Quick Hits: Patriots* @ Steelers

[steelreserve]

True, I thought they were in man coverage and if you look at the play, Burns is on the bottom of the screen, on the Steelers left side of the defense and matched up with Josh Gordon. I think its Haden who is in coverage with Hogan and fails to follow him from the slot and across the field.

Now, if they were in zone and there is some kind of communication about the cross that was missed...that might explain not seeing Burns the rest of the game.

It looked like everyone was playing man coverage, except Haden and Davis who were playing zone. Probably because they were directly behind the CB who lined up against Hogan, who blitzed instead of covering him.

Burnett is pretty clearly shadowing Gronkowski's movements in man coverage, but since the tight end stayed back to block, that meant Burnett was just sort of standing around near the line of scrimmage. Williams - who would've been the underneath help on that side of the field - was shadowing Edelman, who came around for a fake reverse. Of course, there's another whole line of debate about whether having your slow ILB covering a wide receiver (either Edelman or being the underneath help on Hogan) is the smartest idea in the world, but in this case it didn't matter.

So basically, the two guys playing zone coverage were both on the left side of the field, and there was only one safety deep because Burnett was manning up on the tight end - so on a left-to-right crossing pattern, if Davis doesn't pick up the receiver coming across, you're dead. If anything, Davis was the one who botched that. But it probably would've been a good 20-yard completion anyway, because unless Davis anticipates the play and reacts perfectly, there is an unavoidable window where the receiver is going to be open.

The big problem is that we had three guys standing around with no one to cover because of unfortunate formation matchups (Haden, Burnett, Williams) and the one guy who could've most likely prevented the big play (Sutton) was rushing instead. A bad time for a biltz, an imbalanced scheme because of that, and a missed read by the safety who was the last line of defense, even though that would've been a difficult play under any circumstances. Basically everything went wrong.

Side note: This is exactly the kind of defensive alignment that you could take advantage of if you were, for example, a coach watching the pre-snap movements from upstairs and communicating to the quarterback all the way up to the snap. If you had a second radio in the quarterback's helmet, and the tendency to employ it early in the game to try to establish a lead, and late in the game to pull off "miraculous" comebacks, it would fit right in with that pattern. But I don't know of any team that does that. Do you?

[Neversatisfied]

The Steelers rushed a minimum of 4 players the majority of the game giving Brady very little time to throw, the defensive coach the Steelers brought in should be on staff full time. I Honestly can't remember a time the defense looked so put together, says a hell of a lot about the current coaches the Rooneys employ.

[Born2Steel]

conversely, Bud Dupree with one of the biggest disappearing acts in recent memory. Not a single stat on the stat line. Not even an assist on a tackle. ZERO stats for the game. If we hadn't seen him on the TV screen, we wouldn't even be able to tell he played...lol

I didn’t look at any stat sheets but I did watch Dupree the entire first half. Bud was in on several tackles. Most he had to chase into the middle. He had outside contain on his side and turned everything back inside. Dupree did his job. This allowed the rest to do their jobs. Was not a disappearing act at all. He had a very good game from what I watched of him.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

I didn’t look at any stat sheets but I did watch Dupree the entire first half. Bud was in on several tackles. Most he had to chase into the middle. He had outside contain on his side and turned everything back inside. Dupree did his job. This allowed the rest to do their jobs. Was not a disappearing act at all. He had a very good game from what I watched of him.

Great analysis. Sometimes football isn't played on the stat sheet or Fantasy football as you describe here.

[fansince'76]

Side note: This is exactly the kind of defensive alignment that you could take advantage of if you were, for example, a coach watching the pre-snap movements from upstairs and communicating to the quarterback all the way up to the snap. If you had a second radio in the quarterback's helmet, and the tendency to employ it early in the game to try to establish a lead, and late in the game to pull off "miraculous" comebacks, it would fit right in with that pattern. But I don't know of any team that does that. Do you?

[Steeldude]

Well there is the Steelers SB

[86WARD]

Way too much celebrating over a regular season win...lol.

[steelreserve]

Way too much celebrating over a regular season win...lol.

It's also celebrating over a Patriots loss.

[GoSlash27]

Way too much celebrating over a regular season win...lol.

1) Snapping a 3 game losing streak
2) Maintaining their opportunity to go to the playoffs
3) Beating a team that has usually owned their lunch

Celebration is appropriate here.

[Edman]

Way too much celebrating over a regular season win...lol.

Beating a notorious Steelers nemesis with the season hanging in the balance. If the Steelers lost Sunday, this season most likely would've been over. To win this game, against that opponent who could seemingly do no wrong against the Steelers, with that was at stake is huge. The Patriots, when they weren't outright dominating, still managed to find a way to break their hearts (Like last season).

Regardless of what happens the rest of the way, it was a damn fine game.

[86WARD]

Celebrating like it’s the Super Bowl...lol. That’s encouraging.

[tube517]

Here comes Santa Boz......

[Hawkman]

Here comes Santa Boz......

Let’s get that garage door.

[pepsyman1]

I didn’t look at any stat sheets but I did watch Dupree the entire first half. Bud was in on several tackles. Most he had to chase into the middle. He had outside contain on his side and turned everything back inside. Dupree did his job. This allowed the rest to do their jobs. Was not a disappearing act at all. He had a very good game from what I watched of him.

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. I didn't see what you did. The Pats only ran the ball 19 times averaging 5 yards a carry an almost all of them were straight up up the middle. 1 or 2 off right guard and the same to the left. Brady did throw the ball 36 times. All I saw of Dupree was him consistently doing what we had previously seen, just getting ridden beyond the QB 5 yards into the backfield and out of the play. He played half the defensive snap counts and Chickillo played the other half. Chickillo had 4 assists (and I don't think he's anything special) and seemed to be involved. Other than the pass that Brady thru past him, I didn't see Dupree close to being involved in a play anywhere.

[Born2Steel]

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. I didn't see what you did. The Pats only ran the ball 19 times averaging 5 yards a carry an almost all of them were straight up up the middle. 1 or 2 off right guard and the same to the left. Brady did throw the ball 36 times. All I saw of Dupree was him consistently doing what we had previously seen, just getting ridden beyond the QB 5 yards into the backfield and out of the play. He played half the defensive snap counts and Chickillo played the other half. Chickillo had 4 assists (and I don't think he's anything special) and seemed to be involved. Other than the pass that Brady thru past him, I didn't see Dupree close to being involved in a play anywhere.

All I can offer is rewatch the first half and watch Dupree exclusively.

[Hawkman]

Could someone please define “QUICK HITS” for others.

[stillers4me]

As far as this weekly thread...it simply means a collection of informative and amusing tweets to recap the game. No more, no less.

[stillers4me]

I like how it usually wraps up with the weekly episode of Pittsburgh Dad.

[Hawkman]

I like how it usually wraps up with the weekly episode of Pittsburgh Dad.

As do I.

- - - Updated - - -

.....and thank you.

[86WARD]

Tom Brady IS the y2k bug

[Edman]

Now this game is wrapped up.

[86WARD]

That’s awful. I couldn’t get through 30 seconds of that...lol. Keep posting the Pittsburgh Dad.

[vader29]

Tom Brady IS the y2k bug

That was my favorite part.

[stillers4me]

I swear to God, Dad is my brother. He called during that last drive and after I talked off the ledge, his reaction was exactly like Dad's. Well...so was mine

[pepsyman1]

All I can offer is rewatch the first half and watch Dupree exclusively.

I did. The only play I saw Dupree even CLOSE to being involved in was on an 11 yard run up the middle by Michel that the LT pushed Dupree 5 yards down the field and then he piled on after Bostic made the tackle. Other than that, I saw nothing out of him. Trust me I looked.

[86WARD]

You missed to possible pick 6 he dropped?

[AtlantaDan]

Another example of the Patriot Way

With 2:52 left in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game between the Steelers and Patriots, Ridley ran off left guard for 3 yards. Flowers attempted to tackle Ridley by his lower legs on the play but only came away with the running back’s left shoe. Flowers then proceeded to throw that left shoe down the field and in the direction of the Steelers end zone.

While you couldn’t see Flowers throw Ridley’s shoe on the CBS broadcast of the game, the all-22 tape certainly shows the heave. Additionally, you can see Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward react to the shoe being thrown on the sideline when the CBS cameras cut to him after the play was over.

(Could not embed video in linked article)

https://steelersdepot.com/2018/12/stevan-ridley-still-unhappy-with-patriots-player-for-throwing-his-shoe-downfield/

[Hawkman]

Another example of the Patriot Way

With 2:52 left in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game between the Steelers and Patriots, Ridley ran off left guard for 3 yards. Flowers attempted to tackle Ridley by his lower legs on the play but only came away with the running back’s left shoe. Flowers then proceeded to throw that left shoe down the field and in the direction of the Steelers end zone.

While you couldn’t see Flowers throw Ridley’s shoe on the CBS broadcast of the game, the all-22 tape certainly shows the heave. Additionally, you can see Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward react to the shoe being thrown on the sideline when the CBS cameras cut to him after the play was over.

(Could not embed video in linked article)

https://steelersdepot.com/2018/12/stevan-ridley-still-unhappy-with-patriots-player-for-throwing-his-shoe-downfield/

All class.

[Lady Steel]

Here comes Santa Boz......

It was a Christmas miracle!