I gotta give Tomlin/Austin their flowers

Getting Dugger and moving Ramsey to FS completely elevated this defense. They've been playing Steelers football these past 3 games and I'm loving it. I hope they can keep this up down the stretch.

I don't know what illness Holcomb has, but the ILBs looked better with Malik getting reps.

If I'm going to bash Tomlin, I also have to recognize the good decisions he makes as well, and this adjustment has been their best coaching decision in a decade.

 

What some people need to understand is just because it's not working, doesn't mean they aren't changing things. Not all schemes, and changes for certain things work, or are good, but it doesn't mean they aren't being done.

 

Not sure what you mean. I've been posting about the schematic changes for years.

 

That wasn't to you, I just used Your thread for it. That's why I said some people . Because some people think just because it's not working that they aren't changing things up.

 

Agreed, but not getting pass rush pressure, from Watt is a concern. This defense needs him. A quicker, more mobile Qb is going to kill us, even with these DB moves

 

I agree. Credit is due when they make good decisions. Now, let's see them sustain that consistently on the road in Chicago.

 

I thought Malik was fairly pedestrian yesterday. Would love to get Peppers and Holcomb back in the mix.

 

Its kinda hard to get the pass rush going when QBs are hitting their first read. He's been batting a few balls down these past few weeks so I think he's going to be fine. I think our edges should drop back into a shallow zone more often TBH; they can bat passes or even get INTs on these slants.

 

Steelers are 4-1 in one score games this season. Meanwhile KC is 0-5...after going 12-0 last season.

 

that first read stuff is Flacco, other mobile, younger Qb’s will take more time and maneuver in the pocket. I think Watt has been having real trouble dealing with even single teams. More than a timing issue i think. I’d like to see our DB’s get more physical at the LOS and send more than 4

 

Those were really good moves but also being overlooked is the shift to more zone. This has allowed our secondary and linebackers to read and react, also it has made the opposing QBs hold the ball longer which has allowed our pass rush to ramp up the pressure.

 

The Steelers never make any adjustments they have been running the same defense for twenty years

 

Pretty impressive to hold Chase and Higgins to a combined under 100 yards receiving, after they torched them the first time.

 

I seen JPJ jam Chase at the LOS at least once in the game.

 

Don't look now but your Steelers defense is becoming respectable. Wasn't a complete believer until the smackdown on CIN in gm2.

[first group is YAC allowed; second group is total yds allowed]

 

This is Tomlin's "superpower"...well, this and player motivation.

Career, he's something like 98-61-2 in one score games. And 24-11 since Ben retired. [Note: I think these stats are from sometime this year, but will be missing at least a few games from this year]

He knows how to win the ugly games. Which is why we've been able to do reasonably well with mostly bad QB play since Ben got hurt.

 

It's more on the other side (LT), but for some reason the Bengals are also allowed to false start on what seems like every pass play.

 

Changes in the secondary seem to have made a big difference.

And looks like Ramsey won't be suspended? Or at least I don't think it was announced...and they've already announced Chase's suspension (which is going to **** me in FF).

 

The Steelers played man coverage against the Bengals the first game and go slaughtered. The Bengals went with the same successful game plan the second game and the Steelers D played zone and confused Flacco and company. I give Tomlin and Austin credit as well for changing the game plan. That is a rarity these days.

 

The league is ever changing and teams adapt. What worked against the Bengals may not work against the Bears. If Tomlin and Austin can adjust as needed we should be fine