I predict that I'll be skiing the Mid-A and the Steelers will still be in contention to make the Play-offs.
-
For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.
Steelers!
- Thread starter Erik Timmerman
- Start date
I’m rooting for you in both!
Last Sunday the Steelers' stars on Defense were superstars. TJ showed you why the Steelers broke their usual policy of limited guarantees, broke the bank, and gave the man $80 million upfront. Cam played lights out. The question of how cornerback duties would be juggled was answered (at least for that game) when a rookie stepped up. The other Cam made it known that there was another Cam on the team who could make a big play. The 3 rotation outside LB looked like the best in the league making the blitz a rare choice to contain the gunslinging Josh Allen.
In the second half, Ben looked like the precision short pass slinger he was last year because the new #1 draft choice, Harris, found little room to run and few targets catchable as the Offense stalled in the first half. The offense has a rookie LT and C a second-year G, a vet acquired in the offseason, and an RT that was supposed to be their LT. None of them played a real game together, not even pre-season. Add a rookie TE and second-year receiver that never played in front of a crowd NFL stadium. Yikes! they found a way to win (special team TD). We gonna need a good ball bounce or two to keep this going,
In the second half, Ben looked like the precision short pass slinger he was last year because the new #1 draft choice, Harris, found little room to run and few targets catchable as the Offense stalled in the first half. The offense has a rookie LT and C a second-year G, a vet acquired in the offseason, and an RT that was supposed to be their LT. None of them played a real game together, not even pre-season. Add a rookie TE and second-year receiver that never played in front of a crowd NFL stadium. Yikes! they found a way to win (special team TD). We gonna need a good ball bounce or two to keep this going,
Agreed. The announcers kept saying that the Steelers dominated the second half. But I saw it more like an underdog scrappy team getting some breaks. Blocked punt, WR making a spectacular catch, etc. I think the Bills looked like they're likely to be the better team going forward, despite the loss.
I think the Steelers are in big trouble...
I don't know why Ben wanted to come back this season. If he thought last year ended badly, just wait until the end of this season, if he survives. With the injuries on the defense, there were guys on the field that I heard very little about during training camp if I heard of them at all. Like who the hell is Derrek Tuszuka? To paraphrase Chuck Noll, the Steelers' problems are great and there are many. Most of them begin with a young, inexperienced o-line and two of them went down yesterday.
On a positive note, if this level of play remains the same, the Steelers might just be able to find Ben's successor.
On a positive note, if this level of play remains the same, the Steelers might just be able to find Ben's successor.
So, to be clear, the Steelers have known for years that they have an aging QB, offensive line problems, a defense that sucks, no incoming talent to replace those who they’ve lost, and apparently little ability to improve the talent they do have.
Said another way, they can’t find talent and they can’t improve the players they do have.
The problems with this team start with the guys wearing the headsets. Until that issue is resolved nothing will change. It’s been the same team for years - capable of an occasional inspired performance but mostly uninspired.
It’s often asked “who would you replace Tomlin with?”. Well, there’s been a host of super bowl winning coaches since the Steelers last won a playoff game, let alone a super bowl. They’re out there.
Said another way, they can’t find talent and they can’t improve the players they do have.
The problems with this team start with the guys wearing the headsets. Until that issue is resolved nothing will change. It’s been the same team for years - capable of an occasional inspired performance but mostly uninspired.
It’s often asked “who would you replace Tomlin with?”. Well, there’s been a host of super bowl winning coaches since the Steelers last won a playoff game, let alone a super bowl. They’re out there.
They were the #1 defense in the NFL last season by many advanced metrics (or as low as 3rd by more conventional stats).
Plus they have a good group of receivers. It's really the offense line and QB that they allowed to age, and that is likely due to ownership and cost contraints, and trying not to have to rebuild yet. But it looks like maybe they waited too long, between the retirements on OL and the aging QB.
You are not going to find too many franchise QBs or a "generational talent" when you consistently draft from the lower half of the draft but even at that, the Steelers managed to find great to good players even when their first draft pick came at #31, Cam Heyward. The highest draft choice recently was at #10 when they took Devin Bush to replace Ryan Shazier #15. Now Shazier was one of those generational players. I had him pegged as the next Polamalu. We all know of Shazier's career-ending spinal injury. Steelers traded up to get Bush who is coming off ACL surgery so the jury is still out. Now they have had some colossal draft mistakes but what team hasn't? Even Ben fell to them at pick #11 because he played at a small school and all had Manning and Rivers rated ahead of him. I'm not making excuses for their poor play at the end of last season or the last 2 games but a lot of the Steelers' problems stem from their consistent success so if you're saying the Steelers should have played worse in the past so they could be better today then I would have to disagree. So why haven't the Steelers recently made moves to sure up the o-line in free agency? One name: TJ Watt. The next name is Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Cam Newton's available 
Gee, I wonder why he is still available. He would get killed by this o-line anyways but at least he could run and run he will. I'm in the minority opinion that Ben can still play and be a really good quarterback if he had a line that could run and pass block. This short dink and dump passing game is happening and happen last season because his o-line stunk and that included Pouncey and DeCastro. Both are gone. Pouncey retired and DeCastro was cut after it was known that he needed ankle surgery. Even with the quick release passing game, Ben is getting killed. It is worse than last season. The only upside is this o-line is young and if they can learn and not have their confidence destroyed perhaps they can get better. Good old players cannot regain their youth. Young players can improve.Cam Newton's available
One order of Gardner Minchew please. It's been a generally good experience but I'm ready for a new QB. ...as long as the name isn't' Kordell Stewart. Can't deal with that.
I'm not.
I think that's my main hope for the season.
Minshew would likely be better than Mason... but I don't know how much better given the line play.
Either way, I don't think they're replacing Ben this season barring injury.
And c'mon... Stewart was good sometimes.
Worse than the dink and dunk passing game is the fact that with no offensive line they have no run game. No run game then affectively there’s no passing game because play action will not work. They fix their line play l, it helps them a lot But it doesn’t get them over the top without the defense really stepping up.
This is veering off topic, but some studies have concluded that play action works regardless of whether or not you have a good running game, and whether or not a team runs frequently. The defense reads run or pass regardless, and play action has a similar effect.
Here's a series of articles:
Rushing Success and Play-Action Passing
Conventional wisdom says you need a strong running game to get the most out of play-action passing. Guest columnist Ben Baldwin breaks down the numbers to find if that's really true.
Situational Play-Action Passing in the NFL
What down and distance make the most sense for play-action passes? And does it matter whether the quarterback is under center or in the shotgun? Guest columnist Ben Baldwin explores.
Play-Action Passing and Game Conditions
Guest columnist Ben Baldwin returns with more analysis of play-action passing data. Is it best to use play-action when ahead, or when trailing? Late in the game, or early? And does it matter how often a team passes after showing a handoff -- and is that tendency becoming more common?
I’ve seen and heard that opinion a lot. As someone who’s played and coached the positions that play action is designed to affect, that is primarily the linebackers and the safety, I don’t buy them. Play action is designed to pull those positions forward to commit to the run defense to open up holes behind them. If I’m playing that position and I know you can’t run the ball as you’re offensive line can’t handle my defensive line, I have no reason to bite up hard on the run to leave open space behind me. These players and coaches watch so much film they know down to the player who can block and who can’t and what they are primary area of emphasis needs to be for a particular game. Defensive play is about risk management because you can’t cover the whole field, So these linebackers aren’t coming up hard when they don’t have to.This is veering off topic, but some studies have concluded that play action works regardless of whether or not you have a good running game, and whether or not a team runs frequently. The defense reads run or pass regardless, and play action has a similar effect.
Here's a series of articles:
Rushing Success and Play-Action Passing
Conventional wisdom says you need a strong running game to get the most out of play-action passing. Guest columnist Ben Baldwin breaks down the numbers to find if that's really true.www.footballoutsiders.com
Situational Play-Action Passing in the NFL
What down and distance make the most sense for play-action passes? And does it matter whether the quarterback is under center or in the shotgun? Guest columnist Ben Baldwin explores.Play-Action Passing and Game Conditions
Guest columnist Ben Baldwin returns with more analysis of play-action passing data. Is it best to use play-action when ahead, or when trailing? Late in the game, or early? And does it matter how often a team passes after showing a handoff -- and is that tendency becoming more common?
Sponsor
Members online
- Matt Merritt
- socalgal
- blackke17
- dbostedo
- tball
- pud
- precisionchiro
- KimJongTr1ll
- skiki
- Chip
- GregK
- Chris V.
- salvatore
- willy384
- Plai
- river-z
- BullMcCabe
- Henryboppy
- mikel
- Jeronimo
- Don in Morrison
- COSkier87
- Philpug
- BLiP
- jdwalk
- Mendieta
- my07mcx2
- Dwight
- skidrew
- Mothertucker
- Doublegreen
- msr2009
- Schussboelie
- Even_Stevens
- evr66
- dovski
- waxloaf
- TomPietrowski
- tch
- ss20
- johnnyvw
- Noodler
- zircon
- BeiJiHu
- crgildart
- AltaSkier
- scvaughn
- Petrus
- Rudi Riet
- Brian Finch