Game Balls, Game Goats & FU's.........vs Broncos Week 2

[topseed]

Most of Dionte's drops seems to be concentration lapses where he's looking to make a move before he secures the catch. Also, he hasn't played much with Ben. DJ played at Akron and then he played with Mason and Duck. Now he's catching balls that are getting to him much faster, not just in terms of velocity but the ball being alsmot on him before he's out of his break. The reaction time is much less.

Basically, i think DJ's drops are something he can overcome. He's made a lot of plays in his young career. Don't forget that he missed a lot of time as a rookie. The Steelers don't have another WR who can do what DJ does on underneath routes.

Exactly. Johnson is a playmaker. The chemistry with Ben will only continue to get better.

 

[SteelerFan448]

Exactly. Johnson is a playmaker. The chemistry with Ben will only continue to get better.

It's early but you're right. Johnson is already Ben's top option with 14 receptions on 23 targets. JuJu is No. 2 with 13 receptions on 14 targets.

 

[SteveA]

ohnson is already Ben's top option with 14 receptions on 23 targets.

He's not the top option by design. He is so shifty & gets separation, so he is open more often than the other receivers...

 

[coolshark]

And turnovers.

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And challenges we can't win which lose TOs

 

[Drink IRON City]

The Steelers basically have four WRs with number one WR potential.

Since Ben's arm seems as good as ever, there's really no excuse for the Steelers not averaging over 30 points a game this season.

Still early in season considering NO PRE-SEASON games to tune up. PLUS Randy Fitchner is holding us back with his predictable play calling.





Salute the nation

 

[TDX27]

Bush gets a goat in his TE pass coverage. He looks worse than last year. Fant was wide open every time Bush was on him. We are in trouble if he doesn't figure something out in coverage.

 

[Troglodyte]

Tomlin continues to challenge calls he shouldn’t and not challenge calls that he should. I think he saves challenges and places priority on critical times or field position instances, and not if the call was actually wrong or not. That’s terrible strategy.

 

[steelermania]

Tomlin continues to challenge calls he shouldn’t and not challenge calls that he should. I think he saves challenges and places priority on critical times or field position instances, and not if the call was actually wrong or not. That’s terrible strategy.

Does he have someone up in the box telling him when to challenge? That's what most teams do. A coach on the field can't see the play well enough to know when to throw the flag.

 

[Stryker]

DJ has excellent hand placement. You can drop the ball and still have great hand placement. He's the possession receiver on the team and made a catch yesterday low and behind his body, that many WRs can't make. He and Ben are getting on the same page and yesterday was an improvement on week 1. He had a TD working hard on that extended play by Ben, and nearly had 100yds. That's all I want to see out of a 2nd year guy. Improvement week to week. That checks the box for me!

 

[Shane Falco]

Does he have someone up in the box telling him when to challenge? That's what most teams do. A coach on the field can't see the play well enough to know when to throw the flag.

That catch happens infront of him on the sideline. I thought his right foot/toe was out as well. Yes, he lost the time out and challenge but it allowed a longer stoppage of play for the defense to regroup.

 

[slashsteel]

DJ has excellent hand placement. You can drop the ball and still have great hand placement. He's the possession receiver on the team and made a catch yesterday low and behind his body, that many WRs can't make. He and Ben are getting on the same page and yesterday was an improvement on week 1. He had a TD working hard on that extended play by Ben, and nearly had 100yds. That's all I want to see out of a 2nd year guy. Improvement week to week. That checks the box for me!

For the most part. I also want to see an improvement in the turnover department but that applies to BigBen and the rest of the O too. Two long term streaks by this team a sack in each game and turning the ball over each game at least once. I would like for one of those streaks to end against the rats.

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[21STEELERS21]

It seemed to me yesterday that since the offense wasn't running and controlling the ball the defense got a bit gassed in the second half.

 

[Hines57]

Goat: Play calling. What the hell with all the dink and dunk passing. Let Ben sling it. Thought the play calling was horrid and it cost us a few drives and then the penalties started hurting us. Yeah it is essentially still preseason but we need to eliminate these bonehead plays. Got to see some nice stuff between the offense and defense but the defense definitely gassed some in the second half. We're going to have to tighten up on the mistakes for next week.

 

[Coryea]

Goat: Play calling. What the hell with all the dink and dunk passing. Let Ben sling it. Thought the play calling was horrid and it cost us a few drives and then the penalties started hurting us. Yeah it is essentially still preseason but we need to eliminate these bonehead plays. Got to see some nice stuff between the offense and defense but the defense definitely gassed some in the second half. We're going to have to tighten up on the mistakes for next week.

Because we had no running game, those late drives we need to be able to run and eat clock, we went two straight drives where we went exclusively to the air and the clock stops. I'm not disagreeing, I'm just saying we need to be able to run the ball in those late situations.

 

[Troglodyte]

Does he have someone up in the box telling him when to challenge? That's what most teams do. A coach on the field can't see the play well enough to know when to throw the flag.

Unless he hired someone, no. He didn’t have a replay assistant in the past.

 

[Stryker]

Unless he hired someone, no. He didn’t have a replay assistant in the past.

It was close. I can't be too upset about it. I had to replay that back angle like 5 times before I decided he was in.

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

Goat: Play calling. What the hell with all the dink and dunk passing. Let Ben sling it. .

I know im going against the grain here. But I don't think he is what he was yet. He looks mechanical and his balls seem slow. This is just my own observation / opinion. I know he made some throws yesterday. He just looks like still rusty and lack of zip.

 

[slashsteel]

I know im going against the grain here. But I don't think he is what he was yet. He looks mechanical and his balls seem slow. This is just my own observation / opinion. I know he made some throws yesterday. He just looks like still rusty and lack of zip.

I think some of it is timing, some of it is trusting what he sees out there. Was a significant amount of time missed it isn't an over night fix. I think we will continue to see improvement as the season goes...

 

[Sarge]

Because we had no running game, those late drives we need to be able to run and eat clock, we went two straight drives where we went exclusively to the air and the clock stops. I'm not disagreeing, I'm just saying we need to be able to run the ball in those late situations.

I agree, but I think it goes back to play calling. These handoffs from the shotgun that go east-west instead of north-south are not helping Conner or Snell. They need to run from an I or single back set that gets them going north-south from the jump.

 

[Sarge]

I know im going against the grain here. But I don't think he is what he was yet. He looks mechanical and his balls seem slow. This is just my own observation / opinion. I know he made some throws yesterday. He just looks like still rusty and lack of zip.

I thought he looked to be in mid-season form, especially that stupid interception.

The TD throw to Johnson on the run had plenty of zip.

 

[DesertSteel]

Game balls: Ben, Chase, TJ and Bud
Goat: Snell -- his fumble turned the tide the wrong way

 

[Coryea]

I know im going against the grain here. But I don't think he is what he was yet. He looks mechanical and his balls seem slow. This is just my own observation / opinion. I know he made some throws yesterday. He just looks like still rusty and lack of zip.

300 plus yards and a 98.7 rating, not bad for rusty and lacking zip. 117 rating last week.

 

[black and gold apex]

Goats offensive coordinator and head coach. Offensive calls were not consistent and had coach just stares out on the field when things go bad. We should have put this game away in second quarter or at lest early third and there we were with seconds left thinking losing to a team we should have dominated all day

 

[SteveA]

Goat: Play calling. What the hell with all the dink and dunk passing. Let Ben sling it. .

The play calling that killed us was RUN, RUN, PASS....Dink & Dunk was where we started to control the game. We just needed to mix it up after awhile because they were keying on it. Dink & Dunk equals possession. Time of Possession also keeps our great D fresh

 

[SteelerSask2]

The play calling before half that led to a field goal on the goalline was unbelievable. The only thing I saw worse yesterday was tight splits jumbo run Cam Newton at the end of the *ats Seahawks last night.