Next Game

[Chadman]

Yep...who would you rather have on the field more, getting more opportunities...LaGarrette Blount and Will Johnson? Or Justin Brown and Matt Spaeth?

I'd like at least a 50-50 split on those options, you know? I can't see why Blount can't get 10 carries a game. I can't see how that isn't a better option thatn having 40-50% of Justin Brown's catches made. Give me a fairly consistant 3-4 yards per carry & shorten the 1st down distance. The team is run blocking pretty damn well.

[WVSteelerfan]

When did it become a sin to have 2 capable running backs on the field at once? Especially with Bell's receiving skills, the misdirection possibilities are limitless. Make linebackers read 2 backs instead of reading pass or run block then crashing to the only running back. I understand you don't want to take Bell off the field, he's very talented. We are wasting Blount. Make teams account for him. He can make teams pay dearly if they aren't staying in their lanes. A pistol formation with Blount in the I and Bell on BR's hip could drive defenses nuts. Throw Dri or Heath into that mix with AB and Wheaton, I think you've got some real fire power. Lots of screens, draws, swings, fake handoffs to one back and counter action to the other, power toss sweeps, etc.

Defense? Get Cam Thomas off the field. The young guys can't do any worse. Activate Big Dan and play him. More Tuitt and less McClendon. Take a look at Howard Jones and Mauro. Keep OL off of our the linebackers. More twists with our DEs and OLBs. Shazier should be covering TEs or backs down the field, not Timmons. Shazier should be playing a role more like Troy did last year. He is not a great traditional run stopper, keep him clean and let him use his speed running plays down. Try 4 big bodies (Heyward, McCullers, Beard, Tuitt) Williams and Timmons, Troy and Shazier (moving all over the place blitzing, covering, etc.), Ike and Cortez, Mitchell. Aternate Shark, McClendon, Worldis, JJ. Yeah I know, JJ and Worldis are not gonna sit, but neither are doing much. Obviously, this isn't gonna happen and probably wouldn't help anyway, but something has to change. I'm not an NFL Dcoordinator, but I can tell you, with the current alignments and personnel, it has been proven we cannot stop the run. That in turn sets us up for play action and quick hitters with YAC. You have to take something away and make a team beat you one dimensional. Stop the run early and they'll go away from it.

[Shawn]

I believe this Steeler O could be very special, like top 3 O in the NFL special. But, they are so bi-polar and they have to find their consistency. They will have to wind that front 7 and wear them down by keeping them on the field. They must be responsible for keeping our swiss cheese D off the field as much as possible. On D, I do think this D will get better by season end. I think some of the younger talent develops. But, it's not enough. Not sure this D gets better until we get a fresh set of eyes on the talent that we have here.

[RobinCole]

I cringe when people say things like "the easier part of the schedule now starts". Most of the time it turns out to be not so.

[Slapstick]

I cringe when people say things like "the easier part of the schedule now starts". Most of the time it turns out to be not so.

I hear that...as far as I'm concerned, there is no easy part of the schedule...

[Oviedo]

I hear that...as far as I'm concerned, there is no easy part of the schedule...

On the mark! If we haven't learned that after the last three season (see Oakland losses) then what is anyone watching? I'm off to Brisbane, Aus this weekend and won't be able to see the game so you guys had better not blow it!!!!!

[Chadman]

On the mark! If we haven't learned that after the last three season (see Oakland losses) then what is anyone watching? I'm off to Brisbane, Aus this weekend and won't be able to see the game so you guys had better not blow it!!!!!

Seriously?

Where are you staying?

[Oviedo]

Seriously?

Where are you staying?

Marriott on the river downtown. Got a conference/exhibition to attend for work. I just saw in your info that you are in Brisbane. For some reason I thought you were in Melbourne

[K Train]

I hear that...as far as I'm concerned, there is no easy part of the schedule...

Well thank goodness, at least you arent overlooking an NFL team. I feel much better now

[Sword]

First.... Coaches Step it up!!


Basics!! Discipline!! Execution!!
Game Plan cannot be run, run, run or they will stop us all night.


Establish the pass to run (you heard me)
don't have a long drive and settle for field goals
execute plays like you have practiced
no penalties \ clean playing
Win the line of scrimmage
No turnovers


I expect this even from rookies, they have played football
there whole life so, I don't care if they are in the NFL. Step it up!




ps...I'm a Steeler fan down here in NC ...2 1/2 hours from were they will be playing.....
don't have tickets ......

[fordfixer]

Don't worry there are a lot of people here to keep up the hate you have for the defensive coordinator.

you guys had better not blow it!!!!!

[Oviedo]

Don't worry there are a lot of people here to keep up the hate you have for the defensive coordinator.

FF--there's no hate. Just an unwillingness to blindly trust past successes as predictors of future success. After several years of no answers, you have to go to someone who may actually have some answers versus just hoping everything turns out.

[fordfixer]

FF--there's no hate. Just an unwillingness to blindly trust past successes as predictors of future success. After several years of no answers, you have to go to someone who may actually have some answers versus just hoping everything turns out.

I know there's no hate I just was a little .Have a good time down under.

[K Train]

FF--there's no hate. Just an unwillingness to blindly trust past successes as predictors of future success. After several years of no answers, you have to go to someone who may actually have some answers versus just hoping everything turns out.

You know they arent just playing the same defense as always right? Its not like they are trying to jam a square peg into a round hole. They are trying to capitialize on the speed they have on defense and adjust the scheme for it, they just arent doing what they want to do very well yet.

Its not, welp the same old defense isnt working.....looks like lebeau is washed up, hell i WISH it were that easy. They are making adjustments and its a work in progress. I know you are infatuated with the 43 (most of which are pretty JV defenses imo) but that takes a transition time to adjust to as well, and this team would look ridiculous running it with the current crop of dline.

People just see the defense struggling and say OMG THEY NEVER CHANGE OR ADJUST FIRE THE COACHES.

But realistically THIS defense right now is substantially different than the aaron smith/casey hampton defense. They line the DEs up at 4-tech which is directly over the tackles, not 5 tech which is the gaps outside of the tackles and mcclendon almost never players 0-tech like casey hampton, he is constantly playing gaps one or three (which he should). The problem is, Heyward and especially Cam Thomas are playing like ****, they have adjusted in a way that should be able to crash through a zone line but they are being washed out. Teams are feasting on Heyward and Worilds in the run game (worilds makes sense to me, but heyward needs to be better than what he is)

Timmons isnt really playing "buck" like hes slated too, you see him taking a lot of mack responsibilites too which I am not sure why, might not be full trust in shazier yet (and they shouldnt, hes shown flashes and then disappeared and has been a weak tackler so far).

The corners are pressing every now and then, and it IS working along with the safeties playing cover 1 and cover 2 more than ever after their cover 3 looks were getting torched last season. This way the safeties are lining up has been pretty successful on 3rd and long, but they have been getting GASHED on 1st down in the run game making those opportunities few and far in between.

Now if mcclendon gets some playing time i would expect him to play a more traditional 0-tech, which has me very curious

Heyward needs to pick up where he left off last season, his play right now is a major detriment to the defense right now...if he picks it up everyone except cam thomas will probably look a little better (cam thomas excluded because hes that bad).

Jarvis Jones has been rock solid as a run defender, he sets the edge very effectively, they run away from him most of the time....because apparently once you get a hand on worilds he is out of the play.

Pressure on the QB is an issue from every player, and there are no exceptions. I would like to see them blitz mitchell and shazier a little bit more. Troy gets so much attention on blitzes it has rendered it completely useless

So things i would like to see:

1. Mccullers getting even a few first down reps (he can at least dictate the direction of the play a bit)
2. Blitzing from Mitchell and Shazier
3. Heyward just flat out playing better. Hes been getitng beat up and has still been one of our best dline...he needs to be better and be held accountable for his poor play so far, i thought he was going to enter this year being one of the best DEs in the league, he hasnt.

Edit: oh, and a little Shamarko would be nice. Ike and Gay are playing decent, Cortez is playing like **** (awesome right? Gilbert and Cortez playing like ****.....)

[RuthlessBurgher]

When did it become a sin to have 2 capable running backs on the field at once? Especially with Bell's receiving skills, the misdirection possibilities are limitless. Make linebackers read 2 backs instead of reading pass or run block then crashing to the only running back. I understand you don't want to take Bell off the field, he's very talented. We are wasting Blount. Make teams account for him. He can make teams pay dearly if they aren't staying in their lanes. A pistol formation with Blount in the I and Bell on BR's hip could drive defenses nuts. Throw Dri or Heath into that mix with AB and Wheaton, I think you've got some real fire power. Lots of screens, draws, swings, fake handoffs to one back and counter action to the other, power toss sweeps, etc.

Defense? Get Cam Thomas off the field. The young guys can't do any worse. Activate Big Dan and play him. More Tuitt and less McClendon. Take a look at Howard Jones and Mauro. Keep OL off of our the linebackers. More twists with our DEs and OLBs. Shazier should be covering TEs or backs down the field, not Timmons. Shazier should be playing a role more like Troy did last year. He is not a great traditional run stopper, keep him clean and let him use his speed running plays down. Try 4 big bodies (Heyward, McCullers, Beard, Tuitt) Williams and Timmons, Troy and Shazier (moving all over the place blitzing, covering, etc.), Ike and Cortez, Mitchell. Aternate Shark, McClendon, Worldis, JJ. Yeah I know, JJ and Worldis are not gonna sit, but neither are doing much. Obviously, this isn't gonna happen and probably wouldn't help anyway, but something has to change. I'm not an NFL Dcoordinator, but I can tell you, with the current alignments and personnel, it has been proven we cannot stop the run. That in turn sets us up for play action and quick hitters with YAC. You have to take something away and make a team beat you one dimensional. Stop the run early and they'll go away from it.

In order to take a look at Howard Jones and Mauro, we would need to cut two players in order to elevate them from the practice squad. And even if they were promoted to our 53 man roster, those two UDFA rookies would likely be two of our gameday inactive players anyway.