, who has been fantastic, the offensive line continues to struggle. Their failure to thrive on outside runs limits the offense’s ability to call more colorful plays, while their inability to keep pressure from coming up the middle constantly adds to Pickett’s struggle.
And the defense has been wildly inconsistent. They’ve given up two blowouts, yet also essentially single-handedly won two huge division games against the Browns and Ravens. One week they can’t stop the run against a team that hasn’t been good in years, and the next week they’re shutting down one of the best running teams in the league while holding them to 10 points.
None of these are criticisms built in stone. This is not to say that Pickett is devoid of potential or that he can’t become an upper-level quarterback in this league … or that the offensive line can’t gel, or that the run defense can’t get their act together when Cam Heyward returns.
And it would be insane to excuse Matt Canada’s responsibility in the offensive struggles or to suggest that the organization should settle into the current version of itself.
This is just an opportunity to reset the preseason expectations at the bye week. All of the above is clear evidence that points towards the type of football this team could excel at while trying to evolve over the long haul.
Long ugly battles give the current version of this team a chance to succeed. Those are the type of games where superstars like T.J. Watt thrive. They are the types of games where young quarterbacks with a knack for the dramatic, despite their abilities, have a chance to have a big moment.
Now is the time to get the young, hungry guys like Porter Jr on the field and keep battling. With Diontae Johnson, Pat Freiermuth, and Heyward’s returns on the horizon, the Steelers can lean into what works for them. They can play safe and smart, lean into ugly football, and build towards December when crucial football begins.
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