Giants and Eli - we're not playing the JV anymore

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

Our defense has been playing better these last two games, but the competition has been laughably bad.

I wonder what kind of defensive game plan we'll need to beat those guys.

Probably needs to start with a 35-point game by the offense!

[Iron City Inc.]

Whatever D scheme the Giants use Ben will be able to read it and go to the correct guy and Manning will do the same thing. We're not going to fool him it's more a case of execution. Single high man under worked well against the Colts with some blitzing off the edge. Manning would be best pressured with A gap fire.
As it always does it comes down to making more plays then them....block better,tackle better, rush the qb better.
I agree 30+ points is likely needed. No reason to believe we can't win this game but it is much more the "players" then the "plays".

[D Rock]

That's 6 games now the defense has held the opponent to 16 points or less. That's pretty good. Not surprisingly, those are also all 6 wins for the team.

For as much as everyone likes to talk about the offense, the numbers show that defense still wins games

[D Rock]

That's 6 games now the defense has held the opponent to 16 points or less. That's pretty good. Not surprisingly, those are also all 6 wins for the team.

For as much as everyone likes to talk about the offense, the numbers show that defense still wins games

Looking deeper, only the chiefs scored 2 TDs of those 6 games. And that was after the Steelers were up 43-7 and they got their 2nd TD with 8 second left in the game.

The 'bend but don't break' defense, when executed well, leads to wins. The offense has not yet carried the team to victory in a tight game or shootout. That's the strangest thing to me about this team this year after the results the past few seasons.

I think that is also why, to me, it feels like such a down year up to this point. The team hasnt put a true dagger into anyone yet when it matters most.

[Steelerphile]

Our defense has been playing better these last two games, but the competition has been laughably bad.

I wonder what kind of defensive game plan we'll need to beat those guys.

Probably needs to start with a 35-point game by the offense!

I think some of Cleveland's players had given up before the game started but I disagree about Indianapolis being that bad. They played hard. That was an important game and Tolzien played well enough for them to win. If his receivers had caught a few of those dropped passes, and if they had scored when they got down to the one yard line, that game could have been close.

But Pittsburgh's defense is looking much better. Butler is moving guys around and bringing heat from different areas. Hargrave, Davis and Burns are factors. The pressure has been good the last two games. The Giants don't have a potent high scoring offense. Eli is not having a big season, and I don't think he is as mobile as Tolzien. If they can pressure Eli, the Steelers won't need 35 to win that game. Manning will take some hits and go down.

[Oviedo]

No worries. The board experts say that we play down to less talented competition and Tomlin has no idea to prepare for these teams. Since the Giants are supposedly not "JV" we should be guaranteed to win

[fordfixer]

No worries. The board experts say that we play down to less talented competition and Tomlin has no idea to prepare for these teams. Since the Giants are supposedly not "JV" we should be guaranteed to win

Well that's good news

[feltdizz]

Whatever D scheme the Giants use Ben will be able to read it and go to the correct guy and Manning will do the same thing. We're not going to fool him it's more a case of execution. Single high man under worked well against the Colts with some blitzing off the edge. Manning would be best pressured with A gap fire.
As it always does it comes down to making more plays then them....block better,tackle better, rush the qb better.
I agree 30+ points is likely needed. No reason to believe we can't win this game but it is much more the "players" then the "plays".

Maybe I missed it but it seemed like we went Tampa 2 after getting burned on 3rd and long. Mitchell isn't fast enough to cover that much ground. Cockrell also looks like garbage lately. I hope we bring pressure on Eli since he doesn't like getting hit. He will throw the ball away in a heartbeat if he hears footsteps.

[NorthCoast]

Our defense has been playing better these last two games, but the competition has been laughably bad.

I wonder what kind of defensive game plan we'll need to beat those guys.

Probably needs to start with a 35-point game by the offense!

I'm not sold the defense is playing better, but do agree the opponents have been pathetic. There were multiple reasons why last night's game wasn't close, including poor HC decisions by the Colts.

The goal line defense?; that was simply spectacular. The Steelers defense does well in close spaces but they are still truly awful defending the open field.

[Slapstick]

Mitchell is plenty fast and Cockrell played pretty well last night...

[pittpete]

Cockrell had a great play last night even thought the ref through a flag for PI from behind the play.
Glad they picked that flag up.
Mitchell may be fast but has no nose for the ball.
Mitchell made a basket catch on that INT and barely held on.
Like i've said previously in today's NFL he's one 15 yarder away from losing a game for us.

[SteelerMaine83]

I have to admit I'm not a Mitchell fan. However, he made a few nice, key plays last night and on a team that sometimes seems to hit no one hard I like the fact that he at least occasionally provides a good pop on someone. It might be after a guy catches a 17 yarder on a 3rd and 16, lol, but...

I'm old school, but sometimes hitting someone hard has its own rewards on defense. Think Kam Chancellor...

[Mr.wizard]

I love some Mike Mitchell, he just saws people in half, receivers do not want to come across the middle when 23 is lurking.

[feltdizz]

Cockrell had a great play last night even thought the ref through a flag for PI from behind the play.
Glad they picked that flag up.
Mitchell may be fast but has no nose for the ball.
Mitchell made a basket catch on that INT and barely held on.
Like i've said previously in today's NFL he's one 15 yarder away from losing a game for us.

The play by Cockrell was great but he has been pretty bad this year IMO. I expected more from him this year. Mitchell fast? I don't think so... if he was fast he would have more pass defenses the last few years. He is usually a step late but delivers some big hits.

..and how is Mitchell one penalty away from losin a game? Thats a silly prediction. Every defender is one play away from losing a game if that's the case. one penalty doesn't lose a game. A penalty can extend a drive and plenty of players have done that over the years on defense and offensive players have nullified big plays with penalties.

Your mitchell prediction sounds crazy.

[bostonsteeler]

The play by Cockrell was great but he has been pretty bad this year IMO. I expected more from him this year. Mitchell fast? I don't think so... if he was fast he would have more pass defenses the last few years. He is usually a step late but delivers some big hits.

..and how is Mitchell one penalty away from losin a game? Thats a silly prediction. Every defender is one play away from losing a game if that's the case. one penalty doesn't lose a game. A penalty can extend a drive and plenty of players have done that over the years on defense and offensive players have nullified big plays with penalties.

Your mitchell prediction sounds crazy.

Yeah we saw one decent play by Cockrell, but overall he wasn't particularly stellar yesterday, or anytime this season. And yes, Mitchell's prime asset is the fact that he will intimidate some of the more chicken receivers with his wild hits. But he's not fast, and often not at the right place just in time. He did deliver a few good plays yesterday, though.