The PM Team w/Poni & Mueller

Matt Canada is on the defensive. The Steelers struggling OC spoke to the media today and had a message for the fans booing and calling for his job Monday night. How much more can this stuff happen before the Steelers and Mike Tomlin actually stand up and make a move?  Chris credited Pat Freiermuth for continuing to put on a good face. The guys can't believe the level of arrogance Matt Canada has when he speaks to the media for being that bad at his own job.  The guys are tired of hearing about how hard the coaches and players work. Poni had a feeling that we could see an unprecedented move by the Steelers.  Warren Sharp has taken a deep dive into the analytics and it doesn't look good for Matt Canada. Chris threw out a hypothetical that didn't require much thinking from Poni and Donny. 

Poni questioned what this offense would look like with an established, elite QB – he's not sure it's THAT much better. Pomp blew us off so we took some calls and a one suggested Ben Roethlisberger to be the team's new offensive coordinator.  If Kenny Pickett throws 4 INTs against the Raiders is he still the starter against the Texans? Chris isn't so sure. Poni said he knows for a fact that there are multiple players in that locker room that were not happy the Steelers brought Matt Canada back.  Matt Canada said Kenny Pickett has the control and power to change plays at the line of scrimmage. Is he doing that and do we believe he does have that power? There was also an admission that the offensive brass was confused by something relatively simple against the Browns. 

When was the last time a Steelers offensive coordinator got this much gruff from the national media, if ever? Poni doesn't think Matt Canada is a household name at the pro or college level. A caller calls his shot on Canada's firing. Guys pointed out that Mike Tomlin struggled to find ways to compliment Canada on Tuesday. Steve Palazzolo from Pro Football Focus joined the show. The guys immediately grilled Steve about the PFF grading process and why TJ Watt graded lower than Myles Garrett after the game Monday night. Steve said Watt is an awesome player and had a more impactful game, but Garrett did better in one-on-one situations. Steve thinks the issue with the offense is on both parties – Matt Canada and Kenny Pickett because the play calling is poor, but Pickett just is not playing well.  Donny Football Debrief – Reaction to what PFF Steve said about the TJ Watt vs Myles Garrett debate.  The guys don't think Matt Canada appreciated how Mike Tomlin responded to the boos and chants from Monday night. Canada has also said that he has no idea how to fix it. 

How can the Steelers just make it look easy? Matt Canada is convinced those times are coming soon. Is there any hope the Steelers would fire their OC? They have plenty of old school ideas, but they have displayed examples of modern football moves in the last few years.  Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo from the PG joined the show. Ray can see a world when the Steelers fire Matt Canada before season's end if things keep lingering like this for a few more weeks. Ray said it could be easier for them to do that since the contract is up at the end of the season. Ray talked about the issues with the offense and what it will take for them to get things figured out.   Canada's Calls – The guys broke down what Matt Canada said to the media earlier today. Hodgepodge of Nothingness. 

Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo from the PG joined the show. Ray can see a world when the Steelers fire Matt Canada before season's end if things keep lingering like this for a few more weeks. Ray said it could be easier for them to do that since the contract is up at the end of the season. Ray talked about the issues with the offense and what it will take for them to get things figured out.  

Steve Palazzolo from Pro Football Focus joined the show. The guys immediately grilled Steve about the PFF grading process and why TJ Watt graded lower than Myles Garrett after the game Monday night. Steve said Watt is an awesome player and had a more impactful game, but Garrett did better in one-on-one situations. Steve thinks the issue with the offense is on both parties – Matt Canada and Kenny Pickett because the play calling is poor, but Pickett just is not playing well. 

When was the last time a Steelers offensive coordinator got this much gruff from the national media, if ever? Poni doesn't think Matt Canada is a household name at the pro or college level. 

Matt Canada said Kenny Pickett has the control and power to change plays at the line of scrimmage. Is he doing that and do we believe he does have that power? There was also an admission that the offensive brass was confused by something relatively simple against the Browns. 

Pomp blew us off! Why?

Chris credited Pat Freiermuth for continuing to put on a good face. 

Matt Canada is on the defensive. The Steelers struggling OC spoke to the media today and had a message for the fans booing and calling for his job Monday night. How much more can this stuff happen before the Steelers and Mike Tomlin actually stand up and make a move? 

Hour 1: We heard Kenny Pickett speak to the media today and the guys immediately noticed his frustration and annoyance by some of the questions. The guys said they and fans aren't asking for the world from this offense, but they're just asking for something. Are you starting to get annoyed by the excuses made by the offensive players and coaches?  Kenny Pickett shows all of the right signs of leadership, but the guys pointed out something he has to start doing as a QB – blame himself for poor offensive performances and not use “we” and “us” unless the team looks good. 93.7 The Fan personality Chris Mack joined the show. Chris previewed the latest episode of the “Oh Mama” podcast, when he sits down with former Steeler Bryant McFadden.  Will the poor coaching now ruin Kenny Pickett throughout his career? He doesn't seem to be a guy that can break through the glass ceiling of Matt Canada right now. But is it also fair to blame Pickett for wanting Canada back? Should he have had the power and say in bringing back the OC? 

Hour 2: Doug Whaley dug into the Steelers offense with The Fan Morning Show and talked about what the biggest issues could be for Kenny Pickett right now. Caller suggested that Pickett should not have gotten married. The guys don't need Kenny Pickett to move heaven and earth to win games – at this point they will accept him looking like Jimmy Garoppolo to get the job done.  Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk joined the show. Mike was at the game Monday night and gave some of his initial thoughts. He said Jaylen Warren is unquestionably the better running back on the Steelers roster right now. He questioned why George Pickens isn't the centerpiece of the offense and it's almost like they don't know what they have. He almost wonders if it has to do with a future contract they will have to shell out. Mike thinks something is off with how they utilize Pickens. He asked “at what point is it on Mike Tomlin?” when it comes to the continued employment of Matt Canada. Mike said the preseason success makes all of this look even worse. He said somebody beyond Canada is at fault for what is going on with this offense and said he even admires the restraint of Pickens. Mike thought Kenny Pickett would look a lot better, but just has not seen it yet.  The guys went back to another comment from Doug Whaley this morning and his thoughts on Matt Canada being completely unqualified for the job he has right now. And to a point brought up by others – when does it put pressure on Mike Tomlin to fix this problem? The guys used Tua Tagovailoa as a great example of how good coaching can fix a young QB. 

Dan Orlovsky still thinks the bigger issue is Matt Canada, but admitted that Kenny Pickett has not made any of the easy throws where guys are actually open. Poni said if the offense continues at this rate, he will admit Pickett is as much to blame as Canada at season's end. And who gives the Steelers the best chance to run the football? Neither RB seems to have much of one due to offensive line woes.   Aditi Kinkhabwala from the NFL on CBS joined the show. Her big takeaway with the Monday night game is that neither QB has shown anything she expected to see based on the offseason and preseason. Aditi thinks Kenny Pickett is hamstrung a little bit, so the more disappointing player is Deshaun Watson. Aditi offered a mea culpa for how well TJ Watt played against Dawand Jones. She got into why the Browns offense has problems with Watson when everything around him is still pretty good, even with the Nick Chubb injury. The guys asked her if she sees any way the Steelers offense can make it better and she talked about how the Steelers don't like embarrassing anyone in their own building. She talked about the confidence level of young QBs and how it can all turn around with a receiver making a tough catch to give him the mindset to trust every target.  Donny Football Debrief – What do we think of what Justin Fields said to the media today, blaming his coaching for all of his struggles?   Can Kenny Pickett make it clear to Matt Canada what he wants to run going forward? Chris thinks Canada should be in a position to make his QB feel most comfortable. And how can the Steelers make the offense more balance? 

Hour 4: Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown joined the show. Greg isn't sure where the Pirates games will air on television next season and isn't sure who truly knows – but he does think it will be on regular TV. The guys asked Greg about Quinn Priester and if he got better in his stint back in AAA. Greg talked about what the big storylines with the Pirates these last couple of weeks and it's about playing spoiler and showing that they aren't all that far away from being in contention. Greg is convinced Ke'Bryan Hayes has turned a corner offensively and thinks he will still get better. Greg talked about the Pirates push for being a team in contention next season.  93.7 The Fan Sports Director Jeff Hathhorn joined the show. Jeff gave the latest from Steelers practice today. Jeff talked about the offensive line and why they have been an upsetting group this year. He mentioned the RB battle and if Jaylen Warren has finally been endorsed as the lead back. He said the Steelers have all stuck to the company line on what the biggest issue is with the offense.  Kenny Pickett hinted at the Steelers need to keep Jaylen Warren on the field. Are we getting closer to watching Najee Harris in a diminished role? The guys talked about how his style of play clashes from what people say about him.  Hodgepodge of Nothingness. 

93.7 The Fan Sports Director Jeff Hathhorn joined the show. Jeff gave the latest from Steelers practice today. Jeff talked about the offensive line and why they have been an upsetting group this year. He mentioned the RB battle and if Jaylen Warren has finally been endorsed as the lead back. He said the Steelers have all stuck to the company line on what the biggest issue is with the offense. 

Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown joined the show. Greg isn't sure where the Pirates games will air on television next season and isn't sure who truly knows – but he does think it will be on regular TV. The guys asked Greg about Quinn Priester and if he got better in his stint back in AAA. Greg talked about what the big storylines with the Pirates these last couple of weeks and it's about playing spoiler and showing that they aren't all that far away from being in contention. Greg is convinced Ke'Bryan Hayes has turned a corner offensively and thinks he will still get better. Greg talked about the Pirates push for being a team in contention next season. 

What do we think of what Justin Fields said to the media today, blaming his coaching for all of his struggles?  

Aditi Kinkhabwala from the NFL on CBS joined the show. Her big takeaway with the Monday night game is that neither QB has shown anything she expected to see based on the offseason and preseason. Aditi thinks Kenny Pickett is hamstrung a little bit, so the more disappointing player is Deshaun Watson. Aditi offered a mea culpa for how well TJ Watt played against Dawand Jones. She got into why the Browns offense has problems with Watson when everything around him is still pretty good, even with the Nick Chubb injury. The guys asked her if she sees any way the Steelers offense can make it better and she talked about how the Steelers don't like embarrassing anyone in their own building. She talked about the confidence level of young QBs and how it can all turn around with a receiver making a tough catch to give him the mindset to trust every target. 

Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk joined the show. Mike was at the game Monday night and gave some of his initial thoughts. He said Jaylen Warren is unquestionably the better running back on the Steelers roster right now. He questioned why George Pickens isn't the centerpiece of the offense and it's almost like they don't know what they have. He almost wonders if it has to do with a future contract they will have to shell out. Mike thinks something is off with how they utilize Pickens. He asked “at what point is it on Mike Tomlin?” when it comes to the continued employment of Matt Canada. Mike said the preseason success makes all of this look even worse. He said somebody beyond Canada is at fault for what is going on with this offense and said he even admires the restraint of Pickens. Mike thought Kenny Pickett would look a lot better, but just has not seen it yet. 

Doug Whaley dug into the Steelers offense with The Fan Morning Show and talked about what the biggest issues could be for Kenny Pickett right now. 

93.7 The Fan personality Chris Mack joined the show. Chris previewed the latest episode of the “Oh Mama” podcast, when he sits down with former Steeler Bryant McFadden. 

We heard Kenny Pickett speak to the media today and the guys immediately noticed his frustration and annoyance by some of the questions. The guys said they and fans aren't asking for the world from this offense, but they're just asking for something. Are you starting to get annoyed by the excuses made by the offensive players and coaches? 

Hour 1: The Steelers beat the Browns 26-22 on Monday Night Football. But how much did it really feel like a win? Poni reveled in the Browns misery, but Chris brought him back down to the reality that the Steelers didn't look good, at all, on the offensive side of the ball.  Donny shared a similar take to Chris – how much better do you really feel about this offense after last night's win? And what did we think of the Mike Tomlin coaching performance last night?  The debate is back at RB – is Jaylen Warren really gaining steam to become the team's RB1. What are some of the bigger problems in the Steelers offense outside of the offensive coordinator and quarterback? Missed blocking assignments and guys not getting involved are very apparent so far. 

Hour 2: Chris brought up Kenny Pickett continuing to be inaccurate as the biggest issue in the Steelers offense. Poni is adamant that Pickett will be better once Matt Canada is removed. Mike Tomlin calls for the offense to get its mojo back like it had in the preseason. Was the preseason success worth it since the confidence has merely gone right out the window? Chris mentioned that the offensive line has clearly regressed and that falls on Pat Meyer and the coaching staff. And when should we see more of Joey Porter Jr. with the way some of the other corners have played?  Donny's Game Balls – Pressley Harvin, TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith. Why is Mike Tomlin saying he's not concerned with the offense or what he is seeing from Matt Canada? The guys noted how the math doesn't add up because Tomlin has mentioned how the unit needs to be coordinated better and coached better. The guys discussed things that could make Kenny Pickett look more comfortable and why it seems like they are afraid to run the ball. 

Hour 3: Poni wondered if Myles Garrett has some financial backing with Pro Football Focus after he was graded higher than TJ Watt last night.  We addressed the Nick Chubb injury. Poni credited the fans a ton for the response they gave to Chubb as he was being assisted off the field. The guys talked about Minkah Fitzpatrick on that play and if he should be at fault for what happened.  Donny's Tomlin Tidbits – Mike Tomlin said fans deserve to be fat, sassy and spoiled – in a good way, about the Steelers offense. But is he truly concerned about it?  Kenny Pickett was bad last night, but Deshaun Watson was even worse. His $230M guaranteed deal is looking like one of the worst deals in sports history. Poni went through the numbers on his cap hit and why it will be nearly impossible for the Browns to get out of it. He's paid to be an elite player, but he's closer to the bottom tier. Poni called out the Browns for pushing aside part of their fanbase, signing a deal with the devil and watching it go up in flames. 

Browns fan called in and talked about the Browns alienating half the fanbase with the Deshaun Watson move and hates what that team looks like right now.  The Steelers run game should be another very big concern and is a fair reason why the offense is so unbalanced and predictable. Poni didn't want to hear the history of Terry Bradshaw in 1972 and why that doesn't correlate to what we're seeing now with Kenny Pickett.  Should Mike Tomlin feel like an idiot how he went about the preseason after how he has seen this offense start the season? The guys don't like hearing about how hard the coaches work – they should be coaching hard. A caller shared some wildly true numbers from last night's game.  We laughed at the Deshaun Watson excuses from last night for why he got called for multiple facemask penalties. The guys debated if they would take Kenny Pickett over Watson right now. 

The Steelers run game should be another very big concern and is a fair reason why the offense is so unbalanced and predictable. Poni didn't want to hear the history of Terry Bradshaw in 1972 and why that doesn't correlate to what we're seeing now with Kenny Pickett. 

Browns fan called in and talked about the Browns alienating half the fanbase with the Deshaun Watson move and hates what that team looks like right now. 

We addressed the Nick Chubb injury. Poni credited the fans a ton for the response they gave to Chubb as he was being assisted off the field. The guys talked about Minkah Fitzpatrick on that play and if he should be at fault for what happened. 

Poni wondered if Myles Garrett has some financial backing with Pro Football Focus after he was graded higher than TJ Watt last night. 

Donny's Game Balls – Pressley Harvin, TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith.

Chris brought up Kenny Pickett continuing to be inaccurate as the biggest issue in the Steelers offense. Poni is adamant that Pickett will be better once Matt Canada is removed.

Donny shared a similar take to Chris – how much better do you really feel about this offense after last night's win? And what did we think of the Mike Tomlin coaching performance last night? 

The Steelers beat the Browns 26-22 on Monday Night Football. But how much did it really feel like a win? Poni reveled in the Browns misery, but Chris brought him back down to the reality that the Steelers didn't look good, at all, on the offensive side of the ball. 

/ Black & Gold Gameday host Colin Dunlap joined the show. Colin set the scene from Rivers Casino and said there are a large number of Browns fans. Colin painted a rough picture for what the Steelers could face if they lose this game. Colin has more faith in Kenny Pickett having a good game than Matt Canada calling a good one. HOF QB Kurt Warner joined the show. Kurt said Kenny Pickett has to have a short memory going from last week to this one. Kurt broke down what we saw from Pickett last week and some of the things he needs to change going into tonight. He said QBs have to see and recognize and let it rip against good defenses. Kurt talked about a few concepts and scripted plays we should see Matt Canada go with early tonight. He said making the offense simpler for the QB helps him ease into the game. He thinks the Steelers should stay on schedule tonight offensively. Kurt said the Steelers should try to feed George Pickens the ball, but not force it – the QB has to trust everyone that is out there.   When in doubt, should Kenny Pickett just chuck it up to George Pickens? What is your confidence level going into tonight's game? 

HOF QB Kurt Warner joined the show. Kurt said Kenny Pickett has to have a short memory going from last week to this one. Kurt broke down what we saw from Pickett last week and some of the things he needs to change going into tonight. He said QBs have to see and recognize and let it rip against good defenses. Kurt talked about a few concepts and scripted plays we should see Matt Canada go with early tonight. He said making the offense simpler for the QB helps him ease into the game. He thinks the Steelers should stay on schedule tonight offensively. Kurt said the Steelers should try to feed George Pickens the ball, but not force it – the QB has to trust everyone that is out there.  

Black & Gold Gameday host Colin Dunlap joined the show. Colin set the scene from Rivers Casino and said there are a large number of Browns fans. Colin painted a rough picture for what the Steelers could face if they lose this game. Colin has more faith in Kenny Pickett having a good game than Matt Canada calling a good one. 

The guys think the Steelers have to start dictating terms when they have the football. The players have to answer the call, but there need to be concepts that actually help the 11 guys on offense. 93.7 The Fan Sports Director Jeff Hathhorn joined the show. Jeff had some news regarding the Steelers as they added Diontae Johnson and Anthony McFarland to IR, meaning they will miss at least the next 4 games. Jeff thinks the Steelers receivers room has some versatility and would expect to see Calvin Austin a lot tonight. Jeff thinks DeMarvin Leal and Keeanu Benton will see a big uptick in snaps with the injury to Cam Heyward. Jeff reiterated that there is no panic within the building heading into a big game in week two. Jeff thinks it is a strength of Mike Tomlin to always have his guys up after a game they lose by 20+ points. Jeff gave 3 guys that are arrow up and arrow down heading into tonight. Jeff noted that he would give Nick Herbig more snaps if one of the top edge rushers need a breather. He questioned the love Tomlin showed the offensive line after last week's game. Jeff got into what the role is for Joey Porter Jr. right now.  Black & Gold Bets.  Mike Tomlin said the Steelers are going to fight fire with fire tonight with the Browns secondary. Does that mean Kenny Pickett will be throwing the ball? Should the Steelers open the game in tempo? 

Black & Gold Bets. 

93.7 The Fan Sports Director Jeff Hathhorn joined the show. Jeff had some news regarding the Steelers as they added Diontae Johnson and Anthony McFarland to IR, meaning they will miss at least the next 4 games. Jeff thinks the Steelers receivers room has some versatility and would expect to see Calvin Austin a lot tonight. Jeff thinks DeMarvin Leal and Keeanu Benton will see a big uptick in snaps with the injury to Cam Heyward. Jeff reiterated that there is no panic within the building heading into a big game in week two. Jeff thinks it is a strength of Mike Tomlin to always have his guys up after a game they lose by 20+ points. Jeff gave 3 guys that are arrow up and arrow down heading into tonight. Jeff noted that he would give Nick Herbig more snaps if one of the top edge rushers need a breather. He questioned the love Tomlin showed the offensive line after last week's game. Jeff got into what the role is for Joey Porter Jr. right now. 

How can the Steelers fix their offensive problems?  NFL films expert Brian Baldinger joined the show. Baldy said you can't bet against TJ Watt, who is facing the big rookie tackle Dawand Jones tonight. Baldy said Jones is the real deal though and can be an excellent player. He doesn't think Jones has seen somebody quite like Watt just yet. Baldy did not think the Steelers offensive line played well last week, despite the praise from the coaching staff. Brian said George Pickens needs to have a big game tonight and it wouldn't hurt if Najee Harris joined him, along with some of their defensive studs – saying you win a game like this with your stars. He thought Kenny Pickett could have been much more accurate last week and warned us about a difficult test tonight. Baldy said this is a time and moment to play your best football.  It was an ugly Backyard Brawl for the Pitt Panthers, Pat Narduzzi is standing by his QB. How much more will we see Phil Jurkovec under center before a change is made and what will Pitt's record be when it happens?  Stephen A. Smith is ready to bring back Todd Haley, but is very upset that Mike Tomlin keeps Matt Canada around as the seasons go on. Is there actually smoke around Canada being relieved of duties? Chris thinks we will only see the end of Canada when the contract runs out.