If You Were the Coach...

[Mojouw]

I'm bored. There is no real football news. So, let's start a game. If you could make 1 change in scheme, tactics, philosophy, etc on offense, defense, and special teams - what would it be?

1. Offense - Use AB more as a decoy. Thinking send him across the middle to clear a lane/spot in the zone to run TE's (James, Green, whoever) into behind him. Easy 5 yard completions (at least in my mind). Should work well due to the ridiculous amount of targets AB typically sees.

2. Defense - come up with something other than that double A gap blitz with the ILB's. I would like to see more shifts/stunts up front and some overload alignments. The one that springs to mind is to slide Shazier over to Jarvis Jones' side. Make it unclear who is coverage LB and who is rush LB between those two. Thinking something more along the lines of the mid to late 90's Lebeau packages where it was much less clear who the "free" rusher was going to be. Might help Jones get loose for a few more sacks/pressures if the OT and TE were never sure of their assignments.

3. Special Teams - go for two on any TD's prior to the middle of the 3rd quarter. Not certain about the math, but I feel like it would put more pressure on the opposition to finish drives with TD's. Maybe they force a few 3rd downs into coverage and the young DB's can make some plays?

[st33lersguy]

I like 2 the best, though I like the idea of Shazier sliding to Bud's side since he is faster, more athletic and I think he did play some coverage in college. I would use 1 only sparingly given how good AB is at getting open, and I do not like going for 2 before we actually need to

[ALLD]

Turn off the hot water to the visiting locker room and mess with the radios when the Patriots play.

[st33lersguy]

Turn off the hot water to the visiting locker room and mess with the radios when the Patriots play.

LOL, then enjoy as that team and their crybaby fans cry cheaters out of their stupid mouths without a hint of irony

[Psycho Ward 86]

Mine is a simple one, so stupidly obvious and we never do it anymore.


USE MORE FUCKING PLAY ACTION.

I mean jesus christ, Ben killed it with the play action pass from the minute he stepped into the league. Where has this gone under Haley? We have arguably the best back in the league, and you know a lot of teams out there are just as if not more concerned with stopping Bell as they are Ben. I remember a while back someone posted some statistics and we were like at the bottom of the league in play action passes attempted. With our run game, wtf....how is that even possible. You guys thought Ben's deep ball was deadly last season? Wait til we actually use play action passes. Every DB in the league will be shitting themselves

[pczach]

Mine is a simple one, so stupidly obvious and we never do it anymore.


USE MORE FUCKING PLAY ACTION.

I mean jesus christ, Ben killed it with the play action pass from the minute he stepped into the league. Where has this gone under Haley? We have arguably the best back in the league, and you know a lot of teams out there are just as if not more concerned with stopping Bell as they are Ben. I remember a while back someone posted some statistics and we were like at the bottom of the league in play action passes attempted. With our run game, wtf....how is that even possible. You guys thought Ben's deep ball was deadly last season? Wait til we actually use play action passes. Every DB in the league will be shitting themselves


This!........A million times this.

I've been talking about it for years now. Bell is in the backfield with weapons everywhere. More play action passes PLEASE.....

[Craic]

Mine is a simple one, so stupidly obvious and we never do it anymore.


USE MORE FUCKING PLAY ACTION.

I mean jesus christ, Ben killed it with the play action pass from the minute he stepped into the league. Where has this gone under Haley? We have arguably the best back in the league, and you know a lot of teams out there are just as if not more concerned with stopping Bell as they are Ben. I remember a while back someone posted some statistics and we were like at the bottom of the league in play action passes attempted. With our run game, wtf....how is that even possible. You guys thought Ben's deep ball was deadly last season? Wait til we actually use play action passes. Every DB in the league will be shitting themselves


This!........A million times this.

I've been talking about it for years now. Bell is in the backfield with weapons everywhere. More play action passes PLEASE.....

I think the offense got away from it during the upper 00s lower teen years because of their inability to run the football. Playaction only works if the other team bites because they're worried about the run. Today, they could go back to it without a problem, but with Ben and AB's numbers so gaudy as it is, let alone the other WRs and Bell's catches, what would it add to the repertoire? Would I mind seeing it 2 or 3 times a game? Nope. But if we're talking 5 or 6 times, I think it's overkill, since we really don't have a need to hide the pass play for it to be successful.

[steelreserve]

If we face the Patriots in the playoffs ... show hardcore gay porn on the big screen every time they're on offense. Brady is so turned on he can't concentrate and throws 7 picks. The game goes down in history as the infamous "Meatspin Game." Years later, the NFL Films people still have no idea how to describe what happened tastefully.

[Psycho Ward 86]

I think the offense got away from it during the upper 00s lower teen years because of their inability to run the football. Playaction only works if the other team bites because they're worried about the run. Today, they could go back to it without a problem, but with Ben and AB's numbers so gaudy as it is, let alone the other WRs and Bell's catches, what would it add to the repertoire? Would I mind seeing it 2 or 3 times a game? Nope. But if we're talking 5 or 6 times, I think it's overkill, since we really don't have a need to hide the pass play for it to be successful.

thats already a lot more than we do it now from the looks of it. play action should have been on the menu ever since we drafted Bell. 3 seasons later we're still waiting. Doesnt matter how good your passing game is, if you have a back as good as Bell, you better be using play action passes

[RunNGun]

I like the idea of running more play action, but I also see why we don't use it like we have in recent years. Play action plays usually take more time to unfold, meaning Ben has the ball in his hands a little longer, increasing his chances of getting hit. Ben stayed upright last year more than he ever has from what I noticed. He got the ball out quick and you can thank Haley for that. No complaints with his offense. A healthy Ben is a good Ben.

[RunNGun]

1.) You would be seeing a lot more of DeAngelo Williams early. I want to keep Bell fresh come playoff time. You would also be seeing two TE sets, with both TEs being threats as receivers. Something we've never seen in the Burgh. Maybe we see it this year with Green and James?
2.) I'm a big 4-3 supporter, so if I were calling the shots this year that would be our base defense. We have the personell to run the Tampa 2 utilizing Shazier's athleticism. Tomlin is very familiar with this defense. Maybe he drafted Shazier with the idea of a switch?
3.) No changes I can think of here really. I'd love to have a power kicker, but they don't grow on trees. Maybe try to go after a few more punts? Can't recall the last time we witnessed a blocked punt.

[Steeldude]

I like the idea of running more play action, but I also see why we don't use it like we have in recent years. Play action plays usually take more time to unfold, meaning Ben has the ball in his hands a little longer, increasing his chances of getting hit. Ben stayed upright last year more than he ever has from what I noticed. He got the ball out quick and you can thank Haley for that. No complaints with his offense. A healthy Ben is a good Ben.

Play action can also give him more time by causing the defenders to hesitate etc.. It would also open things up for the receivers.

[RunNGun]

Play action can also give him more time by causing the defenders to hesitate etc.. It would also open things up for the receivers.

You're definitely right about that. It all depends on what the defense is doing. I would like to see more play action as well. I was giving my opinion on why we don't use it more often. It could go either way.

[Psycho Ward 86]

when i say play action, i mean play action with the intent of going deep. just replacing some of the plays we have designated for deep throws with play action. Ben wont be getting hit any more or less that way

[RunNGun]

when i say play action, i mean play action with the intent of going deep. just replacing some of the plays we have designated for deep throws with play action. Ben wont be getting hit any more or less that way

Deep play action passes leave your QB very vulnerable. One of the longest plays in terms of development. One wrong read and Ben is on his back. Right read and we could have 6. High risk, high reward. With that being said, I agree. Can't help but gasp every time I see Ben go down though.

[Psycho Ward 86]

Deep play action passes leave your QB very vulnerable. One of the longest plays in terms of development. One wrong read and Ben is on his back. Right read and we could have 6. High risk, high reward. With that being said, I agree. Can't help but gasp every time I see Ben go down though.

This is literally a summary of our passing game anyways. I find it implausible that a team with the most accurate deep ball passer, one of the better O-lines, and arguably the best RB duo was near the bottom of the league in PA attempts

[RunNGun]

I don't understand how that is a summary of our passing game? I just had to look at the play action stats for myself. Brady, Manning, Luck and Newton all had way more PA attempts. Ben missed some games, so the stats are somewhat misleading, but even playing 16 games he wouldn't have matched their numbers. You bring up a good point.

[Iron Steeler]

Defense, I would like to see tight man to man coverage on 3rd down and long. Make the QB make the perfect pass to get the 1st down. We usually get torched by a TE roaming free in the middle. Or our soft out side coverage we allow a lot of WR to get an easy 6-8 yards on the comeback routes near the side lines.

Offense. More play action definitely. STOP taking the RB out on goal line situations.

This year I would like to see them with more double TE sets if Jesse James grows into a nfl caliber catching threat. 2WR 2TE 1 RB Set could be dangerouse because ladarius green could be used as a hybrid TE/WR and kick him out off the line to create mismatches .

Try and tramp the opposing defense in a personnel mismatch.

[RunNGun]

Defense, I would like to see tight man to man coverage on 3rd down and long. Make the QB make the perfect pass to get the 1st down. We usually get torched by a TE roaming free in the middle. Or our soft out side coverage we allow a lot of WR to get an easy 6-8 yards on the comeback routes near the side lines.

Offense. More play action definitely. STOP taking the RB out on goal line situations.

This year I would like to see them with more double TE sets if Jesse James grows into a nfl caliber catching threat. 2WR 2TE 1 RB Set could be dangerouse because ladarius green could be used as a hybrid TE/WR and kick him out off the line to create mismatches .

Try and tramp the opposing defense in a personnel mismatch.

Would love to see some more man to man coverage as well. We may finally have the personell to do it too. Really hoping Burns, Davis, and Golson can help us to forget about soft coverage. Your thinking on the TEs is exactly what I had in mind as well. There would def be some favorable matchups with a 2 TE set.

[Psycho Ward 86]

I don't understand how that is a summary of our passing game? I just had to look at the play action stats for myself. Brady, Manning, Luck and Newton all had way more PA attempts. Ben missed some games, so the stats are somewhat misleading, but even playing 16 games he wouldn't have matched their numbers. You bring up a good point.

Plays that take a long time to develop? One wrong read and Ben is on his back? Right read and we could have 6? High risk, high reward? That was our pass game last year. And pretty much sums up Ben having the 3rd most pass yards per game ever, but also one of the shittier TD:INT ratios in the league too

[steelerdude15]

I'm not sure I would really do anything with the offense.

I would cut/bench Jarvis on defense.

I would have Markus the starter for kick and punt returns to reduce the potential of an injury occurring the Antonio.

[Iron Steeler]

Defense- I would love to see Dan Mcullers realize that he is a monster. And act like a savage beast and rag doll centers and gaurds which right now he is physically able to do.