Thursday night games are grueling leading up to the game, as teams have to typically scramble from playing over the weekend to getting ready for a game within a few days. That said, you do get the benefit afterward where now you have a long stretch before playing again, almost like another bye week.
This is a good time to rest up and get healthy. It is also a good time to make some changes to the roster, as there is plenty of time to get acclimated. The Steelers enter this period off a win, but changes still need to be made. Here are five critical changes Pittsburgh has to implement during this stretch.
Steelers need to keep Matt Canada on the turf
In what became a bigger talking point than it arguably should have been, Matt Canada called plays from the sideline against the Titans as opposed to in the box. While this shouldn’t have made the news as it did, the team did seem to perform better.
No, Canada being on the field didn’t suddenly make him an elite offensive coordinator. Nor did it even make the offense elite, as they only put up 20 points. What it did do was allow Canada to coordinate the changes he wanted to implement quicker and easier, as he wasn’t communicating from the booth.
It was a noticeable difference in this game, and because of that, it has to stay. I fully expect this offense to continue to struggle even with Canada on the field, but if it helps make some improvements, it has to be seen as worth it. Just in time for winter, Canada should be ready to remain on the sideline during games.
Steelers need to figure out their tight end room
Before the season began, one of the deepest rooms on paper for the Steelers was the tight end room. Pat Freirmuth had a pair of dynamic seasons and Connor Heyward was a surprise weapon on the offense. Add in Darnell Washington joining the team as a third-round pick and this seemed like a strength of this team.
The results, unfortunately, haven’t been there. Pat Freiermuth was barely being used in the passing game early in the season. He was kept in to block, which isn’t his strength, and the passing game as a whole has been poor. He is currently on injured reserve and the big contract he seemed locked in for is now in doubt.
Heyward has been less of a gadget player and more of a traditional undersized tight end. He hasn’t been bad in that role and has arguably remained in line with his statistical expectations. Washington, on the other hand, has not. He has been invisible in the passing game, and the hope of him contributing in the red zone now seems like a distant memory.
With the offense showing a bit more life against the Titans, the game plan has to involve getting the tight ends involved. Freirmuth will eventually get healthy and needs to be used as a safety valve. Heyward and Washington should also get more involved. This unit needs to recapture some of the hype that they had in the offseason.
Steelers need to scheme around Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren
The Titans game was one of the best ones on the ground for the Steelers. Both Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris got the job done this week. Harris was his usual self, providing some tough runs while also finding the endzone. While nothing amazing, he was steady and powerful.
Warren was another story. His burst and ability to pick up extra yards in space was on display once again, and despite having fewer carries than Harris, he outgained him on the ground. He is also a more dynamic receiving threat. He and Harris are just about splitting snaps, and that is well-earned.
What I really liked seeing was snaps where both running backs were on the field. Harris would line up as the traditional back and Warren was more of a half-back, playing along the line. This has been successful, and more of these plays need to be drawn up. As well, having both backs in the backfield could also make sense.
This offense, while better, was still pretty poor against the Titans. The passing game is a wreck, so a good rushing attack will be key in keeping this offense on pace. Using both backs equally and even at the same time can be a big boost to this offense. The team won last year because of their running game and needs to build around the success they had against the Titans.
Steelers need to keep their rookies involved
A bright spot for the Steelers this past week was the rookie usage the team employed against the Titans. Despite this draft class being one of the most hyped ones in recent memory, it was a slow start for the class. Keeanu Benton was the only player getting consistent reps at first despite some highlights from other players.
Joey Porter has consistently played well and was finally announced as a starter this week. He has been as close to perfect from a rookie perspective as you could want. Penalties were an issue this week, but he is still dynamic in coverage.
The team also saw Broderick Jones get his second start, and once again he looked good. So did Darnell Washington, who netted his second reception and got back on track as a blocker. Add in the surprise work from pickup Darius Rush and this entire team had their rookies on display this past week and to good effect.
There will certainly be some lumps. Porter will eventually have a bad game, Rush needs to grow, and Jones was a raw prospect coming out of Georgia. That said, this class has the potential to be one of the best in recent years. Porter and Benton need to continue to start while Jones, Rush, and Washington need to be given opportunities to show their growth.
Steelers need to get Pickett on the right track
Despite the hope of a big second season, the Steelers haven’t gotten a lot of good play out of Kenny Pickett. Fans are quick to defend him, citing whatever they can to hold onto the glimmer of hope that he has shown as a player, but the fact of the matter is, he hasn’t been a great player in his second season.
Where he has excelled is in the fourth quarter. For some reason, being in a close game in the final quarter makes Pickett come alive. He has multiple game-winning drives to his name, and his passing stats late in the game are leaps and bounds better than the rest of the game. Pickett is clutch, even if the remainder of the game he plays poorly.
I can’t even fathom why this is, but the Steelers need to find a way to harness this and have him play like this for more than 15 minutes. If he does, and does this consistently, my faith in Pickett will come back. He looks like a different player during that span, and that needs to be shown for the rest of the game.
The Steelers have a long stretch off, and they need to maximize this time as a team. While getting healthy is key, getting better also has to be the goal. These five changes would go a long way in continuing to improve as a team and remain competitive.