Ben and Offense in Trouble on Sunday?

[NorthCoast]

Philly is #1 in the NFL in defense for opponent passing % completion at just 52%. Considering passing is currently 80% of our offense, the Steelers may have a very tough time moving the football. Look for a field goal battle.

And before you say Mendenhall will cure all, I predict he will not get more than 10 carries in this game so he won't be able to carry the offense.

[stopplayn]

Ben habitually plays poorly vs a good defense. Has he turned the curve? We will see

[Ghost]

Dwyer has his first 100 yard game. We got this!

[Mister Pittsburgh]

We need to turn this into a shootout and go 5 wide (or 3 wide with heath and Rainey going out for routes) - no huddle from the first play till the last.

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers plan to attack Eagles’ nickel corner

by F. Dale Lolley
10/4/12

PITTSBURGH – The Steelers believe they might have a sweet matchup when they drop back to pass in Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Heinz Field.

No, not against three-time Pro Bowl corner Nnamdi Asomugha, Philadelphia’s top cornerback and long considered one of the best coverage men in the NFL.

Nor do they necessarily feel testing Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie, who has 16 career interceptions in 65 games – including three this season – is a great idea.

The Steelers (1-2) will be looking for a more advantageous matchup when they host the Eagles ( 3 1) Sunday, namely, whoever is matched up with Philadelphia’s third corner, rookie Brandon Boykin, a fourth-round pick out of Georgia.

“That’s the candy bar,” said Steelers Pro Bowl receiver Antonio Brown with a sly smile.

Snickers or Milky Way?

“Snickers,” he replied.

At 5-9 and 182 pounds, Boykin doesn’t offer the same physical matchup problems as Asomugha (6-2, 210) and Rodgers-Cromartie (6-2, 182), a pair of physical corners who like to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage.

That can disrupt the timing of an offense and allow the defensive line of the Eagles (3-1) more time to get to the quarterback.

But the Steelers feel like their passing game, which is averaging 284.3 yards per game, matches up with the Eagles well, particularly with Boykin.

Brown leads the Steelers with 18 receptions, while Mike Wallace, another Pro Bowl player, has 17. Tight end Heath Miller is off to the best start of his eight-year career with 15 receptions and four touchdowns in the first three games, while No. 3 receiver Emmanuel Sanders already has 10 catches as well.

“As long as we block stout, (passing) shouldn’t be an issue,” said left tackle Max Starks. “We have a great (core) of receivers that can all get open and make plays. Plus, you add Heath Miller in the middle, and you don’t really have enough guys who can cover. I think it’s going to be a great matchup for us. Outside of Asomugha and Cromartie-Rodgers, their nickel is a rookie. You have some guys who are inexperienced in there. Hopefully, we can get into some sets and be successful in those things.”

Thus far, it’s worked out OK for the Eagles, who rank seventh in the NFL in pass defense, allowing 206.8 yards per game – though that number was somewhat skewed by a 118-yard passing game by Cleveland rookie Brandon Weeden in Week 1, his first career start.

Since then, the Eagles have given up 232 yards and a touchdown to Baltimore’s Joe Flacco, 222 and two scores to Arizona’s Kevin Kolb and 309 yards and two touchdowns to the Giants’ Eli Manning.

The Steelers hope quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who is second in the NFL with a 109.2 passer rating, can be the difference, identifying who Boykin is matched up against and taking advantage of it.

“I know he’s a rookie. In these early games – that’s the only thing you can go by – and the film from the preseason, you can see his athletic ability,” said Steelers receiver Jerricho Cotchery of Boykin. “He’s getting some valuable experience on the inside right now. He has some great guys to learn from.”

The Steelers feel he still has a lot of learning to do.

“ He’s all right,” said Brown. “He’s given up a lot of plays. Whoever gets that guy definitely has to take advantage.”

Odds and end zones

Every active player on the Steelers’ roster participated in practice Wednesday, including offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert, who missed the previous three practices with a groin injury. ... The Steelers have won 26 of their past 32 games against NFC teams.

[URL]http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/...teelers-eagles[/URL]

[lloydroid]

I feel like we don't usually have a good go vs. Philly. I know we have one a few in recent years, but I also recall Ben getting slobber knockered in Philly a few years back, with Lefty having to come into the game. We also lost to them when they successfully did an on side kick in Pgh. I know we also creamed them in 2000 and ?

[virgilbosetti]

Screw these Phil-thy punks. Thy won 3 games by a cumulative total of 4pts........they're going down.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

I remember Johnny Unitas Vick killing us when he was with the Falcons. Maybe with Harrison back, early in the game we can turn Vapo-Rub upside his head like we did Vince Young, that's still legal, right?, just so he gets a little gun shy for the rest of the game.

[stopplayn]

We need to turn this into a shootout and go 5 wide (or 3 wide with heath and Rainey going out for routes) - no huddle from the first play till the last.

Glad you're not our coach and the defense is too

[Mister Pittsburgh]

Glad you're not our coach and the defense is too

Same defense that gave up 30+ in a loss to the Raiders? Get a clue and check last weekends full NFL scoreboard and count the games that the winner put up 30+. Welcome to today's NFL. The days of getting a 10 point lead and taking the air out of the ball are over.

[stopplayn]

I feel like we don't usually have a good go vs. Philly. I know we have one a few in recent years, but I also recall Ben getting slobber knockered in Philly a few years back, with Lefty having to come into the game. We also lost to them when they successfully did an on side kick in Pgh. I know we also creamed them in 2000 and ?

Yeah, that was in 08. Ben was sacked 9 times and knocked out of the game. Leftwich came in and we looked like a new team. He consistently beat Jimmy Johnsons blitz and he had to stop blitzing. If Nate doesnt drop that TD pass thrown by Leftwich we have a chance in that game. Another evidence that you dont need a good line, just a good MIND.
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk4L4P_Y0Bw[/url]

[stopplayn]

Same defense that gave up 30+ in a loss to the Raiders? Get a clue and check last weekends full NFL scoreboard and count the games that the winner put up 30+. Welcome to today's NFL. The days of getting a 10 point lead and taking the air out of the ball are over.

Same defense thats been in the top 5 more times than not in the last 10 YEARS. So based on ONE game, I need to get a clue? NO TEAM runs the no huddle all game.

YOU GET A CLUE

[virgilbosetti]

Yeah, that was in 08. Ben was sacked 9 times and knocked out of the game. Leftwich came in and we looked like a new team. He consistently beat Jimmy Johnsons blitz and he had to stop blitzing. If Nate doesnt drop that TD pass thrown by Leftwich we have a chance in that game. Another evidence that you dont need a good line, just a good MIND.
[URL]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk4L4P_Y0Bw[/URL]

Nate said later in an interview that leftwich's delivery threw him off. Abnormal rotation He said if it were from a real Qb.....TD.

[Slapstick]

Yeah, that was in 08. Ben was sacked 9 times and knocked out of the game. Leftwich came in and we looked like a new team. He consistently beat Jimmy Johnsons blitz and he had to stop blitzing. If Nate doesnt drop that TD pass thrown by Leftwich we have a chance in that game. Another evidence that you dont need a good line, just a good MIND.
[URL]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk4L4P_Y0Bw[/URL]

Except Ben wasn't sacked nine times in the game...

[stopplayn]

Nate said later in an interview that leftwich's delivery threw him off. Abnormal rotation He said if it were from a real Qb.....TD.

Please provide Link