Truth of the matter with WR in 2012

[lloydroid]

For those in denial about the TRUTH about our WRs - soak this in. This supports everything I had been saying about the WRs.

[url]http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1483763-5-ways-the-pittsburgh-steelers-can-help-ben-roethlisberger-get-better-in-2013/page/4[/url]

Pittsburgh's receiving corps experienced a huge letdown in 2012 as pending free agent Mike Wallace and emerging stars Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders all took a giant step backward during the season.

Wallace, who's protracted holdout alienated the fanbase, became a player with almost zero effort who dropped easy passes and big-play balls alike.

Brown, who signed a nice extension before the season, became drop-prone as well and made some serious mental errors down the stretch on punt returns and on offense that led to losses.

Sanders simply couldn't get on track, but emerged from the season as the most consistent of the team's receivers.

In 2013, the Steelers must help Ben Roethlisberger by coaching the mistakes out of Brown and Sanders, replacing Wallace with free agent Plaxico Burress, who needs a bigger role out of the slot and in the red zone, and once again, involving possession receiver Jerricho Cotchery in the system.

[Chadman]

Seeing as how Wallace is a 1 trick pony & easy to replace, the most concerning paragraph in that article is the 3rd one.

[NorthCoast]

and BTW, a nice little fact to think about. Every winning QB except one this weekend ended up with > 8 yds/pass att. We all witnessed what a big, strong WR can do to save/make a play. There were plenty of 'jump balls' thrown up yesterday in every game, that were caught only by sheer strength to the ball. Ben desperately needs one. He's got the TE but without a wideout to grab that jump ball

[lloydroid]

Seeing as how Wallace is a 1 trick pony & easy to replace, the most concerning paragraph in that article is the 3rd one.

I suspect that getting rid of Wallace with be addition through subtraction, and Brown will have his best season ever. When you have a buddy who has a bad team attitude, it tends to influence others in a negative way. Get rid of the crappy attitude Wallace and the unit will likely gain more positive attitudes.

[lloydroid]

and BTW, a nice little fact to think about. Every winning QB except one this weekend ended up with > 8 yds/pass att. We all witnessed what a big, strong WR can do to save/make a play. There were plenty of 'jump balls' thrown up yesterday in every game, that were caught only by sheer strength to the ball. Ben desperately needs one. He's got the TE but without a wideout to grab that jump ball

Our #1 WR didn't even __TRY__ to muscle for a ball, or even bother to catch it at its highest point. The WRs you reference did. But, wasn't that once the trait of Plex? Is he just too old to function in that manner these days?

[ikestops85]

Our #1 WR didn't even __TRY__ to muscle for a ball, or even bother to catch it at its highest point. The WRs you reference did. But, wasn't that once the trait of Plex? Is he just too old to function in that manner these days?

It's not only out muscling the defender for the ball, although that would be nice, but also forcing the pass interference. Burress, in his limited playing time, had 2 pass interference calls for us. One inside the 10 and the other in the endzone. He also provided that big body that Ben has been looking for since Burress left and that value showed with his TD catch in the last game.

I'm not sure how many plays Burress was on the field for this year but I would bet it was under 30 and he was responsible for 3 touchdowns. Not a bad ratio.

[SidSmythe]

IT's Simple:
-Resign Burress and draft a WR (or 2)....its the only realistic option we have at this point.

[phillyesq]

I suspect that getting rid of Wallace with be addition through subtraction, and Brown will have his best season ever. When you have a buddy who has a bad team attitude, it tends to influence others in a negative way. Get rid of the crappy attitude Wallace and the unit will likely gain more positive attitudes.

I hate to break it to you, but there is no world in which Plaxico Burress now is a better WR than Wallace.

Wallace had an awful year and will probably be overpaid, but his departure leaves the Steelers with a below average group of WRs and another hole that needs to be filled.

[bowldog]

get rid of Plax and let Wallace go and draft 2 wr in the draft because we also need help on Special teams which neither can do at this point.

[Mister Pittsburgh]

replacing Wallace with free agent Plaxico Burress, who needs a bigger role out of the slot and in the red zone

^^^^THIS

[phillyesq]

get rid of Plax and let Wallace go and draft 2 wr in the draft because we also need help on Special teams which neither can do at this point.

The special teams issue is a good point. Part of why Plaxico was signed in the offseason and was deactivated is because neither he nor Cotchery play special teams. Hard to keep too many WRs who don't.

[supersteeler]

Did anyone look at the Stats for Wallace prior to this year? He proved he can be very productive but this year he underperformed no doubt, but most players on that team underperformed thats why we are home.
Wallace is STILL the best receiver on the Steelers roster, even in his worst year he led all receivers in yards so I'm not going to trash the guy for one bad season.
We had a bad year so people are looking for scapegoats, you don't have to look too far plenty of goats on the steeler roster who had a bad year not just Wallace.
We didn't need a big receiver last year did we? and the year before? Thinking all of a sudden a big receiver will cure our ills isn't looking at the entire picture.

[Slapstick]

Did anyone look at the Stats for Wallace prior to this year? He proved he can be very productive but this year he underperformed no doubt, but most players on that team underperformed thats why we are home.
Wallace is STILL the best receiver on the Steelers roster, even in his worst year he led all receivers in yards so I'm not going to trash the guy for one bad season.
We had a bad year so people are looking for scapegoats, you don't have to look too far plenty of goats on the steeler roster who had a bad year not just Wallace.
We didn't need a big receiver last year did we? and the year before? Thinking all of a sudden a big receiver will cure our ills isn't looking at the entire picture.

Over his last 23 games, Wallace did not prove that he was worth a big contract...that is not hate, that is a simple observation...

We didn't need a big WR in 2011 because we ran a different offense in 2011...with Haley's offense, a big WR will be able to thrive...

[RuthlessBurgher]

I hate to break it to you, but there is no world in which Plaxico Burress now is a better WR than Wallace.

Wallace had an awful year and will probably be overpaid, but his departure leaves the Steelers with a below average group of WRs and another hole that needs to be filled.

Yeah, no kidding...Plaxico will turn THIRTY-SIX during training camp. He caught all of THREE PASSES this season (and only one catch in games that meant anything). Yeah...he's the answer. For those who lament Mike Wallace's attitude, do you forget that Plaxico's attitude was worse back when he was 26?

[Mister Pittsburgh]

Yeah, no kidding...Plaxico will turn THIRTY-SIX during training camp. He caught all of THREE PASSES this season (and only one catch in games that meant anything). Yeah...he's the answer. For those who lament Mike Wallace's attitude, do you forget that Plaxico's attitude was worse back when he was 26?

Plax will cost a fraction of what Wallace will cost. He still has good hands and creates matchup problems against smaller defenders. Is he a long term fix? Obviously not. But may make a nice WR for 2013.