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Thread: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

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    Senior Member Array title="Mojouw has a reputation beyond repute"> Mojouw's Avatar

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    Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    Whoa, boy! I've never been so glad to be so wrong about a Steelers game. I honestly thought that Murray and Henry would run wild. Well to be honest, not Murray but Henry and Mularkey's under-use of Henry is a crime against football and he should be fired for it -- but I don't root for the Titans -- so screw 'em.

    But after a couple days, I wanted to throw some random thoughts out there and see how everyone here felt about them.

    1. Not sure how to put this one because it is really a bunch of thoughts together. TE may be what is holding the offense back. Blocking is bad. And no reliable receiving option between the hashes and down the seams. So, Shoes was right and we should never doubt him again! For much of the season (aside from the few snaps that McDonald has been able to play) the offense has abandoned the middle of the field. It makes everything else harder. You can really shade safeties and nickel/dime defenders towards AB and Bryant because you are not worried about anyone killing you over the middle.

    2. That brings me to Juju. He fixes much of the problems in the above item. Young man looks born to make his living over the middle. He starts ripping defenses open down the seams, forcing safeties inside, and the outside WRs are going to start flashing so open that it won't matter how accurate Ben is or is not!

    3. McDonald ever gets and stays healthy -- that might solve much of the TE blocking troubles. Combine that with McDonald's pass catching abilities plus Juju and maaaaaayyyyyybbbbbbeeee...just maybe this team starts to look like the offensive juggernaut that was promised.

    4. James Conner is slowly winning me over. Really wish he could pass protect so he could play more!

    5. I think it might have been easier for NBC to list the members of the Titans coaching staff who didn't have a Steelers connection. I actually had no idea that a few of those guys were coaching - let alone in the NFL.

    6. Coty Sensabaugh - who knew? Totally serviceable zone coverage DB. Sure, he got beat on the long one, but the rest of the game he was not the liability that I feared he would be.

    7. Robert Golden is not good in coverage and I can not wait for Mitchell to get healthy and come back. Mitchell might be the most underappreciated player on the roster.

    8. Shazier is just a one man wrecking crew. The sky-cam angle really highlighted how he does something to influence and impact the offense on every snap. Amazing.

    9. I would really like to hear from Chuck Smith on why Bud Dupree has no pass rush. Injury? Smith lied about him after his camp so he could keep making $$$ as a "guru"? I really like Dupree and am a massive fan of his potential, but Sheesh...is a couple pressures a game too much to ask?

    10. I say this almost every time I post one of these, but it is a sight to behold. This defense is ridiculous fast. Just astounding. Also to all those who dislike the defense celebration. Think about this. It is a group/family photo that celebrates the success of the unit rather than one player's "splash play". It is an acknowledgement that if all 11 players do their jobs and execute their assignments the entire defense will be successful and any individual "splash" that comes from that should be celebrated as a group. Long story short, this team is starting to have that all for one and one for all vibe that great teams have.

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    Senior Member Array title="Edman has a reputation beyond repute">

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    Ben is starting to heat up. He's been pretty sharp these past two weeks. Saving his best for the very last? I hope. I'll gladly take it over the previous years when he would start hot then cool off a little. It helps that he actually has a better WR core than last year and is developing some chemistry. Juju and Bryant are much better than Rogers and Coates.

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    Our defense is good. However, if we lose Haden or Mitchell for the year, we're probably screwed.

    After reflecting on Ben's record in prime time games, I'm happy we've got a few more coming up.

    We are a bonafide Super Bowl contender.

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    I think they need to run no huddle as much as possible. Haley's offensive playcalling consisting of mostly deep balls and passes under 5 yards isn't working. The offense is better when exclusively going to short-mid passing range

    Heyward and Tuitt are beasts, especially Heyward, he's been a wrecking ball

    Mitchell really isn't that good and is a weak ling, it's just Golden is so bad, Mitchell is simply much better than him. I wonder why JJ Wilcox wasn't out there, is he injured?

    Side note: It's funny because I watched NFLN and Heath Evans was talking about how Mariota "marched up and down the field on Pittsburgh" and he simply gave Pittsburgh those interceptions and used it to say they aren't good enough to top the Pats. Yes Mariota isn't as good as Brady, but Mariota got a large chunk of his yards on 2 long balls, one pass Sensabuagh jumped the route, the other was off a tip by the defense, and let's not forget they were without their best corner

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    Senior Member Array title="DesertSteel has a reputation beyond repute"> DesertSteel's Avatar

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    I realize you think James sucks, but are you really lauding "McDonald's pass catching abilities"???

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    Senior Member Array title="Mojouw has a reputation beyond repute"> Mojouw's Avatar

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    Quote Originally Posted by DesertSteel View Post
    I realize you think James sucks, but are you really lauding "McDonald's pass catching abilities"???
    IT is not so much that he is great, but he is far more of downfield/over the middle threat than James is.

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    Quote Originally Posted by Mojouw View Post
    IT is not so much that he is great, but he is far more of downfield/over the middle threat than James is.
    Give McDonald's James hands and we might actually have a decent TE.

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    Senior Member Array title="El-Gonzo Jackson has a reputation beyond repute"> El-Gonzo Jackson's Avatar

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    I am not really that impressed with Sensabaugh play. Lets just hope he doesn't let Hundley or Flacco have any big days and hope Haden is back for Brady and the pats. He really is just a dime CB that is forced to play due to injury and will be exposed by a decent WR/QB

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    Quote Originally Posted by Mojouw View Post
    IT is not so much that he is great, but he is far more of downfield/over the middle threat than James is.
    But his hands are atrocious.

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    Senior Member Array title="teegre has a reputation beyond repute"> teegre's Avatar

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    Why, oh why couldn’t have the Ladarius Green signing worked out!?!

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    Quote Originally Posted by teegre View Post
    Why, oh why couldn’t have the Ladarius Green signing worked out!?!
    Is he completely out of football?

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    Quote Originally Posted by Hawkman View Post
    Is he completely out of football?
    Alas, yes.

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    Senior Member Array title="Born2Steel has a reputation beyond repute"> Born2Steel's Avatar

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    Is James that much better a receiving option over McDonald? McDonald has made some pretty catches for us so far. And, since we have discussed this fact to death in other threads, this offense starts with Bell and the run game. So the TE blocking ability is as important, if not more important, than the TE pass catching ability most of the time. And as pass catchers, I see the 3 of them at about the same ability level. McDonald, James, and Grimble. Without major improvement, I hope to see all 3 replaced for next season.

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    Senior Member Array title="Mojouw has a reputation beyond repute"> Mojouw's Avatar

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    Quote Originally Posted by DesertSteel View Post
    But his hands are atrocious.
    Sure. But he catches enough balls that the defense has to react. His run blocking is better and in the passing game he will at least force the defense to rethink how they are using their safeties and sub-package DBs.

    James has not been effective enough to do that and he doesn't have the athletic tools to get defenses thinking that he will. McDonald does - even if he drops it!

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by El-Gonzo Jackson View Post
    I am not really that impressed with Sensabaugh play. Lets just hope he doesn't let Hundley or Flacco have any big days and hope Haden is back for Brady and the pats. He really is just a dime CB that is forced to play due to injury and will be exposed by a decent WR/QB
    Well isn't that to be expected? I mean he is about the 4-5th CB on the roster. If Sutton were healthy, likely not even on the roster.

    I was simply pleased that Sensabaugh seems to be mostly assignment sound and capable of providing adequate zone coverage on a play in and play out basis. The Steelers have recently employed multiple DBs that struggled to do even that.

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    We have James and McDonald. Patriots have Gronk, Bennett and Allen...

    Gary Barnidge anyone?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dwinsgames View Post
    you are a Kenny Pickett enabler

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    Good Thread btw.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dwinsgames View Post
    you are a Kenny Pickett enabler

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    Senior Member Array title="Mojouw has a reputation beyond repute"> Mojouw's Avatar

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    Quote Originally Posted by 86WARD View Post
    We have James and McDonald. Patriots have Gronk, Bennett and Allen...

    Gary Barnidge anyone?
    I totally forgot about him! So what do 32 NFL teams know that we don't know? This dude still can't crack a roster? Weird!

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    Senior Member Array title="DesertSteel has a reputation beyond repute"> DesertSteel's Avatar

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    Quote Originally Posted by Mojouw View Post
    Sure. But he catches enough balls that the defense has to react.
    He has 5 receptions. He's on pace for 8 for the season. Cmon man! I'll concede that James can't block if you'll concede that McDonald can't catch.

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    Senior Member Array title="Mojouw has a reputation beyond repute"> Mojouw's Avatar

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    Quote Originally Posted by DesertSteel View Post
    He has 5 receptions. He's on pace for 8 for the season. Cmon man! I'll concede that James can't block if you'll concede that McDonald can't catch.
    All I'm talking about is his potential role in the offense when he is healthy. This is based on the following thinking:

    1. Vance can block far better than James.
    2. Vance drops passes but he typically catches between 45-65% of his targets. This is not great, but it is enough that teams have to respect the threat of him running a deep seam route.
    3. James has demonstrated no ability to "stretch" the field. I do not believe he is athletic enough to stress a defense vertically. Mcdonald is. It needs to be made clear that neither guy is an amazing NFL athlete - https://www.mockdraftable.com/player/vance-mcdonald and https://www.mockdraftable.com/player/jesse-james but based on game performance to date in their respective careers, Mcdonald has demonstrated more of an ability to work open down the field.

    Working a combination of McDonald and Juju-bee between the hashes would really do a lot to open up coverages on the outside for Bryant and Brown.

    All I'm trying to say is that we have not yet really had a chance to see the ideal (at least for me) formation of Brown/Bryant/Juju/Bell/McDonald play that many snaps together this season for a variety of reasons. Unleash that on the NFL with the full playbook at their disposal and I see a variety of run and pass match-up nightmares for the opposing team.

    And yes, I realize who I sound like right now!

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    Senior Member Array title="DesertSteel has a reputation beyond repute"> DesertSteel's Avatar

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    I don't care who does it as long as the job gets done. I'm trying to go through the all 22 of the Titans game and key on James. Still in the 1st quarter but so far he's 3 for 3 on made blocks. Maybe it'll go south, but I'll judge the whole film and not cherry pick one side or the other.

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    Senior Member Array title="Mojouw has a reputation beyond repute"> Mojouw's Avatar

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    Quote Originally Posted by DesertSteel View Post
    I don't care who does it as long as the job gets done. I'm trying to go through the all 22 of the Titans game and key on James. Still in the 1st quarter but so far he's 3 for 3 on made blocks. Maybe it'll go south, but I'll judge the whole film and not cherry pick one side or the other.
    Cool! I'll be interested to see what you find out. I never have the discipline to rewatch the whole game. Entirely possible that many of my reactions are far too knee-jerk!

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    Senior Member Array title="DesertSteel has a reputation beyond repute"> DesertSteel's Avatar

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    Re: Things I Think I Think After Week 11

    Quote Originally Posted by Mojouw View Post
    Cool! I'll be interested to see what you find out. I never have the discipline to rewatch the whole game. Entirely possible that many of my reactions are far too knee-jerk!
    It's brutal to watch after you know the outcome... but I'm going a little stir crazy with 10 days between. One thing for sure, Hundley is one brutal QB.

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