Daily Links: Steelers 14th in Power Rankings, All-Pro Praises Herbig

Alan Saunders |

Aug 21, 2023

Steelers Nick Herbig — Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Nick Herbig talks to head coach Mike Tomlin, Aug. 19, 2023. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

ESPN ranked the Pittsburgh Steelers 14th in their latest power rankings, which is one spot up from where they were entering the offseason, but still ninth among AFC teams and third in the AFC North.

ESPN Steelers reporter Brooke Pryor listed offensive coordinator Matt Canada as being on the hot seat.

“No surprise here, this is a make-or-break season for Canada and his offense,” Pryor wrote. “Entering the final year of his contract, Canada has all of the tools — at least on paper — to make his offense successful: a second-year quarterback, a wide receiver on the cusp of a breakout season and an overhauled offensive line. The temperature of Canada’s seat will cool dramatically if the offense can pick up where it left off at the end of the 2022 season, when QB Kenny Pickett threw five touchdowns to one interception and confidently led back-to-back fourth-quarter game-winning drives.”

? Former All-Pro outside linebacker for the San Diego Chargers Shawne Merriman gave high praise to Steelers fourth-round pick Nick Herbig.

“You can’t teach bending the corner like this, you either have it or you don’t,” Merriman said in response to Herbig’s strip-sack on Saturday night against the Buffalo Bills.

You can’t teach bending the corner like this, you either have it or you don’t. https://t.co/6kayFMn5fd

— Shawne Merriman (@shawnemerriman) August 20, 2023

? Doug Farrar of USA Today shared a clip of Kenny Pickett’s immense improvement with his pocket movement.

Really like the pocket movement and poise from Kenny Pickett on this rep. Pressured, stepped up, didn't bail, and kept his eyes downfield. pic.twitter.com/fEGLD4ptbe

— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) August 20, 2023

? Steelers first-round pick Broderick Jones had a solid outing against the Buffalo Bills. https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1693346412258283639″>According

to Pro Football Focus, Jones allowed just one pressure on 20 pass blocking snaps.

? Through two preseason games, Kenny Pickett has completed 9 of 11 passes for 113 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating of 149.1. https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1693322802441433309″>Pro

Football Focus has Pickett with a 88.2 grade.

? Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: The Sports & Exhibition Authority and the Steelers are still battling over 2018 scoreboard improvements at Acrisure Stadium (then known as Heinz Field). The SEA’s latest legal salvo is part of a long-running battle over who must pay what for stadium upgrades before the 2018 football season. They included an expansion of the video board, or screen, used to show game action, highlights and other features. It’s a clash that by the Steelers’ count has spit out roughly 6,829 legal documents totaling about 35,426 pages. But as the team gets ready to open the 2023 season, the case is still pending before arbitrator Gary P. Caruso, with both sides filing motions for summary judgment.

? Happy Birthday to former Steelers punter Shayne Edge, born on August 21, 1971 in Lake City, Florida. Also, Happy Birthday to former Steelers running back Ben Tate, born on August 21, 1988 in Woodbridge, Virginia.

? Old Time Football shared the clip of when Franco Harris signed with the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 5, 1984.