It's too hard to figure out what the difference was

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

At least for me. How was this week so different than last?

1) 3 step drops and getting Ben looking for someone who might be open within 5 yards or so?

2) Max?

3) New blood on the defensive side?

4) Uber-creative play calling (fake punt - ?? LOL!!!)

5) Coaching up by Tomlin and staff?

6) Redman being a better runner behind the O-line as it currently exists?

So many reasons, but the results were PERFECT!!!

:tt2 :tt1 :tt2 :tt1

[Ozey74]

Your #2 & #3 points is what I think the big difference was.


:tt2

[pittpete]

On the offensive side of the ball, Id have to say the extra effort Redman showed with the power run game could have fired up the O-line a little.
One of the announcers qouted Tomlin as saying the "run defense will fix itself as soon as we start to run thge ball with success" or something to that effect

[BURGH86STEEL]

I think Ben's quick decision making made a huge difference.

[Djfan]

Ben making the rush a non-issue by getting rid of it so quickly took a LOT of pressure off of the team, and made them change what they planned for.

Playing to dominate is always a good thing, too. Troy was possessed. That always helps.

Big Snack and Smith being out helped too.

[feltdizz]

#1 and more #1.... and #6.

Ben and the OL looks awesome when you throw 5 yard passes with 3 step drops. The Running game looks awesome when the RB doesn't dance with the stars.

[Discipline of Steel]

Your #2 & #3 points is what I think the big difference was.


:tt2

#3a Old blood (Hoke) on the DLine :tt1

[SteelAbility]

1 and 2.

[NJ-STEELER]

# 7

better OL play

suddenly we can run and pass the ball

[SidSmythe]

ALL of the ABOVE

[hawaiiansteel]

Sepulveda to Mundy big moment for Steelers

By Ralph N. Paulk, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, October 10, 2011

http://files.pittsburghlive.com/photos/2011-10-09/1010PlayPuntCAH-a.jpg

Steelers punter Daniel Sepulveda looks downfield for a receiver on a fake punt in his team's game against the Titans on Sunday at Heinz field.

Finally, the Steelers abandoned their unimaginative game plan Sunday. They thumbed through the playbook and dialed up a handful of gimmick plays that rocked the bewildered Tennessee Titans.

Antonio Brown raced for 10 yards on a flanker reverse. They inserted an offensive lineman as an eligible receiver.

But it was punter Daniel Sepulveda who delivered the game-changing, momentum-swinging blow. He tossed a 33-yard pass to defensive back Ryan Mundy on a fake punt early in the second quarter that helped propel the Steelers to a convincing 38-17 victory at Heinz Field on Sunday.

The Sepulveda-Mundy connection was the key play during an eight-play, 70-yard scoring drive that put the Steelers up, 14-3. Hines Ward capped the drive two plays later with his first of two touchdown receptions from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, a 7-yarder with 11:14 left in the first half.

"We weren't going to leave any bullets in the gun," said Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. "I saw an opportunity there, and I took advantage of it."

The Steelers took advantage of a Tennessee team that tipped its hand. They stacked the box, practically daring the Steelers to audible on fourth-and-5 at midfield.

"When they have an eight-man box and singling both gunners, that's a look they've shown when coming after the punter," said Sepulveda, whose pass gave the Steelers a first down at the Tennessee 17. "It was a film-study thing. They showed they like to come after the punt, and there are ways to get around that to take the pressure off."

The Titans, who grabbed a 3-0 lead on their first possession, never recovered from Sepulveda's second career pass completion and Mundy's first reception.

"I just had to make sure we had the right look," said Mundy, whose last catch came in 2002 during his senior year at Woodland Hills. "Anytime you get a big play on special teams, it gives you a boost. I was thinking, 'Just catch it,' when I saw the ball coming."

Sepulveda hadn't checked out of a punt since completing his first pass attempt, a 32-yarder to Najeh Davenport, in a 41-21 win over St. Louis during his rookie season in 2007.

The Steelers had done nothing this season to suggest they would call Sepulveda's number.

The Steelers worked on the fake punt only sparingly during practice last week. But Sepulveda worked out his throwing arm more than his leg during Friday's practice.

"I was just messing around in practice this week, but we always have that play in the bag," said Sepulveda, a left-footed kicker who throws righty. "Obviously, going into this week, we knew it was a possibility."

Still, for the second consecutive week, not all was right with the Steelers' special teams. Sepulveda had a punt blocked in the fourth quarter yesterday, and Shaun Suisham had a field goal try swatted down against Houston.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... z1aPtVn0Pb (http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_761079.html#ixzz1aPtVn0Pb)

[skyhawk]

Let's throw in there that the Titans just aren't that good on either side of the ball. They did beat the Ravens but two otherr wins were vs poor teams.

They just flat out didn't look like a good team to me.

Having Starks, a good KO return and good special teams, playing at home, and Ben being Ben again helps, too

[dsmith]

2 more reasons that I would add:

Tomlins decision to go with the 2 practices in pads. The new Goodell practice rules don't get much talk, but I think it has been detrimental to all NFL defenses as evidenced by the ridiculous scoring this season. Our defense overall was much more physical this week IMO.

I haven't re-watched every play, but the aggressiveness with Troy seemed to be dialed back a bit. I love what Troy can do lined up at the LOS, but it is an all or nothing play. Keeping Troy back a bit allows him to flow better and prevent the long runs in addition to being active in the pass defense.

[Slapstick]

They simply executed and played better...

[Doogie36]

As i already said on many posts now.

How about being at HOME??????? Hello!!! Did you guys forget how hard it is to win on the road especially when you have to do a SILENT COUNT??? That's no EASY TASK for anyteam and IMO makes it hardest on a OL!!!! You dont get to hear the Bark of the QB!! You dont get to say ON 2, ON 2...........ok guys its on my 2nd lift of my foot, whenever that might be!!!!! Be ready!!! Watch the BALL!!!!!!!!!!!! Ben lifts up his foot with 1 second left on a play clock!!! Who has the advantage??? OL or DL? this is real simple math here guys!!! In baseball when you play OF is it easier to RUN BACK or RUN FORWARD???? In football who runs FWD and who RUNS BACK? Add in being behind a 1/2 second because you can't hear the QB and what do you get?????

our crappy OL has looked awesome at home!!! It's been eaten alive on the road and last night so was the Bears Line!!!!!!!!!!!!! That game let you know that it's hard on an OL unit on the road with NOISE and LEG LIFTS instead of HUT ONE, HUT TWO!!!!

Can it be that simple???? Answer: YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Home Field Advantage and a QUIET crowd allowing our offense to operate on the same page and being able to drive off the snap!!!!!!!!!! SIMPLE!

This is why home field advantage helped us reach the SUPERBOWL last year!!!!

[feltdizz]

It's not being at home Doogie... we usually travel well and put on good/respectable performances on the road.

When Ben takes what's there he usually stays clean and has a very productive outing. When he tries to go sandlot we get mixed results. When it works it looks awesome and we say "Ben won in spite of blah blah blah" when we lose it's all the OL's fault and BA sucks bad word.

Being at home is a plus but it's not like every road team forgets the basic fundamentals of football. Win we play within ourselves we tend to play decent football on the road. When we don't take what the D offers and try to bang a round peg into a square hole we look like did in Baltimore and Indy.

[Doogie36]

The only time lifting up your leg helps is when a dog does it to PEEE!!! I'm sorry but a silent count is an OL's worse nightmare and it shows for ALL TEAMS who are forced to use it!!!!!

It's to obvious of a change in performance for this team.

[ikestops85]

It's not being at home Doogie... we usually travel well and put on good/respectable performances on the road.

When Ben takes what's there he usually stays clean and has a very productive outing. When he tries to go sandlot we get mixed results. When it works it looks awesome and we say "Ben won in spite of blah blah blah" when we lose it's all the OL's fault and BA sucks bad word.

Being at home is a plus but it's not like every road team forgets the basic fundamentals of football. Win we play within ourselves we tend to play decent football on the road. When we don't take what the D offers and try to bang a round peg into a square hole we look like did in Baltimore and Indy.

Sorry Dizz but I have to disagree. Ben goes sandlot when the pressure is on him. I don't think he sits back in the pocket and says "I'm going to wait until they chase me then I'll run around and go for the big play". He might not be the brightest bulb in the pack but he's not that stupid.

The difference between the game against the Titans and the other 4 games was the play of the offensive line. Period!! Ben had time to survey the field and throw on rhythm. That is something he hasn't been able to do very often this year.

I think you have to remember that when a QB has defensive linemen in his face as many times as Ben has during the first 4 games even the times they aren't there he is looking for them instead of looking downfield. In this game he was able to concentrate on looking at the coverage and making the throws without guys constantly hanging on him.

The Titans may not be the best team right now but they are a solid team and this game provided a nice test for us to build on. Now we need to slowly keep improving and peak during the playoffs.

:tt2 :tt2

[feltdizz]

Have to agree to disagree. I don't think the OL gave Ben more time he just got rid of the ball faster than usual. I don't understand how Ben even says this was the case after the game and fans still say otherwise

The Titans are a decent team. Not sure why they are getting the Colts treatment. Their DL was still getting upfield and I saw more than a few defenders with a path to Ben but Ben didn't try to break the tackle or scramble, he made quick tosses and the rest is history.

[BURGH86STEEL]

Have to agree to disagree. I don't think the OL gave Ben more time he just got rid of the ball faster than usual. I don't understand how Ben even says this was the case after the game and fans still say otherwise

The Titans are a decent team. Not sure why they are getting the Colts treatment. Their DL was still getting upfield and I saw more than a few defenders with a path to Ben but Ben didn't try to break the tackle or scramble, he made quick tosses and the rest is history.

I agree, I don't think that quick decision making was something the Titans expected from Ben. Ben did a great job and made them pay.

[Ghost]

From a watching perspective - this week it appeared as if the cared. The last couple of weeks they were going through the motions and just out there. Against the titans, guys were flying around, seemed excited, looked like they knew they got manhandled by the Texans and were embarrassed by that fact. It was fun to watch so I'm sure it was fun to play!

[DukieBoy]

I'm thinking Coach Tomlin took the reins and told Airhead and Ben that "just the way I play" and "not gonna change" was out, and they were going to the short passing game with a balanced run game.

[feltdizz]

I'm thinking Coach Tomlin took the reins and told Airhead and Ben that "just the way I play" and "not gonna change" was out, and they were going to the short passing game with a balanced run game.
:Agree

This has been happening a lot lately... We win a game or 2, look like we forget how to run plays and score TD's and then we regroup and have a strong outing. I wouldn't be surprised if 2 or 3 games from now we go through another frustrating stretch of ugly football.

[DukieBoy]

I'm thinking Coach Tomlin took the reins and told Airhead and Ben that "just the way I play" and "not gonna change" was out, and they were going to the short passing game with a balanced run game.
:Agree

This has been happening a lot lately... We win a game or 2, look like we forget how to run plays and score TD's and then we regroup and have a strong outing. I wouldn't be surprised if 2 or 3 games from now we go through another frustrating stretch of ugly football.


And what what was the time of possession in this game --- strongly in our favor. It is exactly the kind of ball-possession clock-eating defense-tiring game we need to keep Marsha and Welker off the field and maybe keep ourselves in that game or win it. That D up in NE is a sieve. Keep their offense off the field.