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zulater
02-13-2011, 06:23 AM
Quarterbacks - A
Considering everything that transpired, Ben Roethlisberger's on-field performance might have been the best of his career. His command of the offense and understanding of opposing defenses is one of the reasons he threw a career-low five INTs. His comeback victories vs. the Ravens, especially in the playoffs, were the pivotal points of the season. What's more, the 3-1 record Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch compiled during Roethlisberger's suspension is an accomplishment that is not to be underestimated.

Running backs - B-
The Steelers were faced with an edict to improve the run game and they did. Rashard Mendenhall had a career-best 1,273 yards and 13 rushing TDs and was even better in the playoffs. But his fumble in Super Bowl XLV was the most damaging turnover of the season. And his average of 3.9 ypc was second-lowest among the NFL's 1,000-yard rushers and reflective of the area's inconsistency. Still, the goal-line rush offense was improved and Isaac Redman's TD catch-and-run in Baltimore was one of 2010's biggest plays.

Wide receivers - B
In his second season, Mike Wallace showed he can be one of the most dangerous WRs in the league. He led the team with 1,257 receiving yards and 10 TDs and led the AFC in yards per catch (21.0). But he also showed in the postseason he has to develop into more of a complete receiver. While Hines Ward's numbers declined, his role as a clutch performer did not. TE Heath Miller was not the factor he was a year ago, but the advent of rookies Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown was a pleasant surprise.



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11044/1124916-66.stm#ixzz1DqCjWOY3

zulater
02-13-2011, 06:25 AM
Offensive line - B-
Defensive line - A
Linebackers - A+
Defensive backs - B
Special teams - C+
Coaching - A+
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11044/1124916-66.stm#ixzz1DqD8XDJd

86WARD
02-13-2011, 02:37 PM
I can't in good conscience give the DB's a B...no way.

zulater
02-13-2011, 05:58 PM
I can't in good conscience give the DB's a B...no way.

Wouldn't be my grade either, I'd probably give them a reluctant C.

Count Steeler
02-13-2011, 06:07 PM
Coaching A+ is a bit far fetched. There was questionable clock management and the Steelers looked to be in a disarray on the last drive.

Also, the lack of dialing up the defense after our turnovers was a bit questionable. Seems like the 2 drives after the turnovers (outside the pick 6) were just walks in the park for Green Bay. Remember the Miami game when we gave the ball over in our own Red Zone and we only gave up 3 points. We should have been able to stop or at least slow down the mo after the turnovers.

Sorry, coaching would rate a B, at best.

siss
02-13-2011, 06:27 PM
Coaching A+ is a bit far fetched. There was questionable clock management and the Steelers looked to be in a disarray on the last drive.

Also, the lack of dialing up the defense after our turnovers was a bit questionable. Seems like the 2 drives after the turnovers (outside the pick 6) were just walks in the park for Green Bay. Remember the Miami game when we gave the ball over in our own Red Zone and we only gave up 3 points. We should have been able to stop or at least slow down the mo after the turnovers.

Sorry, coaching would rate a B, at best.
Ummm I disagree with you. The coaching staff kept this team together through suspensions, fines and injuries and got them to the super bowl. I give this coaching staff tons of credit for finding a way to keep this team together threw all that.

86WARD
02-13-2011, 08:00 PM
Coaching throughout the season was an easy A. What TOmlin did with the D-Line and the O-Line injuries, the QB situation...it's an easy A. As for the DB's...I'd give them a C...maybe C-.

Craic
02-14-2011, 03:48 AM
Carnoj--

I can see reducing coaching to an A for the things you pointed out. But I can't see reducing it much further-seeing as how Tomlin had to walk them through suspensions, fines, injuries, and a Pat's loss that easily could have made our year turn out like last year, rather than going to the SB.

Our DB's, while horrible at times, also ended up with some unbelievable numbers. We were passed on 593 times, 4th most in the league. They caught 363 passes against us, 5th most in the league. However, they only completed 61.2% of their passes against us, which puts them at 17th on the most passage completed percentage list. Also, the Steelers only allowed 15 TD's in passing, 3rd best in the NFL, had 21 INTS, 6th best in the NFL, are tied for best in Net Yards per pass at 5.3, and are 14th in the NFL in total first downs given up by the pass. So, all in all, our DB's did a very good job.

The problem WE HAVE with them, is the fact that they can't seem to play football in the last 5-8 minutes of the game.

HometownGal
02-14-2011, 07:04 AM
The problem WE HAVE with them, is the fact that they can't seem to play football in the last 5-8 minutes of the game.

This has been my issue with the D for the last 2 seasons. It's almost like they go into zombie mode in the last 10 minutes of the 4Q. :doh: I think the Jets game rams that point home, as the O had a 24 point lead and we came dangerously close to losing that game. :horror:

Overall this season, I'd have to give them a B-. In XLV, I'd give them a C-, as they just had no answer for Jordy Nelson who burned the shit out of us repeatedly across the middle.

fansince'76
02-14-2011, 07:11 AM
Our DB's, while horrible at times, also ended up with some unbelievable numbers. We were passed on 593 times, 4th most in the league. They caught 363 passes against us, 5th most in the league. However, they only completed 61.2% of their passes against us, which puts them at 17th on the most passage completed percentage list. Also, the Steelers only allowed 15 TD's in passing, 3rd best in the NFL, had 21 INTS, 6th best in the NFL, are tied for best in Net Yards per pass at 5.3, and are 14th in the NFL in total first downs given up by the pass. So, all in all, our DB's did a very good job.

That's surprising. I hadn't gone to check the stats lately, but I figured we gave up quite a few more than that.

zulater
02-14-2011, 12:23 PM
I think next season might be the year the offensive line really gells and is consistently good throughout the season.:thumbsup:

Of course speaking of consistent, I'm like Linus waiting for the great pumpkin in that I say this just about every year and I always get proved wrong. :doh:

Dino 6 Rings
02-14-2011, 02:53 PM
Season grade...

most interesting is the C for special teams. If there is one area we need vast improvement, it is there. Returns and Coverage especially. Blown kicks by Reed early in the season didn't help either, but the return games and coverage must improve.

Could have used just ONE splash play in the Super Bowl on special teams. Instead we got penalties. A Blocked punt, return for Td (they punted 6 times, one of those has to be a momentum turning type return) Kick returns, they kicked off to us 6 times. 12 return attempts...on the table, we did nothing with any of those.

I'd like to see improvement there.

Of coarse, Oline, D-backs need work, but as an area of concern that I'd address most agressively, it would be Special Teams and the kicking game for certain.

Count Steeler
02-14-2011, 04:09 PM
Oops. I should have read the article before posting. I thought this was the report card for the Super Bowl. My bad. Definitely for the season, coaching deserved a B+ or better. There are just those game situations that sometimes seem to get away from them.

HometownGal
02-14-2011, 04:33 PM
Definitely for the season, coaching deserved a B+ or better. There are just those game situations that sometimes seem to get away from them.

No coaching staff is going to be 100% perfect 100% of the time - that is unrealistic. For that reason alone, I won't give them an A+, but I will definitely give them an A. Considering all of the drama, adversities and injuries the coaching staff endured this season, I don't think I could ask for a better performance from an NFL coaching staff.

Our ST's still need a little work and I feel they made a lot of headway this season under Coach Everest. The OL was in total disarray much of the season due to injury, but Coach Kugler found a way to make it work (most of the time). Our O was without Ben for the first 4 games of the season - crucial games to our success - and we went 3-1 (almost went 4-0). We were without a key component of our offense (Heath) for several games during crunch time, played with one second year WR and two rooks and we still won crucial games. I give both Coach T and BA huge kudos for slapping adversity right in the chops. :drink:

The Papa put a D on the field without its line anchor for much of the season and had to strongly improvise when our biggest defensive playmaker was out due to injury and all in all, Coach Lebeau did a good job (though at times I wanted to do the Moe on him for going soft in the second halves of several games).

Coach Tomlin should have won the Coach of the Year award hands down and if there was an "NFL Staff of the Year" award handed out this season, I believe our coaching staff would and should have won unanimously. :thumbsup:

Craic
02-14-2011, 07:11 PM
That's surprising. I hadn't gone to check the stats lately, but I figured we gave up quite a few more than that.

One day while I was railing on our passing D, I went back and checked their stats and was quite shocked myself. What I have to wonder however, is if we are facing a 2003 season next year, where everyone now realizes (again) that you just have to spread out our defense and pass, pass, pass.