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hawaiiansteel
10-03-2011, 11:22 PM
Buyer's Remorse? Steelers Getting Next to Nothing Out of High-Priced LaMarr Woodley

by Michael Bean on Oct 3, 2011

http://cdn1.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/2011245/91690_Steelers_Texans_Football.jpg

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) breaks away from Pittsburgh Steelers' Troy Polamalu (43) and LaMarr Woodley (56) in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011, in Houston. Foster went on to score a touchdown.


Woodley's six-year $61.5 million dollar deal made him the highest paid defensive player in Steelers history. Now, it's worth noting that we're going to continue saying that phrase time and time again in future years. Each new free agency period is going to usher in new mega-deals that are the 'highest ever' in some category. That's the reality of the NFL's still ongoing meteoric growth.

Still, is it just me, or does it not sit quite right that a fairly one-dimensional player was made the highest paid defensive player in team history? Woodley, to his immense credit, has great hands and sound instincts in the passing game. You can't say that about too many dudes his size. That said, he's not fast enough to where those traits come into play all that often in the high-speed National Football League. I'll need to look at the game again to find the exact play, but a fairly nondescript dump off to I believe Arian Foster in the Texans win hammers home my point. Woodley flat out couldn't get outside fast enough to track whoever it was down before the play turned into a positive gain. James Harrison hunts that play down. Even with a bad back at 33 years of age. Woodley is unable to in his physical prime at 26.

I don't want to get sidetracked with an analysis of his Week 4 performance because it was definitely not terrible. He was pretty good in run support in the third quarter in particular. Of course, as the picture above shows, he was responsible for not only taking a bad angle to Foster on the long touchdown run that gave Houston a 17-10 lead after the Steelers had stormed back in the third quarter, he also wiped out the last line of defense on the play, Troy Polamalu. No. 43 had a sub-standard game himself in terms of taking good angles to the ball, but at the risk of sounding overly simplistic, I have never seen Harrison make those types of mistakes, and I quite simply expect more from such a highly paid star player.

Forget this play or that play though this past four weeks. It's not about that. It's about needing Woodley to be great right now. We haven't gotten that. With Harrison still rounding into shape, the offense struggling for a myriad reasons, veterans like Aaron Smith and James Farrior showing their age -- we've needed Woodley to come up big. Still waiting.

And by the way, another popular argument is Woodley is struggling because of Aaron Smith' shortcomings. There's definitely some truth in that, at least in the running game. Two things though. One, remember the Indianapolis game when Harrison dismissed Dallas Clark easily, stood up an offensive tackle and stopped Joseph Addai in his tracks on one of the Colts' patented stretch-run plays? Harrison did that several times against the Colts. That was a single guy making a play by himself; not needing help in front of him. The great players find ways to do that. Secondly, Woodley is not being double-teamed in pass protection. He shouldn't need Smith doing anything extraordinary in order to get in the face of the quarterback more frequently than he has. Period.

It's of course way too early to even think about labeling the re-signing as 'smart' or 'dumb'. Kevin Colbert and the front office have a rich history of making prudent decisions in free agency.

That said, I really do wonder if the decision might have been partly influenced by the fact that so many of Woodley's defensive teammates were aging. In other words, I wonder if the front office felt they had to lock up one of their young defensive starters since so many other men on Dick LeBeau's defense were in the twilight of their careers.

I've heard some of you say, 'he's always a slow starter.' Not really true. That was only true in 2009 when he had 0 sacks through the first four games, followed by a two-sack performance in Week 5, and then another three-game sackless streak before getting hot down the stretch when it was too little too late. His production in 2008 and 2010 was distributed fairly evenly over the course of the season.

It's true that Woodley has saved some of his best football for the playoffs, but no time to be thinking about that right now. Instead, it'd be nice for the highest paid defensive player on the team to start taking over some games single-handedly. We've seen James Harrison do it time and time again in recent years; same with Troy Polamalu.

Time for Woodley to take it upon himself to turn a game in the Steelers favor with a stellar performance. God knows the team needs it. And for a guy making $18 million this year, it shouldn't be all that unreasonable to expect.

Go Steelers!

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/20 ... y-polamalu (http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2011/10/3/2465587/steelers-texans-nfl-week-4-lamarr-woodley-james-harrison-troy-polamalu)

BradshawsHairdresser
10-03-2011, 11:33 PM
Time for Woodley to take it upon himself to turn a game in the Steelers favor with a stellar performance. God knows the team needs it. And for a guy making $18 million this year, it shouldn't be all that unreasonable to expect.



$18 million to Woodley this year... :x :x :x

Probably could have gone out and gotten 3 decent o-lineman for that kind of $$$.

Dee Dub
10-03-2011, 11:34 PM
Buyer's Remorse? Steelers Getting Next to Nothing Out of High-Priced LaMarr Woodley

by Michael Bean on Oct 3, 2011

Still, is it just me, or does it not sit quite right that a fairly one-dimensional player was made the highest paid defensive player in team history?


Clueless! Now Woodley is being called a one deminsional player? Wow...

In Sunday's game the Texans had 23 pass attempts. Woodley rushed the QB 11 times.

Some people just will never understand the game of football.

NJ-STEELER
10-03-2011, 11:36 PM
woodley, timmons, troy, ike



ike's the only one playing well after getting extended in the preseason

Shoe
10-03-2011, 11:45 PM
Buyer's Remorse? Steelers Getting Next to Nothing Out of High-Priced LaMarr Woodley

by Michael Bean on Oct 3, 2011

Still, is it just me, or does it not sit quite right that a fairly one-dimensional player was made the highest paid defensive player in team history?


Clueless! Now Woodley is being called a one deminsional player? Wow...

In Sunday's game the Texans had 23 pass attempts. Woodley rushed the QB 11 times.

Some people just will never understand the game of football.

And since you want to cite the stats, how many times did he sack the QB in the "11 times" he rushed the QB? I'll answer for you: 0

The writer made the point--the great players find a way to make great plays. In the first four games, can you think of ONE great play he's made? OTOH, I can recall saying "Yeah Silverback!" or "Yeah Troy!" (which is not to say they're playing great right now). The point being, where is our highest-paid ever? He's made NO big plays, unless you can enlighten me.

hawaiiansteel
10-04-2011, 03:56 PM
with Deebo out, it's definitely time for Woodley to step up.

Dee Dub
10-04-2011, 05:05 PM
Buyer's Remorse? Steelers Getting Next to Nothing Out of High-Priced LaMarr Woodley

by Michael Bean on Oct 3, 2011

Still, is it just me, or does it not sit quite right that a fairly one-dimensional player was made the highest paid defensive player in team history?


Clueless! Now Woodley is being called a one deminsional player? Wow...

In Sunday's game the Texans had 23 pass attempts. Woodley rushed the QB 11 times.

Some people just will never understand the game of football.

And since you want to cite the stats, how many times did he sack the QB in the "11 times" he rushed the QB? I'll answer for you: 0

The writer made the point--the great players find a way to make great plays. In the first four games, can you think of ONE great play he's made? OTOH, I can recall saying "Yeah Silverback!" or "Yeah Troy!" (which is not to say they're playing great right now). The point being, where is our highest-paid ever? He's made NO big plays, unless you can enlighten me.

Shoe, Woodley is being asked to do more of what is not his strength than what is. I have proven that by showing he is being asked to drop in coverage more than rush the passer.
For this writer to call him one dimensional and ignore the fact that the Steelers are asking him to do more than that one thing that makes him one dimensional is ignorant.

Since you forgot, Woodley does have 1.5 sacks and if you will recall every year he has started slow only to finish with a flurry.

NorthCoast
10-05-2011, 09:12 PM
Even outsiders rank Woodley way down the charts. Over at PFF Woodley grades out the 45th best LB (just below Farrior at 43).

If it wasn't for Timmons and Harrison being in the top 5, we would have a very sorry group.

Can you say 'fat and happy'? .... we have a $62M Ferrari with a Kia motor in it... that sucks!

JAdams8777
10-05-2011, 09:37 PM
Woodley is a slow starter every year, with his best opening four game split being in his first year as a starter.

Thru four games...
08 - 3.5 sacks 17 tackles
09 - 0 sacks 4 tackles
10 - 2 sacks 16 tackles
11 - 1.5 sacks 16 tackles

Last 12
08 - 8 sacks 53 tackles
09 - 13.5 sacks 58 tackles
10 - 8 sacks 44 tackles

Postseason
6 games - 9 sacks - 26 tackles

NJ-STEELER
10-05-2011, 10:57 PM
Even outsiders rank Woodley way down the charts. Over at PFF Woodley grades out the 45th best LB (just below Farrior at 43).

If it wasn't for Timmons and Harrison being in the top 5, we would have a very sorry group.

Can you say 'fat and happy'? .... we have a $62M Ferrari with a Kia motor in it... that sucks!

coming into the season or after these 4 games?

Dee Dub
10-06-2011, 12:27 AM
Woodley is a slow starter every year, with his best opening four game split being in his first year as a starter.

Thru four games...
08 - 3.5 sacks 17 tackles
09 - 0 sacks 4 tackles
10 - 2 sacks 16 tackles
11 - 1.5 sacks 16 tackles

Last 12
08 - 8 sacks 53 tackles
09 - 13.5 sacks 58 tackles
10 - 8 sacks 44 tackles

Postseason
6 games - 9 sacks - 26 tackles

Sorry Bro' these guys arent going to get this. They can't get over the money Woodley was given. Even if he were leading the league in sacks right now they'd still have a problem with Woodley.

Dee Dub
10-06-2011, 12:55 AM
And let me show you another reason why people are more concerned about LaMarr's contract than they are about his play....

Kevin Greene 3 years as a Steeler
67 tackles 12.5 sacks
53 tackles 14.00 sacks
34 tackles 9.0 sacks

Jason Gildon first 3 years as a starter
42 tackles 5 sacks
42 tackles 11 sacks
58 tackles 8.5 sacks

Clark Haggans first 3 years as a starter
42 tackles 9 sacks
53 tackles 6 sacks
36 tackles 4 sacks

LaMarr Woodley first 3 years as a starter
41 tackles 11.5 sacks
51 tackles 13.5 sacks
35 tackles 10.0 sacks


LaMarr Woodley's first 3 years as a starter compares very similar to Kevin Greene 3 years as a Steeler. A player that most if not all Steeler fans adored.

steeler_george
10-06-2011, 10:07 AM
Woodley is a slow starter every year, with his best opening four game split being in his first year as a starter.

Thru four games...
08 - 3.5 sacks 17 tackles
09 - 0 sacks 4 tackles
10 - 2 sacks 16 tackles
11 - 1.5 sacks 16 tackles

Last 12
08 - 8 sacks 53 tackles
09 - 13.5 sacks 58 tackles
10 - 8 sacks 44 tackles

Postseason
6 games - 9 sacks - 26 tackles


Bingo i was thinking the same thing.

NorthCoast
10-06-2011, 12:25 PM
And let me show you another reason why people are more concerned about LaMarr's contract than they are about his play....

Kevin Greene 3 years as a Steeler
67 tackles 12.5 sacks
53 tackles 14.00 sacks
34 tackles 9.0 sacks

Jason Gildon first 3 years as a starter
42 tackles 5 sacks
42 tackles 11 sacks
58 tackles 8.5 sacks

Clark Haggans first 3 years as a starter
42 tackles 9 sacks
53 tackles 6 sacks
36 tackles 4 sacks

LaMarr Woodley first 3 years as a starter
41 tackles 11.5 sacks
51 tackles 13.5 sacks
35 tackles 10.0 sacks


LaMarr Woodley's first 3 years as a starter compares very similar to Kevin Greene 3 years as a Steeler. A player that most if not all Steeler fans adored.

Sorry, not buying what you are selling.

If you are being paid $18M for the season there is no excuse for using a quarter of it to 'get rev'd up'. Do you see Harrison playing like this? My guess is that Harrison's comments were pointed directly at Woodley.... and rightly so.

NorthCoast
10-06-2011, 12:26 PM
Even outsiders rank Woodley way down the charts. Over at PFF Woodley grades out the 45th best LB (just below Farrior at 43).

If it wasn't for Timmons and Harrison being in the top 5, we would have a very sorry group.

Can you say 'fat and happy'? .... we have a $62M Ferrari with a Kia motor in it... that sucks!

coming into the season or after these 4 games?

after 4 games.

SidSmythe
10-06-2011, 06:02 PM
Woodley's always been a slow starter and then gets hot.

But he's been a liability in pass coverage ... He has to take huge angles b/c of his lack of open field speed.

Teams scheme to get Woodley and Harrison to drop into coverage ... you'd think Lebeau would scheme to keep him out of coverage right???

if teams scheme to get Woodley into coverage, then change ur coverage, not ur pass rush is my thought ... or is it more complicated than this??

Shoe
10-06-2011, 11:10 PM
So what you people who are saying it's his history to start slow, etc. is that you are giving him a free pass to show up in whatever shape he wants because, I don't know... he's Lamarr Woodley?!

If those stats prove anything, they prove that he shows up in poor shape to play. It applies a lot to the situation the San Diego Chargers see every year, and the sorry country club coaching that Norv Turner gives them. Perenially, they are considered one of the most talented teams in the league. Perennially, they start slow and come on like gangbusters. And perennially, they are bounced partly because the poor start put them a bit behind an 8-ball.

Woodley is getting paid $60 million. That means you show up EVERY F'N WEEK. If you were getting carte blanche to mail in the first month of the season--THAT **** ENDS IN 2011. Not when you are making $60 million. YOU NEED TO SHOW UP EVERY WEEK, EVERY PRACTICE (you can), AND BE A FACE OF THE FRANCHISE.

WTF are we arguing about? I can't believe it! It's like your saying it's cool for him to take one month off the season or something... :wft

hawaiiansteel
10-11-2011, 05:20 PM
On The Steelers: Superman Woodley has triumphant return

Tuesday, October 11, 2011
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/images/201110/freed_steelers100911_11_160.jpg

LaMarr Woodley intercepts a pass as he's taken down by the Titans' David Stewart in the third quarter Sunday at Heinz Field.

The volume on LaMarr Woodley's quiet season hit decibels in the 61.5 million range Sunday when, in three hours time, he equaled or surpassed his entire production through the first four games.

His line from the Steelers' 38-17 pre-Columbus Day parade through the Titans (compared to his four-game totals) went like this: Sacks 11/2 (11/2), quarterback hurries 2 (2), interceptions 1 (0), passes defensed 1 (0).

Welcome back, LaMarr Woodley, and don't think you weren't missed.

His coaches missed him.

"He did a nice job," coach Mike Tomlin said gently. "We needed the performance that he gave us. I think he understands that, as do we."

His teammates missed him.

"I told Woodley, if he doesn't give me the flying kick today, I'm taking the friend card back," said defensive end Brett Keisel.

And the fans missed him, and they let him know it, especially after he signed a five-year, $61.5 million contract this summer after the Steelers made him their franchise player.

"I knew that was going to be the talk from the day I signed my contract, from the day I got franchised," Woodley said after he helped deconstruct the Titans. "People expect more out of you, people expect you to be Superman when you sign a big contract."

Why not, he was Superman before he signed it, especially in big games. Woodley holds the NFL record for having at least one sack in six consecutive postseason games and is the only player in history to have at least 10 sacks in just six postseason games since the sack became an official stat in 1982.

He has had at least 10 sacks in his three seasons as a starter and leads the Steelers with three today.

Yet before Sunday, the play he was best remembered for this season was the missed tackle on Arian Foster's 42-yard winning fourth-quarter touchdown run for the Texans in Houston. Woodley was not in the best position to make that tackle because his pass rush on the play took him too far upfield.

"I had an opportunity to make a play," Woodley said about that miss, making no excuses.

But he has not had as many opportunities to make the big plays this season because the Steelers could not stop the run and thus could not force offenses to try to catch up by throwing. They call it making an offense one-dimensional.

"Teams were doing a great job of getting rid of the ball and running the ball on us," Woodley said. "We force them to become a one-dimensional team and when they don't, you don't get as many rushes.

"You look at the Baltimore game, you look at all the games. You look at the Indy game, the quarterback had the ball one or two seconds and got rid of the ball. As a pass rusher, you need him to hold the ball just a little bit longer to get back there. I'm not trying to make excuses but that's just what happened."

Fellow linebacker James Farrior -- who also was back to normal Sunday, leading his defense with 13 tackles -- cited the circumstances as well for Woodley's low early season stats.

"A lot of people have high expectations of him due to his recent contract signing. They were looking for 'right now.' Sometimes in past years he got off to a slow start, but he always comes on. I think he's doing a good job overall. I just think the plays weren't coming."

They came in waves Sunday and many hope they continue, counting his coaches and teammates.

On record pace

Wide receiver Reggie Wayne played with Peyton Manning for 10 seasons before this one and the two have hooked up for more touchdown passes of 40 yards or longer (12) than any other combination in the NFL.

In second place are Ben Roethlisberger and receiver Mike Wallace, who are five games into their third season together.

They have now done it 10 times after Wallace caught a 40-yard touchdown Sunday. Wallace also caught two from Charlie Batch during Roethlisberger's four-game suspension last season, tying Wayne with 12 total in his career.

After a start in which he was averaging in the low teens, Wallace's average per catch has climbed to 17.3 and his 536 yards receiving ranks third in the NFL.

Who needs training camp?

Max Starks most recent appearance on a football field was Nov. 8 in Cincinnati. The Steelers placed him on injured reserve that week because of a neck injury that required surgery. They cut him before training camp this season and he remained a free agent until one week ago today, when they signed him out of desperation.

After three practices, Starks started at left tackle Sunday and helped an offensive line that played perhaps its best game of the season, keeping Ben Roethlisberger nearly clean and leading the way for 174 yards rushing and five touchdown passes.

So much for the value of training camp.

"It is still an integral part," Starks said, then broke into a smile and a laugh. "But some guys don't need it."

Starks said his familiarity with his fellow offensive linemen from the previous years helped and, despite all the movement that went on in that line before Sunday's game and during it, Starks still believes that a line needs time together.

"It's important to get that chemistry and continuity and you need those opportunities like OTAs, like training camp to get used to your offensive linemen and get everybody on the same page. I still think it's very important to have an offensive line together for a period of time."

His theory on the current line's problems BS (Before Starks) came down to playing on the road in noisy stadiums.

"Communication is always the key and you look at some of those away games, it's tough when it's a loud environment and you're trying to communicate to your other offensive linemen to let them know what the blocking scheme is and sometimes you have breakdowns. It's easier at home."

Even without camp.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11284/11 ... z1aVEN3QTn (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11284/1181173-66-0.stm#ixzz1aVEN3QTn)

feltdizz
10-11-2011, 05:51 PM
This is what Woodley does. He starts slow and makes splash plays as the season progresses. I'm sure the FO is aware of his slow starts and I think they like having a guy who starts slow and shows up in prime time over a guy who starts hot and cools off.

Would we love to have a Woodley who makes plays in EVERY game? Sure but that's unrealistic. Every other star on our team is allowed to have a few bad games but give a guy a new contract and the fans want HOF on every down, in practice etc.

hawaiiansteel
10-12-2011, 01:14 AM
This is what Woodley does. He starts slow and makes splash plays as the season progresses.

Steelers OLB Woodley is regaining his stride

By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, October 11, 2011

http://files.pittsburghlive.com/photos/2011-10-11/FBNwoodley-a.jpg

Theories abounded when Steelers outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley got off to a slower start than a garage sale during a thunderstorm.

Money had made him complacent. Money had him trying to do too much. He was carrying too much weight.

Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor offered his own take Sunday afternoon, after Woodley broke out with 1.5 sacks and a crucial interception in a 38-17 win over the Tennessee Titans.

"I know something about LaMarr," Taylor said. "I don't think people understand, he always starts off late. I just know by his resume that he always starts late."

Verifying such a claim goes beyond consulting stats sheets.

The Steelers place as much of a value on pressuring the quarterback as they do actual sacks. The former is measured in the form of quarterback hurries, but it is still a subjective statistic to some degree.

"The guys in the locker room, the guys in the Steelers organization know the things I do out there on the field besides just being a pass rusher," said Woodley, who leads the team with three sacks and is fourth in quarterback hurries with six. "I think I also do a great job in coverage, which I was in coverage a lot (against the Titans). When I have an opportunity to rush, I just have to take advantage of it.

It is worth noting that in 2009, Woodley didn't have a sack in the Steelers' first four games. He had only two at the midpoint of the season before finishing with a career-high 13.5 and making the Pro Bowl.

It is also worth noting that Woodley's sacks tend to come in bunches.

He had 8.5 during a six-game stretch in 2008. He also had two sacks in each of three postseason games, including one on the final play of Super Bowl XLIII.

The six-year, $61.5 million contract that Woodley signed in August makes him an easy target for criticism. When asked if he had taken it upon himself as a captain to say anything to Woodley, inside linebacker James Farrior shrugged.

"We always challenge each other, especially in our (meeting) room as linebackers," Farrior said. "We always feel that we can control the game with our play. We're going into every game saying if we play well, we have a great chance of winning."

One big game does not necessarily mean Woodley is on his way to a monster season. But he said he doesn't measure his success or impact by individual numbers.

"I've never worried about what people say about me or my teammates," Woodley said, "because at the end of the day if we can come out on top and I have zero sacks, that's the most important thing."

3 QUESTIONS WITH ROOKIE DE CAMERON HEYWARD

You played against NBA superstar Dwight Howard when you were in high school. Did he dunk on you?

"He wasn't dunking on me. I made sure of that. One game I had like 20 points and 20 rebounds. A little bit of it was off fast-breaks. I'm not going to lie."

Have you had a welcome to the NFL moment yet, where it has really hit you that you are at this level?

"I don't think so. Once you try to take a look at that, I think you become complacent. Once you start staring at the stuff around you, it's going to pass you by. I just try and stay in the moment and try to get better because obviously I'm not where I'm supposed to be."

If you could have dinner with three people, who would they be?

"I'd have to say my dad, one, Walt Disney and Muhammad Ali."

3 PLAYERS TO WATCH

Maurice Jones-Drew, RB: Nicknamed "Pinball" because of how he bounces off defenders, the short but stout Jones-Drew is third in the AFC in rushing with 480 yards. It is imperative that the Jaguars run the ball to take pressure off rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert.

Paul Posluszny, MLB: Former Hopewell High and Penn State star leads the Jaguars with 39 tackles and is tied for eighth in the AFC in that category. Posluszny, who is tied for the team lead with five passes defended, signed with the Jaguars in late July after spending four seasons in Buffalo.

Ben Roethlisberger, QB: Roethlisberger, coming off the second five-touchdown game of his career, is just 2-3 lifetime against the Jaguars. He has thrown five touchdown passes and one interception in the two wins. In the three losses, Roethlisberger has thrown five touchdown passes and five interceptions.

QUOTES

"We don't worry about what other people say outside of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Of course, when you don't do what you're supposed to do people are going to talk, and we understand that. But the best way to keep them quiet to is do what you're supposed to do. I'll know by the end of the season." — Cornerback Ike Taylor, on whether the Steelers quieted criticism following a 38-17 against the Titans

"I think of it like this: I wasn't no further overweight than any other offensive linemen that came into camp. In fact, I was ahead of a couple, (smiling) especially one that has a purple jersey (Bryant McKinnie of the Ravens) and a similar number to mine. I definitely know I was way ahead of him. Not throwing rocks. I live in a glass house." — Offensive tackle Max Starks, on where he was from a conditioning standpoint when the Steelers released him in late July

"I've circulated my high school highlight tape throughout the team to let everybody know I was a pretty good receiver in my day." — Safety Ryan Mundy, joking, on whether he will lobby to play offense after catching a 33-yard pass off a fake punt against the Titans

"Whenever you get a good lead, it puts them in a more pass-thought first, and we can do what we do best." — Strong safety Troy Polamalu on how the offense helps the defense

DIGITS

8 — Sacks the Jaguars have through five games

11.8 — Points the Jaguars have averaged this season, lowest in the AFC and next-to-last in the NFL

32 — Jacksonville's NFL rank in passing offense (150.0 yards per game)

46 — Receptions Hines Ward needed coming into season to reach 1,000 for his career

64 — Receptions Ward is on pace for this season

1,715 — Receiving yards Mike Wallace is on pace for this season, which would be a Steelers record

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... z1aX9gSgMd (http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_761210.html#ixzz1aX9gSgMd)

feltdizz
10-12-2011, 09:28 AM
So what you people who are saying it's his history to start slow, etc. is that you are giving him a free pass to show up in whatever shape he wants because, I don't know... he's Lamarr Woodley?!

If those stats prove anything, they prove that he shows up in poor shape to play. It applies a lot to the situation the San Diego Chargers see every year, and the sorry country club coaching that Norv Turner gives them. Perenially, they are considered one of the most talented teams in the league. Perennially, they start slow and come on like gangbusters. And perennially, they are bounced partly because the poor start put them a bit behind an 8-ball.

Woodley is getting paid $60 million. That means you show up EVERY F'N WEEK. If you were getting carte blanche to mail in the first month of the season--THAT bad word ENDS IN 2011. Not when you are making $60 million. YOU NEED TO SHOW UP EVERY WEEK, EVERY PRACTICE (you can), AND BE A FACE OF THE FRANCHISE.

WTF are we arguing about? I can't believe it! It's like your saying it's cool for him to take one month off the season or something... :wft

Besides Ike, who has shown up every week and played great football?

ikestops85
10-12-2011, 11:26 AM
So what you people who are saying it's his history to start slow, etc. is that you are giving him a free pass to show up in whatever shape he wants because, I don't know... he's Lamarr Woodley?!

If those stats prove anything, they prove that he shows up in poor shape to play. It applies a lot to the situation the San Diego Chargers see every year, and the sorry country club coaching that Norv Turner gives them. Perenially, they are considered one of the most talented teams in the league. Perennially, they start slow and come on like gangbusters. And perennially, they are bounced partly because the poor start put them a bit behind an 8-ball.

Woodley is getting paid $60 million. That means you show up EVERY F'N WEEK. If you were getting carte blanche to mail in the first month of the season--THAT bad word ENDS IN 2011. Not when you are making $60 million. YOU NEED TO SHOW UP EVERY WEEK, EVERY PRACTICE (you can), AND BE A FACE OF THE FRANCHISE.

WTF are we arguing about? I can't believe it! It's like your saying it's cool for him to take one month off the season or something... :wft

Besides Ike, who has shown up every week and played great football?

Uhmmm ... I'd say Mike Wallace. :wink:

Slapstick
10-12-2011, 11:29 AM
The Steelers knew Woodley was a slow starter when they gave him that big contract...

Apparently, they were cool with it...

feltdizz
10-12-2011, 11:57 AM
So what you people who are saying it's his history to start slow, etc. is that you are giving him a free pass to show up in whatever shape he wants because, I don't know... he's Lamarr Woodley?!

If those stats prove anything, they prove that he shows up in poor shape to play. It applies a lot to the situation the San Diego Chargers see every year, and the sorry country club coaching that Norv Turner gives them. Perenially, they are considered one of the most talented teams in the league. Perennially, they start slow and come on like gangbusters. And perennially, they are bounced partly because the poor start put them a bit behind an 8-ball.

Woodley is getting paid $60 million. That means you show up EVERY F'N WEEK. If you were getting carte blanche to mail in the first month of the season--THAT bad word ENDS IN 2011. Not when you are making $60 million. YOU NEED TO SHOW UP EVERY WEEK, EVERY PRACTICE (you can), AND BE A FACE OF THE FRANCHISE.

WTF are we arguing about? I can't believe it! It's like your saying it's cool for him to take one month off the season or something... :wft

Besides Ike, who has shown up every week and played great football?

Uhmmm ... I'd say Mike Wallace. :wink:

true.. and Brown, besides the HOT read that one time. These guys haven't received their pay day though...

steelz09
10-12-2011, 12:05 PM
I'm not making excuses for Woodley, Timmons or Farrior but let's be real....

Our d-line is suppose to eat up 2 blockers each to run a successful 3-4. Smith has been the weakest d-lineman this year. He also happens to be on Woodley's side. That will affect both Farrior and Woodley's success.

Woodley has historically been a slow starter but is it possible that Hood starting in place of Smith is attributing to Woodley's success last game? And is it possible that Farrior's success last week (9 total tackles and lead the team) is also attributed to Hood starting?

hawaiiansteel
10-21-2011, 01:44 AM
Woodley has historically been a slow starter

LaMarr Woodley a Yearly Slow Starter

October 19th, 2011

http://www.mysanantonio.com/mediaManager/?controllerName=image&action=get&id=1675931&width=628&height=471

I heard Ike Taylor say the other day that he wasn’t worried about LaMarr Woodley because he always starts slow but he picks it up as the season goes on. I decided to look into it and he was dead on. Woodley is always a slow starter. His pace seems to pick up at about game 5 every year and he tears apart the second half of the season. It is really a pattern. The numbers do not lie. Here are Woodley’s stats from the time he took over the starting position in 2008.

2008

First 4 Games- 3.5 Sacks

Last 12 Games- 8 sacks

3 Playoff Games- 6 Sacks

2009

First 4 Games- 0 Sacks

Last 12 Games- 13.5 Sacks

2010

First 4 Games- 2 Sacks

Last 12 Games- 8 Sacks

3 Playoff Games- 3 Sacks

2011

First 4 Games- 1.5 Sacks

Only 2 games into the rest of the season- 3.5 Sacks

This is crazy. Woodley has 7 sacks in games 1-4 during his career as a starter. That is less then a half a sack per game. In games 5-16 he has 33 sacks. That is almost a full sack per game. Woodley also had 4 regular season and 2 post season sacks his rookie year.

Woodley gets even stronger in the playoffs. In his 7 games in the post season Woodley has attained 3 records.

Most consecutive games with a sack- 7 (Current)

Most consecutive games with 2 sacks- 4

Most Sacks to Start a post season career- 11

The guy gets the job done when it matters. So even if he starts slow every season do not expect it to last. He will still end up with his double digit sacks and make plays for this Steelers team. Woodley has 44 career regular season sacks and 55 total sacks. If he plays this way into the playoffs every year then I will take the slow start.

http://bleedblackandgold.com/blog/2011/ ... w-starter/ (http://bleedblackandgold.com/blog/2011/10/19/lamarr-woodley-a-yearly-slow-starter/)

SteelCrazy
10-21-2011, 07:26 AM
What does that say about Woodley's off-season and training camp work ethic? Most will probably say nothing, but to me it says he does very little to prepare for the upcoming season. Look at his rookie year. The 1st 4 games he had 3.5 sacks which is really good and makes sense that he wanted to impress his 1st year so he prepared. Now every year since he hasnt had more than 2 sacks in the 1st 4 games. Maybe I'm off here, but either way it makes little difference.

feltdizz
10-21-2011, 09:16 AM
What does that say about Woodley's off-season and training camp work ethic? Most will probably say nothing, but to me it says he does very little to prepare for the upcoming season. Look at his rookie year. The 1st 4 games he had 3.5 sacks which is really good and makes sense that he wanted to impress his 1st year so he prepared. Now every year since he hasnt had more than 2 sacks in the 1st 4 games. Maybe I'm off here, but either way it makes little difference.

I'll take it... Woodley seems like a player who gets better as the season goes on.

I also think Woodley had one assignment his rookie year, sack the QB..

BradshawsHairdresser
10-21-2011, 10:08 AM
Woodley has been playing better the past two games, but he still slacks up, gets stood up, misses tackles, and is out of position for tackles far too often for a $60 million OLB. How often does he beat a TE or a lineman who is solo blocking him? How many times does he get blown up by a RB who is much smaller than him? How many of his sacks are coverage sacks, or are due to being totally unblocked? Go back to the tapes and look at his overall body of work this season--not very impressive.

I was dubious about giving him the fat contract in the offseason, and so far, his play has done nothing to convince me that it was a smart move. I hope I'm wrong, and he raises his play to be consistently at the level of, say, a James Harrison. He's got a long way to go to get there, IMO.

As far as finishing better than he starts, I am convinced that some of that is due to his off-season conditioning (or lack of such). This is one area where he could benefit mightily from the example of his fellow LBs Farrior and Harrison. Farrior, for instance, might be slowing down because he's getting older, but it's never because he doesn't put the effort into offseason conditioning. Maybe big LaMarr leans more to the Casey Hampton workout regimen, but it certainly isn't doing him any favors.

When you are making the kind of $$ Woodley is making, you have no business taking the first four to six games of the season to get your game up to speed. This isn't the NBA, it's the NFL, where EVERY game counts. If Woodley was an honest man, he'd give back his salary for the first four games, because he was basically invisible on the field during those contests.

OK, I've spoken my peace...You Woodley apologists can proceed to flame on. :D

NJ-STEELER
10-24-2011, 06:46 PM
IIRC he didnt start his rookie year.

started to get time late in the year though

hawaiiansteel
10-27-2011, 07:09 PM
Steelers LB Woodley emerging as team's new leader

By AP | October 27, 2011

http://photos.triblive.com/photos/PITT/1347807/38464605E.jpg

PITTSBURGH (AP) — LaMarr Woodley knew the haters were going to show up. He understands they just can't help themselves.

So the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker steeled himself for the backlash after signing a six-year, $61.5 million deal in August to will keep him with the franchise through 2016.
He didn't have to wait long.

All Woodley had to do was hop on his Twitter feed after the defending AFC champions were rolled by Baltimore 35-7 in the season-opener to read how he was overpaid, how his numbers were great because so many teams focused on stopping teammate James Harrison, how he wasn't fit to be the next leader of one of the league's most dominant defenses.

His response? Eyerolls. Lots of them.

"People expect you, when you sign this big contract, to become this Super Freak all of a sudden," Woodley said. "That's what people expect and when you don't give them that early and you're losing, people are looking for reasons to talk about certain people, reasons to point fingers."

The only pointing Woodley is doing these days is at the skies after one of his sacks while performing his signature "Super Kick" celebration.

Woodley leads the AFC with 7 sacks, 5½ of them coming during Pittsburgh's (5-2) three-game winning streak heading into Sunday's litmus test against New England (5-1).

He insists it's just a coincidence that he's found his groove while Harrison has been sidelined with a fractured right orbital bone. Maybe, but Woodley's play should remove all doubt that he's ridden Harrison's coattails to stardom.

"I'm just doing what I'm paid to do and go out there and hit quarterbacks and get turnovers," Woodley said.

Few have done it better over the last five seasons than Woodley, who already has 46 career sacks and showcased all of his unique skills during last week's 32-20 win over Arizona.

Woodley sacked Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb twice and tilted the game permanently in Pittsburgh's favor by forcing Kolb into an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone. With Woodley draped over him Kolb frantically tried to ditch the ball before Woodley tossed him to the ground. The ball never made it to the line of scrimmage and the ensuing two points pushed Pittsburgh's lead to an insurmountable 12 points.

"He's gotten some opportunities, he's capitalizing on them and it's been big for us," safety Ryan Clark said. "We're getting turnovers and making lots of plays putting pressure on the quarterbacks and that's what we need from him."
Particularly with Harrison out.

The two have been the NFL's best outside linebacker tandem since being paired together for the first time in 2008. Yet Harrison hasn't played since his helmet slammed violently down into his eyes while absorbing a block against Houston on Oct. 2.

The Steelers were 2-2 at the time and hardly playing with the menacing fury that's been the team's trademark dating back to the days of the Steel Curtain.

Did it take losing the unit's emotional leader for the defense to snap out of its funk?

Woodley isn't sure, though his teammates have noticed at least one significant change in the last three weeks.

"You know LaMarr, a lot of times he'll come back to the huddle and say that he's missed a play," Clark said. "He hasn't been doing that."

Maybe because the plays aren't getting missed.

Coach Mike Tomlin is reluctant to find a reason for Woodley's uptick in production, saying the team's ability to get a lead has freed the defense to go into attack mode.

True, though Woodley hasn't let many chances go to waste. He points out the Steelers are different than other 3-4 teams because they require their outside linebackers to cover instead of just rush off the edge on every play.

"We might be 50-50 for us whether we're passing or rushing," Woodley said. "Other teams it's 85 percent, 90 percent. We don't get to just crash the pocket. So when we get back there, we've got to make it count."

The Steelers need to make it count against the Patriots, who are 6-1 against Pittsburgh when Tom Brady is under center.

It's a huge test, to be sure, though Woodley isn't sure it's a statement game. The haters already said the Steelers' season was over, right?

"According to everybody else the message was sent that we (are) a bad team since the first game of the year," Woodley said. "When we lost that first game of the year, it was 'There go the Pittsburgh Steelers, they're an old team' and they kind of put us away early."

Never mind that Woodley doesn't turn 27 until next month and is the leader of a young nucleus that includes fellow linebacker Lawrence Timmons (25), defensive lineman Ziggy Hood (24) and 22-year-old rookie nose tackle Cam Heyward.

Woodley understood when he signed his contract the franchise viewed him as the next link in a chain of defensive stars that runs from Harrison and safety Troy Polamalu to Hall-of-Famers Joe Greene and Jack Lambert.

He welcomes the responsibility, and the unique financial possibilities it provides.

Woodley uses his Facebook and Twitter pages to give away tickets, re-tweet messages of support from his followers and promote a budding business empire.

This week, he unveiled his own eye black that features the phrase "Super Kick" and a silhouette of Woodley doing his trademark celebratory move after recording another sack.

League rules prevent Woodley from wearing the eye black during games, and even though he's a millionaire many times over he's not ready to have his game check docked for the sake of a little marketing.

"I love my money, not no $5,000 fine," he said with a laugh.

Besides, Woodley is savvy enough to know nothing sells like winning. If it helps the Steelers do that, the rest will take care of itself.

"First I've got to get it done out there on the field," he said. "Then when I'm getting it done I can sell merchandise. When you ain't getting it done, you can't do nothing."

http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article ... new-leader (http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article/53808--steelers-lb-woodley-emerging-as-team-s-new-leader)