Daily News & Links: Key Formula to Steelers Wins; Big Ben Critiques George Pickens

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🏈  The Pittsburgh Steelers are 7-1 since 2023 when forcing two or more turnovers in a game. They are 4-3 since 2023 when forcing one turnover, 0-3 when forcing zero turnovers, according to Missi Matthews of Steelers.com.

🏈 The Steelers’ victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday marked the fifth time since the merger that the Steelers won a road game without scoring a touchdown, according to Ryan Scarpino. They also did it in 2001, 1994, 1990 and 1972. Eighteen is the most points in these five instances.

🏈 Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger critiqued George Pickens’ blocking in Sunday’s game against the Falcons.

Pickens and Calvin Austin III both missed blocks on a screen pass to Van Jefferson late in the fourth quarter that led to a failed fourth-down quarterback sneak in the red zone.

“It may sound overly critical of George, but in that situation, when you have a screen, if he gets that block, it’s a first down. Maybe touchdown. He makes a lot of great plays, but if you want to be great, do the little things that are required as well,” Roethlisberger said on his Footbahlin podcast.

“I know he can do it. I hope what you’re going to see is a guy who goes out there and gets a little bit nasty moving forward. That’s one where Coach (Mike Tomlin) might get on a guy. If Coach is willing to hold him accountable, he’ll get on him.

“That was a screen play that you know you’re blocking. A coach would say, ‘Put your big boy pads on. Buckle your chin strap. Let’s go.’ They do that drill in practice, DBs versus receivers blocking. You’ve got to do it.”

Gotta tell you I really liked this call on 3rd down, but George Pickens & Calvin Austin both do a terrible job of making any kind of block. Woof. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/aKkRtYy9vE

— David Todd (@DavidMTodd) September 8, 2024

🏈 DLineVids on X broke down T.J. Watt’s ghost/rip move against the Falcons.

Ghost/Rip by @_TJWatt. Great speed rush off the edge! Would’ve been a strip sack if he wasn’t flagged. I think it was the perfect jump! #PassRush #Steelers

📸 @BaldyNFL @jmcrites53 pic.twitter.com/NigCssQ2Lt

— DLineVids (@dlinevids1) September 9, 2024

🏈 NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger praised Steelers rookie Zach Frazier for his performance in his NFL debut. “@zfrazier54 the only enjoyable part of this offense was seeing how many knockdowns Zach would get. I lost track at 10… Steelers sure knows what a great CENTER looks like. Mike Webster would be proud of Zach’s debut,” Baldinger wrote on X.

.@steelers @zfrazier54 the only enjoyable part of this offense was seeing how many knockdowns Zach would get. I lost track at 10… Steelers sure knows what a great CENTER looks like. Mike Webster would be proud of Zach's debut @BigDuke50 #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/4fh9FNeQWt

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) September 11, 2024

🏈 Steelers safety DeShon Elliot had a standout performance against the Falcons on Sunday, earning a 86.0 Pro Football Focus grade (6th), 86.9 coverage grade (4th), zero receptions allowed, one interception and one forced incompletion.

🏈 The Steelers rank No. 11 in Pro Football Talk’s Week 2 Power Rankings.

Week 2 power rankings. The deck has been reshuffled. pic.twitter.com/UaipjjxdZK

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 10, 2024

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