William Gay, #22

[SteelerEmpire]

Am I missing something ? Or has W. Gay been playing pretty good so far ? Haven't heard his name being sent to the "recycle bin" in a while ?

LINK: http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/10613/william-gay



Wow. Didn't know this...

Personal Information

Lost his Mother to domestic violence when he was 8 years old. His brother's father shot and killed his mother when she tried to leave him. Apparently, Gay and his siblings knew nothing about the domestic violence occurring in his home, but at the urging of other family members, and out of fear for her children, she left him. While she was at a friend's house shortly after leaving, her partner went to the friend's house and shot her three times. The partner then went back to his car and killed himself. In an effort to keep them together, his grandmother took the brothers in and raised them. He shared his story in a video for the Women's Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh in an attempt to spread the word on domestic violence.

LINK: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Gay_(cornerback)

[Chidi29]

Gay's been playing like he always has. It's not like he has a bunch on interceptions. But because the team's pass defense numbers have looked nice, he gets the credit he should've gotten last year.

[polamalubeast]

I did not trust him yet.

In fact, the week 8,I think than Tom Brady will thrown many times in its direction and could be very ugly for Gay and the steelers.

[Edman]

No, Chidi. Willie Gay was a Nickleback last year. This year he's been quietly moved over to Mcfadden's spot. You know, the spot he royally sucked in 2009. He was awful as a #2 Corner in 2009, and was merely average at best as Nickleback last year.

That said, he has been playing decently so far this year, but wait until Tom Fairy and the Patriots get ahold of him. I don't trust Willie Gay and this Pass D just yet.

[BigNastyDefense]

He's looked better this year since sliding over to McFadden's spot as the #2 corner, but I don't quite trust him yet. I want to see how he does against the likes of Tom Brady and the such before anointing him.

[suitanim]

Yeah, I have to say (and I am NO fan) that he has looked better so far.

So far.

The tough row of the schedule is coming up against some very good passing offenses. Let's see how he looks at the bye...

[fansince'76]

Please, PLEASE don't put him on Gronkowski again.

[The Duke]

Gay's been playing like he always has.

Yup, but you're going to find it hard to convince people about that

I did not trust him yet.

In fact, the week 8,I think than Tom Brady will thrown many times in its direction and could be very ugly for Gay and the steelers.

don't think LeBeau will leave Gay on Gronkowski again this year. Surely once is more than enough. But he'll still likely get a heavy dose of Welker, and as we've seen this year already, no one's stopping welker

Keenan has surprised me the most this year in terms of play progression. What I see from Gay is pretty much what I've seen every year from him, good but far from spectacular. And not the burn toast many make him out to be

[Chidi29]

No, Chidi. Willie Gay was a Nickleback last year. This year he's been quietly moved over to Mcfadden's spot. You know, the spot he royally sucked in 2009. He was awful as a #2 Corner in 2009, and was merely average at best as Nickleback last year.

That said, he has been playing decently so far this year, but wait until Tom Fairy and the Patriots get ahold of him. I don't trust Willie Gay and this Pass D just yet.

He was fine as an outside corner. Play isn't different now.

And he's been playing a lot of nickel this year. When we go nickel defense, Lewis is the outside corner and Gay kicks inside.

[Godfather]

He's looked solid this year. Haven't seen him getting toasted.

[Godfather]

Which goes to show we need to trust the coaching staff. If fans made the call he'd have been cut two years ago.

[zulater]

Gay was never awful, and is currently not all that good, he's mediocre as ever. Which for an NFL corner really isn't all that bad. You guys following this?

[BlastFurnace]

Which goes to show we need to trust the coaching staff. If fans made the call he'd have been cut two years ago.

Although it doesn't happen often, the coaching staff has been wrong a time or two.

Gay is a serviceable CB, but he's not a long term solution to start. He's nothing more than a bandaid until Lewis, Brown, or Allen shows that they can start..or if BMAC pulls something out of a hat this year. Someone will eventually go after Gay this year. It will probably be Brady.

[Steeldude]

No, Chidi. Willie Gay was a Nickleback last year. This year he's been quietly moved over to Mcfadden's spot. You know, the spot he royally sucked in 2009. He was awful as a #2 Corner in 2009, and was merely average at best as Nickleback last year.

That said, he has been playing decently so far this year, but wait until Tom Fairy and the Patriots get ahold of him. I don't trust Willie Gay and this Pass D just yet.

it didn't help that polamalu was out and lebeau admittedly ran a very passive defense

i am glad gay is in there over mcfadden.

[Steeldude]

Which goes to show we need to trust the coaching staff. If fans made the call he'd have been cut two years ago.

works both ways. if fans made the call kordell would have been out a lot sooner. also, scott wouldn't be starting.

i prefer gay over mcfadden.

[BlastFurnace]

it didn't help that polamalu was out and lebeau admittedly ran a very passive defense

i am glad gay is in there over mcfadden.

There is no telling how many flaws on the defense that Troy covers up.

[vader29]

Bmac has played so bad that he has made Gay look good, it is just an illusion.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Gay is breaking on more balls or playing closer to the receiver this year. He is in position to challenge more balls and make tackles for shorter gain than what I saw of him last year. Last year he seemed content to let the receiver catch the football and then face him up and make the tackle.

William Gay played soft coverage last year, very much like Keenan Lewis was playing in the preseason this year.

That and we have really faced Tarvarias Jackson, Kerry Collins, Curtis Painter, Flacco, while doing rather well against Schaub and Hasselback.

[GBMelBlount]

Wow. Gay has worked through a lot of adversity. I admire that. Great story...

[Psycho Ward 86]

That and we have really faced Tarvarias Jackson, Kerry Collins, Curtis Painter, Flacco, while doing rather well against Schaub and Hasselback.

i tend to agree with you, but i schaub actually played pretty well in the few times he had the throw, especially with andre johnson out for half the game. Rather i feel like his lack of passing yards was a product of arian foster kicking our ass

[pepsyman1]

Gay and McFadden have both had the same problem, they play far enough off and they are slow enough breaking to the ball that for all intensive purposes, they simply concede receptions to the receivers they are covering. Last I checked, WHICHEVER CB was playing opposite of Ike was allowing an 80% completion percentage to their side of the field. Ike was giving up below 60%

[steelreserve]

There is no telling how many flaws on the defense that Troy covers up.

That's the thing. He doesn't cover up flaws; he makes killer plays when the rest of the defense is doing well enough to fend for itself. When he has to play coverage all the time to make up for someone else's shortcomings, he gets beat and the rest of the defense gets beat. When he gets to play rover and not worry about anyone else, he ends up with an interception, a sack-fumble, and 12 amazing tackles out of nowhere. We're honestly better off just not trying to use him to compensate when someone is injured; just let him do what he normally does and hope for the best.

Anyway ... Gay is doing better this year, but I have a feeling that has to do with the competition. Put him on Welker and I don't think we'll be too happy. I'm much more interested to see what Lewis can do. For once, he's been showing flashes.

[tube517]

We have faced mediocre QBs. He has played better than in 2009 but we are going to face Goat Lover soon so I won't jump on the bandwagon yet. Also, the run D has been suspect so the teams before the Titans ran the ball more with success so they didn't have to pass as much. Let's revisit this thread in December and see how he's played.

Gay is breaking on more balls or playing closer to the receiver this year. He is in position to challenge more balls and make tackles for shorter gain than what I saw of him last year.

The Carnell Lake effect?