Beer We Go Steelers

Here is the BWG take on the roster.

The first preseason game of the year kicks off! The Steelers face long time rival the Dallas Cowboys in the the Hall of Fame game, this was the game to be played last season!

What to expect; NOT a lot! Hey but it will still be fun, the Steelers will be dress 88 players, here are some questions;

1. What does Dwayne Haskins brings to the table?
2. Who plays Center?
3. Which “bubble” guy will stand out and make a name?
4. Who will step up to take a spot for the secondary vacancy?
5. Not a question, just a thought….this is fun…unless someone gets hurt!

Enjoy the game and welcome back!

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers have a solid track record with undrafted free agents and have even struck gold. (See James Harrison/ Donnie Shell) All the players have good to even great upside but need further development.

Here is the BWG Take:

Shakur Brown, CB, Michigan State: Very high upside prospect who continues to develop. Good coverage skills and could move into a nickel spot. He has a chance to make the team or the practice squad.

Lamont Wade, S, Penn State: A local kid from Clairton, in Allegheny County, Will also challenge for the nickel spot, which he played for the Nittany Lions. He has good tackling ability, deceptive speed and can move around in the secondary. Where he has the best shot of making the team is on special teams.

Jamar Watson, LB, Kentucky: Tough pass rusher who had a very productive college career. Has good first step but struggles against bigger tackles. Despite some athletic limitations, he has good run stuffing abilities and will help with depth.

Calvin Bundage, LB, Oklahoma State: Hard working versatile linebacker who played in a 4-3 scheme. He can play inside and outside and is good against the run and can rush the passer. Needs experience and polish.

Isaiah McCoy, WR, Kent State: Very good hands and big frame receiver. He can push to make the team as a possession receiver. The Steelers have excelled at finding guys like this and making them successful. Hmm undrafted rookie from Kent State, where else have we heard that before?

Mark Gilbert, CB, Duke: The Steelers need depth in the secondary and Gilbert provides that. He has a great pedigree and while he is from North Carolina, he has Aliquippa roots. He is the nephew of Sean Gilbert, NFL standout and the cousin of all-world Cornerback Darrelle Revis. He ran a 4.36 forty and has all the tools to make it in the league. The injury bug seems to plague him however, he needs to stay on the field.

Rico Bussey Jr., WR, Hawaii: Explosive high upside athlete, possesses great speed, strong hands and a solid frame. He will have a chance to make the teams on Special Teams as well as push for a receiver spot. Injury concerns affected his draft status. The Steelers have a knack for finding diamonds in the rough at receiver. Bussey is one of those diamonds.

Donovan Stiner, S, Florida: Solid sized Safety with strong instincts and a knack for finding the football. A bit of an underachiever who did not develop past his sophomore year, according to some scouting reports. He is the prototypical strong safety who can help in the run and play in a system successfully.

The 2021 Draft is in the books and here is the Steelers’ haul.

Round 1, Pick 24; Najee Harris, RB —So grabbing a running back in the first round, seemed like a luxury that the Steelers couldn’t afford. But it is hard to argue against it, when the best player at his position is on the board and it is one of your most glaring needs, you grab him. The Steelers grabbed the best runner on the board and he will be a huge asset. He is a great person off the field as well and looks like a great culture fit as well as player fit.  Grade: A+

Round 2, Pick 55; Pat Freiermuth, TE — This was a little mind boggling, because TE was not a need. But Freiermuth is a throwback tight end who can block as well as catch. He is a tremendous athlete and will immediately be in the starting lineup. I wanted to see a Tackle or Cornerback here, but Freiermuth will be a Steeler for a long time. It was a great pick.  Grade: A

Round 3, Pick 87; Kendrick Green, C — Center was a gaping hole, and the Steelers grabbed a very good prospect. Green has great speed and is a violent blocker, he is a little undersized but will bring some “nastiness” to the line as the Steelers look to rebuild up front. This could be a starter and someone who will fit in the Steelers Center Dynasty!   Grade: B+

Round 4, Pick 128; Dan Moore Jr., OT — The Steelers are confident in Chuks Okorafor and Zach Banner as the starting tackles and Al Villanueva is still available. The Steeler also added Joe Haeg as a swing tackle in free agency. Moore will slide into a backup role and could push for a starting spot. He adds much needed depth, he has strong athletic ability. Grade: B-

Round 4, Pick 140; Buddy Johnson, ILB — Johnson looks like Vince Williams 2.0. He is an old school middle of the line banger. But he also has good coverage skills and will most likely see the field this season. This was a great pick and will pay big dividends. Grade: B+

Round 5, Pick 156; Isaiahh Loudermilk, DE — Will provide much needed depth on the defensive line. He has the physical tools but is a very raw prospect.   Grade: C+

Round 6, 218; Quincy Roche, OLB —Roche fits the classic Steelers prototype, a converted defensive end with the explosiveness to rush the passer. He has a strong quality first step. This was a great value pick, who will be given every chance to be in the rotation, especially on passing downs. This is the most intriguing pick the Steelers made. Grade: C+

Round 7, 245; Tre Norwood, DB — Norwood is a versatile defensive back who can play cornerback and safety. His athleticism makes him a candidate to play in the dime defense or be a special teams contributor. This is a solid value pick that can provide some young depth at a position that lost two of its’ best players. Grade: B

Round 7, Pick 254; Pressley Harvin III, — What in the name of Colin Holba are we doing drafting a punter? Well let me tell you, this isn’t your father’s punter, unless your Dad was a fan of the late great Reggie Roby. Harvin is a 260-pound punter who can actually throw the ball a country mile. He also can punt, averaging 48 yards per attempt last season while winning the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s best punter. Ironically, the Steelers grabbed the best player at the position, a position that they have spent three seasons trying to upgrade. Also, keep in mind the Steelers have jettisoned their seventh-round pick almost regularly after camp, so they grab a pick who will most likely start for the team, it was a no brainer and a great value pick. Keep also in mind, he has Steelers cult hero potential written all over him! Grade: A+

Overall: So, no surprise to anyone, the main-stream press outside of Pittsburgh didn’t like the Steelers draft. That is ridiculous, from where they were drafting, the Steelers grabbed three potential starters out of nine picks. Not many teams picking in the twenties can make that claim.

Every pick had potential and good value. Grabbing a cornerback or edge rusher earlier would have been more ideal than a Tight End. However, the Steelers clearly drafted the best available player and had a nice haul. What more can you ask for. Grade: A

It’s Najee Harris… RB ….Alabama!

Here is the best scouting report I can share…. from one of BWG’s favorites Merril Hoge:

“I watched every run, catch and play Najee Harris had in 2020! He has extraordinary balance and agility for a back of his size. He runs with great power and grace. He is gifted enough to be dynamic on the perimeter as well. His receiving skills also separate him. He is a very good route runner and has natural instincts to catch the ball. He’s also a willing participant to block, which makes him a complete player. What an awesome weapon to help get this offense back on track!! Welcome to Pittsburgh!”

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Since 1969 the Steelers have built their teams through the draft. Here is a look back at the recent history of the Steelers in the last ten years with a grade for each first round pick!

Thursday marks the 2021 NFL Draft after a year like no other. The draft should be a nice reminder of what lay ahead for the Black and Gold and hopefully helps put the disastrous end to the 2020 season in the rear view mirror. Kevin Colbert has a solid track record of building the team through the draft. The team is in transition and need to make some wise and strong picks to replenish the cupboard.

The Steelers front office has hit and hit pretty big on five of the last ten picks, with two undecided (Terrell Edmunds, S /Devin Bush, LB),  two misses (Jarvis Jones, LB /Artie Burns, CB) and of course no first rounder last year.

Draft Needs:

Offensive Line: For the first time in a very long time the Steelers offensive lines has more questions than answers. Maurkice Pouncey, who anchored the Center spot for about a decade, is headed to retirement, so is Bloomsburg Alumni, Matt Feiler, who headed west for greener pastures and an even greener bank account. Alejandro Villanueva also is in flux and depending on the draft is most likely leaving the Burgh.  The Steelers need a minimum of a prospect at Center and at Tackle. The good news is this is one of the strongest offensive lineman drafts in recent history, with tackles being slightly stronger than interior lineman and there should be all kinds of value picks. Colbert excels at getting value later in the draft.

Running Back: With James Conner never recapturing his first season magic, the Steelers are in need of a replacement at running back. The running game was atrocious a year a go and all but bottomed out. It was probably the single biggest reason they made an early exit from the playoffs. The Steelers desperately need a back but it is hard to see them using the 24th pick to do it. This will be a mid-round selection but again has to be addressed this year.

Cornerback: This could have been recycled from two years ago. Steven Nelson was a cap casualty after a solid tenure in the Burgh. Justin Layne is more than likely done now because of off field troubles. The Steelers lack any talent or depth at the spot and need a talent injection here. It might be worth looking at grabbing an elite corner prospect at 24 or even making a move to grab one in the first round.

Edge Rusher: Bud Dupree a former first round pick is now gone from Pittsburgh too. The Steelers need someone opposite T.J. Watt and they think Alex Highsmith might be the answer. Finding linebacker talent has always been a team strength and this year they will grab the best edge rusher available. Don’t be surprised if they use one of the first two picks on this spot, even thought Offensive Line and Running back are the more glaring needs.

Quarterback: It should go without being written the Ben Roethlisberger era is about to draw to a close. Contrary to what the mainstream press said, he had a very good year overall in 2020 and the team is better with him than without him. It was a tale of two seasons for Roethlisberger, the total lack of a running game and the fact that he simply just wore down over shadowed a very good overall season. The Steelers have the very interesting Dwayne Haskins, who needed a change of scenery. on the roster with Mason Rudolph who has shown some signs of success and Joshua Dobbs who is still somewhat of a mystery. It would be wise to invest in the position and see what falls into their lap.

Below is the Steelers current picks barring any trades.

Round 1, No. 24 overall

Round 2, No. 55

Round 3, No. 87

Round 4, No. 128

Round 4, No. 140

Round 6, No. 216

Round 7, No. 245

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

It was a complete and total breakdown in all facets of football ending a very promising and somewhat successful season in a wreck. The Cleveland Browns got off to a fast start and kept the Steelers at bay, making whatever play they needed, when they needed it. They never were really in the game and now face an uncertainty of what will probably be the most difficult offseason in the Tomlin Era.

Despite setting a record and throwing for just over 500 yards Ben Roethlisberger’s faded season was on full display. It seemed that he ran out of gas in mid-November and last night was the culmination of everyone’s fears. He threw two first quarter picks that led to 14 Browns points and the Steelers never really recovered. He battled back but then would turn the ball over in a crucial scenario. Roethlisberger threw a whopping 68 times finished with four touchdowns but four key interceptions that turned the Steelers fortunes.

The offensive line had solid protection considering Roethlisberger didn’t hit the deck and passed 68 times, but a Maurkice Pouncey errant snap to start the game was a terrible omen and the fact that late in the game Coach Tomlin opted to punt instead of going for a fourth and 1 is pretty telling about how far this croup has fallen since the departure of Mike Munchack. The Steelers actually found room to run, but the score made it nearly impossible to use any sort of running game.

JuJu Smith-Schuster put up big numbers leading the team with 13 catches and 157 yards, but his pregame comments that were taken way out of context were a huge distraction all week. This most likely was Smith-Schuster’s last game as a Steeler. Diontae Johnson again made key mistakes despite having a gaudy stat line. James Washington did a good job when called upon.

The defense was out of synch the entire night and never could get the needed key stop or key turnover. The Browns found plenty of running room and Robert Spillane was flat run over by Kareem Hunt on a touchdown. The Browns banged out 127 yards and never seemed to be in real danger with running the ball.

The tackling all night was atrocious and several missed tackles led to the Browns making small gains into huge gains including a huge backbreaking touchdown at the end of the first half.

Special teams finished their 2020 campaign with several glaring mistakes. Chris Boswell had a tough night on kickoffs and the coverage units played so poorly that they all but cost the Steelers a late first half touchdown. Jordan Berry when called upon to pin down the Browns late in the fourth quarter boomed it into the end zone for a touchback. That play is going to get Mike Tomlin bbq in the press this week.

The coaching staff had a horrible night on several fronts. How the Steelers could come out so flat is inconceivable after missing the playoffs the last few years. There was a serious disconnect with the two-point conversion and a complete lack of imagination on plays. Not going for it late in the game down by 13 with one yard to go confirmed that the game had gotten away from the Steelers and they were in trouble.

It is going to be a long offseason and the Steelers are about to enter a period of endless winter with several personnel changes coming.

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: No one, it was a horrible performance in all facets of football. Was going to go with JuJu Smith-Schuster but honestly he was such a distraction all week, not all of which was his fault, but come on.

Where I watched the game: At the house and we had to rescue Dante from Playoff Purgatory on a school night. The Snack was Cheeseburger Subs prior to the game. Cheeseburgers on Italian bread cooked perfectly and well put together with lettuce tomato onions and something called burger sauce. Going to eat the leftovers while I write this. The beer was Iron City for the playoffs. I texted with my buddy Bill and the Janick through most of the game.

My Stat of the week: Unfortunately has to be 28 Points in the first quarter. It was the most points ever scored in a first quarter of a post season game and that record belongs to the Browns against the Steelers, something we will have to live with for a very long time.

My Thoughts on next week: Going to be a very long and challenging offseason. This has the makings of a rip down and despite going 12-4 this team will be broken up pretty significantly.

This week’s Jersey: Joe Greene, 75, Black Home (1970’s addition) This is my gamer which obviously didn’t get used this season.

The Steelers battled back from a 15-point deficit but couldn’t convert a two-point conversion, dropping the last game of the season to the Browns. In a game that was all but meaningless for the Steelers, they accomplished three major things. Everyone stayed healthy there were no serious injuries, they extended the NFL sack streak and accomplished some new look offensive plays.

Like most weeks the Steelers offense started out slow, but then turned it up in the second half. Mason Rudolph proved he can play at this level, battling all day and ripping off 315 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw the back-breaking interception, but overall, he had a very good day behind center and at least auditioned as the Roethlisberger replacement. Rudolph hit Chase Claypool for five catches for over 100 yards. He also hit Diontae Johnson for 47-yard catch in the fourth quarter to setup the Steelers final touchdown. Johnson looks like he is on the rebound after a case of the dropsies, he finished with three catches for just under 100 yards and is now the big play receiver. Rudolph also hit JuJu Smith-Schuster six times, who quietly put together a very nice season.

The Steelers also brought in Josh Dobbs on some option packages and he showed some flashes of what can be. Both Rudolph and Dobbs look like they can contribute on this level. The protection even without Maurkice Pouncey was very good for the majority of the day. Myles Garret who had limited snaps was a non-factor, registering only four tackles and no sacks.

They also found some room to run, with 85 yards on the ground. James Conner, will get the start next week in the playoffs after showing the most pop. One guy that the stat sheets will not be kind too, but played well was Kevin Rader, who had a drop but did a great job in blocking and was laying out guys whenever he was in the game whether on offense or special teams.

The defense started the game slow too, but then dialed it up after really the first quarter. The stats won’t tell the story. The Steelers gave up close to 200 yards on the ground but 75 of that was on two busted plays and missed tackles. The Browns were never comfortable running the ball and the Steelers for the most part kept them in check.

Stephon Tuitt, put an exclamation point on a great season registering a sack, Chris Wormley got on the board with a sack and Alex Highsmith played his best game of the season and led the team in tackles and absolutely roasted Browns 1^st Rounder Jedrick Willis. Despite playing against a very good Browns offensive line the Steelers registered four more sacks, with Jayrone Elliot grabbing the other. It was a solid performance up front with a shorthanded lineup.

The secondary held Baker Mayfield in check in the air and with his most of his success coming on finding holes in the zone defense. Justin Layne was torched by Rashad Higgins on one big play for 42 yards, but he recovered nicely after that and the coverage was solid. Sean Davis who has sort of become a forgotten man in Pittsburgh after a great start to his career, did a very good job filling in for Terrell Edmunds with six tackles and a pass defended.

The special teams were a net neutral for the most part. Jordan Berry had a good day with three punts including a 56-yard blast. Matthew Wright did an admirable job filling in for Little Bos and he hit all three of his field goals, including a 46 yarder and hit his extra point try. The bad news is that Wright doesn’t have the leg for kickoffs and didn’t produce one touchback.

Ray-Ray McCloud did well on kickoffs averaging 26.5 yards and had a positive effect. Give Coach Smith credit because the Steelers damn near pulled off the onside kick at the end of the game.

Going to say it again the refs were absolutely horrible this week. They missed several pass interference calls on the Browns and they began to take even more liberties. They also missed a crucial roughing the passer call that would have negated the Rudolph interception. The Browns were all over Chase Claypool on the two point conversion.

The Steelers game plan was to see some different looks, play a vanilla defensive scheme and make sure no one got hurt, they accomplished that very thing. It was a good overall effort on the day playing shorthanded and they finished the season 12-4 which everyone would have signed up for at the beginning of the season.

The offense needs to get moving faster and the defense needs to solve the soft zone exploitation and limiting big plays. They do those three things this team will go far in the playoffs.

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: Mason Rudolph, yes, he did make a crucial mistake, but it was clear he belongs in this league. Also Considered: Alex Highsmith who had a very good game, Matthew Wright who converted three field goals and an extra point.

Where I watched the game: At the house with almost the entire family, it was a great way to spend a Sunday. “Steel the Snacks”; was a Cleveland staple from what I understand, pierogi grilled cheeses, with three different dipping sauces. It was the most inventive of all the snacks, it was a grilled cheese with a pierogi in the middle of it. KGB had Sam Adams holiday beer and I had Catskill Nightshine Black Lager, great winter beer and full bodied. Really enjoyed it!

My Stat of the week: There are a bunch we could choose but have to go with 73 straight games with a sack, even with a B-Squad out there the Steelers registered four sacks and finished the year with 56 sacks, tied for the most in franchise history.

HONORABLE MENTION: The Steelers only gave up 14 sacks in 16 games, the fewest since the merger.

My Thoughts on next week: REMATCH, the Browns will be coming back to Pittsburgh, for a quick turnaround. The Steelers need to get off to a faster start and turn up the pass rush and contain. Also, would be great to see the Josh Dobbs package again next week. The Steelers will get a chance to send the Browns home again for a second week, this time on Prime Time TV.

This week’s Jersey: Matthew Pomara, 74, 1967 Home Jersey Throwback, a gift a few Christmas’ back, this jersey was supposedly designed by Ambassador Rooney, it should have been the throwback!

A familiar phrase which has appeared several times in this blog, was a “Tale of Two Halves” this was exactly that, the Steelers had a Jekyll and Hyde game where it appeared that the once promising season would hit rock bottom finally, it was close and after the first half it looked like the end was near. But that is not what happened. The offense came back from the dead, the defense tightened up and the Steelers completed a monster comeback against the Indianapolis Colts. Bringing a renewed sense of optimism to the Steelers and a long over due North Division Title!

Ben Roethlisberger, who was left for dead after the Bengals game, looked off considerably again in the first half. He had several miscommunications with his receivers, and he threw for an anemic 98 yards in the first half, the stats don’t even tell the story, it was considerably worst than that.

After the Colts scored again on their opening 3^rd quarter drive putting the Steelers down by 17. Roethlisberger went to work; he drilled a brilliant 39-yard pass to Diontae Johnson to cut the deficit to 10 points. With a quick Steelers score, it gave them a chance to stay in the game. After failing to score in the red zone, Roethlisberger led another drive late in the 3^rd culminating with an Eric Ebron touchdown eight seconds into the 4^th quarter. Finally, the comeback was complete with a 25-yard pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster for the eventual game winner. Roethlisberger finished with his second-best stat line of the season, racking up 342 yards and three touchdowns.

The running game after showing some promise in the loss to the Bengals was nonexistent again. The Steelers finished with a horrendous 20 yards on the ground. James Conner and Benny Snell found little room to run and once the Steelers were down by 17, there was little opportunity to try. The offensive line has no push up front and failed to convert several short yardage situations. The last of which gave the Colts another shot at winning the game.

It was a respectable if not mediocre performance by the defense. After a lousy first half of football, they held the Colts Hall of Fame Quarterback Philip Rivers and prolific offense to just three points.

The front seven again was leaky on the running game, allowing 127 yards on the ground. Even the return of Vince Williams didn’t help stop the bleeding completely. The second half adjustments helped and the Steelers hold on.

T.J. Watt was a one-man wrecking crew in the first half and his big play strip sack led to the Steelers first touchdown, but more importantly kept them in the game. Watt had a monster day and was double teamed and held for most of the game. Mike Hilton had a big game as well with an interception that helped spark the comeback.

Philip Rivers had a big first half, but then was handled in the second half. The defense pounded him with five sacks and the secondary zone defense tightened. Rivers had only been sacked 16 times all season. He clearly was affected by the pressure and made some errant throws. Stephon Tuitt and Steelhead Heyward each recorded a sack. Heyward absolutely lowered the boom on Rivers in a key spot. Give credit to Alex Highsmith, who has been a solid disappointment so far, had two key pressures forcing the game clinching fourth down incompletion. It as a nice comeback. Avery Williamson got on the board with a sack as well.

Special teams continued its up and down season. Matthew Wright did a nice job filling in for Chris Boswell on extra points, but his kickoffs were horrible. The coverage units were plain awful and gave the Colts good field position all day. Nyheim Hines had 63 yards on three returns for the Colts. A costly Justin Layne penalty set the Colts up on a short field on a return. Ray-Ray McCloud showed some flashes of life with a 22 yard kick return.

The refs let both teams play and while they missed some crucial calls, it is preferable that they stay out of the way.

The coaching staff which is going to get creamed in the mainstream media, deserves a lot of credit for yesterday. Yes, they bungled the clock management at the end of the first half. Yes, they started again slowly and the offense looked terrible. The Steelers were awful but there was never a sense of panic on the sideline. It looked like a group trying to solve an equation, they did it. You could see the frustration, but everyone looked composed. The second half adjustments on defense were spot on and letting Ben call the second half offense really opened the scoring.

It was a great comeback, and the Steelers will win a minimum of 12 games and finish as either the two or three seed in the AFC, that doesn’t happen without great coaching.

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: Ben Roethlisberger, He had another disastrous first half but then something clicked and then he led a tremendous comeback. Also Considered: T.J. Watt who was a wrecking crew. Diontae Johnson who made a great catch to begin the comeback!

Where I watched the game: At the house with KGB and the Tailgate Kids until half time. Little Miss Tailgate went to work, our 81-year-old aunt joined us for half time! “Steel the Snacks”, this week consisted of Prime-Rib Paninis sliced up. It was a great effort by KGB. They came out right when the comeback started! No Beer, which I know is odd for a group called Beer We Go Steelers, I was nursing a stomach virus (NOT COVID) so had to drink club soda. I also could only try the snacks so hoping to grab a leftover today! (Editors Note: I think Dante finished them)

My Stat of the week: This was completely different about 3PM yesterday, but going with 17 Points, the largest deficit ever overcome by the Steelers in the regular season under Mike Tomlin. The Steelers have now done it three times, beating the Colts yesterday, Bengals (2017, one of the Terrible Towel Incidents) and Broncos (2015). Largest Steelers comeback of all time is 21 points which they have done three times also. (Ravens 97, Bills 85, Cardinals 53)

Honorable Mention: Ben Roethlisberger now holds the edge in wins 4-3 over Philip Rivers with one of the wins coming in post season.

My Thoughts on next week: The division is wrapped up and the Steelers will finish in the two or three seed for the playoffs. The Browns are fighting for their playoff lives after laying an egg against the Jets yesterday. After getting hosed by the league with no actual bye week, the Steelers should treat this game as the bye week. Start Mason Rudolph who could potentially send the Browns home, after he was nearly brained with his helmet by Myles Garrett a season ago. Try and find some semblance of a running game and work on it against a solid Browns defense.

This week’s Jersey: Franco Harris, 32, Pro Football Hall of Fame Jersey black, it also inspired me to tweak next year’s BWG Steelers design (The original 2020 design which was shelved because of the Pandemic). The Jersey was a Christmas gift!