OK, Shifting Gears: Moving forward, what can we do this year. For the next game even?

[birtikidis]

Howling doesn't dance... and Batch was horrible.

Howling is out for the year. He never had a chance to learn.

[feltdizz]

Howling is out for the year. He never had a chance to learn.

WTF... 3 season ending injuries.

[Moonie]

Re-sign Dwyer for sure now. Every time Redman had zero, Dwyer would have had two. Every time Redman had two (did that ever happen?), Dwyer would have four.

Unless Redman truly is as good a third down blocker as people say, he should be cut. If he's kept on the team, he should certainly never touch the ball again, unless he's recovering someone else's fumble.

[winwithd]

Howling doesn't dance... and Batch was horrible. I agree about Dalton, he doesn't move well like Locker.

I didnt mean to say that Howling was a dancer. I was referring to Redman. I thought Howling ran better than Redman because he was running more N-S than Redman. But I said replace Howling because Howling is injured and I presume done for the year. I didnt think Batch sucked as much as he didnt have some of the huge holes of which Dwyer was the beneficiary for most of the big plays he made in the preseason. And Dwyer is a dancer too. And a fumbler.

[birtikidis]

Honestly, Dwyer and Redman are BOTH situational guys. Neither should be feature backs. They could be good together.
I wonder why they never looked at Dwyer as the Fullback and Redman as a tailback. Maybe Dwyer just isn't a good blocker... I woulda liked to see it though. He'd had to of been better at FB than David Johnson...

[NorthCoast]

Re-sign Dwyer for sure now. Every time Redman had zero, Dwyer would have had two. Every time Redman had two (did that ever happen?), Dwyer would have four.

Unless Redman truly is as good a third down blocker as people say, he should be cut. If he's kept on the team, he should certainly never touch the ball again, unless he's recovering someone else's fumble.

What can you expect from a guy that was hardly asked to carry a football all preseason long. Put the fumbles on Tomlin and his very odd choice to give Dwyer all the preseason reps, then promptly cutting him.

[winwithd]

Honestly, Dwyer and Redman are BOTH situational guys. Neither should be feature backs. They could be good together.
I wonder why they never looked at Dwyer as the Fullback and Redman as a tailback. Maybe Dwyer just isn't a good blocker... I woulda liked to see it though. He'd had to of been better at FB than David Johnson...

Speaking of FBs, I wonder how much of a difference Will Johnson would have made if he'd have been healthy and playing more. With him, and eventually Heath and Spaeth returning, Ben has some more help coming.

Wasnt it two years ago that we lost to the Ravens in the opener and looked bad, only to make the playoffs at 12-4 and lose in the playoffs partly due to a ton of injuries and a bad game plan. I really think we will be fine by the end of the year. As we've seen before, all you have to do is get into the playoffs and anything can happen. Even as the 6th seed.

[hawaiiansteel]

Mike Garafolo @MikeGarafolo:

Steelers K Shaun Suisham's hamstring injury could keep him out a few weeks. Veteran Shayne Graham a possibility to replace him.

[URL]https://twitter.com/MikeGarafolo[/URL]

[lord_of_six_rings]

San A, I don't know how you could honestly watch that game and not see McClendon playing better than Casey the last 3 yrs?

Wow, three hurries and in the backfield multiple times, stringing out titans sweeps / runs outside the tackle.

I mean for the past 3 seasons, only if Hampton got pissed at a chop block or a personal foul got called - then, casey would make a big time play(usually right after the call/ play). How could he just turn it on, click, just like that? Seems to me he "stored" alot of effort, for whenever.

[SteelBucks]

IMO, Heath is the key. He offers protection for Ben as a blocker and as a receiver. Bell running the rock wouldn't hurt either.

[birtikidis]

I thought Mclendon did fine. He didn't occupy as many blockers as Hampton did in his prime, but he got some pressure. But don't be surprised if you see teams running right at him.

[flippy]

San A, I don't know how you could honestly watch that game and not see McClendon playing better than Casey the last 3 yrs?

Wow, three hurries and in the backfield multiple times, stringing out titans sweeps / runs outside the tackle.

I mean for the past 3 seasons, only if Hampton got pissed at a chop block or a personal foul got called - then, casey would make a big time play(usually right after the call/ play). How could he just turn it on, click, just like that? Seems to me he "stored" alot of effort, for whenever.

I noticed on some blitzes, the Titans were double teaming the outside pass rusher. That tells me, they didn't really respect our Dlinemen all that much often blocking them with one guy.

[Chadman]

Given that the Steelers couldn't stretch the field at all, it would seem that the use of the faster, shiftier Felix Jones would make sense, if only to spread the defense out & give the Steelers some sort of home-run, big play threat. Ditto that for Markus Wheaton.

Who knows what to do with the OL? By now, with 4 high round draft picks used & no visable improvement, who knows the answer?

It looks a bit ugly. Until the Steelers can give the Defense something to fear, Ben will be in trouble from the snap..

[birtikidis]

I noticed on some blitzes, the Titans were double teaming the outside pass rusher. That tells me, they didn't really respect our Dlinemen all that much often blocking them with one guy.

nope they were letting Mclendon pick a side and then running him out of plays. that's the downside to a 1 gap nose tackle.

[papillon]

The first thing that has to happen is that Tomlin, Haley and Lebeau need to swallow their pride and put the best players on the field and acknowledge that some personnel mistakes have been made by who plays in the game. The offensive line is such a disaster right now that I'd bench Gilbert and DeCastro those two were ridiculously bad. It wouldn't be permanent, but it should send them a message that the Titans game is unacceptable and if Gilbert can't play any better they should just cut his sorry @ss. Dwyer should get the bulk of the work in the backfield (should have never been released to begin with) and be the workhorse, I'd cut Redmon immediately.

Cotchery has earned the #2 spot IMO and Sanders would be the #3; if Brown doesn't get with the program Wheaton would get a shot at being the top dog.

I have no idea what to do with the position that is called "tight end", that was a disaster as well. Beachum may be the best tight end they have, if he can catch anything.

Jarvis Jones should start and never come off the field unless, Decastro cut blocks him as he's making a tackle near the sideline and shreds his knee. Worilds is a backup and should remain there. Foote is done for the year; if you can find a 3-4 ILB with experience bring him in and give him a look, otherwise hand the job to a young guy and let him do his thing.

Through all this the Cortez Allen injury hasn't even been mentioned. I guess Gay becomes the defacto #2 corner. Are the Steelers really down to Antwon Blake as the nickle?

I say this partially in jest, but also partially as reality, if I were Tomlin and I see that the offensive line is in no way capable of protecting Ben for more than 2.5 seconds, I would sit him and throw Gradkowski to the wolves and when he got hurt, it would Jones' turn. Based on the Titans game, Ben isn't making it to the bye week, unless, something changes drastically.

This roster is in disarray as far as I'm concerned and personnel decisions were made with emotion rather than logic and football acumen.

The three coaches manning up is the first step to correct the current situation.

Pappy