How Do We Win Next Week?

[flippy]

Next man up, that's how.

The standard is the standard.

And remember, we have the #1 D. We're gonna take it to the Ravens with our ground game and wear them down. And the Ravens only snuck by the Chiefs 9-6 earlier this year.

Wind em up Lefty!!!!!!!!

[Notleadpoisoned]

I just don't see Leftwich as much of "dink and dunk" QB so I say run the football first and foremost and chuck it deep to Wallace if and when the run game bogs down.

[phillyesq]

The Ravens run D is something like 28th in the league, but I suspect they'll put up a strong fight against the Steelers. I think you pound them with the run and maybe look to incorporate a gadget play or two for a spark.

The early success the Chiefs had with the run worries me a bit more. The Steelers will need to find a way to contain Ray Rice.

[papillon]

We're all going to say that rushing the football and playing defense is the way to win this game. My question is the following, how committed to the run game would you see as acceptable?

Would you be fine with the first series being 3 runs regardless of down and distance for the Steelers to put the Ravens on notice that they are going to run the ball, regardless.
Or, urn the offense as if Ben was playing, but with a more limited playbook due to lack of reps. during the season so far.
Or, alter nothing and play as if Ben is in the game

Pappy

[Starlifter]

lefty has a better long ball than ben. i think we run, screen, trap and draw and at the right moment hit wallace deep.

[SidSmythe]

We've beat better Raven teams with Charlie Batch ... I think if we give LEFTY a lot of reps this week his game should improve.
Our only hope is to run the ball and set up play action.

Flacco can get hot so our DEFENSE must step it up and get pressure and not get killed by their TE's

[flippy]

I think we adjust to Lefty's game. More runs to set up PA. And take more shots downfield. I think the old BA offense is a little better suited for Lefty's skill set.

I see Batch as the one more capable of fitting into what we've been doing with Ben this season.

[NW Steeler]

I sure hope that after a full week of starters reps that Lefty looks better than he did last night. Losing Ben was the ONE thing we couldn't have happen. Ugh.

[Eich]

With no Ben and no Brown, I would have to think that the Ravens will stack the line to stop the run and pressure Lefty to make a mistake on 3rd and long.

Prior to the KC game, I think our run was benefiting from the threat of the pass as much as it was from our line doing a good job of blocking. Now, we'll get to see how good the run game is without a real threat in the passing game.

[phillyesq]

We're all going to say that rushing the football and playing defense is the way to win this game. My question is the following, how committed to the run game would you see as acceptable?

Would you be fine with the first series being 3 runs regardless of down and distance for the Steelers to put the Ravens on notice that they are going to run the ball, regardless.
Or, urn the offense as if Ben was playing, but with a more limited playbook due to lack of reps. during the season so far.
Or, alter nothing and play as if Ben is in the game

Pappy

I wouldn't run regardless of down and distance, but would tilt the mix a bit more heavily to runs and the base personnel. I would probably pass on the first play of the game knowing that the Ravens would be expected a run heavy offense.

Also some max protect type plays off play action to try to get Wallace deep.

[winwithd]

The Ravens run D is something like 28th in the league, but I suspect they'll put up a strong fight against the Steelers.

I think this is in part due to Ngata not being healthy. I saw that they held him out last game so I would suspect with a better Ngata their run D wont be as pathetic.

[SteelCrazy]

We need to trade for Tebow. We also need to run a lot and throw deep whenever we decide to throw.

[virgilbosetti]

Lefty is no Ben but if he can't handle the crux of the steeler offensive biscuit then he shouldn't be there. Doesn't need to do it all but should be able to handle the basics of Haley's O.

[DukieBoy]

lefty has a better long ball than ben. i think we run, screen, trap and draw and at the right moment hit wallace deep.

Lefty throws a screen with that long windup and somebody's gonna get hurt.

[NorthCoast]

I think we adjust to Lefty's game. More runs to set up PA. And take more shots downfield. I think the old BA offense is a little better suited for Lefty's skill set.

I see Batch as the one more capable of fitting into what we've been doing with Ben this season.

Add me to that camp. Batch is all about quick decisions, short passes. Leftwich's windup is almost painful to watch. Against very fast DBs he will be picked. However, if they decide to go long ball as the strategy, Leftwich is the man for the job. just needs to improve on timing and speed of WRs.