Sensabaugh over Cockrell

[Slapstick]

Its almost like the team doesn't understand how solid we are at that position.
Can we get that chart someone posted educating us about how good Cockrell is?
Wasn't there a PFF article about how awesome he was too?

We need to get it to Tomlin because he doesn't seem to know what a gem he has

It is amazing how somebody can go from prized FA acquisition to castoff like Sensabaugh did last year...Le'Veon Bell isn't paying attention...

[Slapstick]

I also find it funny that Ross Cockrell is singled out, because if you go back and look at the tape of the Pats** playoff game, Cockrell may have been the ONLY DB that didn't completely humiliate himself with his performance...he was not the weak link in that game, which some are using to justify his status as whipping boy...

[feltdizz]

I also find it funny that Ross Cockrell is singled out, because if you go back and look at the tape of the Pats** playoff game, Cockrell may have been the ONLY DB that didn't completely humiliate himself with his performance...he was not the weak link in that game, which some are using to justify his status as whipping boy...

it's blind hate.

it's not based on facts, just on pay and RFA status.

reminds me of all the years Gay was bashed based off a few plays. Doesn't matter who gets beat, it's going to be because Cockrell is in uniform

[Slapstick]

The Steelers made changes to their coverage scheme...we're going with more man coverage and probably pattern matching this year...Cockrell is a good zone defender, but we are finding out that he isn't nearly as good as man coverage. Hell, if you read his draft profile, it said as much...

Knowing that these schematic changes were coming, the Steelers didn't offer a long term deal...if he balls out this year, he'll get an offer...but, if we're committed to more man coverage, he'll probably be a FA...

[Ghost]

Cockrell has flashed some athleticism in the past (hopefully the Atl game is not a harbinger of things to come this year). Need him to continue to improve and take Sensabaugh into the slot to replace Gay.

[RuthlessBurgher]

'Tomlin's Takes' hit on competition for spots
Posted 3 hours ago

Teresa Varley
Steelers.com

Coach Mike Tomlin talked about the competition as the regular season nears.

•Two dogs, one bone: When the Steelers took the field for their first practice at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex this week, Coty Sensabaugh saw more work with the starting defense than he had previously, when the other corners, Artie Burns and Ross Cockrell, were healthy. Sensabaugh, who signed with the team as an unrestricted free agent this offseason, is fighting for the starting job over Cockrell, and it could be a situation where according to Coach Mike Tomlin there are ‘two dogs fighting for one bone.’

“It’s shaping up to be that. We’ll see,” said Tomlin. “I know that Coty has done enough to merit consideration and that is what this process is about.”

Tomlin likes what he has seen from Sensabaugh, both his physical play and mental approach.

“He has proven to be a savvy veteran,” said Tomlin. “He doesn’t get got twice by similar concepts. He is generally close. You can tell his snap experience has been used for good. His above the neck game is very strong. Those are assets to him in terms of how he performs.”

•Cornering the market: The battle with Sensabaugh and Cockrell isn’t the only one in the secondary. Mike Hilton is showing a lot as he is battling for a roster spot, and rookie Cameron Sutton is a player who has been sidelined for most of training camp, but is expected to play against the Colts on Saturday. Tomlin also likes the growth he has seen from Burns as he enters his second season.

“We have had some good production from guys,” said Tomlin. “I have seen some growth in individuals. Artie Burns for instance, you see the maturation process from year one to year two. I like the way he is working on a day to day basis.

“We have gotten acclimated to some new guys who are proving to be guys who might be able to help us, guys like Sensabaugh, Hilton. We have also had a number of guys who have missed a substantial amount of time due to injury. There is some urgency there. Largely though it’s been positive. Still need to get to know some of these guys. I haven’t seen enough of Cam Sutton. It’s a big week for him.”

Tomlin also said he looks forward to seeing what Dashaun Phillips brings to the table, after they traded for him this week.

“Excited to get the new guy into the fold and maybe get a chance to see what he is capable of in a short period of time,” said Tomlin. “I know he is an NFL capable player. He has played in this league. He has played against us. All of those things were attractive. We’ll judge him in terms of what we can do with him based on what he does once he gets here. That is the only thing that is appropriate to do.”

•It’s paying off: With time comes growth and for Anthony Chickillo, he just continues to grow and develop every time he takes the field, to the point where teammates have said he has become a complete pass rusher.

“He is just growing as a professional and that is reasonable to expect going into year three,” said Tomlin. “When we drafted him he was going through a position change and a body change, not only in terms of growing and developing as a linebacker, but quite frankly the things that we asked him to do on special teams were foreign to him because he was a defensive lineman in college. His adjustment has not been an easy one on a lot of fronts. He has done a nice job with that and I think you are just seeing the fruit of what has been a three-year body of work.”

http://www.steelers.com/news/press-conference-takes/article-1/Tomlins-Takes-hit-on-competition-for-spots/d87ce838-4205-4cb6-80db-236015455c44

[NorthCoast]

It's not a case of Cockrell suddenly sucking. It's a problem of Cockrell struggling with the new man concept. The guy is fine for zone but seems to struggle else wise. That's the problem because it is clear to everyone that is the only way the Steelers have a chance to get past NE.

[RuthlessBurgher]

O-R Sports reporter Dale Lolley gets you the insider scoop on the NFL.

Post-Steelers vs. Colts thoughts

August 27, 2017

Ross Cockrell, William Gay and Robert Golden were on the field to start Saturday’s 19-15 loss to Indianapolis.

But they rotated every other series with Coty Sensabaugh, Mike Hilton and Jordan Dangerfield.

You don’t often see teams considered Super Bowl contenders still trying to figure things out in their starting lineup this late in the preseason, but that seems to be the case with the Steelers.

The Golden vs. Dangerfield situation seems to be a battle for the No. 3 safety spot. And both will likely be on this roster behind Mike Mitchell and Sean Davis, unless the Steelers feel they can move Gay there in a pinch and have to save a roster spot for rookie corner Brian Allen.

The Steelers took a look at Gay at safety this week and Hilton can play there, as well, which could make things interesting.

Sensabaugh vs. Cockrell and Hilton vs. Gay also are interesting.

And we also saw rookie Mike Sutton finally get onto the field in this one. He also was used in the slot and made some plays.

At this point, I’d go with Sensabaugh and Hilton. The Steelers also used a dime package where Gay comes in and plays the inside linebacker spot next to Ryan Shazier.

Hilton has been a playmaker throughout this process. He needs to be on the field somewhere.

Cockrell is a smart guy. And he’s solid when facing the quarterback. He knows the defense and doesn’t miss many tackles.

But his confidence seems to be shaken right now. That might only be natural given the lower tender the Steelers put on him as a restricted free agent, their free agent flirtations and acquisition of Sensabaugh and then the selection of Sutton and Allen in the draft.

@ I don’t foresee any of those players being cut, by the way.

@ We saw Saturday night what happens when you’ve had a lot of guys in and out of the lineup throughout a preseason.

While the Steelers’ offense as a whole has been relatively healthy, the one area where they haven’t been has been on the offensive line, where Maurkice Pouncey, Ramon Foster and Alejandro Villanueva all missed some time.

That was very apparent on a missed assignment by Villanueva, where it did not appear he heard Roethlisberger check out of a run play and call a pass.

Villanueva blocked down, allowing linebacker John Simon a nearly free run at Ben Roethlisberger.

@ The Steelers went into this game wanting to take a long look at Knile Davis as a runner.

He got off to a nice start on the opening possession, getting to the outside. But once the Colts figured out that all Davis wanted to do was bounce outside, it was tough sledding for Davis.

To me, Terrell Watson is just a much better player.

He runs downhill, gets what he can and always falls forward.

Roethlisberger chided Davis after one run for no gain when he tried to get outside instead of just hitting it up inside and picking up a yard or two.

Davis also hasn’t shown much as a return man.

Again, I’d keep Watson, but the Steelers might not want to go into the season with a pair of unproven running backs - rookie James Conner would be the other - behind Le’Veon Bell.

And I don’t see Fitzgerald Toussaint being the guy, either. He’s as ordinary as grits - to steal a Mike Tomlinism.

@ Given his lack of practice time over the past month - he only started throwing the ball again in the two practices leading up to this game - I thought Landry Jones performed well.

The interception he threw in the end zone was more about JuJu Smith-Shuster stopping on the route than it was a bad pass by Jones.

Then again, the way Watson was running, you could just as easily put that on Jones, who checked into that play instead of just handing the ball off.

Watson said after the game that it was the right play call given what the Colts had on the field, but the Steelers needed a yard.

There was no need for a replay of the Patriots-Seahawks Super Bowl play.

@ If there was any doubt about Ryan Shazier’s importance to this defense, his interception and quick exit from the game afterward should end that.

Shazier is the most athletic inside linebacker in the NFL. And he has great hands and a nice feel in the passing game.

Shazier said after this game his goal is to play in all 20 games this season.

But if he stays on the field for all 16 regular season games, the Steelers would only need to play 19 games to have a shot to win the Super Bowl.

But the Steelers can’t afford for Shazier to miss any time. He’s a game changer and potential NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

@ Justin Hunter didn’t play much in this one, while Sammie Coates did.

But that could have been because the Steelers kept Martavis Bryant in well into the second half.

@ Rookie T.J. Watt started and played most of the first half with the starting unit.

James Harrison saw his first action and played with the second-team defense.

Does that mean that will be the case when the regular season starts? No.

But that’s where this thing is headed, as outside linebackers coach Joey Porter said two weeks ago.

http://www.observer-reporter.com/20170827/post-steelers_vs_colts_thoughts

[feltdizz]

checking out of runs for pass plays at the GL needs to stop. Ben does it too and it rarely works. Just sneak it or hand the ball off.

that play was a mess. Looked like Ju Ju stopped but also looked like Jones arm was hit so the ball sailed high.

[Iron City Inc.]

checking out of runs for pass plays at the GL needs to stop. Ben does it too and it rarely works. Just sneak it or hand the ball off.

that play was a mess. Looked like Ju Ju stopped but also looked like Jones arm was hit so the ball sailed high.

If they have 8 in the box and are in man outside where we already know we're running a pick on the goal, hell everyone runs picks on the goal line, how do u not check into a pass? It's a look n read where u have the advantage n being successful there has the percentages on your side. Bad execution resulted in the failed attempt but it's the right call. A play we'll execute better as the year goes on n 84 is on the field along with more seasoned newbies.

[Eich]

It's not a case of Cockrell suddenly sucking. It's a problem of Cockrell struggling with the new man concept. The guy is fine for zone but seems to struggle else wise. That's the problem because it is clear to everyone that is the only way the Steelers have a chance to get past NE.

I do think that man/press coverage is a better way to defend against the cheaters. But I don't think it's the only way to beat them. If our offense stays healthy and scores the amount of points it's capable of, the AFCC game goes a lot more in our favor. And if we improve in our ability to pressure the QB, our secondary doesn't look so awful.

[feltdizz]

If they have 8 in the box and are in man outside where we already know we're running a pick on the goal, hell everyone runs picks on the goal line, how do u not check into a pass? It's a look n read where u have the advantage n being successful there has the percentages on your side. Bad execution resulted in the failed attempt but it's the right call. A play we'll execute better as the year goes on n 84 is on the field along with more seasoned newbies.

remember the KC playoff game? Ball gets knocked in the air and intercepted. When it's first and GL at the one, run the freaking ball..

and it's usually 8 in the box because we don't spread the out.

I definitely think it's the wrong call because teams are all over that pick play at the GL. They know it's coming.

[spencer]

What makes a good coverage corner ? Is it speed ? Is it not biting on a receivers moves ? Also, are our corners told to hesitate and wait for possible run support ?

Did Tomlin and Colbert feel our corners were magically going to improve over the off season ? Taking Juju Smith was a another lost opportunity in selecting another corner. Juju is giving me that feeling of a bad omen with injuries. Hopefully he never gets injured again but, we are stacked with receivers IMHO. The secondary was the place to address through the draft that , had slim pickings at our draft positions but, being that our Steelers are probably a a good corner away from making the Super Bowl, FA and deals may have been able to be made. On the other hand, maybe they did try.

[feltdizz]

What makes a good coverage corner ? Is it speed ? Is it not biting on a receivers moves ? Also, are our corners told to hesitate and wait for possible run support ?

Did Tomlin and Colbert feel our corners were magically going to improve over the off season ? Taking Juju Smith was a another lost opportunity in selecting another corner. Juju is giving me that feeling of a bad omen with injuries. Hopefully he never gets injured again but, we are stacked with receivers IMHO. The secondary was the place to address through the draft that , had slim pickings at our draft positions but, being that our Steelers are probably a a good corner away from making the Super Bowl, FA and deals may have been able to be made. On the other hand, maybe they did try.

how stacked were we at WR in the AFCCG last year?

You guys really think WR's don't get hurt? Coates is still gimpy, Bryant is still rusty, DHB is old...

[spencer]

Of course receivers get injured. Every position is capable of injury. The glaring need is our secondary. I doubt they picked Juju over a possible corner because they feared receivers injuries could happen. Granted, taking the best available athlete is always a safe move. Safe or not, fear of previous or current injured receivers should not hinder the opportunity of replacing Cockrekrell. God forbid if Burns, Davis or any of the secondary players get injured. We may need to call back Antwone Blake.