defensive performance vs. the Bills to Burger King

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

Close, but not quite. I think they forced Troy out with no solid plan for replacing him ...

Got it, thanks for that!

Re: Troy - I think someone could say he was our best backfield player, and someone else could say he was not getting the job done last year ... and both could be right , unfortunately.

Maybe the FO saw it that way and decided to start training his replacement now, with the idea they'd be ready a year earlier than if we held on to Troy one last year ...

Who knows. Maybe with Timmons and Gay on the field more, and with a few extra practices, we'll be ok.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Who knows. Maybe with Timmons and Gay on the field more, and with a few extra practices, we'll be ok.

Timmons has "turf toe"--a condition that has ended the careers of other players. I hope he'll be back soon, and he probably will, but who knows? Gay was burned when he was out there Saturday. He's been good in recent years, but I'd hardly look to him to be the savior of the secondary.

I do hope the "extra practices" you referred to will help. Maybe, before the first game, the players will actually understand their assignments.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

Timmons has "turf toe"--a condition that has ended the careers of other players ...

I didn't know he had turf toe ... isn't that what took down Jack Lambert?

[Slapstick]

Yep. Also, it's what ended Eddie George's career, IIRC.

[phillyesq]

Who knows. Maybe with Timmons and Gay on the field more, and with a few extra practices, we'll be ok.

A big concern that I have is that Mike Mitchell doesn't seem to play or practice at all. Last season the excuse for his terrible play was a groin injury. Now it's some other minor nagging injury.

It's not like Mitchell played so well last year that he can just step in with no concerns. And the fact that he's not out there working with Thomas, developing communication, working on the change in defensive coverage is troubling.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

A big concern that I have is that Mike Mitchell doesn't seem to play or practice at all. Last season the excuse for his terrible play was a groin injury. Now it's some other minor nagging injury.

It's not like Mitchell played so well last year that he can just step in with no concerns. And the fact that he's not out there working with Thomas, developing communication, working on the change in defensive coverage is troubling.

Thus far, Mitchell has been a big dud. Hurt most of the time, not impressive when he's played...

[birtikidis]

Thus far, Mitchell has been a big dud. Hurt most of the time, not impressive when he's played...

Last year, everyone blamed it on Troy and how he was too wild. IMO Mitchell doesn't practice enough to play well. I have a feeling it'll be WA and ST back there most of the season.

[Mr.wizard]

Not concerned about our safety's, Main priority is to get Mitchell healthy and get Thomas reps. The fact that we will be running more cover 2 will reduce the need for communication between the two safeties because there just isn't a lot of different assignments for your safeties in that defense. The biggest concerns for this team are the corner that will play opposite of William Gay and the pass rush.

[Slapstick]

Last year, everyone blamed it on Troy and how he was too wild. IMO Mitchell doesn't practice enough to play well. I have a feeling it'll be WA and ST back there most of the season.

IIRC, not many people thought Troy was "too wild". If anything, he was not wild enough. He was no longer fast enough to play the way that he had always played. It didn't work.

[Oviedo]

IIRC, not many people thought Troy was "too wild". If anything, he was not wild enough. He was no longer fast enough to play the way that he had always played. It didn't work.

I think this captures most opinions. He lost what made him Troy and he was never a great coverage guy

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Not concerned about our safety's, Main priority is to get Mitchell healthy and get Thomas reps. The fact that we will be running more cover 2 will reduce the need for communication between the two safeties because there just isn't a lot of different assignments for your safeties in that defense. The biggest concerns for this team are the corner that will play opposite of William Gay and the pass rush.

We don't know if either Mitchell or Thomas can stay healthy, nor if they can be effective if they are. Did you happen to see the Buffalo game? Our safety play was horrid. If we can't count on Mitchell or Thomas, and we've got nothing behind them, I'd say that's cause for concern.

[Captain Lemming]

Close, but not quite. I think they forced Troy out with no solid plan for replacing him. I also think he was still our best guy in the secondary.

Dont forget his contract which was far in excess of his value and we had intent to make important signings including Ben.
Heck Will Allen is old too, but he is cheap which is why he is still here.

[Mr.wizard]

We don't know if either Mitchell or Thomas can stay healthy, nor if they can be effective if they are. Did you happen to see the Buffalo game? Our safety play was horrid. If we can't count on Mitchell or Thomas, and we've got nothing behind them, I'd say that's cause for concern.

Safeties in the cover 2 do not need to be spectacular, if you have no pass rush or corners it won't matter who you have at safety. If your pass rush is good and your corner play is good, you can get by with mediocre safety play. The Biggest concern for our team is pass rush and corner play, those two areas will make or break our D

[NorthCoast]

Safeties in the cover 2 do not need to be spectacular, if you have no pass rush or corners it won't matter who you have at safety. If your pass rush is good and your corner play is good, you can get by with mediocre safety play. The Biggest concern for our team is pass rush and corner play, those two areas will make or break our D

I am not so sure about that. Seems teams are having a fairly easy time running against the Steeler defense. Then again I also realize Butler has been experimenting with many combinations and player evaluations this pre-season so I am willing to be patient.

[fordfixer]

I think this captures most opinions. He lost what made him Troy and he was never a great coverage guy

He also lost Ryan Clark who filled the holes Troy opened when he started to freelance