Why Kenny and the Steelers Offense struggles
- Thread starter martingale
- Start date
The scheme and plays suck compared to top half of the league.
Something seems off with Kenny's mechanics though. Also stamina.
Something seems off with Kenny's mechanics though. Also stamina.
It’s not why he misses wide open receivers on basic throws. The 2 in the early part of the game
last night were atrocious.
last night were atrocious.
Plenty of teams also run play action on first down and don't have many explosive pass plays, but yeah play selection needs to improve.
He is coming off a rib injury.
Kenny has missed chances. The throw to start the Jags game down the middle to Johnson (and yes, Johnson could have come down with it as well) and same with the Rams game are examples of misses. We need him to hit those throws to generate explosive plays which should lead to points.
Beyond better execution, you have to ask yourself why do we get some few of those? Is it just poor execution? Or lack of opportunity? My suspicion is more of the latter....
If the Steelers replace Kenny, I will not be upset. If they keep Canada (regardless of what they do with Kenny), I will be furious. There is ample evidence from data and breakdowns from outsiders showing just how limited this offense is.
You're right. He drove the team down the field to win the game. Again.
How many of those teams then running overwhelmingly on 2nd and long especially in the face of a stacked front?
There are so many issues with the offensive system. From not using the middle of the field (check Kenny's attempt chart from last night) to not having good hot routes (there is a reason Kenny is getting injured and it's not just the OL or his tendency to do a foolish spin move), this offense is just poorly designed.
Right. Because he didn’t have the same issue prior.
I’m not saying he sucks or is a bust. He may be able to improve. But he has major accuracy issues and if you homers choose not to see it so be it.
There are other issues to be certain. In no way shape or form do I blame Kenny for all offensive woes. But his accuracy must get better or he’s gonna be a career back up/lower level starter. You can’t miss the easy ones he misses as much as he does.
He's missed a lot of throws, however I don't think he's an inaccurate passer. I think it's more of a comfort thing for him, and he's just not comfortable in this offense with the throws they want him to make.
He was 19-30 last night and had 4 or 5 drops. However, he inexplicably missed some easy ones. He's seems to do it most games too.
He was very accurate his senior year at Pitt. It's in there, he just needs to get comfortable.
He certainly improved over his time at Pitt. But being open in college and in the NFL are different things. However he certainly has tossed some dimes as well on tougher throws so that’s why there’s hope. Maybe he gets too amped when a guy is wide open and Kenny fastball rears his head. Could be a number of things I’d imagine.
He needs to make those throws, but I don't see the same criticism for the next Tom Brady (Levis) when he makes 4 terrible throws in that final drive.
Interesting, but not shocking. We’ve all known that this offense hasn’t been successful with Ben, Mitch or Kenny. It wouldn’t be successful with any QB.
If the offense is to get better, there are a few things that must be done:
1. Matt Canada MUST GO.
2. A competent OC and QB coach must be hired in order for Kenny to get better.
3. Better personnel. Dionte Johnson is overpaid and should be traded. Need a couple more WR’s that can consistently catch the ball and get open. Better OL play.
He has injured ribs. You can’t throw with full volocity, so the ball will sail high & inaccurate.
The whole offensive staff needs to go.
I would bring back Haley and BEG Munchak to come back as o-line coach. The o-line under Munchak was one of the best in the league. Yes they had Pouncy and DeCastro, but also started 2 UDFA's.
As far as trading Johnson, if he is so overpaid, why would another team take on his salary?
Joe Starkey was already proclaiming Levis the better QB, after 2 starts. His exact quote: "Levis simply had the look of a higher-caliber quarterback". The high caliber QB who threw the game sealing interception. But remember his PSU lineage....goes a long way with the nitter loving local media. Funny no complaints were thrown Porters way when he committed two penalties on the same play that kept a drive alive and led to a score.
I really think it starts with Tomlin, him and Narduzzi are cut from the same cloth. He wants it to be a safe, no turnover offense that limits mistakes.
If Canada goes, the notion that a modern high flying offense will be installed by a new coordinator is just wishful thinking. Most likely they just promote from within and the beat goes on since that's how Tomlin wants things to look.
He either thinks it was an amazing throw or that he will be out of the league soon. LOL. Is there no middle ground with this guy?
But why would anyone expect his passes Thursday to be dramatically better?
I was surprised he was playing to begin with.
Levis regardless of what anyone says got by on a lot of luck the other night. I counted at least 5 plays where the defender got to him e for a sack/change of trajectory on pass… he’s lucky the only pick he had was the final drive. It looked like TJ Daniels vs PITT last year.
Pickett shouldn’t have been playing, he’s already had a tough enough time before the injury…and then a rib injury on top of it is makes the slightest movements difficult.
He was put in the classic dilemma of the pro athlete (any athlete really) to either play through the pain or be labeled a coward. Especially by the media turds in this town too stupid, afraid or biased to know that the problems are everywhere, starting with the organization and HC .
I personally thought Pickett should have been lifted at halftime. He wasn’t good at all. He hasn’t been good much of the season of course. But his throws were even worse, he looked barely able to move, all the plays that already take too long to develop, were taking even longer.
When I came of age following and playing football, coaches didn’t hesitate to remove a QB if he didn’t have it. Hall of game players like Bradshaw, Fouts, etc would get regularly lifted. But I realize that is sacrosanct in todays game. It worked out with a W and normally I’d be the first to say that’s all that matters. But everyone realizes this situation is not tenable.
He was put in the classic dilemma of the pro athlete (any athlete really) to either play through the pain or be labeled a coward. Especially by the media turds in this town too stupid, afraid or biased to know that the problems are everywhere, starting with the organization and HC .
I personally thought Pickett should have been lifted at halftime. He wasn’t good at all. He hasn’t been good much of the season of course. But his throws were even worse, he looked barely able to move, all the plays that already take too long to develop, were taking even longer.
When I came of age following and playing football, coaches didn’t hesitate to remove a QB if he didn’t have it. Hall of game players like Bradshaw, Fouts, etc would get regularly lifted. But I realize that is sacrosanct in todays game. It worked out with a W and normally I’d be the first to say that’s all that matters. But everyone realizes this situation is not tenable.
Deonte is inconsistent, Pickens needs to get that foot down. Najee dances too much for a big man and Freirmuth has been out. Not making excuses for KP's accuracy issues but you have to admit these things all add up to less points scored than they should.
QB school has done some excellent work. Watch the breakdown of the Ram's game specifically the first play when the Rams send a double B gap blitz against the left guard and the hot route is almost non-existent. And if you watch QB school breakdowns of the Steelers for the season, you will see he does not like the Steelers offensive system.
Kenny misses throws. He has done that several times each game and I am far from convinced he will be our answer. If there is an excellent QB prospect in the draft the Steelers should select it.
However, even in this game, the offense is just putrid. The first play in the breakdown we have receivers not looking for the ball on the RPO, run blocking that is non-existent, and then Kenny has to make a play.
On the next play we have a receiver running the cross against zone coverage instead of sitting down. Note, "same thing happens in when Kenny throws "behind" the receiver in the end zone for an incompletion. That's not bad QB play. That is a bad offensive system and that is on the OC.
There is so much wrong with this offense. It does not use the middle of the field near enough. The route concepts are making it easier for the defense from not sitting against zone coverage to the constant use of curl/stick routes.
The Steelers need a new OC. The new OC will not have any loyalty to Kenny and that's fine. But sticking with Canada who has now had many different Qbs and still not had one 400 yard game in 2.5 years of NFL is ludicrous.
I think a lot of what is happening with Kenny is the game situation as well.
The windows he has has to throw the ball into are the same in 4th Q as they are in the 1st Q but in the 1st Q he “doesn’t have to” pull the trigger.
Is he worried about throwing an Interception? Are the coaches in his head telling him not to turn the ball over? Whatever it is, if you aren’t fully committed to a throw you don’t step into it and it is going to sail.
In the 4th when you are behind you are forced to pull the trigger and commit.
I know there are tons of other factors across a game but he is just so much more willing to throw and so much more accurate when the team is behind.
H2P
The windows he has has to throw the ball into are the same in 4th Q as they are in the 1st Q but in the 1st Q he “doesn’t have to” pull the trigger.
Is he worried about throwing an Interception? Are the coaches in his head telling him not to turn the ball over? Whatever it is, if you aren’t fully committed to a throw you don’t step into it and it is going to sail.
In the 4th when you are behind you are forced to pull the trigger and commit.
I know there are tons of other factors across a game but he is just so much more willing to throw and so much more accurate when the team is behind.
H2P
Yeah, he is badly missing open receivers maybe 5-6 times per game every game, I originally thought accuracy was supposed to be his strength? I just don't see it now?
It's irrelevant, maybe if Kenny for just once could put up JUST ONE FOUR TOUCHDOWN PASS GAME, or even 3? Or maybe 300 yards? or lead the team to 35 points? JUST ONCE. maybe he would get that hype instead? Maybe it's his own fault that they aren't hyping him?
You are too hung up on stats. Ok, let's say he puts up those numbers and the Steelers lose, then what? The problem with this team is the offensive scheme. Why isn't the middle of the field being used more? I saw a breakdown of the passes from Thursday's game and I think out of the 30 passes only 3 were in the middle of the field. Tight end isn't being utilized, what about a dump pass to a running back? One last criticism, why not go hurry up and try to get a bit of rhythm? Other than the last 2-2 1/2 minutes of the half/game they have not done it at all this season.
LOL, no I won't, I just want to see it ONCE, I'm tired of every game being 18-32-220-1-0, let's see JUST ONE MONSTER GAME. I was a huge Kenny fan, I really very badly wanted them to draft him, but I must not be as patient as you, 20 games to me is a super long time to wait for JUST ONE, breakout performance.
Depends, if they lose 42-38, I'll actually feel good about scoring 38 points for a change, why is it better to lose 20-10 or 30-6 or 31-7?
I agree with all of that. Kenny is not doing well and making a lot of bad throws and missed throws, but yes, he is handicapped playing for a totally offensive illiterate dolt like Tomlin.
I don't know. If you look at Canada as an OC, with Big Ben, Maryland. LSU and Pitt, there are only a few 300 yard passing games among all of them. The Steelers had more 300 yard passing games in the season before MC became OC then he has seen in his entire career as an OC.
Kenny does this weird little forward lean in the pocket since he got to the pros. I watched old college tape and he stood tall in the pocket. Maybe he is bracing for the more frequent beatings, but it seems a little off.
