Dri Archer and Josh Harris

Does anyone have a theory on why they are a part of this team? It's obvious that our coaching staff doesn't believe that they are capable since they picked a homeless guy off the street and started him. The guy doesn't even know the plays and we threw him out there because what the hell?! This kind of crap is just one reason why Tomlin drives me up the f'in wall. He cut Blount and rather than attempting to replace him, he chose to ride with a couple of guys he had no faith in to back up a RB that was on his way to 380+ touches. Did Mike Tomlin really never consider that LeVeon Bell might get injured and we'd need a viable backup on the roster?

We drafted a midget in the 3rd round who isn't a rushing threat, isn't a receiving threat, can't return punts or kickoffs, and absolutely cannot pick up a blitz. Nice job TomlinColbertRooney!

 

Somebody is gonna have a lot of explaining to do to the Boss!

 

come on man, they are rookies. had no choice on blount and its not like pro bowl backs were available

 

They did the right thing in cutting ties with Blount even though it hurt.

The jury is still out on Harris but his YPC average in college was a shade over 4 which isn't exciting.

Dri Archer does not look like he belongs in the NFL. Maybe the Arena League, but not the NFL.

 

This speaks volumes about the state of this team and the clowns currently steering the ship. Tate gets cut by two teams this season and has to come off the street and start in the playoffs for us. That's ridiculous! Tomlin and his staff were unprepared to replace a back that was carrying an insane workload all season. Very similar to how unprepared the entire team looked tonight, throughout the season to subpar teams. The standard is the standard.

 

I agree that the Dri Archer experiment needs to end 3 weeks ago but Harris did not do horribly bad for being a rookie and never playing in a real NFl game, let alone a play off game. I also think that cutting Blount was the right call but it was piss poor management only carrying Bell and Archer. After they got rid of Blount they should have developed a more sound plan, that did not include Dri Archer.

 

The minute we released Blount we should of looking for another back. Colbert this is on you.

 

Lots of stuff is on Colbert. Mike Adams, Jarvis Jones, Cam Thomas, Mike Mitchell....The Steelers are mediocre now for the same reason they were mediocre to plain bad in the 1980's. Dumb player decisions.

 

Big time agree. Why we went so long without having a backup plan besides our cute little "experiment" is beyond me.

 

They did nothing for us tonight_none of them.

Why were we trying to get Archer in the game all night? Was the 1st round playoff game the time to start this experiment?

Why wasn't Brown returning every kick? He's dynamic and a threat every time he touches the ball. This is a playoff game field your best or go home.

 

I think the real problem with the Archer pick is WHERE he was picked. Trust me I've been EXTREMELY down on this pick since it happened but he can't help where he got picked. I just think when you're a team with as many question marks going forward as we have you need to make more practical picks instead of reaching for a guy that MIGHT make a few splash plays at BEST. There's just not room for that on a 53 man roster. Also Archer can't help the way Tomlin and Haley decide to use him either. To expect him to pick up a blitz is one of the most asinine things there is. Honestly, there are probably people on this board that could blow him up because of his small size. I WANT to be wrong about him but I don't think I'm gonna be. I mean I just really don't see what he brings to the table and especially given that Bell is an every down back.

 

We cut archer, he'll end up as elddelman's replacement on the patt nest year

 

guess it's time to fall asleep all pi**ed off. Check you guys tomorrow
Nite

 

I don't necessarily disagree but Bell is also on Colbert as well too though right? I'd say in the NFL one big hit probably covers for 3 or 4 big misses. Because long after all those guys are gone we'll probably still be singing the praises of Bell and talking about how great of a pick it was too ya know? The same goes for AB. The same goes for Troy. The same goes for Heath. I know it might not seem like Colbert has done a lot lately compared to some of the guys he had a hand in getting that built our last championship teams but still we've got some good picks too. I think Tuitt might be another that we're gonna enjoy for a while as well. Colbert has certainly not been perfect though.

 

Well, the standard being the standard and all...

But seriously - I think we set that standard too high for ourselves, and expect our picks to be more 'hit' than 'miss'. So when we get 1 out of xx we get all hot under the collar and say that Colbert must go, etc. Granted, it seems to be a consistent pattern over a number of years, but I don't think you can look at any one team and say that they hit more than 1 really good player every other season. IMO.

 

Some good comments here but I have to agree with blount.. Taking Archer in the 3rd was a fundamentally very bad decision. It was the definition of "A Reach". Even if he pans out, even if he turns to gold... He woulds been there in the 4th, 5th and maybe not even drafted at all.

 

P.S. Pardon my typing, I been drinking... I am also a Bama fan, its been a very bad football week.

 

I agree. He has had his share of good picks but it seem we go from one extreme to another. AB to Archer. Tuitt to Cam Thomas. Heath to whatever 7th round TE you want to choose from. I know you can't hit on everyone but some of these guys are just awful. Landry Jones? Richardson? I mean we actually moved up in the draft to get some of these guys. Mike Adams? Everyone with eyes knew Adams was a waste.

 

Put the guy in motion out of backfield and create mismatches with hod speed

 

it baffles me the number of quality running backs that were available after the dri pick, that have shown they are capable.

 

I actually saw a few things put of Archer that were positive when he got to play.

 

He's fine if you can get him in the open with *no* defenders around him. But his problem is he gets pushed around very easily - one touch and he's thrown back 3 yards by a small CB.

 

I don't know how I feel about Colbert at this point. This year's draft was a mixed bag for me.
Hated the Shazier pick. I thought we passed up a chance to draft an all-pro ILB in Mosely (turns out I was right).
Loved the Tuitt pick. Excellent value pick as the injury pushed a first round talent into the second round.
Hated the Archer pick.
Loved the Bryant pick
Liked McCullers and Zumwalt picks

The whole Landry Jones/Shamarko Thomas debacle turning into a missed opportunity to draft Louis Nix this year drove me crazy.

Of course I thought the 6th round pick of a tiny MAC WR out of Central Michigan was a waste at the time so what the heck do I know. I also loved getting Mike Adams in the second.

 

Harris can stay, I dont think we have seen enough of him to see what he has to offer.

Archer is a curse, hes gotta go!!!!

 

At that point though they had Blount...they didn't need a backup RB or anything and went with a potential "splash" player.

As someone else said I think the biggest thing with Archer is people associate him with being picked in the 3rd round...had he been say a 5th or later, not many would care as much. Plus he is still a rookie guys...who's been given VERY limited playing time.

And if you look at the players taken between when he was picked and the next Steelers pick (or even the END of the 4th round)...theres not much there that jumps out at you. There were maybe a couple depth players at CB/RB, but thats about it. And if they went with one of them they'd see the field even less and people would be complaining even more.

He has shown a few flashes in pre-season and a few other times that with the proper play/setup/etc he can be dangerous. Yes he's small, so he does need some initial blocking to be able to break out and such (for example the time Heath got whipped on the run play with Archer...had Heath got a good block that side of the field looked open). Look at De'Anthony Thomas from KC...he's done well in the same role...and the Steelers need to look at how they are using him.

I wouldn't mind seeing if he can bulk up any during the off season, which could help him some. Obviously he doesn't have a ton of body mass to do so, but still.

If by his 3rd year he hasn't done anything or been given the chance to...then yes it was probably a wasted pick...but to say he is right now...is not fair.