The Pittsburgh Steelers have come to the most important part of the season. The team clinched a playoff spot in Week 15 thanks to the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins both losing, but the Steelers did lose to the Philadelphia Eagles -- which lessened their lead in the AFC North. Pittsburgh has a chance to win the division if it can beat Baltimore in Week 16, but that will be a tough task as the game comes at the end of a short week and the Steelers are pretty beat up.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan (left) and Head Coach Mike Tomlin (right) sit in the franchise's draft room as they anxiously watch the board in 2023.
The Steelers are battling through some pretty big injuries going into Week 16. George Pickens is still dealing with a hamstring injury, TJ Watt suffered an ankle injury during the loss on Sunday, and Donte Jackson is dealing with a back injury. The injury to Pickens was the worst case scenario for the Steelers during the 2024 season. The team's depth at the position was questioned throughout the offseason, and now it is becoming obvious that General Manager Omar Khan should have pulled the trigger when it comes to acquiring a bigger name wide receiver.
Former Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch appeared on 102.5 DVE, where he was asked about Khan's worst nightmare coming to reality.
"That was the nervous part for me coming into the game," Batch said about Pickens being out. "Because you have George Pickens' 850 yards on a season, but the rest of the receiver group as a whole don't even have 850 yards. So when you look at it, there's no threat. So you knew the Eagles were gonna challenge him in the pass game, get up in their faces, and obviously you see the result with Russell Wilson with only 128 yards to total of offense or passing offense."
Pickens was definitely missed during the loss on Sunday. The passing game for the Steelers struggled tremendously, as did the offense in general. The third-year wide receiver suffered the hamstring injury during practice ahead of Pittsburgh's Week 14 game against the Cleveland Browns. He missed the game against Cleveland, but the offense still found a way to succeed. Against Philadelphia, it was a different story.
AP
Steelers' George Pickens walks off the field after a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024.
The poor offensive performance on Sunday against the Eagles kind of falls directly on the shoulders of Khan. He had opportunities to land big-name wide receivers during the offseason and training camp, and he decided against it. The Brandon Aiyuk saga lasted nearly a month, but Khan lost out on the wide receiver.
The Steelers settled for Mike Williams at the trade deadline, which was a good idea in theory, however he hasn't been given the opportunity to make any plays. Williams has barely been on the field since landing in Pittsburgh, even with Pickens being sidelined with an injury. It is becoming clearer by the week that Khan should have done more to address the receiver position.
Steelers' Omar Khan Needed To Do More On The Defensive Side Of The Ball As Well
Khan pulled off a great move during the 2024 offseason when he traded for Jackson, who has been a decent starting cornerback for the Steelers. Going into the year, the starting tandem of Jackson and Joey Porter Jr. was extremely suitable, but even the casual fan knew that the depth behind them at the position was questionable at best.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Cam Sutton high fives Donte Jackson before a preseason game against the Lions.
Cory Trice Jr. was the third-string cornerback, and he missed his entire rookie year in 2023, so injuries were a concern for him as well. Trice has been out since Week 3 this season.
Cornerback and wide receiver are key positions on a football team, and Khan did not do enough to address these positions. The depth at cornerback is laughable, and the wide receiver room is the worst in the league if Pickens can't play.
Do you think Khan is aware of his mistakes? Let us know in the comments below!
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