The Pittsburgh Steelers are having a rough time so far in the 2023 regular season. They have two terrible losses where they were outscored by the San Francisco 49ers and the Houston Texans, 60-13. The victories are almost despite, not because of what anyone not named TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, and George Pickens has done. Much of Steeler Nation thinks the sky is falling despite a winning record after five games.
Lucy Schaly / Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher TJ Watt was fined by the NFL after their Week 5 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.
Gerry Dulac, who covers the Steelers for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, held a chat session with fans on Wednesday. The typical observations about Matt Canada is terrible, and what’s wrong with Kenny Pickett questions dominated the discourse. However, a fan named Ryan Curry asked whether it was too early to evaluate Omar Khan’s 2023 offseason performance.
“You’re right, it’s too early,” Dulac replied. “But I will pose this question: Are the players they acquired not good enough, or are they not being used properly?”
The Steelers front office operates without external distractions. Any suggestion about disagreements in personnel decisions or coaching questions play out behind closed doors. Mike Florio, the founder of Pro Football Talk, has often posited that no one in the Steelers hierarchy takes credit for anything. The best part of not taking credit when good things happen is that it takes a lot of work to assign blame when things go wrong.
Dulac’s suggestion about the utilization of how free agents and, more importantly, draft picks have been used through Week 6 is an important point. Steeler Nation has been outraged with the usage of Joey Porter Jr. and Broderick Jones. Darnell Washington has been nonexistent in the Steelers' offense. He’s a big guy, and you think he would be hard to miss. Keeanu Benton’s playing time comes with the caveat of Cam Heyward’s injury. Nick Herbig is stuck behind Watt and Highsmith, but has flashed in limited action.
%202023%20Camp%20Final%20with%20Logos/2L9A5931-544x306.jpg "Steelers George Pickens")
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George Pickens (#14) runs past Patrick Peterson (#20) in team drills at the team's training camp.
Even more curious than the draft class usage is how the free agent acquisitions have performed. Patrick Peterson was not signed to be the Steelers' top cornerback. He expressed excitement in training camp about learning to play the slot. Based on his absence from playing slot cornerback, are fans to assume that he is so bad at it they must keep him outside? That is hard to reconcile based on his play so far. Peterson is a veteran who could still contribute, but he and Levi Wallace have yet to do much to justify Porter watching from the bench.
Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers offensive lineman, Isaac Seumalo (#73) runs a practice during the team's 2023 minicamp at the UMPC Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, PA.
Allen Robinson has been a good soldier, but is an afterthought in a simple offense. Isaac Seumalo has been a mild disappointment. Based on the performance of Kendrick Green and Kevin Dotson for other NFL franchises, you have to question if the Steelers blocking scheme is so bad that no one can look good doing it. Desmond King came and went with one whole defensive snap to show for it. Breiden Fehoko has not received a defensive snap, even with the Steelers' apparent need for a big body in the middle of the defensive line.
Steelers' Broderick Jones Declines To Speak With Media After Dan Moore Appears To Regain Starting Position
The curious coaching decisions do beg the question of whether this is an open rebellion by the coaching staff. It does not make football sense to bench Jones after he proved he can handle playing left tackle. Keeping Porter and Jones on the sidelines seems like an in spite of move by Mike Tomlin. Is it possible that the coaching staff resented the credit that Andy Weidl and Khan got for revamping the roster?
AP Photo
Steelers Team President Art Rooney II and Head Coach Mike Tomlin oversee practice during the 2021 minicamp in Pittsburgh.
The idea is plausible. Tomlin’s is only under contract through 2024. Steelers fans have learned the painful lesson with Canada that Pittsburgh doesn’t fire coaches, no matter how richly they deserve it. Art Rooney II lets the contract expire and moves on. Is something happening behind the scenes among Khan, Rooney, and Tomlin? It would certainly explain the infuriating gridlock in the Steelers organization.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Do you think the coaching staff is making poor decisions because of incompetence or defiance? Please comment below or on my Twitter/X: @thebubbasq.
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