very true, Super Runt may be the biggest beneficiary of this unfortunate injury...Originally Posted by tube517
very true, Super Runt may be the biggest beneficiary of this unfortunate injury...
If we get to option 4 we might as well start dumping games for a higher draft pick. Sort of like the Texans.
AML
Dri’d up
by Ray Fittipaldo
There is a conversation I have with myself every week. It goes something like this:
Me: “Why is Dri Archer still on the team?”
Me: “I don’t know.”
If ever there was a time for Dri Archer to throw caution to the wind and bring a kick out of the end zone it was with 1:51 remaining after the Steelers fell behind by six points.
Instead, Archer fielded the kick a yard deep in the end zone and knelt on it. With the offense struggling and Ben Roethlisberger reeling after two fourth-quarter interceptions the Steelers needed a boost from the special teams, not a conservative kneel.
I flashed back to the decision Tomlin made two years ago in a game against the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field. The Ravens tied the score with 1:58 remaining. On the ensuing kickoff, Emmanuel Sanders was given the green light to bring the ball out of the end zone under any circumstance.
Sanders fielded the kickoff seven yards and deep and returned it to the Steelers’ 37-yard line to help set up the winning Shaun Suisham field goal as time expired.
“Nothing was going to stop me from bringing that ball out unless he kicked it out,” Sanders told me after the game. “I had it in my mind that I was going to return it. I had a good feeling about it.”
Never mind that it was Sanders’ first kickoff return attempt that season. Tomlin inserted Sanders for Felix Jones with the express thought of him providing a big play that could turn the tide of the game.
“He's got a skill set,” Tomlin said after that game. “When called upon, he's capable of delivering. Obviously, he's a starting receiver for us and it's not something we want to do all the time. But at the appropriate time we'll dial his number, and I thought he delivered.”
I’m guessing Tomlin has little or no confidence in Archer’s skill set. The Steelers invested a third-round draft choice in Archer for this very situation. Archer, however, has been disappointing in his role.
Archer’s 17-yard average on returns against the Bengals, including a 15-yard return to the 10 early in the game might have been flashing in Tomlin’s head.
I just keep coming back to the obvious: if Archer is on the team for his supposed ability to return kickoffs, isn’t that the scenario you want as a coach?
If not, maybe it’s time to get a new kick returner.
Markus Wheaton, anyone?
to read rest of article:
http://sportsblogs.post-gazette.com/...anagement.html
Another question that will never be asked to Tomlin.
Media is not allowed to ask Tomlin legit, real questions - or they will get blackballed from the presser and lose all perks. It's the Rooney way. It's like when Helen Thomas asked real questions about Israel at the White House. That was a no no, she never saw the inside of the White House again.
I don't really believe that. There is always one guy, one reporter who would welcome the attention they would receive for asking the question to Tomlin and welcome the attention they would get for being blackballed by the Rooneys.
I don't think we should place all of the blame on Super Runt, the lack of blocking he receives on kickoff returns is absolutely atrocious.
you can cut Archer, but Danny Smith needs to be fired also...
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Why not put Todman in Archers place. He's has good hands and has made quite a few long runs.
http://www.jaguars.com/media-gallery...5-d0913f1eb9d0
Well, if that guy ever exists his question never sees the light of day, because I never hear/read of any tough questions being asked. I did hear one radio commentator reveal a phone call he had with then-Steeler PR guy. But little did the PR guy know he was dealing with a Browns fan, so it didn't go as he wished. Radio guy revealed entire conversation on air, much to the chagrin of Rooneys. He called and told him to not allow a certain topic to be discussed on air. Mr. L told him, "I can't control what my listeners ask or want to talk about. PR guy says "If you don't hang up on them if they bring it up, we will revoke your perks." Mr. L says, "I don't need your free tickets, if I want to go to a game I will buy my own tickets." PR guy: "What's your boss' name? I want to talk to him." Mr. L: "His name is Joe Smith, his ext. is 111." And on it went. It was quite obvious that the Rooneys push the media around. Tomlin's pressers are sure an example that the media takes their marching orders.
- - - Updated - - -
Do you want a good reason or the real reason?
I think we can when he tries to run it out from 8-9 yards deep in the end zone...
He's the 8th best return man in the game though...
In a league where 99.5% of kickoffs are touchbacks. And which is also certainly reflected in our typically shitty starting field position right around our own 10 more often than not...
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I don't need a reason to know anyone would be better than Archer.
Even the announcers - who typically know less than the average fan - commented that Dri looked tentative and unsure when he did take the ball out of the EZ. They said it, seemingly almost laughing about it. He is no longer a rookie, so we can't use that as an excuse.
Todman or Wheaton should take over.
It would be nice to trade Archer, but why would anyone want to lose a 7th rounder over it.
Hater = Realist
I think it's totally hilarious to see articles on a regular basis telling us how great certain players are before games and then they flop. PR at it's best
Merry Christmas
That doesn't matter amongst players with one return per game, he's a "stud!!"In a league where 99.5% of kickoffs are touchbacks. And which is also certainly reflected in our typically shitty starting field position right around our own 10 more often than not...
Somewhere I read a scenario sending him to the Jets for DLine depth...lol. That was the funniest story I read...it made no sense. No team will give up anything for Archer. He brings less than zero to the table.
Array title="salamander has a reputation beyond repute">
Watch us cut him in the off-season to which he then signs with the Cheats and becomes an all-pro returner. That would be our luck.
Ed Bouchette @EdBouchette
Archer still KO returner, Tomlin says.
Tomlin: Did not want Dri Archer to return last kickoff. Wanted the ball on the 20. "Dri did what we told him to do" not run the ball out
https://twitter.com/EdBouchette
Yet you have a guy on the team because of his speed and his potential to make a "splash play" and this is a spot where you would want him to return the ball and try to make a play, yet Tomlin keeps him in the end zone. It makes zero sense to have Archer on the roster if you aren't going to use him in a spot where you think he should be used...
Array title="zulater has a reputation beyond repute">
Tomlin just doesn't get it with this guy!I mean he has to know he can't play at this point? Right!? Does he think the rest of us are too stupid to see this was a failed draft choice? Is that it? Can't let go of the myth that the choice was actually not wasted?
The only thing worse than being stupid, is to think everyone else will be because you command it!.
You know I'm getting ready to jump off Tomlin's bandwagon. I've tried. Really tried to be objective. Gone against my better judgement and tried to apply an outsiders perspective on him. And outside of Pittsburgh the guy is worshiped by press and opposing players alike. (James Harrison, not so much)
But you know what. They don't see what we see. He's arrogant. He can't manage the clock worth a damn. ( don't call a time out with 2.38 left on defense. Moron move! ) And he hold's ridiculous grudges. Leaves better players on the bench at the expense of his pets and projects.
Where would this guy be without Ben? He wouldn't be a .500 coach with an average qb.
"Dri did what we told him to do."
Sorry but this one sentence from Tomlin says so effing much. I can't pretend anymore. This guy should be in the dictionary next to the text book definition of overrated!
That felt good.
"A man's got to know his limitations."
If you stuck Tomlin on Cleveland, would he make a difference?
Why Pittsburgh Steelers' Dri Archer is decent at kick returns now
By Jacob Klinger
Nov 1, 2015
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Dri Archer averages 26.7 yards per kick return this season.
PITTSBURGH -- There's an instant in the development of Dri Archer's kick returns where he has to know.
It's after the catch, his decision to try running the ball back or not and right after he's set up his blocks.
"It just comes to a certain point where you got to react," Archer said.
Until recently, he was hardly ever even making it to that moment. Archer was slowed by his own impatience. He's found his 4.2-second 40-yard dash speed to be a double-edged sword and simply not enough on its own. He's had to wait — for his blockers to get set and to not give himself away to opposing kickoff teams.
Archer's 26.7 yards per kick return this season are good for fifth-best in the league. But a month ago, before the Steelers hosted the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football, he was averaging 18.4 yards per return for his two-year career.
Two months ago, he feared for his place on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster.
"It's always something to worry about, especially when you're not making any plays," Archer said the day before the Steelers' final cuts. "It's always something you worry about. It's a business. You never know."
Markus Wheaton is slower than Archer. Most of the NFL is. Archer owns the second-fastest NFL Combine 40 time recorded since 2006.
But the Steelers preferred him over Archer at kick returns in the second half of last season. Wheaton being slower forced him to learn to set up blocks and time his returns, Wheaton said, whereas Archer and his raw speed didn't have as much to consider earlier in his career.
"I was just trying to run and thinking I'm faster than everybody and just running," Archer said.
Special teams coordinator Danny Smith had to talk Archer out of playing that way. Extra film study included considering elements beyond the depth of the kick like hangtime, direction and how they relate to the Steelers' play call, which can includes traps and counters in addition to which way Pittsburgh wants to return the ball.
Teaching that level of patience to a player whose job is in jeopardy is as counterintuitive as it was necessary for Archer.
"You got a guy that can run and he just wants to run and he finds out that that's just not good enough in this league," Smith said. "There's a lot of fast guys working around this country that aren't in football and there's a reason for that."
to read rest of article:
http://www.pennlive.com/steelers/ind...k_returns.html
lol @ Wheaton being "slower" than Archer. As I recall, Wheaton was a track star at Oregon State and made the Pac-12 finals. The major reason we drafted him was to replace Wallace as a big-play threat over the top. It hasn't worked out that way, but if anyone thinks Archer's significantly faster to the point where he outruns his blocking, they're delusional.
Wheaton does better because he has at least some semblance of vision, patience and general ballcarrier instincts. Archer fails at returns because he has none of these things and he sucks.
The reason Archer had success as a return man at Kent State was probably because in Tier 2B college ball, special-teams level players fuck up pretty regularly and his speed magnified that. The reason he succeeded as a running back was probably because he could outrun a lot of slow white middle linebackers who didn't know how to get the angle on a guy faster than them. The reason he had any success as a receiver was probably because he played against some DBs who didn't know to jam him, or because the defensive package had him matched up against the same slow white linebacker who couldn't get the angle.
Basically, he had success against C+ college players, and there aren't any of those in the NFL. All the defenders are used to dealing with guys as fast as him; all the DBs are just as fast as him, and all the linebackers who aren't 270-pound pass rush specialists are fast enough to close the door on him. Nobody's scared of his speed. It's all about the ability to find holes or get open, and to make people miss. He can't do any of those. Not going to make it at this level. Over and out.
See you Space Cowboy ...
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Come on now. Even Noll and Lombardi would struggle in Cleveland. A shit hole is a shit hole.
Array title="ALLD has a reputation beyond repute">
The article is propaganda. The democratic party should hire him.
All Defense!
The articles that are put out defending Archer saying he is 5th, 8th, Top-10 in return averages must not be watching the games. Minimally 6 yards of every return is a gimme coming from end zone yardage. Then there's the articles defending Archer because of the blocking failures. I would accept that if Archer showed something when there wasn't a blocking failure or if he made the first guy miss or if he decided not to follow a lead blocker and tried to make something happen. Any player, ANY PLAYER with straight line speed and no talent can do what Archer is doing. And by the way, if the blocking in front of Archer is so bad, then how is 5th, 8th, Top-10 in the league in returns? Because he's getting garbage yardage...yardage that doesn't really count when he's tackled at the 14, 15, 16 yard line.
Good point. How about Jacksonville? Tennessee? Miami? Indianapolis? Would he be a difference maker in those places?
Array title="ALLD has a reputation beyond repute">
No, but they would have more entertaining press conferences.
All Defense!
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