wk. 9 postgame observations

overview:
first and foremost, just a great win... ben has been lighting it up lately and i'm loving the way the offense has been opening up (especially in the red zone). fourth down td passes 2 wks. in a row.. this offense and it's coordinator are growing some major stones..... i'm not sure why we constantly blow up in the 2nd quarter of games, but i'll take it (i'm starting to wonder if we have the most 2nd quarter pts. in the league)...the defense got after it and kept their foot on the gas throughout, and the secondary was on point (especially the corners), after the first quarter td.... we definitely have new life.

offense:
1. for those that think ben is not elite, I know of a few places where the haters can stick their comments (especially after another record breaking wk).... look for ben to have another big game next wk., as the jets have a very stout run d, but their secondary might be worse than ours
2. ho hum.... Antonio brown 11 rec. 144 yds. 1 td.
3. Bryant and wheaton are stepping in up big time.
4. the o-line, and especially the tackles had me worried after giving up 3 consecutive sacks on that one drive, but they stuck with it and in the end, did a pretty good job.
5. we're getting much better on the penalties
6. after the way that matt spaeth was blocking today, it was good to see him get rewarded with the td.
defense:
1. i'm starting to believe that james Harrison and brett keisel made a deal with the devil
2. the entire front 7 made it happen today
3. really starting to love stephon tuitt
4. shout out to Antwon blake, willie gay, and brice McCain......

special teams:
1. love seeing the fire from our kickers in the end

 

I am so glad that I got to see Harrison play at an All-Pro level one last time against the Ravens.

 

I really feel like we were watching a living legend perform tonight.

 

"Mom! Ben broke the FedEx Air Player of the Week challenge again!"

 

Ben's new nickname might become Broken Record. LOL.

 

For sure, I'm so pumped after tonights win and for him. Even more than last week.

 

Offense

- Brown + Wheaton + Bryant have the potential to be the best set in the league. And Lance Moore, DHB and JB are a pretty sweet 4-6! Add in Bell, Heath, Archer, Blount, Will Johnson, Spaeth, and our super secret superstar Palmer, and we are in very good shape.

- Incredible night by Ben. Again. Best two week span in NFL History. Wasn't it super weird when he made that one bad throw? That's how you know.

- Props to Spaeth for pulling in #6, even though it was in slow motion. I thought he wouldn't get to the ball. I could see it bouncing off his fingertips.

- Bell's worst statistical game all year. His streak ended. But even so, he produced for us. And when Baltimore seemed determined to stop him, we let them and threw 6 TD passes.

- After a really bad start, our OL got it together, including Beachum and Gilbert. Vindication for Gilbert, who was truly abysmal the last time we played Baltimore. He did allow the one sack, but it wasn't in especially ugly fashion, and he was solid otherwise.


Defense

- So good to see Harrison play at this level again. I love it. The announcers were stroking him all night, but they didn't give him credit for stopping that 2 point conversion. They gave that to Keisel, but Harrison's the one that truly stopped him. Eugene Monroe didn't know what to do with Silverback.

- I hope Troy and Shazier are alright. This is not what we need. I hope they don't miss much time. However, I do like our depth at both spots. Except...

- How does Will Allen come in for Troy? I know Shamarko's been hurt for a few weeks so he's missed practice, but come on. He's got to be the guy now. At this rate, he won't see the field until his contract is up, Keenan Lewis-style.

- Activate McCullers, deactivate Cam Thomas. In base 3-4, split time opposite Heyward between Keisel and Tuitt. Play McCullers in short yardage alongside McLendon, and in sub-packages for a few snaps per game. As for those "backup NT snaps" in base 3-4? Forget them. Let Steve stay on the field. He needs to see more of it.

I see McCullers like I saw Martavis Bryant a few weeks ago. Even if he's limited and unpolished, the fact remains he offers something his teammates don't. So put him in and let him do his thing in certain situations.

- Nice to see Worilds get to display his athleticism.

- I am psyched for Jarvis Jones and Ike Taylor to return. Unfortunately, with all this time missed, and Moats and Harrison playing well, Jones will probably have to wait one more season before he breaks out. But I think it's coming.

- Mike Mitchell has been quiet lately. I mean that as a compliment. Ditto William Gay. Those two guys have really stepped up in recent weeks. Brice McCain and Antwon Blake have held up better than I expected.


Special Teams

- There goes our excellent kick coverage. We've been great all year, but that was awful.

- I don't even know what to say about Brad Wing. I guess there's only one way to make up for a botched hold on a good snap, and that's doubling the amount of points you cost us on that exact same play. Good punting, too.

 

First game of the season the Defense played 60 minutes and I accredit that too James, Keisel and DL. Good job on the coaching and great job with the leadership!!!

 

Maybe I'm looking at things through black and gold colored glasses but on the kick-off return I saw two holds that let him get out to the edge, McCain was blatently held and I didn't get the number of the player on Jones's left but his arm seems to be locked up as well and both guys were in position to eith turn him into coverage or make the tackle.

 

Yeah, that was great.

 

It's all coming together now.

Second game in a row I've actually enjoyed watching from start to finish.

All I'll add to everything else that people have said is: what a difference Bryant is making to that receiving corps.

 

That was 85 Bey that was held

 

Steelers have to do a better job at selling the holds.
Jacoby Jones is a Steelers killer on kickoffs and punts, just like Josh Cribbs was for the Browns and Eric Metcalf back in the day.

 

Sounds like Shamarko Thomas hurt his other hamstring now. Probably won't get to see him for a while.

 

Good summary with one correction. It was not kick coverage that cost us that TD .. There was two blatant holds which allowed JJ to get free

 

Maybe it was me, but I saw Tuitt in for a few impact plays, then it seemed like he didn't see the field again until garbage time. I was at the game so I didn't always have the best perspective. Team played very well... my game ball goes to Harrison & Ben.

 

Antwon Blake's performance was excellent.

McCain wasn't always consistent, but what a play scooping up the fumble - rather than the usual mad rush for the ball, he just calmly picked it up and secured it. Well played to both of them.

 

A great team win against the hated crows.
Cortez Allen didn't get fried.
Ben is on fire.
Suggs is a scumbag.
Brown, Wheaton, Bryant. Enough said.
Tuitt is becoming a force.
Harrison and Keisel turning the clock back.
The secondary of McClain, Blake and Gay played very well. What?

Time to keep the the pedal down and crush the Jets...

 

Yep, I was screaming to the wife about McCain being held as it happened, definitely not your imagination or being a homer.

 

A great team win. Glad to see them shake off the slow start and then bury a team. I was concerned after Ben fumbled and then to go for the throat on 4th down was the icing on the cake. I am in the camp of getting off the coaches back. As bad as they were the first few weeks, especially the Cleveland game they have been the complete opposite the last two weeks. A lot of that has to do with execution. The young WR's are stepping up and everyone is doing their job. This looks like a completely different team than 3 weeks ago. Hoping for a fun ride the rest of the year. Now we shall see. Need to go out and bury the Jets, early on. This seems to be our Achilles. Never played above the competition when it comes to bad teams...

 

Agree 100% Veteran leadership has been sorely missing on this team. We can only get so far with Troy's "quiet but fierce" play. We need someone out there throwing around opp QB's like rag dolls and getting the rest of the D pumped up.

 

The key to these past two wins? They kept their foot on the gas. Up 13 in the closing minutes? Heck with that, get 7 more! I just hope they keep it up. Don't sit on the ball with the lead, especially not with this offense.