Numbers Don't Always Tell the Full Story but this is a vast improvement fom last yr. We also created more turnovers this yr which I probably a result of pressure.
However moving forward the Steelers need to keep in mind that 12 of our sacks came against 2 bad Cleveland QBs. The fact we got little pressure from the OLB position is promising (looking at the overall numbers) when the Steelers finally do get their Stud OLB on the right side and Dupree develops. Then our Defense might look like the Cardinals this yr getting after Aaron Rogers.
Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go...
Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go...
Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go...!!!
As OK as the D has played this year, they are light years ahead of the squad that took the field last season. Remember that last season the Steelers played a much softer schedule than this year, and still managed to get torched weekly.
As poorly as this D has looked at times, they have faced some good offenses, and finished 10th in PA. While that doesn't sound like much, the Steelers gave up 319 points. Other teams with highly regarded Ds:
NE - 315 PA
NYJ - 314 PA
Houston - 313 PA
Arizona - 313 PA
Carolina - 308 PA
Minnesota - 302 PA
That's hard to believe because there seemed to be long stretches of games where the opposing quarterback looked very comfortable in the pocket the most recent was Ryan Mallett. I guess when you don't have that one guy that you can count on to apply pressure there will be times when it seems that very little pressure is being applied and then all of a sudden you get a sack from an unlikely source.
Pappy
1.20 - JC Latham, OT, Alabama
2.51 - Xavier leggette, WR, South Carolina
3.84 - Sedrick Van-Pran Granger, OC, Georgia
3.98 - Andru Phillips, CB, Kentucky
4.119 - Maason Smith, DT, LSU
7.178 -
7.195 -
"Football is a physical game, well, it used to be anyways" - Mel Blount
Before the season began, I remember posting something long (probably too long for an off-season post) on why I thought the D would step up. I listed things that I
"expected" to happen, and others that I "hoped" would happen.
IIRC, the greatest reason for optimism was the expected improvement of Tuitt. Check that off. Other factors that I remember:
- Hoping that Mitchell was indeed hampered by injury, and hoping he would step up this season.
- The ongoing development of Heyward, and the ongoing stability of Timmons
- Hoping that Jones would improve. While he is nowhere near what we would like to see, he has made more plays this year than last.
- The return of Shazier was a hoped improvement, but knowing that we had depth behind him.
- The idea that anything Cortez could contribute would be a bonus as he was a negative last season, then didn't play. As we all know, he did nothing.
Can't remember what else.
Probably should quit dreaming about ever getting another Hampton. The colleges aren't producing much of that body type any more. A lot of college teams are passing 60% of the time and the defenses aren't so concerned about clogging up the middle.
Football programs arent just turning down 330 pound dlinemen with that kind of ability. its still a necessary component to a defense, just not worth high picks right now. Still a few here and there, mostly guys that have shown they can rumble after the QB as well (Poe, Shelton). Huge, athletic guys like casey hampton have never grown on trees. Theres only ever a few of them in the league that you would call elite. Casey had Wilfork and Jamaal Williams as his huge NT counterparts. Raji was never that kind of player, Phil Taylors knees are completely shot but theres been a few
I lost a bet about Najee gaining 1300 yards.
"Our head coach has failed to win a playoff game for seven years in a row. His game day strategy, culture of divas, in game decisions, clock management, player evaluation, hires, and affinity with sub par starters at RB, P, and OL are holding the Steelers back. That standard remains the standard"
K Train, it wasn't just Hampton's weight, it was the distribution of it. Not tall, huge thighs, huge butt. Like trying to move a tree stump. But as you suggest, there might not have ever been many of that type around even 15 years ago. At any rate, probably not as valuable in these pass-happy days.
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