Fire Teryl Austin

[teegre]

@mojoUW Speaking of Perine’s TDs…

On the first TD, Watt had set up the RT fir a splash play. First down: went outside. Second down: went outside. Third down: faked outside, left the RT in the dust, and got held badly by the RT and the RG. Instead of a TD, it should have been 3rd-&-14.

Sure, that doesn’t account for the missed tackles by the other Steelers, but third downs are the “chess move” down… and when the opponent can tackle your chess master, your defense has no chance.

(It happened again in the second half… on third down… which should have negated a long conversation.)

[polamalubeast]

Different situations. One team was up by 11 points (and eventually 14 points)… and could pin their ear back and solely pass-rush. Plus, one team faced an OC who ran the same plays on first duen resulting in 9 times his offense faced 2nd-&-“9 or longer”.

I agree but our defense must be much better...They give up 2 90 yards drive for a TD yesterday...The time of possession were not awful yesterday too

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[Mojouw]

@mojoUW Speaking of Perine’s TDs…

On the first TD, Watt had set up the RT fir a splash play. First down: went outside. Second down: went outside. Third down: faked outside, left the RT in the dust, and got held badly by the RT and the RG. Instead of a TD, it should have been 3rd-&-14.

Sure, that doesn’t account for the missed tackles by the other Steelers, but third downs are the “chess move” down… and when the opponent can tackle your chess master, your defense has no chance.

(It happened again in the second half… on third down… which should have negated a long conversation.)

Great points. The more I replay the game in my head, the more I just come up with the conclusion that the entire defense is likely pressing rather than just smoothly playing their assignments. We have seen this before with under-performing Steelers defenses shackled to bad offenses.

I am more than willing to back off my sour comments on Austin. I know that the defense and their big $$ price tag is generating a lot of articles today (weird how all the major Steelers writers all coincidentally decided to have the same take...) but I have yet to see anyone pointing out the specific problems. I am sure there are some...but it seems less like a failed plan and a series of unfortunate events...

[86WARD]

You can’t keep Hilton and lose Sutton. By the end of Hiltons tenure he wasn’t even playing on passing downs. Hilton is a better version of Maulet. Hilton isn’t good in coverage either. He’s just not the dumpster fire Maulet is.

Sutton is fine. He’s just not supposed to be a teams top CB.

The whole CB thing is part of what annoys me about how they do roster stuff. Hung on to Layne too long. Repeating it with Pierre. If you’ve reached a decision as a coaching staff that you can’t play these guys in base defense, then you need to cut them and try other CBs out. Repeat until you find someone. For a team who doesn’t invest many resources at CB, they need to be turning over rocks looking for someone who can help.

I guess they are trying with Witherspoon and Jackson, but maybe look for better rocks?

In this defense, Hilton, as the nickelback would be more valuable than whatever Sutton is trying to do out there. Sutton is much less than fine. He’s part of the problem. He’s just not good…and Maulet isn’t serviceable in any for or fashion at this stage and really, never was since the day they got him from a terrible Jets defense.

[polamalubeast]

[Mojouw]

In this defense, Hilton, as the nickelback would be more valuable than whatever Sutton is trying to do out there. Sutton is much less than fine. He’s part of the problem. He’s just not good…and Maulet isn’t serviceable in any for or fashion at this stage and really, never was since the day they got him from a terrible Jets defense.

I disagree. If Sutton was the #2 CB or even the NB, he would be fine and would be far more valuable cap dollar wise than Hilton. And the Steelers know this. Team tried to play him as the #2 and then move him inside in sub-packages. They have just been forced into playing him like he's a top-end outside CB. Because everyone else is hurt or sucks.

And I couldn't agree more about Maulet. I was previously told that I didn't know what I was talking about and if I just understood football better I would see that he was a more than serviceable nickel.

I know I don't know very much about football. I really don't. But....not sure how anyone can defend Maulet at this point...He's decent in run support, I guess?

[86WARD]

I disagree. If Sutton was the #2 CB or even the NB, he would be fine and would be far more valuable cap dollar wise than Hilton. And the Steelers know this. Team tried to play him as the #2 and then move him inside in sub-packages. They have just been forced into playing him like he's a top-end outside CB. Because everyone else is hurt or sucks.

And I couldn't agree more about Maulet. I was previously told that I didn't know what I was talking about and if I just understood football better I would see that he was a more than serviceable nickel.

I know I don't know very much about football. I really don't. But....not sure how anyone can defend Maulet at this point...He's decent in run support, I guess?

We see Sutton move to the nickel role. He’s not all that great. I believe the only piece that’s good on this backend is, obviously, Minkah. They’d be wise to sign Edmunds to stick with Minkah and then they have to figure something else out for the CBS because either these guys are talentless or the defensive scheme doesn’t work…

[teegre]

We see Sutton move to the nickel role. He’s not all that great. I believe the only piece that’s good on this backend is, obviously, Minkah. They’d be wise to sign Edmunds to stick with Minkah and then they have to figure something else out for the CBS because either these guys are talentless or the defensive scheme doesn’t work…

I disagree about Sutton. He doesn’t make splash plays that Hilton did, but his coverage skills and ability to play SS (which allows Edmunds to line up as an ILB) are very good.

[86WARD]

I disagree about Sutton. He doesn’t make splash plays that Hilton did, but his coverage skills and ability to play SS (which allows Edmunds to line up as an ILB) are very good.

I’ll take you and Mojouw’s word for it but I’m not seeing it. I just see when he’s getting beaten and that seems like it’s a lot. But maybe I’m just looking at it negatively…hard not to do with most of this season…

[polamalubeast]

[Steeler-in-west]

the funny thing is Arthur Maulet is ALMOST always running stride for stride with his man ( or so it seems ) but he never seems to make a play ... its like the QB is throwing to a WR with a big shadow but the shadow is just that a shadow it has zero play making / defensive ability so its just pitch and catch all day long and the shadow never gets in the way it only follows along ...

hence my new name for Arthur Maulet is SHADOW and only the Shadow knows why he never seems to put his arm in the way of the ball as he is in position most of the time to make some sort of disruption ....... but doesnt

I don’t know why our corners don’t play the ball more. You read the receivers eyes and turn around.

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The same? Did you see that ridiculous INT yesterday? If your defensive scheme is built around one guy getting 5 sacks a game then you have no defensive scheme.

Aside from that play he really didn’t do that much, he was owned by no 71 for most of the game, but yeah, I agree with your last sentence

[BlackAndGold]

It'll be interesting to see if they replace Austin with Flores in the offseason. I'm sure teams will be calling Flores for his services to be a DC.


On defense, I'm tired of seeing Maulet and Spillane get picked on. Tre Norword not playing over Maulet is a crime.

[pczach]

I disagree. If Sutton was the #2 CB or even the NB, he would be fine and would be far more valuable cap dollar wise than Hilton. And the Steelers know this. Team tried to play him as the #2 and then move him inside in sub-packages. They have just been forced into playing him like he's a top-end outside CB. Because everyone else is hurt or sucks.

And I couldn't agree more about Maulet. I was previously told that I didn't know what I was talking about and if I just understood football better I would see that he was a more than serviceable nickel.

I know I don't know very much about football. I really don't. But....not sure how anyone can defend Maulet at this point...He's decent in run support, I guess?

They got a good look at life without Witherspoon.

I know many are down on the guy, but in a game against an elite QB they got roasted. I truly believe Witherspoon is still the best CB on this defense when healthy.

[pczach]

I don’t know why our corners don’t play the ball more. You read the receivers eyes and turn around.

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Aside from that play he really didn’t do that much, he was owned by no 71 for most of the game, but yeah, I agree with your last sentence

If TJ Watt needs to apologize for only having one turnover in his second game back after missing half a season and not being able to properly workout or get in football shape, I think fans may need to look elsewhere for a whipping boy.

[Mojouw]

They got a good look at life without Witherspoon.

I know many are down on the guy, but in a game against an elite QB they got roasted. I truly believe Witherspoon is still the best CB on this defense when healthy.

I think Witherspoon is healthy now but was benched last week for sucking.

Witherspoon is Artie Burns 2.0. He has the tools to be successful and he looks like a dominant CB. Heck, Witherspoon will even have stretches where he almost plays like he is the guy. And then he he reverts to sucking.

Two other teams gave up on him. Steelers look to be in the process of doing the same.

If he’s still hurt, then here’s hoping he gets better and can be part of the solution.

The problem is Sutton is far and away the best CB on the roster. He should be the second or third.

[Born2Steel]

At this point in the season everybody is playing with some measure of injury. If you are healthy enough to suit up and play, then do your job. There is TC 100%, and then there is mid-season 100%. As many snaps as the guys on our defense have logged this season it’s supposed to look like a MASH unit. Just a simple stubbed toe can make a player a step or 2 slower. This is why depth is so important. Coaches cannot control injuries or fatigue. There is legit blame and then there is just casting stones.

[polamalubeast]

The steelers are 7th in time of possession this year despite their awful start in the first 3 games and they are first in 10 play drive this year,who can be good and bad for a offense but my point is when the defense play bad,you can not use that they are tired as excuse since the time of possession are not a problem since week 4

https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/sta...sion-net-of-ot

[polamalubeast]

So easy for the ravens offense right now.....

[Lady Steel]

HIRE LEBEAU! It's okay that he's 85 years old now.

Besides, he's long overdue for a reading of "'Twas The Night Before Christmas."

[polamalubeast]

This defense is soft like crazy

[86WARD]

Softest I’ve seen in a long time.

[NCSteeler]

Loafs of talent being misused

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[polamalubeast]

Softest I’ve seen in a long time.

[DuckHodges]

HIRE LEBEAU! It's okay that he's 85 years old now.

Besides, he's long overdue for a reading of "'Twas The Night Before Christmas."

Hire a traffic cone, probably better than Austin

[86WARD]

In all reality, it’s been pretty sucky for a couple years…

[polamalubeast]

Great game by the defense tonight...their best game since week 1.The run defense have been great in the last 2 games.Can they contain the ravens running game next week?

[polamalubeast]

The Steelers are first in interceptions(with 17) but last in fumble recoveries on defense(with only 3)

I've never seen stats like that!

[86WARD]

The Steelers are first in interceptions(with 17) but last in fumble recoveries on defense(with only 3)

I've never seen stats like that!

So Austin has improved the ball hawking skills of the DBs.

[polamalubeast]

Terrible game by this defense right now.....4 drive,1 TD,2 FG for the ravens and they struggle big time in 3rd down,when this is the time to leave the field......The steelers offense have only 3 drives down 13-3

[86WARD]

Terrible game by this defense right now.....4 drive,1 TD,2 FG for the ravens and they struggle big time in 3rd down,when this is the time to leave the field......The steelers offense have only 3 drives down 13-3

They just don’t stop anyone and if they do, it’s in the redzone, which is great an all but you need to stop teams out of scoring range as well…which they can’t do.

There’s also a receiver ALWAYS open somewhere on the field and by open, I mean not a defender within 5 yards…