Pittsburg, PA
Two things we learned in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ loss to the Indianapolis Colts
INDIANAPOLIS — The Pittsburgh Steelers faced an undermanned Indianapolis Colts team that lost their starting quarterback in the first quarter but could not come back to knock off the Colts. The Steelers now have to address these issues at the surface in a game that exposed many flaws that were there for the first three games.
However, here are the three most important things that we learned from this game that the Steelers should look to fix before their game against the Dallas Cowboys:
There is a Linebacker problem
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense faltered at every level against the Indianapolis Colts, but Colts head coach Shane Steichen zeroed in on Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen and went to work. Their run game calls put those linebackers in conflict often, and the quick game that was so effective underneath against the heavy Cover 3 defense spliced and diced the Steelers all game. Pittsburgh had no answer for Steichen’s attack on the linebackers, and he exploited their coverage rules. Part of that is on Mike Tomlin and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, who need to adjust to that. Steichen especially attacked the Steelers’ push calls.
However, Wilson and Queen struggled to fit the run and had some ugly reps out of their gaps. On top of that, the two players were beaten in coverage a few times by taking themselves out of the play. The Steelers do need to improve at linebacker, and the team really needs more out of Patrick Queen.
The Run Game Issues
The Steelers’ run game outside of Cordarrelle Patterson and Justin Fields is dead. Najee Harris has not been able to get going, and there are a few reasons why, so let me try to break down what the film showed.
For one, the Steelers keep asking Van Jefferson to insert block and dig out safeties. He has been atrocious at this all season, and it is killing the run game. Their schematics have to adjust, or they need to change personnel because Jefferson can not block well, and it is allowing another defender a free rush.
Another is that the Steelers’ splits have started to become predictable. Teams are lining up eight in the box and blitzing a free man off the edge because of their tendencies, but the Colts could no longer do that in the second half when the Steelers started to throw the ball more.
Najee Harris is just not a good fit for this style of running game. You need instant explosiveness to get downhill and maximize yardage, especially on open cut-back lanes. Harris does not have the instant acceleration for that, and that is why Patterson always maximizes what he gets while Harris’ plodding style, that can work in other schemes, falls flat.
Arthur Smith is not doing a good job of putting his personnel in the best position to succeed. They need to do a lot of self-scouting this week.
- BETTING: Check out our guide to the best PA sportsbooks, where our team of sports betting experts has reviewed the experience, payout speed, parlay options and quality of odds for multiple sportsbooks.
Last year, Americans received nearly 30 billion scam robocalls and text messages. Now, leaders in Pennsylvania are taking a new approach to try to crack down on them.
“It’s not just certain audiences that are targeted in this space. It’s really everybody,” said Kate Sullivan, CEO of Better Business Bureau of Western Pennsylvania. “Robocalling is just faster and more aggressive than it’s ever been,” Sullivan said.
The prevalence, exacerbated by artificial intelligence, is why 49 attorneys general across the country sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission to strengthen its rules to prevent scammers from accessing legitimate phone numbers.
“You have individuals that will purchase maybe 100,000 different phone numbers,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said. “Those numbers will land somewhere where you have a nefarious actor who will use those numbers to do the robocalls.”
Sunday is part of the Anti-Robocall Task Force, along with West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey. Last year, the coalition sent warning letters to major phone service providers to stop allowing illegal robocalls to reach consumers. Now they’re building on this by going directly to the FCC.
“The consumer matters, and we want to make sure that our constituents, the consumers that are in our states’ voices, are being heard at the highest level as loudly as they can be,” McCuskey said.
Sunday said they want to put more onus on companies to not sell these numbers, and if they do, to have documentation that can be provided to law enforcement so they can trace back and hold the scammers accountable.
KDKA-TV reached out to the FCC for comment. A spokesperson said in part that they “welcome this input from state leaders.” They also mentioned, “The Commission proposed expanding certification and disclosure requirements to all providers that receive telephone numbering resources… to stop scammers from exploiting gaps in the system.”
“Getting ahead of it and more protections for the consumers, I think, does have quite a bit of value,” Sullivan said.
As for what you can do, the BBB and AGs said it’s better to let a robocall go to voicemail. If you decline it, that indicates you’re a real person and may get more calls. Also, make sure to report robocalls to the BBB or the Federal Trade Commission.
-
Politics1 minute agoIsrael shares intelligence warning Iran plotted new assassination attempt against Trump: report
-
Health8 minutes agoParasitic infection causing ‘explosive’ stomach illness exceeds 1,000 cases in northern state
-
Sports11 minutes agoLondon descends into disorder as Morocco fans flood streets after World Cup elimination by France
-
Technology16 minutes agoGoogle turns old phones into cloud servers
-
Business23 minutes agoWaymo is starting robotaxi service in San Diego
-
Entertainment26 minutes ago‘Children of Blood and Bone’ author won’t see film after feud with star Amandla Stenberg
-
Lifestyle31 minutes agoAfter her son’s death, she found a new purpose. ‘He’s whispering: Mom, this is your path’
-
Politics38 minutes agoIran ceasefire is ‘over,’ Trump says, and orders additional strikes
