Week 1 Game Ball, Game Goat, Rant Thread

[X-Terminator]

Quite possibly the least-inspiring win I've seen in a long time. How do you go from looking that good in 1 half to looking that bad in the 2nd?

Mike Tomlin and Dick LeBeau are the big time goats.

AB and Smokey #1 get my game balls.

[Shoes]

Quite possibly the least-inspiring win I've seen in a long time. How do you go from looking that good in 1 half to looking that bad in the 2nd?

Mike Tomlin and Dick LeBeau are the big time goats.

AB and Smokey #1 get my game balls.

Ben & AB….and I agree with the goats and would add "Ike taking up space Taylor" Lot's of missed tackles in the D

[steelreserve]

My game ball goes to Ben for his post-game interview. Did you hear that? He was talking like normal person. For the first several years of his career, he was always trying his hardest to sound like he grew up in an alley.

[steelerdude15]

My game goat goes to the entire team and coaching staff, minus Willie Gay for such an awful second half. The coaching staff didn't make any adjustments at half time or any other time during the second half. The players get it for multiple reasons, the awful penalties, the lack of catching a ball for an interception on defense, the defense not being able to stop Cleveland for the most part in the second half, and the offense for not doing anything in the second half. My game ball goes to Willie who came up huge on the last couple of drives by knocking the ball away to create a fourth down. He helped keep us alive to win.


After thinking about it, Shawn deserves the game ball too. He was lights out today.

[fansince'76]

I think Wheaton should get a shout out. He came up bigger today than Sanders ever seemed to.

[Edman]

You want to know how the Steelers went from having total control to being almost dead? Turtle Ball.

Game Ball: The whole team. First Half.

Game Goat: The whole team. Second Half.

This game was basically a coaching debacle. The coaching staff took the foot off the gas WAY too soon. I don't care if it is Brian Hoyer and the Browns. Both sides of the ball retreated into a shell. The playcalling became MUCH MORE conservative, and the Defense stopped attacking. Turtleball blew this game. I hated it back then, and I still hate it now.

[stillers4me]

The good....Ben, AB and Bell. Honorable mention to Marcus Wheaton. Good job by the "rookie". Gold star to Sushi.

The bad.......let's just move on to...


The Ugly...Who the Hell was that team playing defense in the second half??????????

[steelerdude15]

I think Wheaton should get a shout out. He came up bigger today than Sanders ever seemed to.

Marcus definitely had a good game. I think he will be a good receiver for the team. He'll be able to help take pressure and coverage off of Antonio if Marcus continues to play the same way he did today.

[salamander]

Ball: AB and Bell

Goat: Definitely the pathetic defense.

Rant: Disgustingly ugly win, but a win nonetheless.

[dislocatedday]

I don't think I could pick between Ben, AB, and Bell for the game ball.....so they all get a 1/3 share.

Entire defense for goats......with special mention to Ike Taylor (...Ike WAS a great player, but his time clearly passed last year....he should not be on a NFL field in the year 2014).

[Polamalu Princess]

Ben gets my ball.

[X-Terminator]

How could I forget Ike Taylor, the old and slow penalty machine? Once again making me curse this team for not doing anything about CB this offseason.

[st33lersguy]

I was considering giving the ball to no one but I will give it to Ben, Bell, Wheaton, AB and Suisham

Everyone else gets game goat

[vader29]

Ben, Antonio, LeVeon and Wheaton get game balls. No goats for me in a win, well maybe Tomlin for only using 10 obviouslys in the post game presser. :chuckle:

[fansince'76]

Mike Tomlin and Dick LeBeau are the big time goats.

Haley's second-half playcalling was also uninspired, to say the least. WTF was with that draw on 3rd-and-1 that lost 4 yards with the game on the line?

[X-Terminator]

Haley's second-half playcalling was also uninspired, to say the least. WTF was with that draw on 3rd-and-1 that lost 4 yards with the game on the line?

Todd Haley should be nothing but a figurehead from here on out. Let Ben carry the torch.

[Butch]

The Ugly...Who the Hell was that team playing defense in the second half??????????

The same team whose offense kept going 3 and out in the 2nd 1/2. I did not see this game only watched the nfl gamecast.

[Edman]

How could I forget Ike Taylor, the old and slow penalty machine? Once again making me curse this team for not doing anything about CB this offseason.

Ike Taylor is going to be the death of this team, for sure. Willie Gay is outplaying him.

Speaking of Willie Gay, he's quietly become the one of the best CB's on the team.

[fansince'76]

Todd Haley should be nothing but a figurehead from here on out. Let Ben carry the torch.

Agreed.

[X-Terminator]

You want to know how the Steelers went from having total control to being almost dead? Turtle Ball.

Game Ball: The whole team. First Half.

Game Goat: The whole team. Second Half.

This game was basically a coaching debacle. The coaching staff took the foot off the gas WAY too soon. I don't care if it is Brian Hoyer and the Browns. Both sides of the ball retreated into a shell. The playcalling became MUCH MORE conservative, and the Defense stopped attacking. Turtleball blew this game. I hated it back then, and I still hate it now.

Like I said in the game thread, once you take your foot off the gas too soon, more often than not you can't get things revved back up again. You'd think they would have learned this lesson after having it happen so many times over the years, but they haven't. Stay aggressive! There is nothing wrong with winning a game 44-10!

[Shoes]

Well one of the broadcaster said the Steelers were very cocky on the sideline nearing halftime. That will do it every time. This is where the coaches should and must nip this BS in the bud! Oh wait their cocky too!

[SteelerFanInStl]

Bell, Ben and AB get my game ball. Goat goes to the whole defense with Gilbert getting an honorable mention.

[tube517]

Can you split a gameball and goat in half? :chuckle:

what a scizhophrenic performance.

[fansince'76]

1st Half Steelers...see you guys on the plane to Baltimore.

2nd half Steelers...stay the hell home.

[SteelerFanInStl]

Ike Taylor is going to be the death of this team, for sure. Willie Gay is outplaying him.

Speaking of Willie Gay, he's quietly become the one of the best CB's on the team.
Gay was the top CB on this team last year. He should be starting over Ike.

[dislocatedday]

General observations:

Markus Wheaton really impressed today.....made some great catches, and had the presence of mind to get down on that catch late in the 4th to give the team time to spike the ball and setup the winning FG.

This team needs a NT badly.....I hope to see McCullers in there at some point.

Bell looks like he could be a star RB in this league. He reminds me of LeSean McCoy.

Mike Mitchell was almost invisible out there. I saw nothing from him today.

[Shoes]

1st Half Steelers...see you guys on the plane to Baltimore.

2nd half Steelers...stay the hell home.


:chuckle:

[st33lersguy]

This team could give up a 24 point lead to the 2008 Lions, with Calvin Johnson sitting out the game due to injury

[fansince'76]

Can you split a gameball and goat in half? :chuckle:

what a scizhophrenic performance.

The only positives of the game today for me was that there were no major injuries to key players and that it didn't cost us in the W/L column.

[Shoes]

Gay was the top CB on this team last year. He should be starting over Ike.

Anyone but Ike should be in that spot.

[steelerdude15]

Well one of the broadcaster said the Steelers were very cocky on the sideline nearing halftime. That will do it every time. This is where the coaches should and must nip this BS in the bud! Oh wait their cocky too!

Yeah, but the thing I noticed when she said that was that they were also cool, calm, and collected at the end of her statement.... Its like um, what? :chuckle:

[Shoes]

Whats the story on Archers injury?

[fansince'76]

Mike Mitchell was almost invisible out there. I saw nothing from him today.

He committed a dumb penalty that extended a drive for them in the second half. That was the only time I heard his name called.

EDIT: Never mind - it was Ike that did that. The radio play-by-play credited the penalty to Mitchell at first.

[Steeldude]

Wait, I thought coaches were never at fault? Isn't Tomlin the greatest HC and Lebeau the greatest DC?

For all those people who gave me grief when I said I am glad Gay is back and he should have never been let go...never mind I won't say a thing : )

[HollywoodSteel]

How could I forget Ike Taylor, the old and slow penalty machine? Once again making me curse this team for not doing anything about CB this offseason.

I know the cap is so hard to figure out, but with all the money they seem to have now to resign guys like Cortez, I really wish they found a way to hold onto Keenan Lewis. Not saying he is Richard Sherman or anything, but he was solid and shut down some good receivers last year for the Saints.

[st33lersguy]

The Steelers gave up 24 points to the Browns in the 2nd half. The Browns won't score 24 points in their next 2 games against New Orleans and Baltimore

[Edman]

1st Half Steelers...see you guys on the plane to Baltimore.

2nd half Steelers...stay the hell home.

I'm just happy to know that this team CAN play and dominate, when the coaching staff lets them do it of course. The first half was a thing of beauty. This team is ready to play.

That's more than what I can say about last year or 2012.

[steelerdude15]

I know the cap is so hard to figure out, but with all the money they seem to have now to resign guys like Cortez, I really wish they found a way to hold onto Keenan Lewis. Not saying he is Richard Sherman or anything, but he was solid and shut down some good receivers last year for the Saints.

Yeah, but didn't he sign with the Saints after he was given a contract offer from the Steelers with more money?

[HollywoodSteel]

Wait, I thought coaches were never at fault? Isn't Tomlin the greatest HC and Lebeau the greatest DC?

For all those people who gave me grief when I said I am glad Gay is back and he should have never been let go...never mind I won't say a thing : )

Okay, I've been with you on many of these issues, but I don't think it's fair or helpful to start rubbing noses when guys are just being honest now. Some people have defended Tomlin a little more than I agreed with in the past, but no one is sparing him a big chunk of the blame here. I'm not going to play the "told you so" game, because it's not like anyone of us wants him fired (at least I didn't, and still don't even though I've been one of his harshest critics), just held accountable.

[fansince'76]

Isn't Tomlin the greatest HC and Lebeau the greatest DC?

Don't recall anyone ever saying that, but whatever. :noidea:

[HollywoodSteel]

Wait, I thought coaches were never at fault? Isn't Tomlin the greatest HC and Lebeau the greatest DC?

For all those people who gave me grief when I said I am glad Gay is back and he should have never been let go...never mind I won't say a thing : )

Also Timmons made some huge uncharacteristic mistakes today. And he is someone we all think belongs on this team. At least with him I am pretty sure he'll clean up his act and get better from here.

[tube517]

AB gets the Mr. Miyagi award for that Daniel-sahn kick

[CapLovesTroyP43]

Ben, Antonio, LeVeon and Wheaton get game balls. No goats for me in a win, well maybe Tomlin for only using 10 obviouslys in the post game presser. :chuckle:

And the pregame as well :-)

[vader29]

AB gets the Mr. Miyagi award for that Daniel-sahn kick


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoiCagJhmQc

:chuckle:

[Shoes]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/winners-losers-steelers-30-27-205414261.html

[86WARD]

Game Ball: Ben, Bell, Brown

Game Goat: Tomlin and Staff

Browns made adjustments on offense. Steelers made no adjustments on offense or defense and played lazy in the second half. It showed up until their backs were against the wall with a minute left in the game.

[Hawkman]

You want to know how the Steelers went from having total control to being almost dead? Turtle Ball.

Game Ball: The whole team. First Half.

Game Goat: The whole team. Second Half.

This game was basically a coaching debacle. The coaching staff took the foot off the gas WAY too soon. I don't care if it is Brian Hoyer and the Browns. Both sides of the ball retreated into a shell. The playcalling became MUCH MORE conservative, and the Defense stopped attacking. Turtleball blew this game. I hated it back then, and I still hate it now.


THIS!!

[HollywoodSteel]

Yeah, but didn't he sign with the Saints after he was given a contract offer from the Steelers with more money?

Is that true? I don't remember that. That happened with Harrison (but under weird circumstances where once we cut him we couldn't re-offer him the same thing because of cap hit) but I'm pretty sure we lost Lewis because of money alone. Why would he take less money to leave us? The only thing that makes it even remotely plausible is that I think he is from NO. But I really don't remember it happening like you say. Steeler fans would have been pissed it had gone down like that.

[Hawkman]

It looked almost as if we had it planned. Let them back in the game, and then put them away at the bell

[HollywoodSteel]

Ike is going to get at least a portion of the goat award every week, imo. His greatest attribute was his speed, and once that goes it never comes back. He's a fiery guy, and I can respect that, but as his physical abilities decrease his frustrations increase and it costs us not only blown plays but penalties when he overcompensates with grabbing, shoving, etc.

I really hope Mitchell improves as he gets to know this defense and work with Troy more.

Speaking of Troy, he still has the desire but misses some tackles he used to make. Troublesome, but I'm gonna hope we get more good than bad out of him this year.

Timmons screwed the pooch on a couple of big plays. This I'm not too worried about. We know how good he is and anyone can misjudge an angle or be out of position now and then.

I don't know what to make of our D line yet. They are hit and miss. I guess I should be optimistic and assume they will improve as they work through it.

J. Jones showed some signs today, but also didn't wrap up when he could have blown up a back in the backfield.

Not sure what to make of the O line. Sometimes they looked great and other times they didn't. I hope we can chalk this up to confusion here and there and we should assume they'll get better as well.

I love Bell. He is a back that can make things happen on his own even when blocking isn't great, and he really can do it all. Run, catch, block. Quickness and power. I'm really high on him (I couldn't ressit that one)

As everyone else has said, Wheaton looked like an NFL wide receiver. A legit #2. He too will only get better.

Bottom line is, I think this offense can score points when the calls are right and they are clicking.

The defense is still a question mark. But hopefully the light comes on for them after that second half and they toughen up. If we can just keep improving the front seven I think we can mitigate some of the warts in the secondary. I hope.

[fansince'76]

AB gets the Mr. Miyagi award for that Daniel-sahn kick

http://s3.amazonaws.com/br-cdn/temp_images/2014/09/07/Dropkick.gif


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7Ic-WAlyhA

:chuckle:

[X-Terminator]

Not bad...needs to pick up the knee a little bit more though. :lol:

[The Bark]

I actually stopped watching for a long stretch after Cleveland scored two straight TD's to start the second half. I had lamented to a friend prior to the start of the game that I hope we get off to a quick start, something we had problems with last year. We did, however I felt that sense of "ugh, here we go again..." with the lack of adjustments made to what the Browns were doing offensively - something that seems to be a reoccurring problem with Tomlin et al. If it's not in the pre-game or half-time plan, forget it. Ballsy call for a fake-punt on their half of the field late in the game, though.

[Devilsdancefloor]

Ball: Wheaton/AB & Gay

Goat: coaching staff for thinking the game was over at half time

[Count Steeler]

Yeah, but didn't he sign with the Saints after he was given a contract offer from the Steelers with more money?

The story goes that the Steelers never offered him a contract.

[Count Steeler]

Our defense is fine against an offense that is sub par and old school.

Our defense can not defend the newer, faster moving, offenses that are coming into the league. Cleveland had their way with the D because they went to the no huddle and stayed in it. Our O died, because we went away from the no huddle and back to run, run, pass, punt.

Tomlin is atrocious at clock management and he has to get better at in game adjustments. Lebeau and Haley need to have these units ready for the faster pace of the game. Philly exposed us, the Browns took advantage of us. If I am an OC scheming against the Steelers, I am going no huddle for the whole game, or until they stop me consistently. When in doubt, TE over the middle and throw in some running plays off tackle when the DL gets gassed.

Game ball to Wheaton and Ben. They made the plays on the winning drive. Special mention to Suisham.

Goats, will not be handed out until game 4. I want to see Tomlin et al make some adjustments. Also, Munchak, 3 rushers should not give Ben fits.

[Steelerette]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE5qbOxCH0U

[ALLD]

Playing only one half is the sure mark of a Cinderella team. If we back into the playoffs because the rest of the division is suspect, we better start playing our A game now.

[Shoes]

Ike is going to get at least a portion of the goat award every week, imo. His greatest attribute was his speed, and once that goes it never comes back. He's a fiery guy, and I can respect that, but as his physical abilities decrease his frustrations increase and it costs us not only blown plays but penalties when he overcompensates with grabbing, shoving, etc.

I really hope Mitchell improves as he gets to know this defense and work with Troy more.

Speaking of Troy, he still has the desire but misses some tackles he used to make. Troublesome, but I'm gonna hope we get more good than bad out of him this year.

Timmons screwed the pooch on a couple of big plays. This I'm not too worried about. We know how good he is and anyone can misjudge an angle or be out of position now and then.

I don't know what to make of our D line yet. They are hit and miss. I guess I should be optimistic and assume they will improve as they work through it.

J. Jones showed some signs today, but also didn't wrap up when he could have blown up a back in the backfield.

Not sure what to make of the O line. Sometimes they looked great and other times they didn't. I hope we can chalk this up to confusion here and there and we should assume they'll get better as well.

I love Bell. He is a back that can make things happen on his own even when blocking isn't great, and he really can do it all. Run, catch, block. Quickness and power. I'm really high on him (I couldn't ressit that one)

As everyone else has said, Wheaton looked like an NFL wide receiver. A legit #2. He too will only get better.

Bottom line is, I think this offense can score points when the calls are right and they are clicking.

The defense is still a question mark. But hopefully the light comes on for them after that second half and they toughen up. If we can just keep improving the front seven I think we can mitigate some of the warts in the secondary. I hope.

Troy missed some big tackles as did Mitchell and so did Worilds….it is indeed troublesome. But at least Tory and Mitchell have some pursuit, Worilds looks like he's out picking berries after he misses a tackle.

[GBMelBlount]

Is Gilbert doing any better than Ike?

[Shoes]

Is Gilbert doing any better than Ike?

Not much, except dropping a ball thrown right into your hands.

[Count Steeler]

Justin Brown played a decent game as well.

[HollywoodSteel]

Troy missed some big tackles as did Mitchell and so did Worilds….it is indeed troublesome. But at least Tory and Mitchell have some pursuit, Worilds looks like he's out picking berries after he misses a tackle.

Yes, but he looked like James Harrison on the sack he got. He was being held the entire time and still got his arms around the blocker (while still being held) and pulled the QB down.

[BigNastyDefense]

Ball: Ben, AB (hell, just for kicking their punter in the face, that was hysterical), and Bell

Goat: Most of the team that played as the game was over at half time, the coaching staff for no longer playing aggressive.

We need a nose tackle. McClendon isn't a starting NT in this scheme, and Cam Thomas is a steaming pile of trash. Ike Taylor is bad. He used to be very good, borderline shutdown corner. But he hasn't been in a couple of years. He's lost a step, and he's trying to compensate by grabbing and pushing, he's going to be a penalty machine. I would start Gay and Cortez at corner.

As for the argument about Keenan Lewis, I don't think the Steelers ever got the chance to offer him a contract once the Saints made it clear they wanted to sign him. He's from New Orleans and I think coming back to Pittsburgh was his backup plan if he couldn't get a deal done with the Saints. That's my understanding from what I had read and heard.

[Shoes]

Yes, but he looked like James Harrison on the sack he got. He was being held the entire time and still got his arms around the blocker (while still being held) and pulled the QB down.

And that was about it for Worilds on the day.

[Craic]

Game ball: Ben, A. Brown, Bell. On defense, and yes, there are a couple on defense: William Gay coming up and making some big plays at the end of the game for us, not to mention the entire defense reaching down and pulling out a stop, giving the Steelers good field position as well. I hated what happened up to that point, but it was very nice to see them able to gut it out in the end. Oh . . . and Squeeze 'em, thank you thank you thank you. Last ball goes to Wing. Talk about changing the field. A 43.7 average with a long of 56 and only one touchback. Very nice job.

Goat: Special teams—holding penalty that lost massive yards on a good return starting the Steelers first possession of the second half. THAT was the reason why we turtled on that drive, and completely lost the game momentum from there.

Mentionable: say what you want about Jones, but he I noticed him around the ball a lot today, in the backfield, and also chasing people down upfield. He has a sack and two tackles for losses, not to mention four solo tackles. Shazier, for this being his first ever NFL game at regular speed, didn't look overwhelmed, ocomingup with five solo tackles, a tackle for a loss, and a defended pass.

[Iron Steeler]

Agreed.

Yup... Although whoever is in charge of the play calling from the 3rdquater on ... Things need to change . Don't let off the gas!