Let Me Repeat the Shazier Effect

[NorthCoast]

n the four games Spence has started for Shazier, the Steelers have allowed 23.75 points per game, six more than they were yielding the night Shazier went to a Cincinnati hospital

Difference in the game Sunday.... 3 pts.

Edit: updated after JAGS game: the Steelers have allowed 28 pts per game since Shazier went down... >10 pts/gm more than before Shazier's injury. I don't know about you but that sounds like a lot.

[pittpete]

We need to move on...
Lets look forward to a defensive heavy draft

[grotonsteel]

We need to move on...
Lets look forward to a defensive heavy draft

Steelers are having Defense Heavy Draft but they are unable to develop the talent. Steelers don't have luxury to keep drafting Rd 1 LB and not developing them.

Bud Dupree has regressed, Burns has regressed. Tuit has regressed (maybe injury bug). They havent developed a playmaker even though they have drafted Defense in Rd 1. Shazier was the only one out there and unfortunately he may never play football.

I would have fired Porter and lake yesterday. Get someone from outside the organization enough of former players.

[steeler_george]

Steelers are having Defense Heavy Draft but they are unable to develop the talent. Steelers don't have luxury to keep drafting Rd 1 LB and not developing them.

Bud Dupree has regressed, Burns has regressed. Tuit has regressed (maybe injury bug). They havent developed a playmaker even though they have drafted Defense in Rd 1. Shazier was the only one out there and unfortunately he may never play football.

I would have fired Porter and lake yesterday. Get someone from outside the organization enough of former players.

ITo be fair, Lake never really hadtalent until this year. Porter on the other hand...

[Docosc]

A fair number of rookie studs regress in year two. Next year will probably tell for the 2016 class.

[SteelCrazy]

Bud Dupree hasn't regressed. Unfortunately he has improved either. I saw him pick his butt and pride up off the field several times Sunday. James would have been great Sunday, but he played Saturday.

[fordfixer]

Heyward sees “discord” between Steelers scheme and execution

Posted by Josh Alper on January 16, 2018, 8:10 AM EST

The Steelers defense gave up 164 rushing yards, didn’t record a sack and never forced a turnover in Sunday’s 45-42 loss to the Jaguars that brought their season to an end.
The days after a loss like that can feature a lot of searching for answers and defensive end Cameron Heyward believes he’s identified the problem. He sees “a discord” between what’s called and what’s being executed as being at the heart of their struggles.

[phillyesq]

Shazier was a huge loss. No doubt. However, the coaching staff had 6 weeks to come up with a solution, and did nothing. You can't plug in a small, slow linebacker who was sitting on the couch and expect him to just replace Shazier.

Good coaches schematically adjust to the talent they have. They put players in different roles. Bud Dupree can't set the edge and can't rush the passer. Why not run a few packages with an extra lineman (or Harrison when he was here) and Dupree, Watt and Vince as the linebackers? The Steelers used a bit of a 4-3 look at times, then insisted on using 4 lbers after Shazier was hurt. Why? Butler and Tomlin both bear responsibility for this failure to adjust.

[papillon]

Heyward sees “discord” between Steelers scheme and execution

Posted by Josh Alper on January 16, 2018, 8:10 AM EST

The Steelers defense gave up 164 rushing yards, didn’t record a sack and never forced a turnover in Sunday’s 45-42 loss to the Jaguars that brought their season to an end.
The days after a loss like that can feature a lot of searching for answers and defensive end Cameron Heyward believes he’s identified the problem. He sees “a discord” between what’s called and what’s being executed as being at the heart of their struggles.

What the Hell does that mean? The players are too dumb to even execute the defense that is called? The defense that is called is wrong? The players aren't capable of executing the call due to limitations athletically? Huh? What?

Pappy

[Slapstick]

What the Hell does that mean? The players are too dumb to even execute the defense that is called? The defense that is called is wrong? The players aren't capable of executing the call due to limitations athletically? Huh? What?

Pappy

Probably a bit of all three...

If your team captain is saying that, it doesn't look good for Butler...

[feltdizz]

What the Hell does that mean? The players are too dumb to even execute the defense that is called? The defense that is called is wrong? The players aren't capable of executing the call due to limitations athletically? Huh? What?

Pappy

players trying to do too much? Trying to cover for Shazier's absence instead of keeping their assignments?

not sure.. just seems like words to me.

one thing I hate to admit. I just think the Jags were a better team this year.

[Northern_Blitz]

Difference in the game Sunday.... 3 pts.

Edit: updated after JAGS game: the Steelers have allowed 28 pts per game since Shazier went down... >10 pts/gm more than before Shazier's injury. I don't know about you but that sounds like a lot.

Part of the score difference is that he missed games against teams with good offence (Pats). But, the D is unquestionably worse without him.

I think part of that is that he is our best play maker on D. But, it might even be a bigger deal that he seemed to be the guy running the communication out there. It seems like we weren't good at communicating without him.

It kind of makes me buy into the theory that our team football IQ (at least on D) isn't that high.

[Oviedo]

What the Hell does that mean? The players are too dumb to even execute the defense that is called? The defense that is called is wrong? The players aren't capable of executing the call due to limitations athletically? Huh? What?

Pappy

I think it is pretty clear what he said. Call are being made but the players aren't executing. I know that disappoints everyone who wants to blame the coaches but 90% of the time that is why failure occurs.

It's on the players to make plays. That's why they get the big paychecks. Our defensive players failed to hold up their end of the bargain on Sunday.

[Oviedo]

players trying to do too much? Trying to cover for Shazier's absence instead of keeping their assignments?

not sure.. just seems like words to me.

one thing I hate to admit. I just think the Jags were a better team this year.

The Jags weren't a better team but they had a better defense...young and fast.

It is being characterized like we lost to a bunch of bottom feeders. They were the #3 seed in the AFC and probably have the best defense in the NFL talent wise. Given that we were one play from winning but didn't.

[pittpete]

How many times Sunday did you see guys with their hands up not knowing what defense was called.
I recall several times Watt standing there along with Gay a few times.
It probably has to do with the fact that Vince was clearly struggling early and then he left with the possible concussion.
The defense was out of sorts all day long.