What kind of D performance will we have this week?

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

I've wracked my brains, but I can't see any way to compensate for our basic problems:

a) No pass rush without Smith, so the opposing QB has too much time to throw.
b) Poor pass coverage in the secondary. Whether it's because they might suck, or the fact that no one can cover well when the QB has forever to let a play develop, it doesn't matter -the job just isn't getting done.
c) No Troy to compensate for these two things.

Are we doomed to game ending (season ending) pass completions from Flacco on 3 and forevers? What do you guys think will/can be different?

Maybe one thing I CAN think of - it seemed to me as I watched us get burned in the 4th qrtrs on 3rd and forevers the past few games - there was a lot of poor "lane discipline" on the D - the players didn't stay home, so one good cut by the other guy and there was an open field for 50 or 60 yards or so. Maybe if the D players trust their teammates to do their jobs right, the damage might get minimized. To my eye, Harrison was as guilty as anybody of this, I'm pretty sure I saw him overpursue on a lot of plays, losing containment to the inside (in other words, he let the runner/short pass receiver get to the outside), and poof - another 30 yard play given up.

Come on LeBeau, we need your Yoda-ism-ism now!!

[Shoe]

You can guarantee that, if the weather is mild-ish, they'll score a lot of points.

And we should be able to do the same (they have a similar problem as we do, as Ed Reed is having the same issue Troy is--an injury that is making it difficult to play, even though the MRI doesn't show it).

Our offense is better than theirs, but I think their defense is better than ours. The glaring thing I see is our inept secondary, and home field. Two variables that will likely decide the game... it's looking like your typical Steeler-Raven brewhaha

[TallyStiller]

Would ANYBODY have circled this one on the calendar in August and called for a shootout? I say take the over... 38 - 34 Steelers. In answer, the D is going to look like it has every other week... strong early, fried like one of the Colonel's birds late.

[papillon]

The Ravens skill players aren't nearly as good as the Packers. The secondary may not cover well, but if they tackle better it will be an upgrade. The Ravens shouldn't be able to move the ball like the Packers.

Pappy

[stlrz d]

We nearly beat them in their place without Ben.

The D played well even without Troy.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

We nearly beat them in their place without Ben.

The D played well even without Troy.

So, stlrz d , you are predicting a good defensive performance against the Felons?

With a name like yours, can we really consider your opinion unbiased?

:lol: :lol: :Cheers :Cheers

[SteelAbility]

Given what we have seen the last several weeks, D is more for Disappointing than it is for Dominating.

I loved the win over GB. But part of me was still fuming that our QB goes 63% passing for 503 yards, a normally dominating 10.9 YPA, 3 TDs and 0 INTs and we still BARELY won. :roll:

[SteelAbility]

Would ANYBODY have circled this one on the calendar in August and called for a shootout? I say take the over... 38 - 34 Steelers. In answer, the D is going to look like it has every other week... strong early, fried like one of the Colonel's birds late.

I believe the Colonel is also serving roasted these days. ;) Same result, I suppose.

[SteelAbility]

I'll go out on a limb and predict we give up two to three 3rd-and-more-than-15 plays, with at least one of them occurring early in a drive that eventually results in a TD that leaves us all frustrated, bewildered, and having to sweat out another heart-stopping come-from-behind drive by Ben in which he slips at least one sack for a major loss only to find Santonio 25 yards down the field. :P

[proudpittsburgher]

We nearly beat them in their place without Ben.

The D played well even without Troy.

So, stlrz d , you are predicting a good defensive performance against the Felons?

With a name like yours, can we really consider your opinion unbiased?

:lol: :lol: :Cheers :Cheers


See, I agree with him. The defense played pretty well against Baltimore the first time around, and they were playing at a decided disadvantage considering the offense was pretty much either off the field IN three plays, or hit up the Ravens for abig play. Either way, the defense had to play well, and while it wasn't their finest game, it wasn't bad all things considered. The Ravens tend to play very conservative against us anyway, and the next time Flacco has even an average game against us will be the first. I don't necessarily think we are in for a world of hurt on defense in this game. Remember, the Packers have a pretty potent offense.

[ikestops85]

I don't know why other teams even bother to try and run against us. With the exception of a few draws I don't think I would give the run a thought when playing the Steelers.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I predict that James Harrison will eat the Ravens for lunch, as he typically does when wearing the throwback uniform against Baltimore.

http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/getty/2007/09000d5d803f2cc9_gallery_600.jpg

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/images/200711/20071106pd_steelers1105d_500.jpg

http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/77724350.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF193A242DD909DF1BD4BD30EE43B5BED470A A7CFF610D5B4FC25

http://photos.upi.com/topics-Pittsburgh-Steelers-vs-Baltimore-Ravens/630c42dc1e78eac92af61eb09c52cfdf/J.jpg

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/images/200809/dianasteelers0929g_330.jpg

http://5goldenrings.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/james-harrison-sticks-it-to-ed-reed.jpg

[SteelAbility]

Somehow Silverback really gets up for the Ravens doesn't he? It might have something to do with Ray Lewis belittling one of his best performances. Plus, were undefeated in the throwbacks, aren't we? Take it to the bank! :tt2

[papillon]

Somehow Silverback really gets up for the Ravens doesn't he? It might have something to do with Ray Lewis belittling one of his best performances. Plus, were undefeated in the throwbacks, aren't we? Take it to the bank! :tt2

I hope last year wasn't Silverback's Zenith as a player. He's been pedestrian this year, solid, but not nearly as disruptive as last year. I doubt that any teams are even game planning for him this year.

Pappy

[RuthlessBurgher]

Somehow Silverback really gets up for the Ravens doesn't he? It might have something to do with Ray Lewis belittling one of his best performances. Plus, were undefeated in the throwbacks, aren't we? Take it to the bank! :tt2

I hope last year wasn't Silverback's Zenith as a player. He's been pedestrian this year, solid, but not nearly as disruptive as last year. I doubt that any teams are even game planning for him this year.

Pappy

Or perhaps his numbers are down from last year because they are gameplanning for him this year.

He still has 10 sacks and 4 forced fumbles, and this is before his annual "thrashing of the Ravens when they come to Heinz and we wear our throwback uniforms" game.

[flippy]

We need to blitz 60%+ of the time.

Don't let Farrior anywhere near Rice, let a combo of Timmons and Woodley shadow him.

Double team Mason - I'd be for using Deshea to help Ike cover him. Mason's not as fast as he once was, so old man Deshea should be able to keep up with him.

Figure out a cover 3 that works. We've gotta get back to giving up short plays and preventing long plays from happening. If we can't, I say we go into some form of a prevent defense the whole game and make Flacco throw lots of short passes and force him to be consistent for a long portion of the game to beat us.

[RuthlessBurgher]

make Flacco throw lots of short passes and force him to be consistent for a long portion of the game to beat us.

This is LeBeau's strategy for every game.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

^^^

The problem is when they get 6 yards on the actual pass itself, but it turns into 86 yards YAC, and a TD, because we are missing about 4 tackles.

Usually happens on 3rd and 23. :twisted:

[proudpittsburgher]

make Flacco throw lots of short passes and force him to be consistent for a long portion of the game to beat us.

This is LeBeau's strategy for every game.


And it has worked with flacco every time we have played them. He seems to get frustrated easily, but we have been able to get pressure on him every game. Notice pretty much every one of his INTs against us were when he was either being his while he threw, or he knew the hit was a step away and he forced the throw. Don't know what will happen without pressure on the QB.