1st Preseason Defense

[Shoes]

I have to go back and watch the game, but I think the D played pretty well. Spence looked remarkably good and had some solid hits.

[polamalubeast]

I hope that the 73 TD run is a fluke....The run defense was 21th last year

[Craic]

Not bad. But they did give up the long run, which isn't a pleasant sight. Nevertheless, you're getting get those things in preseason. Sharmarko Thomas shows that he cares about the game. I was glad to see Spence out there producing and hitting.

[Shoes]

Zumwalt looked good too for someone who hasn't practiced much. Mauro had a few nice plays and Big Dan was pushing some folks around :chuckle:

[Edman]

The 73 yard touchdown run really put a damper on an evening for a young Defense that was otherwise looked really damn good. Swarming, Hitting, Tackling. Flying to the Ball and the Quarterback. Even the Second and Third Teamers looked good. Big Dan was unmovable.

[fansince'76]

I hope that the 73 TD run is a fluke....The run defense was 21th last year

I think it was - they really didn't give up much of anything before or after that. Sometimes the other team just makes a really good play. Take away that run and the Giants had 30 rushes for 98 yards the rest of the night.

[Shoes]

I think it was - they really didn't give up much of anything before or after that. Sometimes the other team just makes a really good play.

I don't think they did. Again, I was impressed with Zumwalt the kid didn't play that much, missed a good bit of practice but he looked very much in control and never looked out of position. He seemed very sure of himself.


Defense
T-A
SCK
INT
FF


D. Molls (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0030324)
6-3
0.0
0
0


I. Green (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0029605)
5-1
0.0
0
0


V. Williams (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0030434)
5-0
0.0
0
0


S. Thomas (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0030412)
4-0
0.0
0
0


J. Dangerfield (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0030023)
3-1
0.0
0
0


C. Thomas (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0027745)
3-0
0.0
0
0


J. Zumwalt (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0031316)
3-2
0.0
0
0


R. Golden (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0028954)
2-0
0.0
0
0


M. Mitchell (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0027023)
2-1
0.0
0
0


D. Smith (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0030203)
2-2
0.0
0
0


S. Spence (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0029594)
2-1
0.0
0
0


N. Williams (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0030500)
2-1
0.0
0
0


A. Blake (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0029050)
1-0
0.0
0
0


W. Gay (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0025557)
1-0
0.0
0
0


C. Heyward (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0027969)
1-0
0.0
0
0


J. Jones (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0030499)
1-0
1.0
0
0


D. McCullers (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0031193)
1-0
0.0
0
0


A. Moats (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0027777)
1-1
0.0
0
0


R. Ventrone (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0027235)
1-0
0.0
0
0


J. Worilds (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0027889)
1-0
0.0
0
0


T. Garvin (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0030033)
0-1
0.0
0
0


J. Mauro (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0030883)
0-2
0.0
0
0


B. McCain (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0026935)
0-1
0.0
0
0


L. Timmons (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0025402)
0-2
0.0
0
0


S. Tuitt (http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=00-0031412)
0-1
0.0
0
0

[HollywoodSteel]

Whatever string defense that got carved up by Curtis Painter on the go ahead TD drive looked absolutely pathetic.

Maybe it'll make the first round of cuts easy. The world needs ditch diggers too.

And man did Bryant play the role of the goat perfectly to end the game. I felt bad for the kid but he made several bone-headed mistakes. He took his eyes off a punt (but was lucky to recover his own screw up) had several catchable balls that he didn't fight to get, and of course fumbled it away after making the first down catch, which pretty much ended the game for us. I'm hoping he got those mistakes out of his system now and can go on to fulfill his potential. He looked like he was feeling really bad there at the end.

[XxKnightxX]

From a live view experience. The defense looks so much faster and aggressive than before. Speaking of zumwalt. I ran Into his old man and he told me his son is IN LOVE with Pittsburgh.

[oneforthetoe]

I think it was - they really didn't give up much of anything before or after that. Sometimes the other team just makes a really good play. Take away that run and the Giants had 30 rushes for 98 yards the rest of the night.

Willie Parker stats. lol.

[SteelerFanInStl]

I hope that the 73 TD run is a fluke....The run defense was 21th last year

The big reason for that play was the blatant hold of the OG on Timmons. That's what opened the hole. It still should never have gone for 73 yards though.

[Shoes]

Lots of people being pushed around on this play. You can make it larger by dragging the corner.

http://gfycat.com/GrimyFaithfulBrontosaurus

[Devilsdancefloor]

i think this play was just ment to be timmons got held the only mistake spence made was on this he over presuded and got ate by a TE i believe Anyway i will hold judgement on the D until they play at least a half.

[Shoes]

Heyward got blown out of the picture also.

[SteelerFanInStl]

And the safety (didn't see the number) whiffed on the tackle.

[Steel 36 Bus]

when they were lining up for the play I didn't like the D we were in. and had a feeling something bad was gonna happen and boom it did. if Heyward just rushes straight up the field instead of going off to the side angle. and of course Timmons not being held the plays probably goes for 5 yrds max. oh well hope DL thinks twice about that alignment in the future.

[X-Terminator]

The 73-yard TD should concern NO ONE. And I mean NO ONE. It's the first game of the preseason, and sometimes mistakes are going to be made. Now if this happens again in the next 3 games, then that would be a cause for concern.

[tube517]

The 73-yard TD should concern NO ONE. And I mean NO ONE. It's the first game of the preseason, and sometimes mistakes are going to be made. Now if this happens again in the next 3 games, then that would be a cause for concern.

No way, X-T. I'm bringing up this thread so we can get the pitchforks rolling. :chuckle:

http://www.steelersuniverse.com/forums/showthread.php/19773-Fire-Haley-fire-Tomlin-fire-the-entire-team?highlight=fire+haley+lebeau

[Shoes]

The 73-yard TD should concern NO ONE. And I mean NO ONE. It's the first game of the preseason, and sometimes mistakes are going to be made. Now if this happens again in the next 3 games, then that would be a cause for concern.

Thats probably true, but its also true that the Steelers gave up 17 plays for 40 yards or more last season. Surely something to keep an eye on.

[X-Terminator]

Thats probably true, but its also true that the Steelers gave up 17 plays for 40 yards or more last season. Surely something to keep an eye on.

Of course. That's why I'm taking the wait-and-see approach. It's definitely something that needs to be tightened up, though I do think aging, slow players were a big part of the problem last season that should be fixed with the young and fast legs on D this season.

[HollywoodSteel]

The 73-yard TD should concern NO ONE. And I mean NO ONE. It's the first game of the preseason, and sometimes mistakes are going to be made. Now if this happens again in the next 3 games, then that would be a cause for concern.

Agree 100%. That's what the preseason is for: to coach away the mental mistakes, evaluate players, and see who belongs where. That's why I have confidence in this team. Tomlin will be in the film room and on the practice field correcting everything so that all the preseason hiccups are gone and we'll go charging into the regular season like gangbusters. That's what good coaches do. And Tomlin proved he is fully capable of doing that, just like he did last... oh, wait.

Just messing with you, X. I know how you hate the Tomlin bashers. Where do they get their crazy notions? ;)

[fansince'76]

Agree 100%. That's what the preseason is for: to coach away the mental mistakes, evaluate players, and see who belongs where. That's why I have confidence in this team. Tomlin will be in the film room and on the practice field correcting everything so that all the preseason hiccups are gone and we'll go charging into the regular season like gangbusters. That's what good coaches do. And Tomlin proved he is fully capable of doing that, just like he did last... oh, wait.

Just messing with you, X. I know how you hate the Tomlin bashers. Where do they get their crazy notions? ;)

I think X-T's main problem with the "Tomlin bashers" (as well as mine) is that while they are lightning quick to dole out the criticism, they are just as hesitant to dole out any credit whatsoever. They'll blame him all day for the 2-6 start last year, but you think they give him any credit at all for the 6-2 finish? Especially when it would have probably been easier for the team to roll over and play dead and completely tank it last year like the Texans did (with an arguably more talented roster)?

[HollywoodSteel]

I think X-T's main problem with the "Tomlin bashers" (as well as mine) is that while they are lightning quick to dole out the criticism, they are just as hesitant to dole out any credit whatsoever. They'll blame him all day for the 2-6 start last year, but you think they give him any credit at all for the 6-2 finish? Especially when it would have probably been easier for the team to roll over and play dead and completely tank it last year like the Texans did (with an arguably more talented roster)?

I understand. It's sometimes hard to weed out the reasonable criticism from the hysteria. I still don't have Tomlin figured out. I know there's something good about the guy, and I swear I have never called for his firing. I like the stability he provides and when he has a talented roster and good assistant coaching he does fine. I'm just not sure what his actual skillset is (other than the charisma factor and the fun interviews). That's not to say he doesn't have more to him. I just know that the real football minded head coaches in the NFL who are better at evaluating talent in the pre-season (*cough* Mike Adams *cough*) would never have gone 0-4 to start the season with this roster. They never would have made the time management mistakes or the not getting to London earlier mistake or... I won't bother with the more of the bad list. There's a reason why the Patriots have a winning record every year (even when Brady goes down). I'm not saying any other coach is up to that standard, but at least have the basics down that we can all see. Then be way better than us at the Xs and Os and the preparation so that you almost never lose to inferior teams.

But I am optimistic that we'll turn it around this year. Roster aside, I think Ben is now in better sync with Haley, we have a better O-line coach, we brought in Porter, etc. Like I said, when Tomlin has the right assistants handling the Xs and Os well, he does fine. The only thing I worry about is the young defense getting LeBeau's schemes, at least in the first half of the season.

[TMC]

There are some coachable moments on that play. Timmons getting held is not one of them, but it was a contributing factor. Both safeties took bad angles and that did not help. Allen whiffed. Some other guys got pushed around, kind of a perfect storm of missed call, poor angles, and guys not getting disengaged. Happens. Happens more in early preseason games than it does later though.

I know this, I did not like the pick of Sean Spence. I thought he was too small and his size would lead to him constantly being injured. But, he appears thicker now that he was. He brings more pop to his tackles as well, more ready to chest up guys and he holds his own. Bigger, thicker looking, more aggressive, and better able to handle the point. I know the injury was bad, but being able to work out, eat right, rehab,and not lose weight due to the wear of a season may be a blessing in disguise for Spence. Here is hoping he continues. The idea that Shazier is holding him off as a starter is something that should get us all excited, because Spence looks like a quality starter. If the starting OLBs can come to play, this may be the best LB corp the Steelers have fielded (#1-#9) in a long, long time. I also questioned Zumwalt, but he looks much better than on the film I watched. Really hard to knock any of these guys, even guys like Dan Molls, Garvin, Moats, Jones, and others looked like they belong in the league.

As for the defensive line, I really liked Arnfelt last preseason. I thought he had the goods. The idea that Mauro is running ahead of him is exciting. They must see a lot in Mauro. I think Hemer is running above him as well. Either those young bucks have come to play, or they want to see how they fair against better competition (maybe they feel they know what they have in Arnfelt and Nick Williams). Dunno, but again, promising.

I have heard about the 4th/5th/6th corners being talked up, still kind of waiting to see that great defense there. I do like the depth at safety. Young defense. Fast defense. Could have some growing pains, but I think it has the potential to be pretty good down the line (second half of this season, next couple).