Anyone watching the LSU @ Florida game?

[Dee Dub]

Most know all about Barkivious Mingo and Sam Montgomery but I am in awe of LSU MLB Kevin Minter. He is a beast who is making plays all over the field. Inside, sideline to sideline, in the flat, etc., etc. Mingo and Montgomery are top 5 picks who are two of the best pass rusher in all of college football, however it is the MLB Minter who leads that defense in tackles for loss. I could careless what his 40 time is. He flat out plays quick. And he is a downhill solidly built (6 ft 2 245), run-stuffer supreme. He does not avoid contact in fact he takes the block on with major force. Oooooooooooh I like him a lot.

[Dee Dub]

Then you see Georgia ILB Alec Ogletree (plays in a 3-4 defense), and the way he can cover, then Manti T'eo who looks like Junior Seau but covers better than Seau, and the two 3-4 ILB's at Alabama, C.J. Mosley and Nico Johnson, this is going to be a deep year for the draft at that position.

[Flasteel]

http://www.planetsteelers.com/forums/webkit-fake-url://D09EE434-32C5-46F8-BCB5-05F3ECDAFFEE/imagejpeg

[Dee Dub]

Kevin Minter's final line today? 20 tackles, 17 solo, 2 sacks, 3 TFL's, and 1 FF and he actually left the game for awhile to go to the locker room with an injury. And it was at that time that Mike Gillislee ran up the middle for a 12 yard TD to make it Florida 7 LSU 6 late in the 3rd quarter. And again Kevin Minter plays behind probably the best D-front in all of college football (Barkevious Mingo, Sam Montgomery, Bennie Logan, Lavar Edwards, Anthony Johnson, Ego Ferguson.).

[hawaiiansteel]

it would be great to land either Manti Te'o or Kevin Minter in Round 1 and then address the safety position in Round 2. our defense is in desperate need of some playmakers...

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Kevin Minter's final line today? 20 tackles, 17 solo, 2 sacks, 3 TFL's, and 1 FF

Sounds like season stats

[Eddie Spaghetti]

Sounds like season stats

it would be for lawrence timmons at the rate he is going.

[Dee Dub]

it would be for lawrence timmons at the rate he is going.

Not today Eddie. Timmons was a beast. One of his best games as a Steelers. And it is no coincidence since LeBeau used him to his strength for a change (inside blitz, getting after the QB).

[Eddie Spaghetti]

bring it for a full season.

where has this effort been all year?

[NJ-STEELER]

another 1st rounder on an ILB

no thanks

[Dee Dub]

bring it for a full season.

where has this effort been all year? Unfortunately I think he has been forced to play outside of his strengths. I dont really think it is an effort issue or a lack of. Larry Foote is horrible this year and James Farrior was horrible last year. I think that has played a lot more into what we have seen out of Timmons than any effort issue.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

what the heck are you watching? Foote has been nothing close to "horrible" and has played well, IMO.

I'm sick of the excuses for timmons. He needs to play like he did today for longer stretches. One game won't change my mind on him.

[Dee Dub]

another 1st rounder on an ILB

no thanks

Another??? Are your you serious? The Steelers have done that once (Timmons), in over 35 years. And I am not talking about just any ILB, I am talking about adding an elite one like T'eo or maybe even Minter. Have you noticed how well teams can run on the Steelers now? Watch game tape exclusively of Larry Foote and you will be begging for a new ILB for the Steelers.

[hawaiiansteel]

Larry Foote is horrible this year

Larry Foote may be our defensive MVP so far this season, today he had 8 tackles along with 2 fumble recoveries.

[Dee Dub]

what the heck are you watching? Foote has been nothing close to "horrible" and has played well, IMO.

I'm sick of the excuses for timmons. He needs to play like he did today for longer stretches. One game won't change my mind on him.

I guess we are watching two different games. I see Foote getting engulfed at the POA and takes horrible angles away from him towards the sideline. And usually when Foote is making his tackles they are 7-10 years down the field. The Steelers need better than that from their ILB.

[Dee Dub]

Larry Foote may be our defensive MVP so far this season, today he had 8 tackles along with 2 fumble recoveries.

The fumble recoveries were gifts. He didnt create any of them. He has 2 tackles for loss in 4 games. All these tackles Foote is making are several yards deep into the Steelers defensive side of the ball. He isnt making them at the LOS or behind the LOS.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

could not disagree more.

foote has been extremely solid this year.

maybe your wish for an ILB is clouding your judgement.

[Dee Dub]

could not disagree more.

foote has been extremely solid this year.

maybe your wish for an ILB is clouding your judgement.

What "influences" me in what I know the Steelers need as far as improvements is the sub-par to below play of certain players. Like Foote and Ike Taylor. To me these are the major weak links on this defense. Teams are now running right at the Steelers and not away from them. The Steelers rank 14th in stopping the run and two of the teams they have played (Oakland and the NY Jets), are two of the worst rushing teams in the league (32nd and 24th respectively). This problem is going to become magnified when they play a better running team like Baltimore.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

and I would say foote and clark are the only 2 players that have played consistent football this year.

everyone else has been below the line, IMO.

apples and oranges I guess, but to single foote out, seems absurd to me.

maybe teams are running right at the DL? Kiesel in particular has been awful.

[hawaiiansteel]

the reason why I would love to see us draft an ILB like Minter or Te'o in Round 1 is because Larry Foote will be 33 years old next season and a successor needs to be groomed soon.

we all know how long it takes to grasp the intricacies of Dick LeBeau's defense...:stirpot

[Dee Dub]

and I would say foote and clark are the only 2 players that have played consistent football this year.

everyone else has been below the line, IMO.

apples and oranges I guess, but to single foote out, seems absurd to me.

maybe teams are running right at the DL? Kiesel in particular has been awful.

Eddie I agree with you about Ryan Clark. I have been critical of him in the past for his lack of cover skills but he has actually shown a lot of improvement in his overall game. And yes, Kiesel has lost a step. He isnt what he once was either. Larry Foote to me was never more than an average football player and now at 32 he is worse than that. You will see as this season progresses.

[NJ-STEELER]

Another??? Are your you serious? The Steelers have done that once (Timmons), in over 35 years. And I am not talking about just any ILB, I am talking about adding an elite one like T'eo or maybe even Minter. Have you noticed how well teams can run on the Steelers now? Watch game tape exclusively of Larry Foote and you will be begging for a new ILB for the Steelers.

im no great fan of foote, but he's had a better year then timmons thus far


and yes, there are other rounds in the draft too. i wouldnt even look at ILB in the 1st round

[NJ-STEELER]

I guess we are watching two different games. I see Foote getting engulfed at the POA and takes horrible angles away from him towards the sideline. And usually when Foote is making his tackles they are 7-10 years down the field. The Steelers need better than that from their ILB.

you've just described timmons season up until today, except for the tackles part

[Oviedo]

it would be great to land either Manti Te'o or Kevin Minter in Round 1 and then address the safety position in Round 2. our defense is in desperate need of some playmakers...

Given that Troy couldn't even make it through one half of football I'm not sure we can wait until Round 2 for a Safety.

[Slapstick]

Foote has been solid...but, certainly not spectacular...

That's how Foote has lasted as long as he has in the league...he does what he is supposed to do and is where he is supposed to be...

As long as that's all you expect of him, Foote is fine...

[Dee Dub]

Foote has been solid...but, certainly not spectacular...

That's how Foote has lasted as long as he has in the league...he does what he is supposed to do and is where he is supposed to be...

As long as that's all you expect of him, Foote is fine...

Slap, go back to yesterdays game and watch what I think are 3 of the 4 more critical plays on defense for the Steelers. The two 4th and inches plays where Andy Reid went for it and the pass play to McCoy in the flat. Larry Foote is really not where he should have been. On 4th and inches I would love to have my ILB shooting the gap/penetrating to clog the holes but on both he is standing behind the piles on both plays as an absolute non-factor. Then on the Shady McCoy 15 yard TD reception, prior to snap Timmons moves into the gap between the center and right guard. With a 3 WR set to the left and a single back that means Foote has the flat to the right. Right at the snap Foote comes flying forward which completely takes him out of any proper angle for the flat. And that is all she wrote as McCoy caught him over pursuing and juked him out of his socks inside. I want more from the ILB for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

[Dee Dub]

By the way, on that play (the 15 yard TD by McCoy), the amazing thing is Lawrence Timmons actually caught him from behind and tackled in the end zone. Timmons is blitzing all the way. He shoots the gap, gets engaged with a 300lb plus right guard, comes off of it, and then chases McCoy down from behind. Albeit a little late but still a very impressive show of Timmons athleticism.

[Slapstick]

Slap, go back to yesterdays game and watch what I think are 3 of the 4 more critical plays on defense for the Steelers. The two 4th and inches plays where Andy Reid went for it and the pass play to McCoy in the flat. Larry Foote is really not where he should have been. On 4th and inches I would love to have my ILB shooting the gap/penetrating to clog the holes but on both he is standing behind the piles on both plays as an absolute non-factor. Then on the Shady McCoy 15 yard TD reception, prior to snap Timmons moves into the gap between the center and right guard. With a 3 WR set to the left and a single back that means Foote has the flat to the right. Right at the snap Foote comes flying forward which completely takes him out of any proper angle for the flat. And that is all she wrote as McCoy caught him over pursuing and juked him out of his socks inside. I want more from the ILB for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Oh. I don't doubt that...

But, I'm referring to Larry Foote's career...not to mention the earlier games this year...if all the defenders played against the Broncos like Foote, we would have smoked them...