Some great articles by Brown over the last 18 months on Grantland explaining the tactical battle that goes on in the NFL on every single play.
Having grown up on a diet of soccer & GAA I've plenty to catch up on and some of it tends to go over my head unless I google certain terms/references in the articles but you really do learn a lot about the game as some of these articles are really superb.
I also read Take Your Eye Off The Ball by Pat Kirwan which is a great book about the different matchups and schemes we see in the NFL every game.
Just off the subject before I read this....Do you think pitts are a big price at the moment? harrison and troy to come back for them...You can never write off the steelers
Just off the subject before I read this....Do you think pitts are a big price at the moment? harrison and troy to come back for them...You can never write off the steelers
The big problem for Pitts is that their secondary is awful.
how many times have we seen Ike Taylor beaten in coverage - the answer is a lot!
they also have Mendenhall to come back The big problem for Pitts is that their secondary is awful.how many times have we seen Ike Taylor beaten in coverage - the answer is a lot!
I agree d13 it is not the best secondary but with troy to come back and harrison(pass rush)...It was only last year when a few on here jumped on the giants train to the supebowl and they had a horrible secondary which improved due to what the giants pass rush was doing. Really like the look of big ben this year...I was pleased to see them lose on sunday as I have the ravens to win division..got lucky...antonio brown fumble turned the game...still they look a nice price.
I agree d13 it is not the best secondary but with troy to come back and harrison(pass rush)...It was only last year when a few on here jumped on the giants train to the supebowl and they had a horrible secondary which improved due to what the giants
i wouldn't disagree with any of that Harry and they have a better Offensive line this year so Big Ben has more time.
I personally think they might struggle because of their D and their offense whilst explosive is not as good as good as the Giants was.
Can make an argument though
i wouldn't disagree with any of that Harry and they have a better Offensive line this year so Big Ben has more time.I personally think they might struggle because of their D and their offense whilst explosive is not as good as good as the Giants was.
Im not sure Troy will ever be the player he was a few years ago.
Seems to be continuously injured these days.
Harrison is a beast
Mendenhall will be a big boost as their passing game has to be respected now.
Im not sure Troy will ever be the player he was a few years ago.Seems to be continuously injured these days.Harrison is a beastMendenhall will be a big boost as their passing game has to be respected now.
Yes mendenhall is a big loss..they may get him back at the right time...will have to keep an eye on one of these momentum teams...giants and the packers the last 2 seasons..It is quite scary how much time ben seems to get now...used to seeing him at the bottom of a pile or avoiding hits like nobody else can....certainly a Quarterback you know can get it done.
Yes mendenhall is a big loss..they may get him back at the right time...will have to keep an eye on one of these momentum teams...giants and the packers the last 2 seasons..It is quite scary how much time ben seems to get now...used to seeing him at
The Steelers secondary is not awful and neither is Ike Taylor. The Steelers have zero pass pass rush and they are playing 10 yards off all the time, that's what's making the secondary look awful, no rush and soft zones. Palmer picked them apart and previously he had looked like **** against the Steelers. In the new pansy NFL it doesn't matter who you have at CB if you cannot rush the passer.
Harrison is finished, he won't make much impact, he can't even practice. Troy of course will.
The Steelers real issue is not scheme, although we need to play more man to man and more press coverage, the problem is that players have declined and have been lost and not adequately replaced.
SMITH - gone
HARRISON - washed up
TROY - Not quite what he was, but still a top player
KEISEL - Too old
HAMPTON - Too old too fat no push
TIMMONS - Waste of space, Foote is better than him and he's a day older than god.
WOODLEY - Not consistent enough, although to be fair is THE only pass rush threat we have
HOOD - Mediocre
WORILDS/SYLVESTER - Zero impact
HEYWARD - Work in progress
The talent level on defense is not there, the offense is almost the finished product, the defensive transition is going to take time.
Mendenhall won't make much difference,the biggest addition to this years Steelers has been Todd Haley, and the removal of the retarded play-calling of Bruce '7 step drop with a terrible o-line' Arians.
I bet they love him up in Indy. If they don't have a good line hell get Luck killed.
The reason Ben is not on his a**e so often is they're getting the ball out of his hands much quicker, and the line IS improved no doubt, they've utilized Miller who the idiot almost completely sidelined.
Ben has played exceptionally well, accurate, in control, has extended play after play, and he's making smart decisions. Everything took too long to develop under the moron, and he was so predictable with his endless bubble screens and similar garbage.
The Steelers have the bye week to come back and beat a pretty dire Eagles team, if the lose that, it's over. The key to the Steelers season will be OBV. managing to go 1-1 vs the Ravens, and being relevant prior to the final four weeks of the season, 3 of which are at home.
No 'easy' games in the NFL but this is nice run in IMO.
SD
@ Dallas
Bungles
Browns
They have a chance to be that momentum team this year. But that was an awful loss last week, awful.
The Steelers secondary is not awful and neither is Ike Taylor. The Steelers have zero pass pass rush and they are playing 10 yards off all the time, that's what's making the secondary look awful, no rush and soft zones. Palmer picked them apart and p
To be far H it was early season and they had looked horrible. And #1 ranking aside, they shouldn't really scare anyone, we have no pass rush and don't get TO's. They may stop the opposition time and again, but they're not going to win you a game.
To be far H it was early season and they had looked horrible. And #1 ranking aside, they shouldn't really scare anyone, we have no pass rush and don't get TO's. They may stop the opposition time and again, but they're not going to win you a game.
Not quite sure why you say they dont have a pass rush...you can have the greatest secondary players in the history of the game but without a pass rush you couldnt be ranked no1 against the pass without a good rush
Not quite sure why you say they dont have a pass rush...you can have the greatest secondary players in the history of the game but without a pass rush you couldnt be ranked no1 against the pass without a good rush
their D is still good enough though and their offense can beat anyone if they get it going down the back end,
not writing them off yet.
Troy isnt the same player that he wasi think thats a major problem for the steelerstheir D is still good enough though and their offense can beat anyone if they get it going down the back end,not writing them off yet.
Very well organised, they tackle well. They also don't give up the big play often, that helps the yardage ranking. DLB went to a lot more man to man after the first few weeks, as they zone was getting shredded. The Steelers play the pass between the numbers well. Keenan Lewis has played very well, knocked a lot of balls down. The Steelers used to have guys meeting at the QB with regularity, most sacks are more to do with covergae than effective blitzing or pass rushing from Harrison and Woodley, both hurt and inffective this year.
Very well organised, they tackle well. They also don't give up the big play often, that helps the yardage ranking. DLB went to a lot more man to man after the first few weeks, as they zone was getting shredded. The Steelers play the pass between the