Ward v Brown

[flippy]

Re: Ward v Brown

Bottom line, Wallace, Brown, and Ward should be on the field for the majority of plays.

11 personnel with Mendenhall, Heath, and the 3 WR's you mentioned above is the ideal package of weaponry for Ben's arsenal the vast majority of the time. Sure, when we get down near the goalline we might opt for the Jumbo Bronko package, and if it 3rd and forever, we may prefer to go 5-wide, but I really like what the Wallace-Ward-Brown 3 WR set gives us. Speed-Hands-Moves. A little bit of everything.

In the post-game show after the Falcons game, Tunch compared Antonio Brown's game to that of Louis Lipps. Love it. When they touch the ball, they make something happen.

Maybe we should call him Little Louis

[Steelerphile]

Re: Ward v Brown

Brown is the best conditioned player in camp and by far the most productive offensive player during the preseason. I don't see how that can be forgotten when the season starts. Both Roethlisberger and Leftwich were looking for him because they knew he would make a play.

I also don't see him as being in a circumscribed role as only a deep ball threat. I think he can do the end-around, the swing pass, the hook and anything deeper as well.

Wallace can kiss 2,000 yards goodbye because the Steelers have Brown and too many other weapons. Brown could have a fast rise up the charts this season.

[Shawn]

Re: Ward v Brown

Welcome...good to have you at the Planet. I think the thing to keep in mind here is this was one preseason game. Few can doubt Brown's talent, but personally I want to know he can fight for first downs...catch the tough ones to move the chains...and show up game after game. He certainly has more upside than Ward. But, Ward finds ways to be competitive...and to keep chains moving.

I think another question in my mind is who can take Wards place? We have a bunch of homerun hitters. Cotch was a great aquisition because he was made in the mold of Ward.

I think the thing that gets everyone so excited is this huge game had a catch and run, a jump ball he beat two people to get, and then combined with the return ability...on top of the 2 big catches down the stretch last year. The helmet catch was the homerun ball, the 3rd and 6 catch was the chain mover. He has flashed a little bit of everything, and that is what is so exciting.

Oh I agree. I'm diggin' Brown. But, Brown and Wallace are similar types of players. Both are homerun hitters. They don't complement each other well...IMO. I am a firm believer that in every WR duo you need one deep threat and another guy who can move chains. I would be more inclined to start Wallace and Cotch than Wallace and Brown.

With that said, I would find ways to get Brown on the field...and get him the ball often.

[flippy]

Re: Ward v Brown

Welcome...good to have you at the Planet. I think the thing to keep in mind here is this was one preseason game. Few can doubt Brown's talent, but personally I want to know he can fight for first downs...catch the tough ones to move the chains...and show up game after game. He certainly has more upside than Ward. But, Ward finds ways to be competitive...and to keep chains moving.

I think another question in my mind is who can take Wards place? We have a bunch of homerun hitters. Cotch was a great aquisition because he was made in the mold of Ward.

I think the thing that gets everyone so excited is this huge game had a catch and run, a jump ball he beat two people to get, and then combined with the return ability...on top of the 2 big catches down the stretch last year. The helmet catch was the homerun ball, the 3rd and 6 catch was the chain mover. He has flashed a little bit of everything, and that is what is so exciting.

Oh I agree. I'm diggin' Brown. But, Brown and Wallace are similar types of players. Both are homerun hitters. They don't complement each other well...IMO. I am a firm believer that in every WR duo you need one deep threat and another guy who can move chains. I would be more inclined to start Wallace and Cotch than Wallace and Brown.

With that said, I would find ways to get Brown on the field...and get him the ball often.

Brown and Wallace compliment this offense. They'll drag 2 safeties out of the box and should open up the middle of the field for ward/miller and open up the running game and not allow opposing Ds to send so many after Big Ben. I'd use em both.

[buckeyehoppy]

Re: Ward v Brown

Oh I agree. I'm diggin' Brown. But, Brown and Wallace are similar types of players. Both are homerun hitters. They don't complement each other well...IMO. I am a firm believer that in every WR duo you need one deep threat and another guy who can move chains. I would be more inclined to start Wallace and Cotch than Wallace and Brown.

With that said, I would find ways to get Brown on the field...and get him the ball often.

Shawn, I think he gets his touches, for sure. But I'll buy the notion that Browny needs to be the #3 WR in our O. In the instances where you have 2 wide sets, I think Wally and Cotch is exactly what you'll see out there.

[fordfixer]

Re: Ward v Brown

Steelers invest in flashy receivers
By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
[url="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_754088.html"]http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... 54088.html[/url]

One hasn't suited up for any of the Steelers' preseason games. Another has played in all of them but has barely registered a blip -- at least in the box scores.

The third member of the Steelers' "Money" receiving trio, meanwhile, has snagged the spotlight as easily as he has touchdown passes over the past month.

Not to worry, Emmanuel Sanders and Mike Wallace said Monday. They plan on joining Antonio Brown soon enough.

Sanders practiced yesterday, and he is on track to play in the Steelers' final preseason game Thursday night at Carolina.

Sanders, also known as "Young Money," has been sidelined or limited since the early part of training camp with a stress fracture in his left foot -- one that has been slow to heal.

Brown, Sanders' draft classmate and close friend, has emerged as the frontrunner for the No. 3 wide receiver spot behind Hines Ward and Wallace.

"I'm happy for my guy," Sanders said. "I'm in competition with myself and that's not showing up on the mental error sheet, catching every ball and making plays."

When asked if the gaggle of plays Brown has made has raised the bar for him, Sanders smiled.

"The bar has already been set by Mike Wallace," Sanders said. "He had a Pro Bowl year and that is the bar, Pro Bowls and Super Bowls around here."

Wallace, aka "Fast Money," indeed had a Pro Bowl-caliber season in 2010, ranking second in the NFL in yards per catch (21.0) while hauling in 1,257 yards worth of passes -- seventh most on the Steelers' all-time single-season list.

He has said numerous times that his goal is to eclipse 2,000 receiving yards in 2011, which would represent a first in NFL history.
Money matters
Part of the Steelers' self-proclaimed "Money" group, Mike Wallace had a breakout season in 2010 while Emmanuel Sanders had a solid one as a rookie.
G Rec. Yards Avg. Long TD
Wallace 16 60 1,257 21.0 56(tied) 10
Sanders 13 28 376 13.4 35 2

But that has been the most noise Wallace has made since late July.

He has caught just two passes for 9 yards during the preseason, and his most memorable play has been a near-miss on a Ben Roethlisberger deep ball in an Aug. 12 game at Washington.

The lack of production can be attributed to a number of things, from decreased playing time for starters to the reality that the games don't count.

"I haven't made too many plays this preseason but I've been assignment-sound and I've been everywhere I need to be, so those things count, too," Wallace said. "I feel like when the regular season comes I'll get my plays, too, and I'm going to make the most of them when I get the ball."

Brown has made the most of the opportunities Sanders' injury and his relatively low profile have afforded him. The play of Brown -- his nickname is "All About Money" -- and the signing of Jerricho Cotchery have raised questions as to whether there will be enough balls to go around once the regular season starts.

That is especially true because the Steelers have a workhorse running back (Rashard Mendenhall), an underrated tight end (Heath Miller) and a desire to run the ball as much as they throw it.

"There's plenty of food out there on the table," Sanders said. "We've just all got to stay humble play within ourselves. It's going to be a track meet, how things are looking."

Read more: Steelers invest in flashy receivers - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review [url="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_754088.html#ixzz1WUN2YuYg"]http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... z1WUN2YuYg[/url]

[NottinghamForest_UK]

Re: Ward v Brown

Thanks for the welcome guys, appreciated!

Surely having two deep threats has advantages too though? Surely it opens up the field for Heath & Mendy?? Keeps the opposition guessing?! Which ever way you look at it, exciting times offensively this season!

[Captain Lemming]

Re: Ward v Brown

Ward is my first starter out of ALL the receivers, including Wallace because he is the best BLOCKING receiver in history.

First down is the down when you are most likely to run, so I want Ward in there to start the game.

[Shoe]

Re: Ward v Brown

A close friend's brother used to coach at Central Michigan and he said every time Brown touched the ball he would do something amazing. Thing's haven't changed since he made the leap to the NFL.

I don't think I can remember a guy making this many splash plays at WR, KR in such a short amount of time.

I stop short of anointing him though, because the last time I was this impressed with someone based on preseason was Stefan Logan. Which is not to say AB is Logan, because I don't think he is. I came on this thread to tell everyone that #86 is my favorite all-time Steeeler, and I can envision AB overtaking him this year... I'm that impressed with the kid. But we'll see.

Though, I think one thing we can say--that pipe dream Wallace had of having a 2,000 yard season went from <1% to zero.