So, we were worried about stopping the rush?

[Craic]

I think after last year, we were all concerned with stopping the rush. However, I started noticing something a couple weeks ago. Rushers would have decent to good games in the first half, and then get shut down in the second half. So, I decided to check out when the last 100 yard rusher was against this defense. Dec. 25, 2017. This defense has not allowed a 100 yard rusher all season Surprised? Moreover, before this game, they were in 4th place for rushing yards against (that'll be sure to drop a couple of spots or so after this game). However, even with this game added in, the Steelers are averaging 99.6 yards against per game. Moreover, including this game, they've only allowed 3 teams to rush for over 100 yards, and none hit the 200 yard mark. Last year, 6 teams had over 100 yards against the Steelers in rushing, and 3 teams had over 200 yards.

Seems to me the Steelers have gotten a handle on the rush.

[Mojouw]

I think a great deal of the success on defense is due to the offense putting up points.

The Steers defense seems to only do one thing really well - rush the passer.

If the offense can move the ball well enough to make the other team feel they must pass, then it's fine.

A legitimate NFL offense would've had the Steelers down 3 TDs at the half today.

The Steers feared the Jags pass offense so little they ACCEPTED a penalty that took away a third down stop. And they played a backup SS/special teams guy at CB firuxh of the second half.

Long story short, this defense seems able to do one thing at a time. Either shut down the run or take away the pass. But I still don't think they can do both at the same time. But, no one really is across the league.

[86WARD]

I’m
Concerned about stopping the pass out of the backfield. Two weeks in a row now backs sprinting out of the backfield have caught passes for significant gains...

[polamalubeast]

We must be honest that in the first half, our run defense was embarrassing and frustrating.The turnaround in the second half was great, but it helped that the Jaguars were awful in the passing game as they were all season long.

Fortunately for the steelers, I do not think he has a contender in this league that is built like the jaguars but with a good passing game.The Jaguars are a bad matchup for the steelers.

The Jaguars are like the Steelers of 2004 and 2005, but the big difference is that the Steelers had a QB that could make big play and could make the difference when the steelers needed.

[EzraTank]

I agree with Mojouw. As good as our defense played yesterday, and Ben's INT's didn't set them up very well, a legit NFL QB would have punched in a few TD's to make yesterday's game a blowout by half time. The only reason we won yesterday is because of Blake Bortles.

Hopefully that was our offense's "shit the bed" game and it's behind us because like Mojouw said when we get a lead it plays into the one true strength of our defense.

[polamalubeast]

[polamalubeast]

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

JAX 43 Rushes for 179 yards. That isn't the sign of a good rushing defense.

[polamalubeast]

JAX 43 Rushes for 179 yards. That isn't the sign of a good rushing defense.

Not good and it was awful in the first half ..... But the steelers were much better in the second half ... The jaguars had 38 yards in 17 run in the second half.It helped that the Jaguars had no passing game too, but the Jaguars are a bad matchup for the steelers, since the steelers struggle since last year against the physical offenses with a very good defense

Fortunately no playoff contenders have this combination this year.

[Fire Goodell]

I honestly think that power running attack that Jacksonville has is our kryptonite. For the longest time we've been owned by the Patriots, and we've drafted our defense to be a smaller, but faster defense to keep up with those NE-style defenses. I mean we drafted shazier, and TJ Watt / Dupree are the more athletic, fast OLB's compared to the thumpers like Harrison / Woodley. Of course Hargrave vs Hampton, 2 totally different types of NT's as well.

The good side of that, is we have more players that can run down plays and cover (well, that's what we were going for). Downside? Big, strong OLs and heavy running backs can push us around. We saw that also when Baltimore signed Vontae Leach and just kept pounding the rock with Ray Rice and LeRon McLain. That was a huge reason why we couldn't beat the Ravens during that stretch. There's no perfect defense, if we build to stop that kind of attack, we'll once again get carved up by modern offenses. It's a pick your poison thing, and right now, offenses like Jacksonville aren't the norm.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Not good and it was awful in the first half ..... But the steelers were much better in the second half ... The jaguars had 38 yards in 17 run in the second half.It helped that the Jaguars had no passing game too, but the Jaguars are a bad matchup for the steelers, since the steelers struggle since last year against the physical offenses with a very good defense

Fortunately no playoff contenders have this combination this year.

The worst part about it was the Jags had backups in at Center, LT and RG. The Steelers front 7 got abused and pushed around by a bunch of backup O linemen.

[86WARD]

As the time went on, you could see that Defense was gassed big time...

[Hawkman]

Funny, I look at 6 sacks, 7 TFLs, and only 16 points as a positive, and all of that while being on the field for almost 38 minutes, and your QB is turning it over 3 times.

[Craic]

As the time went on, you could see that Defense was gassed big time...

Really? How's that? They got better as the game went on. They shut down the run game and turned up the sacks in the second half. First drive of the second half, they get a three and out after a sack. Second drive, they allowed a score. After that, the Jags got the ball five times. Four times were a three and out, the fifth time was a fumble. They had three sacks and a forced fumble.

I don't think they got tired at all in the second half. In fact, it looks as though they rose up and dominated in the second half, and this after being on the field so long in the first half already.

[Craic]

I think a great deal of the success on defense is due to the offense putting up points.

Usually, the underlying argument of this statement is that teams half to abandon the run when opposing offenses put up points. Okay, that's viable. So, I went and check YPR average, which is a better tell. They're tenth. I still say that's pretty good.

As for everything else, I'm not arguing whether they're a good defense or not. I'm just stating that they have done a good job this year shutting down the run overall, and haven't even allowed a 100-yard rusher. Now, the latter could definitely be because of points on the board. However, that 10th in ypr stands true, regardless, imo.

[Mojouw]

Usually, the underlying argument of this statement is that teams half to abandon the run when opposing offenses put up points. Okay, that's viable. So, I went and check YPR average, which is a better tell. They're tenth. I still say that's pretty good.

As for everything else, I'm not arguing whether they're a good defense or not. I'm just stating that they have done a good job this year shutting down the run overall, and haven't even allowed a 100-yard rusher. Now, the latter could definitely be because of points on the board. However, that 10th in ypr stands true, regardless, imo.

I saw that too. Fell to 12th when you account for Sunday's games. Will change with Monday's stats a bit as well, but not enough to matter.

They are also 11th in rushing attempts facing only about 10 less than league average. So, my initial hypothesis that teams are abandoning the run against them is not really being born out. Would be interesting to look at each game in play by play detail -- but I'm certainly not doing that.

[Craic]

I saw that too. Fell to 12th when you account for Sunday's games. Will change with Monday's stats a bit as well, but not enough to matter.

They are also 11th in rushing attempts facing only about 10 less than league average. So, my initial hypothesis that teams are abandoning the run against them is not really being born out. Would be interesting to look at each game in play by play detail -- but I'm certainly not doing that.

Oh, come on... I'm sure you have plenty of time.

[steelreserve]

The Steers defense seems to only do one thing really well - rush the passer.

If the offense can move the ball well enough to make the other team feel they must pass, then it's fine.

A legitimate NFL offense would've had the Steelers down 3 TDs at the half today.

Yup, that pretty well sums it up.

There are several teams who are capable of burying you 31-3 in the first half if you are not on top of things, plus one that is capable of cheating its way there. Our offense can be as good as it wants and we'd still be down 31-14 in that case.

We are likely to face more than one of those teams in the playoffs, assuming we beat the first one. Against that type of opponent, our defense is relying on a lot of blind risks to pay off, and beyond that - unforced errors by the opposing offense, or just plain luck. That situation probably tops out at, like, maybe beating the Chargers, and the season ends with "well we got into the second round / AFCCG but we obviously had problems," and which one depends on whether we were fortunate enough to get the #2 seed or not.

I don't know if there is really any solution at this point in the season, other than hope one of the young guys really gets it in a hurry. Maybe bring Burns in on man-coverage-only assignments as a surprise change of tactics against the ones who cheat.

[86WARD]

Really? How's that? They got better as the game went on. They shut down the run game and turned up the sacks in the second half. First drive of the second half, they get a three and out after a sack. Second drive, they allowed a score. After that, the Jags got the ball five times. Four times were a three and out, the fifth time was a fumble. They had three sacks and a forced fumble.

I don't think they got tired at all in the second half. In fact, it looks as though they rose up and dominated in the second half, and this after being on the field so long in the first half already.

That first half as the Jags drove down the field rush after rush after rush, you could totally see they were gassed. The runs just kept coming and each series, they got longer and longer, after resting the second half was a different story. But the first half, you could totally see as the drives progressed, the D was over worked.

[polamalubeast]

I’m
Concerned about stopping the pass out of the backfield. Two weeks in a row now backs sprinting out of the backfield have caught passes for significant gains...

I found a tweet, that only one team gives less receiving yards in percentage than the steelers to the running back this year.

This stats was before the game against the Jaguars.But contain the TE is a problem for the steelers ...

[polamalubeast]