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View Full Version : Ike can't catch, Paulson can't play, and Beachum is starting to look like a tackle



zulater
11-19-2013, 10:00 AM
Here's some final thoughts on the Steelers win over the Lions.

1. Ike Taylor needs a sports shrink. Seriously he's too good an athlete to catch this poorly. It's got to be a mental block. Remember this is a guy the Steelers used to have return kicks. So obviulosly the vision and coordination exist between hands and eyes to catch a ball. He probably can't be fixed, but it would be worth trying, because he's a pretty good cover corner. And if NFL quarterbacks actually took him seriously as far as a threat to catch the ball he'd probably be challenged a lot less. Thus he's be even more effective.

Getting back to this most recent game, his inability to make the simplest of catches cost the Steelers a 17 point first half swing towards the Lions. That game is a Steelers blowout if Ike can catch the ball.

2. David Paulson is the worst Steeler on the roster. He has no game. Terrible hands, can't block, and zero in the way of athletic ability. Yes Ben threw a poor pass into the end zone ( dictated by the pass rush) but it was a lob, not a fastball, and no one besides Paulson was in position to make a play on the ball. A normal NFL player makes some effort to adjust to the ball. Had Paulson done so he at least gets his hands on the ball. But he just played statue, frozen on the spot and watched it drift slowly by him.

3. Kevin Beachum played a nice game at left tackle. Not sure if he can be the long term answer or not. But he's a nice player to have on your roster. Only question is where he fits best in the future? Swingman, left tackle, right tackle or left guard?

4. Two strong third quarter punts by McBriar really tilted the field and went a long way towards keeping the Lions from gaining back the games' momentum. Don't know if McBriar is the long term answer or not, and he had a horrible first half punt that aided the Lions greatly. But that 70 yarder after the Steelers start of 3rd quarter 3 and out was huge!

5. Dwyer needs more carries! Every time he touches the ball he does good. He's showing better power, vision, and grit than Bell and deserves a shot at being the primary back. Leveon is a valuable asset catching the ball out of the backfield and I'm not suggesting giving up on him. But right now he's not showing much as a running back. At the very least the reps should be split 50/50. Make Bell earn it if he can.

Spike
11-19-2013, 10:08 AM
Stone hands would have been a goat if we lost, no doubt.



sorry Ike

Steeldude
11-19-2013, 10:41 AM
Here's some final thoughts on the Steelers win over the Lions.

1. Ike Taylor needs a sports shrink. Seriously he's too good an athlete to catch this poorly. It's got to be a mental block. Remember this is a guy the Steelers used to have return kicks. So obviulosly the vision and coordination exist between hands and eyes to catch a ball. He probably can't be fixed, but it would be worth trying, because he's a pretty good cover corner. And if NFL quarterbacks actually took him seriously as far as a threat to catch the ball he'd probably be challenged a lot less. Thus he's be even more effective.

Getting back to this most recent game, his inability to make the simplest of catches cost the Steelers a 17 point first half swing towards the Lions. That game is a Steelers blowout if Ike can catch the ball.

2. David Paulson is the worst Steeler on the roster. He has no game. Terrible hands, can't block, and zero in the way of athletic ability. Yes Ben threw a poor pass into the end zone ( dictated by the pass rush) but it was a lob, not a fastball, and no one besides Paulson was in position to make a play on the ball. A normal NFL player makes some effort to adjust to the ball. Had Paulson done so he at least gets his hands on the ball. But he just played statue, frozen on the spot and watched it drift slowly by him.

3. Kevin Beachum played a nice game at left tackle. Not sure if he can be the long term answer or not. But he's a nice player to have on your roster. Only question is where he fits best in the future? Swingman, left tackle, right tackle or left guard?

4. Two strong third quarter punts by McBriar really tilted the field and went a long way towards keeping the Lions from gaining back the games' momentum. Don't know if McBriar is the long term answer or not, and he had a horrible first half punt that aided the Lions greatly. But that 70 yarder after the Steelers start of 3rd quarter 3 and out was huge!

5. Dwyer needs more carries! Every time he touches the ball he does good. He's showing better power, vision, and grit than Bell and deserves a shot at being the primary back. Leveon is a valuable asset catching the ball out of the backfield and I'm not suggesting giving up on him. But right now he's not showing much as a running back. At the very least the reps should be split 50/50. Make Bell earn it if he can.

1. He simply can't catch. When I watch him it's as if he has absolutely no concept/ability of how to catch. I guess that's why he is a DB. I would love to play a game of catch with Taylor. I just want to see how bad he is at catching. I was more bothered by his poor effort with tackling. It didn't look like he even tried to tackle Calvin Johnson(I refuse to refer to players as their lame nicknames).

2. He is bad.

3. Beachum will never be a good tackle in the NFL. He is a serviceable backup who can play almost all 5 positions. That's where I feel his worth is to the team. He is too short to play tackle with any consistency. The team needs a LT, desperately. I can't believe the coaches went into the season thinking it would be ok without a LT or backup C.

4. I have no opinion on him as of yet. I can safely say he is better than Berger.

5. Agreed. I am fine with Bell getting more of the carries, but Dwyer should receive more than 1 carry.

zulater
11-19-2013, 03:57 PM
http://espn.go.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers

PITTSBURGH -- LaMarr Woodley is expected to return to the starting lineup Sunday after missing the Steelers' 37-27 win over the Lions because of a calf injury.
Assuming Woodley plays against the Browns, he is likely to be on a snap count, and not just because the Steelers will want to ease him and his tender calf back into action.

Right outside linebacker Jason Worilds has done well when playing for Woodley on the left side of the defense, and he will continue to get snaps there with Jarvis Jones also in the rotation at outside linebacker.

Coach Mike Tomlin did not rule out something else when it comes to his starting outside linebackers: flipping Woodley and Worilds.

"He has had success from the left side," Tomlin said of Worilds. "I am open to all possibilities in terms of moving players around to maximize our rush."

Worilds had a sack and four quarterback hits against the Lions, and he was one of five Steelers players on the field for all 73 of the Lions' offensive snaps. Jones played 72 snaps with Chris Carter getting the only other snap at outside linebacker.

The amount of snaps Worilds, who has three sacks in his last three games, and Jones played last Sunday make it even more imperative for Woodley to return. A three-man rotation will allow the Steelers to keep Woodley, Worilds and Jones fresh throughout the game.

Count Steeler
11-19-2013, 04:32 PM
Kevin Beachum is probably one of the smartest players on this team. He doesn't have the raw physical size to be the top echelon, prototypical LT. But who cares. He is getting the job done. Let's not forget, he has only played maybe a dozen games in his short NFL career, and only about 5 at LT. This kid has game.

Dwyer needs more reps. To not use him more is simply insane on behalf of the coaching staff. Probably just a move to save face. Don't forget he was cut before the season started. How would it look if he led the team in rushing? He deserves more carries.

zulater
11-19-2013, 05:05 PM
Kevin Beachum is probably one of the smartest players on this team. He doesn't have the raw physical size to be the top echelon, prototypical LT. But who cares. He is getting the job done. Let's not forget, he has only played maybe a dozen games in his short NFL career, and only about 5 at LT. This kid has game.

Dwyer needs more reps. To not use him more is simply insane on behalf of the coaching staff. Probably just a move to save face. Don't forget he was cut before the season started. How would it look if he led the team in rushing? He deserves more carries.

If that's the case that would be the biggest indictment yet on Tomlin. I hope that's not what it's about.

ALLD
11-19-2013, 05:34 PM
Ike couldn't catch a cold in Alaska, but he is good in coverage. Looks like Allen and Hitman have better hands.

cold-hard-steel
11-19-2013, 05:46 PM
Nice way to look at things the way you percieve them to be . I do stand with one question that i hope you can answer . Did you mean Kelvin , or were you talking about my good friend , who's name was Kivens ? Language gets twisted up somewhere down the line .

SteelerFanInStl
11-19-2013, 06:06 PM
Dwyer needs more reps. To not use him more is simply insane on behalf of the coaching staff. Probably just a move to save face. Don't forget he was cut before the season started. How would it look if he led the team in rushing? He deserves more carries.

I agree. Every time he touches the ball he's making something happen and fights for every yard.

Count Steeler
11-19-2013, 07:51 PM
If that's the case that would be the biggest indictment yet on Tomlin. I hope that's not what it's about.

Hard to pinpoint anything else. He has looked good in any playing time he has been given. Tomlin does mismanage his doghouse.

GoSlash27
11-19-2013, 08:34 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZtSA9lGfk8
I've got the fix for "swaggin"

ALLD
11-19-2013, 08:41 PM
Maybe Dwyer getting cut is the best thing to motivate him. He knows his next step is out of the NFL if he doesn't make it in Pittsburgh this season. King of James Harrison-like.

Seven
11-19-2013, 09:36 PM
Dwyer should get more touches, but I'm still starting Bell at this point. I think Dwyer is the perfect secondary running back and the team should continue to use him as such. Something like 60/40 sounds good to me. But whichever of the two gets more carries, we're much better off than we were last year.

Psycho Ward 86
11-19-2013, 09:37 PM
catching a kickoff is a thousand times easier than catching a throw. how many great returnmen suck at catching the ball? devin hester, josh cribbs, ted ginn, jacoby ford, etc.

Beachum is the new trai essex. Except he doesnt suck ass.

And i have to disagree about the myriad of posts ive seen that say that this game could have been a blowout in our favor. It could have been a blowout in the lions favor just as easily . Levy (who is tied for the league lead in interceptions) dropped at least 2 easy interceptions as well. Not to mention Stafford missed 3 easy touchdown passes in the 1st 16 minutes of the game. How it was 14-0 instead of 14-21 is a mystery to me.

i hope ike is somehow able to play at a high level into his late 30's. Because with cortez allen stepping down instead of up and william gay being forced into a starting role, instead of a permanent spot at nickel corner where he is far better, we are going to be thin in the 2ndary in a hurry. That includes of course, the predicament of a highly injury prone and aging troy and an extremely old and quickly declining ryan clark.