SteelerMaine83
04-14-2018, 03:26 PM
Back during the NFL playoffs I saw Ryan Clark talking about how safety is now the toughest position to play (on D, anyway) in the NFL because of the uncertainty in how they call the hitting w the helmet-defenseless receiver thing. It made sense then, because the safety position often gets in that split-second decision position--go for the ball, go for the hit. Safety lines up the receiver to hit them hard with the shoulder, and BOOM-receiver ducks a little a takes it right in the head. Makes all safeties a little tentative, a little less effective.
Now, with the new (ridiculous) rules passed in the owner's meetings, hitting with the crown could be an penalty and ejection for any player. One Pittsburgh writer noted that in re-watching 75 play in one game, they counted 39 "leads with the crown" occasions on 24 plays (obviously some plays with multiple infractions). Not going to be easier to be a "lay the wood" safety anymore.
There in lies the reason for this post. Glad to see Mike Mitchell gone, but really, Mike Mitchell type safeties (those best at hitting) are a fast-dying breed in today's NFL. Mike Mitchell would have been a lot better safety in the NFL of 15 years ago, when you could lay people out routinely without hesitation (pretty much). With the new rules on crown of the helmet hits, you need sure-tackling cover safeties. The "lay the wood" safety should be your extra guy (the 4th or 5th safety), that you bring out when you don't mind a 15 yard penalty-ejection and are tired of receivers catching balls in the middle. It's just like the goon in hockey--take a run a our top guy and someone is going to pay (though even that is disappearing from hockey).
So, in today's NFL, cover safeties are money. Morgan Burnett is a perfect safety for the game today--smart and versatile. That said, we have Burnett, Davis, and the...the "Missile" Berhe (wonder if the Missle leads with the crown) and Wilcox (another hit first, cover later safety). We need another "today's NFL" safety in this draft, and I think that the ILB's Evans and LVE that we covet will be gone if we stay pat at 28, so I'm thinking J. Reid should be the pick. Gives us 3 safeties, 2 of whom really fit the game today, and one who needs to rebound (but we have seen can play at a high level). I know BPA is always part of Pittsburgh's draft, but we are thin at S and ILB after Smith-Evans-LVE is a big reach. Win now. The window is near closing. (BTW--I would then take F. Warner-ILB in 2 because he is Bobby Wagner light and can cover. Some might say it's a reach but we need at least one ILB that can cover and Warner will be one of the NFL's best cover LB's by mid-season. He will be gone by the time we get to 3--he'll go 65-85 because he fits today's NFL).
Now, with the new (ridiculous) rules passed in the owner's meetings, hitting with the crown could be an penalty and ejection for any player. One Pittsburgh writer noted that in re-watching 75 play in one game, they counted 39 "leads with the crown" occasions on 24 plays (obviously some plays with multiple infractions). Not going to be easier to be a "lay the wood" safety anymore.
There in lies the reason for this post. Glad to see Mike Mitchell gone, but really, Mike Mitchell type safeties (those best at hitting) are a fast-dying breed in today's NFL. Mike Mitchell would have been a lot better safety in the NFL of 15 years ago, when you could lay people out routinely without hesitation (pretty much). With the new rules on crown of the helmet hits, you need sure-tackling cover safeties. The "lay the wood" safety should be your extra guy (the 4th or 5th safety), that you bring out when you don't mind a 15 yard penalty-ejection and are tired of receivers catching balls in the middle. It's just like the goon in hockey--take a run a our top guy and someone is going to pay (though even that is disappearing from hockey).
So, in today's NFL, cover safeties are money. Morgan Burnett is a perfect safety for the game today--smart and versatile. That said, we have Burnett, Davis, and the...the "Missile" Berhe (wonder if the Missle leads with the crown) and Wilcox (another hit first, cover later safety). We need another "today's NFL" safety in this draft, and I think that the ILB's Evans and LVE that we covet will be gone if we stay pat at 28, so I'm thinking J. Reid should be the pick. Gives us 3 safeties, 2 of whom really fit the game today, and one who needs to rebound (but we have seen can play at a high level). I know BPA is always part of Pittsburgh's draft, but we are thin at S and ILB after Smith-Evans-LVE is a big reach. Win now. The window is near closing. (BTW--I would then take F. Warner-ILB in 2 because he is Bobby Wagner light and can cover. Some might say it's a reach but we need at least one ILB that can cover and Warner will be one of the NFL's best cover LB's by mid-season. He will be gone by the time we get to 3--he'll go 65-85 because he fits today's NFL).