So, the first game is done and over with. Here are my first impressions:
O'line:
Umm . . . yeah. The tackles played pretty well. The guards however, looked like turnstiles. Now, with Pouncey out, there's probably good reason for that, but that also speaks to the problem of the backup center. I understand the cap limitations made Legursky too expensive to keep for a perennial backup that can only play one position, but I think we just may see how expensive it is not to have a dedicated backup center.
Run Blocking: D. It was . . . i don't know. I can't describe it. I mean, LSH was hitting three, four five yard runs and looking to have hit a groove that may have translated into momentum before he got injured. So, was the issue the O'line, or the fact that our other RBs couldn't find the crease? I think the answer is yes, and yes. I have to give them a straight D here. Why not an "F"? Because I think a part of the problem is the running backs.
Pass blocking: D-. Sigh. Here we go again. Adams was much, much better at left tackle than he was when he started in preseason a year go. Of course, that's not saying much. However, it is saying quite a bit that he probably had the best performance on the line today. Foster was railroaded. I don't know what the issue is, but he just doesn't seem to be able to play on the left side, at least for this game he couldn't, and I wasn't that impressed in the preseason either (what little I watched. Center...I'm ignoring this in the hopes that it's a dream. DeCastro was okay, especially since in all reality, he's in the latter half of his rookie season right now. But dude, seriously, you need to have better judgment on when to cutblock and when to hold back because your teammates back is turned to you. Why not an F here? At least one of the sacks was on Ben not getting rid of the ball. Of course, that's like a kid peeing in a lake and then blaming him when the damn breaks because it's too weak to hold the water. All in all, I did see just enough (and I mean, JUST enough to have hope that they will improve. That's why I can't go F here.
Wide Receivers B
They didn't catch everything thrown to them, and Manny should've caught the first pass of the game. It went right through his arms. However, after that, Brown, Cotchery, and Manny showed poise and a determined work ethic out there today. As a unit, they were probably the second best unit on the field in Black and Gold.
Tight ends: Inc.
I really didn't see enough to make any statements here, though propers to Johnson for his catch.
Running Backs: B - F+.
I can't give the same grade all around here. LSH gets a B- for the effort, the work, and the fact that he was making something happen (something small, but you gotta start somewhere. I liked the kid). Redman? F+. Why the plus? He did show the effort and drive that he's known for after the injury to LSH. However, he is NOT a number one back. No way, no how, but we already knew that. Felix Jones? Inc. Yeah, he whiffed on a block, but he's just been here a couple weeks. I am, however, wondering if he can help this team run the football. Lord I hope so.
Quarterback: B+
Ben is Ben, and Ben was in form. I REALLY liked the fact that he was able to drive us down at the end of the game and score. Yeah, we still lost, but that was under pressure of the clock and he still got one score done. Still don't necessarily like his clock management though. I think he takes too much time to get the ball snapped at times. Also, I have to attribute a sack to him, and he forced a pass on an INT. But seriously, if the other half of the team (O line and running backs) showed up, this performance would have been enough to easily bring in a win. Just keep the guy healthy and we'll be in every game.
Defensive Line: C.
I have to admit, it was nice seeing Lebeau's new style with the line pushing upfield for sacks. They did a good job against the pass. I noticed Ziggy Hood and Heyward both putting themselves in position to force things/make a play. I'm looking forward to seeing how they all come together. Keisel is Keisel.
Linebackers: C+
Woodley got to the QB, Jarvis Jones put a nice smack on the RB and had another stop for a loss, Worilds came up and shut down a couple runs, but they didn't dominate the game. However, they did do a decent job against a pretty good RB. Really, this was about the level I expected from the RBs for the first game this year. I think they will definitely improve, and I really don't have a lot of concern about losing James Harrison. The Elephant in the room however, is the lost of Foote. We'll see what happens.
Defensive Backs: A-
Eleven completions and twenty pass attempts for 6.3 yards and a total team average of 117 yards passing. Of those twenty attempts, William Gay alone defended ten percent of the passes. I know people don't like him, but he showed once again why he is a great player for the nickel. Troy? Tell me it didn't feel good to see Troy all torqued off and tearing through the line at the snap. It sure was nice to see the old Troy back again. I just worry how long we'll have him. This was the one place that our team shined today. Sure, we had that one long pass for 25 yards given up, but by that time two of our DBs were out as well, and we still saw a good game by them.
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Overall Grades:
Defense: B Wait, a B? Yep. The sum is greater than it's parts, especially up front. Once again, the defense put the team in a position to win the game. This is such a different feeling than before last year. Let's get some perspective: only one series the entire game that started on the Steelers side of the field ended in a score, and that was a field goal. A full third of the Titan's drives were three and outs, and almost half of their drives were three and out, or four and out. People, we can't ask for more than that. So why the B and not an A? Because they did allow one long drive in the fourth quarter that ate up time and put three points on the board. That hurt us in that quarter pretty badly.
Offense: D+ or C- Why so high? Because I thought so much of Ben's and the receiver's performances that they really did bring the overall level up, especially with the adversity affecting them with what looked like the best running back going down with an injury and their probowl center going out with an injury as well.
Special Teams: D Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a punter. Now, we just need coverage. Oh, and we need to tell idiot rookies that if they are going to bring it out of the endzone, they have to RUN, rather than hesitate. I know that they have to wait until the blocks set up, but that is not what happened here. There was just too much time spent thinking about what to do . . . almost an "Wait, these guys in the NFL are FAST!" moment.
Coaches: D+ What Lebeau did to get this defense ready by changing his approach and letting the line get more active shows signs of promise. He has shown in the last year or so that he really has figured out his weaknesses in the Zone Blitz scheme and has worked to correct them. Offense . . . I don't know where to start. That first series looked well coached and well played. Then, all the injuries started happening. Our run game went nowhere until LSH came in, and then . . . injury again! I will say this however, Ben is getting the ball out of his hands much faster anymore. It also looked like there was a much better mix of "by the book" and "sandlot" football. But I just can't figure out what is up with the running, guys. Seriously. We need to be able run the ball. Head coach? Again, at what point is this an issue of coaching? I am starting to believe that Mike's "multi-position lineman" approach is the root cause of all these injuries because the players don't really get a good fix on any one position. Then again, DeCastro has only ever played right guard for this team.
Regardless of anything else though, he's the head coach and he has some work to do. Right now, I'm seeing Cowher in '98. However, it's only one game.
Overall Team: D
Wait, how can this be lower than anything else? Because once again, the sum is greater, or in this case, lesser than it's parts. When the offense needed the D to get a good stop in the fourth quarter, they gave up a long drive instead. When the defense needed time to rest, the offense couldn't stay on the field. They looked like two individual units that couldn't build off of what the other had done, or pick up each other. Then throw special teams in on top of it, and you get this grade.
I know many will disagree, but I wonder what you all think. Again, realize these are first impressions and are very subject to change.
