What do we know at the quarter pole?

[Mojouw]

1. The defense plays fast. I mean really fast. Sometimes this leads to tackles for loss and turnovers and sometimes it allows big plays because guys over-run lanes and gaps. Not sure what to think about that. But I do know that if you play slow in the NFL on defense, you get beat. Pats defense looks slow - they are getting beat when teams stress them horizontally.

2. Ryan Shazier is using his amazing quickness and speed to run himself into a ton of plays. He is also running himself out of a few plays. But he caused two INTS and a fumble against the Ravens. He is having to be accounted for on every play since his unique skill set makes it possible for him to make a ton of plays that no one else can make. Remind anyone of anyone? Maybe a certain long-haired safety?

3. The starting 11 on defense has yet to play together. Think about that one.

4. Now that the actual preseason is over (this is the new way of the modern NFL - September is a warm-up), we can really start to evaluate the offense. Timing and coordination seems to be coming together. Last piece will be Ben and the wideouts getting the deep routes timed up.

5. Pressure is coming with just 3 or 4 guys. No "sell out" blitzes to get to the QB. Such a nice comforting thing to watch!

I could come up with more, but this ought to do it. Mostly on the defensive side of the ball because the offense is basically an "incomplete" while the defense is doing B+/A- work.

[Born2Steel]

I keep reading "let's see how this defense compares against elite QBs". I think it will take an elite OLine to stop this defense from getting pressure. No QB is 'elite' with people in their face.

We still need that compliment to Shazier at ILB. I don't think we see as many long runs against us with better inside speed.

I'm starting to wonder if Ben is losing confidence in his long ball accuracy. He's just not automatic downfield like he once was.

At 3-1, the first quarter has been a success.

[polamalubeast]

I keep reading "let's see how this defense compares against elite QBs". I think it will take an elite OLine to stop this defense from getting pressure. No QB is 'elite' with people in their face.

We still need that compliment to Shazier at ILB. I don't think we see as many long runs against us with better inside speed.

I'm starting to wonder if Ben is losing confidence in his long ball accuracy. He's just not automatic downfield like he once was.

At 3-1, the first quarter has been a success.

No doubt, this is the biggest problem for Ben right now

I saw on twitter this morning that Ben was 4/20 with 1 interception in passes that travels 20 yards or more ... Roethlisberger must be better on that.

[Mojouw]

I keep reading "let's see how this defense compares against elite QBs". I think it will take an elite OLine to stop this defense from getting pressure. No QB is 'elite' with people in their face.

We still need that compliment to Shazier at ILB. I don't think we see as many long runs against us with better inside speed.

I'm starting to wonder if Ben is losing confidence in his long ball accuracy. He's just not automatic downfield like he once was.

At 3-1, the first quarter has been a success.

I don't think he is losing confidence since he is still chucking it. I think it just needs time. Drills and practice reps are great and all, but he threw like a dozen passes before the lights went on for real. It is going to take time. Also his primary deep threat hasn't tried to catch contested passes in like 18 months or more. That's just not going to come together all that quickly.

In contrast, go watch Flacco in the game from Sunday. That is a QB who is having major confidence problems. He "felt" pass rush pressure that wasn't there. He refused, other than a really small # of passes, to attempt to throw into tight windows. He passed up multiple deep shots. Either his back is still held together with rubber bands and paperclips, or he simply has no confidence.

Ben still has all the confidence and swagger in the world, his timing is just not there for some reason.

[Born2Steel]

I don't think he is losing confidence since he is still chucking it. I think it just needs time. Drills and practice reps are great and all, but he threw like a dozen passes before the lights went on for real. It is going to take time. Also his primary deep threat hasn't tried to catch contested passes in like 18 months or more. That's just not going to come together all that quickly.

In contrast, go watch Flacco in the game from Sunday. That is a QB who is having major confidence problems. He "felt" pass rush pressure that wasn't there. He refused, other than a really small # of passes, to attempt to throw into tight windows. He passed up multiple deep shots. Either his back is still held together with rubber bands and paperclips, or he simply has no confidence.

Ben still has all the confidence and swagger in the world, his timing is just not there for some reason.

I hope you are correct.

[Psycho Ward 86]

I keep reading "let's see how this defense compares against elite QBs". I think it will take an elite OLine to stop this defense from getting pressure. No QB is 'elite' with people in their face.

We still need that compliment to Shazier at ILB. I don't think we see as many long runs against us with better inside speed.

I'm starting to wonder if Ben is losing confidence in his long ball accuracy. He's just not automatic downfield like he once was.

At 3-1, the first quarter has been a success.

Gotta do it through the draft if we want to. Cant have superstars being paid like it at every position. So far, the big runs have been mostly stretch plays. Inside speed is not the problem

[Born2Steel]

Gotta do it through the draft if we want to. Cant have superstars being paid like it at every position. So far, the big runs have been mostly stretch plays. Inside speed is not the problem

What problem? I see a need at ILB just for the need for inside speed we don't have with VW or Matakevich. Both are great backups, but I want a better compliment for Shazier. Plus it's amazing how fast those cutback lanes can close with ILBs that can play outside and inside gaps. I almost always want to build through the draft too. Rookie contract caps have made that a much better way to go.

[teegre]

Gotta do it through the draft if we want to. Cant have superstars being paid like it at every position. So far, the big runs have been mostly stretch plays. Inside speed is not the problem

Malik Jefferson, Texas
Jerome Baker, Ohio St.

[RunNGun]

Usually, the faster they are, the smaller they are. I don't think we need another speed/finesse ILB. We need a thumper. A backer that doesn't give up ground to RBs. We have enough speed, but the big backs wear our d down. VW is decent at this. Timmons was great at it in his prime.

[pczach]

Usually, the faster they are, the smaller they are. I don't think we need another speed/finesse ILB. We need a thumper. A backer that doesn't give up ground to RBs. We have enough speed, but the big backs wear our d down. VW is decent at this. Timmons was great at it in his prime.


I think the point some ate making is that Vince Williams is a thumper, but he's not particularly fast and athletic. That's why I believe it wouldn't be a bad idea to take an ILB early in next year's draft. If they can get two elite ILB's behind that defensive line....Wow!

Big, strong, fast and athletic? Yes please!

[teegre]

1. The defense plays fast. I mean really fast. Sometimes this leads to tackles for loss and turnovers and sometimes it allows big plays because guys over-run lanes and gaps. Not sure what to think about that. But I do know that if you play slow in the NFL on defense, you get beat. Pats defense looks slow - they are getting beat when teams stress them horizontally.

2. Ryan Shazier is using his amazing quickness and speed to run himself into a ton of plays. He is also running himself out of a few plays. But he caused two INTS and a fumble against the Ravens. He is having to be accounted for on every play since his unique skill set makes it possible for him to make a ton of plays that no one else can make. Remind anyone of anyone? Maybe a certain long-haired safety?

3. The starting 11 on defense has yet to play together. Think about that one.

4. Now that the actual preseason is over (this is the new way of the modern NFL - September is a warm-up), we can really start to evaluate the offense. Timing and coordination seems to be coming together. Last piece will be Ben and the wideouts getting the deep routes timed up.

5. Pressure is coming with just 3 or 4 guys. No "sell out" blitzes to get to the QB. Such a nice comforting thing to watch!

I could come up with more, but this ought to do it. Mostly on the defensive side of the ball because the offense is basically an "incomplete" while the defense is doing B+/A- work.

1. You can teach a player to play with more control (but, you cannot teach speed). Troy used to overpersue, but once he figured it out... :scared:

2. His learning curve is a little less rapid than Troy’s, but the end result could be very similar.

3. :nod:

4. Defense always outperforms offense for the first quarter of every season for every team. Offense requires thought and timing; whereas, defense relies on chaos (which results from lack of thought and/or lack of timing on offense).

5. Heyward-Hargrave-Tuitt might just be the best D-line in football.

[86WARD]

What we know:

1. This team continues its slow start. Appears to be improving on a weekly basis. At 3-1, record projects to be 12-4. Playoff bound.

2. There’s no reason, even at their worst, they can’t win the AFC North. Playoff Bound.

3. Defense is good. There are areas that need improvement, giving up big plays, over pursuing, etc. But the D is poised and ready to be really good this year.

4. Ben has some work he needs to do. That will improve now that Preseason 2.0 is over. I look for this week and next week to be major improvements over the first four weeks.

[Born2Steel]

One other thing we do know is that the Chiefs are the last undefeated team for the 5th time in the SB era. 4 times they did not win a playoff game. It's about peaking at the right time too.

[steelreserve]

What do we know? Latinas are hot. The rest of our division sucks nuts. The Patriots are far from invincible and no one else including us really stands out from the pack at this point. Basically we need to stay healthy and drama-free, try for a #1 or #2 seed, and reassess our chances going into the playoffs.

[Moose]

What do we know ? Play calling still sucks most of the time. Coaches still can't prepare the team. Ben isn't elite yet. E.Roger's couldn't catch a cold. AB has attitude. Bell may finally be coming around. Coaches can't figure when to use the running game vs. the passing game. We still don't know how to put a team away. But the positive is, so far it looks as though we may have a great chance of winning division, even though we are playing mediocre football. GO STEELERS.

[tube517]

2. Ryan Shazier is using his amazing quickness and speed to run himself into a ton of plays. He is also running himself out of a few plays. But he caused two INTS and a fumble against the Ravens. He is having to be accounted for on every play since his unique skill set makes it possible for him to make a ton of plays that no one else can make. Remind anyone of anyone? Maybe a certain long-haired safety?



916062929413214208

[43Hitman]

916062929413214208
Shazier was on fire last week. I hope he can do the same again this week.

[DesertSteel]

Shazier was on fire last week. I hope he can do the same again this week.
And he's still healthy after 4 weeks!!!