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T.J. Watt and J.J. Watt would make a Steelers Dream Team

Cope said:
Villanueva is quietly having a dominant season. I know we were tough on him last year, but he hasn't allowed a sack this year. That is HUGE!!
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Before I forget what happened with the pick em just wasn't your thing? I love the challenge of the game points VS wins.
 
This is the kind of offense that made Buddy Ryan punch Kevin Gilbride.
The o-line gets a game ball for not giving up a sack. The o-line is a game goat for the pathetic run blocking.
At some point we're going to have to run out the clock to preserve a win. I guess we'll have to do it with short passes.
The D looks great, except when we line up with 1 or 2 defensive linemen. Easily gashed. That's ok, on 3rd and 27, I suppose.
The D and Ben can carry us a long way. We'll see how far.
 
MeanJim said:
This is the kind of offense that made Buddy Ryan punch Kevin Gilbride.
The o-line gets a game ball for not giving up a sack. The o-line is a game goat for the pathetic run blocking.
At some point we're going to have to run out the clock to preserve a win. I guess we'll have to do it with short passes.
The D looks great, except when we line up with 1 or 2 defensive linemen. Easily gashed. That's ok, on 3rd and 27, I suppose.
The D and Ben can carry us a long way. We'll see how far.
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Conner doesn't average 6.8 per average if there is pathetic run blocking.

Some of you are exhausting.
 
MeanJim said:
Did you not watch?
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Yeah I watched as I always do Jim. I could question what you are deciphering.

I saw a team continuing to win and lean heavily on their bread and butter. I saw a running game that still has issues but are doing some good things as well.

I think you are focusing in a little too much on the negative and miss the positive in the process.
 
I think the running game will be fine. If I had to guess, I think DeCastro is dinged up a little. Wish we could get him a week off, maybe plug Dotson in vs the Bungles or something. But man, our group of wide receivers is UNBELIEVABLY good. I suspect that we'd run the ball more if we had better RB's, but because we have an absolutely insane group of pass catchers, they are leaning on their strengths. We have 4 WR's who can put up huge numbers in a given week, as well as a TE who is low key a bit of a TD machine. They are exploiting what they are good at, playing to their strengths. I actually appreciate that they recognize that. I just wish they'd throw more intermediate routes. Seems it's short crossers, outs, or bombs.
 
slashsteel said:
Yeah I watched as I always do Jim. I could question what you are deciphering.

I saw a team continuing to win and lean heavily on their bread and butter. I saw a running game that still has issues but are doing some good things as well.

I think you are focusing in a little too much on the negative and miss the positive in the process.
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Maybe you're right, Slash. But a quick look at the play by play of the game shows Connor had 4 rushes for 71 yards. Other than that, he was 9 for 18, and the team was 20 for 39 (not counting 3 Rudolph kneel-downs). At some point in a game in which you are in complete control, the running game should be able to get going.

Connor's 25 yard run from our own 5 was a thing of beauty. The usually ill-advised reverse of direction run he had was pretty fun too. I'm not bashing Connor at all. I think he's a good back. I just hate seeing him met in the backfield more often than not, and that's mostly on the o-line, and also on the guy calling the plays.
 
SteelBuckeye said:
Unpopular as the thought may be, but DeCastro seems (to my untrained eye) to be the weak link here. He's getting little to no push, missing blocks and is not being asked to pull as much as in the past. Pouncey has never been a mauler. But DeCastro has been so good for so long that it allowed them to focus on getting Pouncey to the second level and seal block. He's not doing that as well this year either. Funny (not ha ha funny), but the running game worked better when Dotson was in in place of DeCastro. Maybe DeCastro isn't as healthy as they say he is. And maybe they're going with the vet out of deference (as they have done in the past at other positions).
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You're not wrong. I think DeCasrto might be playing with an injury.

Conner seems to have less spring in his step as well, despite a rather limited amount of carries for a feature back. Also, #76, Chucks offers zero push when I watch him. We have not seen many holes for the North and South runner for Conner to run through, which makes him bounce it outside. The trouble is Conner's not suited to run outside the tackles by design.


McFarland, when he gets a chance, has zero blocking and runs into a pile.

If the Steelers want to run the ball, move Feiler back to tackle ( Take Cucks out ) and insert Dotson at the other Guard spot. los play McDonald a bit more, he can block, Erborn can't. I don't understand why Fichtner fails to use McFarland correctly. Give him wide pitched or counter plays to the side where Claypool or Ji-ju is blocking. McFarland is fast enough to beat any End to the corner. Teams are calling out our Jet Sweep formations. The gig is up on those plays, at least for now.


The loss of Munchak has hurt the OL.
 
Coach said:
You're not wrong. I think DeCasrto might be playing with an injury.

Conner seems to have less spring in his step as well, despite a rather limited amount of carries for a feature back. Also, #76, Chucks offers zero push when I watch him. We have not seen many holes for the North and South runner for Conner to run through, which makes him bounce it outside. The trouble is Conner's not suited to run outside the tackles by design.


McFarland, when he gets a chance, has zero blocking and runs into a pile.

If the Steelers want to run the ball, move Feiler back to tackle ( Take Cucks out ) and insert Dotson at the other Guard spot. los play McDonald a bit more, he can block, Erborn can't. I don't understand why Fichtner fails to use McFarland correctly. Give him wide pitched or counter plays to the side where Claypool or Ji-ju is blocking. McFarland is fast enough to beat any End to the corner. Teams are calling out our Jet Sweep formations. The gig is up on those plays, at least for now.


The loss of Munchak has hurt the OL.
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Cope already went over with you a guard playing on one side compared to the other. It isn't as easy as you are trying to make it out to be.

McFarland has the same chances as the rest of the other backs . His vision isn't allowing him to hit the right holes. Or he is thinking too much. But I wouldn't blame his woes on the O-line.

But you will keep pushing your same agenda even though you are incorrect.
 
MeanJim said:
Maybe you're right, Slash. But a quick look at the play by play of the game shows Connor had 4 rushes for 71 yards. Other than that, he was 9 for 18, and the team was 20 for 39 (not counting 3 Rudolph kneel-downs). At some point in a game in which you are in complete control, the running game should be able to get going.

Connor's 25 yard run from our own 5 was a thing of beauty. The usually ill-advised reverse of direction run he had was pretty fun too. I'm not bashing Connor at all. I think he's a good back. I just hate seeing him met in the backfield more often than not, and that's mostly on the o-line, and also on the guy calling the plays.
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We can't take out positive plays to benefit a debate. more than we can take out his negative plays to pump up the player.

I know you aren't dissing Conner and yeah his bread and butter isn't on the outside.

I think with Ben sitting back it just doesn't play to his strength, but it does play to Ben's strength.

We could argue Conner is just the wrong back for scheme but I am not so sure there is a perfect compliment on the roster. I think he is the best option for now and we have to pick our poison.

Do we want to cater to Conner's strengths or BigBen's ?

I think we all know that answer.
 
Maybe you're right, Slash. But a quick look at the play by play of the game shows Connor had 4 rushes for 71 yards.
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A previous back (who shall remain unnamed) rarely broke 20 yard runs. And I do mean rarely. He was solid for a 4 yard gain. He'd even get some 6 to 10 yard runs now and then, but one of the main things I LIKE about Conner is that he can actually produce a big play on the ground now and then.
 
I only saw the replay of the pick, I was sheetrocking my new brew shed. (Had some friends over to help so I couldn't just take a break for 3 hours, sadly.) Anyway, it looked on the replay that Ben had 2 guys open, but he was just a little delayed getting the ball out due to the pocket being messy. He came up in the pocket and released but it was literally a half second too late and the defense was able to recover.

It didn't work out but it's not like he just threw up a prayer.
 
wig said:
A previous back (who shall remain unnamed) rarely broke 20 yard runs. And I do mean rarely. He was solid for a 4 yard gain. He'd even get some 6 to 10 yard runs now and then, but one of the main things I LIKE about Conner is that he can actually produce a big play on the ground now and then.
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You could easily be talking about a couple of previous backs here. One a Hall of Famer, and one who thinks he is...
 
Cope said:
Villanueva is quietly having a dominant season. I know we were tough on him last year, but he hasn't allowed a sack this year. That is HUGE!!
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I just can't get too high on any of the offensive linemen when it comes to pass protection with Ben getting rid of the ball so quickly. They're doing a good job, but none are playing at a dominant level.
 
The main issue with the run game is the play calling, and it really is that simple. First down run gets stuffed, that's almost guarantees a second down run. Jet sweep much? Way too much, and they don't run the dive with misdirection often enough for it to be effective. McFarland is in, it's a run. We were pulling guards and TEs earlier in the year, but we stopped. Even the passing game play calling is pretty trash until been either goes muddle huddle or backyard ball.
 
slashsteel said:
What makes you think this? I believe it is some of both.

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Conner had 13 carries with four going for 10+ yards. Two of them were outside runs both sealed off by the receivers/tight ends, one was a reversal of fields which looked like something from a high school highlight tape, and the other was definitely as schemed. It looked like he had one run where he missed a big gap on a cutback. Beyond that there weren't any holes to run through. It's a scattered mess, the middle linebacker is always run free, or guys are in the backfield. It's ugly to watch.
 
SteelerFan448 said:
I just can't get too high on any of the offensive linemen when it comes to pass protection with Ben getting rid of the ball so quickly. They're doing a good job, but none are playing at a dominant level.
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Even where Ben is waiting, going through his progressions, they are giving him ample time. There have been some pressures and QB hits, but they are doing a job in pass pro. Alex Kozora has some cut-ups of AV knocking guy's dicks in the dirt on multiple occasions. AV and the rest are having a year protecting Ben.
 
slashsteel said:
We can't take out positive plays to benefit a debate. more than we can take out his negative plays to pump up the player.

I know you aren't dissing Conner and yeah his bread and butter isn't on the outside.

I think with Ben sitting back it just doesn't play to his strength, but it does play to Ben's strength.

We could argue Conner is just the wrong back for scheme but I am not so sure there is a perfect compliment on the roster. I think he is the best option for now and we have to pick our poison.

Do we want to cater to Conner's strengths or BigBen's ?

I think we all know that answer.
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Let me add to your post just one comment: Conner is a very good pass blocker, probably this is not the best team to load his stat sheet due to the style of the Offense but he's definitely complementary to it's success.

In another scheme he would probably be featured and have very good stats but would the Steelers be 10-0 with it? I don't think so

Enviado desde mi Moto G (5) Plus mediante Tapatalk
 
tapeANaspirin2it said:
i don't think there are complaints about this particular game. It's a concern about weaknesses for the playoffs. I am very concerned that this team can't run the ball up the middle at all. This OL gets pushed back so easily. Even subpar run defenses are able to easily stop any rush attempts up the middle.

They have to come up with something to run the ball. I don't want to hear the horseshit about the short passes being the running game. It's true that a good short passing game can be similar to a run game but there are also situations, IE running out the clock and short yardage where you absolutely need to be able to run the ball. Without gimmicks, without some jet sweep action or some complex blocking scheme to get outside. I mean being able to get 2 yards when you need it.
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What's "horseshit" is the myth that NFL teams cannot have success without a "get 2 yards when you need it" running game. Kansas City couldn't run the ball up the middle for **** last year, and they subsequently finished 23rd in the league in rushing. All they did was win the Super Bowl. With the addition of Edwards-Helaire, the Chiefs have managed to move up to 16th this season. Still average, and gee, they're only 9-1. If you have an accurate quarterback and skilled receivers (which the Steelers also happen to have), the short passing game can, and has proven to be, an adequate substitute for a weaker run offense.
 
topseed said:
What's "horseshit" is the myth that NFL teams cannot have success without a "get 2 yards when you need it" running game. Kansas City couldn't run the ball up the middle for **** last year, and they subsequently finished 23rd in the league in rushing. All they did was win the Super Bowl. With the addition of Edwards-Helaire, the Chiefs have managed to move up to 16th this season. Still average, and gee, they're only 9-1. If you have an accurate quarterback and skilled receivers (which the Steelers also happen to have), the short passing game can, and has proven to be, an adequate substitute for a weaker run offense.
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I'm not saying you need to be a top run team, but you need to at least be competent. The steelers simply aren't right now. If you are honest about the steeler run game, generally they break a couple of decent runs per game but the rest are pretty much stuffed for almost no gain. Those few good runs make the overall YPC look much better than it is.

Mahomes adds a run threat that Ben doesn't. Chiefs averaged 4.2 per carry last year and 4.4 this year which is pretty good. Last year the steelers averaged 3.7 and this year 3.9 which is pretty bad. As i stated, that is a concern.

It's not about overall stats though. It's about situational football. The simple fact is that 3rd and 2 in a key spot for the steelers damn near has to be a pass. Defenses know this. When the Chiefs are in 3rd and 2, the defense has no idea what's coming. Mahomes can fake it and run it himself at any time and that keeps the defense honest.
 
Ben offers a get the ball out quicker in comparison which helps the short passing game in turn can be a run game substitute.He might not be the runner Mahomes is but he can still maneuver In the pocket well and still is hard to bring down. Still capable of extending the play.

tapeANaspirin2it said:
I'm not saying you need to be a top run team, but you need to at least be competent. The steelers simply aren't right now. If you are honest about the steeler run game, generally they break a couple of decent runs per game but the rest are pretty much stuffed for almost no gain. Those few good runs make the overall YPC look much better than it is.

Mahomes adds a run threat that Ben doesn't. Chiefs averaged 4.2 per carry last year and 4.4 this year which is pretty good. Last year the steelers averaged 3.7 and this year 3.9 which is pretty bad. As i stated, that is a concern.

It's not about overall stats though. It's about situational football. The simple fact is that 3rd and 2 in a key spot for the steelers damn near has to be a pass. Defenses know this. When the Chiefs are in 3rd and 2, the defense has no idea what's coming. Mahomes can fake it and run it himself at any time and that keeps the defense honest.
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