TOP will kill opponents

[BigRob]

One thing I really like is the Time of Posession that we are seeing through two games. I know our running has not been effective at the beginning of games, but we are still continuing to pound the rb's.

If we continue this along with Ben's stellar 3rd down play, we will see defenses gassed at the end of games while our D will be fresh.

Roethlisberger on 3rd downs this year: 19-25, 251 yds, 3 TD

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

Great post, BigRob!

I don't know if anyone can possibly know this but some Steeler computer dude, but I wonder what the breakdown of runs/ypc, passes/ypa were in that amazing 10 minute period of time in yesterday's 4th qrtr.

I guess what I'm REALLY wondering is: did we control the ball on the ground like when Bettis was around, or was it two plays of 2 yards each and then a Ben the Savior play every 3rd down?

[Lonbull]

Great post, BigRob!

I don't know if anyone can possibly know this but some Steeler computer dude, but I wonder what the breakdown of runs/ypc, passes/ypa were in that amazing 10 minute period of time in yesterday's 4th qrtr.

I guess what I'm REALLY wondering is: did we control the ball on the ground like when Bettis was around, or was it two plays of 2 yards each and then a Ben the Savior play every 3rd down?

10 min drive -

8 - Rushing Attempts, 31 yards gained - 3.8 avg.
5 - Passing Completions, 47 yards gained - 9.4 avg.

1st-10, PIT25 13:47 I. Redman rushed up the middle for 3 yard gain
2nd-7, PIT28 13:04 B. Roethlisberger passed to M. Wallace to the right for 6 yard gain
3rd-1, PIT34 12:23 I. Redman rushed to the left for 10 yard gain

1st-10, PIT44 11:38 I. Redman rushed up the middle for 2 yard loss
2nd-12, PIT42 10:54 B. Roethlisberger passed to H. Miller to the left for 8 yard gain
3rd-4, 50 10:10 NY Jets committed 5 yard penalty

1st-10, NYJ45 9:39 B. Roethlisberger sacked by G. McIntyre
2nd-13, NYJ48 8:58 Pittsburgh committed 5 yard penalty
2nd-18, PIT47 8:35 B. Roethlisberger passed to I. Redman to the left for 14 yard gain
3rd-4, NYJ39 7:48 B. Roethlisberger passed to A. Brown to the right for 9 yard gain

1st-10, NYJ30 7:08 I. Redman rushed to the left for 6 yard gain
2nd-4, NYJ24 6:27 I. Redman rushed to the right for 1 yard gain
3rd-3, NYJ23 5:43 B. Roethlisberger passed to H. Miller to the right for 10 yard gain

1st-10, NYJ13 5:08 J. Dwyer rushed to the left for 4 yard gain
2nd-6, NYJ9 4:29 J. Dwyer rushed to the right for 7 yard gain

1st-2, NYJ2 3:34 I. Redman rushed to the right for 2 yard touchdown. S. Suisham made PAT

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

10 min drive -

8 - Rushing Attempts, 31 yards gained - 3.8 avg.
5 - Passing Completions, 47 yards gained - 9.4 avg.

1st-10, PIT25 13:47 I. Redman rushed up the middle for 3 yard gain
2nd-7, PIT28 13:04 B. Roethlisberger passed to M. Wallace to the right for 6 yard gain
3rd-1, PIT34 12:23 I. Redman rushed to the left for 10 yard gain

1st-10, PIT44 11:38 I. Redman rushed up the middle for 2 yard loss
2nd-12, PIT42 10:54 B. Roethlisberger passed to H. Miller to the left for 8 yard gain
3rd-4, 50 10:10 NY Jets committed 5 yard penalty

1st-10, NYJ45 9:39 B. Roethlisberger sacked by G. McIntyre
2nd-13, NYJ48 8:58 Pittsburgh committed 5 yard penalty
2nd-18, PIT47 8:35 B. Roethlisberger passed to I. Redman to the left for 14 yard gain
3rd-4, NYJ39 7:48 B. Roethlisberger passed to A. Brown to the right for 9 yard gain

1st-10, NYJ30 7:08 I. Redman rushed to the left for 6 yard gain
2nd-4, NYJ24 6:27 I. Redman rushed to the right for 1 yard gain
3rd-3, NYJ23 5:43 B. Roethlisberger passed to H. Miller to the right for 10 yard gain

1st-10, NYJ13 5:08 J. Dwyer rushed to the left for 4 yard gain
2nd-6, NYJ9 4:29 J. Dwyer rushed to the right for 7 yard gain

1st-2, NYJ2 3:34 I. Redman rushed to the right for 2 yard touchdown. S. Suisham made PAT

Lonbull: I have one thing to say - !

So two first downs by running, 2 by passing, 1 by penalty, and 1 was actually a rushing TD.
3.8 yd ypc - not stellar, but enough to move the chains.

That's how we win ball games!!

[NorthCoast]

Lonbull: I have one thing to say - !

So two first downs by running, 2 by passing, 1 by penalty, and 1 was actually a rushing TD.
3.8 yd ypc - not stellar, but enough to move the chains.

That's how we win ball games!!

hmmm. let's see. in my book 3.8 x 3 downs = 11 yds per set, give or take. seems like more than enough to move the chains. and yes, I am yanking yours...

[steelz09]

hmmm. let's see. in my book 3.8 x 3 downs = 11 yds per set, give or take. seems like more than enough to move the chains. and yes, I am yanking yours...

That drive was impressive. 3.8 YPC is pretty good actually. Our average YPC throughout the game was 2.4.... that needs to improve.

[skyhawk]

What's the percentage in the red zone so far? TOP is nice and keeps the other O off the field, but if they can't score TDs and also have a hard time forcing turnovers the TOP doesn't matter on the score board one bit.

[Mister Pittsburgh]

Yeah, TOP really killed Denver when we had the ball the entire 3rd quarter, but kicked FG's....they had it around 40 seconds and won the quarter 7-3. And to top it off, their D was on the field the entire 3rd quarter but had no problem dominating us when it mattered in the 4th to seal the win.

Time of possession is worthless. Points on the scoreboard is all that matters.

[Slapstick]

Yeah, TOP really killed Denver when we had the ball the entire 3rd quarter, but kicked FG's....they had it around 40 seconds and won the quarter 7-3. And to top it off, their D was on the field the entire 3rd quarter but had no problem dominating us when it mattered in the 4th to seal the win.

Time of possession is worthless. Points on the scoreboard is all that matters.

Time of possession is only worthless if you don't score TDs...

If you have good ToP, you can score only 27 points yet still win the game by three scores...

[BigRob]

Time of possession is only worthless if you don't score TDs...

If you have good ToP, you can score only 27 points yet still win the game by three scores...

Only 27 points? If we can score 27 points a game this year with TOP on our side we will likely be 13-3 or 14-2.

[Slapstick]

Only 27 points? If we can score 27 points a game this year with TOP on our side we will likely be 13-3 or 14-2.

Exactly my point...

A team doesn't need to score 500 points and lead the league in scoring if they are just efficient in the Red Zone and control ToP...