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Your Midterm Grades

C

Coach

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Offense: B- Too many turnovers, dropped passes and field goals. Red Zone offense must improve. Ben hasn't been as good as he usually is, and Bell isn't the same world beater he was in 2016.

Defense: A. This is the best pass rush and coverage we have had for years. The coverage for once includes two quality cornerbacks, and our underneath coverage in the zone with Watt and Shazier allows for unpredictability on defense.

Special Teams B+ Boswell and the kick coverage teams have been excellent. The return game is average, and the punting below average.

Coaching C. Poor strategy, use of timeouts, not dressing or playing the right players, and internal issues have contributed to both losses.

GM A+ Hats off for Colbert, who drafted two excellent rookies ( Watt and Ju-Ju ) and had his best free agency ever. Haden, Wilcox, Alualu, and Hilton have all added to the defense.
 
Coach said:
Offense: B- Too many turnovers, dropped passes and field goals. Red Zone offense must improve. Ben hasn't been as good as he usually is, and Bell isn't the same world beater he was in 2016.

Defense: A. This is the best pass rush and coverage we have had for years. The coverage for once includes two quality cornerbacks, and our underneath coverage in the zone with Watt and Shazier allows for unpredictability on defense.

Special Teams B+ Boswell and the kick coverage teams have been excellent. The return game is average, and the punting below average.

Coaching C. Poor strategy, use of timeouts, not dressing or playing the right players, and internal issues have contributed to both losses.

GM A+ Hats off for Colbert, who drafted two excellent rookies ( Watt and Ju-Ju ) and had his best free agency ever. Haden, Wilcox, Alualu, and Hilton have all added to the defense.
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I notice that when the drafts are good, Colbert did it. When they are bad, it's Tomlin's fault.
 
Offense: C- Offense is not clicking yet. We need Gilbert back at RT and we need to get the passing game dialed in. Ben is struggling with his accuracy. Bell took a few games to get into football shape.

Defense: A-. The run defense is highly concerning.

Special Teams B- Boswell and Berry are solid, kick and punt returns flat out suck.

Coaching C. Zone D is mind boggling. Solid red zone D v Detroit. Offensive game plans v Jax and Chicago are hotly contested.

GM A. Signing Haden was a stroke of luck and genius. Jury still out on McDonald. Alualu has been very good. Draft picks are producing for the second year in a row.
 
The record- 6-2 A
The eye test for what I think a contender looks like, loses on road in Chicago (bad team) and Jacksonville (good team, but you are at home) and virtually every win, not really looking solid. Every win so far looks at some point like they will implode. C
 
Offense B. The play calls from Haley are questionable at times.
Defense B. The secondary is much better than yesrs past.
Special teams B.
Coaching C-. Tomlin still loses and struggles againt bad teams.
GM B. Draft picks and free agents are working out.
 
I like the ratings and can't argue much, though My coach ranking would be a B. They are improving and learning from mistakes. and they're 6-2.
 
I hesitate to give the defense and A but they have been much better than expected. However, if they do what they did last night and most of the season - play mostly zone - against Marsha, he will torch them. You can't count on a team being that bad in the red zone. Stafford was the first "good" QB we have faced. We are lucky we won't face Rogers as he would torch our D also.

The O has way under-performed and coaching has been very suspect at times.

Defense - B+
Offense - C+
Coaching - B
Overall - B
6-2 record gets an A. Even with their issues, they have a good record. But, they did lose to 2 teams they should have beaten.
 
Offense B-

Ben had his one flop game, and each WR position outside of AB has struggled. Either with development (JuJu early) and more important Eli and Martavis not being what we thought they were.O-line was shaky early but some of that was due to injuries. Red zone O isn't where it needs to be, and Bell was slow out of the gates due to his contract status.But has rebounded nicely.Enough going on there to not get a A.

Defense B+

Run D was embarrassing early. Pass D gave up too many yards in this last game, although the get points for coverage on the back end / red zone.
Bud Dupree is a little too inconsistent. But overall this unit has improved and are still growing with new parts in place.

Coaching B

Haley IMO has dragged this down group from what I would have given a A. As they have bounced back from two iffy performances. But the Haley has to call better in the red zone.As well as the players have to execute better. Each time I start to get down on Tomlin, he shows resiliency and just wins. And really that is what it is about winning.


So for me they get a solid B with A potential in the second half if they avoid any negative trends. I think the talent is in place to do great things. They just have to stay focused and push forward. And the assistant coaches need to evaluate on this bye what has worked and what hasn't.


I am very happy overall for the most part, and am hoping for big things.
 
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Offense: B- Because this offense is not producing what it can and should. Way, way, WAY too many field goals, not enough TD's, too many freaking interceptions. Offensive line play is coming along. No sacks allowed for the 2nd consecutive game, just 1 in the past 3 games. Think about that for a second - ONE SACK ALLOWED IN 3 GAMES. Ben used to be sacked once per quarter, now he is sacked once in three games. WR's coming around. Brown is as dependable as the sunrise, Juju is coming along nicely, and maybe Bryant's midseason vacation wakes him up. Running game plugging along after a pretty slow start. Score more TD's and this becomes an A.

Defense: A Solid pass defense, good CB play, Davis really coming along at S, pass rush promising and has Deebo in reserve. That's like landing on Normandy and having the 101st as reserves. Zone cut-back running game still carving them up on occasion. Get Tuitt back on the DL, and I think the run defense takes a significant step up. Keep up the pass pressure, boys. Best way to stop a passing attack? With the opposing QB on the turf.

Special Teams: B- Boswell is 4th in the NFL in field goals, 5th in scoring. Coverage has been acceptable. Detroit has a very good punt returner and Steelers kept him in check. Berry has been ... not what we had hoped. Waaay too many 37-yard punts. Worse punting average in the NFL before last night's game. Now moved up to 31st. Averaging 42.4 yards per punt, more than 9 yards less than the league leader. Not acceptable. Return units are ... dead. AB is the punt returner but apparently has been told to fair catch everything. He fair caught one last night with no defender within 10 yards.

Coaching: C+ The Bears game still sticks in my craw. The Bears are awful. Steelers choked away another game to a vastly inferior opponent. I am not going to harp on the Jax game, since (1) that team is better than we thought and (2) every team is entitled to 1 stinker per year. But if the Jax game is the stinker, what does that make the Bears game? I give Tomlin credit for helping put together a damn fine roster. Now, let's see it perform to, oh, 90% of its potential. That's on you, Mike.
 
I'll tell you what has underperformed my expectations:

The Steelers inability to score 30pts
Bryant's impact in the receiving game
Mitchell has disappeared.
Berry isn't punting well (though Detroit was his best game of the year).
Ben's decision making and execution.

This has exceeded my expectations:
JuJu and Watt immediately contributing as rookies
Hargrave, Burns, and Davis jump in year 2 is astounding
Everyone on Defense playing better than last year.
Hilton is a gem!!
McDonald's blocking ability.
Scoring defense
kick and punt coverage.
 
Cope said:
I'll tell you what has underperformed my expectations:

The Steelers inability to score 30pts
Bryant's impact in the receiving game
Mitchell has disappeared.
Berry isn't punting well (though Detroit was his best game of the year).
Ben's decision making and execution.

This has exceeded my expectations:
JuJu and Watt immediately contributing as rookies
Hargrave, Burns, and Davis jump in year 2 is astounding
Everyone on Defense playing better than last year.
Hilton is a gem!!
McDonald's blocking ability.
Scoring defense
kick and punt coverage.
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which of theseeeeeeeeeee things don't belong togetherrrrrrrrrrrr

:smiley_abyz:
 
Spike said:
A+

It's a team game

6-2

#1 team in the AFC


what more do you whiny ******* want?
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Sunshine and roses sounds good, except well it hasn't always been. A+ if yinz are comparing AFC teams, but focusing on this team they weren't quite that.


As far as what else do we want?

more rings Jeevsy

more rings
 
slashsteel said:
which of theseeeeeeeeeee things don't belong togetherrrrrrrrrrrr

:smiley_abyz:
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I was thinking the same thing as I wrote it, I just didn't want to put the mitchell thing after it to lessen that statement. But as a whole, the Defense has improved immensely. Mitchell is still disappointing...
 
Cope said:
I was thinking the same thing as I wrote it, I just didn't want to put the mitchell thing after it to lessen that statement. But as a whole, the Defense has improved immensely. Mitchell is still disappointing...
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I would be surprised if our needs changed in the off-season in regards to the draft.

Regardless of season outcome...

I see us needing a

FS
WR
ILBer
TE
QB

Not necessarily in that order, but would love to see Mitchell upgraded...
 
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Hines57 said:
Offense: C- Offense is not clicking yet. We need Gilbert back at RT and we need to get the passing game dialed in. Ben is struggling with his accuracy. Bell took a few games to get into football shape.

Defense: A-. The run defense is highly concerning.

Special Teams B- Boswell and Berry are solid, kick and punt returns flat out suck.

Coaching C. Zone D is mind boggling. Solid red zone D v Detroit. Offensive game plans v Jax and Chicago are hotly contested.

GM A. Signing Haden was a stroke of luck and genius. Jury still out on McDonald. Alualu has been very good. Draft picks are producing for the second year in a row.
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I think Berry has not been good. However blocking a punt for a score is huge, and Bos is money.
 
xjx said:
Offense B. The play calls from Haley are questionable at times.
Defense B. The secondary is much better than yesrs past.
Special teams B.
Coaching C-. Tomlin still loses and struggles againt bad teams.
GM B. Draft picks and free agents are working out.
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I think GM deserves much higher than a B.
 
I couldn't give the O any better than a C.
 
Black & Gold Bleeder said:
For what? drafting a long snapper we didnt keep? Oh yeah Tomlin did that.
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For drafting two impact rookies in Watt and Ju-Ju- For brining in Haden, a key piece for the pass defense. For finding Hilton, a good looking 3rd corner. For picking up key depth in Wilcox and Alualu. And for McDonald, who might be starting soon, and blocks a ton.

I though the long snapper pick was crap, but overall, this is our best group of new Steelers, perhaps in a decade
 
Coach said:
For drafting two impact rookies in Watt and Ju-Ju- For brining in Haden, a key piece for the pass defense. For finding Hilton, a good looking 3rd corner. For picking up key depth in Wilcox and Alualu. And for McDonald, who might be starting soon, and blocks a ton.

I though the long snapper pick was crap, but overall, this is our best group of new Steelers, perhaps in a decade
Click to expand...

I don't know about that... The 2014 draft class also had a pretty impressive rookie showing.
 
Coach said:
For drafting two impact rookies in Watt and Ju-Ju- For brining in Haden, a key piece for the pass defense. For finding Hilton, a good looking 3rd corner. For picking up key depth in Wilcox and Alualu. And for McDonald, who might be starting soon, and blocks a ton.

I though the long snapper pick was crap, but overall, this is our best group of new Steelers, perhaps in a decade
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Def the best group of Steelers since last year, when we got 3 defensive starters and a solid backup with Big Red. Too bad Hawkins is the tackle version of Golson.
 
Bigappleyinzer said:
I don't know about that... The 2014 draft class also had a pretty impressive rookie showing.
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Colbert nailed the first two picks for 2014, but the free agency wasn't very good. Cam Thomas started ( YUCK ) Lance Moore was also brought in. The Steelers singed Mike Mitchell, and I think we could have done better.
 
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