U mad, bro?: Steelers fans snap back at criticism of Kenny Pickett and go after Matt Canada, defensive payroll

Apparently, Pittsburgh sports fans want the media members who cover the Steelers to make a few New Year’s resolutions.

• Be harder on the Steelers defense.

• Be harder on offensive coordinator Matt Canada.

• Be nicer to poor Kenny Pickett.

That’s the vibe I’m getting anyway.

Oh, and one other thing …

• Don’t forget to make fun of the Pirates for signing a 42-year-old pitcher who may be the real-life version of Eddie Harris from “Major League.”

Let’s see if you catch the same drift from this week’s “U mad, bro?”

James disagrees with Mark Madden’s assessment that Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett isn’t making any real progress.

“I’ve seen progress in KP’s game. Nobody cares what another (expletive) talking head like you had to babble. It’s a rebuilding year. Shut (expletive) up.”

If it’s a rebuilding year, James, why aren’t they willing to say that? And, if it is a rebuilding year, why do they keep retaining all the players from a team that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016?

Also, why did you email me instead of the guy who actually said the quote? I’m the guy who wrote the story. Mark’s quote is what was printed in the post and said during the “Madden Monday” podcast. So why are you emailing me enraged, as if I’m the guy who said it?

There’s only one guy babbling in this conversation, and it ain’t me.

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Bob is also upset with Mark.

“If Madden knows so much about football, why isn’t he a coach?”

I dunno, Bob. But if you know so much about being in the media, why aren’t you a writer or a radio host?

Jim says Pickett isn’t getting a fair shake.

“Your ‘Madden Monday’ article … When will someone in Pittsburgh give Pickett a chance? He doesn’t have a quality OC. His OL is average at best, no run game. The D is so inconsistent (you) never know which one is going to show up. This rookie has to go and win the games instead of managing the game as a rookie should. Some fans along with sports writers should get educated about the process and the game before saying he is a bust. This Madden guy doesn’t know football from a hole in the ground.”

No one in Pittsburgh is giving Kenny a chance?! Are you serious, Jim?! Give him a chance?!

He was drafted as the No. 20 overall selection by the Pittsburgh Steelers, out of the University of Pittsburgh. He was flat-out given the backup job over a five-year vet. He was inserted as the starter for Week 4 of his rookie season after throwing three interceptions in one half during his first appearance. He’s been reinserted as the starter two times after Mitch Trubisky has won games.

Not to mention, he’s got an enormous fan club carrying over from his Pitt days that was chanting his name to play from — literally — the first snap of Mason Rudolph’s preseason.

Don’t pull the Hines Ward “nobody gave me/him/us a chance” thing with me on this one. Pickett is very much “getting a chance.”

“Dabus36” also thinks the public is being too hard on Pickett.

These people yelling for Mitch to play haven't watched him over the last 4 years he is not good. You people would have run Bradshaw out of town. Let Pickett grow as Noll did for Bradshaw

— dabus36 (@TwardyMike) December 25, 2022

You might be right about Trubisky, Bus. You may also be right about giving Pickett time to grow.

But you might wanna pump the brakes on the Chuck Noll/Terry Bradshaw analogy. Bradshaw was five years into his career, and Noll was still benching him for Joe Gilliam.

Don’t rewrite the history of 45 to 50 years ago for the convenience of making a point today. Let’s not act like Noll gave Bradshaw the keys to the car and patiently let him make mistakes all the way to four Super Bowls. It was a bumpy road.

Steve is mad at Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada.

I believe an ideal Xmas gift for Steeler Nation would have been a pink slip for Matt Canada

— Steve Werksman (@SWSTFU69) December 25, 2022

Would you be willing to wait on a new offensive coordinator on layaway until Jan. 9 or so, Steve?

Rich doesn’t want us to take it easy on the Steelers defense despite three solid quarters of football against the Raiders on Sunday.

$108m D that's invested in mainly 3 guys. Two not always on the field. Even if they were, that's 3 of 11. The other 8 ain't so hot.

— Rich N (@rxn128) December 25, 2022

Despite three really good quarters against the Raiders on Christmas Eve, I get your overall point, Rich. We still live in the 1970s around here sometimes when it comes to always blaming the offense and never wanting to blame the defense when things go badly. Then we act like any halfway decent game is the rebirth of the Steel Curtain.

This year, the defense has been inconsistent. That’s with and without T.J. Watt. They’ve looked great at times, like against the Saints, Raiders, Panthers and Buccaneers and in the first half against the Falcons.

But against better teams — such as the Bills and Eagles — they got shredded. The same could be said in the second halves of games against the Jets, Bengals and Falcons. And they hemorrhaged 215 rushing yards against the Ravens.

With all that money allocated toward the defense and a youthful developing core on the other side of the ball, Tomlin’s defensive unit can’t have the lapses it has had in games this season — especially against playoff-caliber teams.

Douglas takes umbrage with the idea of Steelers assistant coach Brian Flores taking over the Denver Broncos as their head coach next year, after being fired by the Miami Dolphins following the 2021 season.

“Chances of Flores being a head coach again for any NFL team is zero. After suing the NFL, Miami, Broncos, and Giants he has positioned himself as the Colin Kaepernick of coaching. Did you happen to notice what a great year Miami is having without Flores?”

Great year? Miami is 8-7. The best record the Dolphins can have is 10-7. They were 9-8 under Flores last year. They were 10-6 under him in 2020.

Don’t look now, but by calling the Dolphins’ 8-7 record “great,” you may be making Flores’ argument on his behalf.

Finally, Ian has a thought about the Pirates signing veteran free agent pitcher Rich Hill.

Sounds like operation shutdown 2.0 to me

— Ian Cummings (@imcengineer) December 28, 2022

Ian, for as bad as that Derek Bell contract was, he was only 32, and the deal was for only $9.75 million over two years.

Hill is going to be 43 by the time Opening Day rolls around. And he’s getting $8 million for one year.

At this point, I just think it’s great the Pirates have a player on their team who was at least in the womb last time the franchise won a World Series.