Observations Pre-Season Game 3 vs Lions....

[Djfan]

I can't stand Moats in any booth. Guy way over plays it, IMO.

We have a #1 rb, and two #2s. Tough call with what they do.

Only saw D Watt in there once, but he looked really good. I kept waiting for him to reappear. Didn't see it. I hope we use him.

We have a very impressive wr corps.

Ebron should be #2 te IMO.

The more I watch Mason, the more he reminds me of Neil O'Donnell.

It's likely Ben's last year. I plan to enjoy this year for that.

 

[FatsHolmes]

I agree the announcing crew seemed a bit off & hesitant the entire game, but hey, it's pre-season for them as well. During the summer, I really enjoyed the Craig Wolfley segments with Arthur Moats. Great chemistry between the two, Moats a much better announcer/color guy/commentator than you'd think, given this was his first swing at it. Lot's of energy there. That seems to be missing with Pompeani & Batch.. but in the end, who cares, what happens on the field is all that matters.

Actually, it's the regular season for those announcers. The network announcers will take over after the preseason is over and Pompeani and Batch will go on with other responsibilities.

 

[Tibs]

Actually, it's the regular season for those announcers. The network announcers will take over after the preseason is over and Pompeani and Batch will go on with other responsibilities.

That's right. Of course regular season isn't the Steelers local announcers. Had a brain fart there, thanks for pointing that out.

 

[MeanJim]

Something that pissed me off though, Detroit got away with a ton of holds yesterday.

I actually liked the fact that Highsmith was being held every time he rushed the QB.

Lowdermilk looks like a go-getter to me. More upside, I think, than Wormley or Mongo. We'll see.

I was so happy for DJ that he caught that bomb. Imagine what everyone would be saying if he dropped it.

I barely watched the second half, but saw Juju hurt his hand. What the hell was he doing still in the game?

 

[Skott]

That is why i am a little disappointed that Conner left and that Snell is hurt…. This Oline scheme is all about runblocking the right way… and id like to have seen the other two actually run behind a non passive line instead of the sieve we have had the past couple seasons

Can’t help the tram if you’re always in the tub

 

[Steelworth]

I actually liked the fact that Highsmith was being held every time he rushed the QB.

Yeah they couldn't stop him. He's going to turn a lot of heads around the NFL this season IMO.

 

[madinsomniac]

Another player who stood out was CB James Pierre. Not as fast as Ike Taylor (who is?), but he has that same type of tall, lanky body who seems built for football, tough, hard-nosed, solid tackler. The contrast between him & Justin Layne couldn't be any starker.

I remember one play in particular, Layne whiffed on a Lions player out in the flat, flailing his arms in a weak attempt at a tackle and a second later Pierre arrived, textbook, wrap-your-arms tackle to make the play. And he's fast, agile & can make plays on the ball, I believe he's amongst the INT leaders in training camp. Pierre takes good angles, seems to know where he needs to be. The way he plays and carries himself on the field, you'd think he was a 4th year starter out there.

That's the thing with him. James Pierre looks like he belongs. Love his no nonsense, no frills approach. I'll bet he ends up starting outside, paired with Joe Haden, and they move Sutton to the slot. Whatever the case, he's cemented himself in this DB rotation. Pierre may be the most impressive player right now on the roster, given his UDFA status. What a fine job by him and the coaching staff to get him to this point in his young career. Very impressive, looking for big things out of him.

Everything I’ve heard heading into this season is that the staff loves Pierre as an outside cornerback… he might be the starter by seasons end… it’s probably why they haven’t really pushed for more cb help yet

 

[madinsomniac]

Can’t help the tram if you’re always in the tub

Absolutely which is part of my disappointment with snell… behind an oline trying to maul people rather than play patty cake his style might be great

 

[madinsomniac]

I can't stand Moats in any booth. Guy way over plays it, IMO.

We have a #1 rb, and two #2s. Tough call with what they do.

Only saw D Watt in there once, but he looked really good. I kept waiting for him to reappear. Didn't see it. I hope we use him.

We have a very impressive wr corps.

Ebron should be #2 te IMO.

The more I watch Mason, the more he reminds me of Neil O'Donnell.

It's likely Ben's last year. I plan to enjoy this year for that.

Mason throws more picks than odonnel did… NOD was the most conservative QB to play in his era… i think Rudolph is a bit different… he isn’t really as good as odonnel and he is way better than jim miller or kent graham… maybe a poor mans tommy maddox?

I’ll tell you what… his td% number in very impressive… if he threw enough passes to qualify he’d be top 100 all time in that category… ben is tied for 39th… he produces better than people think because compared to Ben he is much less talented

 

[Sarge]

I was really impressed with Big Ben's total body of work, but let's be honest. That long pass to Johnson was ***. Way underthrown, hung in the air too long, and only a great adjustment by Johnson and the fact that he was wide open to begin with make that a catch. I made my feeling about Ebron known in the game thread, and aside from the negatives mentioned, there were far more positives.

Dan Moore is going to start at some point this year. He is better than Banner and Chuks, IMHO. Freiermuth is going to be a RZ nightmare, Ballage is going to help a bunch this season, and the addition of Schoebert is going to prove to be genius once he gets comfortable in the defense.

I know a lot of media types have already left the Steelers for dead, but even with the schedule, this team can win 11 or 12. Will they? Hard to say because a lot of things need to go right for it to happen, not least of which is the o-line coming together and becoming a force. For me it all starts and ends there.

 

[Frosty]

Friermuth going across the middle and catching like that brought some shades of Hines.

Love Heath, but that was Hines like

He'll be traded for a bag of balls and......oops, wrong board.

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

Most of rudolph stats / int's were from his rookie year. When ben went down and he got thrown in there. please.

 

[GILBERT]

Yep, the one play Harris got stuffed was because the Detroit corner and olb crashed and caught him in the back field, not sure if Harris was slow at the snap or he hesitated because there was no hole off center where the play was designed to go.

He did have a couple nice runs, sometimes it takes the offensive line a while to figure out what the DL is doing and there wasn't a chance to wear the D down. It was also the OL first time together in a game situation but you are right Zona, last night didn't inspire confidence in our running game. I'm hoping the excuses I'm coming up with are the reason.

If they can't run against Buffalo who blitzes and plays allot of nickle, take Buffalo and whatever points they're giving.

I have a feeling Ben will be throwing 50+ times this game.

 

[wig]

Something that pissed me off though, Detroit got away with a ton of holds yesterday.

Well, when it's 23-0 early, you kinda gotta do something to make it at least look like it's a game...

I saw the deep pass to D.J. and at first I thought it was a bit of a duck, but on second look, the deep safety has to come up and if the ball is thrown deeper he has a better play on it than D.J. did.

Side note... Nobody was harder on Johnson and Ebron last year regarding their drops. Johnson so far is doing MUCH better. Ebron... we'll see.