Remember when Sammie Coates was going to be the next Martavis Bryant? He had 19 catches for 422 in the first five games of the season. Against the Jets, he had six catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns. The Steelers were 4-1 and all was good with the world.
But since his breakout game, Coates has one reception in the past four games, all losses. The only thing that’s disappeared faster is the Steelers’ playoff hopes.
Coates played two snaps against the Cowboys Sunday afternoon. Cobi Hamilton, who was on the practice squad until the middle of last month, played 68 of the 74 snaps on offense.
Has there ever been a precipitous fall from grace?
It is readily apparent offensive coordinator Todd Haley has little use and little patience for Coates. Late in the first half against the Cowboys, Coates ran a deep route to the end zone. He was held, but he failed to run through the contact to make a play for the ball. I don’t think he played again after that.
Yes, Coates injured a finger against the Jets, but he’s been healthy enough to dress for every game. When Haley has been asked about Coates he’s said he has to fight through the mental hurdles associated with the injury. Or he simply says the reason Coates has been working with the scout team is because there is good competition at the position.
Maybe the Steelers should have drafted a receiver. Midway through his second season the coaches don’t have any confidence in him.
▪ The Steelers are a team that builds through the draft and they’re getting precious little from their 2015 draft class. They’ve gotten next to nothing from their top three picks.
-- Outside linebacker Bud Dupree has missed the first nine games with an abdominal injury.
-- Cornerback Senquez Golson has missed the first nine games with a foot injury and is likely done for the season.
-- Coates was the third-round pick.
-- Cornerback Doran Grant was cut and is no longer with the team.
-- Sixth-round pick L.T. Walton continues to be a healthy scratch on most game days.
-- Seventh-round pick Gerod Holliman was cut last summer and is out of the NFL.
The two most productive picks this season have been fifth-round tight end Jesse James and sixth-round outside linebacker Anthony Chickillo.
You need more out of your drafts if you want to be a contender.
▪ Remember when the Steelers wanted to get some help for Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt? Well, Tuitt played all 65 snaps Sunday and Heyward played 61. The only reason Heyward didn’t played all 65 snaps was an injured pectoral muscle. Ricardo Mathews played the other four snaps. The Steelers have zero depth along the line and that has to be a reason they fail so miserably to stop the run.
▪ Mathews, by the way, was the first player out of the locker room less than 15 minutes after the game ended. Most other Steelers were still peeling off their pads and sitting stunned at their lockers when reporters were allowed into the locker room. Mathews was in the parking lot by then. How about that free agent signing class for general manager Kevin Colbert? Mathews can’t get on the field and Ladarius Green played for the first time Sunday. You need to get more out of your free agent signing if you want to be a Super Bowl contender.
▪ Several Steelers said after the game that they thought they were in a good call when Elliott ran 32 yards for the winning touchdown. But that alignment looks severely flawed. Javon Hargrave is lined up as a slanted nose between the left guard and center.
Jarvis Jones is aligned head up on the tight end. That left Cowboys guard Ron Leary and tackle Tryon Smith uncovered and free to execute their blocks without any resistance. Leary simply pushed Hargrave away to the left and Smith enveloped inside linebacker Ryan Shazier. Lawrence Timmons came on a run blitz and was picked up by center Rob Frederick. The way Hargrave, Shazier and Timmons were pushed so easily out of the way it makes me wonder if Jones failed to execute the call properly. He’s the only player on that side of the defense who doesn’t slant hard toward the left. He is simply blocked straight up by the tight end and there was a hole big enough for three Elliotts to score on the play. Timmons took the blame in the locker room, but I’m not convinced it was his fault.
▪ So that Super Bowl 51 prediction between the Steelers and Packers I made back in the summer is looking good. Both teams are 4-5 and in serious danger of missing the playoffs. My prognostication skills are worse than the political pollsters.
First Published: November 14, 2016, 12:22 p.m.
