hawaiiansteeler
09-22-2015, 03:45 PM
Steelers' Primary Task: Block The Donald
JIM WEXELL
Former Pitt Panther Aaron Donald is keeping the Steelers coaching staff up at night.
Next up for the Pittsburgh Steelers are the schizophrenic St. Louis Rams, who knocked off the defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks in the opener but lost to the hapless Washington Redskins last Sunday.
Sounds a lot like the schizophrenic Steelers of 2014, except that Tomlin has a logical explanation for the Rams.
"Game location might've had something to do with it," Tomlin said of a Rams team that plays its home games in a dome stadium with which he's familiar.
"I've been in their place a bunch over the years," he said. "It's a special environment. Back when I came into the league as a young defensive coach you had to deal with 'The Greatest Show on Turf' and the things their offense was able to do in that environment."
Tomlin was the Tampa Bay secondary coach from 2001 to 2005. During the Rams' last Super Bowl season in 2001, the Bucs went to St. Louis and upset the Rams, 24-17.
Tomlin's next visit didn't go so well. The Bucs lost in St. Louis, 28-21, in 2004.
"As I prepare for them and I think about the things that they're capable of now," Tomlin said, "you think about that defensive front in that environement and having to work on silent counts and the quality of the men up front and how that can impact the outcome of the game."
The Rams have built a defense loaded with first and second-round draft picks, and none is better than Aaron Donald, the left defensive tackle drafted out of Pitt with the 13th pick of the 2014 draft.
After compiling 29.5 sacks and 66 tackles-for-loss in four seasons at Pitt, Donald made the Pro Bowl and had nine sacks as a rookie with the Rams and was named the Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
He's seemingly picked it right back up this year with 2.5 sacks and 14 tackles in two games.
"Aaron Donald is their man inside and up front," Tomlin said. "Obviously I know quite a bit about Aaron Donald, probably too much. The things that I know about him don't help me sleep easy. This guy's extremely talented but he's also a hard worker."
to read rest of article:
http://www.scout.com/nfl/steelers/story/1590167-steelers-task-block-the-donald
JIM WEXELL
Former Pitt Panther Aaron Donald is keeping the Steelers coaching staff up at night.
Next up for the Pittsburgh Steelers are the schizophrenic St. Louis Rams, who knocked off the defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks in the opener but lost to the hapless Washington Redskins last Sunday.
Sounds a lot like the schizophrenic Steelers of 2014, except that Tomlin has a logical explanation for the Rams.
"Game location might've had something to do with it," Tomlin said of a Rams team that plays its home games in a dome stadium with which he's familiar.
"I've been in their place a bunch over the years," he said. "It's a special environment. Back when I came into the league as a young defensive coach you had to deal with 'The Greatest Show on Turf' and the things their offense was able to do in that environment."
Tomlin was the Tampa Bay secondary coach from 2001 to 2005. During the Rams' last Super Bowl season in 2001, the Bucs went to St. Louis and upset the Rams, 24-17.
Tomlin's next visit didn't go so well. The Bucs lost in St. Louis, 28-21, in 2004.
"As I prepare for them and I think about the things that they're capable of now," Tomlin said, "you think about that defensive front in that environement and having to work on silent counts and the quality of the men up front and how that can impact the outcome of the game."
The Rams have built a defense loaded with first and second-round draft picks, and none is better than Aaron Donald, the left defensive tackle drafted out of Pitt with the 13th pick of the 2014 draft.
After compiling 29.5 sacks and 66 tackles-for-loss in four seasons at Pitt, Donald made the Pro Bowl and had nine sacks as a rookie with the Rams and was named the Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
He's seemingly picked it right back up this year with 2.5 sacks and 14 tackles in two games.
"Aaron Donald is their man inside and up front," Tomlin said. "Obviously I know quite a bit about Aaron Donald, probably too much. The things that I know about him don't help me sleep easy. This guy's extremely talented but he's also a hard worker."
to read rest of article:
http://www.scout.com/nfl/steelers/story/1590167-steelers-task-block-the-donald