2016 Midseason Review: Safeties

[antdrewjosh]

We still have some time to kill before the Pittsburgh Steelers get back on the field, and their bye week happens to have fallen at a pretty appropriate time, so over the course of this week, we are going to bring you a sort of quick-hitter review of how the team has performed on a positional basis.

Position: Safeties

Mike Mitchell: Correct me if I’m wrong, but Mike Mitchell’s 2016 season seems fairly unremarkable so far. That’s not to say that he has played poorly, but his performance has lacked a significant impact. He hasn’t recorded any ‘splash’ plays through seven games and has gotten his hands on just two passes while recording 33 tackles.

Robert Golden: In his fifth season, Robert Golden entered the starting lineup full-time, but he has missed some time due to injury, including sitting out two starts. Golden has played an interesting role this year, taking over the Troy Polamalu assignment of playing a quasi-linebacker in Pittsburgh’s quarter defense, although they haven’t used that look much in recent weeks.

Jordan Dangerfield: When Golden was down, the team started Jordan Dangerfield in his place, and I am not going to ignore that fact, so I am listing him as the third safety on the depth chart in that sense, even if it might be Sean Davis that they decide to use when they use a three-safety defensive look, aka the quarter.




Truly, in the two games that he started, Dangerfield was one of the best players on the field, on either offense or defense, for either team. It would be fair to say that he impressed, although whether or not that would prove to be sustainable over a longer period would have to be evaluated.

Sean Davis: One of the Steelers’ prized rookies, the team immediately expanded his repertoire by drilling him in the slot, and when their choice for slot cornerback was lost for the year, they plugged him into that role to start the season.

When he got injured, however, they took him out, and it would seem that they re-evaluated his role a bit and started to scale things back again. He hasn’t played much since then, and has been passed up, largely taken out of the cornerback equation. Of course, his best playing days by far are ahead of him. Nothing to be alarmed about.

Shamarko Thomas: Say what you will about Shamarko Thomas, but he does have a role on this team, one that holds value. He is the Steelers’ best gunner on the punt coverage unit, and is one of their best special teams players overall. He has not been entrusted with much playing time on defense at all since his rookie season, however, and that doesn’t look to be changing any time soon.

Notes: Again, not a lot to note here. One thing I would say is perhaps watch out for the Steelers to try to get Davis more involved in the defense as the second half of the season progresses. Obviously they drafted him to become a starter.

http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN Home Page/2016/11/2016-midseason-review-safeties/


Did you guys notice how a proper evaluation can be given when you don't have an agenda to push..interesting

 

[antdrewjosh]

2016 Midseason Review: Cornerbacks

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BY MATTHEW MARCZI NOVEMBER 4, 2016 AT 09:00 AM



We still have some time to kill before the Pittsburgh Steelers get back on the field, and their bye week happens to have fallen at a pretty appropriate time, so over the course of this week, we are going to bring you a sort of quick-hitter review of how the team has performed on a positional basis.

Position: Cornerbacks

William Gay: By for the Steelers’ most experienced cornerback in his 10th season, William Gay is a team captain this year for a reason. It may be fair to say that his play has begun to slip this year, but he is still good for those savvy veteran plays that he is able to make almost entirely due to his work in the film room. He is also the best tackler in the group.

Ross Cockrell: In his second season with the team after being signed on cut down day last year, Ross Cockrell has emerged as a starter on this defense, and he has had his up moments. The Steelers have used him as a shadow defender, and he has gotten his hands on a number of passes. Of course, there is still a lot of room for improvement in his game, and his run defense leaves much to be desired, but he has improved nicely since last year.

Artie Burns: Coming in as a raw underclassman and missing most of training camp and the preseason, Artie Burns has come a long way—at least in terms of what the coaches think, because apparently he’s going to move into the starting lineup eight games into his rookie season. He has gotten some batted passes, but much of his game has been shaky.




Justin Gilbert: The Steelers traded for Justin Gilbert on cut down day this year, but he hasn’t found his way into the rotation the way Cockrell did a year ago. He has gotten a bit of playing time, but for now he is the odd man out. He does appear to have the kick return job now.

Notes: Obviously, the Steelers brought five cornerbacks into the season, and the fifth one needs at least to be mentioned, that being 2015 second-round draft pick Senquez Golson. The Steelers were excited enough about him that they were willing to carry him on the 53-man roster in spite of the fact that he was injured in the hopes that he could return this year, but they ultimately could no longer afford the roster spot as injuries mounted.

There was, of course, another fifth cornerback briefly as well, that being Al-Hajj Shabazz, who was called up from the practice squad when the position was hit by injuries. He even played a handful of snaps in the one game he was up for, and was a contributor on special teams.

Of course, the real fifth cornerback has been rookie second-round safety Sean Davis, who started the season as the nickel defender, with Burns as the dime defender. But when Burns was bumped up to the nickel, Gay moved into the slot, and Davis’ play has been limited since then

http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN Home Page/2016/11/2016-midseason-review-cornerbacks/

 

[antdrewjosh]

2016 Midseason Review: Offensive Tackles

We still have some time to kill before the Pittsburgh Steelers get back on the field, and their bye week happens to have fallen at a pretty appropriate time, so over the course of this week, we are going to bring you a sort of quick-hitter review of how the team has performed on a positional basis.

Position: Offensive Tackle

Alejandro Villanueva: The back story is well-established by now and need not be revisited here. Alejandro Villanueva entered his first full season in the starting lineup after converting to offensive tackle—a position he had limited experience playing in college—while on the Steelers practice squad in 2014. He may not be a Pro Bowler, but he has some impressive tools and is still improving. The team’s pass protection overall is to be commended this year, to a degree that suggests everyone has done a decent job of it.

Marcus Gilbert: Coming off by far his best season, Marcus Gilbert started the year nursing a shoulder injury only to be sidelined for three games due to a foot injury. He is looking to make his return to the lineup on Sunday and reminding us of the sort of player he has developed into.

Chris Hubbard: From whipping boy to…well, not whipping boy, Chris Hubbard has drastically changed public perception about him following a solid three-game cameo in the starting lineup at right tackle. He acquitted himself well filling in for Gilbert over that stretch, and has certainly earned his roster spot this year. It’s kind of hard to think that this guy has been around for four years already.




Brian Mihalik: A 2015 seventh-round defensive end drafted by the Eagles, the Steelers signed him to a futures contract and converted him to offensive tackle. He acquitted himself reasonably well adjusting to that position during the preseason, but suffered an injury in the process. After he healed, the Lions signed him to their practice squad. When Pittsburgh needed another tackle, they plucked him for their 53.

Notes: If I told back in the summer that by midseason the Steelers’ backup tackles would be Chris Hubbard and Brian Mihalik, you would probably be horrified. The front office finally seemed to have gotten their act together by bringing in an experienced veteran like Ryan Harris and drafted a talented underclassman with room to grow in Jerald Hawkins.

Of course, Hawkins suffered a shoulder injury in the first preseason game, a game in which he looked good, and he was put on injured reserve as a result. In the game in which Marcus Gilbert was injured, Harris suffered a hematoma that also landed him on injured reserve, partly because the team was in dire need of a roster spot—in hindsight, maybe that move should have been for Cody Wallace.

Initially, the Steelers called up Matt Feiler on the practice squad to take over the fourth tackle position, but they later signed Mihalik off another team’s practice squad for that role. They likely would have signed Mihalik instead of Feiler to the practice squad had he not gotten injured in the preseason. As you probably know, Mihalik’s football background bears some resemblances to Villanueva’s as a 6’9” former defensive end.

http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN Home Page/2016/11/2016-midseason-review-offensive-tackles/

 

[antdrewjosh]

2016 Midseason Review: Inside Linebackers

We still have some time to kill before the Pittsburgh Steelers get back on the field, and their bye week happens to have fallen at a pretty appropriate time, so over the course of this week, we are going to bring you a sort of quick-hitter review of how the team has performed on a positional basis.

Position: Inside Linebackers

Lawrence Timmons: With Ryan Shazier in and out of the lineup, veteran Lawrence Timmons has been the rock of the inside linebacker group. While he has had his down moments, I do think he has been playing better overall than he did last season, and his slow start was not as prolonged as it was a year ago. His splash plays have been down, however.

Ryan Shazier: As mentioned, Shazier has been in and out of the lineup due to a knee injury. He looked great in the opener, recording an interception and a touchdown-saving pass deflection, but he hasn’t been the same since the injury. There are indications that the Steelers will use a rotation at inside linebacker for the rest of the season, or at least until somebody stabilizes the group.

Vince Williams: Prior to the start of the season, the Steelers inked Vince Williams to two more years through the 2018 season, perhaps in preparation for a succession at the buck linebacker spot. This year, he started three games in place of Shazier and played well, and rotated with him in the last game.




Tyler Matakevich: I can’t ignore the play time distribution, so I’m putting Tyler Matakevich next on the depth chart. He played a lot at the end of the Miami game and racked up a ton of tackles in the process, while consistently being a special teams contributor. I believe he is second or third on the team in special teams tackles. I see no reason why Fort would have been unable to play in the Dolphins game, so I have to view that, until proven otherwise, as an indication that Matakevich is ahead of him on the depth chart—which, on the actual depth chart, he is.

Steven Johnson: While he did not make the initial 53-man roster due to the need to make a roster move, and spent a lot of the season not dressing, Steven Johnson has been one of the Steelers’ best special-teams players, and leads the group with six tackles, plus a forced fumble.

L.J. Fort: L.J. Fort was the first backup to come in during the season, but he has since taken a backseat, and while he has logged a lot of special teams time, he doesn’t seem to have made as much of an impact as either Johnson or Matakevich.

Notes: With six players in this group, the inside linebacker position is obviously ripe for the picking. While it may not be the first position chopped when a roster spot is needed, you can probably assume it’s next up. Right now it’s fair to speculate that Fort—who has practice squad eligibility—is the low man on the totem pole.

http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN Home Page/2016/11/2016-midseason-review-inside-linebackers/

 

[antdrewjosh]

2016 Midseason Review: Outside Linebackers

We still have some time to kill before the Pittsburgh Steelers get back on the field, and their bye week happens to have fallen at a pretty appropriate time, so over the course of this week, we are going to bring you a sort of quick-hitter review of how the team has performed on a positional basis.

Position: Outside Linebackers

Jarvis Jones: The outside linebacker group has a total of 2.5 sacks, and Jarvis Jones doesn’t have any of them. but he does have a forced fumble and an interception, as well as a couple of passes defensed, and a healthy tackle total given his playing time. He has played fairly well overall, even getting some pressure in the past couple of weeks, even if the sacks haven’t come.

James Harrison: James Harrison has not been all that impactful this year either, though his snaps have been somewhat, though not significantly, limited. He also has a forced fumble and an interception, though both of them were sort of questionable. His more impressive work has been his run stops.

Arthur Moats: For the third straight season in Pittsburgh, Arthur Moats at one point was in the starting lineup, and then was demoted, and it has been to the benefit of three different players. Not that Moats has done anything necessarily to deserve it—he has 1.5 sacks—but the fact that the Steelers use a rotation makes the starter distinction largely semantic.




Anthony Chickillo: Second-year outside linebacker Anthony Chickillo certainly has the hustle, and has shown a couple of flashes—his sack-fumble was a nice play—but the vast bulk of his body of work has been substantially pedestrian. In other words, he has fit into this group. While he hasn’t been really a liability, his positive contributions have been negligible outside of the sack.

Notes: There is a pretty big asterisk when it comes to this group of pass rushers, and that asterisk goes by the name of Bud Dupree, the Steelers’ 2015 first-round draft pick, who recorded four sacks in the first half of his rookie season, but slowed down as he hit a rookie wall.

The Steeers were obviously anticipating a major step forward from the physical specimen, but an abdominal injury that dates back all the way to the spring that kept him out of workouts in May has completely halted his contributions, let alone his development.

When it became obvious that the issue would not heal on its own, the Steelers and Dupree opted for surgery at the start of the season. He is technically eligible to come off of injured reserve, given that the first eight weeks of the season have come and gone, but he is not ready.

Dupree is targeting perhaps a Week 10 return, but he is still just working on the side, and whenever he does get back, assuming that he does, he is going to take a while to get into a rhythm. It is hard to imagine him stepping in and becoming a difference-maker.


http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN Home Page/2016/11/2016-midseason-review-outside-linebackers/

 

[antdrewjosh]

2016 Midseason Review: Tight Ends
We still have some time to kill before the Pittsburgh Steelers get back on the field, and their bye week happens to have fallen at a pretty appropriate time, so over the course of this week, we are going to bring you a sort of quick-hitter review of how the team has performed on a positional basis.

Position: Tight Ends/Fullbacks

Jesse James: It wasn’t the plan when the Steelers drafted him in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft as an underclassman out of Penn State, but second-year tight end Jesse James has spent the first half of this season as a starter, logging starter snaps.

This may draw the ire of some, perhaps many, but the results have shown that he is not ready for the role—at least in terms of being a difference-making player, rather than a replacement-level substitute and an occasional liability.

Through seven games, he has caught 22 passes for 159 yards, averaging barely over seven yards per reception, but three of those receptions have been touchdowns. That, combined with his displayed toughness holding onto the ball through impact, have been his greatest attributes thus far, but his virtually non-existent yards after the catch, combined with his inconsistencies as a blocker in all phases, means this position is ripe for an upgrade.




Xavier Grimble: Xavier Grimble likely made this roster as somewhere between the 51st and 53rd player, but since then, he has established a role for himself, and played over 40 snaps in the team’s last game, including a large number as the lone tight end. He has shown some encouraging pass-catching ability, but, like James, has also been inconsistent all around. Grimble has the greater potential to make plays and is a more physical and mobile blocker, but he has worse hands and discipline.

David Johnson: Then there is David Johnson, who does a little bit of everything reasonably well, but nothing overly exciting. His best attribute in his return to Pittsburgh has been his ability to block on mobile plays, but he can block on the line as well. He has shown limited receiving ability in limited opportunities, but his position flexibility is also a plus.

Roosevelt Nix: The team’s fullback, Roosevelt Nix, has been persona non-grata this season, missing the first five games due to a back injury. He has seen five or six snaps in his two games back. Perhaps his role expands with more recovery time from his injury on the opposite side of the bye week.

Notes: There is, of course, a major, major caveat when it comes to discussing the tight end position, with free agent big-money acquisition Ladarius Green having spent the first seven games of the season on the PUP List.

Green returned to practice last week and received some early positive reviews, but at the moment, his eventual return is still theoretical—not just for this week, but for this season. He labored a bit through a padded practice. The rest of this week, and perhaps next week, will tell the tale. He has to be activated after that, or he will remain on the PUP List.

http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN Home Page/2016/11/2016-midseason-review-tight-ends/

 

[antdrewjosh]

2016 Midseason Review: Nose Tackles

We still have some time to kill before the Pittsburgh Steelers get back on the field, and their bye week happens to have fallen at a pretty appropriate time, so over the course of this week, we are going to bring you a sort of quick-hitter review of how the team has performed on a positional basis.

Position: Nose Tackles

Javon Hargrave: Well, the Steelers only have two nose tackles, and they don’t really necessarily play a whole lot of nose tackle to start with, but it is still notable that their top man on the depth chart at the position is a rookie who was the product of a small school, and while he has not exactly had a huge impact on the season, he has generally acquitted himself well.

Through the first seven games of the season, Javon Hargrave has already approached nearly 200 snaps played. But only 43 percent of his snaps have actually come at nose tackle, with the majority of his play coming in the nickel as a penetrating defensive tackle.

Obviously, the last two games have bumped up those numbers in that regard with the absence of Cameron Heyward. The Steelers primarily play in the nickel defense, and without Heyward, there were plenty of additional snaps for the defensive tackle position to go around.




In addition to mounting a handful of pressures on the quarterback, Hargrave has shown at times the ability to make plays against the run with his athleticism and mobility. He has also made some plays down the field.

Daniel McCullers: Daniel McCullers was expecting to enter the starting lineup this year after the Steelers’ starting nose tackle signed elsewhere in free agency. But the team drafted Hargrave, and he outperformed the third-year veteran, earning the starting nose tackle position.

Of course the starting nose tackle position sees more time in sub-packages than in what used to be their ‘base’, so Hargrave’s superior mobility was obviously a factor in that decision. But unlike the rookie, McCullers has actually seen the bulk of his time at nose tackle, with 40 of his 62 snaps in the 3-4 front.

And he has played pretty well, overall, with it probably being safe to say that he is having his best season, albeit with an overall marginal impact. He has even gotten a couple of pressures, but he still struggles to finish plays.

Notes: The Steelers let Steve McLendon walk in free agency after he held down the nose tackle position for three seasons, doing a better job of it than many are willing to give him credit for. But given their devaluation of the position, they elected not to make a substantial investment in him, which he was able to find elsewhere.

With his absence, however, Pittsburgh did turn the position over to some relatively inexperienced players, and it would be fair to say that they have had a bit of a learning curve to contend with, even if the majority of the damage in the running game has been a product of leaky perimeter defense.

http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN Home Page/2016/11/2016-midseason-review-nose-tackles/

 

[antdrewjosh]

2016 Midseason Review: Running Backs

We still have some time to kill before the Pittsburgh Steelers get back on the field, and their bye week happens to have fallen at a pretty appropriate time, so over the course of this week, we are going to bring you a sort of quick-hitter review of how the team has performed on a positional basis.

Position: Running Backs

Le’Veon Bell: So, this Le’Veon Bell guy I’ve been hearing about is pretty good. If only he could spend less time suspended at home and more time in the end zone. Bell, of course, missed the first three games of the 2016 season due to a suspension, and while his statistical output so far has been impeccable, he has yet to score a touchdown—though he did catch a pass for a two-point conversion.

As a runner, he has been remarkable. He has 344 rushing yards on just 69 carries, averaging five yards per carry, and he is averaging about four yards per carry after contact, which says something about how much of his production he makes on his own. He is also contributing to the receiving game more than ever, and often lining up out wide to take advantage of his polished route-running and the mismatch opportunities that creates.

DeAngelo Williams: DeAngelo Williams was a big part of the Steelers’ offense for the first three games of the season—or, at least the first two games. In the opener, he rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns. The following game, while he only averaged about three yards per rush, he gained 90 yards on the ground and another 40 through the air, including a receiving touchdown. Since Bell has returned, however, he has struggled to find opportunities, and been able to capitalize on many of those he did get.




Fitzgerald Toussaint: While Fitzgerald Toussaint was the top backup for the first three games, he wasn’t much of a factor, nor did he get many touches. On the season, he has just five touches, including four carries for 10 yards and a nine-yard reception. He also serves as the up back on kick returns, and has returned several of them.

Daryl Richardson: Daryl Richardson barely played during the first three games of the season, and he carried the ball twice for seven yards. In his very limited snaps, he actually lined up out wide a few times. He was moved to the practice squad when Bell was activated to the 53-man roster.

Notes: The Steelers to have another running back on the practice squad, and one who has some in-house familial ties. A few weeks back, the team signed second-year running back Karlos Williams to the practice squad after he finished serving a four-game suspension.

With Richardson and Williams, the Steelers actually have a fairly impressive combination of running backs on the practice squad with meaningful NFL experience in their histories. For Williams, at least, he may have a future on the 53-man roster beyond this season, perhaps replacing DeAngelo Williams.

http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN Home Page/2016/11/2016-midseason-review-running-backs/

 

[antdrewjosh]

2016 Midseason Review: Defensive Ends


We still have some time to kill before the Pittsburgh Steelers get back on the field, and their bye week happens to have fallen at a pretty appropriate time, so over the course of this week, we are going to bring you a sort of quick-hitter review of how the team has performed on a positional basis.

Position: Defensive End

Cameron Heyward: Cameron Heyward is the Steelers’ best defensive player, and if that were not already confirmed, then the previous two games with him on the sideline have added further proof. Heyward just missed the first two games of his six-year career after suffering a hamstring injury, but he is hoping to return for the Steelers’ next game.

On the year, Pittsburgh has eight sacks. Heyward has three of them. In fact, he is the only player who has at least two full sacks. Granted, all of them came in the same game, but that was one dominant game against the Chiefs. We have him down for eight pressures on the season, but he has also recorded four pass deflections, one of which produced an interception.

Stephon Tuitt: Stephon Tuitt has been comparatively quiet in his third season, or at least it seems that way, largely because he has not picked up a sack yet and the defense as a whole, particularly in the run game lately, has struggled.




But those issues have been more on the perimeter than along the front line, and he does have 20 tackles and two forced fumbles, as well as a pass defensed, and 10 pressures. Still, he needs to be more impactful over the second half of the season. That’s why they drafted him.

Ricardo Mathews: Free agent signing Ricardo Mathews has not exactly done all that much yet, though he has only logged about 125 or so snaps, most of which came in the last two games with Heyward sitting out. He has recorded four tackles, three of which have been assists. He does have three pressures in the passing game, and we saw him find success there in the preseason with his explosiveness, but he can struggle against the run.

L.T. Walton: Second-year man L.T Walton hasn’t played much—in fact, he has been inactive. He hasn’t recorded a tackle in a couple dozen snaps, but he did get his hand on a pass last week at the line of scrimmage.

Notes: I would be remiss not to note rookie third-round pick Javon Hargrave here, who has seen the majority of his time either as a base nickel defensive tackle. He has played close to 200 snaps at this point, with a lot of them coming over the course of the past two weeks. While he has dealt with a learning curve, he has generally been effective, and has picked up a few pressures along the way.

But overall, the Steelers need to get more out of this group in the second half of the season. Both Tuitt and Heyward have the potential to have a bigger, and more importantly, more consistent, impact on the games, and, frankly, they are the primary blue chippers on this side of the ball, so they have to be the ones to step it up.

http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN Home Page/2016/10/2016-midseason-review-defensive-ends/

 

[antdrewjosh]

2016 Midseason Review: Quarterbacks

We still have some time to kill before the Pittsburgh Steelers get back on the field, and their bye week happens to have fallen at a pretty appropriate time, so over the course of this week, we are going to bring you a sort of quick-hitter review of how the team has performed on a positional basis.

Position: Quarterback

Ben Roethlisberger: For the most part, Ben Roethlisberger has played quite well, perhaps even ultimately MVP-contender quality, but, unfortunately, he is currently dealing with yet another injury. Roethlisberger led the league in touchdown passes at the time of his injury with 16, and was well on his way to break his own franchise record for a single season.

Even after missing a game, his 16 touchdown passes are still tied for the fifth-most in the NFL, three behind the lead. His ball security has been sporadic, having a couple of multiple-interception games under his belt, and six in total in six games played.

His quarterback rating is just a tick above 99, but there are actually currently seven quarterbacks with at least 100 pass attempts who have a higher rating. He has hit on 21 passing plays of 20 yards or more, plus six that have gone for at least 40, and is averaging 7.5 yards per pass attempt, though his yardage totals and per-play efficiency are down from last season, as is his accuracy.




Landry Jones: These columns go so much better when there is next to nothing to write about the backup quarterback position, but that has rarely been a luxury the Steelers can afford with Roethlisberger under center, as he has only started 16 games three times in his career, and remained healthy for only two of those years.

Landry Jones is Roethlisberger’s latest backup, and he just made his second career start in which he started and finished the game. It was an up and down performance, including a bad red-zone interception and a good red-zone touchdown toss.

Overall, he made a number of nice throws, and was accurate vertically, as well as, often, outside the numbers, but he has had issues with more intermediate throws, and doesn’t often lead his receivers well on targets over the middle

Zach Mettenberger: I, for one, hope I won’t be writing much more about the third-string quarterback this year. The Steelers claimed Zach Mettenberger because they needed a third quarterback, and he dressed last week as Jones’ backup. They used the bye week to get him a couple of reps, but that should not amount to anything.

Notes: With the defense that the Steelers have, as the quarterback position goes, so goes the team. Of course, that is often the case whenever a team has a franchise quarterback. When he has been on this season, Roethlisberger has been exceptional, but he has also looked off at times, continuing some post-injury trends from last season.

Jones looked like a quarterback who can at least run the offense and make a couple of throws, but I’m not ready to label him one of the better backups in the league. Ideally, he won’t get another opportunity to get me to change my mind.


http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN Home Page/2016/10/2016-midseason-review-quarterbacks/

 

[SteelerFan448]

Anthony Chickillo: Second-year outside linebacker Anthony Chickillo certainly has the hustle, and has shown a couple of flashes—his sack-fumble was a nice play—but the vast bulk of his body of work has been substantially pedestrian. In other words, he has fit into this group. While he hasn’t been really a liability, his positive contributions have been negligible outside of the sack.

If the players who are supposed to sack the quarterback can't sack the quarterback, isn't that a liability?

 

[antdrewjosh]

2016 Midseason Review: Interior OL

We still have some time to kill before the Pittsburgh Steelers get back on the field, and their bye week happens to have fallen at a pretty appropriate time, so over the course of this week, we are going to bring you a sort of quick-hitter review of how the team has performed on a positional basis.

Position: Interior Offensive Line

Ramon Foster: For the most part, veteran Ramon Foster has pretty much been his usual self. While he rarely does anything spectacular, it’s equally rare that you see him do anything spectacularly bad. He dealt a little with injuries in the early part of the season, but seems to be recovered by now.

It should be noted that Foster’s presence on the team extends well beyond his play. He is a leader in the locker room, and the team made him a captain two Sundays ago when their offensive captain, their quarterback, did not dress. That says a lot.

Maurkice Pouncey: No offense to Cody Wallace, but the difference between the 2014 and 2015 seasons was pronounced, and the difference between the 2015 and 2016 seasons is as well. That is because 2014 and 2016 had Pouncey healthy, and he has been the anchor in the team’s run-blocking and pass-protecting efforts. He is not all the way back to his 2014 first-team All-Pro form, but he’s more than holding his own.


2016 Midseason Review: Interior OL

David DeCastro: On the other hand, 2015 first-team All-Pro David DeCastro has not been playing like somebody who is going to repeat that distinction in 2016. I’m not sure entirely why that is, but his play simply has not been up to what should be his par. The impressive plays are down and the inconsistency is back up. He needs to solidify himself heading into the second half of the season, because this line needs him to be excellent.

Cody Wallace: Pouncey missed all of 2015, and it’s certainly starting to look like Cody Wallace is going to miss all of 2016. After suffering a knee injury in the second preseason game, he has practiced just once, all the way back in Week Two if I recall correctly, and he basically said recently that he expects to be moved to injured reserve whenever the team needs another roster spot. That’s what happens when you can’t practice eight weeks into the season.

B.J. Finney: That’s also what happens when you get a performance like the one B.J. Finney gave in his first season, starting in place of Foster in Week Four. And the thing is, he’s an even better center than he is a guard. He may be the team’s top interior reserve in 2017. Technically, he already is in 2016.

Chris Hubbard: That point was kind of solidified when the team chose to start Finney over Chris Hubbard in that Week Four game. Finney even wrenched his finger in a facemask on that Thursday of practice, but returned the next day and started the game. But Hubbard still needs to be mentioned as the Swiss Army Knife of the line.

Notes: Not really much to note, I don’t think. Overall, the health of the interior has been good this year outside of the game and a half that Foster missed. Even without Wallace, this group looks to be in pretty good shape.

http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN Home Page/2016/11/2016-midseason-review-interior-ol/

 

[antdrewjosh]

If the players who are supposed to sack the quarterback can't sack the quarterback, isn't that a liability?

Lol not my article just copying and pasting

 

[antdrewjosh]

2016 Midseason Review: Wide Receivers

We still have some time to kill before the Pittsburgh Steelers get back on the field, and their bye week happens to have fallen at a pretty appropriate time, so over the course of this week, we are going to bring you a sort of quick-hitter review of how the team has performed on a positional basis.

Position: Wide Receivers

Antonio Brown: Boy, Antonio Brown is having a rough season, isn’t he? Just 48 receptions through seven games, for a mere 592 yards. That is a pace for just 110 receptions and 1353 yards. Those totals are soooo 2013.

I’m being sarcastic, of course. Brown’s astounding production in recent years has wildly distorted our expectations for what constitutes a quality season, and Brown is on pace for one now, especially with his five touchdowns. Never the less, the Steelers do need him to do a bit more than he’s done so far.

Sammie Coates: Through the first five games of the season, Sammie Coates looked like he was rounding out into a nice complementary number two receiver to Brown. He caught 19 passes for 421 yards and two touchdowns in that span and was improving over time, including acting as a legitimate deep threat. He now must get back on track after suffering a fractured finger.




Markus Wheaton: This is not the contract year that Markus Wheaton was expecting. After suffering a shoulder injury in the third preseason game, he has missed four of seven games, and hi first game back saw him drop three passes. He was demoted on the depth chart, but it remains to be seen how that plays out on the field.

Eli Rogers: After sitting out his rookie season with a foot injury, slot receiver Eli Rogers came on strong early, but in back-to-back weeks, after missing two with a toe injury, he dropped a big pass and then was disciplined and held out of their last game. He is yet another Steelers receiver who needs to rebound in the second half of the season.

Darrius Heyward-Bey: While Darrius Heyward-Bey has only caught five passes this year, two have gone for touchdowns of 14 and 31 yards, and he also recorded a touchdown on a 60-yard end-around. While I wasn’t particularly impressed by his performance during his extensive playing time in the last game, the Steelers have promoted him to starter, for whatever that proves to be worth.

Notes: Of note is practice squad wide receiver Cobi Hamilton, who was called up to the 53-man roster two games ago due to the injuries to Wheaton, Coates, and Rogers. He played only a handful of snaps in the first game, but he caught two passes there for over 30 yards at the end of the game, including a touchdown.

He received much more playing time in the Steelers’ last game, and caught another three passes for 36 yards, including two tough third-down catches. While he has played well, he is not guaranteed to stay on the 53-man roster with two players working their way back from injuries that will need a roster spot.

http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN Home Page/2016/11/2016-midseason-review-wide-receivers/

 

[antdrewjosh]

Steelers Midseason Awards: Biggest Surprise/Disappointment

I know, I know. Technically, we’re not at the halfway point of the season. That’ll happen after Sunday’s game. But with the election coming up and a potential loss to the Baltimore Ravens, 95% of our viewership might have chucked their computers out the window. So we’re going to talk about this now coming out of the bye week.

Probably not going to talk about team MVP because that comes down to a few obvious names. Hopefully the more interesting argument is the headline, the biggest surprise and disappointment of the first seven weeks. I’ll throw out a couple candidates for each and let you guys vote below. Throughout the day, I’ll tally up the results.

We’re not including players who have been oft-injured this year. Too easy to say and add them.

Of course, if you don’t see someone on this list, add them in the comment below.

Surprise




Ross Cockrell – Becoming the starter is no surprise. But Cockrell is inarguably the team’s #1 cornerback and been asked to shadow and try to shut down top targets. The results have been a mixed bag but overall very good on the realization of who he’s faced. Shut down A.J. Green Week Two, recovered well against Brandon Marshall in Week 5.

B.J. Finney – He only played about six quarters but they were entirely impressive. So much so that he probably gave comfort of having a long-term replacement for Ramon Foster, whenever that may be. It was a small sample size but I had trouble finding any flaws in his game. He was strong, both as a run blocker and handling bull rushes in pass protection, with a surprising amount of athleticism in the open field.

Tyler Matakevich – This is for everyone who’s been on the Dirty Red bus since the day he was drafted. He’s immediately become a core special teamer and done well in that role. In the barely-more-than-a-quarter of action on defense he saw against the Miami Dolphins, he finished with nine tackles. He may have been a little slow in his reads and to get off blocks but he looked as technically sound as a tackler as anyone on the field.

Jordan Berry – Berry has had a breakout campaign not for the booming punts he’s had, and there have been several, but for the level of consistency he’s shown. He was the best player on the field in the Steelers’ Week Two win over the Cincinnati Bengals, excellent in distance, hangtime, in placement in some ugly weather.

Since 1970, only Daniel Sepulevda in 2011 (46.1) has a better average than what Berry is on track for (45.8).

Disappointment

Stephon Tuitt – It’s not that he’s playing terrible but I don’t think anyone anticipated Tuitt being held sackless through the first seven games. But that’s where he’s at, a year after coming off a 6.5 campaign in just 14 games. And with the run defense in shambles the last two weeks, again, far from solely his fault, it’s hard to point to much that say he’s taken a step forward. Hopefully he turns things around the latter half. He needs to.

James Harrison – You could put really any of the outside linebackers on here but Jarvis Jones has been apart of more splash plays of late, Arthur Moats’ expectations weren’t as high, and Harrison is viewed – still correctly, to me – as the best healthy pass rusher on the team. But like Tuitt, he’s been held off the stat sheet in sacks for a team that desperately needs it.

Alejandro Villanueva – Great story, made strides last season. But it’s been an inconsistent ride this year and I don’t think he has taken the steps that I thought he would. His technique in pass protection is still poor at times, stopping his feet and/or doubling over, and pass rushers have exploited his height, getting into his chest and driving him back. He leads the team in penalties this year too and that stats surprises me as much as any other.

David DeCastro – I think DeCastro has improved a great deal from the stretch he had around the first month but it’s fair to say he’s struggled more noticeably and again, surprisingly, than Villanueva has. He’s second on the team in sacks and penalties, 2 and 4 respectively.

Be sure to check us out on Facebook and like the Steelers Depot page at the link here.

Voting

Surprise:

B.J. Finney: 5
Chris Hubbard: 4
Ross Cockrell: 4
Tyler Matakevich: 2
Jordan Berry: 2

Disappointment:

Stephon Tuitt: 7
David DeCastro: 4
Eli Rogers: 2
James Harrison: 1
Martavis Bryant: 1

http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN ...season-awards-biggest-surprisedisappointment/

 

[Coach]

We still have some time to kill before the Pittsburgh Steelers get back on the field, and their bye week happens to have fallen at a pretty appropriate time, so over the course of this week, we are going to bring you a sort of quick-hitter review of how the team has performed on a positional basis.

Position: Safeties

Mike Mitchell: Correct me if I’m wrong, but Mike Mitchell’s 2016 season seems fairly unremarkable so far. That’s not to say that he has played poorly, but his performance has lacked a significant impact. He hasn’t recorded any ‘splash’ plays through seven games and has gotten his hands on just two passes while recording 33 tackles.

Robert Golden: In his fifth season, Robert Golden entered the starting lineup full-time, but he has missed some time due to injury, including sitting out two starts. Golden has played an interesting role this year, taking over the Troy Polamalu assignment of playing a quasi-linebacker in Pittsburgh’s quarter defense, although they haven’t used that look much in recent weeks.

Jordan Dangerfield: When Golden was down, the team started Jordan Dangerfield in his place, and I am not going to ignore that fact, so I am listing him as the third safety on the depth chart in that sense, even if it might be Sean Davis that they decide to use when they use a three-safety defensive look, aka the quarter.




Truly, in the two games that he started, Dangerfield was one of the best players on the field, on either offense or defense, for either team. It would be fair to say that he impressed, although whether or not that would prove to be sustainable over a longer period would have to be evaluated.

Sean Davis: One of the Steelers’ prized rookies, the team immediately expanded his repertoire by drilling him in the slot, and when their choice for slot cornerback was lost for the year, they plugged him into that role to start the season.

When he got injured, however, they took him out, and it would seem that they re-evaluated his role a bit and started to scale things back again. He hasn’t played much since then, and has been passed up, largely taken out of the cornerback equation. Of course, his best playing days by far are ahead of him. Nothing to be alarmed about.

Shamarko Thomas: Say what you will about Shamarko Thomas, but he does have a role on this team, one that holds value. He is the Steelers’ best gunner on the punt coverage unit, and is one of their best special teams players overall. He has not been entrusted with much playing time on defense at all since his rookie season, however, and that doesn’t look to be changing any time soon.

Notes: Again, not a lot to note here. One thing I would say is perhaps watch out for the Steelers to try to get Davis more involved in the defense as the second half of the season progresses. Obviously they drafted him to become a starter.

http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN Home Page/2016/11/2016-midseason-review-safeties/


Did you guys notice how a proper evaluation can be given when you don't have an agenda to push..interesting

This is very similar to how I see it expect I would list more facts, such as tackling issues, and dumb flags as they are part of the story and factual.

 

[Coach]

Steelers Midseason Awards: Biggest Surprise/Disappointment

I know, I know. Technically, we’re not at the halfway point of the season. That’ll happen after Sunday’s game. But with the election coming up and a potential loss to the Baltimore Ravens, 95% of our viewership might have chucked their computers out the window. So we’re going to talk about this now coming out of the bye week.

Probably not going to talk about team MVP because that comes down to a few obvious names. Hopefully the more interesting argument is the headline, the biggest surprise and disappointment of the first seven weeks. I’ll throw out a couple candidates for each and let you guys vote below. Throughout the day, I’ll tally up the results.

We’re not including players who have been oft-injured this year. Too easy to say and add them.

Of course, if you don’t see someone on this list, add them in the comment below.

Surprise




Ross Cockrell – Becoming the starter is no surprise. But Cockrell is inarguably the team’s #1 cornerback and been asked to shadow and try to shut down top targets. The results have been a mixed bag but overall very good on the realization of who he’s faced. Shut down A.J. Green Week Two, recovered well against Brandon Marshall in Week 5.

B.J. Finney – He only played about six quarters but they were entirely impressive. So much so that he probably gave comfort of having a long-term replacement for Ramon Foster, whenever that may be. It was a small sample size but I had trouble finding any flaws in his game. He was strong, both as a run blocker and handling bull rushes in pass protection, with a surprising amount of athleticism in the open field.

Tyler Matakevich – This is for everyone who’s been on the Dirty Red bus since the day he was drafted. He’s immediately become a core special teamer and done well in that role. In the barely-more-than-a-quarter of action on defense he saw against the Miami Dolphins, he finished with nine tackles. He may have been a little slow in his reads and to get off blocks but he looked as technically sound as a tackler as anyone on the field.

Jordan Berry – Berry has had a breakout campaign not for the booming punts he’s had, and there have been several, but for the level of consistency he’s shown. He was the best player on the field in the Steelers’ Week Two win over the Cincinnati Bengals, excellent in distance, hangtime, in placement in some ugly weather.

Since 1970, only Daniel Sepulevda in 2011 (46.1) has a better average than what Berry is on track for (45.8).

Disappointment

Stephon Tuitt – It’s not that he’s playing terrible but I don’t think anyone anticipated Tuitt being held sackless through the first seven games. But that’s where he’s at, a year after coming off a 6.5 campaign in just 14 games. And with the run defense in shambles the last two weeks, again, far from solely his fault, it’s hard to point to much that say he’s taken a step forward. Hopefully he turns things around the latter half. He needs to.

James Harrison – You could put really any of the outside linebackers on here but Jarvis Jones has been apart of more splash plays of late, Arthur Moats’ expectations weren’t as high, and Harrison is viewed – still correctly, to me – as the best healthy pass rusher on the team. But like Tuitt, he’s been held off the stat sheet in sacks for a team that desperately needs it.

Alejandro Villanueva – Great story, made strides last season. But it’s been an inconsistent ride this year and I don’t think he has taken the steps that I thought he would. His technique in pass protection is still poor at times, stopping his feet and/or doubling over, and pass rushers have exploited his height, getting into his chest and driving him back. He leads the team in penalties this year too and that stats surprises me as much as any other.

David DeCastro – I think DeCastro has improved a great deal from the stretch he had around the first month but it’s fair to say he’s struggled more noticeably and again, surprisingly, than Villanueva has. He’s second on the team in sacks and penalties, 2 and 4 respectively.

Be sure to check us out on Facebook and like the Steelers Depot page at the link here.

Voting

Surprise:

B.J. Finney: 5
Chris Hubbard: 4
Ross Cockrell: 4
Tyler Matakevich: 2
Jordan Berry: 2

Disappointment:

Stephon Tuitt: 7
David DeCastro: 4
Eli Rogers: 2
James Harrison: 1
Martavis Bryant: 1

http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN ...season-awards-biggest-surprisedisappointment/

Finney looks like a good veteran. He moves Better than his build would lead you to believe, has good technique and strong hands. Okay so the guy won't be on a magazine cover with his shirt off. Who cares he can play.

I would list DHB as a surprise. He's starting and hit some big plays for us. Wheaton has been a disappointment

 

[slashsteel]

Mathews disappointed with his lack of plug in the run game with Heyward out.

Heyward is the clear D MVP, and it isn't even close.

 

[Fiji Mariner]

Roethlisberger is the defensive MVP hands down, when he controls the ball and lights up the scoreboard our D looks pretty ok