Tag: Steelers

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NFL (American Football)

Steelers Struggle: Consecutive Home Losses to 2-10 Teams Raise Questions About Team Identity and Playoff Hopes

Steelers
Steelers (Credits: Steelers Now)

The Pittsburgh Steelers, with only seven wins under their belt, faced an alarming setback as they suffered consecutive losses at home against 2-10 teams, casting a shadow over the team’s performance. This unexpected downturn occurred during what was supposed to be a relatively straightforward stretch in their schedule before the season’s culmination.

In Thursday night’s 21-18 defeat, the Steelers displayed collective ineptitude, with an offense struggling under Mitch Trubisky’s leadership and a defense that faltered against Bailey Zappe’s first-half onslaught. Veteran safety Minkah Fitzpatrick attributed the team’s failure against low-ranked opponents to a lack of mental resilience and a reluctance to put in the necessary effort.

Steelers
Steelers (Credits: ABC27)

Fitzpatrick emphasized the need for hard work, stating, “In order to see the fruit, you’ve gotta toil for it. I think too many people don’t want to toil for it. They just want to walk out here and think that they’re going to make plays and perform at a high level. I think we need to have more people who want to work for it, not expect it to be handed to them.”

The loss caused the Steelers to drop from the fifth spot to the eighth in the AFC standings, diminishing their playoff prospects. The upcoming games against the Colts, Bengals, Seahawks, and Ravens, all vying for playoff positions, add pressure to the team’s already precarious situation.

The offense struggled early on in the Thursday game, going three-and-out on three of its first five possessions. Trubisky’s performance drew criticism, prompting chants for backup Mason Rudolph in the first half. The defense, typically a stalwart support for the team, also faltered in the past two weeks.

Facing adversity, the Steelers must now overcome a two-game losing streak to revive their postseason hopes. Despite the recent setbacks, coach Mike Tomlin expressed confidence in the team’s ability to rebound, asserting, “This is what we do. This is who we are.” With four games remaining in the 2023 season, the Steelers have a limited window to redefine their identity on the field.

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NFL (American Football)

Steelers Tight End Pat Freiermuth to Miss More Time Due to Aggravated Hamstring Injury

Steelers Tight End Pat Freiermuth
Steelers Tight End Pat Freiermuth

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth, who was initially expected to miss 2-3 weeks due to a hamstring injury suffered in Week 4, is now facing a longer absence. According to NFL Media, Freiermuth aggravated his hamstring injury during Thursday’s practice and underwent an MRI on Friday morning. As a result, he will be unavailable for this Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams, and his return to action has been postponed.

Freiermuth, who will celebrate his 25th birthday next week, sat out the Steelers’ Week 5 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, and the team had a bye week in Week 6. In the four games he has played this season, Freiermuth has caught eight passes for 53 yards and two touchdowns.

Steelers Tight End Pat Freiermuth
Steelers Tight End Pat Freiermuth

Despite entering the 2023 season as CBS Sports’ seventh-ranked tight end, based on his impressive 2022 performance of 63 receptions for 732 yards and two scores, Freiermuth, like the Pittsburgh offense as a whole, has struggled this season. While he had a solid outing with three catches for 41 yards and a touchdown in the Week 3 win against the Las Vegas Raiders, he has failed to record more than seven receiving yards in any other game.

In Freiermuth’s absence, tight ends Darnell Washington and Connor Heyward are expected to continue their roles. Currently, the Steelers offense ranks as the third-worst in the league in total yards per game (268.2) and points per game (16.5).

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NFL (American Football)

George Pickens; A Hidden Gem Awaiting the Nod For Unleashing

George Pickens In Training For Steelers (Credits: Yahoo Sports)

George Pickens convincingly maintained the well-established conviction that the Pittsburgh Steelers have a knack for picking Pro Bowl-worthy beneficiaries during the NFL Draft.

Last season, he contributed with an astonishing feature of  52 receptions for 801 yards, including four touchdowns. He achieved this feat while working with a lackluster attacking framework.

Furthermore, his devotion during the offseason, both regarding bonding with his partners and his remarkable showcasing in the preseason, simply adds to his promising growth.

George Pickens
George Pickens of Pittsburgh Steelers (Credits: The Score)

Given the circumstances, it was believably logical to assume that Pickens would experience a breakout season in 2023 or be able to help elevate the Steelers’ attacking unit from what previously was somewhat dull to a more admirable level.

It certainly seems to be on the way to progress at the moment, with some further tweaks and improvements still in the process of being made.

“Sky is The Ceiling”- An Understatement for Pickens’ Talent

George Pickens has undoubtedly begun the season with great efficiency. If it would be possible to somehow assume his overall season stats and his astonishing three-week performances, it would put him on course for 73 receptions, 1,348 yards, and five touchdowns.

However, it’s equally important to realize that such assumptions can prove to be unrealistic, as can be seen with T.J. Watt’s inspiring sack pace, which is nearly impossible to recreate even in a video game on the easiest settings. Therefore, being realistic while assuming stats is highly important to avoid getting carried away.

1300 yards is a benchmark that would require Pickens to average in excess of 18 yards per catch for the remaining season. It sure is possible but unlikely, given the output of the Steelers’ offensive unit.  However, to let the hypothesis bear fruits, George Pickens has to be more involved in The Steelers’ attacking plays.

A perfectly orchestrated way of attack needs ample amounts of different factors to bear fruits to the desired. Ambitious Coaches resort to risky but effective tactics, which basically ensure that the best players in the team are always in possession of the ball.

It’s not entirely about touchdowns only. Say, for example, Justin Jefferson is the epitome of a player whose understanding of positional play enables his team to advance further and create more chances of touchdown with Jefferson despite not scoring mostly, yet being at the heart of nearly every play.

Another Example is Keenan Allen, as the Chargers enjoyed their triumph over Jefferson’s Vikings on 24 September. Allen got hold of 18 passes for more than 200 yards in that game, successfully being at the heart of almost every play to edge out a win for his team.

Such players give a vital benefit to the team by concealing other teammates’ bad performances. Cincinnati’s Bengals’ WR Ja’mar Chase, with his individual brilliance throughout the game, ensured his team got hold of every duel. Thus hiding the woeful performances of some of his teammates underneath.

Pickens is usually deployed deep downfield, which leads to him being less involved in screenplays and slot snaps. Despite his positioning, he thrives in Yards Catch stats, depicting the fact that he makes things happen when provided with the chance and liberty to do so.

George Pickens’ involvement in the attacking plays of the Steelers ensures an intense threat to the opposition. His dummy runs make way for space for other receivers to get involved, while Quarterback Kenny Pickett enjoys advancing to the open spaces in the attacking areas made by Pickens’ runs.

Every stat in the game propagates the notion that Pickens is being under-utilized and that his involvement is the need of the hour for The Steelers.