Pittsburgh Steelers will be OK with William Gay at Cornerback

[GBMelBlount]

In the coming weeks, a veteran defensive back with long hair and a nose for the ball will make game-changing plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It’s not like William Gay hasn’t done it before

Sure, the Steelers will miss Ike Taylor for the next couple of months as he recovers from a broken forearm. But Gay will be starting in his place, and that’s not a bad thing for the Steelers.

Gay isn’t the shutdown corner that Taylor has been throughout his career. Without Taylor, the Steelers’ quest for One for the Thumb still would be unfulfilled.

However, there are games in recent years the Steelers wouldn’t have won without Gay.

If it wasn’t for the 29-year-old Gay in Week 1, the Steelers would have gulped the bitter cocktail of the biggest blown lead in franchise history mixed with the first loss at home to the Cleveland Browns in 11 years.


After the Browns came all the way back from a 27-3 deficit to tie it 27-27 in the fourth quarter, they were on the fringes of field goal range with 4:40 left. They were at the Steelers’ 35-yard line, but Gay broke up a third-down pass and forced the Browns to punt.

The Browns’ offense finally was collared on its last possession. Gay broke up another pass on second-and-16 from the Steelers 14, then tackled Andrew Hawkins for a five-yard loss on third down to force a three-and-out with 59 seconds left and set up the Steelers’ game-winning field goal.

It wasn’t the first time Gay stood between the Browns and a win over the Steelers. With the Steelers leading the Browns 13-3 in the third quarter last season at Cleveland, Gay strip-sacked Jason Campbell. Will Allen picked up the fumble and returned it to the Cleveland 4, and the Steelers soon had a 20-3 lead. Gay made it 27-3 with a 21-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter.

Five weeks earlier, Gay prevented two probable touchdowns in the second half of the Steelers’ 19-16 win over the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field. The Steelers improved to 2-4 with that win after an 0-4 start.

http://www.chatsports.com/pittsburgh...ack-2-10468380

[polamalubeast]

One thing is sure, the pass defense needs to be better......The opposing QB has a QB rating of 105 against the Steelers this year.

[Psycho Ward 86]

"Gay is just one of many Steelers to go to Arizona. Only bishops become Cardinals more often than former Steelers."

[ALLD]

They might need a LG next draft, but they definitely need to draft (2) CBs.

[steelreserve]

They might need a LG next draft, but they definitely need to draft (2) CBs.

4th round and 6th round, right?

[Steeldude]

They might need a LG next draft, but they definitely need to draft (2) CBs.

LG? Do you mean LT and/or RT? IMO, Beachum and Gilbert seem to be bigger liabilities than Foster.

[SteelerFanInStl]

Gay has played at a higher level than Ike for a while now. We won't miss Ike at the starting CB position. The drop off will come at the nickel. Hopefully Blake or whoever it is, will step it up.

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4th round and 6th round, right?

If the pattern holds.

[st33lersguy]

Part of me thinks it's addition by subtraction. I hate saying this because Ike has been good for such a long time but he is a shell of his former self. Gay is the better option at this point

[ALLD]

LT, sorry. I was in Haley mode and was working on my 4th quarter planning.

[86WARD]

http://youtu.be/1ytCEuuW2_A

[Shoes]

http://youtu.be/1ytCEuuW2_A