The Pittsburgh Steelers play the New Orleans Saints on Sunday in Pittsburgh at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday at 1pm ET. Mark Schlereth joined The PM Team w/ Poni & Mueller Friday afternoon to discuss the upcoming matchup. The Steelers are hoping to turn the season around against the Saints and have to hope that the game analyst assigned to the game and the offense don’t share a common trait and “stink” on Sunday.
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Schlereth has been a color commentator on Fox game broadcasts since 2017 and has been commentating on the NFL since his career was cut short in 2001 after a seemingly endless stream of injuries. He earned his famous “stink” nickname for his unusual personal habits in the NFL. The former Super Bowl Champion who will be calling the game on Sunday had a lot to say about the 2022 Steelers.
“I really like him as a young player,” Schlereth told Chris Mueller about Kenny Pickett. “You don’t learn anything in this league until you get your a** kicked. Then you’re like, 'Oh, can’t do that again.' I think he throws the ball with authority. Quite frankly, I have gone through four games now and a lot of the picks he throws, receiver falls down pick. Guy trips, pick. Tipped ball goes in the air and somebody picks it, they are not all his fault. He’s made plenty of mistakes along the way, but I see a lot of good in him.”
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - OCTOBER 23: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) make a throw on the run during the game between the Pittsburg Steelers and the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, October 23, 2022 at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
A lot of negativity has filtered down to the rookie’s performance over the last four games. Fans went from terribly excited to see Kenny Pickett under center, to a clear division between a majority of the fan base who still support the Pitt Panther product, to a vocal minority that are blaming his play for the Steelers struggles in 2022.
“When you are minus 77 on the season in scoring differential, you do things that aren’t real judicious when it comes to taking care of the football. I really like his game and I like his athleticism. I’d like to see the Steelers get him outside the pocket a little more, on the boot action game or the waggle. Also like to see a few more designed runs for Kenny Pickett in the RPO game so he can threaten a defense. A defense doesn’t constrict as much when you do run the ball.”
Curiously the Steelers rarely take advantage of the rookie’s legs with play design. The Steelers rollouts with Pickett are obvious designs for short sideline passes that telegraph the target and are easily stopped. Naked bootlegs or throwing opposite the rollout over the middle of the field are untapped potentially huge plays for a struggling offense. The black and gold offense curiously ran more RPO’s with Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback than Pickett.
Najee Harris - Eric Hartline USA Today Sports
“I see one guy in Warren, that is almost running out of fear,” Schlereth switched gears to the Steelers running backs. “Not that he is afraid. I mean wanting that opportunity putting his foot in the ground and going to get it. Listen Harris is a big strong back, too many times I see him instead of just understanding when a play is essentially over, you’re not going to pop it outside and gain 3 yards beating them to the edge. Sorry, this is the NFL and you’re not Lamar Jackson, understand that. Put your foot in the ground, go north and south and get us a nasty three yards.”
Subtle hints have been dropped this week that Jaylen Warren will see more opportunities early in the game against the New Orleans Saints. Warren did not see increased reps in practice, but it will become apparent early in the game if the division of labor has changed. The criticism of Najee Harris is a familiar one and until he decides to run like Derrick Henry instead of just readying for work as his stunt double, he is not going to turn a significant corner in his career.
“You have got to love and embrace the nasty 3–4-yard gain,” Schlereth continues. “I tell teams that I consult for that has to be a staple of your offense. Nastiness, hard nose downhill thumping people 3 and 4-yard gains, if you do that enough, it punishes a defense. That wears down a defense and that is when your explosives start to happen. Pittsburgh is one of the worst teams in football as far as explosives.”
Credit: Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers with Harris on the field do not attack the line of scrimmage. Pro Harris factions enthusiastically share that he is hit less than a yard from when he touches the ball. Part of that stat that they don’t recognize, is he builds no head of steam before he touches the ball and is not decisive after. Warren behind the same line is not hit until he has gained 2 yards. If Harris attacked the hole like Warren and duplicated the smaller backs performance, he would easily be able to fall forward for 4 yards per carry instead of barely three.
“Just studying the film, Pat Freiermuth to me has an unbelievably good feel,” Schlereth said. “Route running, knowing how to get open. Man coverage, zone knowing where the grass is top of the stem, and how to get away from coverage. That to me makes a lot of sense if you are going to run him in the middle of the field. The great tight ends eat the middle of the football field, they eat up the underneath coverage and the over-the-top coverage. When you eat up the over-the-top coverage you get one on one on one on the outside. That guy has the potential to be one of those guys.”
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Pat Freiermuth, who was the Steelers second round pick in 2021, is on the edge of elite and the Chase Claypool trade should free up opportunity for the Penn State product and George Pickens to take a larger role in the current offense. Both have flashed star potential and they could transform the consistency of the Pittsburgh passing game with increased targets.
“I see guys getting open,” Schlereth concluded about the Pittsburgh offense. “When you can’t run the ball efficiently and you’re not in second down and manageable, you get yourself in too many predictable situations. When you get in predictable situations, your offensive line takes a beating. You can’t throw three step drops; you can’t do things you need to do to take the onus off of the offensive line. This is not a great group up front, they have to be on schedule. You have to mitigate some of the disaster up front.”
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Schlereth paved the way for three Super Bowl winners as a guard with the Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos. Those teams featured two of the best offensive lines of the era and he was an integral part of both teams’ success. The Steelers do not have nearly the same talent currently up front, so they need every advantage they can get to improve offensively. Pittsburgh’s offense cannot wait until third and long and expect the offensive line to protect Pickett long enough for receivers to get deep enough to pick up first downs. It makes the entire offense look incompetent when they consistently put themselves behind schedule.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Is Mark Schlereth on the money about the changes the Steelers need to make offensively? Please comment below or on my Twitter @the bubbasq.
