U mad, bro?: A Steelers’ win doesn’t dissuade complaints from readers on multiple fronts
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When the Steelers win in comeback fashion, on the road, as underdogs, generally the Pittsburgh sports fanbase is feeling pretty good.
About the Steelers, anyway.
Well, the second half of the Steelers game at least.
But there are plenty of other things to complain about. And we touch ‘em all in this week’s “U mad, bro?”
Steven emails with some concerns about the Penguins.
“When the excuses are few it’s generally an easy fix and is typically on the player end (talent, injuries, etc.), when they get so deep that nothing works, everything and everyone isn’t doing enough and it stinks all over the ice, the reasons can only fall into three categories, Coaching, Culture and Complacency, and one of those usually begets the others. Guess which one?”
Exactly, Steve. Hence the chants to fire the Steelers offensive coordinator at one of their hockey games.
When you’re all out of low-hanging fruit to pluck off of your own tree (Hextall, Granlund, Burke, Petry), just wander into someone else’s orchard and start picking there instead.
I had a typo in my Penguins column on Tuesday. I meant to say that they were only 2 for 13 on the power play so far this season. Unfortunately, I had an extra keystroke on the “3.”
“The power play may be giving Sullivan a bit of an ulcer as well. It’s only registered two goals so far in 133 attempts”. Huh?????
— GT87 (@GT8771) October 24, 2023
Come on, man. You know what I meant to say. There’s no way the Penguins power play is really 2 for 133.
At least not this early in the season. Check back with me in a few months though. I may be close by then.
An emailer named “Hollywood 6” did not like Wednesday’s “First Call.” In it, I referenced two criticisms of the team from former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. One was that the Steelers don’t throw the ball to the tight end enough. The other is that the Steelers wide receivers need to stop running their mouths and getting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
“Why are you qualifying his OPINION? He must be on your standby list! Or possibly others have learned not to offer their opinion! If this quarterback was so successful, where’s the Division titles, AFC championship titles, only 2 SBs out of 3! How long was this guy running this offense? Does this quarterback pay you to write flu stories? As if his opinion matters…….”
Well, I didn’t “qualify” his opinion. I’m not really sure you know what that means.
Also, he’s not on my “standby list.” Honestly, I don’t know what that means.
And, no, Ben Roethlisberger does not pay me to write “flu stories” about him. The closest that ever came to happening was when I wrote about Mason Rudolph needing to start for him in 2020 when Roethlisberger got coronavirus.
But he did not pay me for that.
I assume you actually meant “fluff” stories. And I wouldn’t call that a “fluff” story. I just happen to agree with Roethlisberger on both counts. The Steelers do need to incorporate the tight end more. And the receivers do need to shut up and avoid dumb post-whistle penalties.
And, to your point, I did express my opinion on both fronts prior to Roethlisberger’s podcast. I was even complaining about their lack of tight-end usage in advance of the Rams game.
So I think I’m OK there. And I think Big Ben is OK with his two rings in three Super Bowls, three AFC title wins, five AFC title game appearances and eight division titles.
Since you asked.
More sports
• First Call: Jaguars DB says George Pickens ‘hasn’t played our corners’; Sean Casey won’t stay with Yankees
• Kenny Pickett: Steelers ‘moving in right direction’ despite slow starts to games
• Steelers’ Najee Harris: NFL officials ‘a little too soft’ in throwing taunting flags
“Silk 22” didn’t like Mark Madden’s suggestion in this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast that luck has had a lot to do with the Steelers’ 4-2 record thus far.
“Well, they are 11-4 over their last 15 games. so I guess you can luck into 11 wins? I’m sure you will say that they were a different team last year so don’t count them but they are the same team basically. Not great, but find ways to win.”
They didn’t luck their way into a playoff spot last year, though, did they? And, actually, based on Jacksonville beating Indianapolis at the end of the 2021 season, they did kinda luck into the 7th seed that year.
How’d that wind up?
And they haven’t lucked their way into a playoff win since 2016, have they? Seven of those 11 wins — starting after last year’s bye — meant nothing since they got off to a 2-6 start. And lost to the entire AFC East.
Related
• First Call: Jaguars DB says George Pickens ‘hasn’t played our corners’; Sean Casey won’t stay with Yankees
• Steelers’ Najee Harris: Officials ‘a little too soft’ in regards to throwing taunting flags
• Only 2 years removed from 100 losses, World Series should inspire Pirates’ playoff hopes
A person dubbed “The Green Weenie” had a question for me about the Pirates.
“Only yesterday, both the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks were
Well, Weenie, that depends on what job you are talking about. If the job in question is turning a profit, then, yes. You should have every confidence.
If the job in question is getting to the World Series like those teams, then, no. I haven’t been confident in that since the eighth inning of Game 7 of the 1992 NLCS. And look at how that turned out.
My guess is a wild card at best. And I feel like that’s even being borderline insanely optimistic.
Finally, this was Joe’s reaction to the Steelers somehow managing three red-zone trips and three rushing touchdowns in the same game.
— Joe Cuzz III (@joecuzz78) October 22, 2023
And this was mine.