Smith ... please heal up quick!

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

I just think that those passes that QBs have gotten off with 0.25 seconds to spare to beat us this year would NOT have been completed with Smith back there.

He would have occupied a blocker for just a fraction of a second longer, and Wood or Harrison would have been that 6 inches closer to disrupt the play.

So ... come on Aaron ... we're pulling for you!!

[Steelers33]

Re: Smith ... please heal up quick!

Hood is getting better, buy Smith's return would be huge for this team. I would go as far as saying he is the best 3-4 end in the league maybe even better than Ngata when he's healthy.

[BURGH86STEEL]

Re: Smith ... please heal up quick!

I just think that those passes that QBs have gotten off with 0.25 seconds to spare to beat us this year would NOT have been completed with Smith back there.

He would have occupied a blocker for just a fraction of a second longer, and Wood or Harrison would have been that 6 inches closer to disrupt the play.

So ... come on Aaron ... we're pulling for you!!

Smith's not going to make that huge a difference in the pass rush at this point of his career. Especially, with the injuries he's suffered. Smith's been a good player but his career is near the end. This is probably his last season with the Steelers.

[Crash]

Re: Smith ... please heal up quick!

Maybe if LeBeau would use Worilds as a pass rushing DE on 3rd and pass those QBs wouldn't have that extra split second to throw the ball.

[SteelAbility]

Re: Smith ... please heal up quick!

I just think that those passes that QBs have gotten off with 0.25 seconds to spare to beat us this year would NOT have been completed with Smith back there.

He would have occupied a blocker for just a fraction of a second longer, and Wood or Harrison would have been that 6 inches closer to disrupt the play.

So ... come on Aaron ... we're pulling for you!!

Smith's not going to make that huge a difference in the pass rush at this point of his career. Especially, with the injuries he's suffered. Smith's been a good player but his career is near the end. This is probably his last season with the Steelers.

Smith's effect on the pass rush is indirect, yet HUGE. With Smith in there, the run D can literally go into auto-pilot. This makes the opposing O more one-dimensional and predictable. A defensive players greatness is also measured by all the things that don't happen. Smith is one of those "things that don't happen because of him" guys.

[Crash]

Re: Smith ... please heal up quick!

The PG stated last week that Smith probably wouldn't play unless we made the Super Bowl.

[steelblood]

Re: Smith ... please heal up quick!

Hood was awesome today, and, at this point, is probably a better pass rusher than SMith

[BURGH86STEEL]

Re: Smith ... please heal up quick!

I just think that those passes that QBs have gotten off with 0.25 seconds to spare to beat us this year would NOT have been completed with Smith back there.

He would have occupied a blocker for just a fraction of a second longer, and Wood or Harrison would have been that 6 inches closer to disrupt the play.

So ... come on Aaron ... we're pulling for you!!

Smith's not going to make that huge a difference in the pass rush at this point of his career. Especially, with the injuries he's suffered. Smith's been a good player but his career is near the end. This is probably his last season with the Steelers.

Smith's effect on the pass rush is indirect, yet HUGE. With Smith in there, the run D can literally go into auto-pilot. This makes the opposing O more one-dimensional and predictable. A defensive players greatness is also measured by all the things that don't happen. Smith is one of those "things that don't happen because of him" guys.

Steelers lead the league in sacks without Smith for most of the season. Run defense has also not missed a beat without Smith.

The run defense does not go on auto pilot with or without one player. It takes a complete defensive effort to play run and pass defense effectively. I hate to state the obvious but that's because one player can't cover the entire field.

Look, Smith was a great player. At 34, his best days are behind him. He's only played in 11 games the last 2 seasons. Not going to get any better at that age. His days of consistently being an effective starter are over. He is probably nothing more then a role player at this point of his career.

[BATMAN]

Re: Smith ... please heal up quick!

I think Hood as progressed very well since becoming the starter. It's nice to see that we are winning while he is having on the job training. I love Smith but, this might be a blessing kind of after all.
Having said that I still would like to see a healthy Smith and would hate for his career to end via an injury.

[birtikidis]

Re: Smith ... please heal up quick!

Worilds has an injury. He hasn't been playing much.

[SteelAbility]

Re: Smith ... please heal up quick!

I just think that those passes that QBs have gotten off with 0.25 seconds to spare to beat us this year would NOT have been completed with Smith back there.

He would have occupied a blocker for just a fraction of a second longer, and Wood or Harrison would have been that 6 inches closer to disrupt the play.

So ... come on Aaron ... we're pulling for you!!

Smith's not going to make that huge a difference in the pass rush at this point of his career. Especially, with the injuries he's suffered. Smith's been a good player but his career is near the end. This is probably his last season with the Steelers.

Smith's effect on the pass rush is indirect, yet HUGE. With Smith in there, the run D can literally go into auto-pilot. This makes the opposing O more one-dimensional and predictable. A defensive players greatness is also measured by all the things that don't happen. Smith is one of those "things that don't happen because of him" guys.

Steelers lead the league in sacks without Smith for most of the season. Run defense has also not missed a beat without Smith.

The run defense does not go on auto pilot with or without one player. It takes a complete defensive effort to play run and pass defense effectively. I hate to state the obvious but that's because one player can't cover the entire field.

Look, Smith was a great player. At 34, his best days are behind him. He's only played in 11 games the last 2 seasons. Not going to get any better at that age. His days of consistently being an effective starter are over. He is probably nothing more then a role player at this point of his career.

I think the point is that running Smith's direction is virtually useless. Yes, autopilot as a whole is false. Autopilot to Smith's direction is true. When you can almost completely eliminate even one offensive option, the entire D's job just got much easier. It's an issue of improving the predictability of the offense. There's no stat for that. A guy can be the single most dominant factor without building even one stat.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

Re: Smith ... please heal up quick!

I just think that those passes that QBs have gotten off with 0.25 seconds to spare to beat us this year would NOT have been completed with Smith back there.

He would have occupied a blocker for just a fraction of a second longer, and Wood or Harrison would have been that 6 inches closer to disrupt the play.

So ... come on Aaron ... we're pulling for you!!

Smith's not going to make that huge a difference in the pass rush at this point of his career. Especially, with the injuries he's suffered. Smith's been a good player but his career is near the end. This is probably his last season with the Steelers.

Smith's effect on the pass rush is indirect, yet HUGE. With Smith in there, the run D can literally go into auto-pilot. This makes the opposing O more one-dimensional and predictable. A defensive players greatness is also measured by all the things that don't happen. Smith is one of those "things that don't happen because of him" guys.

Steelers lead the league in sacks without Smith for most of the season. Run defense has also not missed a beat without Smith.

The run defense does not go on auto pilot with or without one player. It takes a complete defensive effort to play run and pass defense effectively. I hate to state the obvious but that's because one player can't cover the entire field.

Look, Smith was a great player. At 34, his best days are behind him. He's only played in 11 games the last 2 seasons. Not going to get any better at that age. His days of consistently being an effective starter are over. He is probably nothing more then a role player at this point of his career.

I think the point is that running Smith's direction is virtually useless. Yes, autopilot as a whole is false. Autopilot to Smith's direction is true. When you can almost completely eliminate even one offensive option, the entire D's job just got much easier. It's an issue of improving the predictability of the offense. There's no stat for that. A guy can be the single most dominant factor without building even one stat.

What he said!

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Smith ... please heal up quick!

Hood was awesome today, and, at this point, is probably a better pass rusher than SMith

if there has been a blessing in disguise with the Aaron Smith injury it's that it has provided Ziggy Hood the opportuniy to develop and gain some much needed experience.

I agree, Ziggy was awesome today!

[flippy]

Re: Smith ... please heal up quick!

If we can get Aaron Smith in a rotation, that makes either Keisel or Hood better at getting after the QB on 3rd downs.