Category: Commentary

Steelers’ Ray-Ray McCloud, the dark horse primed to break one off

It’s always the lesser-known guy who surprises everyone.

Ray-Ray McCloud is itching to take one to the house. You can just tell.

In five kickoff returns, McCloud contributed 144 yards for an average of 29 yards per return. He’s no Cordarrelle Patterson or Devin Duvernay but still a big deal for Pittsburgh who hasn’t had a dynamic kick returner since Antonio Brown left.

Punt returns require a different technical skill set than kick returns, but McCloud showed he could handle both when Johnson exited the Week 3 game with a concussion. Oddly, Ray-Ray logged the same 12.5-yard average on punt returns as Diontae.

[lawrence-related id=477611]

I’d expect Johnson to assume his role in the punt return game Week 5, but his butterfingers make me nervous. Assigning McCloud to both roles would be a solid move if he continues to have success with it.

In my opinion, one of our “star” receivers should not be involved on special teams. Johnson, though he ranks 13th in punt returns, is prone to concussions and has already suffered two in as many seasons. Anytime they had Mr. Big Chest back there, I’d close my eyes and press rewind in those five times he took it to the house. Even with running starts on kickoffs eliminated in 2018, why risk injury to a top receiver? The Steelers are keeping a guy on the roster solely for special teams who has been performing just as well. (Though McCloud is labeled a wide receiver, he’s only been used in three offensive snaps this season, after Johnson left the game on Sunday.)

But I digress.

I say, give Ray-Ray more opportunities. Practice makes perfect, right? Then again, I’m not a coach for a reason — well, many reasons actually.

Let’s just hope he’s not another Ryan Switzer… a guy who showed promise at first but never actually did anything.

[vertical-gallery id=477947]

Steelers vs. Titans: Ramifications for Pittsburgh if game moved to Week 8

Pittsburgh will likely have to pay the price of an early bye week and a savage midseason schedule for a mess not of its doing.

We’re all anxiously awaiting the NFL’s announcement of the new date for Steelers-Titans, but it’s looking more and more like it will be Week 8  (originally-scheduled bye week). I just don’t know how else they could maneuver it.

If word does come down that the Steelers will have their bye week rescheduled to Week 4, it certainly does throw a wrench in all of the planning the organization has done. Publicly, you’ll hear no excuses from head coach Mike Tomlin about the timing.

Sure, bye weeks start in earnest next week anyway. But you’d have to go back to 2013 to find the last time the Steelers had this early of a bye (Week 5) scheduled.

As Ed Bouchette of The Athletic noted, this is not the first time a bye week has occurred before Week 5. And the abrupt change yielded favorable results.

Since Wednesday’s news of the postponement, we’ve all had a look at the schedule. For Pittsburgh, rescheduling to Week 8 means a midseason schedule that looks like this:

  • Sunday, Oct. 25 @ Baltimore Ravens
  • Sunday, Nov. 1 @ Tennessee Titans
  • Sunday, Nov. 8 @ Dallas Cowboys

Things happen that are unfair in life, far worse than a rescheduled football game. The Steelers will forge ahead and adjust accordingly as they (usually) always do. With that being said, that is an absolutely brutal three-week schedule — let alone that each contest would be all away from the confines of home.

There are a personal side and a professional side to this: The severity of people catching the coronavirus is not to be underestimated, and we hope the team and its staff get well soon.

Professionally, however, the NFL should demand concessions be made. Not only should the Titans (and any team) be heavily fined for not practicing league-mandated protocols; therefore, causing an outbreak, but Tennessee should have to travel to Pittsburgh. It’s the least they can do.

If it was the other way around, you can bet Titans fans would be asking for the same of the Steelers.

[vertical-gallery id=477272]

[lawrence-related id=477858]

Steelers D is gonna eat Daniel Jones fumbles for dinner

Giants quarterback Daniel Jones struggled with fumbles lost in 2019, and the Steelers defense excellent in nabbing them.

The Steelers 2019 defense was hungry for turnovers. The unit satisfied that hunger by devouring 38 combined interceptions and fumble recoveries, and its .203 turnover average was good for first in the league. Of those turnovers, 20 were interceptions (second in league), and 18 were fumble recoveries (first in league). Overall, Pittsburgh forced 22 fumbles, for an average of 1.4 per game.

 

Here’s the breakdown on recoveries:

  • LB Devin Bush – 4 (one for a 20-yard TD)
  • LB T.J. Watt – 4
  • S Minkah Fitzpatrick – 2 (one for a 79-yard TD)
  • LB Bud Dupree – 2
  • DL Cam Heyward, CBs Joe Haden, Mike Hilton, Steven Nelson – 1

It just so happens that Giants quarterback Daniel Jones led the NFL in fumbles lost, with eight. Additionally, his 12 interceptions tied him for seventh in the league. If Jones’ turnover struggle continues into 2020, the Steelers defense could be feasting Monday night.

Opportunities were a-plenty for the defense in 2019. They were on the field for 182 drives, third-most in the league. But Ben Roethlisberger is back, and with it, the increased potential for extending drives and scoring points. With fewer opportunities and less pressure to win games, the rate at which they recovered fumbles last season will be challenging to sustain.

But having a go at Jones is an excellent place for them to start.

Stats courtesy of Football Outsiders

Special Week 1 Promotion! Bet $1, WIN $100 (in free bets) if either the New York Giants or Pittsburgh Steelers score a touchdown in their Week 1 game. Place your legal, online sports bets in IN, NJ and WV at BetMGM. Terms and conditions apply. Bet now!

[vertical-gallery id=475984]

[lawrence-related id=475865]

An immediate advantage Steelers have over opponents this season

Experience wins (almost) every time and should provide the Steelers with leverage in 2020.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in an ideal situation. Not only has there not been much player turnover, but their head coach and coordinators have been with the club for a combined 43 years.

  • Mike Tomlin (head coach) — 2007-current
  • Randy Fichtner (WRs/QBs, offense) — 2007-current
  • Keith Butler (linebackers, defense) – 2003-current

In a year where there were no minicamps or OTAs and training camp transitioned into the regular season without as much as one preseason game, having an experienced coaching staff is critical.

Three of the Steelers upcoming opponents welcomed new head coaches this season: Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns; Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys; and Joe Judge, New York Giants.

Stefanski and Judge have never coached an NFL game in their lives. McCarthy, however, was head coach of the Green Bay Packers for 12 seasons until he was fired in December 2018.

Typically, the NFL awards teams with a new head coach an additional minicamp, allowing extra time to install their systems and get to know players. That didn’t happen this year.

The Browns have hired a new head coach every 1.75 seasons since returning to Cleveland in 1999 (12 times), and the owners, unknowingly, couldn’t have picked a worse year to revamp. Stefanski and his staff were forced to develop the Browns Way 12.0 virtually.

The Bengals have second-year head coach Zac Taylor and rookie quarterback Joe Burrow. Because the pandemic delayed in-person player/coach unions, Taylor only just met his new quarterback face-to-face in July.

The Bengals, Browns, Cowboys and Giants could surprise us all and actually have their house in order come game time.

We’re about to see just how extensive the advantage of team loyalty is and if it translates to winning games. But I’m betting that experience wins out.

[vertical-gallery id=475928]

[lawrence-related id=475958]

How should you feel about the Vikings trading Stefon Diggs?

Despite not making a Pro Bowl, Diggs was one of the best receivers in the NFL. But, like many other receivers before him, he wasn’t happy.

Late on Monday night, the Vikings traded wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Bills in exchange for a first-round pick, fifth-round pick, sixth-round pick and a 2021 fourth-round pick. The Vikings also gave up their 2020 seventh-round draft pick.

So, you’re a Vikings fan. How should you feel?

There’s no doubting Diggs’ talent. Despite not making a Pro Bowl, Diggs was one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. But, like many other receivers before him, he wasn’t particularly happy. Why? Do you know any crime detectives who could help us decifer his tweets?

But at least we don’t have to see the tweets again. My goodness. The tweets.

The Vikings went to having maybe the best one-two punch at receiver in the league to perhaps the worst receiving group in the league. Rick Spielman will have to add probably two more receivers for this deal to look decent, especially considering it looks like the Vikings are still in win-now mode. The free-agency group is thin at receiver, but the draft looks incredibly deep. Adam Thielen could use some help right now.

It seems weird to say the Vikings are in win-now mode, but here they are trading their best wide receiver. How does that make sense?

It seemed like Diggs was gone no matter what. If he wasn’t happy in Minnesota (and he wasn’t shy about it), that would be bad for the locker room and a distraction, much like it was last season. While the Vikings don’t have his replacement, Spielman got an absolutely haul for him — especially when you consider what the Texans got back for DeAndre Hopkins earlier in the day. 

It’s not an ideal move, certainly, to trade your best receiver and the man who gave us the Minneapolis Miracle. But the Vikings did about as good as they could have in getting a solid return for a disgruntled star. Now it’s about to Spielman to find receivers to fill his place.

We can’t wait for the tweet when Diggs finds out about Josh Allen’s accuracy.