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View Full Version : Week 8 Thoughts - Patriots vs Steelers



Chidi29
11-14-2011, 03:51 PM
Lot of catching up to do. Finally got my computer back and the past two games watched.

First Half

- Kickoffs: 2.90 (15, OB), 4.05 (-3), 3.94 (1), 3.15 (6), 4.05 (3), 4.10 (-8, TB).

- Starting o-line: Starks, Kemo, Pouncey, Foster, Gilbert. As CBS pointed out, this was the first time all year that we started the same line in two straight weeks.

- One problem I saw with Kemoeatu in his pass protection and a possible reason why he's getting bull rushed so much. He's not getting his feet set and isn't able to push from a balanced position. Take a look at this picture.

http://i43.tinypic.com/4jkv4.jpg

Kemoeatu jumped outside on this play because the NT was shaded to his outside. When Kemo tries to jump back to the inside after seeing the DT start to slant, he doesn't get his right foot down and gets blown back into the pocket. We can see RG Ramon Foster have a sound base with his feet set. Kemoeatu is being engaged before his feet are set and he isn't able to establish any power.

- TD to Moore. It's the good 'ol angle route to MeMo. Haven't seen it around too much this season but we definitely use it in critical situations. Always in our backpocket.

- Ben obviously did a great job reading hot on his first drive.

- Lewis and Battle were the starting wedgebusters though it seems like there's some rotation based on who is fresh throughout the game.

- First run play Casey Hampton faced, takes on a cut block from Mankins, gets off it with ease, and makes the tackle for the loss.

- Quick screen play to Brown that went for a short loss. Looks like Ben checked out of the run, this wasn't the designed playcall. Just something to keep in mind when people gang up on Arians for always running those quick screens (which I like no matter who is calling them).

- First quarter TOP: 13:36. Rushing yards: 21. Like I've said in the past, you don't NEED to run the ball to control the clock. Move the ball in any manner that you can, whatever fits your offense best.

- Keisel tossed aside 5 time Pro Bowler Brian Waters like a ragdoll on one play early in the 2nd quarter.

- INT to Guyton. Not much to say, Ben got tunnel vision. Maybe he didn't see Guyton since he was showing pre-snap blitz.

- Ben routinely going through his progessions, hitting his 3rd/4th reads. Did so on Brown's TD. Looks like that was his 4th read.

- Ike seemed to cover Welker in the slot only on 3rd downs and when the Pats were in the hurry up. Wasn't on him all game. So kudos to everyone else for helping in slowing him down, too.

- Wonder if Sanders hurt his knee at the end of the first half, know that's when Tomlin said it happened. Got twisted around by two Pats players. Knee sticks in the ground.

Second Half

- Larry Foote played a heck of a game. And I've been free to be critical of him in the past few weeks when he played awful. He diagnosed plays quicker, didn't get washed out, and read coverages well. No doubt helped by the extra film study he put in since he was calling the signals with Farrior out. That is a good thing to see, yes, but at the same time, that means he isn't studying as hard in other weeks. I want to see that kind of work ethic every week, regardless of if you're calling the plays or not. Because you never know when you will have to be put into the game and asked to do so.

- Been a little while since I've updated some of the guyson kick coverage. Include: Cortez Allen, Sly, Moore, Curtis Brown, Battle, McFadden, Mundy, Dwyer, Carter, and Will Allen. Have seen Ike and Gay as the contain men too.

- Late hit on Clark. I'm fine with it. But why doesn't Hernandez get called for the "Hines Ward" rule on his crackback of Mundy? Check it out.

http://i43.tinypic.com/2mq9hyf.png

http://i43.tinypic.com/et9px1.png

Not that I'm in the conspiracy theory camp, but it is sometimes frustrating to see a missed call that clear. Especially with a ref right behind the play.

- Keisel batting down another pass.

- Prime example to show how bad our guys wanted to beat New England. After Troy stopped Faulk on a 3rd down, you see him fist pump the air. Usually doesn't get emotional like that in a regular season game.

http://i41.tinypic.com/xbh1g6.png

- Props to Cortez Allen for his couple of tackles on Gronkowski. Certainly didn't face those guys at The Citadel.

- Love Sanders cut block on one screen play.

http://i40.tinypic.com/msivx4.png

- Keenan Lewis still looks a little tight in his hips. On the plus side, he's obviously played much better than what I thought and does a great job of understanding positioning and getting inside position on receivers.

- What a hit by Clark to keep Faulk out of the end zone and cause the Pats to use another chunk of clock. Fights through a Trips Bunch set no less to get there.

- Ran two FB dives out of Pony to Redman.

- Credit to the younger, more inexperienced players on defense for stepping up. Carter, Sly, Allen. Maybe they didn't play great, like Tomlin said, but we were comfortable enough to use them and they were bodies to fill in.

- Not sure what the idea behind the passes late were about. Bad decision by Arians.

- Brown, Allen your gunners.

Sacks

- 3rd and 12, :12 left in 1st. 01, empty set out of the gun. Pats bring three, drop 8. Wilfork one-on-one with Pouncey, spins off and drags Ben to the ground. Good coverage from the Pats by dropping eight in the red zone. Throwing lanes really limited. Half of blame to Pouncey, half on coverage.

- 2nd and 8, 9:40 left in 2nd. 12, playaction. Pats bring four. Basically a three route combo, Heath runs a 7 and a deep 8 by Sanders are the important ones. Johnson and Mendenhall leak into the flats as safety valves. Ben should've hit his checkdown sooner, he even looked and saw Johnson open. Mendenhall was open too underneath. Part of the reason why the corner route wasn't a viable option was because the OLB was playing in a hook zone and making it a difficult throw. That leaves Mendenhall open underneath.

- 1st and 10, 2:20 left in 3rd. 12, Pats bring 4. Pretty good coverage, initial options aren't there. Starks does a decent job of pushing Carter to the outside but isn't able to push him into the ground when he seals the edge and Carter is able to stay on his feet and drop Ben, causing a fumble. Starks recovers the fumble.

Sack Counter: Game

Ben Roethlisberger: 1
Max Starks: 1
Coverage: .5
Maurkice Pouncey: .5

Sack Counter: Season

Ben Roethlisberger: 6
Max Starks: 3
Good defensive scheme/coverage: 2.5
Chris Kemoeatu: 2
Jonathan Scott: 1.5
Wide receivers: 1.5
Ramon Foster: 1.5
Bruce Arians: 1
Marcus Gilbert: 1
Maurkice Pouncey: 1
Willie Colon: .5
Trai Essex: .5

Documentation

FB: 8
Pony: 3
Empty: 13

Psycho Ward 86
11-14-2011, 06:19 PM
The Ryan Clark hit to keep Faulk out of the endzone was my favorite play of the game by far even if that drive ended in a Pats TD. Stuff of legends i tell ya.