After two games, What changes to the lineups would you make?

If they are half of the four wides...Ben wont have much choice

HACK

 

More Wheaton and Moye, less Manny.
More Felix period w/ Dwyer breaking it up for him.
Accept the fact or seek therapy that Redman is and never will be a starting back in this league.
"Note to self, Valasco, keeper" .
More Beachum, anywhere, like now!

 

Normally I agree with you Hack, but this one worries me. I haven't seen any tape on these young WR's, but if they aren't able to run good routes and get separation, then two things could result 1) Ben holds the ball longer and we complain about sacks or 2) Ben forces the ball in tight coverage and we see more INT's.

I just don't know that throwing the young WR's into the fire is really the answer we need. Yes, it would be nice to get Ben a bigger target than our Smurfs, but I just don't know that these guys will cut it.

Maybe everyone just needs more practice reps, if we're dropping the ball in the 1st half and catching in the second, then friggen show up a few hours early and get some better quality practice reps catching the ball. Seems to me that we are still in preseason mode and just going through the motions.

 

the only time i really see Wheaton on the field is on punt coverage. i dont think he has been on the field for actual offensive plays very much if at all. Moye has been in there a few times and has a td reception.

i think you are assuming something that isnt actually happening. if those guys are in and they get open Ben will throw them the ball.

 

I saw him on the field quite a bit the other night. I kept telling my dad every time he would come out there "well we know where Ben is NOT going to throw it" and I was right. He wasn't targeted once. He was actually right beside Cotch when they ran that ridiculous end around and I almost jumped on to the sidelines to punch Haley in the pancreas!

 

I thought Wheaton wasn't seeing the field, but if he is they should target him on a deep bomb early in the games just to set a tone and keep defenses honest, much like Wallace was used. If they don't honor the deep ball they can just sit there and take our other 2 WR's out of the game.

I would also get Will Johnson in there to block as a FB on run plays, I don't understand why he doesn't play? If our line stinks, why not help them out?

 

i havent noticed him really at all. i looked around the net to see if there was a number of snaps he was actually involved in. on behind the steel curtain.com it says he has been in on 5 plays in 2 games. compared to Cotch being in for 47. thats not enough for that kid.

 

I don't believe they have the trust in Wheaton just yet. And from his preseason he didn't do anything spectacular. I would go with Moye first.

 

TRUST. Probably my pet peeve word that I HATE to hear our coaches say. We struggle and use vets who can't make plays even if they are in the right position instead of playmaking youthful players who aren't always in the right place. It is true on offense and on defense.

We should have let Sanders go and I think we do this offseason. We need a big physical and fast WR. I personally am pimping the guy out of Texas A&M. We need a true every down TE to add to the mix. Heath can do it all. Paulson can only catch. Johnson can only block and not great. Palmer is a fill in only and special teams guy.

I honestly think the Oline will get better as the year goes along, but the only way this offense has ANY success is if they can figure out how to run the ball. Looking back there was a year where Cowher left the run first Steeler way with Tommy Maddox. We didn't become what we were under Ben until that was abandoned out of necessity with Tommy getting hurt and a rookie QB starting for us. We MUST figure out how to run the ball. I don't think this is completely about lack of talent. I think some of it is mentality. We don't believe we can move guys out of the way at the line and have started using Ben's ad libbing as the offense. We are in a very dangerous place IMO.

If we are 0-4 at the bye week, I expect some major changes and youth playing over age because at that point....we aren't resurrecting ourselves and making the playoffs.

 

You are a better skeptic than I am about the oline. I do believe they will get better because they can't get any worst. But by time they do it will be week 14 and we will be close to the Clowney sweepstakes.

 

I defintely get what you are saying...but to me at this point...I think its time to throw everything plus the kitchen sink into the ring.... I would rather watch Wheaton drop a 3 6 yard pass one 3 and 10 than watch Cotchery make the catch and get tackled.

Cotchery...solid vet...reliable...but he is not going to take a Dink or dunk the distance like Wheaton might....he is not going to out leap any DB for a jump ball like Moye might.

Cotchery reliable..if unspectacular < Wheaton and Moye....SHOCK AND AWE....maybe a little friendly fire as well...but I am willing to live with it for chance at some chunk yardage and 3rd down conversions.

HACK

 

cotch is leading in yards per catch. ben trusts him. he is the 2nd tallest receiver we have at 6-1. you can't throw the ball over him, high and behind him and expect completions with YAC. when was the last time we saw ben hit a WR on the run with an accurate pass in stride?

 

Probably in the gnats game last year when he hit Mike Wallace.

 

max starks is a ram now.