Player Grades for the Raider Game.

[Craic]

How would you grade out the players today? Let's see your best and worst - and a few of your inbetween as well. For me:

Ben R: A+ I normally NEVER give an A+, but he was absolutely stellar today.

Heath M: A + See above.

Squeeze 'em: A Amazingly enough.

Antonio Brown: B+ He would have had an A- if it wasn't for that second fumble. Yet I still grade him high because that fumble didn't come from being stupid, but from fighting for more yards. At least it was a "work-related mistake" rather than a stupid mistake.

Mike Wallace: A- Good effort on his part today. Played well. But he too had butterfingers. At least he didn't turn the ball over.

Redman: C+ He worked hard, but there was little to show for his effort. He's hesitating hitting the pile now, but then again, when there's no where to go, it gets hard not to do that.

Dwyer: C- Didn't see much out of him at all today.

Batch: B- He showed a little bit today at the end of the 2nd quarter. Ran hard and showed good hands.

Pouncey/Starks/Foster: B+ You did your job on the pass plays, but not so good on the run plays.

Willie Colon: D Are you serious? That was the game you brought today?

Marcus Gilbert: Inc. Get healed, son. There's a drop off when you're not in there, and you weren't my favorite coming into this year.

Drew Butler: C- Would have been better, but a shank? Come on.


Defense: I'm not touching that one. At least not right now.

[Godfather]

Defense: I'm not touching that one. At least not right now.

F- across the board.

[Edman]

Ben R.: A+
Backs: D
O-Line: B
Antonio Brown: C-
Mike Wallace: B-
Heath Miller: A

Doo-Doo(FKA Defense): LOL SERIOUSLY?



"S" for "Shit" is a good choice too. Perhaps too good.

[st33lersguy]

Ben: A+
RBs: D
WRs: B
Heath: A
OL: D
Special Teams: F
Entire defense: Doesn't deserve a grade

[7willBheaven]

Pretty spot on Preacher

[steelerdude15]

There is no doubt that the game ball goes to Ben. With that in mind:

Ben: A+
RBs: C
WRs: B
Heath: A+
Shaun: A
Drew: B-
Defense: F
Special Teams: F
O-line: C

[zulater]

Ben R.: A+
Backs: D
O-Line: B
Antonio Brown: C-
Mike Wallace: B-
Heath Miller: A

Doo-Doo(FKA Defense): LOL SERIOUSLY?



"S" for "Shit" is a good choice too. Perhaps too good.

Fair grade. How anyone can grade him higher than that after consecutive fumbles is beyond me?

[Texasteel]

A question. I watched Browns fumble in the endzone twice, and still couldn't tell for sure, but it looked to me the ball was fumbled backward, and still landed in the endzone. Did Browns fumble start before he crossed the line. If not that would still be a TD wouldn't it.

[Craic]

A question. I watched Browns fumble in the endzone twice, and still couldn't tell for sure, but it looked to me the ball was fumbled backward, and still landed in the endzone. Did Browns fumble start before he crossed the line. If not that would still be a TD wouldn't it.

It would have, but the fumble started before he got to the endzone.

[zulater]

Antonio Brown: B+ He would have had an A- if it wasn't for that second fumble. Yet I still grade him high because that fumble didn't come from being stupid, but from fighting for more yards. At least it was a "work-related mistake" rather than a stupid mistake.

It was a stupid mistake. There's a time and place to fight for every yard. That wasn't one of them, The first down had long been secured. the resulting yardage puts them into Raider territory with great momentum.

That one play swung the entire pendulum of momentum away from the Steelers. And in that sort of raucous environment that's a tide too hard to turn back in your favor.

Again, had Antonio not have fumbled on his most recent touch I give him a full pass there. But he did, and while that play didn't cost the Steelers, it could have. Remember that's a touchback if the ball is recovered by a Raider or goes out of bounds. So having already done the fire dance once, ball security has to be foremost in your mind once the catch is secured.

[zulater]

It would have, but the fumble started before he got to the endzone.

Not that it matters, but it wouldn't surprise me if they eventually take the touchdown pass away from Ben, and just make it a touchdown on recovery by Antoine.

[Craic]

It was a stupid mistake. There's a time and place to fight for every yard. That wasn't one of them, The first down had long been secured. the resulting yardage puts them into Raider territory with great momentum.

That one play swung the entire pendulum of momentum away from the Steelers. And in that sort of raucous environment that's a tide too hard to turn back in your favor.

Again, had Antonio not have fumbled on his most recent touch I give him a full pass there. But he did, and while that play didn't cost the Steelers, it could have. Remember that's a touchback if the ball is recovered by a Raider or goes out of bounds. So having already done the fire dance once, ball security has to be foremost in your mind once the catch is secured.

And if you look below, you'll see where he had proper ball security while carrying the ball. It wasn't like he had guys hanging off him. Someone came in and made a good play. Do I prefer he didn't dance and instead, drive straight ahead and then just go to the ground when his momentum is stopped? Yeah. But this isn't Burress spiking the football while the play is still active, or showboating and having someone knock the ball out of his hands. This is him doing what he's been taught to do by Hines Ward - play hard football.

Was it a bad fumble? Yeah. But it wasn't a stupid play. Say what you want, but you're confusing hard work with hindsight.

[GBMelBlount]

I would not give Suisham an A.

Returnable kickoffs are highly negative with how bad our special teams are.

...and unless I am mistaken he did not even reach the end zone on one and it was returned to the 45 yard line or so.

[bayz101]

I would not give Suisham an A.

Returnable kickoffs are highly negative with how bad our special teams are.

...and unless I am mistaken he did not even reach the end zone on one and it was returned to the 45 yard line or so.

I have to agree with this. He needs to kick them out of bounds, but then again, the Raiders kicker made the mistake of kicking it to Brown, and although it was called back, Brown took it to the house. We all know how strong the Raiders kicker is.

I'll give Squeeze em a break.

[ALLD]

Ben A+, easily one of his best games in the last 20.
Miller A
Wallace A-
Brown C- (his fumble turned the game)
Sushi B+
RBs C
Tomlin D+
Haley B
Defense F- you should be ashamed.
Refs D

[Craic]

I would not give Suisham an A.

Returnable kickoffs are highly negative with how bad our special teams are.

...and unless I am mistaken he did not even reach the end zone on one and it was returned to the 45 yard line or so.

Good point, however, not even thunderboot for the Raiders produced all unreturnable kicks. Both teams had 2 kicks returned, and Oakland employs one of the best kickers in the league. So I do think that's a bit unfair to downgrade him like that.

I also acknowledge the short kick to the goal line. Yeah, that one made me cringe a bit as well, but for some reason, looking back on it, I seem to remember that it was angled for some reason. Am I wrong?

[polamalubeast]

Ben:A+
Wallace:A
Brown:C(A without his fumble)
O-line:B
Miller:A
RB:C

DEFENSE

[Craic]

Ben:A+
Wallace:A
Brown:C(A without his fumble)
O-line:B
Miller:A
RB:C

DEFENSE

You're giving the line an overall "B"? With all of those penalties and the inability to produce holes for the run game? I'm also a little surprised at Brown, from A to C for one fumble. I don't think that really discounts the entire body of work that much. But over all, not a bad group of grades, IMO.

[polamalubeast]

for the o-line.....only one sack allowed in 50 passes attempted....not bad...

[zulater]

You're giving the line an overall "B"? With all of those penalties and the inability to produce holes for the run game? I'm also a little surprised at Brown, from A to C for one fumble. I don't think that really discounts the entire body of work that much. But over all, not a bad group of grades, IMO.

Two fumbles. Just because he recovered the one doesn't mean it didn't happen. You put the ball on the ground way more often than not it's not going to bounce your way. If the Raiders recover that first fumble or it goes out of bounds that's Raiders ball at the twenty, and that possession goes to waste.

[GBMelBlount]

Preacher

You're giving the line an overall "B"? With all of those penalties and the inability to produce holes for the run game?

I agree that is very generous.

If you looked at it very simplistically and rated them in 4 areas:

Run blocking
Pass blocking
Sacks allowed
Penalties

They did well in pass blocking and sacks allowed but very poor in run blocking and penalties.

So I think a fair grade is a "C".....and admittedly penalties are the most irritating to me.

Preacher

I'm also a little surprised at Brown, from A to C for one fumble.

I agree here too....He played well over all imo. Perhaps he needs to protect the ball more in critical situations but fumbles happen at inopportune times and I don't know that we have ever seen a pattern of this with Brown.

Preacher

I don't think that really discounts the entire body of work that much. But over all, not a bad group of grades, IMO.

[suitanim]

This thread is titled: "Player grades".

While the defense as a unit scored an F, there were some individual efforts that were better than that. Ryan Clark had a good game, with 7 tackles, one for loss, a pick and a PD. Foote and Woodley should also get honorable mention. The line did not play well, and no corner played particularly well.

[Craic]

This thread is titled: "Player grades".

While the defense as a unit scored an F, there were some individual efforts that were better than that. Ryan Clark had a good game, with 7 tackles, one for loss, a pick and a PD. Foote and Woodley should also get honorable mention. The line did not play well, and no corner played particularly well.

Yep, that is exactly what I titled it. But I probably also set the precedent for grading the defense as a whole by saying, "Defense: I'm not touching that one. At least not right now."

Now, in all honesty, I'd have to go back and re-watch the game to grade the defense individually. It got to the point where I actually starting fast-forwarding the game when the defense was on the field, because i knew they were going to let the Raiders score.

[suitanim]

Oh, I wasn't directing that at you, just saying that while people were assessing the defense as a whole, I thought a couple players had decent games. It's throwing the baby out with the bathwater to diss the whole entire defense.

[Craic]

Oh, I wasn't directing that at you, just saying that while people were assessing the defense as a whole, I thought a couple players had decent games. It's throwing the baby out with the bathwater to diss the whole entire defense.

I know, I was just throwing my two cents in. I'm still not ready to assess the defense, however!

[Texasteel]

I think we as fans are to quick to jump on one game, good or bad. I just hope that Sundays defence is not the true Steelers defence. We should know in the next couple of games. I agree we still have a couple of very good players, but I am concurned about our D line.