After two weeks...

[Chadman]

If Worilds goes (possible), I'm thinking Shazier to OLB & Spence moves in at ILB. Shazier is Chad Brown part 2.

Not sure why Jones is getting hated on again. Think he's looked better this season already. It's not his side of the line getting run on. He has good pressure, he & Keisel seem to work well together. Actually- been happy with Keisel so far. I think if the Steelers can get teams in 2nd &10, 3rd & 10 type situations, Jones will rack up sack numbers, or at least pressures. He's pretty close, quite often. But we are getting dinked & dunked a lot. So his time to get to the QB is limited.

Thinking if they can get Troy playing coverage more on the TE, and concentrate on sending LB's after the QB more, it might extend the passing plays.

Interested to see if McCullers can draw a double team, freeing up either Heyward or Keisel to 1 on 1's, as both are pretty good at adding pressure.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

I agree that Jones is improving, particularly against the run. I really don't think Keisel has been that great this year--it's just that Cam Thomas is so putrid, and Heyward has underperformed, making Keis look sort of good in comparison.

Wouldn't hold my breath on Mitchell letting McCullers get significant PT anytime soon, barring another injury. Hope I'm wrong, but I'm thinking they will slide Thomas over to NT while McLendon is out.

[brazilsteel]

If Worilds goes (possible), I'm thinking Shazier to OLB & Spence moves in at ILB. Shazier is Chad Brown part 2.

Not sure why Jones is getting hated on again. Think he's looked better this season already. It's not his side of the line getting run on. He has good pressure, he & Keisel seem to work well together. Actually- been happy with Keisel so far. I think if the Steelers can get teams in 2nd &10, 3rd & 10 type situations, Jones will rack up sack numbers, or at least pressures. He's pretty close, quite often. But we are getting dinked & dunked a lot. So his time to get to the QB is limited.

Thinking if they can get Troy playing coverage more on the TE, and concentrate on sending LB's after the QB more, it might extend the passing plays.

Interested to see if McCullers can draw a double team, freeing up either Heyward or Keisel to 1 on 1's, as both are pretty good at adding pressure.

Not sure if Shazier has the size to play at OLB.
Aside from that, totally agreed.

[Chadman]

I agree that Jones is improving, particularly against the run. I really don't think Keisel has been that great this year--it's just that Cam Thomas is so putrid, and Heyward has underperformed, making Keis look sort of good in comparison.

Wouldn't hold my breath on Mitchell letting McCullers get significant PT anytime soon, barring another injury. Hope I'm wrong, but I'm thinking they will slide Thomas over to NT while McLendon is out.

McCullers playing time would be directly impacted by Cam Thomas' play I'd think. If he plays as he did against the Browns, I'd say we'll see McCullers. If it's more the Ravens version of Cam Thomas, we might see McCullers sparingly.

[Chadman]

Not sure if Shazier has the size to play at OLB.
Aside from that, totally agreed.

I'd be tempted to say the same thing about Shazier, but he's just too athletic & fast to not give it a try. If they latch on to him, sure- he might get overpowered. But that happens to all our OLB's. He probably needs to bulk a little, but that will happen naturally.

And to be fair, I'd rather see Spence on the field than Worilds. I think he's the natural signal caller of the D, like what he did at Miami in college.

[NJ-STEELER]

If Worilds goes (possible), I'm thinking Shazier to OLB & Spence moves in at ILB. Shazier is Chad Brown part 2.

Not sure why Jones is getting hated on again. Think he's looked better this season already. It's not his side of the line getting run on. He has good pressure, he & Keisel seem to work well together. Actually- been happy with Keisel so far. I think if the Steelers can get teams in 2nd &10, 3rd & 10 type situations, Jones will rack up sack numbers, or at least pressures. He's pretty close, quite often. But we are getting dinked & dunked a lot. So his time to get to the QB is limited.

Thinking if they can get Troy playing coverage more on the TE, and concentrate on sending LB's after the QB more, it might extend the passing plays.

Interested to see if McCullers can draw a double team, freeing up either Heyward or Keisel to 1 on 1's, as both are pretty good at adding pressure.

i said that when they drafted shazy. i first screamed "another linebacker" !!!

but then i thought about it and wondered if he is insurance of wroldis not being that guy. he certainly has the speed to play OLB.

spence and vince could battle it out for ILB

[BradshawsHairdresser]

If the plan is really to move Shazier to OLB, I'd like to see them get Spence more reps inside, and rotate Shazier with Worilds and Jones on the outside. Seems like that would set us up better for next season.

[Chadman]

If the plan is really to move Shazier to OLB, I'd like to see them get Spence more reps inside, and rotate Shazier with Worilds and Jones on the outside. Seems like that would set us up better for next season.

Agreed, we did see Spence get on the field a bit against the Ravens which was good.

It'll be interesting to see how they rotate the OLB's as the season wears on.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Next year is also Heyward's last year.

Yeah, we already committed to giving him that fifth year team option for 2015.

[phillyesq]

If the plan is really to move Shazier to OLB, I'd like to see them get Spence more reps inside, and rotate Shazier with Worilds and Jones on the outside. Seems like that would set us up better for next season.

Shazier is way too small to play OLB. His game is based on speed. Having him lock horns with an OT where he gives up 100lbs would be foolish.

In some packages, I think using Shazier for the occasional blitz off the corner is fine. But I think there is no way that he moves to OLB. If Worilds shows that the handful of good games he strung together last year were a fluke, than the Steelers will need to find another solution at OLB.

[K Train]

15 more pounds he would be a very similar player to Von Miller physically.

Of course this 15 pounds would have to be added over the course of 2 years or so since he already is quite a bit bigger than he was at ohio state. If he were ever an OLB he would beat OTs with speed and his ridiculous first step which can help you with the power moves as well

For instance, when Dumervil steam rolled gilbert last week. Gilbert was caught way off balance because he was trying to compensate for Dumervils speed (coming full sprint basically), but Doom fooled him by just going through him instead

[Oviedo]

Shazier is way too small to play OLB. His game is based on speed. Having him lock horns with an OT where he gives up 100lbs would be foolish.

In some packages, I think using Shazier for the occasional blitz off the corner is fine. But I think there is no way that he moves to OLB. If Worilds shows that the handful of good games he strung together last year were a fluke, than the Steelers will need to find another solution at OLB.

I was going to post the same thing. Moving Shazier to the outside in this defense won't work. Speed is one thing but our defense plays it as a power position. Now in a 4-3, Shazier would be a Pro Bowl weak side LB.

[Oviedo]

If Worilds goes (possible), I'm thinking Shazier to OLB & Spence moves in at ILB. Shazier is Chad Brown part 2.

Not sure why Jones is getting hated on again. Think he's looked better this season already. It's not his side of the line getting run on. He has good pressure, he & Keisel seem to work well together. Actually- been happy with Keisel so far. I think if the Steelers can get teams in 2nd &10, 3rd & 10 type situations, Jones will rack up sack numbers, or at least pressures. He's pretty close, quite often. But we are getting dinked & dunked a lot. So his time to get to the QB is limited.

Thinking if they can get Troy playing coverage more on the TE, and concentrate on sending LB's after the QB more, it might extend the passing plays.

Interested to see if McCullers can draw a double team, freeing up either Heyward or Keisel to 1 on 1's, as both are pretty good at adding pressure.

Chadman--Jones has beat one very average blocking TE to get his sack for the season. he hasn't been close to beating a good let alone great Left tackle. It's nice that he is playing well against the run but he plays the premier pass rushing position in this defense. The guy won't be a bust but he won't be close to Joey Porter or Harrison either. I really hope he can step it up or the defense will struggle all season.

[K Train]

Chadman--Jones has beat one very average blocking TE to get his sack for the season. he hasn't been close to beating a good let alone great Left tackle. It's nice that he is playing well against the run but he plays the premier pass rushing position in this defense. The guy won't be a bust but he won't be close to Joey Porter or Harrison either. I really hope he can step it up or the defense will struggle all season.

Getting pressure on the QB has been a problem for every single player on the defense and theres not a single exception. At least you can see Jones on the field, Heyward and Worilds have been MIA

[Oviedo]

Getting pressure on the QB has been a problem for every single player on the defense and theres not a single exception. At least you can see Jones on the field, Heyward and Worilds have been MIA

If we gave merit badges for showing up then you might be right but we need results not appearances.