We’re used to watching the Pittsburgh Steelers with gold and yellow glasses.
They are, traditionally, a marquee NFL franchise, marketed like a heavyweight team every year. And for the most part, under Mike Tomlin, they’ve almost always been respectable. They’ve literally never had a losing season under him. Call it a hunch, but that remarkable streak seems like it’s in jeopardy this season.
On Sunday, the Houston Texans — with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, mind you — humiliated the Steelers in a 30-6 win. Pittsburgh had no answers for an inexperienced quarterback, and its offense could never get off the ground against a young Houston team that is supposed to be rebuilding. When Tomlin was asked about making “changes” to prevent another outcome like this from happening, he professed something would shift.
But I’m not quite sure what strings he can pull to make these Steelers look respectable. (Warning: NSFW language in the tweet and video below.)
Mike Tomlin asked if there’s going to be changes, he says emphatically, “Hell yeah there’s going to be changes.”
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) October 1, 2023
Coach Tomlin addresses the media following our game against the Texans. pic.twitter.com/V0qL8rWw9O
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 1, 2023
Kenny Pickett might be out for a while with a knee injury. Is Mitchell Trubisky really going to be that much of an upgrade for Matt Canada’s uninspirational offense? Is a defense that lets everyone cut it up over the top really going to be that much better with rookie Joey Porter Jr. in the fold?
The fact of the matter is that Tomlin’s Steelers don’t seem like they’re good enough to contend with the AFC’s big boys anymore. Deep down, I feel like he probably knows it. Deep down, another season straddling around .500 should probably be considered a massive accomplishment for Pittsburgh this year. This is a flawed roster with a flawed process that really needs to take a good look in the mirror and realign its expectations.
And who’s to say Tomlin even has a good answer for the Steelers’ issues outside of anything obvious? He hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has missed the postseason as many times (3) as it’s qualified over the last six years.
The 2-2 Steelers are without a paddle, and I’m not sure Tomlin can rescue them this time.
Best job of tying in a beloved cinematic classic to football: ESPN, with its "Toy Story" broadcast
ESPN had the pleasure of broadcasting the Jacksonville Jaguars’ matchup with the Atlanta Falcons from London on Sunday, and the network pulled out all the stops.
How? With this delightful Toy Story-themed broadcast:
Here's what that @Bijan5Robinson juke looked like in Andy's room.
🏈 Toy Story Funday Football on Disney+ pic.twitter.com/g4eeZE2T8p
— NFL (@NFL) October 1, 2023
Worst job of supporting a teammate: Mack Hollins in ... whatever this weirdness was with the Falcons' Desmond Ridder
The Falcons have lost two straight games, and they scored a total of 13 points in those losses. On Sunday, as their offense floundered again, Ridder tried to encourage receiver Mack Hollins. It’s impossible to know whether Hollins was actually upset with Ridder, but this didn’t look good from afar.
He was just trying to stay positive!
dude, mack hollins wanted none of this desmond ridder high five after he missed him on the post pic.twitter.com/mxd4Vg14XV
— Austin Gayle (@austingayle_) October 1, 2023
Best job of making a QB pay for trying to be physical: D'Shawn Jamison on this brutal block of Kirk Cousins
The Minnesota Vikings were able to survive the Carolina Panthers in a 21-13 season-saving win Sunday, but they didn’t come out unscathed. This is especially true for Kirk Cousins. On Minnesota’s first possession, Cousins threw a gimme ball that looked like a sure pick-six until he sprinted back trying to make the tackle.
No, no, it was still a pick-six because Carolina cornerback D’Shawn Jamison was licking his chops at seeing a quarterback in the open field:
Sam Franklin from the one-yard line. 99-yard Pick-6 for Carolina!
📺: #MINvsCAR on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/Jq9JHUeqb6 pic.twitter.com/8FIfPD1zDh— NFL (@NFL) October 1, 2023
Worst job of picking clothes that work well on TV: Dan Orlovsky, with his pants in the announcing booth
Sometimes the camera adds 20 pounds, and sometimes it makes it look like you’re not wearing any pants. This is an important distinction ESPN analyst/announcer Dan Orlovsky learned on Sunday in London:
I see London, I see France, I had to double check if Dan Orlovsky was wearing pants. pic.twitter.com/xk3xD8vyhH
— Jake Elman (@JakeElman97) October 1, 2023
Best job of mimicking a wrestling legend: Stefon Diggs, when he smashed some beer cans after a TD
The Buffalo Bills did whatever they wanted to the rival Miami Dolphins on Sunday. A 48-20 win doesn’t quite do Buffalo’s dominance justice. But Stefon Diggs — who caught six passes for 120 yards and three touchdowns — celebrating a score like Stone Cold Steve Austin does.
Break out those beer cans and SMASH them, sir!
STEFON DIGGS, STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN BEER SMASH CELEBRATION
(without the drinking, for obvious reasons) pic.twitter.com/QFdbsgMB8h
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) October 1, 2023
Worst job of showing some fight in a game: The Bengals, on this Derrick Henry (!) TD pass
Look, nothing seems to be going well for the Bengals right now. They’re 1-3 and are probably sunk until Joe Burrow gets healthy. But plays like this touchdown pass from Derrick Henry — a running back — encapsulates Cincinnati’s futility perfectly.
4th career TD pass for @KingHenry_2 👑
📺: #CINvsTEN on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/Jq9JHUeqb6 pic.twitter.com/8jDPz1qfp9— NFL (@NFL) October 1, 2023
Best job of sealing his fate: The Bears' Matt Eberflus, in maybe the worst fourth-down sequence we'll see all year
Everything was coming up Bears on Sunday. Justin Fields played spectacularly, recording the first 300-yard passing performance of his career. And with just under 20 minutes to go, Chicago possessed a 28-7 lead. It certainly seemed like the Bears would finally win their first game of 2023.
Then, late in the fourth quarter, head coach Matt Eberflus decided to try and draw the Broncos offsides, call (and waste) a timeout, and run a terrible play anyway. Why, Matt? Why? It went about as well as you’d expect (Denver obviously won).
The Bears are now 0-4, and it’s hard to see Eberflus keeping his job for much longer.
The @Broncos seal the comeback win with an INT! #DENvsCHI pic.twitter.com/KRkW4hiuJe
— NFL (@NFL) October 1, 2023
Worst job of explaining a peculiar situation: The Bears and whatever is happening with Chase Claypool
On Sunday, the Bears revealed former top trade acquisition Claypool would be inactive. Then, when they lost, Eberflus said Claypool had a choice between staying home and playing. Then the Bears’ public relations team clarified Claypool did indeed NOT have an option to stay home.
They forced him to. I can’t even begin to fathom why Eberflus would seemingly lie about this. Oh, right, he’s winless through a month of regular-season play:
Matt Eberflus says the #Bears did not tell Chase Claypool to stay home. He made the choice to stay home.
UPDATE: A #Bears spokesperson just clarified that the team asked WR Chase Claypool to stay home from the game today.
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) October 1, 2023
Best job of showing respect for an opponent: Mike McDaniel in this exchange with Sean McDermott
The Bills flat-out kicked the Dolphins’ butts on Sunday, and Miami knows it. McDaniel also knows that Buffalo is who the Dolphins are chasing in the AFC East. So, he showed apt respect — perhaps with an expletive built in — for his coaching rival after the loss:
Mike McDaniel to Sean McDermott “I respect tf out of you” pic.twitter.com/pGLd8sIovj
— Logan Macaluso (@L__Maca) October 1, 2023
Worst job of showing belief in his quarterback: Bill Belichick, after a Mac Jones pick-six
The Dallas Cowboys embarrassed Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots Sunday in a 38-3 shellacking. And no play (and reaction) summed up New England’s ineptitude better than this awful Mac Jones pick-six and Belichick’s exasperated facepalm.
The Patriots are 1-3. I’d be this frustrated, too:
DaRon Bland pick-six! 2nd defensive TD of the half for the @DallasCowboys 🤠
📺: #NEvsDAL on FOX⁰📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/Jq9JHUeqb6 pic.twitter.com/W6WY0IXjZJ
— NFL (@NFL) October 1, 2023
Rough day for Bill Belichick and the Pats🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/HbjyRswfhZ
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 1, 2023
Worst job of reading the room: Ja'Marr Chase, after dropping a classic WR line post-Bengals' loss
In full context, Chase saying he’s “always open” with dramatic effect isn’t all that outlandish. It doesn’t project the vibe of a “diva receiver,” either. But to say it and express utmost confidence in one’s self after the Bengals fell to 1-3 is deserved of a, to put it lightly, chef’s kiss:
"I'm open. I'm always (effing) open." A frustrated Ja'Marr Chase on Bengals offensive woes. pic.twitter.com/wySBQhvrHW
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) October 1, 2023
