4 bold predictions, 1 that won't happen

[whisper]

https://stillcurtain.com/2022/06/26/4-bold-predictions-steelers-2022-season/

TJ breaking sack record ain't gonna happen, unless at the peril of the rest of the D. Yo need all your ducks in a row to break that record, it's not likely to happen in 2022. And, this team places too much emphasis on getting sacks, to the point of hurting the overall D; i.e. being dead last in rushing D last year. That's what happens when you go head over heels for one aspect, like getting sacks at the expense of everything else.

When we handled the Browns rushing game last year, TJ said it was simply about focusing on it. There you go: when 100% of your focus is on getting sacks, your rush D turns to crap.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Ooh... I have some.

1. Larry Ogunjobi is having a full-season audition at NT. If he struggles, Alualu is there. If he remains healthy at the end of the season and plays well, expect him to be re-signed to play NT instead of the team drafting one. This was a sneaky signing and he may well get the big contract the Bears offered this year from the Steelers next year. Given that (to an extent) they can limit his snaps with Alualu, they have the power to lower his FA value for 2023

2. Devin Bush completely bounces back. He was still recovering from injury last season and wasn't confident in his healed body. With an additional year under his belt (albiet moving slowly last year) he fully understands the system. He'll have the dot back on his helmet. With him and Myles Jack, this will be a FAST defense (i see both of them right at 100 total tackles), but one that may struggle with power running games.

3. By mid-season, Pickens is out-performing Claypool because he is a better route runner and fuller route-tree. That in itself, isn't an especially bold prediction - but, wait there's more. By season's end, Claypool is asking to be traded, but... there's DJs contract... can they afford to lose them both after the WR turnover in recent years

4. The team makes the playoffs and wins a game, which weirds us all out...

[Joel Buchsbaum]

l'll hold my season recrod forecast until the end of the pre-season. I hold my forecast on the new players until I see the in the pre-season

1 ) Bush still disappoints at ILB.
2 ) Freiermuth takes the next step and becomes a borderline pro bowl guy, Improving as a blocker, and increasing his yard per catch.
3 ) Neither Dotson or Green is the answer left guard but Dotson wins the battle and starts for now.
4 ) Harris has another solid season. He's better because his OL is better, but he not star.

[Flasteel]

https://stillcurtain.com/2022/06/26/...s-2022-season/

TJ breaking sack record ain't gonna happen, unless at the peril of the rest of the D. Yo need all your ducks in a row to break that record, it's not likely to happen in 2022. And, this team places too much emphasis on getting sacks, to the point of hurting the overall D; i.e. being dead last in rushing D last year. That's what happens when you go head over heels for one aspect, like getting sacks at the expense of everything else.

When we handled the Browns rushing game last year, TJ said it was simply about focusing on it. There you go: when 100% of your focus is on getting sacks, your rush D turns to crap.

You can never place too much emphasis on rushing the passer, in my opinion. Our last place run defense had nothing to do with us selling out to get after the QB. It had everything to do with our defensive line not disrupting or occupying blockers and keeping our horrible inside backers clean.

I see no reason with improved play around him that Watt can't break the record. He tied it last year with two starters on the D-line missing the entire year and not getting much help on the other side from Highsmith. Plus, he missed two games and the full halves of two others. TJ Watt is unparalleled in his ability to pressure the QB. If anyone should be a favorite to break that record next year, it's him.

[whisper]

You can never place too much emphasis on rushing the passer, in my opinion. Our last place run defense had nothing to do with us selling out to get after the QB. It had everything to do with our defensive line not disrupting or occupying blockers and keeping our horrible inside backers clean.

I see no reason with improved play around him that Watt can't break the record. He tied it last year with two starters on the D-line missing the entire year and not getting much help on the other side from Highsmith. Plus, he missed two games and the full halves of two others. TJ Watt is unparalleled in his ability to pressure the QB. If anyone should be a favorite to break that record next year, it's him.

Odd that the one game TJ said they focused on the rush, they stopped the best rushing team in its tracks.

[Captain Lemming]

https://stillcurtain.com/2022/06/26/...s-2022-season/

TJ breaking sack record ain't gonna happen, unless at the peril of the rest of the D. Yo need all your ducks in a row to break that record, it's not likely to happen in 2022. And, this team places too much emphasis on getting sacks, to the point of hurting the overall D; i.e. being dead last in rushing D last year. That's what happens when you go head over heels for one aspect, like getting sacks at the expense of everything else.

When we handled the Browns rushing game last year, TJ said it was simply about focusing on it. There you go: when 100% of your focus is on getting sacks, your rush D turns to crap.

This is truth. We DO risk too much going after splash plays.
I have said it many times. It is my one beef with TJ.

Whenever, we get gashed he is the first to say, “we need to stay in our gaps” better.
And as you quote him, their run D was better just by concentrating on it.

[WindyCitySteel]

Ooh... I have some.

1. Larry Ogunjobi is having a full-season audition at NT. If he struggles, Alualu is there. If he remains healthy at the end of the season and plays well, expect him to be re-signed to play NT instead of the team drafting one. This was a sneaky signing and he may well get the big contract the Bears offered this year from the Steelers next year. Given that (to an extent) they can limit his snaps with Alualu, they have the power to lower his FA value for 2023

I had thought of LO as the Tuitt replacement, but he's almost the exact same size as Javon Hargrave. Interesting, he could probably be a similar one-gap NT like Javon was.

I like this one.

[Captain Lemming]

You can never place too much emphasis on rushing the passer, in my opinion. Our last place run defense had nothing to do with us selling out to get after the QB. It had everything to do with our defensive line not disrupting or occupying blockers and keeping our horrible inside backers clean.

I see no reason with improved play around him that Watt can't break the record. He tied it last year with two starters on the D-line missing the entire year and not getting much help on the other side from Highsmith. Plus, he missed two games and the full halves of two others. TJ Watt is unparalleled in his ability to pressure the QB. If anyone should be a favorite to break that record next year, it's him.

Nah, gotta go with whisper here. You are correct about other factors, but we DO sell out to penetrate the backfield. We don’t read and react at all and it is used against us. Tomlin and the DC needs to make sure we aren’t so concerned about records that guys are running open gaps because we are taking the wrong one to try to get a sack.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

I had thought of LO as the Tuitt replacement, but he's almost the exact same size as Javon Hargrave. Interesting, he could probably be a similar one-gap NT like Javon was.

I like this one.

When Hargrave was still on the team and Tuitt was hurt, Alualu did a very solid job replacing him. There are many possibilities for this DL.

[NorthCoast]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...he-2022-season

NFL Records That Are Most Likely to Fall During the 2022 Season
KRISTOPHER KNOX
JUNE 23, 2022

Single-Season Sacks
5 OF 7

Current Record: 22.5 (Michael Strahan, 2001 and T.J. Watt 2021)

Of all the records on this list, this one feels like the most likely to be broken in 2022. The reason is rather simple. Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt tied Michael Strahan's 2001 record this past season and did so while playing only 15 games.

If Watt can stay on the field for a full season, he could end up having the single-season record all to his lonesome.

For Watt, sharing a piece of NFL history isn't the ultimate goal.

"I feel that I have so much more to give to the game," Watt said, per The Athletic's Mark Kaboly. "I am definitely not satisfied. I am trying to continue to grow and be one of the best who ever played this game."

Watt is not the only sack artist who will be in the running this year. Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald has a 20.5-sack season (201 on his resume and is always a threat to lead the league in quarterback takedowns.

The NFL is filled with talented up-and-coming pass-rushers and aggressive schemes. Last season, Watt, Nick Bosa, Robert Quinn and Myles Garrett all topped 15 sacks and could claim the record with a jump of 7.5 sacks or fewer in 2022.

Unless new Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin takes a surprisingly conservative approach, though, Watt feels like the clear front-runner for this milestone.

[Captain Lemming]

I had thought of LO as the Tuitt replacement, but he's almost the exact same size as Javon Hargrave. Interesting, he could probably be a similar one-gap NT like Javon was.

I like this one.

Yeah, interesting.

[Ernie]

I had thought of LO as the Tuitt replacement, but he's almost the exact same size as Javon Hargrave. Interesting, he could probably be a similar one-gap NT like Javon was.

I like this one.

In hindsight.. I'll bet we wished we chose Hargrave over Tuitt..

[Flasteel]

Nah, gotta go with whisper here. You are correct about other factors, but we DO sell out to penetrate the backfield. We don’t read and react at all and it is used against us. Tomlin and the DC needs to make sure we aren’t so concerned about records that guys are running open gaps because we are taking the wrong one to try to get a sack.

Then I shall disagree with both of you. TJ Watt not only led the league in sacks, he led the league in tackles for loss. The Steelers as a team were 2nd in the NFL in tackles for loss. The biggest problem was our defensive line not being able to occupy blockers and linebackers couldn't fill their gaps. We lost our gap integrity right up the middle. We were last in the league against the rush because backs were getting into our secondary with regularity. Not because TJ Watt was overcommitting to rush the passer or we were selling out to blitz the QB.

[NorthCoast]

In hindsight.. I'll bet we wished we chose Hargrave over Tuitt..

I had the same thought. Tuitt was far and away the better player but his availability seem to always scare me. And you know what they say about availability....

[TheRealTazz864]

https://stillcurtain.com/2022/06/26/...s-2022-season/

TJ breaking sack record ain't gonna happen, unless at the peril of the rest of the D. Yo need all your ducks in a row to break that record, it's not likely to happen in 2022. And, this team places too much emphasis on getting sacks, to the point of hurting the overall D; i.e. being dead last in rushing D last year. That's what happens when you go head over heels for one aspect, like getting sacks at the expense of everything else.

When we handled the Browns rushing game last year, TJ said it was simply about focusing on it. There you go: when 100% of your focus is on getting sacks, your rush D turns to crap.

I think the deficiency in tackling rushers was more a result of going for the brutal shoulder-check rather than going for the sack... Form tackling doesn't get defensive guys on SportsCenter... TJ Watt will continue to do TJ Watt things... It sounds like you're afraid for the Browns and are trying to discourage TJ... hmmmm... Grab your pitchforks, everybody... I've exposed a Browns infiltrator!!!