Game Balls, Game Goats & FU's..........@ Titans......Week 7

[papillon]

So, wait...you're upset that they took the ball and overcame twenty-five yards of penalties (on one guy) to actually score a touchdown on their opening drive for the first time in 24 games?

Seems to me those extra points came in handy in their 3-point win.

It worked out this time but in general, I'd rather be receiving the 2nd half kickoff, you have a chance for back to back scores or to stop the momentum of the other team if they happened to score before halftime. At the beginning of the game no team has momentum. How often are the Steelers going to have a 16 play, 75 yard drive for a touchdown? Maybe, its me, but I'd rather get the 2nd half kickoff, the team has a better feel for the game and what will work and what won't. The first drive, more often than not, is just the offense checking out what the defense is doing.

Papillon

 

[SteelBuckeye]

It worked out this time but in general, I'd rather be receiving the 2nd half kickoff, you have a chance for back to back scores or to stop the momentum of the other team if they happened to score before halftime. At the beginning of the game no team has momentum. How often are the Steelers going to have a 16 play, 75 yard drive for a touchdown? Maybe, its me, but I'd rather get the 2nd half kickoff, the team has a better feel for the game and what will work and what won't. The first drive, more often than not, is just the offense checking out what the defense is doing.

Papillon

Ben wanted the ball first. Felt good about their 10 - 15 scripted plays and wanted to set a tone. At least according to an article quoting him at the Depot.

 

[CoolieMan]

It worked out this time but in general, I'd rather be receiving the 2nd half kickoff, you have a chance for back to back scores or to stop the momentum of the other team if they happened to score before halftime. At the beginning of the game no team has momentum. How often are the Steelers going to have a 16 play, 75 yard drive for a touchdown? Maybe, its me, but I'd rather get the 2nd half kickoff, the team has a better feel for the game and what will work and what won't. The first drive, more often than not, is just the offense checking out what the defense is doing.

Papillon

I'm not going to ***** about taking the ball to start the game. especially when they went on a great opening drive and really set the tone for the first half.

 

[papillon]

oh ... He may have played a little poorly.

As for taking the ball, I think the game plan was to keep the offense on the field and score, keeping Henry on the sideline. Precisely what they did.

Ben made one bad throw and some bad decisions but overall it wasn't a poor game by Ben. The INT before half was more a bad decision than bad throw, the deflection is just bad luck and the third was a bad decision coupled with a bad throw (behind shuster, he had to reach around the defender to get his hands on the ball.)

You're probably right about taking the ball, I didn't really think about keeping Henry on the sideline but a running back (even a very good one) isn't as dangerous as a very good quarterback and the Steeler defense is good at stopping the run. Maybe they wanted to give Spillane some time to get used to the moment before putting him on the field as well. In general, I would prefer the ball after halftime to either, add to the score or to stop the other teams momentum if they happened to score before the half. There is no momentum at the beginning of the game its kind of neutral. But, after half, you have a feel for how the game is going and that first possession can determine how the rest of the game plays out.

Papillon

 

[papillon]

I'm not going to ***** about taking the ball to start the game. especially when they went on a great opening drive and really set the tone for the first half.

First time in 23 games they scored an opening drive TD, I'm not complaining about taking the ball, I just thought it was a strange that's all. Most teams (I think) would like to have that 1st possession of the 2nd half to either continue momentum or stop the other teams momentum. I think, most teams play to end the half with the ball and a chance to score and then receive the kick to start the 2nd half.e.

Bottom line, Tomlin is a better football guy than me, his decision worked today to be sure.

Papillon

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

i hate the design of the run game. It's an afterthought. With this OL, and power backs like Conner and Snell, they should be able to move people off the ball and get tough yards but they can't. Maybe they do have it in the offense and haven't used it yet because Watt is injured, but they need to be able to grind out some runs. This game would have been over at the half if they could run the ball effectively when a defense expects it.

 

[Stryker]

First time in 23 games they scored an opening drive TD, I'm not complaining about taking the ball, I just thought it was a strange that's all. Most teams (I think) would like to have that 1st possession of the 2nd half to either continue momentum or stop the other teams momentum. I think, most teams play to end the half with the ball and a chance to score and then receive the kick to start the 2nd half.e.

Bottom line, Tomlin is a better football guy than me, his decision worked today to be sure.

Papillon

Tomlin likes this move on the road against teams with good offenses.

 

[topseed]

It worked out this time but in general, I'd rather be receiving the 2nd half kickoff, you have a chance for back to back scores or to stop the momentum of the other team if they happened to score before halftime. At the beginning of the game no team has momentum. How often are the Steelers going to have a 16 play, 75 yard drive for a touchdown? Maybe, its me, but I'd rather get the 2nd half kickoff, the team has a better feel for the game and what will work and what won't. The first drive, more often than not, is just the offense checking out what the defense is doing.

Papillon

As others have said, it was about the offense coming out and taking control of the game, against a Titans defense which has been suspect at best. You want that chance to be ahead of Tennessee, not behind. Solid decision by Tomlin.

 

[Steeltime]

Just watched tape of game. Lots of traveling done with, thank God. Steelers offense really sputtered the 2nd half, but three things made the game much, much closer than it needed to be:

• With the ball at Tennessee 38 yard line and 14 seconds left in first half, throw a pass in the middle of the field, spike the ball, and kick a field goal. Titties will give the Steelers the middle of the field, 10-yard range, and that takes 7 seconds, giving team 7 seconds to line up and spike the ball. The hail Mary made no sense and actually gave the Titties a sense of accomplishment, IMO.
• Then on the Steelers final drive, the OPI was wrong. I re-watched it. McDonald definitely plows into a defender but does so immediately AFTER Claypool catches the ball. Bad call.
• Finally, Ben forced the ball into triple coverage in the end zone, a giant, "What the ****?" He had Ebron WIDE OPEN in the middle of the field, probably enough for a first down as nobody was within 5 yards of Ebron. Worst case scenario, he gets 10 yards and the field goal is an easy chip for Bosworth, forcing Titties to score a TD.

 

[Hines57]

Tomlin likes this move on the road against teams with good offenses.

Scoring first set the tone. The game plan this week was to shut down Henry and to get ahead to minimize the run. They did both well until turnovers got the Titans back into the game.

 

[wig]

Ugh, just watched the final offensive play (interception in the EZ). Ben had TWO good options underneath, both of which probably could have gotten the 1st down. And they were WIDE open.

Darnit!

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

cue coryea to retort,, in 5, 4, 3, 2, ,,,

 

[Drink IRON City]

I hate Ed Hochuli Jr. worse than his dad...

Sent from my SM-N960U using Steeler Nation mobile app

HATE is a prety strong word but I totally hear yaz.




Salute the nation

 

[Drink IRON City]

I know Edmonds isn't as popular around here as he get little credit but he broke up a pass in the end zone and made some good tackles along the way as well.

ALSO, Spillane's hit on Henry could be heard in CANADA

Salute the nation

 

[bigtwnvin]

I'm not going to ***** about taking the ball to start the game. especially when they went on a great opening drive and really set the tone for the first half.

There was a second half?

 

[bigtwnvin]

Ugh, just watched the final offensive play (interception in the EZ). Ben had TWO good options underneath, both of which probably could have gotten the 1st down. And they were WIDE open.

Darnit!

Thought the same. I thought for sure he would have run a play for 1st down yardage, spiked the ball then kicked a FG. At least get something. The Titans were waiting for the deep ball. Too risky IMHO, there were other opportunities in the second half squandered for "da Big Play". Better watch a lot of film of the Rats, they live off picks.

 

[Stainless]

Ugh, just watched the final offensive play (interception in the EZ). Ben had TWO good options underneath, both of which probably could have gotten the 1st down. And they were WIDE open.

Darnit!

As soon as he threw that pass, I knew Ben was gay.

 

[6Lombardis]

Thought the same. I thought for sure he would have run a play for 1st down yardage, spiked the ball then kicked a FG. At least get something. The Titans were waiting for the deep ball. Too risky IMHO, there were other opportunities in the second half squandered for "da Big Play". Better watch a lot of film of the Rats, they live off picks.

Agree. And getting the first burns more clock and forces timeout use. Remember the fake spike play Ben used at home against the Cowboys? He did that and it was cool, and it caught them by surprise, but it left enough time that the cowboys came down and scored to win. Offenses have to use up the clock. With pass defender rules and the passing proliferation of today’s NFL, it is SO hard to stop a team that must use 4 downs on their final drive.