The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to secure a win in an emotional and important game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas Eve night. The team was able to come out on top with a 13-10 victory despite trailing since the very first possession of the game. The offense won't wow anybody with the box score or have many lobbying for offensive coordinator, Matt Canada to keep his job, but the unit did enough at the end of the contest while the defense barely allowed 200 total yards and came up with continuous big stops throughout the evening. It wasn't perfect though and there are plenty of pain points to take a look at.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 31: Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers watches from the sidelines during the second half against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 31, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Steelers defeated the Browns 15-10. | Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
While someone who went to bed early may take a look at the final score and review the final touchdown drive orchestrated by rookie quarterback, Kenny Pickett and think that was the Steelers only opportunity to win, it's possible that Pittsburgh may have not even needed to be in that position. Kicker, Chris Boswell was not himself once again and he had four opportunities to put the ball through the uprights for three points and missed two of them.
Let's be clear here, it's not the easiest thing to kick in what feels like negative temperatures, especially when you are standing on the sideline not knowing what to do with yourself most of the game. That doesn't change the fact that the Steelers front office signed Boswell to a four-year, $20 million extension in the off-season. He was paid to be the franchise kicker and the inconsistencies this season are absolutely something to be concerned about.
The former Pro Bowl kicker was placed on IR earlier this season and his replacement during that time, Matthew Wright, was 12/14 and even ended up making his last 12 field goals after missing his first two. No one is calling for Boswell to be replaced, but his poor play this year is reminiscent of 2018 when he was just 13/22.
Chris Boswell warms up prior to the Steelers hosting the Las Vegas Raiders for a home game in September 2021 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Boswell was very accountable after signing the big contract in the summer which is set to keep him in Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future. He acknowledged the business side of football and just because he received a lucrative paycheck for a kicker, doesn't mean he's a surefire bet to be here long-term:
"I just got signed, but I still have to perform. Every day, I come out here and kick. Every game I have, I’m competing for my job because if I’m not getting the job done, then they’ll find somebody to do it. This contract means a lot to me, but it doesn’t have anything to do with my future. I got to earn that," Boswell said back in August.
It's hard to tell whether Boswell's groin injury that he dealt with earlier in the year is still causing some issues and the weather in Pittsburgh on Saturday night certainly didn't help, but he gets paid to make kicks and his 68.2% conversion rate is the second worst of his career. It is absolutely concerning to take a look at his lack of consistency this season, which has not been an issue for almost his entire career.
Pittsburgh Steelers kicker, Chris Boswell (#9), celebrates a made kick against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. | Peter Diana / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The playoff chances for Pittsburgh are very slim, but the final two games need to be won if there is a shot to slip into the dance. Boswell almost cost the team that opportunity after his two misses from 43 and 52 yards on Saturday. Granted, both times, the offense probably should have been left on the field, but hindsight is 20/20. When getting an opportunity to kick the ball through the uprights, Boswell needs to be connecting in the 90% range. If he is 100% healthy, there are some worries Head Coach Mike Tomlin should have as of right now.
Are you disappointed with Boswell's play this season? Let us know in the comments below!
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