Former Steelers Players Dominate Elsewhere - Who Is To Blame Answers Arthur Moats

The Pittsburgh Steelers improved as a whole, in all three phases of the game, during the second half of the 2022 season. Despite finishing the season 7-2 after the 2022 bye, the team did not make the postseason. There is always room for improvement, and General Manager, Omar Khan crafted what appeared to be one of the more perfect offseasons in the NFL. That is why it has been a bit of a surprise that the team has struggled some early in the 2023 season. 

Some of the changes were letting go of players that fans were actively petitioning to see gone. But the current inconsistencies have fans questioning the moves they were not too long ago applauding. Players like Kendrick Green, Kevin Dotson, Cameron Sutton, Robert Spillane and Akhello Witherspoon have gone on to other teams and appear to be playing better than when they were in Pittsburgh. 

Now, fans have turned their torches and pitchforks from the players to the coaching staff - blaming them for letting go of players who are apparently capable of more than anyone on the outside knew. One former Steelers linebacker, Arthur Moats, discussed who is really to blame for the new success. On his podcast called The Arthur Moats Experience, Moats was asked by a listener if the coaches are really to blame for this. Is it possible they missed something or were not utilizing the players correctly or is it something else? Moats was quick to point out that it is obviously situational based on the player's unique circumstances.    

"We could make it about the coaching or we could make it the players are just playing better in a different situation. Depends on how you want to view it. Depends on how you want to push it, that's the reality," Moats reasoned.

He did acknowledge that several of the players do appear to be "better" now that they aren't in Pittsburgh. The most immediate one to come to mind is Green since the Steelers just lost badly to his new team, the Houston Texans.

Green had himself a bit of a revenge game that he was only too happy to brag about on social media. Unfortunately, shortly after the game, it was revealed that Green suffered a knee injury against Pittsburgh that would end his season.  

"Prime example is Kendrick Green. Kendrick Green is playing in a different style of system, they're asking him to do something very different than what he was asked to do [in Pittsburgh]. Is that 'Oh my God man, the coaches are terrible, they do not know how to use him' or is it 'man, thank God Kendrick is in a better scheme that is more suited for him,'" Moats questioned.

He went on to point out that sometimes it is just bitterness among the fan base. At times, it can be a bit of "you don't know what you got until it's gone," as is the case with Spillane. Moats pointed out that Spillane is doing quite well with the Las Vegas Raiders. But he added that some of that is just sour grapes. 

"He made plays here too though. We also ain't always appreciate him here even though he's doing very similar things that he was doing here out in Vegas. I don't think that's a slight on the coaching staff that we have here. I thought Brian Flores did a heck of a job with him."

He said that, for those reasons, he thinks it is often just that the player is in a better situation. It can be a better mental situation with a new team, like a fresh start or it could be like with Green, where the player is just getting used in a way that more aligns with his natural talent.

"I don't think it's always necessarily a slight, 'oh this coach sucks compared to that coach.' I know we want it to be like that because it simplifies it and can give you more venom and stuff, but I don't personally see it like that."

He added that he doesn't really feel that the majority of the players that the fans had disdain for were actually playing badly. Using Dotson as an example, Moats said he felt Dotson performed well in 2022. Then, the team brought in a Super Bowl-winning veteran to compete and believed that Isaac Seumalo would do better. 

In addition, Dotson said that he performs best on the right side of the offensive line. The Steelers had him frequently lined up on the left side. Now out with the Los Angeles Rams, playing on the right side, he appears better. Of course, some of this is fans just seeing what they want to see. 

Steelers Fans Are Possibly Using This Fake Argument As Fuel?

Moats said that, from his perspective, when he watches film of Witherspoon then and now, he is basically seeing the same player. He occasionally makes splash plays and then Moats said sometimes the offense runs right past him like he wasn't even there. It was the same in Pittsburgh. 

"That's a narrative thing that we can run with and then how you feeling like 'We su*k over here with our coaches.'"

These players are good players, not great players and Steelers fans shouldn't overthink the "why" they are or aren't appearing to improve somewhere else. After all, the Steelers have certainly benefited from players performing better in Pittsburgh than on their old team. Consider the old "Chris Wormely Effect." Wormley played for the Baltimore Ravens prior to joining the Steelers and had his biggest games against his old team. Supposedly Head Coach, Mike Tomlin would get him all fired up before the game and he would come out fighting.  

So what do you think? Is this just a coincidence they seem to be playing better? Are we blind to how well some of them played since we weren't winning as many games as we wanted? Are fans using player performance to throw shade at Tomlin because they believe he should be fired? Is that entirely justified? Click to comment below.

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