Mike's Beer Bar War Room: Realistic changes that need to be entertained

After these past two nightmare games for the Steelers, they are now the first team over .500 in NFL history to lose back-to-back games to teams that were at least eight games under .500. The first time in NFL history. And it was at home. For both games. 

Changes need to be made. 

But, what realistically can the Steelers do at this point of the season? Well, they are fortunate to have a mini bye week after their loss to the Patriots before traveling to Indianapolis to take on the Colts in a game that is now crucial to their playoff lives. Here are several tweaks -- one on defense and several on offense -- that would not be too difficult to implement that the Steelers should strongly consider. 

Let’s start with the lone defensive change. After 185 snaps in a Steelers uniform, it is clear that Mykal Walker is a liability. The Cardinals exploited him in coverage time and time again. New England clearly game planned to do the same, and they succeeded. Walker is a liability in the middle of the field and has a target on his back. And even on this interception created by Elandon Roberts, Walker looked like he was in quicksand with the football in his hands:

This is an excellent anticipatory play by Roberts, who remembered this same play from earlier on the game and attacked it with vigor. The ball pops to Walker, but wow does he look like he is in slow motion with the ball in his hands as Ezekiel Elliott tracks him down for what could have been a much bigger play for the Steelers' defense. A lot of NFL linebackers take this to the house untouched.

The Steelers had four inside linebackers see the field in Thursday night’s game: Roberts, Walker, Blake Martinez and Mark Robinson. The snap counts were divvied out accordingly out of a possible 57 defensive plays: Roberts 46, Walker 25, Martinez 21 and Robinson for six defensive plays. 

Folks, Robinson isn’t the answer and very well might never be. When he was drafted, Robinson was a year away from maybe being a year away. It is unlikely that the recent seventh-round pick develops into an NFL starting linebacker. 

But, lost in the disaster that was the New England loss, Martinez played quite well once they handed him much of the responsibility next to Roberts. Martinez is a soon to be 30-year-old in his eighth NFL season, and he’s been productive pretty much each step of the way, averaging 8.4 tackles per game over his career. 

Who is to say how long Martinez can hold up at this point, but he is an NFL player that understands the game and what it takes to get the job done at this level. Roberts and Martinez need to now be the Steelers' starting off-ball linebackers, with the possibility of Keanu Neal as the pure dime ‘backer once he returns from injury, which could be sooner than later. 

Unfortunately this is from a few years back in 2020, when Martinez was at his best. But it does demonstrate that this is a player that understands the NFL and has a great head for the game. Martinez still sees the field very well, rarely wastes a step and closes with authority. If the Steelers can get a fraction of that out of him for the rest of this season, that is a massive upgrade over what Walker has shown. 

How about on offense? There are more angles to consider on this ailing side of the ball.

One of the most important components of center play at this level is excelling above the shoulders, something that Mason Cole certainly does. But it is also very important for NFL centers to block people, as well as snapping the football effectively and consistently, something Cole is very much struggling with. As for the blocking aspect of it, Cole has also been a liability there in both the run and pass game. Center will be a huge Steelers' offseason need and Cole is best suited as a high-end fourth man off the bench on the interior rather than being an NFL starter. 

Nate Herbig is currently that fourth man on the interior, but it might be time to try him in Cole’s starting spot and swap their roles with this team. Herbig has been on the field for 156 snaps this season, most recently at left guard against Arizona when Isaac Seumalo was injured. As it was with Martinez, it was easy to miss it consider the circumstances, but Herbig played very well against the Cardinals. 

Now, who is to say for sure if he is an upgrade as a snapper or how he compares to Cole above the neck, but Seumalo is widely considered an exceptional mind for the game, and he could help in this regard. Herbig is certainly more of a people mover than Cole, and he's also stouter and more physical at the point of attack. 

Cole has played the most snaps (818) of any Steelers' offensive player this season. Quite possibly, he is more of the problem than the solution. It seems time to give Herbig a shot as a full-time player. 

Another change the Steeler should consider, and already have apparently, is more of their pony package with Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris on the field together. Before the Patriots game, these two had yet to see more than two snaps in a game on the field at the same time. Against New England, they did it for seven snaps. That might not seem like much and might just be one game specific, but more of it should be considered. 

Why? Because the Steelers' five most dangerous offensive players are Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, Warren and Harris. Why not get all five out there together on an offense that's starving to threaten defenses? 

One problem with pony packages is the running back not getting the ball is often a poor or unwilling blocker. That doesn’t seem to be the case with Warren and Harris. And, both running backs are highly capable receivers: 

Now, this is from a few years ago at Alabama Pro Day. It is Mac Jones throwing to DeVonta Smith and Harris, all of whom were first-round picks in the 2021 NFL Draft. The Steelers have yet to truly explore what Harris can bring as a downfield route runner like he is used in this video. Harris has very long arms, great feet and exceptional ball skills. It is time to do more than just dump him the football. 

Changes off this change would be less of Allen Robinson and more of Warren overall. Say what you want about Matt Canada, but since he was relieved of his offensive coordinator duties, Warren’s role has decreased. That makes no sense. Very recently, I wrote articles about how Warrens’ role needs to grow and how Robinson, who once again played too many snaps (41) in this most recent game, needs to see the field less. 

That isn’t to imply that the Steelers should spend the majority of their offensive snaps in this pony package, but how about experimenting with it for 15 plays in Indianapolis? With Mitch Trubisky’s running ability, if the Colts countered that personnel grouping with their base defense with just four defensive backs on the field, the Steelers could detach both running backs, go empty with favorable passing game matchups against heavy defenders and still run Trubisky against spread out defenses. 

Calvin Austin III, who rightfully got a bump in snaps up to 21 against the Patriots, Darnell Washington (30 snaps) and Connor Heyward (11) could all maintain their current participation give or take. But, Robinson logging 41 snaps (his average for the season is 46.4 snaps per game) is exactly what the opponent wants to see. And that needs to stop for a wide receiver that produces just 17.3 receiving yards per game, even if Robinson is a quality blocker in the run game. 

And hey, it also might not be a bad idea to feature Pickens more, especially any time he sees single coverage. But let’s just focus on these changes in personnel for the time being. 

These aren’t massive changes, but they are alterations that would easy enough to implement on short notice. Something needs to be done.