Debo?

[steelguin]

Is he ever going to play? He puts a new lifting video on instagram every 11 seconds so I assume he isn't injured.
Saving him for the Patriots* ?

[Ernie]

I've been wondering this for weeks. I see him popping up on the injury report (back/knee) etc . I am hoping he gets back on the field at 100% strength.

[Oviedo]

Can he play Inside LB????????

Very worried about Shazier and Matekevich being out

[WB Tarleton]

The problem with Deebo is passing downs (he is still a great run stopper).

Our D is now based on versatility. Our OLB "lack of production" is due more to they being asked to do so much more, like dropping into pass defense. James just cannot do that. If he is on the field, the offense pretty much knows he is rushing the passer which makes it near impossible to disguise who is or who is not coming.

Barring injuries, he will be extremely limited for the remainder of the season, after which he will be asked to retire.

[RuthlessBurgher]

If we asked our OLB's to rush the passer the majority of the time like in Deebo's heyday opposite Lamarr Woodley, then we'd use him.

But now our OLB's are dropping back in coverage more than half the time.

Heyward, Hargrave, and Tuitt rush the QB, and for the 4th guy, sometimes they bring Dupree, sometimes they bring Watt, sometimes they bring Vince, sometimes they bring Hilton, etc.

Add in the fact that Deebo's 39 year old body is no longer suited to special teams duty like our other backup LB options such as Moats, Chickillo, Fort, Matakevich, etc., and you can see why he is a healthy scratch more often than not.

But he's there if we need to activate him as a designated pass rush specialist for this stretch run or during the playoffs. He's a "break glass in case of emergency" situation.

[Oviedo]

If we asked our OLB's to rush the passer the majority of the time like in Deebo's heyday opposite Lamarr Woodley, then we'd use him.

But now our OLB's are dropping back in coverage more than half the time.

Heyward, Hargrave, and Tuitt rush the QB, and for the 4th guy, sometimes they bring Dupree, sometimes they bring Watt, sometimes they bring Vince, sometimes they bring Hilton, etc.

Add in the fact that Deebo's 39 year old body is no longer suited to special teams duty like our other backup LB options such as Moats, Chickillo, Fort, Matakevich, etc., and you can see why he is a healthy scratch more often than not.

But he's there if we need to activate him as a designated pass rush specialist for this stretch run or during the playoffs. He's a "break glass in case of emergency" situation.

What do you think about a two-down ILB?

[AzStillers1989]

Slide TJ to the inside and unleash the beast on that ROLB position.

[feltdizz]

I can't see us waiting until 1 or 2 games to unleash JH. Either he is hurt or just too old to get significant snaps.

[pittpete]

Deebo will be active Sunday night.
Mark it down.

[Slapstick]

If we asked our OLB's to rush the passer the majority of the time like in Deebo's heyday opposite Lamarr Woodley, then we'd use him.

But now our OLB's are dropping back in coverage more than half the time.

Heyward, Hargrave, and Tuitt rush the QB, and for the 4th guy, sometimes they bring Dupree, sometimes they bring Watt, sometimes they bring Vince, sometimes they bring Hilton, etc.

Add in the fact that Deebo's 39 year old body is no longer suited to special teams duty like our other backup LB options such as Moats, Chickillo, Fort, Matakevich, etc., and you can see why he is a healthy scratch more often than not.

But he's there if we need to activate him as a designated pass rush specialist for this stretch run or during the playoffs. He's a "break glass in case of emergency" situation.

With Matakevich and Shazier down, that glass done broke...

[RuthlessBurgher]

top story
By Michael David Smith
December 9, 2017, 2:22 PM EST
James Harrison wouldn’t have stayed in Pittsburgh if he knew he’d be a bench warmer

Veteran linebacker James Harrison has barely played for the Steelers this season, getting on the field for just 29 snaps. He’s not happy about that.

Harrison told Michele Tafoya of NBC that if he had known he wasn’t going to play much this season, he would not have signed with the Steelers.

The 39-year-old Harrison signed a two-year contract with the Steelers in March, but he now says he would have signed with another team if he had realized how little he was going to get on the field in Pittsburgh this season.

“Oh, yeah,” Harrison told Tafoya. “Who wants to not play?”

It remains to be seen whether Harrison plays beyond this season. But those comments suggest that if he does keep playing, he may want to try to find a team that will put him on the field more than the Steelers have.

[Ernie]

top story
By Michael David Smith
December 9, 2017, 2:22 PM EST
James Harrison wouldn’t have stayed in Pittsburgh if he knew he’d be a bench warmer

Veteran linebacker James Harrison has barely played for the Steelers this season, getting on the field for just 29 snaps. He’s not happy about that.

Harrison told Michele Tafoya of NBC that if he had known he wasn’t going to play much this season, he would not have signed with the Steelers.

The 39-year-old Harrison signed a two-year contract with the Steelers in March, but he now says he would have signed with another team if he had realized how little he was going to get on the field in Pittsburgh this season.

“Oh, yeah,” Harrison told Tafoya. “Who wants to not play?”

It remains to be seen whether Harrison plays beyond this season. But those comments suggest that if he does keep playing, he may want to try to find a team that will put him on the field more than the Steelers have.

Would love to see him get meaningful reps down the stretch. When he's seen the field, he's been productive.

[Shoe]

Slide TJ to the inside and unleash the beast on that ROLB position.

This is what I feel would be would make the most of bad situation with Shazier. Can Watt replicate Shazier's play-making inside, while also holding up vs. the run? Then... let Harrison do what he does best--rush the passer.

It seems to make us less versatile and more predictable (since Deebo can't cover and TJ doesn't know what he's doing inside, as much as Shazier), but it might make us a better pass-rushing team (with Deebo in).

[RuthlessBurgher]

By Darin Gantt
Dec 10, 2017, 7:20 PM EST
James Harrison active, warming up shirtless

The Steelers will be running a bit short on defense tonight against the Ravens.

In addition to the still-hospitalized Ryan Shazier, the Steelers deactivated safety Mike Mitchell and outside linebacker Tyler Matakevich, along with cornerback Joe Haden.

That will create a bigger role for outside linebacker James Harrison, who hasn’t been used much and hasn’t been particularly happy about it. He was a healthy scratch last week, and played just 29 defensive snaps this season.

He’s also warming up without a shirt on during a frigid Pittsburgh night, following the pregame ritual of Shazier.

Also inactive for the Steelers are quarterback Joshua Dobbs, tackle Matt Feiler, nose tackle Dan McCullers, and safety J.J. Wilcox.

For the Ravens, wide receiver Breshad Perriman and running back Terrance West are inactive, along with guard Jermaine Eluemunor, cornerback Stanley Jean-Baptiste, defensive end Bronson Kaufusi, guard Maurquice Shakir, and defensive end Za'Darius Smith.

[AzStillers1989]

By Darin Gantt
Dec 10, 2017, 7:20 PM EST
James Harrison active, warming up shirtless

The Steelers will be running a bit short on defense tonight against the Ravens.

In addition to the still-hospitalized Ryan Shazier, the Steelers deactivated safety Mike Mitchell and outside linebacker Tyler Matakevich, along with cornerback Joe Haden.

That will create a bigger role for outside linebacker James Harrison, who hasn’t been used much and hasn’t been particularly happy about it. He was a healthy scratch last week, and played just 29 defensive snaps this season.

He’s also warming up without a shirt on during a frigid Pittsburgh night, following the pregame ritual of Shazier.

Also inactive for the Steelers are quarterback Joshua Dobbs, tackle Matt Feiler, nose tackle Dan McCullers, and safety J.J. Wilcox.

For the Ravens, wide receiver Breshad Perriman and running back Terrance West are inactive, along with guard Jermaine Eluemunor, cornerback Stanley Jean-Baptiste, defensive end Bronson Kaufusi, guard Maurquice Shakir, and defensive end Za'Darius Smith.

Mitchell is active....