My thoughts on the Steelers/Bills game

The defense needed to do a better job of shutting down Singletary.
Fichtner is a idiot, trying to get cute with the direct handoff to Conner then to Johnson on the Bills 10 yard line . Stop with that stupid wildcat already, it hasn't worked since the Bengals game.
The Steelers OL got worked by the Bills, they did a bad job of picking up blitzes.
Hodges on the last drive didn't spike the ball, let too much time run off the clock, then threw a int .
Tomlin and Fichtner their offensive game plan was trash.

 

Same situation as Rudolph against Cleveland. The big difference being MR lost all his weapons by halftime...

 

Not to make any excuses for the Steelers, they are shorthanded
on offense, with a very unimaginative offensive coordinator. Folks there is a reason
the Duck was not drafted. As you saw last night as the level of competition
rises his experience playing top flight competition reflects this. Without a top flight
OC to help these 2 young Qb's we are in trouble. They both will need coached up big time.

 

We also have an idiot for an OC. Where are quick slants to beat the blitz. They did know Buffalo liked to blitZ , right? That wildcat inside 10 was a horrendous call.

The DC isn’t without blame. You know their QB struggles against the blitz but has a strong arm. On two 3rd and long, assler plays vanilla defense. One play results in a TD.

Punter and Villeneva had a terrible game. Duck made two rookie like throws for interceptions.

 

Agreed 100%, Duck looked so much like Mason in that game. I remember saying they needed to sit Mason because he was missing easy passes. Last night we saw that in Duck and it wasn't pretty, but the one thing I said Duch had over Mason was his ability to use his legs. Now yeah he did use them to avoid the rushers but he needed to pull it down and run. jmo

 

Mccullers, vince, chickillo played way too many snaps.

Pouncey and AV are not very good this year.

berry needs to go.

OC and DC stink.

O Line is awful.

defense needs to make tackles and tighten up coverage. Same old story. 1 good play 5 bad plays doesn't make a good defense. The personnel groupings are not good for down and distance. Stupid penalties kill us. Still miscommunication going on. In a big fight game vince, mccullers and chickillo should never be on the same field at the same time. What the he'll does deputy hound dog see in these guys? Edmunds has to react quicker and the guy that was covering the TE needs to stay with him instead of covering open grassy areas. Way too many bills fans were allowed in our home.

 

Yea Devin Bush needs to be on the field more over guys like Chickillo and whoever else. You didn’t move up 10 spots in the draft to have Bush playing half the snaps. And yea another thing Randy Fitchner is a total moron and needs to go period. He has lost his mind and probably never had one to begin with.

 

The defense did all it could be asked to do..... They were on the field far too long and put in bad positions throughout the game.....

The offensive play calling was basically offensive..... I get to an extent keeping the runners fresh, but at the same time, a runner needs to get into the flow of a game and the constant substitutions made it impossible to get any type of rythm..... Fitchner didn't do duck any favors either.... No play action.... No no huddle.. anything to throw the bills defense off it's rythm, and at least help out the o-line.... but instead, it's the same ol same ol each series..... Newsflash!!!!
What works against Cincinnati won't necessarily work against a real defense

 

I think a high powered offense would school our defense. Butler still not good

 

Like what is Randy Fitchner’s crowning achievement as a football coach?? Like what is he thinking calling some of these plays trying to get Johnny Holton the ball and running the wildcat and just every moronic bad call you can come up with. It’s insane how bad this guy is at his job.

 

I agree with a lot you say here, however I know you are not a VW fan but imo he is the least of our problems. It is pretty funny our oline looked pretty good the last 2 weeks with Finney at center but then again we were playing the Cards and Clowns not a stout D like the bills. The oline however as a whole has to do better. If big Dan was to never step foot on the field in a steelers uni I would be a happy man. Fitch is a lost cause but I am still hopeful on Butler......jmo

 

At the start of the season, some people were singing his praises because of the improvement in red-zone % last year.

Haley had problems with his abrasive personality and some of his game-day play calling, but the Steelers would have been better off if he was still the OC. He would have known how to help 2 QBs with little experience.

 

You can't put any of this loss on the Steelers defense Outside of a good throw and catch in the 4th qt by Allen and John Brown.
John Brown is a Steelers killer by the way. Did it last year with the Ravens and this year with the Bills. I can see why the Steelers wanted him this past off season in FA.

Jordan Berry horrific punt put them on a short field and they went and scored.
Make it a normal punt they might hold them to a FG. +4 Points

Bad INT that got returned to the 18, steelers held to to 3.

Don't have the bad punt and don't throw the pick, and then don't fumble at the 10 out of the wildcat.
Steelers probably win 17-10 or something instead.

 

A wide open TE in the EZ is a big problem. Vince the so called run stuffer missing tackles is a problem. Vince still chasing receivers as they run last him and make catches is a problem. Mccullers being moved aside by the center to make a big side run lane for the back is a problem. The bills moved the ball pretty easy at times. He had way too much time to look for receivers too. The defense is not without fault in this one either. All 3 phases had let downs lastnight.

 

And Duck hasnt had any real weapons out there since..+ the defense he was playing against was a top 5, what was clevlands D ranked at the time?

 

IDK What was their D ranked? I know they have a lot of talent on D. A lot less minus Garrett when Hodges faced them and at home. I’m not really interested in a tit for tat argument about either guy. Neither one has had enough time to prove anything yet, good or bad. You’re convinced MR is scared I don’t subscribe to that theory so it’s hard to have a fair conversation. I will leave it at both guys have been exposed and both need help from the coaches and their teammates to eventually be successful.

 

Agree 100% and I'll add a few more

Way too much running from for Singletary, (poor linebacking and McCullers)?

Fichtner is a idiot. Should be fired at end of season, no matter what Ben thinks. So stupid play calling and game planning. Really another loss play on the wildcat at the 10. You know that on 3rd and 4 yds or longer the Bills are blitzing and you don't have a play designed for this.

The OL got manhandled some, especially Foster and Pouncy, bad job on blitz pickup.

Hodges on long throws has no accuracy and he just throws it up and hopes our receiver makes a play. Not an NFL arm. Ben's replacement is not on this team. Duck seemed like the game was too big for him

Tomlin and Fichtner their offensive game was horrible and of high school stuff.

Tomlin and DC should not go unnoticed, the Ravens showed them how to defense against the Bills. Every passing down they blitzed sometimes with 5 or 6 guys. Bills QB had no time at all and was hurried all game. Saw a few times we rushed only 3, and at times we rushed 4 but with Mccullers it was like rushing 3.

 

I just read that on the 4th and 7 we had Gentry,Vannett and Cain on the field. While I like Cain he hasn’t been here long enough to be put in that position. The same can be said about Gentry unless they were going to shock everyone by throwing it to him. No DJ on the field at that point in the game...inexcusable. I really can’t fathom what the coaching staff is thinking sometimes.

Rushing 4 but really 3 with Dan? More like rushing 5 with the effectiveness of 3....lol. Waste of space.....

 

4 rookie like throws

 

We had a wide open Washington on the field for the final play.

 

And why was 14 in the game so much? We don't have a better target?

 

The first interception on 3rd and 15 was a chance worth taking and just like a punt. His last throw was a Hail Mary as he was about to get sacked. I blame him for other two.

 

Any evidence to support this position that a high powered offense would school the Steelers defense?

 

Actually that was the 4th and 7 play with 2 minutes left. Agree he had a wide open JW on that play but there’s still no reason to have Gentry and Cain on the field especially after a time out., when you could have corrected it. The last play was the throw to JW in the corner that was picked as well.