Steelers' Daniel McCullers is on the rise

[Shoes]

PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers (http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-steelers) nose tackle Daniel McCullers (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/16952/daniel-mccullers) did not record a tackle during his NFL debut last Monday night but his brute strength was impossible to miss in the third quarter.
McCullers drove Chris Myers (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/8614/chris-myers) back about five yards on a pass play and the 6-foot-7, 352-pounder so overpowered the Houston Texans (http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/hou/houston-texans) center that Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13977/cameron-heyward) didn’t have to review film of the Steelers’ 30-23 win for the play to jump out at him.

http://espn.go.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/10025/steelers-daniel-mccullers-is-on-the-rise


This makes me wonder….it seems the Steelers attract players who aren't sure if they want to play football.

“He’s built like the Marcus Strouds, the John Hendersons that (rarely) come around,” Heyward said. “Dan can be a really good player in this league. We’re just waiting for him to decide.”

[st33lersguy]

Start McCullers, let Can't Thomas rot the bench

[Dwinsgames]

Start McCullers, let Cam Thomas go rot on the streets


fixed it

[salamander]

When the team refuses to let the young guys play until injuries occur, I can see how those players can get a little discouraged.

[Steeldude]

http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/article/media_slots/photos/000/874/361/tenn_original.jpg?1369191520

[steelreserve]

Start McCullers, let Cam Thomas' dirty dick go rot on the streets


fixed it


fixed it more

[ALLD]

The team that began the season is not good enough to go to the playoffs. Some adjustments need to be made and starting McCullers is one of them.

[Hawkman]

fixed it

I don't think it need fixing!:lol:

[Texasteel]

I think the only reason McCullers didn't have a tackle was the fact that he drove the Center past the QB so quickly that it even surprised him. I swear, there was one play that the Center was in the pocket before the QB was.

[Steelman]

As impressive as that play was, I thought the more impressive play was the one either immediately following or after (I forget exactly) when McCullers got some sideways push on that flip out to Foster. McCullers got just enough push to force Foster just a bit further outside and interrupted his cutback. To me that's what the defense has lacked sans a true NT. Cam Thomas getting pushed back every play is just frustrating. I hope the coaches saw what we all saw. McCullers might be raw and not sure if he wants to play, but the dude is a mountain and a half-assing McCullers is more than Cam Thomas will ever do at the nose.

This line has a future with a Heyward-McCullers-Tuitt front. Now if we could just get a pass rush...

[steelreserve]

I like what I saw from McCullers on a handful of plays, but I also saw a few where he got stood up or shoved to the ground immediately. So still rough around the edges, but guess what, the way you fix that isn't by sitting on the bench. I'd definitely rather have him in there than Cam Thomas - there is NO future in playing that guy.

[tube517]

Didn't it seem like the Texans' running game slowed down when McCullers was in there?

[st33lersguy]

Unfortunately Tomlin and LeBeau don't like playing 1st and 2nd round rookies, I doubt they will give the starts to a 6th rounder in McCullers even though anyone can see McCullers provides way more upside

[SteelMember]

He deserves even more snaps this next game. Even if he just stalemates one or even two guys. He's getting more push 'occasionally' then Cam is for 60 minutes.

[steelreserve]

He deserves even more snaps this next game. Even if he just stalemates one or even two guys. He's getting more push 'occasionally' then Cam is for 60 minutes.

True, getting into a standoff is better than getting shoved out of the way at will. It's a relative improvement.

[one side only]

He deserves even more snaps this next game. Even if he just stalemates one or even two guys. He's getting more push 'occasionally' then Cam is for 60 minutes.

McCullers will get more than 10 snaps against the Colts that he got last week. Really depends on how much nickel they play. I'm hopeful he's in there for half the plays in the base defense.

[Dwinsgames]

rip off the bandaid and start the man

[Craic]

My fear with McCullers is that we're getting Max Starks on the defensive side of the ball. Someone that has all the physical tools, but just not the grit to get it done. Starks finally learned the technique and gained the veteran wisdom to make up for it, but that left him with a couple years of football where he played anywhere close to his potential. Is that what we really want from a NT?

Don't get me wrong, I hope this kid puts it all together, but I'm just not sold on him for a long term solution.

[Dwinsgames]

My fear with McCullers is that we're getting Max Starks on the defensive side of the ball. Someone that has all the physical tools, but just not the grit to get it done. Starks finally learned the technique and gained the veteran wisdom to make up for it, but that left him with a couple years of football where he played anywhere close to his potential. Is that what we really want from a NT?

Don't get me wrong, I hope this kid puts it all together, but I'm just not sold on him for a long term solution.


IMO raw or not , committed or not , nasty streak or not .... he is the best we have , thus play him as such and hope the rest of the things fall into place ... worst case scenario you have your best players on the field and win or lose with them but you know where you stand moving forward

[steelreserve]

My fear with McCullers is that we're getting Max Starks on the defensive side of the ball. Someone that has all the physical tools, but just not the grit to get it done. Starks finally learned the technique and gained the veteran wisdom to make up for it, but that left him with a couple years of football where he played anywhere close to his potential. Is that what we really want from a NT?


The equivalent of Max Starks at nose tackle is a hell of a lot better than our other options. Which are basically Darnell Stapleton and Jonathan Scott at nose tackle. But yes, positive signs so far from McCullers but I don't think we should stop looking. Not that we really were looking.

Man, two Jonathan Scott references in consecutive posts. I hope I didn't break anything.

[Psycho Ward 86]

The equivalent of Max Starks at nose tackle is a hell of a lot better than our other options. Which are basically Darnell Stapleton and Jonathan Scott at nose tackle. But yes, positive signs so far from McCullers but I don't think we should stop looking. Not that we really were looking.

Man, two Jonathan Scott references in consecutive posts. I hope I didn't break anything.

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQBBU-p2VpRcpriEFoiaF7sfBOPSFGQa3tH1E70sqne3andY7qmhA

[Steelerette]

McCullers getting push once in a while is better than Thomas getting push none of the while.

How is McCullers' stamina though? Can he play a whole game? A whole defensive series?

[Dwinsgames]

McCullers getting push once in a while is better than Thomas getting push none of the while.

How is McCullers' stamina though? Can he play a whole game? A whole defensive series?

he did at nearly 400 pounds so no reason he should not be able to now at 352

[Count Steeler]

McCullers getting push once in a while is better than Thomas getting push none of the while.

How is McCullers' stamina though? Can he play a whole game? A whole defensive series?

You don't build stamina on the bench. Let the kid play.

[Steelerette]

I bet one carbo-load for the kid is a whole month's groceries for me :lol:

Let him be the gentle giant. A pink train still hauls more lumber than a Harley. Once he gets technique and confidence, he'll be playing a little more "nasty" without even realizing it.

I did see a few plays where he got knocked on his butt almost immediately. Even if he becomes a superstar that height might bite him every now and then. But can you really call that a downgrade at this juncture?

[ALLD]

It's not like we can rotate Dri Archer in as NT.

[Moose]

I love this kid ! Definitely going to be fun to watch ! LOL I say play him on Offense too on short yardage, he definitely ought to be able to move the line 1 - 2 yrds so Ben or a RB can pick up a 1st down or TD !! LOL

[GBMelBlount]

Sounds like he can develop into a good player with the right coaching and motivation.

Unfortunately having the right coaching and motivation may also be a problem.

[Steelerette]

I love this kid ! Definitely going to be fun to watch ! LOL I say play him on Offense too on short yardage, he definitely ought to be able to move the line 1 - 2 yrds so Ben or a RB can pick up a 1st down or TD !! LOL
This got me thinking, not only about occasionally giving Dan the ball, but,

Let's say that you get a once-in-a-lifetime freak of nature, 8 feet tall, 500 lbs of pure muscle... sign him to your football team, hand him the ball, he winds up getting 16 YPC because just nobody can tackle him, half the time he touches the ball it's a touchdown...

At what point would the league come in and say... hey you can't do that?

[steelreserve]

This got me thinking, not only about occasionally giving Dan the ball, but,

Let's say that you get a once-in-a-lifetime freak of nature, 8 feet tall, 500 lbs of pure muscle... sign him to your football team, hand him the ball, he winds up getting 16 YPC because just nobody can tackle him, half the time he touches the ball it's a touchdown...

At what point would the league come in and say... hey you can't do that?


Heh ... makes me wonder if this guy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akebono_Tar%C5%8D) has anything better to do than Japanese pro wrestling. Talk about a guy who would've been a hell of a nose tackle.

If there was a guy who was 8 feet tall and 500 pounds, I'm sure we'd pass him up in the third round so we could go draft some dickhead linebacker or offensive lineman who struggles to stay on the roster for a couple years and then gets released.

[Moose]

Exactly Steelerette .... that's what I'm talking about, they say no one can bring him down or move him ! Why not try using his size for your advantage of scoring ? Him holding the ball I'd bet he could move at least 2 yrds ! LOL Doesn't look like we have anyone else who can punch it in from there.

[Devilsdancefloor]

i really think big dan needs to get the nod maybe he and heyward can start pushing the pocket

[ALLD]

That dude was like King Kong collapsing the pocket and swatting at airplanes!

[SteelerFanInStl]

Big Dan needs to start!

[Count Steeler]

And Kiesel looks to be in game shape now. Thomas should be a back up now.