Waiting For Bryant To Get Going

[AtlantaDan]

He caught a break by the spotlight being on Bell not reporting, but the observations that Bryant is not yet back to what is expected are starting to increase

This from Ben last week

“I talked to him (Monday) and said, ‘No more rust. You've been here long enough. We have to have it all off,” Roethlisberger said. “We can't have any more ‘My bads, or, oh yeah, I forgot that. We've got to be ready to go full speed, and I need you at your best from the get-go.'

http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/12704148-74/steelers-martavis-bryant-on-first-game-back-im-going-to-be-ready

And this from Gerry Dulac of the P-G in his chat today

One year away from football apparently generates a lot of rust and timing issues....
Bryant, so far, looks NOTHING like the receiver we knows he is or can be. It's been that way since camp.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2017/09/13/Gerry-Dulac-Steelers-chat-9-13-17/stories/201709130133

Will be interesting to see if Haley (or Ben on his on) go with something other than screen plays to try and get Bryant going

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

Yep everyone worried about Bell but Bryant has not look like anything special since his preseason games. All the hype about his training and the muscle he put on is not impressing.

[43Hitman]

He probably has to learn how to play with a clear head. I'm not being facetious either. At one time I played A LOT of pool, I'm not saying I was a pro or anything like that, but I could hold my own

against 90% of the players I went up against. When I quit smoking cigarettes 15 years ago, I literally had to change my rhythm and mental approach completely. It took about a year to finally get

comfortable again. I was so used to being able to just pick a smoke when things got a little stressful and it would help calm me down, once that was gone though, it was tough. In the long run I was a

better player because of it, but it didn't come with out its growing pains.

[BlackAndGold]

Expecting him to be his old self at this point of the season is unfair. He missed all of camp and season last year and didn't practice until early August this year.

Patients.

[polamalubeast]

Expecting him to be his old self at this point of the season is unfair. He missed all of camp and season last year and didn't practice until early August this year.

Patients.

This

He will be fine in the midseason.

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

He probably has to learn how to play with a clear head. I'm not being facetious either. At one time I played A LOT of pool, I'm not saying I was a pro or anything like that, but I could hold my own

against 90% of the players I went up against. When I quit smoking cigarettes 15 years ago, I literally had to change my rhythm and mental approach completely. It took about a year to finally get

comfortable again. I was so used to being able to just pick a smoke when things got a little stressful and it would help calm me down, once that was gone though, it was tough. In the long run I was a

better player because of it, but it didn't come with out its growing pains. No pro at pool either but am better then most around and the beer always help me to relax. Maybe he is just ordinary without weed to relax him.

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Anyhow no more screens to him please and start throwing a few deep to him.

[DesertSteel]

It'd be nice if JuJu could pick up the slack...

[43Hitman]

It'd be nice if JuJu could pick up the slack...I believe he will, it may take him till week four or so though. He is a very young WR. That's why we may see Rogers more than JuJu for the time being in our 3 wide sets.

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

It'd be nice if JuJu could pick up the slack... Hasn't showed much either.

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At least we was smart enough to pay the next Jerry Rice.

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

Right now not impressed with Bryant or JUJU. Rogers looks good though and hard to see him coming off the field for JUJU. Mid season though both JUJU and Bryant should be very good. I hope.

[st33lersguy]

It'd be nice if JuJu could pick up the slack...

OR at least do something other than commit holding penalties

[Edman]

Expectations on the offense are way too high. We have a group of starters that have not played together in YEARS, let alone MONTHS. They have not played together in preseason, or training camp.

Frankly, I expect the O to drop off a bit this year, while the Defense rises to stardom.

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

Sadly right now our wr core outside of Brown don't look any better then last year. Lot of that is on Haley though in my opinion.

[polamalubeast]

Expectations on the offense are way too high. We have a group of starters that have not played together in YEARS, let alone MONTHS. They have not played together in preseason, or training camp.

Frankly, I expect the O to drop off a bit this year, while the Defense rises to stardom.

I expect the offense to be better in mid season, but for now, we have to be patient.

Our defense is going to be the unit that will help us to win games in the first half of the season and fortunately they will not face a lot of elite offense in the first half.

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Sadly right now our wr core outside of Brown don't look any better then last year. Lot of that is on Haley though in my opinion.


They will be better, I have no doubt, just need to be patient.

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Bell and Bryant will not be invisible for the whole season, this is impossible.

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

I'm sure they will and like I said Haley ain't helping them any.

[polamalubeast]

I'm sure they will and like I said Haley ain't helping them any.


It was one of the worst games from Haley that I've seen since he's with us.

It will not happen to every game!

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

It was one of the worst games from Haley that I've seen since he's with us.

It will not happen to every game! Agreed.

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Always great to come out with a win vs the Refs and Haley.

[Shoes]

Expecting him to be his old self at this point of the season is unfair. He missed all of camp and season last year and didn't practice until early August this year.

Patients.

Exactly, once he gets his sea legs back, look-out!

[tube517]

Eli and The Outlaw are key here to help take the pressure off AB a little bit in the first few weeks. I think Bryant will take a few weeks to get in the form that he was in 2014-15. I am not expecting much from Juju this year because he's been battling injuries through preseason and that puts the rookies behind. Not that I think Juju can't step up.

I'm not too worried about Bell as he will get back into shape.

People are pissed about the first game but the Steelers are notorious for starting slow. It seems every year they start 2-2.

[Born2Steel]

I want to see more 2-3 vertical routes to consistently keep a deep threat. Bryant is the perfect WR to be one of those. He will draw a double even if not at 100%. If AB also draws double, #3 is wide open. If not, the run/flat is open. Keep moving the chains. We will dominate the redzone this season.

[polamalubeast]

I want to see more 2-3 vertical routes to consistently keep a deep threat. Bryant is the perfect WR to be one of those. He will draw a double even if not at 100%. If AB also draws double, #3 is wide open. If not, the run/flat is open. Keep moving the chains. We will dominate the redzone this season.

You'd be a better OC than Haley!

[Born2Steel]

You'd be a better OC than Haley!

Most Mondays thru Weds I am.

[Psycho Ward 86]

Interesting nugget from the Dulac transcript:

"14 teams, including the Steelers, had fewer than 300 yards offense. That's almost unheard of. And sacks were way up. Give Week 1 to the defense."

[polamalubeast]

Interesting nugget from the Dulac transcript:

"14 teams, including the Steelers, had fewer than 300 yards offense. That's almost unheard of. And sacks were way up. Give Week 1 to the defense."


To put it another way: Only one team averaged under 300 yards per game on offense a season ago. So roughly half the NFL in Week 1 resembled the 2016 Rams offense.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000843547/article/the-debrief-week-1-lowscoring-start-sign-of-defensive-trend

[Mojouw]

To put it another way: Only one team averaged under 300 yards per game on offense a season ago. So roughly half the NFL in Week 1 resembled the 2016 Rams offense.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000843547/article/the-debrief-week-1-lowscoring-start-sign-of-defensive-trend

It's only one week. Things are gonna return to "normal" over the course of the season. Wonder what the Week #1 stats are for the past 3 or 4 years?

I bet they are universally low. No one does preseason anymore.

Kind of like how in April and May a bunch of random dudes in baseball are hitting over 300 and jacking homers left and right. Then the pitchers get into a groove and suddenly those same dudes are batting the Mendoza line and haven't hit a ball out of the infield in forever.

Offense is so intricate and the guys don't play together much -- its gonna take several weeks to wind up the machine.

[Psycho Ward 86]

It's only one week. Things are gonna return to "normal" over the course of the season. Wonder what the Week #1 stats are for the past 3 or 4 years?

I bet they are universally low. No one does preseason anymore.

We have a winner. Historic level of offensive ineptitude as it turns out: https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/9/12/16296530/week-1-poor-offense-10-stats

[Mojouw]

We have a winner. Historic level of offensive ineptitude as it turns out: https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/9/12/16296530/week-1-poor-offense-10-stats

That is way worse than I thought!

Full disclosure, I actually thought that 2017 Week 1 would be about the same as say 204-1016 week one. BUt, boy HOWDY! Was I wrong about that!

[polamalubeast]

We have a winner. Historic level of offensive ineptitude as it turns out: https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2017/9/12/16296530/week-1-poor-offense-10-stats

Goodell will be in panic soon if this is a trend this year!

[Psycho Ward 86]

That is way worse than I thought!

Full disclosure, I actually thought that 2017 Week 1 would be about the same as say 204-1016 week one. BUt, boy HOWDY! Was I wrong about that!

Im going to ride the "Bryant, Bell, and Mcdonald need time to gel" bus and feel a little better about it now

[DesertSteel]

The comparisons to Randy Moss need to stop. He's never been close to Moss, who's arguably the most talented WR ever, nor will he ever be.

Hopefully he can regain his 2015 form.

[teegre]

Last week, right before halftime, I was watching the scoreboard scroll at the bottom of the game :

6-0
3-10
6-6
3-6
et cetera

SUMMATION:
I believe it was Cowher that said it takes the offense 4 regular season games to get up to speed; whereas, defenders simply have to "run into people" and "create havoc" (so, they are able to look better earlier).

[AtlantaDan]

Last week, right before halftime, I was watching the scoreboard scroll at the bottom of the game :

6-0
3-10
6-6
3-6
et cetera

SUMMATION:
I believe it was Cowher that said it takes the offense 4 regular season games to get up to speed; whereas, defenders simply have to "run into people" and "create havoc" (so, they are able to look better earlier).

Pro football is broken - the scam for years has been season ticket holders being required to purchase tickets for the two home "preseason" (fka exhibition) games as part of the season ticket package - now those who purchase tickets for the first week of the regular season get to watch the equivalent of what used to be the last game of the preseason where the starters play significant minutes together for the first time in order to work out the rough spots in their game and operate as a cohesive unit

I am old enough to remember when the 70s Steelers annually would wrap up the exhibition season at Dallas with the starters playing into the third quarter - different times but that offense was ready to go in week one

Sad!

[86WARD]

The whole starting team with the exception of the O-Line didn't play together in the preseason. It's going to take time for these guys to get game legs. I see them losing this week, Minnesota's defense is much better than Cleveland and wouldn't be surprised by the loss. By Week 4, if they are playing this way, there may be something to worry about.

[AtlantaDan]

The whole starting team with the exception of the O-Line didn't play together in the preseason. It's going to take time for these guys to get game legs. I see them losing this week, Minnesota's defense is much better than Cleveland and wouldn't be surprised by the loss. By Week 4, if they are playing this way, there may be something to worry about.

Agreed about needing some time for offense to get it together

Week 4 @Ravens is shaping up as a major early season test

[Born2Steel]

Didn't the Ravens lose a draft pick once for having guys actually hit too early into the preseason. They had a full padded/contact practice before they were supposed to or something? Bad football happens when guys can't play full speed year 'round. Maybe a product of 'safer play', maybe just protecting assets. Either way, play on the field suffers.

[polamalubeast]

908431219167252483

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

I come to this thread expecting some good weed references and instead I see bashing a rookie WR that hasn't done much yet (in one game where he is #4 on the depth chart). Major letdown.

Where is a good "Bongtavis Bryant" is a slow starter meme when you expect it?

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

OK, I'll do it.

Bryant is waiting for a late game. He normally gets going after 4:20.

[Born2Steel]

Just insert the 'AfroMan' video.