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Hoot Film - PIT vs. Tenn

Hoot

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Going to wrap a couple things up at the paying gig, mow the front yard, shower, get beer and rewatch the third Preseason game. I'm not going to try to draw plays, but I will focus on a couple guys of the board's choosing. Post the names and I will pick a few to watch. I would assume most will be interested in tight battles such as Rogers vs Switz. I expect to start looking at tape between 7 and 8 Eastern.
 
Barron, Nelson, Skipper, Kelly, Gilbert, D. Spencer, Gentry, Feiler
 
In the 2nd half, I thought I saw Sutton Smith flash from the ROLB spot, get around the OL real quick into the QB's face to force an overthrown pass / incompletion. If you happen to catch that play, please confirm I wasn't hallucinating. Thanks.
 
Oh **** lulz yes Gilbert.

Its the first name that gets ya. I haven't known many Ulysses in my life. Two I can think of - Grant of US Union Army fame and one from Mythology. Oh, there was a cool book by James Joyce. LOL. I knew who you meant.
 
Its the first name that gets ya. I haven't known many Ulysses in my life.

Ah man, you're forgetting plenty. There was the famous botanist Ulysses Prentiss Hedrick from the 1890's and Ulysses Brown, who played baseball for the Newark Eagles in 1938. Or for that matter, Ulysses Kay the American composer or Ulysses Ricci the sculptor who designed the arches on the Bowery Savings Bank in NYC in 1920.

There are plenty of famous Ulysses, Ulysses Gilbert is just the latest one. :happy:
 
Lotsa asks for Defense. Good thing they aren't on the field at the same time. Got my list together. Cloudburst ended my chance at mowing so probably start sooner rather than later. Beer is already chillin in fridge.
 
Okay - one beer in the tank and I gots me keyboard lighting and monitor back lighting set to red. Why red? because I wasn't in a Blue or Green mood. I take time between plays because I scroll back and forth and look at different positions frame by frame because...well...its how I do. Anyways, for those that enjoy this sort of evening torture with me....here we go....

Kickoff: 42 starts on the front row, right middle guy. I don’t know how the Steelers number their return team. I would just count left to right and call him the 4 guy. He crosses the field and sets up with the blocking line near the 30. That is some decent speed to get there and set up ahead of the **** coverage unit coming straight down field. He joins a teammate on a double team against **** 85. I can’t see who he doubles up with but they get the job done.

54 is also in there blocking hard. Hard to tell due to camera angle and distance, but I think he started on the front row at what I will call the 2 spot (counting left to right and from Steelers perspective). He is aggressive and locks horns.

Blocking on a kickoff is a bit like catching a raging bull by the horns while you are on roller skates...the **** aint easy. In fact, it has to be up there with hitting a round ball with a round stick and stopping a frozen piece of rubber going 75mph on a slapshot with just your face as some of the hardest things to do in all of sports.

Nothing spectacular or horrible for either player. I like the aggression and sense of urgency by both. Seems odd to say, but I did because not everyone seemed to share that on the play. I think the one that caught my eye as heading for the front page news on film day with the coaches...surprisingly, I am pretty sure it was Dirty Red with a little lag in his step. Just one play though.
 
Offense – First Series

1st and 10: Shotgun with JuJu in motion. Vance off the line to lead the counter action back to the left side. **** look like they in a nickle so essentially a 4-2 with 3CB’s and 2S for the coverage shell. **** CB 26 picks up on JuJu’s motion but drops it at the snap so he is essentially in the Will LB spot if it were a 43 front. Its a good read on his part because he leaves the offensive left with one too many to block and makes the tackle after only a couple yards. ‘Course, the problem I see is he dropped the coverage on JuJu’s motion. Nobody is out there to pick it up. I’d love to see us come back to that with a touch of play action later and hit JuJu on the outside. We will see what happens.
 
Barron, Nelson, Skipper, Kelly, Gilbert, D. Spencer, Gentry, Feiler

8 players, got a little carried away there Hoot. If you can just provide some info on the ones the majority of us have been asking about, that'd be great.
 
2cnd and 7: Gun but backfield set is flipped to the right (by that I mean Conner on Ben’s Right rather then the left like last play). Its a fake handoff – showing 23 or 25 type dive play but Conner sets up to pick up possible inside blitz. None comes. Its a quick WR screen to 11 who has to jump for it and is wrapped up immediately for a quick 5 on the forward progress. 71 picks up the edge rush on his side like he should. No qualms here. Switz in the slot. Kid is quick but seems to stop before end of play. I am an old school hustle guy who believes in you play to the whistle cuz anything can happen, but he isn’t the only one. Preseason **** I guess.

Had to pause to walk dogs, get a cold beer, and start iTunes. I have sound shut off on the football game. I am on the condensed version of the game (no ads, no huddles, no announcers!!) so I am feeling a bit

3rd and 3: Steelers get away with a formation penalty here. Its Gun with Connor on the right again. Vance is split wide on the right, but its a trips set on the left. Problem is, two receivers are on the line and both go out. Moncrief on inside is not an eligble reciever and he gets the first down on a little curl to the outside. Shoulda been a flag, but I ain’t bitchin if the refs miss one on us. Anyway, I like the mesh on the left side routes but 11 gotta be off the line. 71 is fine on his block.
 
1st and ten our 31. Spread, empty backfield. Twins to the left and a trips set to the right. This is a WR screen to Switz at the back of the Trips set all the way. The frist thing I saw at full speed made me scream "DAYUM!". The **** LDE (which is on the offensive right) is lined wide. 71 is in smack in the middle of the hash marks but the DE is on the hasmark. That is like 3 yards outside and he comes hard to get in the WR screen throwing lane. Well recognized on his part but the Dayum came from 71 cutting him down like a lumberjack on that last tree of the day. GITRDONE *****! That was nice. Too bad the throw was high (or Switz is just short). INC.
 
2nd and 10. Gun with what I call Black or "Back Left" (Back Right would be Brown). Anyway, 71 does his job on the LDE again. Conner gets a great pick up on the LCB blitz. Only flaw is he pancakes the guy in to the back of 71 allowing the LDE to come free. No Worries, Ben a pro and fires a laser. 89 just drops it right on the first down line. Gotta get that one.

Third and 10: Empty backfield again. TE is tight to line on right. Now this play is nicely designed. Conner is split wide on the left off the line. The pass is to him immediately on a WR screen look. He comes inside like he should but 73 and 66 are already downfield setting up blocks. Conner goes 9 yards. This was called to him all the way cuz OL can't be that far downfield unless it is a screen (which it is). I like that little play design a lot. Getting the RB in space behind two big *** OL...me just likey.
 
4th and 10 - Punt. Burns is downfield fast, but he bites on the false fair catch and the punt drops behind the returner. Any backspin on that ball and burns has that touched up for a great punt. Cant see any other numbers other than 64 who is hustling to the end.
 
And over to defense.

First and 10 for the ****. Three Dl, Dupree and Watt on the line, standing. Bush in the center and Barron beside TJ - he is coming. and he does. Too early. dirty laundry on the field...Offside.


First and 5 **** 25. Looks like a little gut run to the 3 hole but 55 is untouched and filling it. Back tries to bounce to the off tackle but Bush. Yea, Bush gets some help from 22 and 34 for the photo op, but that was all our shiny new toy. I like. Too bad we ****** it up with an illegal hands to the face.

First and 10 - **** 30. **** go 2 back set from the gun. Gives it a direct snap Power I kinda look. Steeler respond with OLB's on the line again and S drops into the box with the 2 ILB's. This gives us an old school 5-3 look. The H back (looks like a TE) shifts to the O-right and its a pass up the sidelines that way. Burns got good coverage on the M2M. Kudos here.

Part of what takes me so long is I like to watch the game within the game. On this play, Dupree drops and lets a little twist action happen on the Defensive Right. I think it is hargrave coming over the top while Heywood has the underneath. Bush is coming hard on the other side and Cam is down the line fast on the DL game and tucks behind 55. QB holds that any longer and he is fresh meat. Thing is, Barron is coming first he almost gets there. They sold out to pressure the QB on that and left Burns on an island. Good Job 25.

2 and 10. Steelers backing off the formation heat with all the guys in the box. 4 guys sitting back. 28 shows the blitz a touch early and QB goes right to the WR screen. incomplete. 34 is tied up with the OT coming down the line but shucks him off. I admit, this preseason I am getting a mancrush on Edmunds. Might be my next jersey. Burns right there mixing it up a bit.

3rd and 10. **** show pass then dry a sloppy looking draw. 38 makes a great tackle in the hole. I like this kid. But he has a clean hole to fill because the MLB takes the free OL on and knocks his *** back. Except it isn't the MLB. The guy lined up there is 21. That is Sean Davis rocking the old school Oklahoma drill and destroying the big blocker making the lane for his buddy. Davis comes up double fist pumping. He should - he made that play easy for 38.

Punt to the EZ. Touchback. nothing to see.
 
1st and 10 - PIT 20. This is old school power football right here. Ace formation, TE right. Twin recievers on right are tight so we basically have a little trips bunch on this side. Everybody is blocking left and this is a 26 power with Foster pulling to lead. LB comes hard and presses through the OL but Foster picks him up to stop a loss in backfield. Kudos to 73. Conner makes one move on the DB and it is a 20 yard gain. Power football is not dead.

1st and 10 - similar look but bunch is to the left. Its a pass. Ben is a bit behind his reciever on the left side or this may have moved the sticks again. Alas, incomplete. I was asked about 71. He holds his own but with no blitz to pick up and no hot route, 30 gives a little chip on the DE in front of 71 just for good measure.

2cnd and 10 - similar look but the pass is comign insdie this time. Similar formation look but the routes and route mesh change. This is the OC seeing how the D reacts. Short gain across the middle. 71 is doing fine.still.

3rd and 4: similar formaitn - quick toss to 17 on the left but Ben is behind 17. Not sure who is off here - QB or WR but they were not in synch. 71 has a tough job here. Steelers TE is outside Fieler. LDE is outside shoulder of TE. Vance is going out so Fieler has to get on his scooter and get back to protect Ben's blindside (Ben is throwing the other way). Ben owes 71 a free dinner for this one.

31 has good coverage on a nice punt to pin them back. 54 is in coverage...can't tell where he was lined up...looks like LT. He gets downfield but nothing special here.
 
1 adn 10 from **** 4. Old school I formation by ****. 7 in the box. Defense is staight up gap sound football. No stunts or twists here although Davis is showing blitz from the defensive left. He is just outside the tackle so technically not in the box, but its 8 guys covering the gaps vs. the I formation. Of course, its a pass across the middle. Edwards busts it up. Did i mention my budding mancrush on him?

2cnd and ten. Tight spread formation (Gun, 4 receivers and Ace back). Defense is wide. Pass coming...this is the safety. but first game iwthin game....**** try a little cross on their left. Barron and CB handle. Problem is that the RB is comign this way into the flat for what I assume is the dump or hot route. Bush comes a long darn way to pick that up. This kid is fast but he made a pro read on the high hat block by the OL and the RB release to the flats. OT cuts Bud but 48 bounces up quick. Now...the play...remember earlier I said Cam was on a twist underneath? This time he twists over the top and it is Tuit crashing from the inside going out. Tuit hits the double team but the OG has to peel off to honor Cam over the top on the twist. Tuitt owns him and its 2 points.

Free Kick - 54 is on the field. Hard to see where he comes from but he is in the mix on the lead blocking. this was a set call to the left. He is mixing it up there.
 
1st and ten. basic spread look. quick pass ot TE on the left but it clangs off his hands. Coverage was tight and the hit timed well. Ben is clean so OL is fine by me.

2cnd and 10. Basic Spread formatin with Brown backfield (member, that is BRown is Back Right to me). Listen, I now a lot of folks love them some Bell because of his patience and stutter steps. But this is a basic 25 Power (pulling lineman) to the 5 hole (left side). Conner follows that **** and hits the hole fast. He ain't waiting, just motoring and hitting that hole fast. I am an old lineman...I like my backs hittin' it fast.

Now, here is something I will share. Connor is beside Ben at the snap and moving right to left. That means his field of vision is only half the field (he sees more sideline than defense). From an I he would be behind the QB and can see the defense the whole way. This is darn hard on the RB. He gotta trust that backside blocking and hammer that hole at full throttle. He do. Hoot happy.

3rd and 1: similar set and handoff, but Connor is turning up for the gut run (1 or 3 hole). Gets the First.

I was asked about 71. He is doing fine.
 
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