Teams Pittsburgh Steelers - The Steel Curtain

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Pickett finishes the pre season going
13/15
199 yards
2 TDs
0 INTs
86.6% accuracy
13.2 YPA
5 drives, 5 TDs

Now it’s only pre season, and it is worth mentioning that not all of those stats were against first team defenses but he has done what he had to do. After a promising camp and now a promising pre season we quickly move forward to the real stuff. Week 1 against the 49ers defense may arguably be Kenny and this offenses biggest test all season
 
ESPN’s Dan Graziano says, “Don’t be surprised...if Jaylen Warren is the [Steelers] lead running by the end of the season.”

It seems unlikely that Warren would lead the Steelers in touches as long as Najee Harris is healthy, but Harris’ overall lack of efficiency and explosiveness have been well-documented since he entered the league in 2021. On the contrary, Warren’s efficiency since entering the league as a UDFA last season has been just as well-documented, and the second-year back has continued to impress this offseason. Warren ate into Harris’ workload last season, particularly on passing downs, and he’s expected to be utilized heavily on third downs this season. Graziano isn’t the first to speculate Warren overtaking Harris at some point in 2023, but it will likely take either an injury to Harris or a complete decline in his play for that to come to fruition. Warren is still a high-end handcuff who would be a low-end RB1 if Harris ever missed time.
 
ESPN’s Dan Graziano says, “Don’t be surprised...if Jaylen Warren is the [Steelers] lead running by the end of the season.”

It seems unlikely that Warren would lead the Steelers in touches as long as Najee Harris is healthy, but Harris’ overall lack of efficiency and explosiveness have been well-documented since he entered the league in 2021. On the contrary, Warren’s efficiency since entering the league as a UDFA last season has been just as well-documented, and the second-year back has continued to impress this offseason. Warren ate into Harris’ workload last season, particularly on passing downs, and he’s expected to be utilized heavily on third downs this season. Graziano isn’t the first to speculate Warren overtaking Harris at some point in 2023, but it will likely take either an injury to Harris or a complete decline in his play for that to come to fruition. Warren is still a high-end handcuff who would be a low-end RB1 if Harris ever missed time.
As much as I love Warren it’s hard to imagine a scenario where he becomes our lead back (Barring injury). A very nice thunder to Najee’s lightning though, gives our O a different look when he is on the field. Love the way he goes about it, he definitely warrants more usage this season however considering his numbers a season ago
 

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As much as I love Warren it’s hard to imagine a scenario where he becomes our lead back (Barring injury). A very nice thunder to Najee’s lightning though, gives our O a different look when he is on the field. Love the way he goes about it, he definitely warrants more usage this season however considering his numbers a season ago
Hes a good backup a mini-Najee, but hard to see him being a #1
 
Almost game day, feels like an eternity since we seen the Steelers play meaningful snaps.
Hard not to be excited with how everything has gone for us this off season. From free agency, to the draft, training camp and pre season we have been building nicely. In saying all that, I feel we get a little humbling from the Niners tomorrow. There’s been a bit too much hype on Kenny and this team for my liking based on pre season performance. I’ve seen people in the media predict us anywhere from winning the division up to playing in the AFC Championship Game. I think we should be an improved team for sure, but I feel we are 1-2 years away from really competing. The AFC is loaded, our Division is stacked, and the Niners have arguably the best roster in Football. This will be our biggest challenge all season I feel and yes Tomlin has the boys historically ready to go Week 1 but I can see us getting punched in the mouth by a team very much in their Super Bowl window (Hope I’m wrong!)
 
Well, I thought we’d get a humbling, I did not expect it to be that big however. After a solid pre season I feel maybe a few of our players were believing their own hype. Nothing seemed to go right, a dirty day made worse with key injuries to Heyward and Johnson.

Take nothing away from the efforts of the Niners, we ran in to a well oiled team that will go deep in the NFC. Our defense couldn’t get off the field, the Niners scored on all but one first half possession whilst we did not pick up a 1st down until 1:30 remaining in the 2nd qtr I’m pretty sure.

Kenny played nervously and looked as though he felt the noise from the pre season chatter. Our offense in general was poor but I give as much credit here to Bosa, Warner and the likes. Kenny had little time in the pocket to let the play develop and go through his progressions.
TJ was his usual self. 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 5 tackles (1 TFL) and 1 pass defended. Huge effort, with very little help either side of the ball. On his 3rd and final sack of the day, he tied James Harrison for the most sacks in Franchise history with 80.5.

They say week 1 makes a liar of everyone, teams that won/looked good won’t make playoffs, and teams that lost/looked bad will have a home playoff game. Are we really that bad? Or are the Niners really just that good? Time will tell. For reference, the Bengals were poor also today and I expect them to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, it’s a long season.

Week 2 v the Browns will tell us a bit more
 
Cameron Heyward will miss multiple weeks due to the groin injury suffered in Sunday's 30-7 loss to the 49ers, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Heyward exited the game in the first quarter and attempted to return, but he ultimately hobbled back off the field and remained sidelined for the rest of the contest. The veteran's potential several-week absence, including a possible stint on IR, is a significant blow to the Steelers' defense. Although the specifics of the injury are still unknown, Garafolo notes that the veteran may need surgery to repair it.
 
Cameron Heyward will miss multiple weeks due to the groin injury suffered in Sunday's 30-7 loss to the 49ers, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Heyward exited the game in the first quarter and attempted to return, but he ultimately hobbled back off the field and remained sidelined for the rest of the contest. The veteran's potential several-week absence, including a possible stint on IR, is a significant blow to the Steelers' defense. Although the specifics of the injury are still unknown, Garafolo notes that the veteran may need surgery to repair it.
Yeah we took a beating both from a scoreboard and physical point of view.
Heyward is indeed having surgery, likely out 8 weeks.
Other injuries were Johnson who looks set to miss atleast a couple with a hamstring injury. Leal injured his tricep, Okorafor got concussion, Freiermuth has a sore chest from that heavy hit he took in the end zone. We are licking our wounds and have to quickly turn this thing around against a division opponent that made the Bengals look as bad as we did in week 1
 
Man it wasn’t pretty, but I’ll take an ugly win over a pretty loss any day.
Our defense came to play after last weeks performance and with out them we lose that game. Chubb getting injured wasn’t great to see. Love watching him play and I hope he can get back out there doing what he loves.
Our offense is very hard to watch, very hard. At this stage I’m not sure if it’s Kenny or Canada. We struggle for first downs, then you put the TV on another game and teams are just marching up & down the field, it’s frustrating to see.
The one pass I give this offense is that we have come up against the Niners (arguably the best defense in football) and the Browns (Held Cincy to 3 points a week ago, although weather affected, they are a much improved unit). Next up is the Raiders, a team that the Bills just scored 38 points on, followed by the Texans. We’ll know more about this offense in a fortnight’s time
 

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Arthur Smith has worked previously with a bevy of coaches with Pittsburgh connections, including Mike Vrabel, who started his playing career with the Steelers in the late 1990s. Smith specifically talked about the working experience he had with former Steelers assistant coach and NFL lifer Tom Moore. Smith said Moore often talked to him about Chuck Noll, the Steelers' Hall of Fame coach who led Pittsburgh to four Super Bowl wins during the '70s.

"There's not a lot of literature about Chuck Noll," Smith said. "I love his humility.

"There's so many people that have Pittsburgh connections that it's kind of a dream come true to be able to work here. I'm somebody that loves the history of this game. ... Everybody to a person talks about how special it is to work here in Pittsburgh. I don't know many places like this at all in professional spots with the history. ... When people see that Steelers logo, they know what it is. The fan base is real football fans here. They love it. I'm excited to be a part of it."
 

In five seasons as an offensive play caller, Smith's teams have shown a propensity to run the ball and do it well.

In fact, in only one of his seasons have his teams ranked outside the top 10 in rushing attempts – that coming in his first season as head coach of the Falcons, who were 29th in rushing attempts in 2021.

That would seem to mesh well with what the Steelers have in place.
 
Steelers don’t need anymore diva receivers, we’ve had our fair share lately. Let Pickens cook as the true WR1 we know he is. Obviously will garner closer attention going fwd but the boy does deserve his lions share of targets each and every week.
Queen a good signing in a much needed area of the D.
I wonder how the draft will play out. Do we go OL with our first rounder, a WR now DJ is gone…
 

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