Let's fire everyone. Is there anyone we can all agree on keeping? Heath? That's about it. The coaches all suck. The players all suck. Let's trade em all and get a couple 100 draft picks. And then let's just draft everyone.
Woodley was responsible for the outside...No doubt about it. He lost his discipline on a read. But I will give you some insight from a football guy. Keep in mind that they spend a lot of time in the film room and they pick up tendencies. Good coaches use the "tendencies" for game planning but "shown" tendencies are also used as a counter to the game plan of an opponent. Both teams watch the films. Steelers saw something in the play...Raiders saw something in the film on the D on their keys. Didn't take the Raiders long to show what they saw. However, they showed it and it didn't happen again. An example...The Wildcat you see Haley running is to put it on film. Make other teams game plan for it. Take up more time in prep. But is also to make them plan for it and then give them something they didn't see....It is always a coaching chess match. There was a specific reason that page was first shown against the Ravens. They play them again and it is on tape.
Back to the play. So what did all of you see? Just a blunder and a big play by the Raiders? That's what most saw. What did I see? Proof that someone on the Raiders did their homework and proof the Steelers defenders watched allot of tape. How? The Raiders motioned away from strength of formation and pulled the backside G to strength (PA side). This is called an "influence". Every single player in the front 7 keyed the pulling G because the FB motioned away from strength. Rule of pulling OL...Backside-Inside...Meaning the play is going somewhere inside the TE. Whole DL flowed to strength. Woodley crashed...ILBs step up in hole...Worilds pinches down...Gay crashed and so does Clark. Clark over ran the play to the hole and Pryor ran by him & he didn't even see him. It was a well designed & executed play. The Steelers were so sure of what they saw and took themselves out of the play...That the FB Reece didn't have an ILB to block on the play. He was coming down backside to clean up...Nobody there. Very Gutsy call...Good design. It was either a big play or a disaster given field position. They showed it once...Didn't happen again.
This wasn't a play where I would be critical on any coaches or players. This was an example of football 101 with a high risk & high reward. Raiders took advantage of what the saw on film and field position. Great call by them...Because it worked. With Pryor standing at the 2...I'm sure every Steeler defender on that field & every coach on the sideline thought there is Zero chance Pryor risks keeping the option....And the Raiders used that. I would bet it was a predetermined call. They made the adjustment after that TD. Woodley doesn't key the PA towards TE & the pulling G & closes on the QB...Pryor tried to keep it and nothing. I would be critical of the rest of the 1st half. McFadden had some success taking the option & direct snaps. That was on film and I didn't like that preparation. There wasn't any surprise there. They made adjustments & got that corrected. I was VERY disappointed in J Jones and I'm sure the staff was too. He clearly wasn't doing what they asked him too. His #1 job was making sure Pryor didn't break the pocket when he went back to pass & he did not do his job. To be honest, I called him selfish during the game because he looked like he was only concerned with logging a sack instead of doing his job. When Worilds came in and he set the pocket and made Pryor step up...Good things happened & the Steelers got off the field.
I still don't see why Woodley wouldn't hold his lane just in case. You've got 5 other guys to make the tackle if the play goes left. I have a hard time buying Woodley didn't make a mistake on that play. He shoulda been in the hole where Pryor ran. And Pryor woulda likely ran by him, but he woulda slowed him down enough for someone else to come over and make the tackle within 10 yards of the LOS.
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