HOF Game Winners and Losers

My untrained eye watching the network broadcast would add Spillane to the losers list. The Steelers are wafer thin at ILB, I expect them to make a move before the season starts. Saw a couple nice plays from Roche and Loudermilk, albeit late vs backups to backups.

Couldn't agree more with their takes on Ballage and McFarland. I didn't expect that burst from Ballage, he ran with determination. Right now he looks like a #2 back. McFarland just has no vision or instinct. His worst play was on a 3rd down reception where he had a DB one on one in the open field with 3 yards to the sticks and someone ended up running right into the tackle.

Harris is quicker than I thought, too. Good showing. Now dial back his reps and get Snell and McFarland and Samuels some more work to fight for a roster spot.

Finally on the QBs, looked like Rudolph and Haskins were overly protective of the ball. I keep hearing Tomlin wants to to throw downfield more, they didn't show it outside of one throw each. Haskins didn't fold up under the bright lights, but did nothing to pass Rudolph.

https://steelersdepot.com/2021/08/steelers-vs-cowboys-winners-and-losers/

 

I agree Spillane looked bad. Wouldn't be surprised if we got someone post-cuts.

Aside from the punter who everyone is talking about, Kevin Rader had a great day. I've never been keen on keeping him around but he did a pretty good job, better than Gentry.

 

The big punter gets my gameball. And you are spot on about McFarland, he has no awareness, and stumbles over his own feet. They are always bragging about his speed, he maybe fast, but he isn't football fast. How he wasn't able to get that 1st down says all you need to know about him.

I think that Highsmith is further along in his development than Bud was in year two.
One thing i noticed about Haskins even when i watch his Ohio St tape, he doesn't throw past 10 yds much.

Spillane is a decent backup, but he is exposed when he plays a whole game.

 

I'm thrilled about Harvin. Word from camp was that he lacked consistency -- at times he was Ray Guy, at others he was Just A Guy -- but that didn't show last night. A couple more performances like that and I would think he's a lock.

 

It is the first pre season game so I try not to make to much of it but I think we may have a QB problem for some years to come. I sure the hell can't have another Terry to Ben wait.

 

The punter had a good game. I think the one he lined drived and was fumbled was not a great kick. I'm glad the guy fumbled the ball but that one was not a good kick. He is going to be our punter heading into the season!

 

I feel that. Just imagine Marino in between Terry and Ben!

 

Thanks, I missed that one.

 

These guys are 3 and 4 years into the league and look afraid to take shots. Too many throws short of the sticks on 3rd down.

Hope that changes, but I'm skeptical.

 

Never saw a 12 win team with so many question marks. What concerns me is that the receivers started right up where they left off last year. Too many passes bouncing off of hands. Receiver is supposedly a strong position on this team, and I wish they would play that way. I would love to see numbers on dropped passes to see if I am imagining that they drop a lot of em. Haskins in particular looked more accurate than his numbers would indicate.
On defense, Highsmith looked good. Secondary seemed to not be able to wrap up plays.

 

We were one of the strangest 12 win teams I've ever seen. I think a big part was our schedule last season. Lets face it the AFCN had 3 teams make the Playoffs because we all had the joy of playing the NFCE which sucked balls.

Now if the team from last season played the schedule we have this season we sure the hell wouldn't have won 12 games.

 

Winner: whoever blocked the FG, 24 or 44.

 

One more for the Winners list: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Still the best.

 

Yeah, I'm sure he wasn't trying to kick a line drive but it worked out because it was moving at such a high rate of speed that the Cowboy returner had no chance to field it cleanly. Even his one non-boomer turned into something good.

 

McFarland failed to get the first down here. I can't imagine getting him in space any better.

 

Amazing, thank you for that photo. He should not be a lock to make this team.

And was he the player that took a knee instead of returning a kickoff 1 yard deep in the end zone?

 

Winners:

Harvin

Losers:

Canada's Offense (Tomlin)
Harris
Defensive Secondary


In as much as the first* preseason game means, this was a huge disappointment. Good thing we have an extra preseason game this season, because we need it. Not that it will likely make much difference since our problem is coaching, not personnell.

Harvin did more than needed to cement his place in the league, if not on the Steelers. I can easily see Tomlin letting him go elsewhere, because, well, because Tomlin. Unfortunately, he's a keeper.

Our offense looked stale and unprepared, even though we ran more motion. Sure, it looked a little different. But for the first preseason game, and a patchwork OL, make things simple for these guys and bulldoze. They already have demonstrated that they have a mean streak. Turn them loose. All the motion to me means we're trying to get an edge because we can't do it without it. Motion is something to sprinkle in periodically to give teams something else to prepare for down the road. Or you switch up to a motion offense for a particular team who is simply better up front and won't be moved physically.

This preseason game would have been a great proving ground without repurcussion. Turn your QB's loose. Encourage them to work vertically. That's good for them AND it softens the rush defense for Najee. But that's too much to ask. Handcuff the offense and show everyone that we've not changed anything from last season. Great plan.

And Harris loses in this, as I expected him to, not because he isn't a stud, but because he's going to be running through non-existant holes and getting creamed all season.

Then there's the secondary. Oh my gosh, how bad do we have to be? I don't think the Dallas receivers could be more open. There is a problem when the opposition's WR's are catching passes with no defender within 10 yards. I'm not worried, nor do I care, about individual performances in the first preseason game. I'm looking for scheme and intent. The defense was dictated to most of the game. And it looked eerily similar to the last couple years. The only success came from the front 7 and from a couple Dallas mistakes.

So it seems, from one preseason game, that our plan on defense is to pressure up front, play zone, and hope the opposing offense makes a mistake and capitalize on it. That actually didn't work too bad for the defense as Dallas ran up and down the field at will and made enough mistakes to keep themselves from scoring. That is NOT a recipe for success. That is NOT a top 5, or top 10, defense. Middle of the pack, at best.

And it makes NO difference that it wasn't our starters. We weren't playing their starters either.

 

And his throwing mechanics are terrible. I have my fingers crossed for him, though.

 

When he caught the pass I thought "good we got the first down" but then instead of just keep on running he stopped and did a dance before getting taken down.

 

And wasn't that one of the things he said about last year? Something like he was trying to do too much? Brother-man, you are going to make the 53 man roster, barring season ending injury. Want to cement yourself into the gameplan on Sundays? Put your head down and move the chains in the pre-season, especially when you've got it right in front of you. The exact definitiion of "trying to do too much" is ignoring a straight line to a first down, getting fancy, and not making it.

 

Mcfarland still needs work and coaching, after watching Kalen Ballage last night, Ballage would have made that first down, right now he seems the best to back up/support Najee Harris

 

I am terrible at predictions, but I predict its Ben, Dobbs (2), Haskins (3), and Mason and Samuels and maybe Berry, get traded to the Colts for some draft picks and maybe a depth player or two

maybe not the Colts, but those guys are tradable, Samuels is on the fence as far as another team wanting to trade for him

 

You seen the final score right? Sent McCarthy's Cowgirls home wondering wtf...

 

Ok, I almost jumped on during the game to bring this up. How he didn't manage a first down out of this, I can't imagine. And he could've cut either way. The backside pressure was too far away.

The defender is flat footed, two yards behind the line. You have a 7 yard cushion, and momentum, and all the space in the world, and he came up a whole yard short I believe.

I don't know why anybody else hasn't mentioned this. Is was one of the most glaring moments of the game. I can't imagine being a coach and thinking this is a guy that I want on my team after seeing that.