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The bigger issue is the Defense

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by Steelresolve, Oct 2, 2022.

  1. Steelresolve

    Steelresolve Well-Known Member

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    Everybody wants to complain about the offense. For the second week in a row the defense let this team down. Minkah Fitzpatrick even said as much today. He alluded to us being out schemed and coached in the second half. The Jets made adjustments and we didn’t. TJ Watt has covered up a lot of warts on this defense. I expect and anticipate growing pains with the offense and in fact each week it is actually starting to show improvement. The defense can’t get off the field. We rarely force 3 and outs. Everyone is talking about the defense looking tired but it is there own fault. Heyward looks tired. We offer up no pressure without Watt. The MLB’s still get blocked a lot. We have one defensive back that is good. Our front seven masked a lack of talent in the backfield when Watt was in which we now see. Regarding the offense I was impressed with Pickett. Sure he had interceptions two of which really weren’t his fault and the third was a hail mary. I love that he looks at second and third options, roles out, uses his feet and isn’t afraid to push it down field. The run game looks better as well.
     
    • Agree Agree x 3
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  2. Jammasterc

    Jammasterc Well-Known Member

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    The big names limped off the field today.

    Defense is getting too beat up.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  3. HeinzMustard

    HeinzMustard Well-Known Member

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    We got the wrong Devin. Devin White is a beast for the Bucs vs Chiefs tonight.
     
    • Agree Agree x 8
  4. bigbenhotness

    bigbenhotness Well-Known Member

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    When was the last time we actually stopped a team needing to score?
     
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  5. Rush2seven

    Rush2seven Well-Known Member

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    The offense definitely used some clock in the 2nd half. So, the defense does not have the same excuse as previous weeks. They couldn’t get off the field on a fourth down against the Jets. Shouldn’t need TJ for that.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  6. Steel_Elvis

    Steel_Elvis Staff Member Mod Team

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    A little while ago I was driving with my wife in the car. We passed a fire truck and the firefighters were just starting to reel in hoses from around a scorched looking dumpster. I turned to her and said “oh look, they just put out our 4th quarter defense”
     
    • Hilarious Hilarious x 11
  7. steel_ben7

    steel_ben7 Well-Known Member

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    Yea the INT Pickett threw that went off Muth’s fingers it wasn’t the greatest decision and I’m sure Kenny would want it back but at the same time this damn defense needs to buckle down a make a stop for god sakes with the game on the line and pick Pickett back up for throwing that INT. That was a sickening loss today and one that just eats at you as a diehard fan seeing that you had Kenny come in and play well enough to win the game where if you did you would be tied in the division with everybody else but instead you are 1-3 and in last place. It was a gut wrenching kick to the balls kind of loss if you are a diehard Steelers fan like myself and many others.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  8. The Sodfather

    The Sodfather Well-Known Member

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    Cam still makes a play here and there, but age is catching up. ILB has been a problem since Shazier's injury. Devin Bush is a bum and there is only so much Myles Jack can do. Outside of Sutton and Fitz, the secondary is a collection of cast offs and stiffs for the most part. Unfortunate Kazee was injured, but how much of a difference he would have made is mere speculation. They look like what they are, a unit that needs re-stocked with youth and talent. They aren't getting their money's worth out of them other than the Cincy game.
     
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  9. SWSteel

    SWSteel Well-Known Member

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    The 3 stars are really 2 n with 1 hurt, TJ. Cam is looking very old n a bunch of meh out there with them

    Poor eye discipline across the board save for Minkah from back 7

    Nothing to fear n out schemed regularly
     
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  10. S.T.D

    S.T.D Well-Known Member

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    That's $Hite is not funny. LoL
     
  11. Steel_Elvis

    Steel_Elvis Staff Member Mod Team

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    100% true. My wife thought it was funny as hell.
     
    • Hilarious Hilarious x 1
  12. bigbenhotness

    bigbenhotness Well-Known Member

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    All of a sudden we need positions everywhere
     
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  13. Steelresolve

    Steelresolve Well-Known Member

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    For as good as we are at drafting Wide Receivers we are absolutely horrible at drafting CB’s and not very good at developing them either. I don’t understand we are supposedly a coach heavy team on the defensive side. Tomlin teams always struggle to make half time adjustments that should be inevitable in the NFL. I am confident the next few years we will restock through the draft the trenches on both sides of the line because we got a guy that specializes in that handling our draft from Philadelphia. Outside of being aggressive and going out and getting some CB’s and another MLB I am not confident we can rebuild in that area organically as we have been pretty inept at drafting and developing in that area. Finally it boggles my mind why we want to draft MLB’s that are small and fast for coverage ability for this defensive scheme. It is a square per in around hole. We don’t have massive defensive tackles playing two gap that tie up the offensive lineman. Thus the offensive lineman are having a clear path to block our MLB’s. Yet our MLB’s aren’t built to get off of blocks they aren’t thumpers. The only way for these small linebackers to be effective in this kind of defense is to blitz them in a specific gap so they can make a play in the backfield or you drop them back 7 yards or so to actually cover the middle crossing patterns. Right now we play them two yards deep behind the Lineman and they sit there flat footed neither deep enough to cover the pass nor aggressive enough to get to the hole and plug up the gap. It is like they are sitting there waiting and catching the guard, essentially being non effective or tackling the rb 7 - 10 yards down the field. We have had too many MLB’s fail or perform below average. I believe part of the issue is the scheme. We either need to make adjustments to allow these smaller MLB’s free flow to the gap or get bigger MLB’s.
     
  14. GS321

    GS321 Member

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    Defense not playing well since loss of Watt, but they are just about 100% responsible for a second half TD.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  15. SteelHack

    SteelHack Well-Known Member

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    I've been saying it for 3 years

    The response is always the same.. the defense is so tired

    They sat for all of half time... and people were still blaming Trubisky on the 4th quarter even though he had not played a snap in 2 hours

    When ultimately they just are not that good. It takes a record sack year just to make them bottom 5. That's a problem

    HACK
     
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2022
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  16. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    Devin White was also a Top Five pick.


    That said, Devin Bush Jr had shown flashes as a rookie, got hurt as a Sophomore, regressed badly in year three and is up and down now.
     
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  17. HeinzMustard

    HeinzMustard Well-Known Member

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    We really do. There's holes everywhere. CBs are not good, SS has been done to death here, Jack can't do it all at ILB and D-line is mediocre at best.
     
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  18. JackAttack 5958

    JackAttack 5958 Well-Known Member

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    Highest payroll of any defense in the NFL and three esteemed defensive coaches in Tomlin, Austin and Flores calling the shots and they can’t make a stop when they have to have one. Today’s loss was on the defense! The offense led by Pickett gave them a 10 point lead in the 4th quarter and they couldn’t hold it.
     
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  19. Wardismvp

    Wardismvp Well-Known Member

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    I am afraid you maybe right, time to give other players on team
    a chance and see if they maybe better, Where is this great coach we signed
    from the Dolphins, why is the middle of the field 8-12 yds not protected. Hell it is pitch and catch.
    Where are the adjustments. Players make plays, coaches should put them into the position to make these plays.
     
  20. sjromano

    sjromano Well-Known Member

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    I think it's important to point out that MT admitted he wasn't paying attention to the other aspects of the game in the 4th Q because he was busy "managing the defense". :facepalm:
     
  21. FeartheBeard

    FeartheBeard Well-Known Member

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    What???? Please tell me this isn't what he said. WHY would he be managing the defense? Don't we pay people to do that? WTF...
     
  22. sjromano

    sjromano Well-Known Member

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    Post game presser. His (near) exact words. I may have missed a "the" or "and" in there or something :lolol:
     
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  23. FeartheBeard

    FeartheBeard Well-Known Member

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    Wow. We are coming unglued as a team if this is what is coming out of our coaches mouth.
     
  24. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    Sadly, that Devin was gone before the Steelers made their choice.
     
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  25. SteelReal

    SteelReal Well-Known Member

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    They weren't getting Devin White, but they could have had Devin Lloyd this past draft.
     
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