One thing is for certain, the Pittsburgh Steelers have quickly gone downhill. Who are three Steelers that deserve to lose their job after a disappointing Week 3 loss?
It’s three weeks into the 2021-22 NFL regular season and the Pittsburgh Steelers look awful. Guaranteed the team was without key players, edge rusher T.J. Watt and receiver Diontae Johnson to name a couple, but something needs to drastically change if Pittsburgh hopes to have any chance to turn its season around.
The offense couldn’t do much of anything in a 24-10 loss to AFC North foe Cincinnati Bengals and the pass-rush defense, plagued by injuries, performed less than stellar. There were three Steelers who had atrocious performances in Week 3 and don’t deserve to make it to Week 4.
The list includes veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who threw for one touchdown and two interceptions in Sunday’s game.
3. Matt Canada
Maybe this one is a bit harsh, but offensive coordinator Matt Canada has been the leading force behind the team’s four touchdowns and 43 points over the course of three games. His first season with his new title isn’t off to the hot start that he hoped it would be. The lone bright spot in Pittsburgh’s offense has been rookie RB Najee Harris, but that’s no surprise.
The Steelers only thought that the days of former offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner were in the past, but there are parallels drawn between him and Canada. Matt’s playcalling is, um, questionable. His job has been made a lot more difficult with the offensive line and his QB, but he definitely hasn’t built any confidence in his coordinator capabilities.
A screen pass in the red zone, on 4th and 10, down 14 with three minutes left in the game doesn’t make much sense at all. If there’s one thing that Canada can be counted on for, though, it’s throwing screens on third and fourth downs.
This may be a bit of an overreaction, but it doesn’t feel like it after sitting through a grueling three hours watching Pittsburgh unravel on offense. There’s a lot that needs to happen that goes beyond Canada’s playcalling, but something needs to change on his end. And fast.
2. The entire offensive line
Literally, all five starters. Okay, clearly Pittsburgh can’t fire the entire offensive line, but it’s probably at least been considered. That’s just how bad the offensive line has been three weeks into the season. In Week 2’s 26-17 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, the players protecting Roethlisberger let him take 10 hits, which likely led to his pectoral injury. That’s inexcusable.
Ben has struggled enough, but if he can’t count on the five men up front, this season will go from bad to worse real quick. In Week 3’s 24-10 loss to the Bengals, every single starter on the Steelers’ offensive line received penalties. Not to mention, Roethlisberger was sacked four times, too. It didn’t seem like it could get much worse after last Sunday, but it did.
The line can’t block, can’t provide pass protection and can’t be counted on to come up big in plays where Pittsburgh needs them the most. Remember last week when coach Mike Tomlin opted to punt on 4th & 1 down two scores in the fourth quarter?
While the Steelers boast a top-defense in the league when they can stay healthy, defensive lines on Pittsburgh’s remaining schedule are going to have an absolute field day whenever they line up across from the sad excuse of the black and gold’s offensive line.
If Pittsburgh’s five men up front can’t be trusted, on top of its quarterback, what is there left to play for?
1. Ben Roethlisberger
Yinz, it’s time. With how 39-year-old Ben Roethlisberger has looked three weeks into the season, he should consider announcing his retirement in today’s postgame presser. It’s his 18th season in the league and his 17th probably should’ve been his last.
Long gone are the days where Ben would annihilate defenses with four touchdown performances and walk-off of the field with his dignity. Let’s take a look into just how bad he’s been as the leader of Pittsburgh’s offense this season.
In Week 1, he completed 18-of-32 passes and threw for 188 yards and one touchdown in a win over Buffalo that is now even more mind-boggling. In Week 2, he went 27-of-40 for 295 yards with one touchdown and interception. That brings us to Week 3, where he completed 38-of-58 passes and threw for 318 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Guaranteed Roethlisberger’s offensive line has been terrible, but it’s evident that he no longer is who he once was. That’s one of the things about aging in professional sports, you lose your abilities (unless you’re Tom Brady). Ben suffered a pectoral injury in Week 2, so maybe his performance in Week 3 was partly due to that, but it doesn’t quite seem like it.
Backup QB Mason Rudolph definitely isn’t the answer to the Steelers’ struggling offense, but Dwayne Haskins deserves a chance. At this point, Pittsburgh has nothing to lose, but it’s debatable as to if Ben should take another snap.