Steelers 2024-25 Season Thread

[willeyeam]

- Najee and Warren are both disappointing this year, that tandem should be impacting games this year. Najee is what he is, i think this more a comment on Warren, he is not pushing Najee out at all.

this isn't a good run blocking line, it's no coincidence these RBs don't look great and we can't get a yard when needed

[count2infinity]

Clearly this is Boswell's fault.

I had to laugh this morning when I saw the score. After the missed FG (not Boswell's fault... 58 yards in those conditions. I would be surprised if he did make it), and then the failed 4th down attempt, I had typed up a post saying "I hope those 6 points don't come back to bite us... but I know they will." And the board was being glitchy and didn't post it and I didn't care enough to try again.

[Morkle]

I just, games like that are the ones where I point back to when they get smashed in the first playoff game when/if they make it and we start that whole Tomlin good coach/bad coach decision. These games are often forgot about, and explained away.

Offense has the same problems it's had for 3 years for the most part.

Frankly, the mismanagement of the WR group should not be left alone. They went into the regular season knowing it was GP and whoever else, and did nothing but the expected at trade deadline. That's a major blemish on the GM team, imo.

[Trip McNeely]

Clearly this is Boswell's fault.

I know that comment was in jest but that missed field goal was all on coaching. They made the decision late and Boswell was barely able to get set when the ball was snapped.

That and the dumb timeout were my biggest issues last night in regards to Tomlin. I thought Arthur Smith called his worst game since early in the season too. But my number 1 target is how Minkah is playing and how they are deploying him. In a freaking blizzard, they had him playing single high 30 yards down the field? Are we worried about being beat over the top during a storm like that?

[mikey]

Man, a lot of halftime quitting on an 8-2 team in a rivalry snow game...my goodness...

[willeyeam]

Yeah that first FG was weird. They lined up with 8 seconds on the play clock and it felt rushed

[willeyeam]

Man, a lot of halftime quitting on an 8-2 team in a rivalry snow game...my goodness...

8-3. They're gonna pound Cleveland fwiw at home. I don't think last night changed anything other than the stranglehold on the division has faded a bit

[Morkle]

Man, a lot of halftime quitting on an 8-2 team in a rivalry snow game...my goodness...

There's no quitting on the team. There's an understanding that the same warts they've been having for the 4 years, still haven't corrected themselves.

[DigitalGypsy66]

Yeah, I usually don't make it through these primetime games during the week. 0500 is way too early, especially with the way the Steelers play - a high stress, no margin of error type of offense. I wish they could build an early lead and let the defense eat on the pass rush, but the offense just steps on their dicks for most of the game. Illegal formation, false start penalties etc.

I felt 4-4 coming out of the bye would be very good. I figured 1-1 against the Bungles and Ravens, 2 losses against the Eagles and Chiefs, and 2 wins against the Browns. Now I guess the Steelers will just have to sweep one or the other AFC North teams to keep me on track.

[LITT]

I’m not reading in to it too much. Was ripe for a let down after ravens game and short week with the weather conditions.

The things I found most concerning was the performance of the secondary and that ridiculous play call to have just fields throw a 40 yard pass on a huge conversion

Also the illegal touching/intentional grounding is really silly

[King Colby]

Everyone went to bed at halftime knowing how it was gonna end. You guys are nuts you know that?

The 4th quarter was insane. The offense came to life and they should have done enough to win. Coaching primarily, and defensive execution botched it.

Glad I stayed up.

[King Colby]

LITT gets it. Dumb rule, should be a loss of down if an ineligible lineman intentionally touches a pass. But, 3rd and 7 instead of 4th and 2 in that spot (with tons of time left) was an egregious error exacerbated by unnecessarily burning another timeout.

[willeyeam]

Everyone went to bed at halftime knowing how it was gonna end. You guys are nuts you know that?

Are you saying they didn't know the Steelers would score 2 TDs in 5 minutes while getting two turnovers and then lose it on a really weird sequence?

[dodint]

I think the intentional grounding wasn't being called because the QB was hit as he threw, giving him the benefit of the doubt that he intended to get it to a receiver. The fact that a lineman decided to get handsy was a gift to the Steelers (sorta).

[faftorial]

Shut up Pickens.

[Trip McNeely]

Shut up Pickens.

The worst thing the Steelers could do is give him a second contract. He’s a stud receiver but his brain gonna cause allllot of problems down the line. They need to draft someone in the first round this year and then see if that player can fill the void. Because paying that dude 30 million is gonna bite the Steelers in the ass

[mikey]

I think the intentional grounding wasn't being called because the QB was hit as he threw, giving him the benefit of the doubt that he intended to get it to a receiver. The fact that a lineman decided to get handsy was a gift to the Steelers (sorta).

I looked at it as saving the refs too a bit. You can't ladder calls in the NFL too much. Here, there was a game altering 20ish yard intentional grounding penalty on the table. Instead, they could get away with a five yard illegal touch.

[nocera]

The December 8th game should be fun. What's hilarious about Pickens comments is he was was too busy slap fighting with Greg Newsome rather than trying to catch the hail mary. He may have lost focus a bit at the end there...

[willeyeam]

The December 8th game should be fun. What's hilarious about Pickens comments is he was was too busy slap fighting with Greg Newsome rather than trying to catch the hail mary. He may have lost focus a bit at the end there...

Fighting him aka being pushed OB?

[nocera]

The December 8th game should be fun. What's hilarious about Pickens comments is he was was too busy slap fighting with Greg Newsome rather than trying to catch the hail mary. He may have lost focus a bit at the end there...

Fighting him aka being pushed OB?

Pickens was grabbing his face mask all the way. If he would've actually been trying to get to the ball, maybe he would've gotten a call.

[genoscoif]

That game was...something.

The term 'trap game' exists for a reason, and that one had all the makings going into it. To TL's points, short week, divisional opponent on the road with nothing to lose, prime time game, just beat divisional rival a few days ago, etc etc etc. Throw in that weather and it makes sense that the Steelers would lay the type of egg they did. I'm almost cool with that (it happens), until the 4th quarter. You hung around, stayed in the game, took the lead, then........that?

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around why you accept the 5 yard penalty for illegal touching. I don't have a real problem with the call (not intentional grounding because he was hit), but if you decline the penalty you force CLE into a decision. Kick a FG in those conditions, or go for the first. Going for the first gives your D a chance to end the game on 1 play. If they kick the FG and make it, you have more time and only need a FG. If they get the first down, it's essentially the same situation as the 3rd and 7, but you gave them an extra down to get it. 5 yards wasn't significant enough to push them back.

Also, the shanked punt killed us.

[tifosi77]

Garret abused Dan Moore as per usual. Frazier also let Garret walk past him on that last sack of the half. So bad game from the line, which will need to be cleaned up.

This was the game on the offensive side right here. The O-line was not playing NFL caliber ball at times.

[willeyeam]

there were like 5-6 things that needed to go wrong in the last 3 minutes or so for the Browns to win, and they all did.

[tifosi77]

I think the intentional grounding wasn't being called because the QB was hit as he threw, giving him the benefit of the doubt that he intended to get it to a receiver. The fact that a lineman decided to get handsy was a gift to the Steelers (sorta).

I looked at it as saving the refs too a bit. You can't ladder calls in the NFL too much. Here, there was a game altering 20ish yard intentional grounding penalty on the table. Instead, they could get away with a five yard illegal touch.

Grounding wasn't called I think because, you know, the ball didn't touch the ground first before being deliberately touched by an in-eligible player. I don't think it was a heads up play by the lineman or anything, he just reacted to the ball suddenly being in his lap. If he had his back to the play and the ball dinged him in the back and hit the ground it would've been grounding. (The being-hit-as-you-throw thing only preempts the penalty call if there's an eligible receiver in the area)

It's not rocket surgery, it was just a weird play. No need to overthink it.

[willeyeam]

I think the intentional grounding wasn't being called because the QB was hit as he threw, giving him the benefit of the doubt that he intended to get it to a receiver. The fact that a lineman decided to get handsy was a gift to the Steelers (sorta).

I looked at it as saving the refs too a bit. You can't ladder calls in the NFL too much. Here, there was a game altering 20ish yard intentional grounding penalty on the table. Instead, they could get away with a five yard illegal touch.

Grounding wasn't called I think because, you know, the ball didn't touch the ground first before being deliberately touched by an in-eligible player.

Tif, thank you for this clarification