Ed: Which Starters Should Become Backups?
Monday, 10 October 2011 Written by Ed Bouchette at PG+
Good morning,
You saw a typical NFL game at Heinz Field on Sunday. Just when you think you have a team figured out, it confounds you again. The confounding about this schizophrenic Steelers team began for me in the opener. If you recall, I predicted they would beat Baltimore and could not understand why the Ravens were favored.
Since then, we've all been waiting for the Steelers to play up to their hype, or at least what we remembered them being from last season. They did not, not even in their 24-0 victory against Seattle, not until yesterday. I'm not saying we have them figured out by any stretch, but we saw what could happen and we saw it with many of their missing players.
And that brings me to an exercise. Of all the starters, and a backup, who missed yesterday's game against Tennesse, and of all those who replaced them, are there any of the starters you'd prefer to see now as backups and their replacements as starters?
You can vote and express your reasons in either the comments section or the chat box or whatever they call that thing you all have taken to. I won't tally them but if one of you energetic members wants to, go ahead.
Here are your choices. Think of it as the revival of You Are Mike Tomlin:
-- Rashard Mendenhall returns as a starter, or do you stay with Isaac Redman (or, if you prefer, Jonathan Dwyer).
-- Mewelde Moore returns as a backup or are you dressing Dwyer now.
-- Chris Kemoeatu back at left guard or do you prefer Doug Legursky.
-- And if you put Kemo back at left guard, do you go with Ramon Foster or Legursky at right guard.
-- Max Starks at left tackle or Jonathan Scott (this one lready is answered but the ruse was they wanted Scott's ankle to fully heal).
-- Aaron Smith back at left defensive end, or do you prefer either Ziggy Hood or Cameron Heyward. This has a Part B to it, because you can offer up any combination of those three.
-- Casey Hampton back at nose tackle or should we see more of Chris Hoke.
-- James Harrison back at outside linebacker in several weeks or Lawrence Timmons.
--
Onto Me & You:
-- YOU: I too was surprised by the Steelers performance because of all the injuries. Perhaps this shows that, when my fellow fans blame LeBeau and Arians, even after a win, it's a bit over the top. Woodley woke up yesterday. Does this mean LeBeau waved smelling salts under his nose before the game? And when you get a chance, can you find out what happened on that interception prior to the half? Other than one or two blown coverages by the Steelers secondary, that interception was one of the few bad plays in an otherwise great performance.
ME: And, don't forget the blocked punt and the inability to cover an onsides kick. Ben was supposed to spike the ball and kill the clock. He thought he saw something and, while I originally thought it was Hines Ward, others said it was Antonio Brown he was throwing to.
-- YOU: When Chris K. is healthy enough to play, does Legursky or Foster start at RG? Why is Legursky currently playing LG when he is the starting RG?
ME: Let's see how the vote goes. Foster is better suited at right guard and Legursky at left. Plus, Foster may now be the starting RG even if Kemo returns, but you can still vote on that one.
-- YOU: The Steelers seemingly have excellent depth at RB, any reason why it would not make sense to have more or a running back by committee considering the line and the varying performance by each guy? Throw the 76 yard run by Dwyer out, and I still
ME: I still believe you have to stick with one back so he can get a feel for the game.
-- YOU: Ed, the running game used a lead blocker frequently against the Titans. Does Arians have 100% control of a decision like that, or is it possible that Tomlin tells Arians to do that, after seeing its effectiveness against the Texans? Do you think that Ben, Tomlin, and/or Arians will see the effectiveness of short dropbacks and quick passes and use that more often? Ben seemed to be limping quite a bit on/off the field, I think he only makes those quick passes b/c he knew he was limited. I'd be curious to see what he does if those same plays are called and he's healthy enough to scramble.
ME: Tomlin has total control but he gives his coordinators a long leash. I would hate to see a steady diet of those short passes, which in Pittsburgh we used to derisively call the "dink and dunk.'' It worked yesterday, but then so did the 40-yard TD pass to Mike Wallace.
-- YOU: Marx Starks looked like Alan Faneca on Sunday.... What do you attribute such a performance, and why in the world wasn’t picked up after the steelers cut him?
ME: It's a mystery wrapped in an enigma.
-- YOU: Any word on how serious Gilbert's injury is?
ME: MT said none of the injuries were serious and that Gilbert's right shoulder injury is the same one he injured previously.
-- YOU: What changed in the Steelers run defense this week?
ME: Chris Hoke played the stretch run a little differently, which prevented them from cutting it back.
-- YOU: Great win today, which is what can happen if we protect Ben. Dwyer
had an outstanding game, but to nitpick, he seemed to do the
Mendenhall dance on several plays. Redman, in my opinion, should be
our starter for the remainder of the season. What is your analysis of
Dwyer and Redman today?
ME: I prefer Redman.
-- YOU: What is the league's logic behind changing the QB rule this year in regard to the dressing the third QB? Last year's rule seems to make a lot more sense than forcing a team to dress one less position player if they want a third QB available.
ME: Actually, the league liberalized it. Instead of dressing 45 plus a designated No. 3 QB, they allow teams to dress 46. It's the coaches who have decided not to dress the No. 3 QB and go with an extra position player or special teams player.
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