The Pittsburgh Steelers six-game streak of winning one-score games came crashing to a halt in Week 11. The Cleveland Browns jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first half and watched the Steelers follow a familiar formula seizing momentum and tying the game in the fourth quarter with both teams having 10 points. Pittsburgh gave Kenny Pickett an opportunity to win the game with under two minutes remaining, but there was no fourth-quarter magic in Cleveland on Sunday.
Associated Press
Steelers Kenny Pickett and the offense struggled against the Cleveland Browns.
Mike Tomlin lost to a rookie quarterback for the second time in 2023. Dorian Thompson-Robinson did not carve up the Steelers as CJ Stroud did for the Houston Texans, but he did enough with his legs and arm to win the game. Tomlin and Teryl Austin chose to play coverage rather than pressure the Browns rookie at the end of both halves, ultimately costing them the game.
The real blame rests squarely on an anemic offense. Tomlin has been flippant and borderline defiant during his post-game press conferences on questions about his offense. After his quarterback’s worst game as a professional, Tomlin seemed resigned to head questions off during Sunday’s meeting with the media.
“Weren’t able to get enough big plays on offense for the field positioning component and thus the points component of it,” Tomlin stated. “That’s what you gotta do when you play a great defense in their venue. You're not going to drive the ball 15 play drives and things like that. You need some chunks to comprise those scoring drives, and we knew that.”
If the Steelers and Matt Canada knew they needed chunk plays, why were so many screens in the game plan? Pittsburgh has not run many screens so far in 2023, but allowing free rushers into the backfield against the Browns to fool them was a bad plan by the worst coordinator in football. So much for "Sideline Canada's" undefeated run.
“We’ll learn from this. We’ll do so while absorbing the L because that’s what you do in this thing, and we’ll be back,” Tomlin stated.
The Steeler's most significant plays came from Jaylen Warren, who only ran the ball nine times for 129 yards and an electrifying 74-yard touchdown. Pittsburgh rushed for 172 total yards on 25 carries. The Steelers rushing attack posted their third consecutive game with at least 150 yards. The Steelers got almost half on one play, but the recipe for success for this offense should be clear to Canada and Tomlin. Run the football.
Associated Press
Steelers running back tandem of Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris post their third consecutive game of 150 yards rushing.
The passing game was abysmal, and in the second half, Pickett seemed to be forcing the ball in the direction of Diontae Johnson. The Browns played single-high safety coverage a lot against George Pickens, and Pickett did not take advantage of it. A fact that is even more astonishing when you consider how well the Steelers are running the ball.
“When you're unsuccessful, there’s a lot of latitude in terms of judgment,” Tomlin responded about his offense’s final opportunity to score. “We stand by what we did.”
Steelers President Art Rooney II Details Reasons Why Matt Canada Was Retained
Another word for unsuccessful is failure, which is precisely what happened on the final drive. The Steelers got the ball with just under two minutes remaining through three incomplete passes and used 14 seconds before punting the football back to the Browns. Canada poorly designed the pass plays, or Pickett needs to throw the ball anywhere but the sideline. Tomlin and Art Rooney deserve credit. They retained a bad offensive coordinator and broke their would-be franchise quarterback.
AP Photo
Steelers Team President Art Rooney II and Head Coach Mike Tomlin oversee practice during the 2021 minicamp in Pittsburgh.
Before the quarterback injury news that befell the AFC North, Pittsburgh would have been happy with an Ohio split. The pressure to beat the Cincinnati Bengals and their rookie quarterback is now a must-win. The division and the playoffs are still within reach. The Steelers can't afford to keep playing one-score games, no matter how comfortable Tomlin is standing on the sideline in them.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Are you beyond frustrated with the offense, or was Sunday's loss just bad luck? Please comment below or on my Twitter/X: @thebubbasq.
#SteelerNation
