The biggest thing about the first preseason game is...

This

 

Pretty much this.

I appreciate that these games are all played in low gears... and at least we managed few injuries... but last season we started the first few regular games in this kind of form as well. I still want to see some execution out there, even if it's on vanilla plays.

The one player I would probably stick up a little for here is Worilds. Yes, he made some boneheaded plays, but it was his first game filling JH's shoes. He wants to show he's a mean badass. And it is only preseason. If that carries over into the regular season, of course, then we're in a bit more trouble.

 

I do understand where you are coming from JA 58/59. It just doesn't seem that we play with any emotion or passion on a consistent basis as a team. And although this is just one meaningless preseason game.I also feel that Coach T does not do a good enough job MOTIVATING these players on a weekly basis. Yes, I know what is coming, well they are professionals he shouldn't have to motivate them. This is where he comes up terribly short. Sort of like the unleash hell week. This is what I see from coach T.

 

Hey! Lay off number 22! He signed my hat and was a very nice guy to boot!

 

I think even though the team only won one Superbowl under Cowher and the end of Noll's tenure, we grew accustomed to a team that at least looked like they wanted to kick the crap out of someone.

 

Well, face it. Have we seen fire under this team since the likes of Bettis and Joey Porter left? Noone is doing a Ray Lewis job of making the guys care.

 

but this is the NFL now days. New Finesse League. Not Fysical League < ok that's pushing it. Nice Fun League.

 

To an extent. But it's not like every game is the pro bowl. To me, the Giants looked hungrier, and played with more explosion. Maybe that's eye of the beholder stuff, who knows.

I don't think it's as simple as hanging this around Tomlin, though. Fire can come from anywhere. Tomlin will never be a jump up and down guy, and I like that about him. His assistants can be. I thought Haley was going to be. What worries me more than this is that there seems to be something "lost in translation" between training ground/practice field and the actual game. That needs fixing by Week 1.

 

they need work and just not the young guys. I saw pouncey being pushed back into ben. I saw gilbert pushed around. I saw cam heyward pushed around. DD missed blocks. foster missed blocks.

the cruz TD was the stupidest defense I've ever seen us play. foote was the OLB and ended up taken up field by one guy 15yds. behind the pocket. keisel was the ILB and started in ( and would have been right in mannings face) but decided to reroute to the left of ziggy whom i'm pretty sure was at NT. worilds then took the RB across the middle, because he was at RILB in coverage. if he would have stayed put that ball would have hit him right in the face. everyone blames gay for that one but clark,foote,keisel,worilds,troy all helped that completion.

little things like that are part of leadership on the field that has to translate for the young guys to see. MT is not the cheerleader for them. he expects them to show these kids the way and they are dropping the ball. another reason I wanted to keep james Harrison here.

I still think he would teach Jarvis that mean part of steeler football and a lot more than he is given credit for. it is what it is though. who is the vet that's the physical leader that's left here? troy? keisel? ziggy? ike? gay? foote?(he tries to be, but his play doesn't show it). clark is about the only one I can think of. heath on offense but that's by example only. Woodley? (you have to be on the field playing hard to show anyone).

maybe worilds wasn't the smartest guy that night, but he plays physical. it's Timmons time to take the defense off of whomever is trying to set the pace for us and get physical. I hope mclendon will help him, get the troops fired up and handing out azz whoopins.

 

Don't get me wrong...I am sure he is a nice guy and probably signs a good hat....but he will spend more than his fair share of whiffing at guys feet before the year is over.

HACK

 

Im not really getting this either. I will be the first to acknowledge we were big time flat last year, but I didnt see that in the preseason game to be honest. Even the crowd was pretty into it considering it was preseason.

 

For lack of a better argument because I'm not in the locker room nor a professional player, wasn't it someone on here, if I remember correctly, that posted/told a story about al micheals talking about how great of a player motivator tomlin was. "that he can get the most out of any player".
Has that changed or was it never there?

Also, we are all well aware of what number 22 brings to the table. It's Aloe Vera for the burns.

 

The best thing about game 1 is it is over and we are healthy.

I'm more concerned about Tomlin motivating his players for week 1 of the regular season than week 1 of preseason. I find it hard to believe the starters were giving it their all. As far as the guys trying to win a spot or win a position, why does Tomlin need to motivate them? If they can't get up for that opportunity, then they may not be worthy of it.

 

Ah San Diego, Dallas, Cincy last year. Do you see a trend?

 

22 had pretty good coverage on that TD play. He should have had safety help over the top. I think he was in proper position. That position is so hard to play in this day of the NFL where you really cannot even touch a WR and if you see any Victor Cruz highlights, he usually burns CB by a significant margin and Gay was close to him. Where were Troy and Clark? That's right, they were way out of position.

Steeler fans expect our CBs to be able to blanket every receiver and our WRs to be able to be wide open every play. Not a reality in this game.

Eli made a perfect pass into pretty good coverage - Cruz was not totally wide open and Eli really took advantage of our safeties on that play.

I am not a Willie Gay fan by any means, but I also will not simply jump on him every time another team makes a play and he is in the area, if it wasn't totally on him.

 

Sounds to me like you would like to watch the old run and shoot offense that Houston tried decades ago. Personnally I like the ground and pound, move the chains, eat the clock offense that gives a defense more rest to do their thing.
The Bengals always have room on their bandwagon. They may be the quick strike offense that you are looking for, although in the end they usually don't pan out very well.

I liked what I saw of the running game for the most part in that ugly preseason game. Clean it up some and those high powered offenses won't see the field much.

 

It's been put out to many times in this thread.

Could I get an explanation of what it means to be flat??

I see flat as "going thought the motions".

This idea is something I saw but not from everyone. Maybe from a few starters. Definetly noT everyone: see Jason worrilds.

 

I agree, I feel that "flat", means coming out with a lack of intensity.
Not playing hard, or without obvious effort and emotion.
I didn`t see that, so much as a lack of focus, and discipline.
I could kinda forgive them if it was just "flat".
Kinda hard to get really fired up for a game when the win or loss doesn`t matter, and as a starter, you know you ain`t playin the whole game, anyhow.
But I thought they did put forth plenty of effort.
They just seriously lacked focus, and discipline, in committing the penalties they did.
Also, in Ben having to call TWO timeouts in the 1st gtr, etc, etc...