Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin typically talks concerning the significance of his gamers “not getting scorching” in NFL video games. Which means you come out able to go from the opening whistle.
That wasn’t precisely the case for the Steelers on both facet of the soccer on Sunday in Cleveland.
A timeout burned the second play of a defensive scrimmage on account of too many males on the sphere on account of communication points, after which a lackluster first two performs from the offense confirmed deep in its personal finish for the NFL defensive finish and present podcast host Chris Lengthy that the Steelers merely weren’t able to play.
Lengthy appeared Monday on the most recent episode of his podcast, “Inexperienced Gentle Podcast,” essential of the Steelers and their efficiency early within the sport.
“Pittsburgh wasn’t able to play, and that is what it comes all the way down to. Twelve males on the sphere on the second play, it’s important to use the timeout. On the landing drive you permit [David] Njoku for an explosive, you launched him. You’ve got a face masks,” Lengthy mentioned of the Steelers’ poor begin on the highway in a hostile setting in an enormous sport. “The offense, you begin the sport with the security, you get saved. The second play, JOK [Cleveland linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah]I believe it was, it simply continues [Connor] Heyward within the crease there between the deal with and the tight finish. Blisters that flare up.
“They’re simply not able to play but. First and 10, you get a delay of play within the first half.
That is been a couple of occasions now the place the Steelers have not precisely been able to play from the soar. That goes again to the sport in opposition to the Houston Texans in week 4, when the Steelers got here out smooth and gradual and acquired blown out. Though they weren’t eradicated on Sunday in Cleveland, the beginning was relatively awkward as one workforce acquired up for the sport whereas the opposite appeared to heat as much as it.
As soon as the Steelers acquired used to it, they did not make any changes.
That was evident within the passing sport when Cleveland ran a ton of zones, complicated the Steelers, who ready for extra man protection. Add to that the truth that the Browns appeared to know what was going to occur earlier than the break, it led to a really troublesome day for Pittsburgh.
Lengthy was additionally essential of offensive coordinator Matt Canada.
“The offensive scheme, Kyle, there are video games just like the Jacksonville sport and I believe Steelers Depot made me say, it is not Matt Canada’s fault. And other people thought it wasn’t Matt Canada’s fault normally. It is not Matt Canada’s fault each week. It is Matt Canada’s fault this week,” Lengthy added, based on the video through the present’s YouTube web page. “It is Matt Canada’s fault this week as a result of there have been no changes. Kenny Pickett talked about that after the sport. … They knew their performs. And what I am about to let you know, Kyle, confirms that as a result of the Browns are enjoying just a little extra zone. Okay? Like they adjusted it from quarter to quarter.
“Take the second-and-11 swing cross early within the sport. When you keep in mind, they ran journeys to at least one facet. They run the swing cross there. They suppose these three receivers will clear it up as a result of these guys are most likely man. However even if you happen to’re within the zone, these guys should not be so fast to leap into this play. And the slot defender makes a transfer to make this play earlier than Kenny Pickett even will get the snap.
Lengthy additionally talked about cases the place the Browns’ defenders have been shifting earlier than Steelers gamers even moved, though that has not but appeared on tape.
Beforehand, Lengthy acknowledged that the gamers wanted to execute popping out of the Jacksonville sport, which we wrote about right here, offering correct context after a sport wherein gamers did not make the performs that have been there within the loss to the Jaguars . That wasn’t the case in opposition to Cleveland on Sunday. There was actually nothing, other than a couple of performs.
However the lack of changes from the teaching employees on Sunday, particularly offensively, was fairly devastating. The Browns did a superb job of protecting issues up earlier than and after the snap, complicated the Steelers and quarterback Kenny Pickett. All through the sport, the second-year quarterback was horrible. It was the worst efficiency of his profession, interval.
Nevertheless, teaching did not assist him discover solutions in opposition to a terrific protection.
Najee Harris was pissed off after the sport, and rightly so. Your entire offense was pissed off. Solely 10 factors and 249 yards of whole offense, a fourth straight sport passing beneath 200 yards in a sport as effectively. The run sport could also be bettering, however the passing sport is declining, and declining quick.
Even with Canada on the sidelines, which eases communication, the passing sport has struggled to get going. The quarterback is trying worse week after week, the receivers are pissed off and issues simply do not get higher.
