Steelers vs. Colts Post Game Thoughts

Well now that Game 2 is in the books, whats everyones thoughts/opinions on tonights game?? What needs improved?

 

Another sit on the edge of your seat kinda win...almost blew it...looks like we've picked right back up with last year's Red Zone lack of td's...Ford looked good in the 4th...looked like a mini-BUS.

 

Is it just the vanilla defense or was our secondary getting lit up a little bit there? It wasn't just Andrew Luck that looked good at times out there...

What is up with all those 12 men penalties....after 2 games I'm not sure about our depth in a lot of areas yet....

 

Starters look pretty good. Our oline still has a ways to go. Recvrs are fine. Ikr got an pick six.Rainey proved that he can take a lickin and keep on tickin.

 

I thought the standout players were Johnson (QB), Gilreath (WR), and Hrapmann (K). Once again starters left with the lead. Ben didn't get sacked and there were no major injuries. All in all, a great preseason game.

I say keep the rookie K and dump Suisham

 

Pretty bland game. Got out pretty healthy.

I am concerned with our O Line. Run blocking was pretty weak. Not much of a pocket all day long...against the Colts. Adams looks like he has the frame, but was toast out there. Anyone have an evaluation of DeCastro? Or Colon at RG?

 

I thought the starters played well enough for the pre season. I was shocked to see Ike hold onto his pick six! Our line gained more experience playing together and I look forward to reading the detailed reviews on how Adams and Decastro played. I'm by no means and expert so I rely on all your comments for more detailed insight. #18 made some great catches and seems to have the desire to make this team. Some of our kids on defense seemed to leave the middle open in the 4th. They had several big gaines there. Overall I'm happy and we seemed not to greatly increase our medical issues.

 

Looked like Gilbert was getting beat on the left side this week as well. I don't think they should be moving him at all. Let him stay at right like he did all last season and build on it. Why would you screw with it?

 

I was glad to see Lamarr come off the edge and get a sack. I wish we'd have played better on defense near the goal line but you could really make a strong case that Luck shouldn't have scored on that slide anyway. But I'd say given that Mendy and Redman were both out that our offense still managed to move the ball. I LOVED all the blocking downfield during AB's td. If we just play as a team we will be tough to beat.

 

Baron Batch blocks well ,but still appears to run without vision or Power...
Dwyer looks good and is more of a shifty type runner even though he is a bigger RB....
Rainey is a great weapon and his speed will be very nice for us to have....
Ford looked strong and could battle Batch for a roster spot IMO....

The OL was a mixed bag...Pouncey ,Colon,Decastro, and Foster looked pretty good to me....
Gilbert looked slower than Adams at LT IMO....Adams is clearly a great run blocker ,but he will need help from the scheme and the play calling in the passing game....I think he will look a lot better next to Colon and he will be the starting LT.....

The Defense as a whole looked solid to me,the DL got a good push and won the LOS IMO....To much open space for TE'S in the middle ,I know we didn't use a full play book ,but we must do better against the TE'S.....

Our GL work not so good mainly because of missing the Power at RB IMO, and the Vanillia play calling.....I look forward to game 3 as I think Redman will be ready and we will use more of a game plan,we must score TD'S....I am sure the staff is all over that and this will be Goal #1 this week in practice....We have been seeing a lot of 3 WR looks at the Gl with no TE'S,I expect we will see some more Rocket packages with 2 TE'S and 1 WR...I think the Redman/Rainey package will be getting our best 11 on the field for that type of situation....

 

Uh, have I missed something?

 

Sorry Colon...lol...Worked late watched game late then rewatched only 2 hours sleep lol..

 

Made me think harder than I really wanted to for a Monday morning, lol

 

I think Gilreath and Johnson made the team last night. Beachum should be cut, not a good showing in two games. Johnson is a keeper at FB. As for the play our offense was about as bland with the starters as it could get. Glad they didn't show anything but in the same aspect it would be nice to open up the playbook a bit. Starters on defense looked good. Like the depth at D-Line. Concerned we are so banged up at LB. Hopefully Worilds and Harrison get healthy and soon. After the first three CB's it is anyone's guess. I figure the kid from Texas will be the 4th CB but after that who knows...

Glad no one was lost last night to injury. Really need to get Starks healthy and ready to go. I think Adams will be good at LT but needs a year to work on getting up to the NFL speed. Overall a good game.

Suisham and the other kicker I would think would be in a battle. Should be interesting who we keep as the 3 QB's. My opinion it should be Ben, Batch and Johnson just because Batch I think is a cheaper option than Leftwich.

 

That one push into the end zone where they took back the td from Ballard there were at least two guys watching and doing nothing to stop the rush.

 

Jerrod Johnson looks like a keeper. He can make the throws and is athletic. Liked the way he handled the rush.

 

marshall mcfadden looked pretty good at ILB down there on that series. baker got credit from the announcers on that first stuff, but that was MM that hit him and stopped him dead.

 

Who? #8? i thought everyone wanted him cut last week? :-D

 

1. Troy = Batman and Ryan = Robin
2. Hines is going to say "whatnot" about a thousand times while commentating this year.
3. Cut Essex already
4. Dwyer is the real deal, he needs to start
5. Maze should not be returning punts, he only knows how to go east/west
6. Hrapmann and Butler seem to be serviceable
7. Our special teams coach needs a slap in the face. The o-line on the last field goal didn't even block the guys in front of them, they just put their heads down and I would be willing to bet last night is not the first time they've done this.

 

I have to agree with you on the three standot players you chose, they really had great games. Also I stated in another post that I feel that the rookie kicker Hrapman should be our kicker and they should let Suisham go. I feel Hrapman has a stronger leg and he had no problem kicking at Heinz. The tipped kick at the end was the lines fault. They let two Colts players leap over them to get their hands on the ball, howerer the kick still went in.

One bad thing that I noticed is that Marcus Gilbert got beat at left tackle. He didn't have a good game. I don't know why the Steelers insist on screwing with this guy by switching him to LT? They should just leave him on the right side and let him get better from last year. They are making a mistake by moving him to the left side. I hope they wake up and move him back to the right side and leave him their. Let Adams and Starks battle it out for the starting job. If that doesn't work, put Essex over their until one of them gets it right. Another option is to pick up a pure left tackle who gets cut from another team during the last cuts before the season starts.

 

I want you to know that is a very good observation. I just stated that in a post above. Gilbert was getting beat and didn't look good at all on the left side. Why do the Steelers persist on switching this guy. Just leave him on the right side and let him get better. That way the line would be almost set with Colon RG, Pouncey C, DeCastro RG, and Gilbert RT. The Left Tackle spot is the only spot that is not settled. Adams and Starks will settle that. They need to let the line work together for the rest of the pre-season with the four I named above and let Adams and Starks settle the LT situation. As I see it, Gilbert is not a left tackle. He is best suited for the right tackle spot which he played all of last season!

 

Passing game appears to be improving. Defense seems a bit less aggressive. Run game appears to be improving.

O-Line blocking on that last field goal left a bit to be desired.

Overall, the team looks good. It's the preseason.

 

the only trouble about gilbert Edog, is he was getting beat worse on the right side last week. maybe adams should go to the right and see what he does. he sure can run block. we are in LT hell right now. i'd love to see a vet brought in after some cuts. the line just doesn't look very good at all. more work to do, thats all we can do.

 

What I was most impressed with was the play of Gilberth, he looked good, better they any of the other receivers who are trying to be the 5th receiver, I like his desire. Also I really like what the recently signed FB Jason Ford did. The announcers started calling him the Mini Bus, looked a little like Bettis. Looks like he can run, I like him. Hopefully he puts in some work in the next two pre-season games and makes the team. Will Johnson can then go back to TE. Ford definently runs better then Johnson. He is a true FB. I hope the Steelers have found a gem!