Interesting quote on Steelers' secondary

ESPN posted an article on the playoff and a coach had this to say: "They're a solid defense. Usually they pull off far and rally to the ball. I don't think they give up any more big plays than anybody else. ... They're playing without [linebacker Ryan] Shazier, and that correlates to the secondary because he tells everybody what to do and makes sure even the secondary knows what to do. Whenever you miss a guy like that, your stats are going to go down some."

Thoughts? I don't think we're as bad as this board makes us out to be, but we most definitely give up an insane amount of big plays.

 

The corners are OK, but safeties are below average, IMO.

Haden and Hilton are good.
Burns is average.
Davis and Mitchell are below average.

 

Wow, someone isn't watching. Read an article that said they'd given more 50+ yd plays that anyone else in the league. I haven't verified if this is true, but I suspect it is.

 

IMO Eagles losing Wentz cost them a trip to SB. The NFC has 6 good teams, no way you lose your starting QB and have a chance. Steelers losing Shazier makes winning in Foxboro, which is tough enough, impossible. May my opinion be dead wrong!!!!!!!!!

 

If not for the refs we'd have beaten the pats without shaz AND without Brown AND without gilbert. Are you seriously suggesting that playing in foxboro offsets having brown AND and Gilbert available? I'd hardly call winning in foxboro impossible.

 

On the Pittsburgh sports station 93.7 the Fan a poll was taken:

Why the Steelers would win it all: Ben, Bell, Brown, the Offense
Why the Steelers would lose: The Secondary

I don't agree that Davis is below average. Just average at this point. Mitchell is below below average.
The only saving grace is that Haden is healthy and Hilton is a diamond in the rough. Burns has been a disappointment, but I still hope he will rebound.

With the lack of development in the secondary it might be time to show Carnell Lake the door after this season. Mitchell is a no brainer.

We ride with what we have but I have a lack of confidence not only in the secondary but the Defense as a whole. That clowns game left me with a bad taste. Just hope they can make some splash plays, a couple of turnovers at the right time and get after the QB to add to the stat line...

 

We got good Ju Ju and can score 40 points on them. It`s up to the offense. Cheats will get at least 27 points no matter what.

 

At times it almost looks like giving up those long plays on D is by design, knowing that the O will have plenty of time to march back down the field and pull out a last second W, just like they did in the game against NE................wait...........damn Riveron screwed that strategy but good. I've got nothing.

 

Sutton may turn out to be good. Not enough tape on him yet to make a judgment.

 

Impossible no but...... Last time we beat Brady in Foxboro = never. Last time won in Foxboro was 2008 with the great Matt Cassel under center. Before that a great OT thriller with Kordella beating Drew Bledsoe in 1997.

While I love your positive attitude, regardless who is in or out for us, Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. owns our a$$

 

Weaknesses:

Offense: haley
Defense: run defense, missed tackles.

 

Hope we can overcome as well, the key will be the Defense as a whole starting with the ability to pass rush and substitute during games. On the back end I most worry about our safeties as well especially Mitchell. I don't agree that he's gone after the season as he is still under contract for 1 more season. The smarter play probably would be to draft a Safety and groom him behind Mitchell while picking up a free agent to play ILB next year assuming Shazier's career as a player is done

 

A top-notch ILB should be available if the Steelers are picking anywhere between 29-32. Hopefully, Steelers will be picking at 32.

Best available Safety or ILB should be taken by Steelers in 1st round of '18. I hope they don't reach for a QB. I'd say about 8 QBs will be taken before the Steelers get to pick.

 

I think this is a fair assesment

 

I still dont agree that Davis is below average, he leads the team in tackles with 92 and has 3 picks on the season, I just cant square his performance record to a below average safety he is just now coming into his own going through his learning cycle.........

 

Don't forget Haden too, he makes a big difference in the secondary.

 

We seem to be really bad when it counts. Like the Pats game we played really good, then when we needed to be good, we got lit up. We’re good in none pressure situations. Hopefully that’ll change in the playoffs, or were not going to last very long.

 

Giving up some big plays but not for touchdowns from what I can remember. Problem is our safeties. I don't know what's so hard about keeping everything in front. Analyzing the offense and coverage and breaking left/right or doubling Gronk.

 

I don’t think either one can diagnose an offensive formation and do threat assessment which is sad for supposedly how smart Mitchell is supposed to be. On the long completion to Gordon he is more worried about being part of run support than seeing that Gordon is the lone receiving threat. He should of positioned himself to shade the inside route while allowing an angle to over take Gordon should he get a step past Haden but worrying about stopping the run he is late and out of position. Same type of thing on the next TD pass. He should identify that TJ is covering a slot receiver and is the weak link and move Davis closer in support so he can help jam the receiver off his route if he gets past Watt or make a play to separate the player from the ball or at least tackle the catch. No instead both sit back in two deep zone prepared to help the guys outside with over the top coverage paying no mind to Watt being left on an Island.

 

And this is why I say ... we win despite having inferior coaching. Its not the players, well maybe mitchell, but its the coaches
If Lakes can't see what his own eyes are showing him. Then, he not need to be db coach

 

I will agree to an extent. Burns isnt average. He is a solid corner. He is aggresive and yes gets flagged alot. But i feel watching him because of his aggressivness. He gets away with more. There are times when qbs just dont go his way at all

I will also add. Its his second yr. I still think and think right now, he is one of the best corners out of that draft

I agree 100% of safties. Davis has potential. Mitchell flat out sucks. Move him to linebacker or somethimg lol