I mean if you mean the Patriots offense without the precision route running, impeccable timing, ridiculously accurate pass placement, and staggeringly complex scheming - then yeah. Steelers are doing exactly that.
I mean if you mean the Patriots offense without the precision route running, impeccable timing, ridiculously accurate pass placement, and staggeringly complex scheming - then yeah. Steelers are doing exactly that.
Hence why I said "budget" Patriots Offense. Run it for a while more and it may develop into the real thing.Originally Posted by Mojouw
If the Offense were costing the Steelers games, then we would have a point of opening it up, but poor plays in critical moments (Defense against Seattle, Conner's fumble up 20-17 in San Fran, Juju's fumble in overtime) have cost the Steelers wins, not from our "inability" to throw deep and keep "defenses honest". I am not a fan of Fichtner, but the results speak for themselves. 20+ points in five straight games. I think 20 points is sufficient enough to win in the NFL, unless our Defense is so awful then it doesn't matter regardless. The team isn't going anywhere anyway.
Let the Defense stack the box every play. Big deal. Take what they give you. That has been the Patriots' mentality on Offense for years.
But let's just sling it deep and intermediate every down. We have a howitzer cannon armed QB, top-flight receivers who put Jerry Rice to shame, a Jimmy Graham clone and the second coming of Gronk at TE, nothing but elite offensive talent popping through the seams, and just another Antonio Brown waiting in the wings, so we're better off slinging it intermediate and deep every play in five receiver sets, and the Offense starts to die for real and the Steelers begin stacking losses.
Look at the third down conversion rates between the Pats and the Steelers offenses.
Opening it up is not as simplistic as huck it deep. Its running multiple formations and threatening defenses horizontally and vertically simultaneously in order to give yourself relatively easy plays that gain enough yardage to stay ahead of the chains.
The current version of the Steelers offense converts something around 20-25% of its third downs and faces disadvantageous down and distances far far too often to consistently threaten good defenses.
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Sometimes the offense has to throw deep low percentage passes in the same vein as they must have a threat to run the ball on any down and distance. You don't need to be great at completing down field but so long as the defense knows it's likely it helps the run game and short pass game. I have not watched any 'all 22' game films but I am reading post game reports and listen to podcasts of Steelers games by people that say they do watch those films. Rudolph has had opportunities in the down field passing game and just hasn't taken his shots. Either he's not seeing WRs open downfield, he's afraid to take the chance, or he decides the checkdown is the better option. Fichtner may not be the best play caller to ever hold an OC position but he's not some moron pretending to know this team and how to do his job either. I'm 99% positive Fichtner has not told Rudolph to keep all his passes within 2-8 yards of the line of scrimmage. A lot of the offensive issues fall on Rudolph at this point too. The team played well and inspired with Duck. Not saying Duck is the answer either(at all) but if Rudolph can't seem to find JuJu this Monday night maybe Duck gets the nod when the Colts come to town. Even if you don't complete the pass, you must throw it deep about once per quarter to keep it an option and a safety back at least a little. Just my thoughts on the struggle.
And who is the elite receiver we have who threatens the Defense horizontally and vertically? The player that the defense has to account for on every down?“Opening it up” is not as simplistic as “huck it deep”. It’s running multiple formations and threatening defenses horizontally and vertically simultaneously in order to give yourself relatively easy plays that gain enough yardage to stay ahead of the chains.
The team played well and inspired because they are a better overall team than in the past, and Duck was just as downgraded and safe as Mason was. He didn't exactly light it up either. Because the Steelers are playing as more cohesive unit, Duck didn't need to be the hero unlike the reliance on Ben and AB.The team played well and inspired with Duck. Not saying Duck is the answer either(at all) but if Rudolph can't seem to find JuJu this Monday night maybe Duck gets the nod when the Colts come to town.
Duck also threw a pick that completely shifted the momentum of the game. .
Start "opening up the offense" and playing above our means, and watch the Offense grind to a halt. Here's to Monday Night's gameday thread, as we start cursing Fichtner's name again when the Steelers are dead locked with Miami in the third quarter in an offensive slopfest where we can't move the ball worth a damn, but at least we got those deep shots to "scare" the defense.
I don’t seem to recall Duck throwing many downfield passes either. Except the interception.
But I do agree with your point about Rudolph and it falling on his shoulders to find the open man further than 3 yards downfield.
Hopefully we’ll start seeing that vs. Miami. I do think Rudolph is the better option over Duck going forward.
Part of the problem in thinking through all this is both Duck and Mason are simply not very good NFL quarterbacks right now.
That obscures all discussion of scheme and strategy. These two and Darnold are playing some of the worst games of the 2019 season.
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I think Rudolph is the better QB too(pure pro QB ability). If the guys watching the "ALL 22" are correct though, Rudolph just isn't playing like a pro at this point. AGAIN! DUCK is not the answer but if the TEAM plays better on offense with him, I would keep the option open to consider making that change. Ben is gone for the season. This is not our SB year. IF this team plays harder for one backup QB over the other backup QB then play THAT GUY. That's all I'm saying, not that one of these guys is the future. Just let's go play football. What do we have to lose really?
If the roles were reversed and it was Duck that went out on a stretcher, they'd have played every bit as hard for Rudolph.
The team rallied around Duck out of desperation. Not knocking his game or leadership skills, but he was the only guy they had left and they knew he was being leaned on to do more than is reasonably expected from a practice squad QB. They were determined to protect and help him succeed because they still believe they can right the ship.
Those guys definitely aren't operating with a 'what do we have to lose' mentality. They're not giving up on this season.
"You've heard people brag about 'being in the zone'. They don't know what the Hell being in the zone is about. I played in the NFL for 15 years and I was only in the zone that one time." - "Mean" Joe Greene on the 1974 playoff victory over Oakland
Wouldn't make a difference. Remember when Ben was out AB didn't produce shit. Bottom line AB needs Ben.
Not many WR's would produce shit with Jones and Vick. That said screw AB.
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I'm not giving up on the season either but my expectations have been tempered a bit. What do you think the expectation for this season should be? Is it still SB or bust in your mind? I think a winning season will be a victorious season. A wildcard birth is possible but is currently unlikely unless we pull out some upsets. Winning the division is an enormous uphill battle. But just win the games on the schedule and only good things will happen. I'm just poking the thought machine, checking under rocks, and throwing out this thought and that thought for discussion about what might give us THAT edge moving forward. "What do we have to lose" is meant as a positive motivator in my mind here, not some negative outlook response to an already negative season. I'm not trying to speak for any player or coach either for what that's worth.
I think the expectation for the season should be to do a LOT of cocaine.
See you Space Cowboy ...
What I think *my* expectation should be? I don't do 'expectations', so I never have a problem managing them. I consider any playoff appearance a win and I'm not disappointed by anything other than a losing season. For the team... the expectation should only ever be a superbowl win.
As for the rest of it, I don't presume to know how to run a team better than the organization, so I don't see any point to these discussions. The FO isn't following these threads and doesn't consult me. We're all just along for the ride.
"You've heard people brag about 'being in the zone'. They don't know what the Hell being in the zone is about. I played in the NFL for 15 years and I was only in the zone that one time." - "Mean" Joe Greene on the 1974 playoff victory over Oakland
I am looking to see how things pan out with Rudolph at the helm. How does coaching fair especially with all the injuries we have sustained. I am also looking to see how the D performs, Busch, Watt, and Fitzpatrick amongst others. I don't think a winning season is out of the question, as we have been within a score of most of our losses. Plenty to look forward to would love to see us make the playoffs but that is a looooong ways away right now.
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You’re a sports fan with zero expectations for any season? Then I’m not directing my posts to you.
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I've really missed his 2 catches for 21 yards.
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4 Dong receptions yesterday. Was basically allowed to catch the football, when Rudolph actually got it farther than over the head of Samuels.
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