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Welcome back to Bootleg! On today’s daily episode within our annual summer preview series, Brett and E.J. take a deep dive into the Pittsburgh Steelers and break down all of their rookies, free agents, and schematic nuances that could translate to the Black and Yellow finally making their return to Super Bowl contention!
Time Stamps:
0:01 It’s Steelers Day
5:00 2022 Steelers Team Summary
8:35 2022 Steelers Power Score
11:00 Steelers Scheme Breakdowns
29:38 Pittsburgh’s Coaching Staff
42:10 Kenny Pickett is already underrated
49:33 Free agency losses and gains
55:27 The 2023 Steelers Draft Class
1:02:56 Report Card and Record Predictions
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48 Comments
Calvin Austin was injured all last season
Great episode, just had to say quick that Calvin Austin got hurt in training camp and was out all year after getting season ending surgery because of it. Gonna be exciting to see what he can bring in what is basically his rookie year. He was getting a lot of buzz in camp before he got hurt so a lot of us are looking forward to it. At the end of the day tho I don't have much expectation considering Matt Canada is probably going to use him in the worst way possible.
Love a podcast that covers the entire league, but it’s clear that covering 32 teams can hinder the ability to know, in detail, how a team functions on both sides of the ball. Not a terrible evaluation tho. If there’s one thing I will say, it’s that TJ Watt is above stats. He is the greatest game wrecker in this league and will impact games beyond statistics.
The floor and ceiling for me is between 12 and 9 wins. I get the feeling that they hit at least 10 and probably 11, but that is super difficult to project. Also, the only coach in the league that's been at his team longer than Tomlin has been is Belichick. He was hired in 2007, and looks to be the present and future of the Steelers for a long time. He's only 51, and while I doubt that he breaks Tom Landry's record of 29 years, he would be the first coach that I could see hitting 40 years on the sideline, if he wanted to. He's already been there for 16 seasons.
For the 3rd year in a row they are gonna be an awful team get carried by Tomlin to 9 wins either not make the playoffs or get destroyed first round and then next year we are gonna be where we are right now and people are gonna overhype them again and lie to themselves that this team is actually good
im really excited for the Ravens video
Calvin Austin was hurt last season. That’s why he didn’t play.
You sneered a bit at the A Robinson contract but maybe didn’t know the rams were eating most of it.
hi
LSU tan here. Canada was our OC for a year back in like 18. With all due respect he shouldn’t be a OC in the NFL. Teams like Alabama and Florida knew what Canada was running faster than the Jet Sweep motion he calls. If college DCs could do it, NFL DCs can do it better
Picking Kenny over Waston is ridiculous 😂
That cap number for Allen Robinson is incorrect. You have him listed at $7.5m.
Steelers are only on the hook for $5m of his $15m. Its been reworked a bit but thats the long and short of it.
Going to the superbowl
I think fantasy we are lower because a lot more ppl are gonna steal tds then ppl think. A rob and Darnell each could steal around 5-7 if used right inside the red zone. Plus warren, Connor, Austin each could steal a couple. We have a lot of ppl who even with a healthy offense could find themselves a role. And Kenny pickett loves to spread around the ball. If Matt isn’t an idiot we are one of the most well balanced and effective offenses next year. Omar the goat
Love the personnel. Pickett has big potential, Dionte is a killer, just can’t get past Matt Canada. Curious.
I understand how hard it is to keep track of all 32 teams especially WR 3s n 4s but Calvin Austin was injured all year didn’t suit up once. He’s electric, but gotta see him in game still
I blame Matt Canada if this season goes awry
You guys are invaluable and are highly appreciated. Thank you for this insane amount of work.
Joey Porter Jr. has been training practically his entire life to play specifically for Mike Tomlin, so yeah I'd say he's what they needed
Guys great content! Just think that you should of mentioned Andy Weidle – the asst. GM. He's behind a lot of the off season acquisitions. ( Isaac Paomalo , Nate Herbig etc
You Guys NAILED IT!!! We need you Guys on ESPN!!💪🏽💪🏽
Surprised you guys didn't talk about Jaylen Warren in the run game. He was really efficient as a runner and receiver and all world as a third down pass blocking back. I think he'll get even more touches this year.
What are the odds that they win o8.5 games this year. I got the line at -130 and HAMMERED it.
Only been to one Steelers game, and it was the Jessie James catch game against the pats in 2017
One thing that is already added to the equation is how Mike Tomlin can automatically get 8-9 games for this team via coaching ALONE . Plus the defense are full of grizzled angry berserkers who are going to be physical. Sadly I'm not high on the Matt Canada led offense and Pickett's 2nd year will be instrumental if the Steelers hope to be one of the last teams standing for the wildcard.
Points scored 308 (18.1 avg) they needed to score 100 more, 408 (24 avg)! They'll had that if Kenny throws 24 TD passes, he threw 7 last year, add 17 (TD's) x 6 = 102 points!
They got all the eggs but lets not be counting chickens just yet.
W drip Brett 🔥💧
Best jersey the Steelers have, color rush second.
Great fuckin pod boys.. also jaylen warren is easily a top 32 back in the NFL. Possibly top 20 when this season is over, he’s a elite 3rd down back extremely good pass protector I mean wait till I watch the film it’s nasty. And then he can scoot and play the outside run game etc plus reviving ability. They said in OTAs they wanna give him more pass catching opportunities
At 14 minutes, you say, “This feels like one of the straightest defenses in the NFL” and “They don’t disguise.” Paraphrased, of course. That’s really far from what game and all-22 film shows us. Tomlin and Austin were regularly showing a look pre-snap and changing that look with 6–8 seconds on the play clock. It’s a key reason why losing Sutton is a unique challenge. He was one of the players disguising a flat zone, changing to deep half or slot man, etc. I enjoyed today’s show but I had to disagree with this particular analysis… full heartedly.
This is my 3rd comment lmao but cmon boys diontae is a YAC king. One of the top. Last years route concepts were just awful. None the less you are right he needs to ascend suprisignly he’s only 26
Coach T is the only reason we have been so good for so long. If we had a dif coach when ab Ben and bell where there and Wheaton and Blount he held it like glue then bell blow it up. Kenny def led the team and need to do it again but as a vet
Until they put the pads on and play for real, they are not back. They haven’t proven shit. As a life long Steeler fan I’m not putting the cart before the horse. They always find ways to play down to their opponents.
The division is too tough. They dont have depth, talent or a good enough qb to win the division or afc.
Great shows guys
The content is awesome!
Hot take probably. But i dont think they rise as high as people think bc the growth (imo) isnt gonna be as good as people are making it up too be, especially when their schedule is probably gonna be tougher but i could totally be wrong
Tomlin doesn't fire coaches. They're allowed to coach out their contracts, then they're simply not renewed. Mathew Canadas contract expires at the end of this upcoming season. So this is very much a do or die season for Matt.
Don’t forget that JJ Watt will hop on board as soon as he thinks he has a shot at a championship
I will declare them back when that at least sniff a conference championship otherwise I am fully preparing myself for another year of mediocrity where the defense is great, but still heavily reliant on a healthy JJ Watt, and terrible play calling for most of the game till Kenny is allowed to call plays in the 2 min drill.
27:18 I believe that’s the attrition of having a HOF QB.
Ok we are not “east coast” thank you very much
The crazy thing is, when Pat p and bmac talked about the defense with Troy and Joey, they ALL said that cover 0 is very much a staple of the defense so that might definitely be a new wrinkle or a blast from the past. When we had ike and bmac pressing…that blitz was coming. Now we got Pat p, Joey jr n Trice.
Some of the problem is the steelers mindset. I think sometimes they just line up a say we have better talent than you, so even if you know what we are doing you cant stop it. I think that sometimes leads to no gameplanning or in game adjustments so they just keep doing the same thing thinking that eventually it will work rather than actually scheming guys open and exposting the mismatces. They do this from time to time, but not often enough.
Friermuth TE10 I so disresectful. Top 5 in receptions and yards among TEs. If brainless Canada could figure out how to use him in the red zone then he’d be top 5 easily
DAWG CHECK!!!😂 WOOF
Alfonzo Graham is going to make the roster. Pottebaum might as well…
Jaylen Warren erasure smh
Missed chance to stick the floor at 8 wins and a draw.