Will the Steelers put 2 + 2 together?

[Joel Buchsbaum]

Okay defeat can be more instructive than victory. Rather that bitch and moan about our performance, Tomlin and Canada should focus on the positive, put players in the position to succeed, and change things up a bit. Who's with me?

Here is what I recommend doing.

Start Jones at Left tackle. Dude is a house of a run blocker, and he is a fighter with a prideful background. Yes he needs to work on / get help pass blocking the good wide - nine pass rushers, but a good coach should recognize his strengths and in-expericece. With Chucks hurting Moore jr coming off a really bad game, there is no reason he should not play.

Play the 2 TE set more often with Washignton on the field next to Jones. Washington is quickly becoming a favorite player of mine. Line him up next to Jones. As a blocker he is excellent as a pass catcher he can be a weapon. Who can match up with him, who? This 6'7" monster blocks like a tackle, and is too big for DB's to cover, and too fast for most linebackers. He is a fast and quick athlete. They are few like him in the NFL. Limit his route tree and call more play action passing. And he can block well on the move too and will really limit the wide nine rushers on the outside which is a part of the game Jones needs to work on because he is a rookie. Play the dude. With the outside edge blocking it will be doggone impressive. ( Any UG Bulldog fans here)

And finally get extra pass protection, and take advantage of this 2 TE formation play Warren more! Harris only took 50% of the snaps and is not the type of back to take things outside of the tackles, but Warren is.

Keep it simple for Pickett and limit his reads. Give him better protection.

IMO, this will transform our passing game and running game, setting up for dare I say it...play action. Make the other team adjust to us. Not, the other way around.

[WindyCitySteel]

Good post, Joel. Tomlin loves to use the "red paint" analogy. Well, they have TE/RB colored paint now. WR room is thin, no real experience there outside of Robinson, who has lost a step. They should scrap 11-personnel and start playing heavy, use play-action. Isolate a WR on a LB, give other teams a taste of that medicine. Jones move is a no-brainer -- he's a road grader. Don't wait until you're about to lose your 3rd straight again to do what you should have done with the rookie in the first place.

Heck, I called for this to start the season. They need to establish an identity, which is the opposite of throwing 40-50 times a game.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

Good post, Joel. Tomlin loves to use the "red paint" analogy. Well, they have TE/RB colored paint now. WR room is thin, no real experience there outside of Robinson, who has lost a step. They should scrap 11-personnel and start playing heavy, use play-action. Isolate a WR on a LB, give other teams a taste of that medicine. Jones move is a no-brainer -- he's a road grader. Don't wait until you're about to lose your 3rd straight again to do what you should have done with the rookie in the first place.

Heck, I called for this to start the season. They need to establish an identity, which is the opposite of throwing 40-50 times a game.

+1. Yes. Tomlin and Canada better make some changes to the offense.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

We went into the season assuming that the Steelers were planning to be a run first team, and after last Sunday we have every reason to believe they should be now more than before. We saw constant pressure on Pickett, a bad game by Pickett, and lost the best receiver at separation on the team. You now go against a team with another of the game's premier pass rushers.

Against San Fran, the Steelers were almost sacked as many times as they called run plays (5 sacks, 9 RB runs). Pickett dropped back 47 times (1 scramble run). Balance the running better and add PA, which is more effective when the D thinks you may actually run the ball. Finally, there was only one player who showed any explosiveness all day, but that was on ST. Get him more than 5 snaps and 2 touches on O, see if he can ignite something in space.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Okay defeat can be more instructive than victory. Rather that bitch and moan about our performance, Tomlin and Canada should focus on the positive, put players in the position to succeed, and change things up a bit. Who's with me?

Here is what I recommend doing.

Start Jones at Left tackle. Dude is a house of a run blocker, and he is a fighter with a prideful background. Yes he needs to work on / get help pass blocking the good wide - nine pass rushers, but a good coach should recognize his strengths and in-expericece. With Chucks hurting Moore jr coming off a really bad game, there is no reason he should not play.

Play the 2 TE set more often with Washignton on the field next to Jones. Washington is quickly becoming a favorite player of mine. Line him up next to Jones. As a blocker he is excellent as a pass catcher he can be a weapon. Who can match up with him, who? This 6'7" monster blocks like a tackle, and is too big for DB's to cover, and too fast for most linebackers. He is a fast and quick athlete. They are few like him in the NFL. Limit his route tree and call more play action passing. And he can block well on the move too and will really limit the wide nine rushers on the outside which is a part of the game Jones needs to work on because he is a rookie. Play the dude. With the outside edge blocking it will be doggone impressive. ( Any UG Bulldog fans here)

And finally get extra pass protection, and take advantage of this 2 TE formation play Warren more! Harris only took 50% of the snaps and is not the type of back to take things outside of the tackles, but Warren is.

Keep it simple for Pickett and limit his reads. Give him better protection.

IMO, this will transform our passing game and running game, setting up for dare I say it...play action. Make the other team adjust to us. Not, the other way around.

I'd be more inclined to let Jones play at RT, especially if Chuks is out. Leave the other 4 guys in tact - Moore and Seumalo have already worked together, covering each other, etc. It also saves the rookie from having to protect the blind side while adjusting to NFL level pass rushers.

We'll check the RB as the season goes, but game 1 Najee averaged over 5 YPC, Warren averaged 2. I honestly think their rotation *should* depend on the opponent and shouldn't be a blanket decision.

[WindyCitySteel]

We went into the season assuming that the Steelers were planning to be a run first team, and after last Sunday we have every reason to believe they should be now more than before. We saw constant pressure on Pickett, a bad game by Pickett, and lost the best receiver at separation on the team. You now go against a team with another of the game's premier pass rushers.

Against San Fran, the Steelers were almost sacked as many times as they called run plays (5 sacks, 9 RB runs). Pickett dropped back 47 times (1 scramble run). Balance the running better and add PA, which is more effective when the D thinks you may actually run the ball. Finally, there was only one player who showed any explosiveness all day, but that was on ST. Get him more than 5 snaps and 2 touches on O, see if he can ignite something in space.

This is the frustrating thing to me -- they spent all offseason ostensibly building a run-first, play-action power offense, and then after the first bad run and a 7-0 deficit, they scrapped it all and went pass happy.

[feltdizz]

This is the frustrating thing to me -- they spent all offseason ostensibly building a run-first, play-action power offense, and then after the first bad run and a 7-0 deficit, they scrapped it all and went pass happy.

yep, and this is more of a problem than play design. We go pass happy anytime we get down by a TD vs good teams and that has to stop.

[Chucktownsteeler]

The Steelers need to give Glenn Thomas a bigger role in the offensive game planning. Canada isn't going to get any better. He is who he is.

[NorthCoast]

This is the frustrating thing to me -- they spent all offseason ostensibly building a run-first, play-action power offense, and then after the first bad run and a 7-0 deficit, they scrapped it all and went pass happy.

It seemed to be a snowball thing. Bad first offensive series. Then defense lets down. OK, next series let's see if KP can dig us out like a franchise QB. Nope. Quick INT, and another opponent TD. Then the coaches went into panic mode instead of saying, ok ground and pound for a half, then let's see where we are then, they try to pass out of their hole.

[fordfixer]

Okay defeat can be more instructive than victory. Rather that bitch and moan about our performance, Tomlin and Canada should focus on the positive, put players in the position to succeed, and change things up a bit. Who's with me?

Here is what I recommend doing.

Start Jones at Left tackle. Dude is a house of a run blocker, and he is a fighter with a prideful background. Yes he needs to work on / get help pass blocking the good wide - nine pass rushers, but a good coach should recognize his strengths and in-expericece. With Chucks hurting Moore jr coming off a really bad game, there is no reason he should not play.

Play the 2 TE set more often with Washignton on the field next to Jones. Washington is quickly becoming a favorite player of mine. Line him up next to Jones. As a blocker he is excellent as a pass catcher he can be a weapon. Who can match up with him, who? This 6'7" monster blocks like a tackle, and is too big for DB's to cover, and too fast for most linebackers. He is a fast and quick athlete. They are few like him in the NFL. Limit his route tree and call more play action passing. And he can block well on the move too and will really limit the wide nine rushers on the outside which is a part of the game Jones needs to work on because he is a rookie. Play the dude. With the outside edge blocking it will be doggone impressive. ( Any UG Bulldog fans here)

And finally get extra pass protection, and take advantage of this 2 TE formation play Warren more! Harris only took 50% of the snaps and is not the type of back to take things outside of the tackles, but Warren is.

Keep it simple for Pickett and limit his reads. Give him better protection.

IMO, this will transform our passing game and running game, setting up for dare I say it...play action. Make the other team adjust to us. Not, the other way around.

And for goodness sake’s find a punter.

[pfelix73]

No no no....

Wrong.

What they need to do is to leave the OL as it was. Moore did not have a bad game. Do not buy in to the PFF crap. Read how they come up with their grades. Its a joke.

They also need to go with more 4 WR formations. I had the chance to go back and rewatch the game and slowed it down. When they went 4 WR's or 3 and 1 TE, the 9ers D actually backed off the 9 guys in the box crap. They had to. Did any of you go back and rewatch the game? The 5 initial series in the 1st half? Wholly crap. The OL played admirably compared to what the D brought. Kenny has to do better. Canada has to do more to help out the OL. Sometimes 5 were blocking 6 or 7. Kenny missed Harris on a 3rd down in the 3rd Q which would have been a TD. Naj could've strolled in from the 20 yd line. On 1st series, Kenny missed a wide open Robinson, and then was sacked. Sack was on KP8, not Moore. Canadas offense is way too predictable. The WR routes are... well.. not complicated. On the 4th down play in the 3rd Q, there were 2 WRS and a TE all in same vicinity together. Pass failed.

It might be time for Sullivan to call a game. Problem is, same formations and schemes would still be there. From what it sounds, during that 95 yard TD drive, they simplified the play calling. Hmm.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

No no no....

Wrong.

What they need to do is to leave the OL as it was. Moore did not have a bad game. Do not buy in to the PFF crap. Read how they come up with their grades. Its a joke.

They also need to go with more 4 WR formations. I had the chance to go back and rewatch the game and slowed it down. When they went 4 WR's or 3 and 1 TE, the 9ers D actually backed off the 9 guys in the box crap. They had to. Did any of you go back and rewatch the game? The 5 initial series in the 1st half? Wholly crap. The OL played admirably compared to what the D brought. Kenny has to do better. Canada has to do more to help out the OL. Sometimes 5 were blocking 6 or 7. Kenny missed Harris on a 3rd down in the 3rd Q which would have been a TD. Naj could've strolled in from the 20 yd line. On 1st series, Kenny missed a wide open Robinson, and then was sacked. Sack was on KP8, not Moore. Canadas offense is way too predictable. The WR routes are... well.. not complicated. On the 4th down play in the 3rd Q, there were 2 WRS and a TE all in same vicinity together. Pass failed.

It might be time for Sullivan to call a game. Problem is, same formations and schemes would still be there. From what it sounds, during that 95 yard TD drive, they simplified the play calling. Hmm.

Tomlin can play who I suggested and Canada can use the 2 TE set more often. I see a powerhouse run game with this formation. Make is easy for our game manager QB. Moore did have a bad game, and it wasn't Bosa he was up against for most of the game. Start Jones. What is the status on Chucks?

[Mr.wizard]

You don't change your philosophy after one game. The game plan wasn't to throw it as much as we did but it was a snowball effect due to bad play. There are going to be bad games, you don't change the offense after each one. What if they go run heavy and get shutdown? Next game do you just punt on first down? You worked all offseason on this stuff, put the bad loss behind you and go out and execute.

[feltdizz]

You don't change your philosophy after one game. The game plan wasn't to throw it as much as we did but it was a snowball effect due to bad play. There are going to be bad games, you don't change the offense after each one. What if they go run heavy and get shutdown? Next game do you just punt on first down? You worked all offseason on this stuff, put the bad loss behind you and go out and execute.

we changed our philosophy after 2 series last game.

with no threat to run the D was just sitting back waiting on us all day.

what we need to do is STICK to our philosophy regardless of what happens on the first few series. SF punched us in the mouth and we curled up like some bitches... smh.

[Captain Lemming]

Has anybody considered that SF had the number one overall defense but the 20th pass defense?

I would suggest the plan for "this game" was NEVER ground and pound. Now did we PLAN to run so little? No. But early on it was clear we could not run effectively with consistency against the Niners. That and the DEFENSE letting us get buried forced our hand to the extreme.

But I would suggest the PLAN for this game, with Bosa coming in late, Kenny excelling in preseason and the Niners 20th pass defense, we INTENDED to lean on the pass game more than typical.

I know SOME PEOPLE think we stubbornly do what we do with not regard to the opponent.

I promise you if we ran into brick walls all game THOSE SAME PEOPLE would be the ones reminding us of how middling the Niners pass defense was last season and blame Tomlins stubbornness for the loss.

NO STRATEGY WOULD HAVE WON THIS POORLY EXECUTED GAME.

If the QUALITY of Kenny and our pass game looked anything close to the hothanded guy we saw in preseason and we could actually make a stop, this game is entirely different INCLUDING more run attempts.

Bottom line, what we see THIS WEEK is more likely what would represent the personality of our offense.