Thoughts and Concerns

[SteelCrazy]

Ben played pretty bad today. He looked decent in the 1st Q and half of the 2nd Q, but after that he played poorly. He was not able to throw to a spot or hit anyone in stride. His bombs were way off and the occasional short to medium passes were either behind or over the wide-outs. BA called a horrible game but it probably wouldnt have mattered today. If your QB is off that badly you may as well just run the ball all day.

The defense played good until the 2nd half and then they let the Jags claw their way back in it. The Ryan Mundy roughing the punter penalty jump started the Jags. Then Troy leaves the game with a possible concussion. That really hurt because he was a one man wrecking crew today. Gabbert kind of reminds me of a young Ben. He did what he could to make me sweat this one out. Ziggy is looking like a star more and more and Heyward needs to get on the field more and more.

BA called a beautiful game last week and decided it was time to revert back to his old ways. How many bombs does he have to throw in a game? The running game was working well today and although he called running plays a lot he seemed to do it the wrong situations. He actually ran it more than he threw it, but like I said before, just in the wrong instances. This is the worst I have felt with a win in a long time.

Tomlin needs to get in the faces of the players and sling a little spit. Sometimes he irks me with his casual emotion. Hopefully next week is a lot better.

[Steelhere10]

Re: Thoughts and Concerns

I agree BA called a bad game BUT the players was wide open. It's up to our QB to hit those open wr but he didn't.

[winwithd]

Re: Thoughts and Concerns

Correct me if I am wrong but I dont think Redman played at all in the second half. Or did I just miss it. Didn't he run pretty well in the first quarter? That sort of irks me.

I too would have liked to have seen more short passes in the second half. The guys were definitely open on the long ones and Ben just missed them. I would have liked to seen some quick slants to Hines and bubble screens to Wallace or Brown (just a few though), something to mix it up.

At least we were able to hold a team off in the 4th without Troy. A couple years ago we couldn't seem to do that.

What a difference Keisel makes! Woodley has really flourished since Keisel's been back. And Keisel had a nice game too.

Didn't notice K Lewis at all? Did he play or was his guy just always covered?

I did notice Ike. He was beat a couple times and good throws would have burned him. Possibly his worst game (??), and against the Jags receivers (??). Maybe he just wasn't very motivated.

I noticed Farrior a lot and that was in a good way. Timmons did not impress me today.

Hines' drop in the endzone looked like a really tough catch to me, but I thought Ben missing AB right after that was totally inexcusable. There was no one between AB and the back corner of the endzone. That is about 25 yards of open turf to lob the ball into and Ben throws a dart. Other than underthrowing Wallace once I thought Ben was putting to much on his throws today, a lot of leading receivers too far.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Thoughts and Concerns

Post-Jaguars thoughts

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2011
posted by Dale Lolley

That was about as ugly a win as you'll see.

The Steelers jumped on the Jaguars early and then went into turtle mode, throwing the ball five times in the second half.

OK, they actually dropped back to pass eight times in the second half, but three resulted in sacks.

And yes, that was Max Starks giving up one to some dude named John Chick – couldn't make that one up – and allowing Chick to get by him to push Ben Roethlisberger into another one.

[url="http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/sidelines/"]http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/sidelines/[/url]

[DukieBoy]

Re: Thoughts and Concerns

Want to feel better about playing bad but winning? ... Watch the MN Vikings tonight playing at a level of terrible and losing worse.

[papillon]

Re: Thoughts and Concerns

Correct me if I am wrong but I dont think Redman played at all in the second half. Or did I just miss it. Didn't he run pretty well in the first quarter? That sort of irks me.

I too would have liked to have seen more short passes in the second half. The guys were definitely open on the long ones and Ben just missed them. I would have liked to seen some quick slants to Hines and bubble screens to Wallace or Brown (just a few though), something to mix it up.

At least we were able to hold a team off in the 4th without Troy. A couple years ago we couldn't seem to do that.

What a difference Keisel makes! Woodley has really flourished since Keisel's been back. And Keisel had a nice game too.

Didn't notice K Lewis at all? Did he play or was his guy just always covered?

I did notice Ike. He was beat a couple times and good throws would have burned him. Possibly his worst game (??), and against the Jags receivers (??). Maybe he just wasn't very motivated.

I noticed Farrior a lot and that was in a good way. Timmons did not impress me today.

Hines' drop in the endzone looked like a really tough catch to me, but I thought Ben missing AB right after that was totally inexcusable. There was no one between AB and the back corner of the endzone. That is about 25 yards of open turf to lob the ball into and Ben throws a dart. Other than underthrowing Wallace once I thought Ben was putting to much on his throws today, a lot of leading receivers too far.

Actually, it looked like he wasn't putting enough air under the ball to allow the receiver to make a play (at least to me this is how it appeared.). The throws all seemed a bit too low in trajectory and the one he threw on the complete wrong side of Wallace was high, but off target.

Pappy

[SteelCrazy]

Re: Thoughts and Concerns

Correct me if I am wrong but I dont think Redman played at all in the second half. Or did I just miss it. Didn't he run pretty well in the first quarter? That sort of irks me.

I too would have liked to have seen more short passes in the second half. The guys were definitely open on the long ones and Ben just missed them. I would have liked to seen some quick slants to Hines and bubble screens to Wallace or Brown (just a few though), something to mix it up.

At least we were able to hold a team off in the 4th without Troy. A couple years ago we couldn't seem to do that.

What a difference Keisel makes! Woodley has really flourished since Keisel's been back. And Keisel had a nice game too.

Didn't notice K Lewis at all? Did he play or was his guy just always covered?

I did notice Ike. He was beat a couple times and good throws would have burned him. Possibly his worst game (??), and against the Jags receivers (??). Maybe he just wasn't very motivated.

I noticed Farrior a lot and that was in a good way. Timmons did not impress me today.

Hines' drop in the endzone looked like a really tough catch to me, but I thought Ben missing AB right after that was totally inexcusable. There was no one between AB and the back corner of the endzone. That is about 25 yards of open turf to lob the ball into and Ben throws a dart. Other than underthrowing Wallace once I thought Ben was putting to much on his throws today, a lot of leading receivers too far.

Redman was MIA in the 2nd half, but Dwyer had 1 series in the 4th. Mendy rest of the time. Ben under threw receivers, over threw receivers and missed Brown I think, too far right on a bomb. Just stunk it up today. Very lucky we were playing a bad team.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Thoughts and Concerns

Shane Suisham concerns me...

what is he now, something like 8 out of 13 after missing badly again today? those stats have gotta rank Suisham near the bottom of all NFL kickers.

[winwithd]

Re: Thoughts and Concerns

Looked to me like Suisham was expected the wind to bring it back since it was headed left the whole way. Only problem was the flags were dead. Kicking into the open end of the stadium must have psyched him out.

Shortly after that kick I think they showed some windy conditions on the sidelines. I wonder if the one to Wallace that was high and to the right got caught in a wind gust. Maybe that is why Ben was throwing low trajectory passes.

Lack of Redman in the second half still irks me.

Three sacks in eight attempts in the second half. I wonder why it was so much worse than the first half.

[Sonny]

Re: Thoughts and Concerns

Not worried.

When is the last time we blew out Jacksonville?

From 95 to now, we are 10-11 against them. In a period of time where we have won more games than any other franchise, we have a losing record against an expansion team. That says something. This is even worse than with the Patriots because at least they have been great. The Jags sucked in 08 and it took a last second drive to win.

People say "Man, if we played an elite team today, we lose". How about maybe if we played an elite team, we also play better. We play up or down to our competition a lot.

Tom Brady is 1-6 against Denver. How good(bad) have they been since he has been in the league? Even the old Shannon Sharpe "We are killing the Patriots". Every team has at least one team that just has their number. We are lucky the Jags are bad, or we do lose this game, because when they are good, we simply don't beat them often.

[Starlifter]

Re: Thoughts and Concerns

I didn't think BA called a bad game today. The long throws didn't bother me and on every one, Ben had an open receiver. I've always thought the bomb was the weakest part of Ben's game and it WAS pretty gusty down on the field. perhaps that was a factor. About the only decision I objected to was to try to block that punt. I thought we were going to get the ball in good field position regardless and the risk wasn't worth the reward. as far as not blowing out the jags - they can play defense and they have a great RB. That's a formula for wins in the NFL - we've been proving that for years. That the game tightened up wasn't too much of a surprise - I'm just glad we hung on. jags always seem to play us close.

these next 3 games will most likely determine the season. win 3 - guaranteed playoffs. win 2, drivers seat for sure. win 1 and we'll need help. lose all 3 and say goodbye to the division and most likely a wildcard spot.

based on how erratic they've been so far - i got no predictions in me right now.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Thoughts and Concerns

Steelers hang on to beat Jaguars

SUNDAY, 16 OCTOBER 2011 WRITTEN BY BOB SMIZIK


The Steelers leaped out early against the Jacksonville Jaguars -- 17 points before the game was 20 minutes old -- and then lapsed into what might best be described as a Pitt Pantheresque offense and hung on for dear life this afternoon against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

A win is a win is a win, but this one -- after early brilliance -- was disappointing for the Steelers.

Sure, the defense was relentless in this 17-13 victory at Heinz Field, but it was playing against a rookie quarterback.

The Steelers managed only 55 yards of total offense in the second half after racking 315 in the first half. After throwing for 181 yards in the first half and seemingly on his way to a second straight outstanding game, Ben Roethlisberger threw for only 19 yards in the second half. And that yardage came on the third play of the half on a pass to Hines Ward.

After missing last week's game with injury, Rashard Mendenhall came out and played like a man who was worried about his job in the first half. He ran for 113 yards on 12 carries, including one run of 68 yards and another of 8 for a touchdown. Like the rest of the offense, he was slowed in the second half, gaining 33 yards on 11 carries.

Isaac Redman, who started last week in place of Mendenhall, carried four times for 22 yards in the first half. He had no carries in the second half.

To compound the problems of the Steelers, who play at Arizona next week, Troy Polamalu sat out the latter stages of the game with what could be a concussion.

Concerning Polamalu, coach Mike Tomlin said in his post-game news conference, ``We erred on the side of caution there. We'll evaluate him to see where he is."

Additionally, according to NFL.com the Steelers lost right guard Doug Legursky, (dislocated toe), safety Ryan Clark (shoulder) and nose tackle Chris Hoke (stinger) during the game. The extent of those injuries is not known.

[url="http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/sports/bob-smiziks-blog/30441-steelers-hang-on-to-beat-jaguars"]http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazet ... at-jaguars[/url]

[SteelCrazy]

Re: Thoughts and Concerns

I didn't think BA called a bad game today. The long throws didn't bother me and on every one, Ben had an open receiver. I've always thought the bomb was the weakest part of Ben's game and it WAS pretty gusty down on the field. perhaps that was a factor. About the only decision I objected to was to try to block that punt. I thought we were going to get the ball in good field position regardless and the risk wasn't worth the reward. as far as not blowing out the jags - they can play defense and they have a great RB. That's a formula for wins in the NFL - we've been proving that for years. That the game tightened up wasn't too much of a surprise - I'm just glad we hung on. jags always seem to play us close.

these next 3 games will most likely determine the season. win 3 - guaranteed playoffs. win 2, drivers seat for sure. win 1 and we'll need help. lose all 3 and say goodbye to the division and most likely a wildcard spot.

based on how erratic they've been so far - i got no predictions in me right now.

You do have a point on the open receivers that Ben missed and if he connected it would have made BA look better, but he still seemed to be calling plays at will with no thought going into it.

[Steelers>NFL]

Re: Thoughts and Concerns

If the air was gusty as some people mentioned, why are we throwing the long ball?
Oh, because of BA that's why.

[AngryAsian]

Re: Thoughts and Concerns

If the air was gusty as some people mentioned, why are we throwing the long ball?
Oh, because of BA that's why.

Your logic is too much to ingest this early in the morning....