About an hour ago
Based on the information coming out from Steelers headquarters last week, it sounds like the organization is taking a slow and steady approach to fixing the issues present with the team at the end of 2020.
In fact, Steelers owner Art Rooney II went so far as to tell reporters last week, “If I had my druthers, I’d say if I could have the same [2020] roster back over in the next year, I’d do it.”
Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen. Free agency is going to pick apart that roster. And, frankly, it wasn’t good enough to win a playoff game anyway.
Its performance against the Cleveland Browns proved as much.
Beyond that, Ben Roethlisberger is talking about configuring a contract extension so the Steelers can spread out the money he is owed over a number of years. Maurkice Pouncey hasn’t officially retired as of yet. And Rooney also gave head coach Mike Tomlin a vote of confidence by stating, “I feel comfortable in saying he’ll be our coach into the future.”
In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden and I both advance the opinion that feeling comfortable may not be the way to go.
“When they say their window is open, they really believe it,” Madden said. “Ben thinks he can come back and win. He really believes it. And I don’t know what to say when I hear that. Because I know it’s not true.”
Madden has numerous reasons for that opinion.
“You’re going to have Ben come back. You know he is going to talk (Maurkice) Pouncey into coming back (at center). The offensive is still gonna be (junk). Their running back room was the worst in the league this past year. Their ‘elite defense’ has allowed 43.5 points in its last two playoffs games. That defense’s best player, T.J. Watt, has been invisible in his two career playoff games,” Madden said.
Watt has a total of just five tackles, no sacks and only two quarterback hits in his two playoff games against the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Madden says part of the problem on Water Street is that very few people at headquarters are willing to admit that. And there is limited media or fan pressure to make the franchise react more briskly.
“It’s really grim for the Steelers, but there are only a couple people — three or four including you and me — who understand how grim it is. Actually, there’s more than that. They just won’t say it out loud.”
Well, we did. Often, and loudly, during the podcast. And Madden wasn’t too forgiving toward the Penguins either.
“The Penguins’ window is closed,” Madden continued. “It’s one thing for the players not to realize that. The players aren’t supposed to realize that. The organization has to realize that and act accordingly. And that applies even more so to the Steelers than it does to the Penguins.”
However, there was some praise to be handed out to the Penguins. Madden and I both see a lot of positives in defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph and forward Kasperi Kapanen. Madden is high on Teddy Blueger’s game so far this year, too.
But we both have concerns about the goaltending and Evgeni Malkin’s continued struggles to start the year.
We also talk about the ongoing Pirates sell-off, the Super Bowl, the Matt Stafford trade, KISS, Whitesnake and Liverpool soccer.
Listen: Tim Benz and Mark Madden discuss the Steelers problems and issues for the Penguins
Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via Twitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.
Categories: Sports | Steelers/NFL | Breakfast With Benz
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Madden Monday: 'It's really grim for the Steelers,' and not enough people will say that out loud - TribLIVE
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