Bye Week Changes Needed

["BuzzNuter"]

Ben has improved the last two games. He will continue to do so.
Najee is tough, a true Steeler RB. He will continue to improve.
Friermuth will become a top target for Ben. He is the next Steeler TE legend.
Claypool is inconsistent and is only good for combat catches. He will have go over the middle to get catches or he won't be getting many.
Johnson will continue to be Ben's goto WR. Johnson has got to get over his fear of contact. It leads to stupid decisions on his part.
After the bye, Friermuth, Najee and Johnson will get >65% of all touches.
MaCloud is not an NFL receiver. He will be a return man, that's it.
The D-line must get Tuitt back. Teams saw they will be able to smashmouth our defense. We have to correct this. The Browns and Ravens await.
Ben will improve and he will pick the guys he can trust to get the ball as I stated above.

[NorthCoast]

Washington had a catch last night. He needs to be more involved in the offense.

Was the Biletnikov winner in 2017 as the best WR in college and the Steelers can't seem to find a way to get him the ball.

[NorthCoast]

Agree on Claypool. For his size he should come down with almost everything tossed up his way. He loses out on balls against much smaller defenders. My hope is that with experience and coaching he will learn.

Listened to the second half on radio last night as I took my son back to school, watched the first half with him, then drove back. From the sounds of it, after Moore went down and Haeg went in, Najee's run production improved running behind him. Does that sound right?

The run D gets gashed regularly since TA went down. We need Tuiit in there to help stabilize.

FWIW when I noticed Green last night it was usually in a good way. He seemed to be getting downfield and blocking a second man, instead of always being pushed back.

Green is trying hard but alas I think center might not be cut out for him in the NFL. The fat bodies he goes against are just not moving much. Would absolutely LOVE to see him at guard next season after they draft a center.

[Northern_Blitz]

Green is trying hard but alas I think center might not be cut out for him in the NFL. The fat bodies he goes against are just not moving much. Would absolutely LOVE to see him at guard next season after they draft a center.

If this ends up being the case, it is the reason that people were arguing that the TE in round 2 was a luxury pick (per the OP).

Disliking that pick was about Humphrey not about Freiermuth.

I think I'll be curious about why we didn't seem to have any interest in Humphrey for a while.

[NorthCoast]

Wormley is really really bad.
Every time he was in game they ran his way.
Not sure if this caused Schoebert to be washed out constantly but he was just as bad as Bush.
We are still forcing Harris to run like Bell.
Bens RPO decision making was horrendous last night.

They are stuck with playing Wormley because Davis can't seem to stay healthy. Buggs and Mondeaux and Wormley are JAGs, can't win one on ones and only occassionally make a play when the OL doubles or triples Watt and Heyward. Loudermilk might be the better option but he is still learning.

[hackjam]

Devon certainly had a down game. I don't necessarily subscribe to it - but with coach Jerry not there and Butler doing double duty with the Linebackers, is it possible that had an impact on the game?

Oh and specifically bad for Devon - trying to run after recovering the fumble in OT and almost coughing it back up was a spectacularly bad decision.

I can't say I've ever been in that position at any level but that seemed like a glaring lack of situational awareness. Just jump on the ball and you're in FG range. Bet he gets an earful during film review this week.

[Northern_Blitz]

They are stuck with playing Wormley because Davis can't seem to stay healthy. Buggs and Mondeaux and Wormley are JAGs, can't win one on ones and only occassionally make a play when the OL doubles or triples Watt and Heyward. Loudermilk might be the better option but he is still learning.

Tuitt, we need you.

[hackjam]

This list is incomplete without adding Ben to it. He's bad. Can't throw the ball down the field consistently. Won't throw the 10 - 20 intermediate ball. Can't move. Dumps off for loss or 2 yard gain all the time. Three times he hit Seahawks in the hands and they dropped it (much like the Denver game). The Seattle defense is on pace to be historically bad in allowing yards per game and it almost overwhelmed the O.

People blame Canada for his game planning and play calling but what if its being done to cover for the deficiencies of the QB?

Sadly, I don't know how this can be corrected with the bye week.

That deep ball to Diontae where he beat his guy off the line is an easy TD 5 years ago. Ben used to feast on those, now it's a 50/50 ball at best most times.

[hackjam]

-Dan Moore Jr. just isn't cutting the butter at left tackle. Guys have been running around him all season, probably is contributing to Ben's rushed throws at times....

Seems like he's thinking too much out there or too worried about getting beat inside. There was one play (might have been the tuck fumble cluster) where he was looking inside for what seemed like an eternity before he even really got into his kick slide to get the EDGE. At that point, he was already beat. Reminded me of the sacks Bud Dupree got his first year or two where he just basically went untouched.

[hackjam]

They are stuck with playing Wormley because Davis can't seem to stay healthy. Buggs and Mondeaux and Wormley are JAGs, can't win one on ones and only occassionally make a play when the OL doubles or triples Watt and Heyward. Loudermilk might be the better option but he is still learning.

Mondeaux may be my least favorite player ever. He's like the Cobi Hamilton of defensive linemen but he has somehow managed to stick around.

[Northern_Blitz]

That deep ball to Diontae where he beat his guy off the line is an easy TD 5 years ago. Ben used to feast on those, now it's a 50/50 ball at best most times.

It's so weird because it's not like he doesn't have the arm to throw it anymore.

Just seems to put too much air on it too often.

Maybe guys like Bryant were just way more open than that? I think he would have been amazing if he could have stayed straight.

[pittpete]

Wormley makes Ziggy Hood look like a probowler

[crushedspirit]

If this ends up being the case, it is the reason that people were arguing that the TE in round 2 was a luxury pick (per the OP).

Disliking that pick was about Humphrey not about Freiermuth.

I think I'll be curious about why we didn't seem to have any interest in Humphrey for a while.

He's only the top rated C playing for a team that always passes, and has allowed 1 sack out of 242 pass attempts. Did I mention he can run block as well, with a run grade well over 90. Would like to hear why they skipped over him.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

This game highlighted some needed changes for this team:

• Bush - Bush was so bad it made my eyes water; weak at the point of attack, constantly over/under running gaps, and bad tackling for a LB. Starting to think Spillane might be a better option at ILB. Hell, I'd give VWill a call to see if he'd come back out of retirement.
• McCloud - as a receiver is no threat to anyone. The Steelers should consider another option like White or Bussey.
• Claypool - it might seem very early but I don't think the Steelers need to consider a second contract for this guy. Never seen a guy with his physical traits come up so small in games. It was his chance to shine with Juju out and he did nothing with it for the most part.
• Wormley - Steelers need to decide if the future is now with Loudermilk cause Wormley isn't. Dude is inconsistent as the Santa Ana winds.
• Freirmuth - still need to argue about this pick in the draft?! I shiver thinking what the offense would look like without him. He needs to see more targets at the expense of Claypool.
• Heyward - how are the Steelers gonna get this guy some rest cause I don't know how he can continue at the pace is going right now?? True leader of the defense in every way.
• Canada/Roethlisberger - please work on play designs where the ball gets thrown between 10 and 20 past the LOS. Defenses are still not respecting the pass game.
• DJ - more DJ, less Claypool
• Washington - more Washington, less Claypool
• Norwood - in the slot is better than Maulet or anyone else; guy has a highlight in almost every game he gets significant time playing
• Fitz - he might think he is headed for bag this off-season but the Steelers might be better off thinking about a trade for a high draft pick. He's not that good around the LOS but the Steelers seem intent on trying to use him that way.
• RB - the Steelers need a change of pace RB that can fly because defenses are too keyed on Harris at this point

OK... maybe too much ranting but this game was a good learning point on both sides.

Co-signed expect for asking for less Claypool, more Washington. Muth can catch the ball but he's not a big play guy. Claypool has unmatched upside. Might be tad immature.

[Oviedo]

This game highlighted some needed changes for this team:

• Bush - Bush was so bad it made my eyes water; weak at the point of attack, constantly over/under running gaps, and bad tackling for a LB. Starting to think Spillane might be a better option at ILB. Hell, I'd give VWill a call to see if he'd come back out of retirement.
• McCloud - as a receiver is no threat to anyone. The Steelers should consider another option like White or Bussey.
• Claypool - it might seem very early but I don't think the Steelers need to consider a second contract for this guy. Never seen a guy with his physical traits come up so small in games. It was his chance to shine with Juju out and he did nothing with it for the most part.
• Wormley - Steelers need to decide if the future is now with Loudermilk cause Wormley isn't. Dude is inconsistent as the Santa Ana winds.
• Freirmuth - still need to argue about this pick in the draft?! I shiver thinking what the offense would look like without him. He needs to see more targets at the expense of Claypool.
• Heyward - how are the Steelers gonna get this guy some rest cause I don't know how he can continue at the pace is going right now?? True leader of the defense in every way.
• Canada/Roethlisberger - please work on play designs where the ball gets thrown between 10 and 20 past the LOS. Defenses are still not respecting the pass game.
• DJ - more DJ, less Claypool
• Washington - more Washington, less Claypool
• Norwood - in the slot is better than Maulet or anyone else; guy has a highlight in almost every game he gets significant time playing
• Fitz - he might think he is headed for bag this off-season but the Steelers might be better off thinking about a trade for a high draft pick. He's not that good around the LOS but the Steelers seem intent on trying to use him that way.
• RB - the Steelers need a change of pace RB that can fly because defenses are too keyed on Harris at this point

OK... maybe too much ranting but this game was a good learning point on both sides.

Got to get McCloud off the field as a receiver. He provides nothing. Anyone would be better than him. Perhaps we get newly signed Anthony Miller on the field. He could sleep walk and be better than McCloud

Hopefully McFarland is getting ready to come back at RB