Why can't they catch the ball?

[mdk2]

We lead the league with 31 dropped passes, 10 more than anyone else in the league. Absolutely ******* ridiculous.

Ike Hillard I guess didn't work these guys at all before this game. Look the mother ******* ball in to your hands then run. It's really that simple.

You can see DJ looking to run before he even catches it. Juju seems be lack of focus, Ebron just has atrocious hands, Claypool not looking them in. JW is pretty reliable.

You have one job, catch the damn ball!

 

[Coryea]

Its not only killing the offense, its forcing our defense to play alot more snaps than necessary.

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[6Lombardis]

We lead the league with 31 dropped passes, 10 more than anyone else in the league. Absolutely ******* ridiculous.

Ike Hillard I guess didn't work these guys at all before this game. Look the mother ******* ball in to your hands then run. It's really that simple.

You can see DJ looking to run before he even catches it. Juju seems be lack of focus, Ebron just has atrocious hands, Claypool not looking them in. JW is pretty reliable.

You have one job, catch the damn ball!

90% of the “plan” is for them to get YAK, I mean, hell we throw it well short of the line to gain ALL THE TIME. Hence, these guys are trying to move on before they catch the damn ball.

 

[coolshark]

Because they are making tiktok videos instead of catching balls

 

[madinsomniac]

Its not technical and these guys did not really have suspect hands elsewhere so its likely just focus issues... they are looking for YAC because our offense is a nickel and dime pass offense now... they need to secure first, run second... if they don’t gain yardage past the pass, thats fine...

 

[Zack_of_Steel]

Its not technical and these guys did not really have suspect hands elsewhere so its likely just focus issues... they are looking for YAC because our offense is a nickel and dime pass offense now... they need to secure first, run second... if they don’t gain yardage past the pass, thats fine...

Ebron was known for drops in Detroit. His only good season in his career was in a Rivers offense where TEs eat.

Idk **** about what any of our other players did in college so I can't speak to that.

 

[Badcat]

I blame Ben's Surgeon. He installed some bionic **** in there. I swear it. Ben's rate of spin is 4 times the average QB. Does anyone else hear the Bionic Man sound effects ever time Ben releases the ball? I Do. You see the Wr's smiling after they drop a ball? They look'n around say'n Got' Damn that ball spinn'n so fast it shaking the condensation inside the ball to one side!

 

[AggieSteel]

I’m going to go out on a limb and not put ALL the blame on the receivers. Yes they have to bring the balls in, absolutely. But this offense right now is about 90% dependent on short catches and runs. The short catches are nothing without the YAC. These guys have a ton of pressure on them to immediately get upfield as soon as they catch the ball and it is just not sustainable. They need more intermediate routes where they are already at the marker, and just need to make the catch and get down or out of bounds. That’ll build that confidence and be better for the offense as a whole. When you’re constantly looking over your shoulder trying to figure out how to get that YAC, the drops will come. So yeah - a lot is on the receivers, but this offense *has* to become more diverse. Period. The end.


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[alancac98]

I’m going to go out on a limb and not put ALL the blame on the receivers. Yes they have to bring the balls in, absolutely. But this offense right now is about 90% dependent on short catches and runs. The short catches are nothing without the YAC. These guys have a ton of pressure on them to immediately get upfield as soon as they catch the ball and it is just not sustainable. They need more intermediate routes where they are already at the marker, and just need to make the catch and get down or out of bounds. That’ll build that confidence and be better for the offense as a whole. When you’re constantly looking over your shoulder trying to figure out how to get that YAC, the drops will come. So yeah - a lot is on the receivers, but this offense *has* to become more diverse. Period. The end.


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Completely agree Aggie!

 

[ZonaBurgh]

They've all been focusing on their run blocking?

 

[SteelerFan448]

PFF has the Steelers at 34 drops.

JuJu - His just seem to be flat out drops. I think it's because he's trying to do too much with the ball and thinking ahead.

Diontae - A lot of his is because he's ready to break up field and is his mind and body are one step ahead of his hands.

Claypool - Doesn't high point the ball. Too many body catches.

Ebron - Just flat out bad hands. Knock on him his entire career.

Washington - Haven't noticed anything glaring

I think part of it too is the receivers aren't on the same page with Ben and vice versa. A few inches here and there make an easy catch a tad more difficult and they don't haul it in.

 

[Bigappleyinzer]

One excuse for the WR's...

There is a good chance that Ben isn't throwing the ball a ton during practice, to rest his arm (especially the case this last week).

This means the receivers are working a ton with our backups. And there is a HUGE difference between Mason's arm (noodle) and Ben's.

 

[Superman]

roll out the jugs machine this week and have every WR catch 100 without a drop. Soon as a drop happens, they go back to 0 and start over.

IMO, they seem to be trying to make their job look effortless instead of trying to just catch the ball.

 

[slashsteel]

roll out the jugs machine this week and have every WR catch 100 without a drop. Soon as a drop happens, they go back to 0 and start over.

IMO, they seem to be trying to make their job look effortless instead of trying to just catch the ball.

I am not sure about the start over thing but would extend practice for the wideouts,. TE's and RBs for the jugs. The rest of the team could sharpen the sword...

.

 

[wig]

As the weather gets colder, the ball gets harder and more slippery.

Add in Aggie's point about the receivers knowing they're going to get decked every ******* play because they are catching everything at the line of scrimmage and trying to make something happen and they are likely hearing footsteps even BEFORE the ball is snapped. This offense has been figured out. This is the SAME issue they had last year when they tried this with Mason.

If you only throw the ball 6 to 9 feet the LBs can just sit on those short routes. Oh, and great news! They happen to already be RIGHT at the line of scrimmage in case you are ******* nuts enough to try a run. There is no consistent effort to push the linebackers deeper with intermediate routes. Everything is a 2 yard ******* rub route.

With the weather things will only get tougher. I had hoped that somehow the Steelers were trying to "hold back" and launch some ninja **** on the opponents in the playoffs, you know - completely changing their offensive philosophy. At this point, I don't think they are even capable. As was pointed out yesterday, Ben has guys open at the 2nd level but I suspect his reads don't even have him seriously looking at them. The only time he became relatively effective in the passing game last night was when **** broke down and he had to revert to "scramble and toss" Ben.

I don't know if it's Ben or Fichtner or Tomlin. In the end it doesn't matter. This offense has been figured the **** out.

 

[mdk2]

As the weather gets colder, the ball gets harder and more slippery.

Add in Aggie's point about the receivers knowing they're going to get decked every ******* play because they are catching everything at the line of scrimmage and trying to make something happen and they are likely hearing footsteps even BEFORE the ball is snapped. This offense has been figured out. This is the SAME issue they had last year when they tried this with Mason.

If you only throw the ball 6 to 9 feet the LBs can just sit on those short routes. Oh, and great news! They happen to already be RIGHT at the line of scrimmage in case you are ******* nuts enough to try a run. There is no consistent effort to push the linebackers deeper with intermediate routes. Everything is a 2 yard ******* rub route.

With the weather things will only get tougher. I had hoped that somehow the Steelers were trying to "hold back" and launch some ninja **** on the opponents in the playoffs, you know - completely changing their offensive philosophy. At this point, I don't think they are even capable. As was pointed out yesterday, Ben has guys open at the 2nd level but I suspect his reads don't even have him seriously looking at them. The only time he became relatively effective in the passing game last night was when **** broke down and he had to revert to "scramble and toss" Ben.

I don't know if it's Ben or Fichtner or Tomlin. In the end it doesn't matter. This offense has been figured the **** out.

This isn't the same offense as last year with Mason, not even close. I can tell you it is not Ben's fault this team can't run the ball. It is because of Ben that we are 11-1, that I can tell you.

They talked about it during the game that Fichtner has made Ben change the way he plays with getting the ball out quick. It's time for Ben to shut Fichtner out and get back to throwing vertical and extending plays because he can do it, they just don't do it enough.

 

[wig]

This isn't the same offense as last year with Mason, not even close.

Really? Cause last year the Steelers essentially ran the same passing offense they are right now, with Mason throwing short and counting on the receivers to get YAC. When Duck came in, he was temporarily a hero because he began throwing the ball deeper, although soon enough his inaccuracy was used against him. However right out of the gate Duck had success partly due to the fact that defenses weren't seriously covering mid to deep routes.

I'm not suggesting for a moment that Ben isn't worlds better than Rudolph. I merely point out that from a scheme point of view we are seeing essentially the same offensive philosophy that Mason was running last year. Ben just happens to be much better at finding the open guy and making a decent throw.

 

[Steelr4evr]

roll out the jugs machine this week and have every WR catch 100 without a drop. Soon as a drop happens, they go back to 0 and start over.

IMO, they seem to be trying to make their job look effortless instead of trying to just catch the ball.

I'd have one at my house, if catching a football was part of my job. Every morning 100-150 balls without a drop. I'd take that sucker to a field and work it as well.

Just no excuse for drops at this level. If you can't catch the damn ball, whatever else you got in the athletic skills department doesn't mean ****.

 

[TDX27]

I think it has to do with the lack of practice. The league had been heading that way before and now with COVID, so many practices have been virtual. WR's need repetition in various weather conditions and they aren't getting it. JuJu bought a jugs machine and used it a ton this offseason but even he is dropping balls. They need the repetitions with the ball coming from Ben in various weather conditions. Anything short of that and drops will happen. The other option is to buy a few 50-gallon drums of stickum and slather that on their gloves.

 

[mdk2]

I think it has to do with the lack of practice. The league had been heading that way before and now with COVID, so many practices have been virtual. WR's need repetition in various weather conditions and they aren't getting it. JuJu bought a jugs machine and used it a ton this offseason but even he is dropping balls. They need the repetitions with the ball coming from Ben in various weather conditions. Anything short of that and drops will happen. The other option is to buy a few 50-gallon drums of stickum and slather that on their gloves.

Hopefully this isn't giving the NFL any ideas about the future of the league with more virtual **** and less on the field practicing to preserve the players health.

 

[Steelmann]

I’m going to go out on a limb and not put ALL the blame on the receivers. Yes they have to bring the balls in, absolutely. But this offense right now is about 90% dependent on short catches and runs. The short catches are nothing without the YAC. These guys have a ton of pressure on them to immediately get upfield as soon as they catch the ball and it is just not sustainable. They need more intermediate routes where they are already at the marker, and just need to make the catch and get down or out of bounds. That’ll build that confidence and be better for the offense as a whole. When you’re constantly looking over your shoulder trying to figure out how to get that YAC, the drops will come. So yeah - a lot is on the receivers, but this offense *has* to become more diverse. Period. The end.


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First of al I agree with your points. Just a little observation.

It reminds me of The Patriots offense with Brady. The one most of you guys criticized for many many years. Short little **** dump offs and little passes,where the receivers made the yards after catch. Except they had ( and yes I hated him) Eddleman and those fast running backs and a TE that always got them out of trouble. Of course you all called Tommy Boy a *****,game manager,only a product of Billecheats system.
This offense is the exact same as last years with the duck and Rudy. Short little **** passes and dump offs. Yes they are 11-1.

I have never in all my years watching football seen a 11-1 team install less confidence in success than this one.

 

[SteelerFan448]

First of al I agree with your points. Just a little observation.

It reminds me of The Patriots offense with Brady. The one most of you guys criticized for many many years. Short little **** dump offs and little passes,where the receivers made the yards after catch. Except they had ( and yes I hated him) Eddleman and those fast running backs and a TE that always got them out of trouble. Of course you all called Tommy Boy a *****,game manager,only a product of Billecheats system.
This offense is the exact same as last years with the duck and Rudy. Short little **** passes and dump offs. Yes they are 11-1.

I have never in all my years watching football seen a 11-1 team install less confidence in success than this one.

Yep, the Steelers don't have the diversity of weapons to open up space for some of those receivers. If we had a James White type running back on the roster that'd go a long way. Then again, the line hasn't been very good in blocking for screen passes.

 

[TDX27]

Hopefully this isn't giving the NFL any ideas about the future of the league with more virtual **** and less on the field practicing to preserve the players health.

Its like some of the old time players were saying earlier today or yesterday. Under Noll, if they didn't perform up to standard, they wore full pads and practiced extra. They barely get any padded practice, if any, during the season and now it's worse with COVID. You have to practice like you intend to play. You can't do that without pads or virtually.

 

[MTC]

They need to hit the juggs for sure