RE-CAP: Steelers-Chiefs... "Three-and-Out"

[teegre]

Here is my three reasons why (three plays) the Steelers lost to the Chiefs.

Three-and-Out
by Tiger Rowan

In general, wins and losses hinge upon just a handful of plays. A single play can affect the entirety of a game. This past Sunday’s outing against the Chiefs was the epitome of that and the loss can be boiled down to just three plays.

Read more:
http://www.thepointofpittsburgh.com/...plays-and-out/

Feel free to pass this along to anyone who you might think would be interested in reading it.

[tube517]

Feel free to pass this along to anyone who you might think would be interested in reading it.

Shall I tweet the link to Boykin and then start a thread about it?


(Good article )

[teegre]

Shall I tweet the link to Boykin and then start a thread about it?


(Good article )

I was this close to including something about Boykin in the title: "Boykin, Boykin, Boykin!!!"


(Thanks, man.)

[crcsnail]

Nice read .

[TeeTee]

I was this close to including something about Boykin in the title: "Boykin, Boykin, Boykin!!!"


(Thanks, man.)

[hawaiiansteeler]

as always, great job!

[86WARD]

I like it.

[slippy]

and maybe if Bell is the every down back he doesn't drop and easy walk in touchdown catch.

give DW a series or two when ahead by 13 points, but do not use him as the third down back!

[zulater]

Short and to the point. Good job Tiger!

To expand on your first point just a little. You can't overstate how huge that drop was, and in my opinion if we get the td there Tomlin would have been more inclined to attempt the 49 yard fg if that latter situation arose in the same way or similar way. Kansas City playing that entire game ( virtually) with the lead was huge for them. Get them playing from behind early and the pressure falls on them instead of on Landry Jones. Bad teams playing from behind find ways to beat themselves from the moment the game tilts away from them. Further an early TD in Landry's column along with an early lead gets his confidence up and maybe he's a bit more relaxed and avoids some of those bad throws later in the game? Again sorry to be redundant, but that could have been the most pivotal play of the game.


As far as the 4th and 1. As stated previously if we're up 7-6 at that point I think the chances that Tomlin kicks it is much higher. But as that didn't happen I'm not entirely in disagreement with going for it there. But as the situation was we were down 6-3 at that point and couldn't afford to fail there I can't take LeVeon off the field for that play! Nothing against DeAngelo who's an ok back, but LeVeon is a great back and will exceed what's blocked 75% of the time. Either give the ball to 26 or run play action off him, but it was too critical of a situation imo to go away from your best.

[teegre]

Nice read .

I truly appreciate...

as always, great job!

...the kind words.

- - - Updated - - -

I like it.

Thanks, man.

[teegre]

and maybe if Bell is the every down back he doesn't drop and easy walk in touchdown catch.

give DW a series or two when ahead by 13 points, but do not use him as the third down back!

I agree: Bell should be in on ALL importnat plays. Heck, I'd even have in there on all third downs... so, on fourth down, it's a no-brainer for me.

He does need some rest (we don't want him all used up by January). Two series per game or something... but, again, Bell should be in on every single important play.

[teegre]

Short and to the point. Good job Tiger!

To expand on your first point just a little. You can't overstate how huge that drop was, and in my opinion if we get the td there Tomlin would have been more inclined to attempt the 49 yard fg if that latter situation arose in the same way or similar way. Kansas City playing that entire game ( virtually) with the lead was huge for them. Get them playing from behind early and the pressure falls on them instead of on Landry Jones. Bad teams playing from behind find ways to beat themselves from the moment the game tilts away from them. Further an early TD in Landry's column along with an early lead gets his confidence up and maybe he's a bit more relaxed and avoids some of those bad throws later in the game? Again sorry to be redundant, but that could have been the most pivotal play of the game.


As far as the 4th and 1. As stated previously if we're up 7-6 at that point I think the chances that Tomlin kicks it is much higher. But as that didn't happen I'm not entirely in disagreement with going for it there. But as the situation was we were down 6-3 at that point and couldn't afford to fail there I can't take LeVeon off the field for that play! Nothing against DeAngelo who's an ok back, but LeVeon is a great back and will exceed what's blocked 75% of the time. Either give the ball to 26 or run play action off him, but it was too critical of a situation imo to go away from your best.

You know, I almost went with only "one" play... a turning point. For whatever reason, I opted for three (those three stuck out). Anyway, as I was saying and you are saying: that drop by Williams was the ONE play that changed the game.

If they get the touchdown there, then Tomlin goes for the field goal on the next drive. That's 7 more points right there (4 on the first drive, plus 3 for the ensuing FG).

Furthermore, if they have those 7 points, they don't panic and have Jones throw four straight passes on the third drive. The Chiefs defenders started reading his eyes, and you could see the INT coming from a mile away. If the Steelers had those aforementioned 7 points, then they run Bell a little more, and that third drive ends with a FG (or, at worst a punt deep into their territory).

Re: Bell
I just posted something similar to slippy. We all agree: Bell should have been in there.

My brother, my father, & I discussed this very thing. We tried our darnedest to rationalize having Williams run the ball there (e.g. "it's a greater risk of injury/concussion")... but, nope, ultimately we all three agreed: Bell gets the ball there.

[Shoes]

Nice work TR!

[teegre]

Nice work TR!

Thank you for the kind words.

[zulater]

I've finally finished watching the game, and I hate to be critical, but if it were me, I would sub your number 3 for the Chiefs completion and conversion of the 3rd and 4 at their own 22 to Kelce for 26 yards to the 48. The play happened with 8.39 left in the game. That play extended the drive and of course the Chiefs finished the drive with a td, and burned another 3 minutes of clock, so by the time the Steelers got the ball back they were facing a two score deficit with just over 5 minutes of the game left. Not insurmountable but given your back up qb is at the helm in his first ever NFL start, on the road, just about so.

Now I'm not killing Timmons for that play, or even Butler, though an argument could be made the Timmons should have got safety help against in effect the Chiefs most dangerous player. Instead I'll give credit to the Chiefs for a well executed play. How many times have we seen a qb miss that sort of window or the pass get dropped?

Anyway bottom line is if the Steelers defense can make a play and get off the field there, ( the game was 16-13 at that point, with the Steelers having scored the last 10 points) I think the chances are real good they take the lead on the resulting possession. The Chiefs defense had been on the field quite a bit going into that series. A Chiefs 3 and out there and the Steelers have all the momentum.

To me that was the second most critical play of the entire game.

[teegre]

I've finally finished watching the game, and I hate to be critical, but if it were me, I would sub your number 3 for the Chiefs completion and conversion of the 3rd and 4 at their own 22 to Kelce for 26 yards to the 48. The play happened with 8.39 left in the game. That play extended the drive and of course the Chiefs finished the drive with a td, and burned another 3 minutes of clock, so by the time the Steelers got the ball back they were facing a two score deficit with just over 5 minutes of the game left. Not insurmountable but given your back up qb is at the helm in his first ever NFL start, on the road, just about so.

Now I'm not killing Timmons for that play, or even Butler, though an argument could be made the Timmons should have got safety help against in effect the Chiefs most dangerous player. Instead I'll give credit to the Chiefs for a well executed play. How many times have we seen a qb miss that sort of window or the pass get dropped?

Anyway bottom line is if the Steelers defense can make a play and get off the field there, ( the game was 16-13 at that point, with the Steelers having scored the last 10 points) I think the chances are real good they take the lead on the resulting possession. The Chiefs defense had been on the field quite a bit going into that series. A Chiefs 3 and out there and the Steelers have all the momentum.

To me that was the second most critical play of the entire game.

Good point, and you're correct: that play was a backbreaker. I thought to myself: we force them to punt, and drive down to (at least) tie the game. Woo-ho... we are in this!!!

Then... ugh.

And, Yes, I too noticed that the situation went from "8 minutes and the need to tie" to "5 minutes and needing to score twice." Huge difference.

To play devil's advocate for the defense, they were gassed. If the offense had scored those aforementioned 10 points, that TD wouldn't have mattered all that much.

[86WARD]

I wonder how many of those "backbreaker" plays occur via the opposing TE. Without looking, I would bet it's a majority...

[teegre]

I wonder how many of those "backbreaker" plays occur via the opposing TE. Without looking, I would bet it's a majority...

It is indeed the Achilles heel of this defense.

Man, I wish that Troy was 23 again.

[86WARD]

Even when they had Troy, a tight end up the seam was always wide open.