Steelers are on Cloud 9-0!!!!!!!!!

[hawaiiansteel]

yes, our lack of a running game is worrisome.

and yes, Tomlin should be fired. :roll:

but hey, let's enjoy the best start in franchise history! :tt2

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Em58LnuXEAIeJ1B?format=jpg&name=small

[Oviedo]

You just know being the only undefeated team in the nfl is killing some.

[RichD]

Our running game is awful . Time to give Benny some snaps , he has been in the dog house long enough. Rightfully so with fumbles. Conner looks lost .

[Steel Maniac]

Our running game is awful . Time to give Benny some snaps , he has been in the dog house long enough. Rightfully so with fumbles. Conner looks lost .

13 carries for 36 yards is worrisome.

[pfelix73]

I'm not concerned with the running game. Some of those throws are almost like running plays. We'll be fine.

[BURGH86STEEL]

The Oline just isn't very good at run blocking. They do a great job pass blocking which is more important. It's much better to have a run game issue than a passing game issue. We are going to live or die by the strengths of the team like most teams do.

[Steel Maniac]

The Oline just isn't very good at run blocking. They do a great job pass blocking which is more important. It's much better to have a run game issue than a passing game issue. We are going to live or die by the strengths of the team like most teams do.

Ultimately your right; but for some it’s not comforting for the offense to be so one-demensional. But hey, it’s the regular season and we’re 9-0 with the jags up next. :tt2

[whisper]

Our running game is awful . Time to give Benny some snaps , he has been in the dog house long enough. Rightfully so with fumbles. Conner looks lost .

He looks like he forgot how to run, and is trying to run like Bell, and his skill set isn't for that style. The need to make a move. It ain't working.

[BURGH86STEEL]

Our running game is awful . Time to give Benny some snaps , he has been in the dog house long enough. Rightfully so with fumbles. Conner looks lost .
Any RB is going to look lost if the Oline doesn't block well. The Oline isn't creating any holes and often times someone gets pushed around.

[Steel Maniac]

He looks like he forgot how to run, and is trying to run like Bell, and his skill set isn't for that style. The need to make a move. It ain't working.

A personnel move? There is nobody to add. Gotta dance with the girl we brought to the prom. Lol

[pfelix73]

I disagree. They do a great job when pulling the guards. There are times when you just can't do it all. The offense has been changing over the last few years of Ben's career. Kind of like the way Bradshaw's did. Towards the end of Terry's career, he threw at will with success.... I believe its some of these play calls. Some seem like they are destined to fail from the beginning of the play. I see linemen in angles that are awful. Wrong angles, just wrong blocking. Just poor execution, but I'm not sure they could execute correctly on some of those plays. Maybe Fichtner is at blame there on drawing up the play. Maybe Ben should just audible out of those. Don't know. Anyway.............

............. We'll keep plugging along. Just take what the defense gives us.. Our offense sure has evolved. And that's fine.

[Buzz]

Rats lose, we're up 3 games in the division, in great shape coming to the downhill side of the season.

[whisper]

A personnel move? There is nobody to add. Gotta dance with the girl we brought to the prom. Lol

I mean within the current team: give Snell and McFly more touches. Like, more than JC. I know he hasn't had great blocking, but come on.

[hawaiiansteel]

I mean within the current team: give Snell and McFly more touches. Like, more than JC. I know he hasn't had great blocking, but come on.

McFly wasn't even active today.

[Steel Maniac]

I mean within the current team: give Snell and McFly more touches. Like, more than JC. I know he hasn't had great blocking, but come on.

Gotcha. Certain running plays are not to Conner’s strengths.

[Steel Maniac]

Rats lose, we're up 3 games in the division, in great shape coming to the downhill side of the season.

Exciting huh? Let’s be greedy and focus on best record in the AFC and get that first round bye!

[hawaiiansteel]

Certain running plays are not to Conner’s strengths.

looks like Ruthless was right about Conner, huh?

and you of course, were wrong as usual.

[Oviedo]

13 carries for 36 yards is worrisome.

How worrisome is it when we scored 36 points

[NorthCoast]

How worrisome is it when we scored 36 pointsI guess the worry is if a team figures out defending the pass against the Steelers, and the run game stinks then 36 pts won't be happening. So far, no defense has seemed to figure it out so it's been great. A bigger concern is that in a tight game running kills clock and wears out a defense. Passing, even short passing I don't think has the same effect on the defense. But it is working so far so I don't see the coaches wanting to make any changes for what ain't broken.

[flippy]

I guess the worry is if a team figures out defending the pass against the Steelers, and the run game stinks then 36 pts won't be happening. So far, no defense has seemed to figure it out so it's been great. A bigger concern is that in a tight game running kills clock and wears out a defense. Passing, even short passing I don't think has the same effect on the defense. But it is working so far so I don't see the coaches wanting to make any changes for what ain't broken.

Does our short passing game allow opponents to play more players near the LOS?

If Ben can make more throws downfield, that will get more guys out of the box and open up room in the running game.

Then the next question, are the short throws on Ben or the play calling?

Im not overly concerned right now. But we’ve got a lot of issues to work thru and things that need to keep developing.

[NorthCoast]

Good:

Roethlisberger - a little sluggish to begin the game (another opening series fail); but as he warmed up he caught fire passing 46 times for 333 yds which was his best so far this season.
WRs - another day at the office, another WR steps up. This time DJ led with 116 yds but Juju was his equal (77 tough yds) minus one long bomb for 46 yds. Can the Steelers really afford to let JJSS go at the end of the season?
J Berry - my fingers were having a hard time typing Berry's name under "Good"... but man, last two weeks he's got his leg juiced; 49 yd avg on a windy day. There was only one ragged punt and I blame the wind on that one.
J Haden - the savvy vet was money all afternoon defending the pass; ending with 3 passes defended and was tight on his man all day.
Edmunds - huh?... that's right, maybe yinz didn't notice but Edmunds was all over the field yesterday; finished the day with 8 tackles including 5 solo. Time to stop dogging the guy.


Bad:

Run game - wait, it will get better.... nah, just joking. Time to put the run game to bed. The only positive is Conner should be resignable on the cheap next season if the Steelers so choose.
C Sutton - OK, maybe a little harsh because Sutton made a bunch of good plays but he left Higgins wide open on a long pass (at least it looked like it was his guy).
D Watt - was he a no-show on purpose? I really thought the Steelers would roll out the FB lead blocking in the run game especially with McD out, but....nada. Watt will be one and done in the 'Burgh.


Ugly:

Struggling a bit to find a truly ugly something so I'll pick the obvious, the run game has gone from bad to ugly. I think the Steelers coaches just decided it's Roethlisberger or bust and I'm fine watching a HOF QB in his comeback player of the year role.

[Buzz]

Derek Watt has been a bust to this point in the season. All that money for not much production. Maybe he'll join J.J. somewhere else next year.

[Oviedo]

I think we have already clinched a spot in the play offs haven't we?

[Northern_Blitz]

I'm not concerned with the running game. Some of those throws are almost like running plays. We'll be fine.

I'd like to be successful on short yardage plays so it's not super obvious that we're passing or running a jet sweep on 3rd or 4th and 1.

Having confidence that we could get a yard on a dive would be great.

Edited to add: Was great to see Ben connect on a nice deep ball this week. Hopefully that makes it harder for teams to sit on the short stuff without fear of getting burned (which Dallas appeared to be doing at times).

[The Man of Steel]

Derek Watt has been a bust to this point in the season. All that money for not much production. Maybe he'll join J.J. somewhere else next year.
The Steelers should really cut Derek Watt now and just sign Roosevelt Nix off of his couch.

[NorthCoast]

The Steelers should really cut Derek Watt now and just sign Roosevelt Nix off of his couch.So you want to trade one roster fake for another? Nix is cooked... that's why he is on a couch and not on a team.

[NorthCoast]

Does our short passing game allow opponents to play more players near the LOS?

If Ben can make more throws downfield, that will get more guys out of the box and open up room in the running game.

Then the next question, are the short throws on Ben or the play calling?

Im not overly concerned right now. But we’ve got a lot of issues to work thru and things that need to keep developing.The Steelers are intentionally running a low risk offense in the passing game and Roethlisberger has been relatively mistake free in the short game (minus a ton of batted balls). Start throwing long and that's when bad things start to happen. The offense is working because most teams don't have enough good cover guys for all the Steeler receivers. I mean, poor JW is hardly getting on the field when he could be another team's #2. Combine that with outstanding pass blocking and Roethlisberger's quick decisions and it's an offense that is tough to defend.
I sometimes wonder whether opponents have just decided to sell out to stop the run and then hope there are enough mistakes in the passing game that they can keep the game close. Knock on wood it hasn't happened.

[Steel Maniac]

Saw on the NFL network that Ben so far is getting the ball out of his hands faster then any QB in the NFL. Which is something we've all wanted for years for him to help him not get injured.

[Northern_Blitz]

The Steelers are intentionally running a low risk offense in the passing game and Roethlisberger has been relatively mistake free in the short game (minus a ton of batted balls). Start throwing long and that's when bad things start to happen. The offense is working because most teams don't have enough good cover guys for all the Steeler receivers. I mean, poor JW is hardly getting on the field when he could be another team's #2. Combine that with outstanding pass blocking and Roethlisberger's quick decisions and it's an offense that is tough to defend.
I sometimes wonder whether opponents have just decided to sell out to stop the run and then hope there are enough mistakes in the passing game that they can keep the game close. Knock on wood it hasn't happened.

We did throw long several times against Dallas and didn't seem to be in danger of connecting too much.

I think that's why Dallas stayed in single high so much at the end (as noted by Romo). Romo kept calling for us to kill them with a double move, but I don't think we had the confidence to do it because the accuracy was hurting.

I'm in the same camp as Flippy, a little worried that Ben can't do it that well anymore.

But He had a nice one against Cincy. Put a few more of those on tape, and I think it will open up a lot of the short stuff (even more).

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers defenders troll Joe Burrow on Instagram following blowout of Bengals


https://news.yahoo.com/steelers-defenders-troll-joe-burrow-on-instagram-following-blowout-of-bengals-172350173.html

[Oviedo]

Derek Watt has been a bust to this point in the season. All that money for not much production. Maybe he'll join J.J. somewhere else next year.

He's been hurt so I'll give him a pass