Pittsburgh’s Pain

Vibe Check for this week? Pain. The Pittsburgh Steelers are actively choosing pain. There is a lot to be pleased with for most of the team. George Pickens looks uber-talented. Leal looks like a great find in round 3. Diontae Johnson has confirmed yet again he is a #1. The O-line has held up fairly well and looks solid, at least in pass protection. The defense, minus the cornerback position, seems to be humming. Well, at least until the offense has consecutive three and outs and they are gassed and simply cannot keep up with whatever team they are playing. This brings us to pain: the offense, specifically the QB spot.
Blame will likely and fairly be laid at Matt Canada’s feet, two years in a row now this offense looks boring, predictable, and uninspiring. However, even if this offense is boring, predictable, and uninspiring it could still count for something. At its worst, it could still be valuable and important experience for their potential Franchise QB. The Steelers have already said they are not and will not use this mini-bye week as a chance to let Kenny start, but that is a mistake. We are wasting time. Mitch is the same guy he was in Chicago, maybe worse now. He rarely wants to make a big play, because of his fear of making a mistake. He takes no chances. The check-downs and dump-offs are at an all-time high. Mitch is giving us the Poorest version of Alex Smith. It isn’t fun, it’s painful. Even if we were to learn, that this is all on Canada and it’s his calls and encouragement to play this conservatively as Kenny plays, it will be worth the experience to Kenny.
Mitch is a solid backup parading as a starting quarterback. He currently, and I can’t believe I am about to type this, is playing less exciting football than Joe Flacco, who is 106 years old. It’s boring to watch this team on offense. Not only is it boring, but it’s literally costing them games. If the opposing team scores 21 points unless the defense is going to score once or twice that lead feels insurmountable. The solution is likely to fire Canada and play Pickett. However, the most pressing issue now is to at least play Kenny. He needs to get used to the NFL speed. Knowing how Tomlin is an old-school guy, I can see this lasting until their actual bye week. So, buckle up Steeler fans. The Mitch train is going to be chugging down the track at a painfully slow pace for another several weeks. The choice for Tomlin is clear. Unfortunately, he seems to be choosing the wrong option.