Why haven’t the Steelers focused WR Mike Williams over the previous two video games?
The Steelers appeared to need Mike Williams fairly unhealthy—or at the very least some notable huge receiver. Whereas they pursued an inventory of names earlier than touchdown on Williams, they nonetheless gave up a fifth-round choose for him. And he made the game-winning play in his Steelers debut however hasn’t seen one other goal since.
In three video games with the Steelers, Mike Williams has one catch on one goal for 32 yards and a landing. It hardly will get extra environment friendly than that—when you ignore the truth that he is enjoying an honest quantity. Whereas he solely performed 9 snaps in his first recreation, he has performed 49 snaps since then and hasn’t even seen a goal.
Wassup wit that?
Even with out Williams catching a cross Thursday night time in Cleveland, Russell Wilson nonetheless threw for 270 yards on solely 28 makes an attempt, to be truthful. He averaged practically 10 yards per try, which may be very respectable, and he hit on a number of chunk performs. These are the kinds of issues Mike Williams is meant to supply, and the Steelers aren’t actually missing them absent his contributions.
Now, the Steelers solely had Williams within the constructing for 2 weeks main into Thursday’s recreation in opposition to the Browns. And so they didn’t have a lot time to place collectively a recreation plan for him on a brief week in Cleveland. I get that.
However they nonetheless put him on the sector for 19 snaps, and loads of these had been passing downs. If Mike Williams is on the market operating routes, he’s obtainable to make a catch. And the Steelers maintain speaking him up like they suppose he makes a distinction of their offense with the dimension he can add, so the place is it?
Okay, so perhaps we’ll see the Steelers incorporate him into the scheme extra in Week 13, now that they’ve a mini bye to place some mind energy behind it. Wilson and Williams have extra time to construct a rapport, achieve some nuance of their connection. Perhaps his time continues to be coming. But it surely’s nonetheless irritating to see him not contributing along with his main operate—catching passes—in a shedding effort.
The Steelers’ 2024 season is underway, following one other disappointing 12 months ending in a first-round playoff loss. They’ve had a protracted offseason because the Buffalo Payments stamped them out of their distress again in January. There are constructive indicators, however issues might leap off the rails any second.
The most important query hanging over the staff is the quarterback query. Is Russell Wilson incomes a profitable new deal subsequent 12 months, and is Justin Fields nonetheless in consideration? How will the staff proceed to tackle the depth chart, which is surprisingly nonetheless in flux?
The common season is right here, following weeks of camp and preseason video games. The Steelers made quite a few strikes via signings and commerce—and launch. Greater than normal, they appeared snug creating holes, assured they’ll fill them. Some they managed to fill, others not a lot. Now that we have now so many items of the puzzle, nonetheless, we merely have a brand new set of inquiries to ask.
