fordfixer
09-18-2011, 01:19 AM
Head-to-head matchup: Steelers WR Mike Wallace vs. Seahawks S Earl Thomas
Sunday, September 18, 2011
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11261/1175571-66.stm
Mike Wallace is arguably the best deep threat in the pass-happy NFL, maybe even more so than DeSean Jackson of the Philadelphia Eagles.
He led the league with 10 receptions of 40 yards or longer, was second with 17 catches of 25 yards or longer and led the AFC with an average of 21 yards per catch in 2010. Eight of his 10 touchdown catches were 39 yards or longer.
Opposing teams, though, are finally beginning to heed what everyone has been told for years -- speed kills.
In an attempt to prevent the deep pass, cornerbacks are starting to back off Wallace, the Steelers' third-year receiver, as though he has bad breath. Drive-through restaurants can be built in the area between Wallace and the closest cornerback anymore.
"Defensive backs in this league, by nature, they have to be very cocky," said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. "They think they're the fastest, they're the best, and when they see Mike on film, they think, 'Oh, he might have run by that guy, but he's not going to run by me. I'm too fast.' Then he gets in the game and finds out this guy can run by me. He's as fast as advertised. So they're backing off."
Not only that, opposing teams are rotating a safety toward Wallace and playing more two-deep coverage in attempt to take away the big play -- something the Seattle Seahawks will probably try to do today at Heinz Field with safety Earl Thomas, their version of Troy Polamalu.
Thomas had a team-high five interceptions in 2010, tying a club record for most by a rookie.
It has been that way since last year's postseason, and the numbers bear out the preventive defensive approach.
Wallace has 21 catches for 222 yards in the past four games, dating to the end of the 2010 regular season, an average of just 10.57 yards per catch -- nearly 101/2 yards fewer than his AFC-leading average. What's more, his longest catch in those four games is 26 yards.
"Teams are starting to play cover-two to that side, and they're not pressing him as much as they want to," said veteran Hines Ward. "His speed alone is a threat. That's what makes him dangerous. You can't teach speed. You can't teach that."
The Steelers are trying to counter that approach by getting Wallace involved in a different manner -- throwing him quick screens and slants to give him a chance to make plays after the catch.
That's what happened last week in Baltimore when Wallace caught eight passes for 107 yards -- his fourth consecutive 100-yard receiving game in the regular season, dating to last season. Wallace's longest catch-and-run was 26 yards.
"If they do that, we can still convert a lot of short passes," Wallace said, referring to the deep coverage teams have been employing. "I don't feel like we're doing anything different. We're still running our plays, but I have different signals on different plays to break off routes and do different things, according to the coverage. I just do that, catch short passes and try to make some yards after the catch."
Said Ward, "He didn't catch any bombs, but he had enough catches where he was still making plays on the field and affecting the game."
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11261/11 ... z1YHJxH3uP (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11261/1175571-66.stm#ixzz1YHJxH3uP)
Sunday, September 18, 2011
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11261/1175571-66.stm
Mike Wallace is arguably the best deep threat in the pass-happy NFL, maybe even more so than DeSean Jackson of the Philadelphia Eagles.
He led the league with 10 receptions of 40 yards or longer, was second with 17 catches of 25 yards or longer and led the AFC with an average of 21 yards per catch in 2010. Eight of his 10 touchdown catches were 39 yards or longer.
Opposing teams, though, are finally beginning to heed what everyone has been told for years -- speed kills.
In an attempt to prevent the deep pass, cornerbacks are starting to back off Wallace, the Steelers' third-year receiver, as though he has bad breath. Drive-through restaurants can be built in the area between Wallace and the closest cornerback anymore.
"Defensive backs in this league, by nature, they have to be very cocky," said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. "They think they're the fastest, they're the best, and when they see Mike on film, they think, 'Oh, he might have run by that guy, but he's not going to run by me. I'm too fast.' Then he gets in the game and finds out this guy can run by me. He's as fast as advertised. So they're backing off."
Not only that, opposing teams are rotating a safety toward Wallace and playing more two-deep coverage in attempt to take away the big play -- something the Seattle Seahawks will probably try to do today at Heinz Field with safety Earl Thomas, their version of Troy Polamalu.
Thomas had a team-high five interceptions in 2010, tying a club record for most by a rookie.
It has been that way since last year's postseason, and the numbers bear out the preventive defensive approach.
Wallace has 21 catches for 222 yards in the past four games, dating to the end of the 2010 regular season, an average of just 10.57 yards per catch -- nearly 101/2 yards fewer than his AFC-leading average. What's more, his longest catch in those four games is 26 yards.
"Teams are starting to play cover-two to that side, and they're not pressing him as much as they want to," said veteran Hines Ward. "His speed alone is a threat. That's what makes him dangerous. You can't teach speed. You can't teach that."
The Steelers are trying to counter that approach by getting Wallace involved in a different manner -- throwing him quick screens and slants to give him a chance to make plays after the catch.
That's what happened last week in Baltimore when Wallace caught eight passes for 107 yards -- his fourth consecutive 100-yard receiving game in the regular season, dating to last season. Wallace's longest catch-and-run was 26 yards.
"If they do that, we can still convert a lot of short passes," Wallace said, referring to the deep coverage teams have been employing. "I don't feel like we're doing anything different. We're still running our plays, but I have different signals on different plays to break off routes and do different things, according to the coverage. I just do that, catch short passes and try to make some yards after the catch."
Said Ward, "He didn't catch any bombs, but he had enough catches where he was still making plays on the field and affecting the game."
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11261/11 ... z1YHJxH3uP (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11261/1175571-66.stm#ixzz1YHJxH3uP)