What I learned from the Eagles Game: Monday Morning Take

[Craic]

After thinking about that game for a while, here's what I learned:

• If you split the NFL up into five tiers, we're in the second tier. Good enough to beat most teams most of the time, but not good enough to take the top teams with confidence.
• We can hang with and even defeat top tier teams in the league, but we need to be healthy and not make any errors. Harris's fumble was the turning point. If he doesn't lose that ball, we have a chance to go up by three points and its a completely different game headed into the fourth quarter.
• We are even more desperate for a second WR than I previously thought.
• Steelers are winning more on individual effort than on team play. That was never more clear to me than in this loss.
• Coaches are making good half time adjustments on defense. They allowed one TD in the second half and a field goal, the field goal coming off of a turnover.
• Coaches need to give up on the bludgeoning run attack to open up the game. We do not (yet) have the line for it and end up just bludgeoning ourselves and putting the team in a hole.
• Along those same lines, the offensive scheming is a ton better than last year, but it still has a long way to go. Almost all WR routes are static or leave no room to run unless they're the equivalent of a screen.

It may be that if we picked up a true number 1 receiver, several of these issues might be fixed, especially scheming. But that won't help us now.

[Steeler-in-west]

Good run down,

a few additions that can be related to what you said;

Najee may not be the guy going forward. Hes a one dimensional runner. Just power, no quickness or ability to make defenders miss.

Khan screwed up getting a replacement for DJ or a viable no 2

Not convinced Austin is the guy either, hate the way our corners are playing the receivers off the line. Not enough physicality. And we stick to 4 man rushes too much. Its an over reliance on TJ and Cam. I doubt they change DC’s here but i would like to see it

[86WARD]

Wouldn’t disagree with any of that. Do think the game hinged on a few penalties and a turnover that went against Pittsburgh and even one of those goes Pittsburghs way, the outcome would either be much closer or totally different.

[DesertSteel]

I try not to overreact to a loss. Super Bowl winning teams have routinely lost 5-6 games during the regular season. Obviously they didn’t look like championship teams during those games. I’m okay with tier 2 but I also believe that if they had Pickens and it was in Pittsburgh the Steelers would have won.

They have to get Pickens back to have any shot these next two games. That I know.

[hawaiiansteeler]

The Eagles having Kenny Pickett on their team was just too much to overcome.

[Voice of Reason]

The Eagles having Kenny Pickett on their team was just too much to overcome.

Hurts probably learned a lot from him.

[pczach]

I try not to overreact to a loss. Super Bowl winning teams have routinely lost 5-6 games during the regular season. Obviously they didn’t look like championship teams during those games. I’m okay with tier 2 but I also believe that if they had Pickens and it was in Pittsburgh the Steelers would have won.

They have to get Pickens back to have any shot these next two games. That I know.

I agree. This team doesn't have the depth to overcome a boatload of injuries against an elite opponent but if healthy, this team can run with anybody. They need Pickens to come back at 100%, TJ Watt healthy, Cam healthy, and the secondary people healthy and all starters ready to go heading into the playoffs.

There was a noticeable drop off in the secondary without Elliot and losing Donte Jackson in the Eagles game. Also, getting Trice ready for meaningful games means seeing Pierre less....and that's a good thing.

I think health is the most important thing for this team going forward as they need to be as healthy as possible going into playoff football.

If they are healthy, I like their chances against anyone.

[ETL]

1. We should have drafted Jalen Hurts instead of Chase Claypool in 2020 but I guess the FO was too scared to hurt Ben Roethlisberger’s feelings

2. Tush push should be illegal because it is a purposeful and “planned” use of leverage of other players. For example, it is illegal to give a piggy back ride (ie carry a player) to gain yards. It is illegal to lift a defensive player using your hands or climb on another player to block a field goal. It should be illegal to have bodies push the ball carrier in a planned tush push. I would be ok if there is a planned push of the ball carrier if the ball was handed off to them (as this often happens in a run play) or if the QB got the snap in a pistol or shotgun formation and then they tried the tush push.

[Mojouw]

I’m all for never overreacting to a lose or a win.

But I’m not sure we should retcon this into a close game.

It was a butt kicking from start to finish.

If we want to say yeah but what about the Najee fumble. Well, what about the two early Iggles fumbles? Fumbles are random events.

We saw what happens when a team through injury and excellent performance from its outside CBs takes away the deep ball. They can then load up against the run. The offense had no answers. The Steelers converted 3 third downs. That’s it.

On defense the Iggles saw the Steelers man and matchup zone coverages and had the WRs to get open before the pass rush could get home. As well as the o line to hold up.

Luckily few other NFL teams have the roster talent to put this plan into action.

But this wasn’t a close game. It wasn’t anywhere as near as close as the scoreboard indicated. Iggles were in control from the jump.

[DesertSteel]

I agree. This team doesn't have the depth to overcome a boatload of injuries against an elite opponent but if healthy, this team can run with anybody. They need Pickens to come back at 100%, TJ Watt healthy, Cam healthy, and the secondary people healthy and all starters ready to go heading into the playoffs.

There was a noticeable drop off in the secondary without Elliot and losing Donte Jackson in the Eagles game. Also, getting Trice ready for meaningful games means seeing Pierre less....and that's a good thing.

I think health is the most important thing for this team going forward as they need to be as healthy as possible going into playoff football.

If they are healthy, I like their chances against anyone.

Yes. And as obvious as it is that TJ is a better player than Pickens, I think we actually need Pickens more these next two games. Depth at Edge is solid. At WR it is abysmal and ruins the whole offense.

- - - Updated - - -

I’m all for never overreacting to a lose or a win.

But I’m not sure we should retcon this into a close game.

It was a butt kicking from start to finish.

If we want to say yeah but what about the Najee fumble. Well, what about the two early Iggles fumbles? Fumbles are random events.

We saw what happens when a team through injury and excellent performance from its outside CBs takes away the deep ball. They can then load up against the run. The offense had no answers. The Steelers converted 3 third downs. That’s it.

On defense the Iggles saw the Steelers man and matchup zone coverages and had the WRs to get open before the pass rush could get home. As well as the o line to hold up.

Luckily few other NFL teams have the roster talent to put this plan into action.

But this wasn’t a close game. It wasn’t anywhere as near as close as the scoreboard indicated. Iggles were in control from the jump.

It was a buttkicking that oddly never felt out of reach until the second half of the 4th quarter.

[El Kabong]

Fumbles are random events.

They're not completely random. They also depend on how good the ball carriers are at holding on to the ball and how good the defensive players are at knocking it out.

[86WARD]

1. We should have drafted Jalen Hurts instead of Chase Claypool in 2020 but I guess the FO was too scared to hurt Ben Roethlisberger’s feelings

2. Tush push should be illegal because it is a purposeful and “planned” use of leverage of other players. For example, it is illegal to give a piggy back ride (ie carry a player) to gain yards. It is illegal to lift a defensive player using your hands or climb on another player to block a field goal. It should be illegal to have bodies push the ball carrier in a planned tush push. I would be ok if there is a planned push of the ball carrier if the ball was handed off to them (as this often happens in a run play) or if the QB got the snap in a pistol or shotgun formation and then they tried the tush push.

Tush Push is no different than players pushing other players to block a FG which is illegal due to player safety, yet the tush push is fine…it’s the exact same thing.

[ETL]

Tush Push is no different than players pushing other players to block a FG which is illegal due to player safety, yet the tush push is fine…it’s the exact same thing.

Agree. I sometimes see a RB get pushed forward by his OL and I am ok with that as it seems just random and not planned. But other situations when a player deliberately uses the body of another player (pushing another during FG attempt, lifting another player to block a kick or carrying another player ) - is illegal. I don’t see why the tush push is legal.

Other teams will adopt this and there will be no question anymore when it’s fourth and one - it will be automatic first down. And even when it’s third and three - teams will just do two tush pushes and the game will become super predictable, unsuspenseful, and boring.

it is in the NfLs interest to make this illegal now.

what is difficult to police is - if pushing any fellow player is deemed illegal - what about incidental pushing that happens on many plays? That is why I think the QB handing off or QB taking the ball on a pistol or shotgun and the “incidental” pushing that happens afterwards should even the playing field to give the defense a chance and insert some suspense as right now the defense doesn’t have a chance.

(the nfl changed the extra point because it was too predictable. They are looking to change the onside kick because it is too predictable. This tush push will go the same way. If I was Philly I would deliberately “fail” on some pushes just to be able to use it when they really need it but I don’t see them being that smart about it)