-
[QUOTE=Mister Pittsburgh;559750]I wouldn't care if we traded UP and grabbed Warmack or Lane Johnson to solidify the OL. I have ZERO faith in Gilbert. Lane Johnson would start day one at LT.
I don't agree with your sentiment that our defense sucked all year until Harrison emerged the final month. We played well the final month, but played well most the season other than the two games early.[/QUOTE]
And who was out for those "two games early"? Harrison.
I am not talking about the last month only. I am talking about the entire season minus the first month when JH was out.
Harrison missed three games and we got torched in 2 of those games. Two out of three giving up 30 plus. Happened ONCE more the rest of the season.
The difference in our defense began before he began getting sacks, which is all people see.
Harrison is the best 3/4 OLBer against the run in the AFC BY FAR.
Our defense made the stinkin RAIDERS look like worldbeaters w/o Harrison.
-
[QUOTE=Mister Pittsburgh;559760]The defense last year had 2 games where they gave up more points than the league average defense. The offense scored less points than the league average offense 8 times. We lost Wallace, Starks, Mendenhall, and Heath will be out for at least half if not more of the season. This was based of of the final score and 3 of the games showing the defense did worse are actually just the offense throwing pick 6's or the offense fumbling the game away so even though the offense did better than league average, they cost the team the game in those instances. I know the numbers are jacked due to this fact but this was meant as a quick exercise to show our offense sucks way worse than our defense when compared to league average and the offense has lost more players of importance. Plus, the offense has a potential HOF QB who needs surrounded by talent to end his career.
L 31-19 [B]defense worse[/B] – [B]offense worse[/B]
W 27-10 defense better – offense better
L 34-31 [B]defense worse[/B] – offense better
BYE WEEK
W 16-14 defense better – [B]offense worse[/B]
L 26-23 [B]defense worse[/B] – [B]offense worse[/B]
W 24-17 defense better – offense better
W 27-12 defense better – offense better
W 24-20 defense better – offense better
W 16-13 OT defense better – [B]offense worse[/B]
L 13-10 defense better – [B]offense worse[/B]
L 20-14 defense better – [B]offense worse[/B]
W 23-20 defense better – [B]offense worse[/B]
L 34-24 [B]defense worse[/B] – offense better
L 27-24 OT [B]defense worse[/B] – offense better
L 13-10 defense better – [B]offense worse[/B]
W 24-10 defense better – offense better
League average offensive points per game = 23.35
League average defensive points give up per game = 22.1[/QUOTE]
And as you demostrate we struggled offensively DESPITE having "Wallace, Starks, Mendenhall, and Heath".
I will say it again, how much difference has the skill players meant in the history of Ben?
Only top 10 scoring team in the Tomlin era featured, a 3rd round receiver, a free agent rb, and a good not great 1 round receiver.
Recent teams have featured MUCH MORE elite talent. People here making the case that we had the best receiving talent I THE LEAGUE. "Fastest receiver in the league", stuff of highlight, big bombs. The young money crew...ooh. Too much talent to start Sanders? So deep that Jeremiah Cotchery who averaged like 70 catches as a Jet cant get on the field as a Steeler. Are you kidding me?
What did it matter? Average offensive production, worse than we did with (Slow) Hines, (better QB than receiver) ARE, and free agent Willie Parker at RB. That 2005 Cowher team ranked 9th in scoring and won a SB.
-
[QUOTE=Captain Lemming;559781]And who was out for those "two games early"? Harrison.
I am not talking about the last month only. I am talking about the entire season minus the first month when JH was out.
Harrison missed three games and we got torched in 2 of those games. Two out of three giving up 30 plus. Happened ONCE more the rest of the season.
The difference in our defense began before he began getting sacks, which is all people see.
Harrison is the best 3/4 OLBer against the run in the AFC BY FAR.
Our defense made the stinkin RAIDERS look like worldbeaters w/o Harrison.[/QUOTE]
I think the defensive improvement coincided more with the return to health of Casey Hampton. Early on in the season, Casey was getting pushed around. Then his whole game changed and so did our D.
I don't remember the exact game, but there was a game that was a turning point where Casey started moving the pocket again and everything started to fall into place that week.
-
[QUOTE=Rara;559599]I want Sims out of Michigan State in the fourth or fifth round.[/QUOTE]
What about Nick Kasa out of Colorado. Switched from DE to TE. Talk about upside. The guy is an athletic beast. 270 lbs. 6'6"
-
[QUOTE=Captain Lemming;559787]And as you demostrate we struggled offensively DESPITE having "Wallace, Starks, Mendenhall, and Heath".
I will say it again, how much difference has the skill players meant in the history of Ben?
Only top 10 scoring team in the Tomlin era featured, a 3rd round receiver, a free agent rb, and a good not great 1 round receiver.
Recent teams have featured MUCH MORE elite talent. People here making the case that we had the best receiving talent I THE LEAGUE. "Fastest receiver in the league", stuff of highlight, big bombs. The young money crew...ooh. Too much talent to start Sanders? So deep that Jeremiah Cotchery who averaged like 70 catches as a Jet cant get on the field as a Steeler. Are you kidding me?
What did it matter? Average offensive production, worse than we did with (Slow) Hines, (better QB than receiver) ARE, and free agent Willie Parker at RB. That 2005 Cowher team ranked 9th in scoring and won a SB.[/QUOTE]
The skill players certainly DO matter, but they need an OL to perform.
-
[B]Bires: Steelers' pick is anyone's guess[/B]
Posted: Monday, April 22, 2013
By Mike Bires
PITTSBURGH -- It’s been a long time since the Steelers went into the NFL Draft with so much uncertainty. With so many holes to fill, it’s hard to pinpoint who they’ll select with their first-round pick.
We know for sure it won’t be a quarterback. Ben Roethlisberger may be 31, but he’s still the face of the franchise.
It won’t be an offensive or defensive lineman. There have been enough of them taken in the first round the last four years (Ziggy Hood, 2009; Maurkice Pouncey, 2010; Cameron Heyward, 2011; David DeCastro, 2012).
And it’s not going to be a running back, even though the Steelers need one.
Other than those positions, it’s wide open.
With the 17th choice, a case can be made for a wide receiver, inside and outside linebacker, safety, cornerback and tight end.
In a draft not exactly loaded with can’t-miss prospects, it’s anybody’s guess who the Steelers will take. There’s no consensus pick among the mock drafts.
With eight picks in this week’s draft, the Steelers have already identified who they believe are the top 150 players. Of that group, general manager Kevin Colbert believes there are six to eight “who we think are special.”
Unless there are major surprises when the first 16 picks are made Thursday night, the Steelers will select one of the special players on Colbert’s list.
Colbert, who’s never had a true first-round bust in his first 12 years with the Steelers, believes there’s plenty of potential in Rounds 2 through 4. But it’s always the first-round pick that creates the most excitement and fanfare. That’s why the NFL reserves Day 1 of the three-day draft for only the first round.
Last year, it was quarterbacks who dominated Round 1. Four of the first 22 picks were QBs (Andrew Luck, No. 1; Robert Griffin III, No. 2; Ryan Tannehill, No. 8; and Brandon Weeden, No. 22). This year, the only quarterback projected as a first-rounder is West Virginia’s Geno Smith.
That’s OK with the Steelers, who are set with Roethlisberger and Bruce Gradkowski as his backup.
But with speedster Mike Wallace gone via free agency, the Steelers desperately need help at wide receiver.
The Steelers always have an eye out for pass-rushing outside linebackers, and with James Harrison now on the Bengals’ roster, that’s a position that needs an upgrade.
Likewise at inside linebacker, with Larry Foote another year older and Sean Spence, a third-round choice last year, trying to bounce back from a knee injury that wiped out his rookie season.
Ryan Clark turns 34 in October and 32-year-old Troy Polamalu only played seven games last year due to injuries, so there’s a need for safety help especially after backups Will Allen and Ryan Mundy weren’t re-signed.
With Heath Miller still mending from major knee surgery, it’s uncertain when he’ll be able to play again. So, tight end is certainly a first-round option.
“There will be a good player at 17, there’s no question about that,” Colbert said.
[B]PLAYERS STEELERS MIGHT DRAFT[/B]
Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee
Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia
Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas
Alexander Ogletree, ILB, Georgia
Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame
Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington
Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State
[URL]http://www.timesonline.com/sports/steelers/bires-steelers-pick-is-anyone-s-guess/article_bd08bff7-06ed-536b-ad31-8ba8bcdc4734.html[/URL]