Steelers vs Titans - Week 6 Thoughts

Disappointing loss, needless to say. Wish I could have posted it sooner but I think the content is better than last weeks.

"Hi Alex!
Thanks, as always!
Hugs,
Marianne"

First Half

- Rotated DL early. Woods/Heyward came in on the 6th play with McClendon entering on the next.

- Harrison sack on first and goal on Titans' first drive. Harrison and Worilds had their hands in the dirt.

- 33 yard catch/run by Redman. Simple angle route, gets a step on the LB, Redman does the rest with a ton of YAC.

- Downgrade from Pouncey to Legursky is clearly evident. Third and seve, swing to Redman with Legursky and Foster going out to block. Legursky can't get to the LB in time, Redman forced to slow down, kinda gets tripped up, and only gains four. Picture.

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/...9/Legursky.png

- Used same crossing route to Craig Stevens as Nate Washington on their first play that went for 19. This time, Clark stays flat-flooted and separates Stevens from the ball.

- Wallace 82 yard TD. Motion Rainey from RB to out wide opposite of Wallace. Only physically moved the deep safety a yard or two but you know everyone was concerned about Rainey getting the ball. Just window dressing as Wallace is one on one with the CB and beats him despite corner's bail technique (back to sideline). As an aside, Brown was again in the backfield on this play, running an out route. Lot for a defense to process.

- Kenny Britt 31 yard catch/fumble. Screen/go route from the two WRs, Britt in the slot. Not sure if I can blame Ike too much since he was on WR to the outside.Tough banjo call if that's what it was.

- Nice job by Harrison to tackle Johnson for a one yard gain from the ground.

- Blocked punt. Not too much to add. Warren/Mundy go after the same player. Normally, it looks like Warren slides to this right and Mundy picks up to his left. But Warren couldn't get square to Shaw so he tried passing him off to Mundy. Miscommunication. Pictures.

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/...ocked_Punt.png

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/...cked_Punt2.png

- Great cut block by Cotchery on pass to Mendenhall. Picture, Cotch at the 45.

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/...tchery_cut.png

- 3rd and 7, 4:46 left in first half. Incomplete to Sanders. Manny broke his route off when Ben thought he was going to keep running. Looked like man on Sanders so he should keep running. But Titans disguise coverage well with late safety rotation and what looked like a mix of man/zone throughout the play.

- Keenan Lewis had a pretty strong first half covering Britt and tackling. Though he missed Wright at the end of the first half which hurt us.

- 55 yard catch and run by Redman. Basically a smash (corner/screen in this case). Safety gambled for the INT, misses. Big gain for us.

- Too be we were picked off on next play. Potential 7-10 point swing (could have been 13-13, 17-13 PIT at half, instead 16-10 TEN).

- Jared Cook 19 yard gain on crossing route, :45 left in half. Killed us on those routes all night. LBs get confused, stacked. Timmons doesn't get there in time.

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/...9/LB_stack.png

Second Half

- Harrison walled off by rookie TE and college DE Taylor Thompson on Titans' first play of second half. Johnson goes for 13. No one gets off their blocks.

- Foote FF. Only rush four vs six blocking by fire stunt with Timmons and Foote. Doesn't get passed off b/w LG and LT (was a screen to Johnson). Picture.

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/...9/LB_stunt.png

- And the Emmy goes to....Ziggy Hood!

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/...Ziggy_Emmy.png

- Not a lot of blocking at the second level in this game, something I noticed throughout. Not having Pouncey really hurts you there (granted, it is a 4-3 team so that plays its part, too). But a lot of double team blocks on the DL, leaving the LBs free. Example of it here. Could be one reason why our running game has struggled. Not much of a chance to knock off gains of five or more. Always being met at the second level.

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/...Doubleteam.png

- Colon looked unsure of who to block on this trap play vs over front. Two pics.

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/...on_vsover1.png

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/...on_vsover2.png

- You can see how much the defense reacts to Rainey when we do something with him pre-snap. Motion from HB to out wide like on the Wallace TD. CB on top of screen and SS immedaitely make hand signals.

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/...ney_motion.png

- Key block by Pope on Batch TD. Congrats to Batch on his first. Well deserved. Picture.

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/...Pope_block.png

- Nice job by Timmons to read Wright on his INT. Jumped in front of underneath route. Pressure by blitzing Cortez Allen also forced Hasselbeck's hand.

- Kudos to Suisham for booting a 52 yarder.

- Timmons absolutely manhandled by FB Quinn Johnson on 12 yard gain with 8 left.

- Know pass was a little behind Lewis but he has to intercept that ball. Doesn't and Hasselebeck hits Wright for a 16 yard gain on the next play. Hits Wright again for 35 yards three plays later.

- 35 yard gain was Lewis' tripping over someone's feet or his own. Tale of two halves for Keenan. Tough pill to swallow on 3rd and 8.

- Clark airborne on play he was shaken up.

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/...ark_injury.png

- 22 yard pass to Sanders. I-Form, playaction to cause LBs to bite up. Creates throwing lane for Ben.

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/...Playaction.png

- Play that ended it. Cook crosser. No. 1/2 WRs to the right side run crossing route to occupy the CBs, creating space for Cook.

- Didn't pay too much attention to him but Mike Adams seemed to do a pretty good job.

- No one could get off blocks all night for the front seven. Worilds in instead of Woodley also really hurts.

- One suggestion to fix the defense is to stop doing what so many fans have clamored for. Go back to playing our cornerbacks up. Ike is playing with a one yard cushion on WRs and he now has to react to them on every route. He can't break on an in route or slant. He has to turn his hips immediately and is then at the mercy of the WR (and increases the chances of him grabbing the receiver). Let him read his three step game and sit in his backpedal until/if the receiver eats up his cushion. LeBeau is messing with what worked.

Sacks

- 3rd and 6, 7:41 LEFT IN 2ND. 11 personnel, shotgun. 6 blockers vs 4 rushers. Ben looks to left for slant but covered. Tackles Adams and Starks are cut blocking assuming three step and out so tough to fault them. Coverage sack.

- 2nd and 10. 3:33 left in 3rd. 11 personnel. 6 blockers vs 5 rushers. Starks bullrushed, Mike Martin beats Legursky on a swim. Ben sandwiched, fumbles but overturned on replay. Pic of Legs getting beat (shocker).

http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/...ursky_beat.png

Sack Counter (Game)

Coverage: 1
Max Starks: .5
Doug Legursky: .5

Sack Counter (Season)

Coverage: 2
Max Starks: 2
Maurkice Pouncey: 1.5
Doug Legursky: 1.5
Willie Colon: 1
Mike Adams: 1

Nice read chidi .

On the blocked punt, the line was supposed to pick up Shaw. The line was supposed to block right and Shaw was Warren's assignment.

Nice write up Chidi.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 86WARD

On the blocked punt, the line was supposed to pick up Shaw. The line was supposed to block right and Shaw was Warren's assignment.

Nice write up Chidi.

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Yeah, like I said, that's usually what it is supposed to be. It looks like Warren couldn't get to Shaw in time (he starts blocking to his right) and couldn't get in front of Shaw to stop him so he tried to pass him off to Miundy.

Nice work as always Chidi!

And just to be clear, when I talked about playing our corners "up", I mean playing off with a 5 yard cushion.

You should have focused a little harder on the couple snaps McClendon got. The difference between he and Hampton right now is like night and day.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zulater

You should have focused a little harder on the couple snaps McClendon got. The difference between he and Hampton right now is like night and day.

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I really don't think it would have mattered a whole lot because the Titans' stretch runs don't focus on double teaming the NT a whole lot. For those teams, I'm more focused on the DEs and the OLBs.

While McClendon is playing well, and outplaying Hampton, I do wonder if he has a bit of Redman syndrome. Does great in a limited role but will show some more flaws as he wears.