Offensive Firepower

[papillon]

Re: Offensive Firepower

Here's the break down of 303 completions this past season.

Hines ------ 81 ------ 26.7%
Santonio --- 55 ------ 18.2%
Heath ------ 48 ------ 15.8%
Nate ------- 40 ------ 13.2%
Mewelde ---- 40 ----- 13.2%
Matt -------- 17 ------ 5.6%
The rest ---- 22 ------- 7.3%

In "The rest" category falls Limas (6), Willie (3), Ben (1), Russell (1), Rashard (2), Davis (5), McHugh (3) and Baker (1). Those aren't going to get redistributed exclusively to Spaeth every team has those guys that less than 10 balls in a season.

That leaves Hines, Santonio, Heath, Mewelde and Nate to use as areas of reduction to get Spaeth more looks and catches. I'm not sure that's what you want to do in an attempt to add firepower to the offense. Spaeth is going to be one of those guys that makes other teams nuts, because, they're going to cover Ward, Holmes and Moore perfectly on a 3rd down play and Spaeth will kill them with a chain moving catch as the third or fourth option.

Every team has guys like that just seem to make plays that extend drives, but, aren't their "go to" guy. If Spaeth can fulfill that role the Steelers will be fine and have to realize that once he plays out his first contract he'll probably move on and the Steelers need to plan for that.

Pappy

You are basing this off of keeping the number of pass attempts the same. How about take 4 handoffs to Mewelde Moore, Willie Parker, Gary Russell, whichever, on the 3 yardline or in and toss one to the corner.

I had to base it off of fact and not conjecture. Certainly, we could remove 4 handoffs per game and tilt the play selection more to the pass to try and get Spaeth some looks, but, at what cost? Incomplete passes stop the clock and if you're winning that's not what you really want. While Spaeth would certainly be a potential target, I would bet that Ward, Holmes, Miller, Washington would get the first two or three reads near the goal line.

Spaeth serves a purpose for this offense as it is currently constructed and I don't think I want the ball out of our experienced play makers hands just to get him more looks. His YAC is non-existent and for a big man he seems to be tackled easily.

Pappy

[Oviedo]

Re: Offensive Firepower

[quote=sd steel]

A guy I like as a weapon and feel is totally underutilized is Matt Spaeth. In the two weeks that Heath was down this year Spaeth caught 12 balls for 108yds. The rest of the entire season combined he had 6 catches for 34yds.

Spaeth is 6'7" 270lbs. He wasn't drafted to run block. He has good hands if you throw him the football. Spaeth was on the field in a lot of two TE sets and they never throw to him. I think a guy that tall could be a huge weapon on offense myself. I think this is another prime example of Arians not utilizing all of his weapons properly.

If you look at the stats, Spaeth would have got the ball about six percent of the time, but would you rather Spaeth get the ball more than Holmes or Ward or Miller or Washington or Moore? These number were based on approximately 480 offensive plays this year and going on the fact that Ben throws at around a 55% completion rate. We try to run half the time, and Ward caught 82 passes.

Yes we could use Spaeth more, but although he is big, he doesn't get any YAC.[/quote:19lsbepo]

Spaeth could catch a 7 yard pattern take one step and fall forward and that is a 10 yard gain. He isn't going to break a 40 yard run but that shouldn't be his role. He should be an underneath option that we use more to set up 3rd and short or keep the chains moving while forcing the defense to react and account for him and Heath opening up opportunities for other playmakers on the offense.

If you watch how other teams defense us they almost totally ignore the short passing lanes and stack 7-8 in the box to shut down the run. We have not done a consistently good job exploiting that and when we do, like in the Super Bowl, we are very successful.

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

Re: Offensive Firepower

think of all the offensive firepower we have right now?

an elite quarterback, future hall of fame WR, newly crowned SB XLIII MVP, a great tight end who can catch and block well, a quick pro bowl running back, first round running back who will be a STUD for us, a former texas standout who will play big in his second season, the best 3rd down back in the league, a goal line specialist, etc...if nate stays, he's a pretty athletic dude who has a high ceiling...

keep in mind, we did win a super bowl with our offensive line not even playing up to pittsburgh standards for the vast majority of the season...they'll only get better IMHO

we have a ton of weapons offensively...

I'm happy with the weapons on O. If we can't retain Washington, I would like to see a WR added later 5-7. Possibly one with return ability. I don't think Baker or Nance can be the #4 if Washington leaves. Logan could provide the spark in the return game we are looking for. He could also give us the "Leon Washington" factor on 3rd & medium. That being said, if someone falls in the Steelers lap early...I would understand if they went in that direction and address OL/DL throughout the draft. Playmakers have a significant impact across the board on a defense and you can't teach speed!!!

[Mister Pittsburgh]

Re: Offensive Firepower

Here's the break down of 303 completions this past season.

Hines ------ 81 ------ 26.7%
Santonio --- 55 ------ 18.2%
Heath ------ 48 ------ 15.8%
Nate ------- 40 ------ 13.2%
Mewelde ---- 40 ----- 13.2%
Matt -------- 17 ------ 5.6%
The rest ---- 22 ------- 7.3%

In "The rest" category falls Limas (6), Willie (3), Ben (1), Russell (1), Rashard (2), Davis (5), McHugh (3) and Baker (1). Those aren't going to get redistributed exclusively to Spaeth every team has those guys that less than 10 balls in a season.

That leaves Hines, Santonio, Heath, Mewelde and Nate to use as areas of reduction to get Spaeth more looks and catches. I'm not sure that's what you want to do in an attempt to add firepower to the offense. Spaeth is going to be one of those guys that makes other teams nuts, because, they're going to cover Ward, Holmes and Moore perfectly on a 3rd down play and Spaeth will kill them with a chain moving catch as the third or fourth option.

Every team has guys like that just seem to make plays that extend drives, but, aren't their "go to" guy. If Spaeth can fulfill that role the Steelers will be fine and have to realize that once he plays out his first contract he'll probably move on and the Steelers need to plan for that.

Pappy

You are basing this off of keeping the number of pass attempts the same. How about take 4 handoffs to Mewelde Moore, Willie Parker, Gary Russell, whichever, on the 3 yardline or in and toss one to the corner.

I had to base it off of fact and not conjecture. Certainly, we could remove 4 handoffs per game and tilt the play selection more to the pass to try and get Spaeth some looks, but, at what cost? Incomplete passes stop the clock and if you're winning that's not what you really want. While Spaeth would certainly be a potential target, I would bet that Ward, Holmes, Miller, Washington would get the first two or three reads near the goal line.

Spaeth serves a purpose for this offense as it is currently constructed and I don't think I want the ball out of our experienced play makers hands just to get him more looks. His YAC is non-existent and for a big man he seems to be tackled easily.

Pappy

If you are cool with the way we got stuffed on the goalline all the time with running the football then that is your opinion. I fwe are worried about burning clock instead of punching the ball into the endzone then something is wrong. None of the guys you listed are 6'7" tall which seems like a nice target in the redzone matched up against 6 foot tall DB's.

[papillon]

Re: Offensive Firepower

[quote=Mister Pittsburgh]

Here's the break down of 303 completions this past season.

Hines ------ 81 ------ 26.7%
Santonio --- 55 ------ 18.2%
Heath ------ 48 ------ 15.8%
Nate ------- 40 ------ 13.2%
Mewelde ---- 40 ----- 13.2%
Matt -------- 17 ------ 5.6%
The rest ---- 22 ------- 7.3%

In "The rest" category falls Limas (6), Willie (3), Ben (1), Russell (1), Rashard (2), Davis (5), McHugh (3) and Baker (1). Those aren't going to get redistributed exclusively to Spaeth every team has those guys that less than 10 balls in a season.

That leaves Hines, Santonio, Heath, Mewelde and Nate to use as areas of reduction to get Spaeth more looks and catches. I'm not sure that's what you want to do in an attempt to add firepower to the offense. Spaeth is going to be one of those guys that makes other teams nuts, because, they're going to cover Ward, Holmes and Moore perfectly on a 3rd down play and Spaeth will kill them with a chain moving catch as the third or fourth option.

Every team has guys like that just seem to make plays that extend drives, but, aren't their "go to" guy. If Spaeth can fulfill that role the Steelers will be fine and have to realize that once he plays out his first contract he'll probably move on and the Steelers need to plan for that.

Pappy

You are basing this off of keeping the number of pass attempts the same. How about take 4 handoffs to Mewelde Moore, Willie Parker, Gary Russell, whichever, on the 3 yardline or in and toss one to the corner.

I had to base it off of fact and not conjecture. Certainly, we could remove 4 handoffs per game and tilt the play selection more to the pass to try and get Spaeth some looks, but, at what cost? Incomplete passes stop the clock and if you're winning that's not what you really want. While Spaeth would certainly be a potential target, I would bet that Ward, Holmes, Miller, Washington would get the first two or three reads near the goal line.

Spaeth serves a purpose for this offense as it is currently constructed and I don't think I want the ball out of our experienced play makers hands just to get him more looks. His YAC is non-existent and for a big man he seems to be tackled easily.

Pappy

If you are cool with the way we got stuffed on the goalline all the time with running the football then that is your opinion. I fwe are worried about burning clock instead of punching the ball into the endzone then something is wrong. None of the guys you listed are 6'7" tall which seems like a nice target in the redzone matched up against 6 foot tall DB's.[/quote:1o1z7aww]

And, my point is that just because he's in the game doesn't mean he's going to be tqargeted when you have guys like Ward, Holmes, Miller and Moore on the team. You can put him in the game, but, getting him touches eliminates touches from the real play makers.

I hated that we couldn't punch the ball into the endzone, but, Spaeth wasn't changing that. Be would look to Miller, Ward and Holmes first, Spaeth would be an after thought or the target on one of Ben's patented scrambles.

I'm hoping that Mendenhall will be the back we all believe he can be and be the hammer on the goal line.

Pappy