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Craic
09-23-2013, 04:19 PM
When the game was over last night, I found myself with this strange sensation lingering. It was called hope. Of course, any good, any positive that showed itself last night for the first time is buried in the "We suck and will never again win a game" mentality... but so be it. First a caveat to those who want to jump all over this thread because I'm not talking about suckage on par with the biggest interdimensional cross rip since the Tunguska blast of 1909.

Caveat - yes, we lost. We lost three times in a row. In the end, we were embarrassed. We had key breakdowns at key moments. I'm not blind to the problems and faults of the team. I just don't extrapolate that to massive suckage of a multi-year proportion.

Now, as for the reasons that I take hope from this game:


Lost in all the turnovers, line issues, etc., is the fact that our anemic offense put up 23 points last night. While that was against a defense that wasn't the be-all end-all of defenses, the Bears defense also aren't slouches. They were average to just above average in points allowed (a number of points against them were on turnovers or special teams). This offense, that has barely put up a TD in each game, put up two TD's in this game, and were knocking on the door for three more. Yes, that's three failed opportunities, but it's a VAST improvement over the previous two weeks. Check this out.



Week one: one TD. Four drives over 33 yards; results were fumble (scoring opportunity), punt, punt, TD. So, two scoring opportunities, one TD.

Week two: one TD, one field goal, four drives over 55 yards; results fumble (scoring opportunity), touch down, interception, end of game (I'm counting this drive as not garbage time, because the score was close enough that a TD and an onside kick puts the team dangerously close to tying the game, so it's not a matter of just playing your second stringers on defenses).

Week three: two TDs, three field goals, five drives over 52 yards, one more when the score was out of reach; results were FG, TD, FG, TD, FG. The sixth drive stalled right at the red zone.

There were times the offense was starting to click last night. For the first time this season, it looked like it had life, and looked that way beyond just one drive. Are there a lot of things to improve on? Absolutely, but it's not as if this offense is devoid of life.


Speaking of life, lost in the sky is falling mentality is the Steelers performance in the third quarter. Quarter begins, 24-10, Chicago. Steelers get the ball and . . . turn it over. 27-10, Chicago. From that point, it went: <br />
Steelers offense: 5:16 TOP, 62 yard drive, FG.
Chicago, five plays, 2:18 TOP, 7 yard drive, punt.
Steelers, three plays, 1:30 TOP, 69 yard drive, TD
Chicago, three plays, 1:41 TOP, 9 yard drive, Punt.
Steelers, eleven plays, 4:31 TOP, 52 yard drive, FG.
End of third quarter.


We ended up with the ball for 11:17 out of 15 minutes in that quarter, drove 183 yards, and put up 13 points (yes, should have been 21, but my point is that we are improving). In this quarter, I saw flashes of the Steelers offense and defense of the past. That is something I had not seen yet this year. The defense played with emotion and the offense, for the first time, was a danger to something other than themselves.


Running the ball. This cuts both ways. Overall, we had more stuffs against us in this game, but for the first time this year, our running game was something that the defense had to keep an eye on as well. there were three double digit rushes and six rushes for six yards or more, and our rushing average was 3.8 yards per rush. That's a full yard per rush more that the previous week (2.8), and almost two yards a rush more than the first week (2.06). Was it Jerome Bettis running? No, but no one is saying that. What I'm saying is that we are seeing headway in the run game.


Individual efforts. This, I think really stood out to me last night. There were some individual efforts that were on display that I hadn't seen before tonight this year. Brown of course, put on a big show. Felix Jones motored for some yards that he simply shouldn't've been able to get. Dwyer put his head down and destroyed the DB on his big run. I also noticed Ziggy Hood with a couple good plays. Troy P. has been on display all season long. Everyone yells and screams about William Gay, but he had a forced fumble, and is tied with Taylor for passes defended, and has one less tackle than Taylor. Again, he's not the end all be all, but people, he was brought in to be a nickel CB and a backup, and for that role, is playing pretty well.


So, all said and done, while so many others are giving up on this team (see the fire ___ and start over thread(s), I am sticking with my 3-5/4-4 in first eight, 7-1/8-0 in last eight thoughts for this season. We seem to be right in that path when it comes to how I thought this team would develop and the problem we'd have coming out of the gate.

steelreserve
09-23-2013, 04:27 PM
You know, one part of me says yes, the team is better than this, they're making progress and they ought to come alive and start winning some games soon.

Another part of me says, seriously? It takes you 7 games (counting preseason) to warm up and hit your stride? What kind of amateur-hour crap is that? This is a professional football team, and there's no excuse for being anything less than fully prepared and ready to play 100% by the first game of the regular season.

So bottom line, either we really ARE this bad, or else we're completely undisciplined and poorly coached. It's one or the other. Given not just that we lost, but the way we lost all three games, not to mention all the preseason games and a crappy ending to last year ... that kind of thing does not just happen because of bad luck.

KeiselPower99
09-23-2013, 04:29 PM
I really think that Ben is trying to hard right now and needs to settle. The O line is gonna get better. DeCastro I thought had a good game and Valasco is proving to be very solid. I guess we may be the minority in Steeler Nation but 10-6 is still possible. Ill even add in that Cortez Allen hasnt been out there and he is a special player. Things are gonna get better.

Craic
09-23-2013, 04:40 PM
You know, one part of me says yes, the team is better than this, they're making progress and they ought to come alive and start winning some games soon.

Another part of me says, seriously? It takes you 7 games (counting preseason) to warm up and hit your stride? What kind of amateur-hour crap is that? This is a professional football team, and there's no excuse for being anything less than fully prepared and ready to play 100% by the first game of the regular season.

So bottom line, either we really ARE this bad, or else we're completely undisciplined and poorly coached. It's one or the other. Given not just that we lost, but the way we lost all three games, not to mention all the preseason games and a crappy ending to last year ... that kind of thing does not just happen because of bad luck.

SR, that's just not realistic, however. Yes, it takes that long. Don't you remember in the Cowher years when the mark of a good team was that it went 3-3 in the first six games? With all the changes this team has gone through, with the injuries again it's had to deal with, and with all the changes they've messed with, I fully expected them that long. That included Heath coming back.

A lot of people question whether the return of one person could make such a big difference. It's not that he can impact every element of the game, is that everything feeds of each other. Think of the old car engines. If the timing wasn't just right, you might have thought that you had bad plugs, plug wires, alternator cap, maybe your fuel filter was clogged, maybe your fuel/air mix wasn't correct, you might have even thought that something was wrong with the shocks because the care was "riding rough." All it took however, was a little turn of the distributor and everything was fixed. I'm not saying that IS the problem with the Steelers. Rather, when we got Heath back, it knocked out a number of the problems that his absence caused, which unmasked what some of our real problems are. That limits the focus to fixing those issues now.

On top of that, the third quarter and yes, even the fourth (except for the one drive given up by the defense) shows a good half-time adjustment. Something changed, and it began to work. There's lots more to do, and it's very frustrating to watch, but the all or nothing mentality that is so prevalent really isn't necessary, IMO.

Count Steeler
09-23-2013, 04:41 PM
What can I say Preach. You and I have called the same pattern for this season. Rough start and great second half. Nothing has changed for me either. It ALMOST felt as good as a win last night. Lot's of positives to build off. Yes we have lots of work left to do, but there is hope.

blackngldblood
09-23-2013, 05:02 PM
I can tell you after last nights game I was more than bummed, but you know what, it wasn't like after the Tenn. loss. It wasn't as bad as the Bengals loss. It was frustrated to see the heart of the team peek out during the game only to be shunned away by another turnover. I kept yelling "the D is getting close!" last night. I haven't folded up the towel, nor have I set the jersey on fire, but I will remain cautiously optimistic from this point on.

HollywoodSteel
09-23-2013, 05:54 PM
I also was not as bothered by this loss as the others. I know part of it is mental. That the first loss was in such shocking fashion against a team that we should have beaten... it was like "really? This is who we are?" So come the second week, I was like, "Okay, let's see how we respond. We'll see if that's who we really are." After that loss, I guess there was just no denying this is who we are. But what bothered me was that I suspected we were more talented than how we looked those first two weeks, and in the right coach's hands we would turn it around and win in the third week, setting the stage for a winning season. I'm pretty sure I was right about that. :)

I think this team has enough individual talents that it can overcome bad coaching to a certain extent, and individual performances showed that. Hell, we might even get lucky here and there and in some games all these guys will even look like one team, with you know, some cohesion between the parts... but I doubt it will last for too long without a Hines Ward and a James Farrior on the team to play coach. I think if we play that Bears game 10 times, we win it like 6 times. That's because I'm still going to give Ben the benefit of the doubt that he can still be the solution instead of being part of the problem... at least 60% of the time anyway. :)

GoSlash27
09-23-2013, 06:22 PM
Pretty much this.

When we started this season, we had multiple systemic problems. But what the "apocalypse now" folks haven't noticed is that those systemic problems have been turned around one at a time.
After last night's game, I'm actually *confident* for the first time this season.

Shoes
09-23-2013, 06:55 PM
I really believe it is undisciplined players and coaches and a big lack of leadership in both areas. One only needs to look back at the previous years to see that monster has followed us to another season. The mother of all embarrassments was Tim Tebow shredding us in a playoff game. That humiliation hasn't changed a thing.

I have hope too....hope that this monster will be exposed this year, even if it means going 0-16.

steeldawg
09-23-2013, 06:55 PM
Im confident we wont go 0-16, but not certain.

Shoes
09-23-2013, 07:04 PM
Im confident we wont go 0-16, but not certain.

If that was the way to fix the deeper problems, I'd be delighted.

Craic
09-23-2013, 08:12 PM
Pretty much this.

When we started this season, we had multiple systemic problems. But what the "apocalypse now" folks haven't noticed is that those systemic problems have been turned around one at a time.
After last night's game, I'm actually *confident* for the first time this season.


I really believe it is undisciplined players

If I were to edit Shoe's post, this says it in a nutshell for me. We complain about the quick outside screens to the WR, but there are two plays last night that really highlight the problem. The first one was stopped for a loss. However, if anyone remembers, the WR didn't step into the throw in order to set up the inside WR on his outside (and thus, creating the pick/block). The exact same play was ran again a little later, but the WR stepped inside the other WR. That play went for what, 7, 8 yards or so? That is the problem right now, players are not doing the little things they need to do.

It doesn't matter how often you drill it in practice, if they forget to do it during a game, then it ends up as a loss. These are the little kinks that need to be worked out. We need to become more consistent, and I think that with some stability starting to settle in on the line (no losses in last two games) we just might be getting that.

Oh, and one other thing. MOVE ADAMS BACK TO THE RIGHT SIDE. Seriously, he was much better there. I know, I know, that leaves Ben's blind side open. But enough runs to that right side and the defense stops pinning their ears back and coming after the QB as well.

NCSteeler
09-23-2013, 08:34 PM
I took a few positives, at times we looked like we had a clue what we were doing. We found out Beachum plays better then Adams or Gilbert.

blackngldblood
09-23-2013, 10:51 PM
I still think the tackles need to be switched back to where they belong, or where we thought they would be playing. If Adams is still struggling to even look like he's starting to get it, move him back to the right. If Beachum is better than Gilbert, put him in at LT. Beachum is a hell of a likeable kid. He seems hungry and willing to do what it takes.

Psycho Ward 86
09-23-2013, 10:56 PM
If Beachum is our best option at left tackle, then hot damn do our tackles suck.

blackngldblood
09-23-2013, 11:06 PM
It may very well be that is the situation we are in. On the other hand, let em stay put and hopefully gel and not lose a boat load of the little bit of confidence they once possibly possessed? lol. Its just whatever at this point. They need a spark from somebody, and fast!

Seven
09-23-2013, 11:08 PM
Steelers dominated last night outside of turnovers, third downs. Obviously, those are critical. Tackles are playing extremely poor, Antonio Brown is the only receiver stepping up. Those are the issues. If we stop handing the ball to the opposition on a platter, this team will contend. If not, they won't. It's simple.

Texasteel
09-23-2013, 11:42 PM
I took a few positives, at times we looked like we had a clue what we were doing. We found out Beachum plays better then Adams or Gilbert.

I believe Adams would make a very good RT, not sure about LT, I am beginning to think Gilbert would do much better at a OG spot, and Beachum looks to be good depth at worse. I guess I'm singing the same song you guy have heard me sing for years. Find me a LT coach.

Chin05
09-24-2013, 06:01 AM
Chances of a Championship this yr. is slim to none.. they just need to build on the reload the remainder of yr. and come out hot the next. I liked how they eased Heath into the fold "smart"and need to work Bell the same when the Doc gives him the green! I see a team going through growing pains but once they learn the words "Discipline" & "Assignments" they will reap wins!
I too seen evidence of hope.. some may disagree but i believe this group could be the diamond in the rough (eccept for the drop off's at year's end) and Ben...Wow he's is running for his life due to the unskilled crew directly in front of him! Be patient dispite what has been displayed lus far this group is not giving up! I trust this group more so than Laurel and Hardy Ooops!! Coach T & Haley.

ALLD
09-24-2013, 07:59 AM
Looks like HAley's sophomore season will not be as good as Ben's was.

zulater
09-24-2013, 08:14 AM
If Beachum is our best option at left tackle, then hot damn do our tackles suck.

Not necessarily. Maybe Beachum can be a solid starter there? I like what I see from him when he plays. I do think Preacher was right about moving Adams back to right tackle. He's an asset as a run blocker, but consistently inconsistent with his pass blocking, too much so for a left tackle. Anyway put Beachum at left tackle and leave him there. And let Adams and Gilbert compete for the right tackle spot, and make sure you let them know the loser wont be a Steeler next year. I don't think either is a self motivator, so maybe the combination threat of losing playing time this year and their roster spot next year would bring out the best in one of them?

Worth a try anyway.

As to the sentiment expressed by the OP. I hope you're right Preach. I really do. But losing tends to perpetuate itself, so I think this team has to win week 4 against the Vikings if there's going to be any hope for the season to turn around.

Psycho Ward 86
09-24-2013, 11:13 AM
alright seriously, if i had a dime for everytime someone mentioned mike adams or kelvin beachum as an asset in the run game, but just needing some improvement in pass blocking, id be a millionaire. people say it as if being a deficient pass blocker isnt that big of a deal and so easily fixed. Gee, maybe the tackles just suck

steelreserve
09-24-2013, 11:28 AM
SR, that's just not realistic, however. Yes, it takes that long. Don't you remember in the Cowher years when the mark of a good team was that it went 3-3 in the first six games? With all the changes this team has gone through, with the injuries again it's had to deal with, and with all the changes they've messed with, I fully expected them that long. That included Heath coming back.

What's so unrealistic about being ready for the season? Other teams do it. And they all have to contend with changes and injuries just the same as us.

I'm sorry, I get what you're saying here, but I think it's no accident that we came out looking sloppy and disorganized on offense for all but about 3 series of preseason, and then continued to be exactly the same kind of sloppy and disorganized to start the regular season. The defense came out looking passable but not dominant, and has continued to be passable but not dominant. Either it's the talent or the coaching. hopefully the latter one, because that's something you can overcome in the same season, but there's still no excuse for it.

Dwinsgames
09-24-2013, 12:01 PM
Why the Game Last Night Gives Me Hope (http://www.steelersuniverse.com/forums/showthread.php/18377-Why-the-Game-Last-Night-Gives-Me-Hope)

false hope like false profits can put you in a very bad place ....

do not read more into that outing than what it was .... a loss

this team does not know how to win anymore 0-7 in 2013 ( preseason included because the starters did not look good then either )

losses in 9 out of the last 11 games that matter dating back to the midway point of 2012 .....

not trying to be doom and gloom but at some point people need to stop being optimists and start being realists ....

this team lacks leadership , it lacks direction , its lacks killer instinct and it lacks a winning mentality .. they are in a whirlwind of listlessness ......

players and coaches alike need to be put on notice although Colbert is neither a player of coach he also needs to be put on notice as this team was impart put together by him and Tomlin collectively ...

please do not insult me proclaiming this as a knee jerk reaction this has been a process in the making , a reality it did not sneak up on us over night the warning signs where there last season but where ignored or written off as a string of bad luck ...

we pay far to much cap space to a handful of players and the talent level across the board suffers from this as does the ability to suit up quality depth and it shows ....

zulater
09-24-2013, 12:08 PM
false hope like false profits can put you in a very bad place ....

do not read more into that outing than what it was .... a loss

this team does not know how to win anymore 0-7 in 2013 ( preseason included because the starters did not look good then either )

losses in 9 out of the last 11 games that matter dating back to the midway point of 2012 .....

not trying to be doom and gloom but at some point people need to stop being optimists and start being realists ....

this team lacks leadership , it lacks direction , its lacks killer instinct and it lacks a winning mentality .. they are in a whirlwind of listlessness ......

players and coaches alike need to be put on notice although Colbert is neither a player of coach he also needs to be put on notice as this team was impart put together by him and Tomlin collectively ...

please do not insult me proclaiming this as a knee jerk reaction this has been a process in the making , a reality it did not sneak up on us over night the warning signs where there last season but where ignored or written off as a string of bad luck ...

we pay far to much cap space to a handful of players and the talent level across the board suffers from this as does the ability to suit up quality depth and it shows ....



Denver has a lot of money tied up in a few players and manages to cope with injuries and suspensions just fine.

steelreserve
09-24-2013, 12:37 PM
this team lacks leadership , it lacks direction , its lacks killer instinct and it lacks a winning mentality .. they are in a whirlwind of listlessness ......


Listless is exactly the word to describe it. They probably can be better than this, but they're just lost in the fog somewhere.

I'm not so sure Sunday's game was a source of much hope, either. That first TD drive was REALLY lucky - if you recall, we had already punted the ball away and caught a break because the defender ran into the kicker like an idiot. Beyond that, we were left with Brown's circus catch and three field goals, which is not exactly inspiring. I still saw a team that doofed it for the entire first half, and still can't break 20 points unless they're extremely lucky - hell, we might not have even broken 12 points without being lucky.

Shoes
09-24-2013, 02:11 PM
false hope like false profits can put you in a very bad place ....

do not read more into that outing than what it was .... a loss

this team does not know how to win anymore 0-7 in 2013 ( preseason included because the starters did not look good then either )

losses in 9 out of the last 11 games that matter dating back to the midway point of 2012 .....

not trying to be doom and gloom but at some point people need to stop being optimists and start being realists ....

this team lacks leadership , it lacks direction , its lacks killer instinct and it lacks a winning mentality .. they are in a whirlwind of listlessness ......

players and coaches alike need to be put on notice although Colbert is neither a player of coach he also needs to be put on notice as this team was impart put together by him and Tomlin collectively ...

please do not insult me proclaiming this as a knee jerk reaction this has been a process in the making , a reality it did not sneak up on us over night the warning signs where there last season but where ignored or written off as a string of bad luck ...

we pay far to much cap space to a handful of players and the talent level across the board suffers from this as does the ability to suit up quality depth and it shows ....

I agree with you Dwins. I've been pretty optimistic over the years and have given Tomlin and the FO a lengthy leash. The problems we have are carry overs...from one year to the next. Slothful, undisciplined play and coaching....and no natural leaders on the field or in the coaching department. I honestly think 0-16 would be what the doctor ordered to start the surgery needed.

ALLD
09-24-2013, 02:19 PM
I have hope that we are not peaking too early like the Broncos & Seahawks Cinderella teams.