What Is Wrong With The Steelers?

[H8R]

[quote name='thewarden86' timestamp='1317057298' post='805671']

You really think they're going to cut Aaron Smith??? They kept him off IR all of last year in the hopes they'd have him in the playoffs (9 months ago).



I'm disappointed because I know he is smarter than that. You on the other hand.... lol
[/quote]


I got ya now. A.Smith hasn't been much of a factor and he's very injury prone. Releasing him mid season isnt the Steelers MO, I agree. Though, I wouldnt be surprised if its his last season in the NFL.

[thewarden86]

[quote name='H8R' timestamp='1317057786' post='805682']


I got ya now. A.Smith hasn't been much of a factor and he's very injury prone. Releasing him mid season isnt the Steelers MO, I agree. Though, I wouldnt be surprised if its his last season in the NFL.
[/quote]

Let me ask you this: What does "productive" mean when you're talking about a block eating 3-4 DE?

[H8R]

[quote name='thewarden86' timestamp='1317058186' post='805686']

Let me ask you this: What does "productive" mean when you're talking about a block eating 3-4 DE?
[/quote]

Well, looking at his career marks he WAS more then a block eating D-E. Over his career he's averaged about 45 tackles and 5 sacks per season. He hasn't had a sack since 2009 . Granted, his injuries have extremely limited his chances..Which was part of my point.

Are you saying LeBeau's scheme has changed or is it just how they're using him now? Either way, it lends to him being less productive.

I think you're giving the old grizzled Vet a pass, I can understand that. Just remind yourself that he's slowing down.

[thewarden86]

[quote name='H8R' timestamp='1317059297' post='805712']

Well, looking at his career marks he WAS more then a block eating D-E. Over his career he's averaged about 45 tackles and 5 sacks per season. He hasn't had a sack since 2009 . Granted, his injuries have extremely limited his chances..Which was part of my point.

Are you saying LeBeau's scheme has changed or is it just how they're using him now? Either way, it lends to him being less productive.

I think you're giving the old grizzled Vet a pass, I can understand that. Just remind yourself that he's slowing down.
[/quote]

He's still one of the best in that position. And he missed almost all of 2010 which is why he had no sacks. Not just giving a vet a pass. He is injury prone, but very valuable to us. Keisel has been out due to injury as well.

[H8R]

[quote name='thewarden86' timestamp='1317059510' post='805718']

He's still one of the best in that position. And he missed almost all of 2010 which is why he had no sacks. Not just giving a vet a pass. He is injury prone, but very valuable to us. Keisel has been out due to injury as well.
[/quote]

You watch the Steelers closer then me, though the stats lead me to belive he's only a fraction of what he once was but is still servicable.
I have a really hard time believing he's one of the best at his position.

[thewarden86]

[quote name='H8R' timestamp='1317059953' post='805727']

You watch the Steelers closer then me, though the stats lead me to belive he's only a fraction of what he once was but is still servicable.
I have a really hard time believing he's one of the best at his position.
[/quote]

In his prime, I'd like to know who was better. Don't fall into the stat trap. I know you can identify a good and bad o-lineman and they very rarely have a stat applied to them.

[H8R]

I
[quote name='thewarden86' timestamp='1317060798' post='805753']

In his prime, I'd like to know who was better. Don't fall into the stat trap. I know you can identify a good and bad o-lineman and they very rarely have a stat applied to them.
[/quote]


I said NOTHING negative about him in his prime, in fact I alluded to him being a great player in the past. No stat trap here, YOU said he IS one of the best at his position, I stated ..that he isn't anymore.

[thewarden86]

[quote name='H8R' timestamp='1317061205' post='805759']
I



I said NOTHING negative about him in his prime, in fact I alluded to him being a great player in the past. No stat trap here, YOU said he IS one of the best at his position, I stated ..that he isn't anymore.
[/quote]

I think in his prime he was THE best 3-4 DE in the NFL and the prototype for that position.
I still think he is ONE of the best today.

Everyone points out our struggle without Troy, but forget that we struggled without Aaron Smith as well.

The DE position in the Pittsburgh system is an unheralded one. You'd probably be better served to look at Woodley's numbers when Aaron is and isn't in the game.

[H8R]

[quote name='thewarden86' timestamp='1317061488' post='805764']

I think in his prime he was THE best 3-4 DE in the NFL and the prototype for that position.
I still think he is ONE of the best today.

Everyone points out our struggle without Troy, but forget that we struggled without Aaron Smith as well.

The DE position in the Pittsburgh system is an unheralded one. You'd probably be better served to look at Woodley's numbers when Aaron is and isn't in the game.
[/quote]

He used to be an impact player on his own accord, not just providing free-running linebackers with potential sacks and clean shots at the opposition. He holds the POA well, but doesn't beat his man as much as he once did ( getting to the QB) .

[thewarden86]

[quote name='H8R' timestamp='1317061805' post='805771']

He used to be an impact player on his own accord, not just providing free-running linebackers with potential sacks and clean shots at the opposition. He holds the POA well, but doesn't beat his man as much as he once did ( getting to the QB) .
[/quote]

It's early. Let's talk at the end of the year. I agree that he probably won't have a career year, but If Woodley gets around 10 sacks then I'll be happy.

[SteelYourThunder]

The Steelers D is old but how about this. Look up the Defenses by age and then by rank. The list are similar with the older defenses being more dominant. Of course there is always [i]too[/i] old. But the Steelers aren't there yet IMO

[thewarden86]

[quote name='SteelYourThunder' timestamp='1317063458' post='805796']
The Steelers D is old but how about this. Look up the Defenses by age and then by rank. The list are similar with the older defenses being more dominant. Of course there is always [i]too[/i] old. But the Steelers aren't there yet IMO
[/quote]

They were also the #2 defense in the league at the end of last year (8 months ago) and went to the SB. I would love to get a quality DB sometime soon, but I think we should lock down our o-line first. We seem to lose multiple guys there every year.

[JO_75]

Something is wrong with the Steelers if they can not go out and do what everyone else has done to a Colts team that doesn't have Peyton Manning. I mean the Colts defense stepped it up and gave the Steelers trouble but they almost lost to Curtis Painter.... of all people. Now let's figure this out....

Steelers get Blown out by Ravens....

Steelers Win against Weak Seahawks Team

Steelers can barely beat the Colts

Steelers play the Texans next week who beat the Colts with almost the same score we beat them with in Week 1.

I say Steelers are in trouble next week.

[SteelYourThunder]

[quote name='JO_75' timestamp='1317064101' post='805812']
Something is wrong with the Steelers if they can not go out and do what everyone else has done to a Colts team that doesn't have Peyton Manning. I mean the Colts defense stepped it up and gave the Steelers trouble but they almost lost to Curtis Painter.... of all people. Now let's figure this out....

Steelers get Blown out by Ravens....

Steelers Win against Weak Seahawks Team

Steelers can barely beat the Colts

Steelers play the Texans next week who beat the Colts with almost the same score we beat them with in Week 1.

I say Steelers are in trouble next week.
[/quote]
And I say the Colts haven't been given due credit. True without Manning they are a shadow of their former selves. But look at all of their other weapons. They've got Reggie Wayne, Addai, Dallas Clark, Anthoney Gonzales, Freeney, Mathis, among others. They started off 0-2 and the veterans on that team are hungry. If we played them when they were 0-0 or 0-1 I'm thinking the score wouldn't have been so close.

[thewarden86]

[quote name='JO_75' timestamp='1317064101' post='805812']
Something is wrong with the Steelers if they can not go out and do what everyone else has done to a Colts team that doesn't have Peyton Manning. I mean the Colts defense stepped it up and gave the Steelers trouble but they almost lost to Curtis Painter.... of all people. Now let's figure this out....

Steelers get Blown out by Ravens....

Steelers Win against Weak Seahawks Team

Steelers can barely beat the Colts

Steelers play the Texans next week who beat the Colts with almost the same score we beat them with in Week 1.

I say Steelers are in trouble next week.
[/quote]

Yea, that logic doesn't work in the NFL. And the Colts defense/our inability to run the ball is the ONLY reason that game was close. The offensive stats aren't even close in terms of yardage.

This Colts team isn't the same one who played in week one, or week two and won't be the same one that plays in week 4. What film might we have watched on Curtis Painter anyway? We prepared for Kerry Collins.

Plus, this was a prime time game in THEIR building and if you think that doesn't matter, you are greatly mistaken.

[H8R]

[quote name='thewarden86' timestamp='1317062819' post='805785']

It's early. Let's talk at the end of the year. I agree that he probably won't have a career year, but If Woodley gets around 10 sacks then I'll be happy.
[/quote]


Woodley had over 10 last year, didn't he? Aaron Smith didn't hardly play. We'll see how it shapes up.

[H8R]

[quote name='thewarden86' timestamp='1317064787' post='805828']

Yea, that logic doesn't work in the NFL. And the Colts defense/our inability to run the ball is the ONLY reason that game was close. The offensive stats aren't even close in terms of yardage.

This Colts team isn't the same one who played in week one, or week two and won't be the same one that plays in week 4. What film might we have watched on Curtis Painter anyway? We prepared for Kerry Collins.

Plus, this was a prime time game in THEIR building and if you think that doesn't matter, you are greatly mistaken.
[/quote]

The Steelers won, that's all tha matters for you guys. Granted.. The game would have been OVER if Curtis Painter could hit WIDE OPEN receivers. I think the Steelers just didnt give much effort or thought as a team, in regards to the Colts. Ben, on all accounts has had a pedestrian at best season ( Though its REAL EARLY). Wallace really has been the saving grace for you guys!

What do you think the problems are for the run game and why it has been so weak? Is it the offensive line or the backs? A combonation of them both? My take is, if the Steelers can't run the ball they are in a world of trouble.

[thewarden86]

[quote name='H8R' timestamp='1317066237' post='805856']

The Steelers won, that's all tha matters for you guys. Granted.. The game would have been OVER if Curtis Painter could hit WIDE OPEN receivers. I think the Steelers just didnt give much effort or thought as a team, in regards to the Colts. Ben, on all accounts has had a pedestrian at best season ( Though its REAL EARLY). Wallace really has been the saving grace for you guys!

What do you think the problems are for the run game and why it has been so weak? Is it the offensive line or the backs? A combonation of them both? My take is, if the Steelers can't run the ball they are in a world of trouble.
[/quote]

We're trying to figure out who is going to be our 5 guys up front. And that is being made more difficult with injuries. We go how our line goes.

You're right, I forgot Woodley had 10 sacks. Hmmm

The game is hardly over if Painter connects and anyway, when using "if" it works both ways:

"if" we don't have those injuries
"if" our o-line blocks better, yadda, yadda....

And again, the Colts did a really good job of avoiding our blocks. I've never seen anything like it. The Ravens were beating our blocks in week one, but the Colts flat out avoided our blockers.

[H8R]

The Colts, no matter what have a speedy defense that will almost always be smaller but more agile then the offense of a team like the Steelers ( Baltimore falls into the same trap). The same way, though once they're stopped on the outside they can be brutilized by a balanced attack.

[AsianRice]

Nothing wrong with the Steelers, just keep doing what they are doing......

[SteelerEmpire]

[quote name='H8R' timestamp='1317066237' post='805856']

The Steelers won, that's all tha matters for you guys. Granted.. The game would have been OVER if Curtis Painter could hit WIDE OPEN receivers. I think the Steelers just didnt give much effort or thought as a team, in regards to the Colts. Ben, on all accounts has had a pedestrian at best season ( Though its REAL EARLY). Wallace really has been the saving grace for you guys!

What do you think the problems are for the run game and why it has been so weak? Is it the offensive line or the backs? A combonation of them both? My take is, if the Steelers can't run the ball they are in a world of trouble.
[/quote]

I got 2 theory's: 1) the lockout and 2) Steelers are a "cold" team throughout the 1/2 to 3/4 ths of the year when there is a "practice season" before the regular season. When you factor in the lockout, that does not help at all. I don't expect anything "too" special out of this team (and this is in any year regardless if they made the playoffs or not, won the SB or not) until at least mid season. And only then do they "begin" to start playing professionally. The good times don't start to roll until people start talking playoffs. Some years the Steelers don't get it into gear until it's too late... and they miss the playoffs. But it all boils down to finding something to get "enough" of these guys motivated.

[H8R]

Don't you think thats a bit risky though? I mean its an arrogant way to approach an NFL season.

[berad]

[quote name='SteelerEmpire' timestamp='1317082211' post='806153']

I got 2 theory's: 1) the lockout and 2) Steelers are a "cold" team throughout the 1/2 to 3/4 ths of the year when there is a "practice season" before the regular season. When you factor in the lockout, that does not help at all. I don't expect anything "too" special out of this team (and this is in any year regardless if they made the playoffs or not, won the SB or not) until at least mid season. And only then do they "begin" to start playing professionally. The good times don't start to roll until people start talking playoffs. Some years the Steelers don't get it into gear until it's too late... and they miss the playoffs. But it all boils down to finding something to get "enough" of these guys motivated.
[/quote]

I would be on board with this if it hadn't been for the "Unleash Hell" comment of 2009.

[EdReedFTW]

On the subject of the D line, am I the only one who is seeing Casey Hampton not playing like himself? I dont know if I'm just only noticing his bad plays or something but he seems to be getting driven off the ball during run plays alot. And that obviously would cause ALOT of problems for the backers.

[pits200]

As much as I hate to give the guys credit on Sunday night football, they made some keen observations about how teams are handling the Steelers d-line. Typically, multiple guys would have to take on the Steelers front 3 leaving the lbs to wreck havoc. But they showed yesterday that teams are just tossing their o-lineman into the gap lanes that the lbs should be covering and making it difficult for the linebackers to pursue the rb.

This is kind of what the Ravens did and they may have set the standard on how to handle the Steelers d-line. You take out the anchor which is hampton and then clog the lanes for the lbs.

[MsMarvel73]

Sportscenter is reporting that Big Ben might have a fracture in his foot. The [s]MRI this morning was[/s] x-rays last night were inconclusive because of swelling. Apparently also getting an MRI.

[H8R]

I thought Ben has had a fracture in his foot for some time now? Either way, I'm sure he will make it known he's injured next time the mic is infront of his face...

[FerrariFan87]

The main problem is their run D and Ben getting destroyed every time he drops back to pass. If they fix those two things, they'll be back to relative normalcy in no time.

[PuRock]

[quote name='H8R' timestamp='1317654034' post='814246']
I thought Ben has had a fracture in his foot for some time now? Either way, I'm sure he will make it known he's injured next time the mic is infront of his face...
[/quote]

It's in the opposite foot now. So now he just has bad feet all around.

[FerrariFan87]

[quote name='PuRock' timestamp='1317655375' post='814282']

It's in the opposite foot now. So now he just has bad feet all around.
[/quote]

That hit by Watt (albeit not necessarily intentional) looked really bad. I was thinking high ankle sprain or knee injury for sure... the fact he was in a boot can't be good.