Where’s He Get That Confidence?
Perhaps it’s the 7-2 finish last year.
Maybe it’s the perfect preseason.
Because it sure can’t be anything he saw last Sunday.
But there was Matt Canada anyway, telling everyone yesterday “we have no concern (the offense’s struggles) will continue,” and stating “I don’t have any doubts or concerns it will be better.”
I get it: Other than acknowledging they were a miserable failure on Sunday – which he did – what else is he supposed to say?
I just wonder how far that confidence ripples out beyond the Steelers’ facility.
Because, if you’re anything like me, all the good vibes you caught from the preseason have been vaporized by just one terrible showing from Canada, Kenny Pickett, and the offensive line.
And I don’t feel supremely confident that they’re going to be able to turn it around against a Cleveland defense that limited Cincinnati to just 142 yards of total offense.
Proving Point For Pickens
For a wide receiver taken outside the First Round of the NFL Draft, the amount of time allotted to prove yourself worthy of a second contract is limited: If you don’t do it well enough in your first three seasons to get an extension, it’s likely you’ll have to put up big numbers in year four and hope to hit in free agency.
For George Pickens, he won’t even have to wait that long. The opportunity to prove he can be a true WR1 will come over the next month with Diontae Johnson out.
One would think Pickens is going to see double coverage as much as possible, which means while getting open and racking up catches in Johnson’s absence will certainly be dependent on Matt Canada and Kenny Pickett, it will also be up to Pickens to be a truly great receiver by maximizing those opportunities.
Many of us have suspected Pickens would be the Steelers WR1 by the end of his second season, but we should have our answer as to whether he’s capable or not by Halloween.
Big Ben in the Big Apple?
The list of possibilities for the New York Jets at quarterback in the wake of Aaron Rodgers’ season-ending Achilles injury gets a little crazier every day, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN threw Ben Roethlisberger’s name into the mix on Wednesday.
Can we not?
I’m sure Ben appreciates being thought of, but given what we saw from Roethlisberger in his final season, would he necessarily be much better than Zach Wilson? Especially after a year and a half away from football?