As you said you’ve been asking for weeks. So coaching caused the execution to improve? Or regardless of the game plan if the execution by the players are sound, then they will make plays? Which is it?
Coaches don’t perform the plays the players do. As for Jax, the game plan was to be a dual attack with more intermediate throws to spread out the D, but after the pick sixes that game plan was discarded as they played catch-up the rest of the way....with Ben obviously not performing well....and the D on the field way too long. So were the coaches the blame for Ben’s 5 spot, or the players not being gap sound?
As for your slam on Davis, you wouldn’t know but he’s 3rd in tackles on the team, top among all DBs, and tied for 3rd in PD’s among the DBs (#25 and #21 ahead). I didn’t list how many TOL since I can’t find at least two sources that match, but he is at least 1st among DBs. So how is he least playmaker among them?
Your analogy of Davis is more akin to your observations. Once in a long while you throw something that sticks on the wall. The Mitchell opinion seems solid. He needs a talking to, with his antics. He’s lucky he didn’t get tossed for taking out Smiths legs on that broken play.
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What caused the coaching to improve? I'm not there but I can make an educated guess. After trying to get the ball deep to Bryant, and AB a bit too often ( AB is really not a good go route player ), the Steelers who had OL issues early with Hubbard in there ( Deep passes take more time ), probably noticed when Nix and McDonald are in there, they can run the ball well. And a + to this with Ju-Ju on the edge.
The Steelers
abandoned the run vs. Jacksonville ( who was very weak defending the run ) in the second half way too early. Had they stuck with it, I think they win that game.
Mistake #1 The game was 7 to 6 at halftime....Why abandon the run so soon? It was a mistake by the coaches. Blake Bortles can't pass for crap. He had less than 100 passing yards that day.
Mistake #2, not dressing Harrison. It's clear he's still very powerful and is a good run defender or spot pass rusher. He's also a leader who inspires and takes no crap. Yet he sat. Tomlin's call. And it was a wrong one.
Mistake #3. Red flagging a pass that hit the grass. Yes, you read that correctly. A blown timeout decision by Tomlin.
Many of the pick sixes happened thanks to WR's playing volleyball or running the wrong way or falling down / getting tripped. Some were good plays by the Jaguars DB's. A TD pass was called back for an OL flag. Not Ben's fault. He did not play well, but at least three of the interceptions were not his fault.
On Mitchell, we agree.
When a safety gets a lot of tackles, you have to see where he makes them. Davis is often tackling his man after he catches it. He has not been a factor on the blitz, Hilton who has more plays on the ball is actually a better tackler and blitzer. Hilton tackles way above his weight class and offers solid intermediate coverage. I like him a lot.
If you want to talk tackles Vince Williams is 2nd best on the team, but he's the weakest starter on defense...
On Davis, he has just 2 passes defended, 0 sacks, and 0 interceptions in 6 games. This is below average for a starter on pace for less than 8 PD's for the year. In his rookie year, Davis had but 5 PD's and two of them have blown interceptions if you want the truth, one was so easy vs the Jet's, most on the forum would have caught it.
By contrast, Watt and Shazier, and have more PD's and they are linebackers. Haden and Burns have more PD's in comparison to Davis and the ball seems to come their way less. A player like Gay who plays fewer snaps is tied with Davis PD's for the year.
