Self inflicted wounds.

In 6 losses....the Steelers have lost the Turn Over battle 17-4

Only the Broncos and Peyton Manning would still have beaten the Steelers if you take away points after turnovers.


denver 1-1 (lost by 12 Broncos scored 7 points off turnovers

Oakland 2-1 (lost by 3 Raiders scored 10 points off turnovers

Tenn 1-1 (lost by 3 Titans scored 3 points off turnovers and 7 by blocked punt

Balt 3-0 (lost by 3 Ravens scored 6 points off turnovers and 7 by punt return

Brown 8-1 (lost by 7 Browns Scored 17 off turnovers

Chargers 2-0 (lost by 10 Chargers Scored 14 off turnovers


The Steelers have the top ranked defense in the league...# 1 against the pass # 5 against the rush...but 29th in take aways...and they are in a 4way tie for #30 for INT's


Which again is why I am all in on David Amerson.....he does what none of our other DB's do ......INT'S!!!


HACK

 

I don't think the issue is our players, I think it's the scheme. Our scheme doesn't put our players in a position to force turnovers. Sure, we should have a few more due to drops, but that's the case for every single team around the league. Defensive players always drop balls, not just our guys, but our guys seem to be around the ball much, much less than every other team I watch, and that includes some of the worst teams in the league.

I'd much rather a defence that forces turnovers and gets sacks but gives up a few more yards and points.

 

Not so sure. This same scheme saw plenty of turnovers and sacks just several years ago and did so consistently for years prior to that. It's the players more than scheme. For two years now we haven't been Able to put near enough pressure on the QB. No QB pressure = fewer QB mistakes = fewer interceptions

 

The penalties have been killing the team all year along with the turnover battle.

 

We gotta get healthy and stay healthy. It's sad when your five tech DL is getting better pass rush than the LB's.

 

Ive watched Amerson all year...I think he most likely goes in the top 15 picks of the second round.....If Te'o is gone...I am all in on Amerson.


HACK

 

It all starts with the pass rush. It doesn't matter who you have in coverage. Plus we need someone on our defensive left side at DE. Every team always run to that side and gets good yardage. Ziggy Hood is not the answer. When Woodley is in there it's a little better but I know when Aaron Smith occupied that side it was much much better.

 

Oh...just go get another Aaron Smith..that sounds easy enough.

Hood had a very solid game against SD IMO...Guy was sniffing out screens left and right...and was chasing Rivers all day.

HACK

 

I know it's not easy getting another Aaron Smith but to me Ziggy doesn't hold the point of attack on his side. He is constantly getting moved off the line. I wish i had a chart to see where all the running yardage have been made this year. It would not surprise me if it's on that side.

 

The problem with our DB's is that they are looking for the big hit, instead of looking for the ball.

 

I was on record before the season started
and stated the single most important thing
I was worried about was being able to get pressure on the QB.
The Qb's and the rules allowed today make it very hard
to force TO if you get no pressure on the opposing teams QB.
Most QB'S in the Nfl are pretty accurate but under pressure even
the good ones will make mistakes. pressure will also make your DB's
look better than what they really are.

 

That's the problem Hack. We need more tackling and less chasing

 

The lack of turnovers on defense and the inability to get off the field on 3rd down has been a problem in nearly ALL of our losses for the past 3 years. It's difficult to watch. I would even say that it is predictable from the first quarter. I said to my son yesterday in the 1st quarter that I did not have a good feeling about the game. First, because the offense couldn't get a first down - putting the defense back on the field over and over again - and second, because the defense could not stop SD on third down. Don't get me wrong - I want turnovers, but getting the other team to fourth down deep in their own territory is the same thing. When we lose - it seems to be those factors that make it happen. They've got 3 games to correct and prepare for the post season. There's still hope, people. There's still hope.

 

The defense has not been an issue since early in the year. They consistently stop the other team, but when the offense only can get 2 first downs thru the first 29 minutes and keeps giving the opponents the ball in our own territory (or midfield) what do you want? The D cannot stop them every time. The way I see it, the offense gave away 14 points and the coach gave away 3 (by stupidly going for it on 4th down vice punting).

Teams that rely on turnovers are a defense that eaither thrives off the turn-over one week, or gets burned severely the next. The way our defense has been playing, a semi-decent offense would have this team being a real winner. And if the offense could actually move the ball, the D would be even better.

The defense stopped the Chargers who had great field position for most of the game. They got ate up on the opening drive of the 3rd qtr. Since the offense could not do much ore than 3-4 plays per drive in the first half, the D did ok, but played way to much in the first half.

Other teams who can score or move the ball would love to have our D. If the Saints had our D, they would be dominent (or if we had half their offense, we would be).

 

Age old argument on here. Sorry but the offense playing poorly isn't a good excuse to give the D a free pass. Fact is a really good defense can get off the field on 3rd downs when they need to, force turnovers and sack the QB. Say what you want but the lack of turnovers and sacks (close to the bottom of the pack 2 years running now) hurt your scoring opportunity and it's not a coincidence that scoring is down when sacks and turnovers are also down. More often than not you lose the field position game you're gonna lose the football game. I don't know the stats but it seems like our offense is constantly staring at 80 yards of grass when they take the field versus our opponent. Helluva lot easier to score when you only need to go half that distance and sacks / turnovers greatly help with that. No doubt our offense needs major work but yesterday they all stunk up the joint, D included.

 

Okay, I will go with this thought...however, our DBs were TERRIBLE yesterday from the start of the game- even before they were gassed.

 

There was at least 4 times yesterday that Rivers just through the ball in the dirt to avoid being sacked......Good play by him to save the yardage....but still a loss of down.

There was pressure.

Turnovers create opportunities for your offense to score....the Steelers don't create many.....Just 1 more turnover a game and the Steelers are probably looking at 11-2 instead of 7-6

Yes...a solid pass rush will create opportunities for your DB's..but you still have to have a corner who can catch the ball when they get the chance.


HACK

 

I understand the need for turnovers but if we stop turning it over, we've only lost one game. So, where do you put your focus? Getting them or stopping giving them up? And if our offensive would score more points instead of giving up turnovers and settling for 3 pts, we're in another situation. I say fix the turnover problem and the rest will fall into place. Its time to stop depending on the defense and the offense start pulling their weight.

 

Depending on the defense to get NO TURNOVERS?

TURNOVERS are the problem....but if the defense gets 1 more a game...and the offense gets rid of 1 more a game....this team would be hard to beat.

HACK

 

I don't expect it on every series either but consider this. The Chargers had converted just 10 of 43 third-down chances in their previous three games, but they were 11 of 22 against the Steelers, including 5 of 5 on a 17-play scoring drive to start the second half, long before our guys should have been gassed. Slice it any way you want but that's terrible defensive performance and let's not forget it was also another game where they only had 1 sack and no forced turnovers. I agree with you that the offense was terrible as well but to try and say the D wasn't also a major contributor to yesterday's debacle simply isn't true.

 

Just as Hack eluded to you focus on both. The O needs to stop giving it up and the D needs to start taking it back. It's what they're paid to do on BOTH sides of the ball. If our D took the ball back just half as many times as our O coughs it up that'd be good enough for me.

 

HACK