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View Full Version : A few quick thoughts and impressions on yesterday's debacle.



zulater
09-12-2011, 06:28 AM
First off I didn't see the game. I was working, so I listened to it on sirius radio on channel 112 ( Steelers broadcast) instead. I had planned to watch the game today on tivo, but no thanks, I'm not into self abuse.

Anyway hearing the game from Tunch's perspective is never a bad thing. So here I go.

First off before kickoff I heard a sound bite from Mike Tomlin where when it was suggested to him that the Steelers were at an advantage going into yesterday's game because of the lack of turnover on the roster whereas the Ravens had quite a bit of turnover. He flipped the equation by suggesting the opposite was true and the Ravens were at an advantage because they knew who and what the Steelers were, and he was in the dark in regards to knowing exactly how their new personell would be deployed.

On to the game.

Tunch was saying that the Ravens changed their entire blocking scheme since the last time the teams faced, going to a zone blocking scheme. The same zone blocking scheme the Redskins used successfully against the Steelers in this year's first preseason game.

I'm guessing that a lot more teams will be deploying that scheme against us soon, as the Steelers seem to be completely baffled by it.

Outside of that, everyone stunk. It was a snowball effect game with everything that could go wrong, doing so early and often. Also the Ravens really wanted this game more, and had a better game plan, and were better prepared in every aspect.

If I had one problem with Tomlin yesterday it was about leaving in Ben yesterday after the outcome of the game was no longer in doubt. The Ravens were pinning their ears and coming full bore, how do you expain it if Ben is put out of action with a serious injury there? And even if they had scored later, what of it? Would it take away the bad that had occured before.

Harbaugh is classless. Last year leading up to the AFC title game Rex Ryan expressed his respect for Tomlin for not pouring it on in the Monday night game where Ben threw 5 td's against the Ravens. ( Rex was the DC at the time) I think Ben threw his 5th td early in the 3rd quarter and tghe Steelers didn't pass again the rest of the game, and I believe one of the backups played the 4th quarter. Fast foward to yesterday, Harbaugh wanted to run that score up as high as possible. He even (stupidly) had Flacco passing in the 4th quarter. Same question as before ( with Tomlin), if Flacco or Rice had got injured there, what is that asshole saying today?



Going foward.

I'm very concerned about where James Harrison is at physically, and what it will mean to this defense if he can't recover his strength soon. Worldis is worthless, so we'll get no relief there.

Jonathan Scott is not an NFL starter or shouldn't be anyway. Many teams believe the left tackle position ( for a right handed qb) is the second or third most important position on the team. Obviously the Steelers don't. But regardless, I'd rather sink with Gilbert, who may actually improve as the season goes on, that to do so with the woefully lacking Jonathan Scott.

Bryant McFadden is among the worst starters in the league regardless of position. He should not only be benched, he should be released.

Call me crazy, call me reactionary, but with Harrison and Farrior struggling this season, and with Ziggy Hood, and Cameron Heyward doing a lot of standing around on the sidelines, is it time to implement some 4-3 looks to the base defense?

zulater
09-12-2011, 07:18 AM
BTw congragulations Crowmagnom. :applaudit: Your team looks like a true contender, it's a long season, and a lot can happen between now and then and of it. But I'd be very surprised if the Ravens aren't playing well into January.

zulater
09-12-2011, 07:20 AM
As bad as yesterday's game was, I'd rather lose like that than to choke one away like the Cowboys did last night. :chuckle:

El-Gonzo Jackson
09-12-2011, 07:26 AM
Zu, a lot of bad things happened that snowballed, but facing a 21-7 halftime deficit isnt the worst thing the Steelers had seen.

I will say that the first 3 turnovers were a result of O line sub par play and it looked like the Steelers abandoned the running game early due to being down by that margin IMO. The first fumble was because Kemo never saw the twist by Suggs and gave him a free shot. The 2nd was the fumble when Ngata hit Mendenhall before he could ever get the handoff(because Legursky wiffed at Ngata). The 3rd was the Ngata deflection to Ray Lewis INT, partially because Ngata got quick penetration into the backfield on the shorter and smaller Legursky.

I will agree that Jon Scott isnt a great starting LT, but he didnt play as poorly as the interior Steeler line. Legursky as much as I like him, is getting pushed around like Darnell Stapleton. Kemo missed some assignments badly that lead to pressure and hits on Ben.

zulater
09-12-2011, 07:37 AM
I agree Legursky is probably better coming off the bench than starting. But is Ramon Foster any better? Kemo just frustrates me. He has NFL ability, but he's dead from the neck up, a meat head.

steel striker
09-12-2011, 07:58 AM
The oline reminded me of the early 2008 steelers and, it's only one game. It does concern me and, Tomlin should have took ben out of there and, Harbaugh is classless and, that was bush league with that 2 point converstion. Then after the game raven players were juming up and down like they won the super bowl. I know this is the big rival but, come on man act like you been there. The defense worries me as well but, it is early see in the next few weeks what our guys look like. Now I have had back surgery and, I'm by no means a world class player your back is never going to be the same. I hope James is able to get back to form time will tell.

Spike
09-12-2011, 07:59 AM
I watched every minute of that abortion of a game. 7 turnovers. I would have had more fun in the second half pulling slivers of glass out of my eyeballs.

The coaches fielded a team that was an embarassment to everyone who has ever watched the NFL.

On offense - Swollen heads starting with the brain damaged QB. Believed all the press clippings on how great they were. Call Flo, too bad we cut Hills. Somebody better lose their starting job over this.

On defense - Slow, fat, lazy, cocky and totally unprepared to play All those fat wallets on defense added 10 lbs of lead to their asses, is what it looked like. A team that thought they could just show up and win. Or maybe they all DID age 10 years overnight.

Godfather
09-12-2011, 09:00 AM
I know this is the big rival but, come on man act like you been there.

How can they act like they've been there when they haven't??

JayC
09-12-2011, 09:34 AM
it feels like Worldis is going to be Alonzo Jackson part 2

Rion
09-12-2011, 10:02 AM
I heard about the Ravens doing a zone blocking scheme yesterday and it seemed effective. Cane someone explain what it is and why it was so effective against the Steelers?

GodfatherofSoul
09-12-2011, 10:10 AM
I heard about the Ravens doing a zone blocking scheme yesterday and it seemed effective. Cane someone explain what it is and why it was so effective against the Steelers?

I wonder if it's the same concept as zone defensive coverage? If you don't have someone able to power rush (besides the big 3 up front) and overload your zone, you can maintain protection. Just like a monster WR can beat zone. I only followed Harrison for 2 drives or so, but he looked pretty sluggish and almost conceding the pass rush to play off in gap protection for the drives I watched.

steeldawg
09-12-2011, 10:17 AM
Defense did not show up.
Ben was awful
O line was awful
Gameplan was awful

What happened to the defensive pressure?
Why so many quick reciever screens with the downfield threats that we have?
Why when we get in the redzone do we start running fake reverses trying to get fancy?
Why where there no halftime adjustments?
So many questions that i hope get answered by next week.

steeldawg
09-12-2011, 10:20 AM
Oh and how could I forget the wonderful play of Bmac?
How many more third downs are we going to let timmons get smoked by rice or dickson?

El-Gonzo Jackson
09-12-2011, 04:55 PM
I agree Legursky is probably better coming off the bench than starting. But is Ramon Foster any better? Kemo just frustrates me. He has NFL ability, but he's dead from the neck up, a meat head.

I was thinking that if Ramon Foster or Chris Scott are not better than Legursky.....then why is Colon not moving to RG and Get Marcus Gilbert in at RT??

I agree with you that Kemo is a beast, but he frequently does not see those twists by linemen/LB and leaves pass rush lanes open. I saw 2 plays like that and Ben paid for them yesterday.

El-Gonzo Jackson
09-12-2011, 05:02 PM
I heard about the Ravens doing a zone blocking scheme yesterday and it seemed effective. Cane someone explain what it is and why it was so effective against the Steelers?

Zone Blocking...means that all 5 Offensive linemen all take 1 step the same way laterally and block a defensive man while moving slowly in that direction. Some have said its like a row of "dancing elephants". Its effectiveness is that the RB picks the hole that he sees open and if a defense run blitzes a hole, the RB can just pick another.

Normally the front side(outside) of the zone is blocked up by at least 3 of the linemen and the back side (inside) can be blocked so that there is a cutback lane for the RB. Its why Ray Rice said in the beginning of the game he "trusted his speed" to get to the holes and at the end "the cutbacks will be there".

Steeldude
09-13-2011, 02:53 AM
The 2nd was the fumble when Ngata hit Mendenhall before he could ever get the handoff(because Legursky wiffed at Ngata)

i think i saw legursky double the DE with colon. david johnson also missed ngata.

zulater
09-14-2011, 05:57 AM
I think the game last Sunday's opener most reminded me of was the second game of the 2004 season, also against the Ravens, and in Baltimore. The Steelers were just handled from the opening kick right up until the end that game, just as they were in this game. That game was also Ben's pro debut. Anyway the Steelers got off the mat after that game and went on and won the next 14 regular season games. I know it's supposed to be just a passing league now, but I think the answer might still be the same as it was then, and that was to get back to Steeler roots and rediscover the power running game, and set up play action off that. We don't have the offensive line now that we had then, but still I think in order for this years offensive line to come together as a unit they need to fire of the blocks and pound the rock.

Once the o-line gains confidence, cohesiveness, and continuity, in the run game, the pass blocking will quite likely improve as well. But until that unit comes together, asking Ben to throw early and often in games against top tier defenses will likely result in disaster and fiasco just like this past week.

Also our defense isn't built to stay on the field for the majority of the game. Slant the time of possession using Mendy and Issac Redman, and I'll promise you the defense will improve as well.

Steeldude
09-14-2011, 08:12 AM
I'm very concerned about where James Harrison is at physically, and what it will mean to this defense if he can't recover his strength soon

isn't this where woodley needs to step up and do his part? he can't keep relying on harrison to do it all. as soon as he signed that absurd contract he should be a man possessed. honestly. does anyone see him doing that in the near future?

here's hoping gilbert can catch on quick. it beats rotting on the bench. i would have preferred adams to be signed and to sit scott, but that was probably a money issue.

zulater
09-14-2011, 08:24 AM
isn't this where woodley needs to step up and do his part? he can't keep relying on harrison to do it all. as soon as he signed that absurd contract he should be a man possessed. honestly. does anyone see him doing that in the near future?

here's hoping gilbert can catch on quick. it beats rotting on the bench. i would have preferred adams to be signed and to sit scott, but that was probably a money issue.

I don't think it was a money issue. I think it more a matter of Flozell being largely mediocre last year ,another year older, likely uninspired and out of shape. If Flozell still had his heart in it, he'd already be in camp.