12/30/19-Season Could Have Been Much Worse

By: Mike Pelaia

In years past, it’s often been rare for me to give Mike Tomlin credit.  But, in 2019, that’s exactly what I need to do.  Tomlin somehow managed to have a team that was supposed to feature Ben Roethlisberger, James Conner and JuJu Smith-Schuster as the main offensive threats but ended up having Duck Hodges, Benny Snell and Diontae Johnson, all rookies, be their main offensive threats, still make a playoff run. 

And, oh yeah, finish with a .500 record after an 0-3 start.  The fact that he was able to get the defense turned around and exciting again was an impressive feat and one that enabled this team to stay in the hunt all season long.  To get the sacks and turnovers at the pace they did was something this team hadn’t seen in years.  To see TJ Watt develop into a defensive player of the year candidate was probably the best thing that occurred all season. 

The defense had to carry the team this year because the offense was bad.  JuJu, when healthy couldn’t handle the spotlight as the top target. James Conner couldn’t stay on the field and when he was on there, barely got chances to run and didn’t do all that much when he did and of course the loss of Roethlisberger in week two was the most problematic of all. 

Yet, Tomlin did pull the right strings at the right time, benching Mason Rudolph in favor of Hodges to pick up a few wins in the middle of the season paid off mightily. 

The biggest thing he did though, was keep this team motivated to play each and every week. This was the best coaching job he has done in his career.  How this team won more than four games is miraculous to me.  

Tomlin gets all the credit in the world this season because it could have been much, much worse than it was.

12/19/19-Pittsburgh Steelers at NY Jets

By: Mike Pelaia 

The Steelers visit the NY Jets this week in a game that they must win to stay in the playoff mix.  It’s going to take 2 wins over the final two weeks or the Titans going 0-2 for the Steelers to hang on to the last playoff spot after the loss to Buffalo this past Sunday night.

The Steelers will need to win this game going back to basics.  First, they’ll need to play their Steel Curtain defense, getting after Sam Darnold and forcing him into errant throws and making poor decisions.  Make him “see ghosts” as he did against the Patriots.

With a rabid pass rush, led by defensive player of the year candidate TJ Watt and pro bowl snub Bud Dupree they should be able to light Darnold up.  After that, it’s ensuring Le’Veon Bell, they’re former teammate, doesn’t go off on them.  Bell hasn’t had a good season thus far but this would be the one game where he breaks out big. He can single handedly ruin the Steelers season and despite what he may say, despite what the Steelers locker room might say, he would love to do so. 

On offense, Randy Fichtner cannot throw Duck Hodges to the wolves, as he did last week.  Hodges will need to make some throws, sure, but he shouldn’t be throwing the football over 20 times in this game.  The ground game must be the focal point, to help control the clock and help set Hodges up for success. 

If James Conner is going to be the guy, then run him 20 times and let him control the pace of the game.  It’s going to be a close game, you can count on that, so the black and gold may as well control the clock and ideally the outcome in the process.

Since it will be close, and the offense can’t be counted on to do too much, special teams will certainly be a factor.  The return game with Diontae Johnson will need to help flip the field and you know Chris Boswell will need to continue his stellar 2019 season by making his kicks. 

In the end, if the Steelers can control the clock and force Darnold to be the guy that has to beat them, the black and gold should come out on top of this one 17-10.

12/17/19-Steel Nation Radio – Bills Wrap Up and Jets Preview

By: Mike Pelaia

After the loss to the Bills on Sunday Night, what is going on in Pittsburgh and what do they need to do to beat the Jets this week.  Plus thoughts on Duck and much more:  

12/16/19-Steelers Have Championship Caliber Defense

By: Mike Pelaia

It’s a late season game at Heinz Field, the defense sits on the field in a close, must win game when Renegade comes on the jumbotron and the crowd goes wild. 

As the song blasts over the loud speakers, showing highlights of the Steelers defense making play after play in the 2019 season with sacks and turnovers created at an incredible pace, it becomes increasingly apparent how great this unit is.  This defense is a championship level defense, one that can carry a team to and possibly through, the playoffs, if the offense can just do enough.

This Steelers defense is incredible this year. They are first in the league with 35 turnovers created, 19 of those being interceptions.  They have already more than doubled last seasons total output of eight interceptions on the year.  The addition of Minkah Fitzpatrick, who leads the team with five, has undoubtedly made a huge difference in the secondary.  The signing of Steven Nelson, has made teams have to throw toward Joe Haden this year and he’s been able to lock down four interceptions thus far. 

Perhaps, the biggest factor this year is the continued emergence of TJ Watt who is on a defensive player of the year pace with 13 sacks and countless other game changing plays to go along with the sudden development of Bud Dupree who has chipped in an additional 9.5 sacks, contributing to the team total of 49 on the year.  The way these guys are getting to the quarterback, forcing 16 fumbles along the way, helping the secondary, it’s no wonder this unit is playing at the top of the league.

But it’s not just turnovers.  They aren’t giving up yards or big plays very often. They are fifth in the league in total yards allowed and sixth in points per game, allowing just 18.6 points per game to date.

Not only are guys like Watt, Dupree, Fitzpatrick, Nelson and Haden making plays but Cam Heyward and Javon Hargrave upfront are stuffing the run and getting to the opposition and Vince Williams and Devin Bush fly all over the field, impacting the game. 

This unit, led by Keith Butler, who nobody trusted the past several years, has emerged into the new Steel Curtain.  The team may have lost to the Bills this past week but the defense only gave up 17 points. That number is typically enough to win an NFL game. 

Yet this defense expects a lot from itself, specifically knowing the offense isn’t a powerhouse.  “Surrender 3” Heyward stated, meaning the defense shouldn’t be giving up late touchdowns, and they expect themselves to “get off the field”.  “We felt like we have the defense to not give up touchdowns, at least minimize them to field goals” said Haden.  This defense takes pride in the fact that they don’t give up points, to them, allowing 17 felt like the Bills game was on them. 

The reality is, that game was on the offense and the pressure is on this defense each and every week to give up as few points as possible.  Even more true, if this offense can drop 20 points, as they will need to coming into this week against the Jets, they should be a good bet to win most games.

As the team looks forward to the last two games of the season, the defense will be ready to carry them.  Against the Jets, they’ll get after Sam Darnold and they’ll stuff LeVeon Bell.  They’ll give up less than the 18.6 points they’ve been allowing on the year and they’ll come out with a win. 

I used to worry about this defense, I don’t anymore.  This defense is a top defense in the NFL for a reason.  With playmakers all over the field, they change games.  They win games. They can carry this team far and they will carry this team to the playoffs.  It’s on the offense to do their part because if they can, they’ll be able to ride a championship caliber defense a long way.

 

12/14/19-Buffalo Bills at Pittsburgh Steelers

By: Mike Pelaia

The surprisingly good Buffalo Bills enter town with a 9-4 record on Sunday Night to face the also surprisingly good Pittsburgh Steelers, who currently sit in the 6^th seed with an 8-5 record. In order for the Steelers to stay in prime position, they need to win this game, which would enable them to pass the Bills in the seedings and avoid the Chiefs in round one, if things played out as they currently stand now.

The Bills are still in a position to catch and pass the Patriots for the division title and have a lot to play for.  They have a solid defense and an offense that does just enough to win ball games.

The Steelers will need to keep Josh Allen in the pocket.  He’s a versatile quarterback, capable of making plays with his legs and the Steelers seem to have trouble with guys once they get in the open field.  Allen doesn’t make a lot of huge plays in the air, but he is also pretty careful with the football, meaning the Steelers are going to have to blitz him early and often, trying to force him to make bad throws.  The defense will need to force Allen to beat them rather than allowing Devin Singletary to rush all over them.  Singletary is averaging 5.6 yards per carry and can make game changing plays. 

If the black and gold can contain Singletary and put the game on Allen, I think they’ll have a good chance at winning.

Offensively, it’s on Duck Hodges to keep playing like he has. He’ll need to make the throws downfield, distribute the ball between Diontae Johnson and James Washington and make the smart throws, protecting the football.  Hodges has been confident in the pocket, seems to read the field well and moves the ball.

I look for the ground game to assist him. With James Conner back, I’m looking for him to show up and carry the ball to the tune of 20 times for 80 yards and help control the clock.  My preference would be that Benny Snell be the main back but they may choose to go by committee, and that’s fine too, as long as they are moving the football, controlling the clock and helping Hodges.

It’s more than likely going to come down to special teams and a last minute field goal by Chris Boswell, set up by a punt return from Johnson.

In the end, I see the Steelers winning another close game, late 23-20.

 

12/10/19-Steel Nation Radio Cardinals Wrap Up and Bills Preview

By: Mike Pelaia

The Steelers moved to 8-5 and now host a huge Sunday Night Football matchup against the Buffalo Bills which will go a long way in determining playoff seeding.  What will the black and gold need to do to get past the Bills this week?  Find out right here:

12/9/19-You Predicted This Right?

By: Mike Pelaia

If back in August, I told you that 13 games into the season the Steelers would be sitting with an 8-5 record, you’d probably have taken it and ran with it. 

However, if after I told you they were 8-5; I told you they were doing it with Bud Dupree on a pro bowl pace, Stephon Tuitt being out for the year,  Diontae Johnson leading the team in catches and James Washington leading in yards, Benny Snell is their best running back and oh yeah, some guy named Duck Hodges is the starting quarterback, you’d have laughed me out of the room.  I would have laughed myself out of the room.

Who could have predicted this?  After the Steelers started the season 0-3 and 1-4, everyone thought the season was over.  It was time for Mason Rudolph to get his year of reps in before becoming the heir apparent to Roethlisberger.  Minkah Fitzpatrick was a ‘good’ trade but one that wouldn’t pay dividends until 2020 and Mike Tomlin was going to need to consider replacing both coordinators at seasons end. 

Fast forward a few months and here the Steelers sit, 8-5, in the 6^th spot in the AFC and controlling their own destiny.  If they win out, they’re in the playoffs.  If they go 2-1, they are still more than likely in and even if they go 1-2, they have a strong chance.  Honestly, if they lose out and finish 8-8, despite most assuredly missing the post-season, the record will have been mighty impressive with the cast of characters they have used.

I’ve always been quick to call for Tomlins head, I’ve often thought the team has won in spite of him, but I have to say, this is the best coaching job he’s ever done.  I can’t get on him at all this season, it’s been nothing short of impressive to see this team win the way they have. 

One thing is utterly clear to me, he gets his guys to play for him. At 0-3, there could have been quit in that locker room, but he didn’t allow it.  If guys like Antonio Brown and/or LeVeon Bell were in there, do you think this team would be 8-5 right now? The answer is a definitive NO.

I’ve never been a fan of the phrase ‘addition by subtraction’ but that’s truly what happened in the case of those two players, specifically Brown. This team is family again. They are cohesive, with one goal in mind, winning football games. They don’t worry about stats, they just want to win. And that’s the formula for success. 

This team has each others backs. You can tell they like being around each other and want to win for each other. 

With three games left, we’ll see where this crazy ride goes, but at 8-5, with this cast of characters, we all need to be impressed.

But we all predicted this, right?