TPOP: Unlucky Number Seven... Reasons Why the Steelers Lost

[lotas]

I completely subscribe to the notion that these guys like Richard Sherman and Aqib Talib get away with mugging because they are considered great at their position. Almost as if the refs are afraid to throw a flag, because it would mean they are questioning the greatness that is Sherman or Talib.

Our secondary is "one of the worst in football" so of course they have to hold and commit PI to guard receivers. Throw the flag on those bums.

Oh, and Peyton Manning is allowed to slide and give himself up and then magically get back up and keep the play going. Refs don't blow the whistle until PEYTON says it's time.

[fansince'76]

Just like Sherman in the Seattle game, I think certain teams get the reputation of "omg, best defense!" and the refs let them get away with WAY more grabbing and holding than everyone else...

Think guys like Blake, Gay or Cockrell get away with that? Yeah, me neither...

[teegre]

Yeah, and look how the mighty Brady looked when his relief valve Edelman and his savior Gronk didn't play. Give the Pats a season without their top 5 offensive components and they don't make the playoffs. That would also include Brady down for 4 games.

Exactly. Brady "should" have missed four games, which would have dropped them to the 6th seed (at best), which would have put them on the road in Cincy, where Vontaze Burfict would have separated Brady's shoulder and knocked Gronk out for the divisional round (with a concussion).

As far as their O-line goes:
Replacing Guy Noname, Scrub McGee, and Turnstile Speedbump with Bryan Stork, Shaq Mason, and Marcus Cannon was simply a wash.

"The Tapes have had thirteen different starting O-line configurations."

CORRECTION: The Tapes have had thirteen different configurations of crap.

Saying that the Taperiots lost an O-lineman is analogous to saying that the Steelers lost a player in their secondary. Josh Kline starting over Tré Jackson is akin to Antwaan Blake starting over Ross Cockrell... suck replacing suck.

In other words, losing a very good LT (Beachum) and an All Pro OC (Pouncey) was far more of a burden to overcome than any hurdles that the Tapes might have had to endure. If the Tapes had lost three or four All Pro players, then the comparisons would be equal. The Tapes losing Gronk, Brady, and Edelman would be equivalent to the Steelers losing Bell, BB, AB, and Pouncey.

[zulater]

On the DHB runs to the safety, I assume you're referring to when he caught the bomb and cuts to the middle of the field instead of going down the sideline? If so yeah that was a monumental gaffe that likely cost him a td. Not knocking the guy, but if he cuts to the left sideline he's got one guy ( who didn't have a great angle) to beat for the score. But cutting to the middle of the field he brought 3 Bronco defenders into the play including his eventual tackler. We ended up with the fgo n that possession. I think he ran himself out of the td imo.

Overall though DHB was a good player on this team. But the way Coates played this last game he(DHB) may be out of a job next year.
DHB

[teegre]

On the DHB runs to the safety, I assume you're referring to when he caught the bomb and cuts to the middle of the field instead of going down the sideline? If so yeah that was a monumental gaffe that likely cost him a td. Not knocking the guy, but if he cuts to the left sideline he's got one guy ( who didn't have a great angle) to beat for the score. But cutting to the middle of the field he brought 3 Bronco defenders into the play including his eventual tackler. We ended up with the fgo n that possession. I think he ran himself out of the td imo.

Overall though DHB was a good player on this team. But the way Coates played this last game he(DHB) may be out of a job next year.
DHB

That's exactly what occurred.

DHB's major asset is his speed. Once he caught the ball, if he ran straight, the FS in the middle of the field wasn't going to catch him. Instead, DHB ran right at the FS.


I might bring DHB back for leadership and/or for special teams. But, for pass-catching, Coates just leap-frogged DHB on the depth chart.