Finally Hayward to start..

[Chadman]

Trade Hood for whatever they can get for him now, rotate Fangupo into the DL & have McLendon play some DE.

If Hood is demoted at this point, you have to assume he's done in Pittsburgh.

Heyward has looked much better in limited opportunities.

[SidSmythe]

Only took Tomlin 20 games to realize this...

I seriously question Tomlin's evaluation of talent

[pittpete]

Trade Hood?
I'd trade him for a bag of jacks at this point.

[Shoe]

..and this is why I feel like we won't go LT in round 1. Seems like we are making all the wrong decisions when it comes to the obvious. I know they are the "experts" but look where we are sitting right now due to some of their expertise?

Our punter
Guy Wimper
Starks
OL coach
letting Lewis walk...

more than a few head scratching moves these last few years.

We have serious salary cap issues, and Cortez Allen has been deemed a future star by many on this forum (under the Lake Effect). We can't keep everybody. And please... PLEASE... stop with the Max Starks nonsense. He was so bad, that he couldn't make scrub teams like SD and STL. He's toast.

As for Heyward, my honest opinion is that he'll be a marginal upgrade at best. But I really like the move, because it signals a level of accountability that has not been there this whole time. Hood hasn't just started not producing. He's been a nobody for years. But rather than hold him accountable, we let him linger as a "starting DE" in this defense. He should've been gone a long time ago, if we are to be honest.

Go get'em Cam.

[DukieBoy]

I seriously question Tomlin's evaluation of talent

Taking Worilds over Lee proves that, to me.

[feltdizz]

We have serious salary cap issues, and Cortez Allen has been deemed a future star by many on this forum (under the Lake Effect). We can't keep everybody. And please... PLEASE... stop with the Max Starks nonsense. He was so bad, that he couldn't make scrub teams like SD and STL. He's toast.

As for Heyward, my honest opinion is that he'll be a marginal upgrade at best. But I really like the move, because it signals a level of accountability that has not been there this whole time. Hood hasn't just started not producing. He's been a nobody for years. But rather than hold him accountable, we let him linger as a "starting DE" in this defense. He should've been gone a long time ago, if we are to be honest.

Go get'em Cam.

I agree on Starks this year but it seemed like we wanted nothing to do with him for the last few years even though he was our best option.

[Shawn]

I didnt want Wallace at that price but Wheaton should be on the field... Moyer should be on the field more often and Jarvis should have started on day 1.

I agree on all points. I feel like I'm in the twilight zone.

[feltdizz]

I agree on all points. I feel like I'm in the twilight zone.

no.. you are just coming to your senses.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I didnt want Wallace at that price but Wheaton should be on the field... Moyer should be on the field more often and Jarvis should have started on day 1.

Wheaton won't be seeing the field this week...he had surgery to repair a broken finger over the bye week.

[hawaiiansteel]

Heyward taking business as usual approach

Teresa Varley
Steelers.com

Defensive end Cam Heyward is ready for his new starting role.

Cam Heyward will make his second start of the season on Sunday against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium, but this time it will be a little different for the third year defensive end.

Heyward, a former number one draft pick, started against the Chicago Bears on Sept. 22 at Heinz Field when the defense opened the game in the nickel package. But this Sunday he will make what could be the first of many starts in the base defense after Coach Mike Tomlin named him the starting left defensive end over Ziggy Hood.

While Heyward’s new role has been the buzz the last few days, he was pretty quiet about it, not boosting or bragging but taking a business as usual approach.

“I am going to get ready like any other game,” said Heyward. “It’s not going to change how I prepare. I guess I am excited. I am honored I get to start, but it doesn’t mean anything.

“The main goal is to get the win. I still expect Ziggy to be ready to play. We are going to keep rotating. It’s a good rotation and we’ve got to have success on Sunday.”

Heyward has been part of a rotation that has seen Hood and Brett Keisel as the starters and him and Al Woods spelling them. On Tuesday Tomlin said Heyward earned more snaps and the best way to get him them is starting.

“I guess I will start the game and you don’t know how a game is going to transpire and I will just be out there,” said Heyward, who learned of the change last week. “It’s the coach’s call and I am going to just stay ready to play.”

Heyward has six tackles and two pass defenses through four games, and is second on the team with nine quarterback pressures, a stat that he doesn’t think about much. To date the Steelers have caused no opponent turnovers, and while the pressure is good, Heyward wants to force the quarterback to make errant throws that turn into interceptions.

“I am more concerned with getting to the quarterback and getting the sack, or us getting some interceptions,” said Heyward. “That is just the way I am. I just think I have to get to the quarterback and make something happen.

“We have to get the one turnover first, just like the win. We have to get one. It takes some luck, the ball rolling your way, awareness and focus to stay alert on every play. They are going to come our way. We just have to make sure we capitalize on it.”

[URL]http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Heyward-taking-business-as-usual-approach/c72fabcb-ee31-4178-9b48-2b09743b76d3[/URL]

[Shawn]

I love that lunch pail mentality.

[Keyplay1]

Quote Originally Posted by flippy View Post
While we're at it, can we bring Arnfelt up off the PS and get him some reps? And how bout some reps for Fangupo?
And Shamarko T.

All these things should help. Heyward starting, Shamarko Thomas is supposed to also take some snaps to spell Clark at FS.

Cortez Allen should be back 100% from the ankle injury. He did not play his best last game. Some fans also questioned why that Fango guy has not been active yet since he looked real good in goal line D's in preseason.

Anyway there is some good news. [I think] TS-[da stillers] have moved up to #18 in rush D this week, up from 29th. But maybe that had something to do with they only played 4 games while most other teams have played 5 and it was based on total yards given up.

[Slapstick]

Quote Originally Posted by flippy View Post
While we're at it, can we bring Arnfelt up off the PS and get him some reps? And how bout some reps for Fangupo?
And Shamarko T.

All these things should help. Heyward starting, Shamarko Thomas is supposed to also take some snaps to spell Clark at FS.

Cortez Allen should be back 100% from the ankle injury. He did not play his best last game. Some fans also questioned why that Fango guy has not been active yet since he looked real good in goal line D's in preseason.

Anyway there is some good news. [I think] TS-[da stillers] have moved up to #18 in rush D this week, up from 29th. But maybe that had something to do with they only played 4 games while most other teams have played 5 and it was based on total yards given up.

The Steelers are 25th in Rush YpG...

[Keyplay1]

The Steelers are 25th in Rush YpG...

18 Pittsburgh Steelers 4 27.5 110 129 32.2 491 3.8 122.8 6 60T 31 24.0 2 2

• [URL="http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=0&statisticCategory=PASSING&q ualified=true&season=2013&seasonType=REG"] By Player Category [/URL]
• [URL="http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=1&statisticPositionCategory=Q UARTERBACK&qualified=true&season=2013&seasonType=R EG"] By Player Position [/URL]
• [URL="http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=2&offensiveStatisticCategory= TEAM_PASSING&conference=ALL&role=TM&season=2013&se asonType=REG"] By Team Category [/URL]

the blank area is supposed to say all nfl-- rushing-- 2013-- defense-- go. nfl.com is considered one of the worst programmed sites on the entire net. Do a google on it sometime and see what some fans think of it. It is hilarious.

Anyway where did you get the 25? Not that it matters.

I am slightly disappointed. What I was expecting was a response like well, if they take another week off they will move into the top 10 probably or something like that.

[ikestops85]

If you look on NFL.com we are 25th in rushing yards per game

[URL="http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=2&season=2013&seasonType=REG& role=OPP&d-447263-n=1&d-447263-o=1&d-447263-p=1&conference=ALL&defensiveStatisticCategory=RUSH ING&d-447263-s=RUSHING_YARDS_PER_GAME_AVG"]Defense Rushing/Game[/URL]