On this episode of Steelers Central, we look through the disappointing defensive performance that Pittsburgh put up on Thursday night. This was a game that the Steelers should have won, but Tomlin's defense yet again failed to show up against an inferior opponent. I unleash on him, Terryl Austin, and the NFL's highest-paid defense for their abysmal performance while the offense puts up 30. It all came down to a weak performance from the front seven, allowing 146 yards on just under six YPC while allowing Jamar Chase and Tee Higgins to combine for 22 receptions for 257 yards and two TDs.

There were some winners in this game, though, with Aaron Rodgers throwing for four TDs and just under 250 yards. Jaylen Warren was his usual pinball self, owning the Cincinnati defensive front. Pat Friermuth led all Steelers with six receptions for 111 yards and two TDs, with both Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington each recording a TD too. The big people up front deserve their flowers as well, not allowing a sack and averaging over seven YPC.

Defensively, though, the front seven, secondary, along with Mike Tomlin and Terryl Austin, were abysmal, with no adjustments, no creativity, bland coverages allowing the Bengals WRs to win easily and own the MOF.

0:00-27:38 Steelers vs Browns Analysis

27:39-52:29 Steelers vs Bengals Winners and Loser

On this episode of Steelers Central, it's time to discuss whether the Steelers will get over their TNF woes or make a statement win over the Cincinnati Bengals. This realistically should be a game that the Steelers dominate and control from start to finish, but that has not been the case in recent years. Tomlin is 0-6 vs road divisional opponents on a short week, so this may be more challenging than people think.

The keys to victory for this game will be decided by how well the Steelers defend the Bengals' perimeter players in Jamar Chase and Tee Higgins. Slay, Porter, and Ramsey must not let these guys feast. For the Steelers, it will be to control TOP with a dominant run game. The Bengals will be without Trey Hendrickson, and they are not a good run-stuffing team up front. Keeping the ball on the ground and draining the clock will be the top priority for the Steelers.

As for the matchups, look out for the Steelers' offensive line vs the Bengals' defensive line, the Bengals' offensive tackles vs the Steelers' edge rushers, and how well the Bengals tackle against the Steelers' RBs and WRs, all of which will be under a microscope to not allow big gains.

Why the Steelers will win this game easier than people think, and the mentality will be much different than last year's TNF game against the Browns.

0:00-16:40 Steelers vs Bengals: Keys to the Game

16:41-31:05 Steelers vs Bengals: Matchups to Watch

31:06-38:50 Steelers vs Bengals Predictions

The Steelers notched their third straight win, eighth straight after their bye week, and beat Cleveland in the regular season at home for the 22nd consecutive year. The defense did not allow a TD. The offense ran for 100 yards with Rodgers throwing for two TDs. It was an all-around performance for this Steelers team, going up against arguably the best defense in the NFL. See why this matchup got me excited about this team's potential as we head down the stretch into more formidable play.

As always, we'll get into our (mostly) winners and losers from the Browns game, including DK Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey, the Steelers Edge Rushers, along with penalties and missed TO opportunities. See what we had to say about all of them.

0:00-20:48 Steelers vs. Browns Analysis

20:49-39:46 Steelers vs. Browns: Winners and Losers

On this episode of Steelers Central, the Steelers are back in action after a Week 5 Bye Week. This time, they'll be battling a familiar division foe who has not won a regular-season game in Pittsburgh in 22 years. This will be no easy task against arguably the best front 7 in football right now, and a run defense that is statistically the best in the NFL. This game will come down to what is done in the trenches by these two big, physical rivals.

From a matchup standpoint, the two teams have very different offensive lines in terms of experience, but a similar weakness: shaky LT play. While Broderick Jones play has improved over the last two weeks, this will be the start of a challenging stretch with Myles Garrett coming into town. Jones must not let Garrett get loose and attack Rodgers. The Steelers will also need to attack the Browns' LT with a mix of Herbig and Highsmith.

The Steelers will also need someone else to win against the Browns' sticky-man coverage, which is why I think this will be the perfect game for the Steelers' TE to step up. Speaking of TEs, the Steelers will need to shut down the Browns' TE and force Dylan Gabriel to find some other weapons in the passing game.

As for the result of this game, it won't be an easy pushover despite the record discrepancy. Expect a low-scoring physical rock fest that the Steelers should win because of their QB experience and their ability to run the ball just enough against a stout Browns front.

0:00-21:00 Steelers vs Browns: Keys to the Game

21:01-42:20 Steelers vs Browns: Matchups to Watch

42:21-50:15 Steelers vs Browns: Score Prediction

On this episode of Steelers Central, the Steelers will be resting up this week as the team has its much-needed Week 5 Bye Week. They'll be heading in at 3-1 while dealing with some injuries at CB and WR before facing off against Cleveland and Cincinnati. I'll share some of my takeaways, including the trenches coming together, Rodgers still playing at a winnable level, the need for a WR 2, and that turnovers are still a must for this defense.

After the bye week, the Steelers will return another weapon to their OLB core in Alex Highsmith. Obviously, this is a huge get back for the Steelers as they get another above-average pass rusher in the fold, who has battled injuries the last couple of seasons since recording 14.5 sacks in 2022.43. I'll tell you why the Steelers need to keep Nick Herbig in the lineup, given the defense's current performance.

Flipping to the offensive side of the ball, the Steelers may be without WR Calvin Austin for a little after he sustained a shoulder injury late in last week's game against the Vikings. The Steelers still need another WR who can separate and consistently win against man coverage. Either they go out and trade for a big-time weapon to go all in, or use the personnel they have to get their TEs more involved in the offense. There is one player this team cannot take off the field, outside of DK Metcalf.

Lastly, I'll tell you why the Steelers cannot get comfortable despite all of the injuries and QB issues haunting the other teams in the AFC North. The Steelers are sitting pretty at 3-1 and could be 5-1 headed into Week 7 against the Packers, if they play their cards right, headed into these two winnable division games. Mike Tomlin cannot afford to have his signature losses against bad teams in this position, especially if the Ravens get healthy and hot.

0:00-17:30 Bye Week Takeaways

17:31-24:30 Good Problem at OLB

24:31-37:25 Steelers Need at WR Remains

37:26-46:40 Don't Get Comfortable

On this episode of Steelers Central, it's time to break down the Steelers' surprise, at least to me, victory in Dublin over the Vikings. The team came out guns blazing and dominated both sides of the LOS, sacking Carson Wentz six times and having a season high of 130 yards on the ground. These are the Steelers we have been waiting to see, winning a game convincingly despite what the scoreboard says. Going into the bye, they will need to get healthy and still have things to clean up.

We'll also have our daily winners and losers in this game, which includes the Steelers' offensive and defensive lines, Payton Wilson and Keeanu Benton, and Kenneth Gainwell. I'll also talk about what could be the future of Pat Friermuth, given his limited snap usage, and why coaching made this game closer than it needed to be

0:00-24:30 Steelers vs Vikings Takeaways

24:31-50:10 Winners and Losers

On this episode of Steelers Central, it's time to analyze the NFL's first regular-season game in Ireland as the Steelers take on the Vikings.

I'll give my take on what the Steelers must do to win, which includes winning the turnover battle, getting to Carson Wentz, and finally getting some traction in the ground game.

There will also be some key matchups that the Steelers will need to win. Justin Jefferson will need to be stopped by whoever the team decides to cover him. A defensive coordinator duel will also be at the top of the list as Rodgers prepares to face one of the most unpredictable defenses in the NFL. Also, why the Steelers will need to have success on this down to help control the TOP and limit the Vikings' offense.

Then it's time to give my prediction on the game, and why I think this one has the chance to get ugly for the Steelers.

Lastly, I'll share my thoughts on why it's time for the Steelers to consider an edge rusher who had a 14.5 sack season before he got paid, but has not since combined to get that number over the last three years. If the Steelers are serious about being an all-in team, they would consider moving Alex Highsmith for another WR to improve the explosiveness of this offense.

0:00-15:37 The Steelers will win if...

15:38-34:55 Steelers vs. Vikings Key Matchups

34:56-40:40 Steelers vs. Vikings Prediction

40:41-47:42 Steelers Should Trade Alex Highsmith

On this episode, the Steelers are 2-1; that's about all I could say. The team caused five turnovers and five sacks in a rejuvenating defensive performance. The offense, on the other hand, took several steps back, scoring on their first two drives and then failing to net 20 yards for the next two quarters before a late TD gave them a lead they would not relinquish.

We'll also get into some winners and losers from this game, including Nick Herbig, T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, and the third and fourth down defense. You could figure out who the big loser is.

0:00-17:20 Steelers vs Patriots Reaction

17:21-37:20 Winners and Losers

On this episode of Steelers Central, it's time to look at what went wrong during the Steelers' home opener against the Seattle Seahawks. There should be some cause for concern on the defensive side of the ball, and adjustments need to be made going forward.

After that, it's time to look ahead to the Steelers heading up to face the New England Patriots, a place that has haunted the Steelers. We'll examine why it is essential for the team on both sides of the ball. Big play hunting should also be near the top of the list against a Patriots team that has struggled to contain big plays in the secondary. Metcalf and Austin need to be put in some situations where they could be difference makers.

Next, the Steelers will need some big players to step up if they want to get back on track, including both offensive tackles and middle linebackers to win their respective matchups. They'll also need one explosive running back, who has arguably been the Steelers' best offensive player, to terrorize the Patriots' weak inside linebacker coverage.

The Steelers will win a sloppy game with improved play on both sides of the ball, and why I'm confident in that prediction.

Lastly, I'll explain why the Ja'Whaun Bentely signing is a great fit for this team, and will provide exactly what this team needs when he is ready to see the field. It also proves that the team should have signed Elandon Roberts to let the duo of Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson roam and track down RBs and TEs all across defenses.

On this episode of Steelers Central, it's time to preview the team's home opener against the Seattle Seahawks. We'll get into why the Steelers' first priority needs to be shutting down Jaxson Smith-Njigba, as well as attacking the secondary against a defense with some key injuries on the backend.

Next, we'll get into some of the key matchups that include the Seahawks' interior defensive line and vice versa, as well as both of the top WRs against the team's top corners. We'll get into why those matchups are so crucial later in the episode.

I'll tell you why the Steelers should win this game and provide some predictions for what happens during the game, including why it will be easier to get Sam Darnold to the ground.

Lastly, the addition of Jabrill Peppers at safety instantly makes him the second-best at his position. Why this addition couldn't come at a better time for the Steelers, and how I think he'll be used.

0:00-22:08 Steelers vs Seahawks Preview

22:09-35:21 Steelers vs Seahawks Key Matchups

35:22-41:40 Game Prediction

41:41-47:47 Jabrill Peppers: A Perfect Fit