Game Balls, Game Goats & FU's......@ Cleveland....

[Chicoman]

Well it's nice to start of the season with a win. This win certainly seemed like it could be a costly one for our Defense as Stephon Tuitt went down on the second play clutching his left bicep and never returned. From all the early reports it's seems like it could be torn and season ending and that just sucks! I sure hope our front 7 can stay healthy from here on out. Cleveland certainly came to play....this was their Super Bowl at home vs their arch rival. I would have liked to see better games from Bell, Ben & Bryant but seeing how Ben was very little pre-season action and Bryant was suspended for a year I'm ready to give them a pass. Bell should have came to training camp just so he'd be ready to go for the start of the season. I think it'll take him a few games to knock the rust off too. Back home next week vs Minnesota I hope Tomlin & company can get the team ready for our home opener next week!

Game Balls:
Antonio Brown - 11 rec 182 yds - He's one of the best WR's in the NFL and I'm sure glad he's a Steeler. Without him we don't win this game!
TJ Watt - 6 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT - Welcome to the NFL rookie! A great first game as a Steeler. He's going to be fun to watch develop into a SuperStar!
Jessie James - 2 TD's.....Tomlin might not have 100% confidence in this kid but he sure seems to come up with some clutch catches at key times!
Javon Hargrave - 3 tackles, 1 sack - This kid is quickly becoming a favorite of mine on Defense!
Anthony Chickillo - 4 tackles, 2 sacks - Nice to see him start the season off on the right foot. He's made great progress as a LB'er in the past two seasons

Game Goats:
Juju Smith Schuster - 2 holding penalties.....0 catches. I thought this kid could block, was an excellent route runner with great hands? We saw nothing today!

FU's:
LeVeon Bell - Cmon man....when your team is a serious contender for a Championship you need to put aside the business side and focus with your team as a team player to be ready to go when the season starts! Hopefully he will rebound next week.

 

[thesteelcity]

FU- refs. They suck. Seriously, they do. Inconsistent and flag happy toward the B&G. Was rather obvious they were keeping the home team in the game.

 

[Stryker]

JuJu's biggest play was tracking the returner and making the tackle on the interception. That play was one of the best defended plays I've seen on an excellently placed ball by Ben. Should have been a big gain for Brown.

 

[Steelerfan81]

JuJu's biggest play was tracking the returner and making the tackle on the interception. That play was one of the best defended plays I've seen on an excellently placed ball by Ben. Should have been a big gain for Brown.

Maybe I'm confused but the INT was on a pass intended for Bryant.

 

[antdrewjosh]

The oline didnt open consistent holes for anyone yesterday. So i dont see why you can blame Bell..but of course its about him sitting out not the actual game

 

[steelhurt]

JuJu will be fine. Give the kid some time and I think we'll all be happy that we have him.


Sent from my iPhone using Steeler Nation mobile app

 

[thesteelcity]

truth be told, Bell looked rusty, but Ben did, too. Ben looked better as the game went on, but you can see the lack of practice and prep was lacking. LB will get better, but the Oline needs to, as well.

 

[wig]

The oline didnt open consistent holes for anyone yesterday. So i dont see why you can blame Bell

Bell doesn't need holes. He's the best back in the league and doesn't need to come to camp. He was going to be ready for the regular season, right?

 

[Stryker]

Maybe I'm confused but the INT was on a pass intended for Bryant.

Thanks for the correction 81, I was on the internet with a terrible picture. It also would have affected AB's perfect reception to target number, so you must be right.

Still on that interception, Ben threw a great ball. When he released it, I thought it was a big play, because he was placing it instead of throwing it. Would have landed right in the bread basket it it wasn't for a fully outstretched defender getting a piece of it, and knocking it to the other defender for the INT. Really a great play by the Browns and IMHO, their best play of the game.

 

[antdrewjosh]

Bell doesn't need holes. He's the best back in the league and doesn't need to come to camp. He was going to be ready for the regular season, right?

No he didnt have to camp because its a business and he did what was best for him business wise. See Tuitt hurt by what looked like nothing.. Now if there were holes and he didnt hit them or looked slow hitting them then maybe you might have a point.. but there were none for him or Connor

 

[wig]

Admittedly I'm a little raw about Bell, but I do think he's a ridiculously talented back. I think they played him a bit more than I would have yesterday. I would not have risked him as much to injury as that on his first return and I was not surprised that he didn't have a big game. For the record, I am very happy that Bell is back and I do hope he has a tremendous season. That's good for everyone. I am sincerely hoping he does not suffer an injury and that he narrowly misses out on SB MVP to Ben. ;- )

 

[antdrewjosh]

Running Game Shows Growing Pains For Le’Veon Bell And His Blockers


BY MATTHEW MARCZI SEPTEMBER 11, 2017 AT 11:00 AM



Was the supremely lackluster performance from Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell solely a product of his own shortcomings? Certainly not. There were many areas in which the running game struggled yesterday, as the blocking, including from the tight ends and wide receivers left much to be desired, upon initial inspection.

Was at least some of his performance attributable to the fact that he has only practiced with his teammates a few times this year, or even been around the offense and digesting it, establishing the ongoing process that is chemistry with his quarterback and his blockers? I would think so.

All told, the two-time All-Pro was limited to just 32 rushing yards, albeit on only 10 attempts. He also added 15 more yards on three receptions, but even that statistic has a second layer to it to be explored, because he and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger did not have an easy time making connections in the passing game.

On top of his work as a rusher and pass catcher, he also managed to draw a penalty for what the officials called a peel back block, although to be fair, I think the penalty was actually supposed to be on Roosevelt Nix, and it was incidental, as the fullback slipped.

It actually took all the way until the final play of the first quarter in order for Bell to even get a touch in the game, and it came on first and 10 from the Steelers’ 25. Set up with two blockers on the field—Vance McDonald and Xavier Grimble, no Jesse James—neither Grimble nor wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster were able to connect on their reach blocks, allowing penetration and contact in the backfield, and Bell was lucky to dive back to the line of scrimmage for what otherwise could have been a loss of at least three yards.




Bell’s second would-be touch came a few plays later on a designed screen, only Ramon Foster was blocked into him and by the time he got around for the pass, he didn’t have the opportunity to adjust, spinning to face the wrong way. It’s not clear it would have been a very successful play anyway.

He did follow that up with a three-yard carry, but he was never able to get going throughout the day, even considering his limited touches and opportunities. He got stuffed on third and one early in the second quarter.

There were some bright spots. He made one defender miss on a six-yard reception, and at the end of the day, it was his slippery 15-yard run with 2:28 remaining that ultimately clinched the game. He had another double-digit carry called back by a hold.

This obviously wasn’t the start that almost anybody on the Steelers wanted to get off to, and I’m sure the offensive line is as hard-up about it as anybody. But it is one game, and a game that hopefully knocked off some rust.

 

[bmoritz]

I think it's both. The line sucked at run blocking yesterday, and Bell did look rusty. I was saying before the game they should've sat Bell this week. Not as a "punishment", but common sense would dictate that he hasn't practiced at all yet, he wouldn't be in "football" shape. I think there was rust on the entire offense, but I'm not overly concerned. It's week one, and offenses around the league blew chunks this week. They'll get it turned around.