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Why can't our WR's get separation?

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by 86WardsWay, Jan 4, 2022.

  1. SGSteeler

    SGSteeler Well-Known Member

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    Well its a few factors....

    DJ - Excellent route runner, only guy who really consistently gets himself open. Teams are starting to realize that he is our best option and are putting extra attention on him.

    Claypool - poor route runner, and VERY stiff in his hips. Has never really gotten himself open outside of running by people last year. Has really struggled catching the ball too due to poor catch mechanics. He has taken a huge step backwards and really needs to figure out how to win his reps and make contested catches, because thats how he is going to make it in the NFL if he does. I would say he's constantly covered due to his own inability to find separation on his own.

    JuJu - solid enough route runner, but he isnt a quick twitch athlete or burner in the speed department. He still understands his role and is good at positioning himself open. He has to get open the same way Hines did, which is using his brain and his understanding of the offense/defense to know where he needs to be and when. He does well bringing in those contested catches as well. Kinda a poor man's Anquan Boldin. Juju is a nice player, and we have missed him immensely this season. I would really like to retain him past this season if we can afford it. Him and DJ would be a pretty good 1-2 punch.

    McCloud - Not a natural receiver, more of just a returner who can line up at WR in a pinch. Injuries and Washington's inability to play WR at an NFL level has thrust him into a larger role than is ideal. He has okay hands though and has proven to at least be tough when he has been out there. He has made a few catches where he got instantly punished for hauling it in. I think he is just fine as a WR5/PR/KR.

    Washington - this dude blows. Nothing else to see here. Hasn't shown an ability to get open, win contested catches, do much of anything out there. He will be out of town next year and will be lucky to get a chance to make another NFL roster.

    Overall DJ and Juju are the best we have. Two solid players. Claypool has another couple years to figure it all out, but unless he gets more fluid and/or we find a QB who just loves to chuck it deep he might find it hard to flourish. I would be floored if we didnt draft another WR or sign someone in the offseason. The WR isnt awful, but it definitely needs a bit of work. It will need a lot of work if we dont manage to retain Juju.
     
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  2. MadtownDruankard

    MadtownDruankard Well-Known Member

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    These guys are horribly coached and/or just plain bad. Separation has a lot to do with route running. You can have speed but if you don't know how to run the route with good technique to create some separation then MOST nfl corners will stick to you like glue. That technique is probably the biggest aspect of jumping from college to the NFL. That and catching contested balls. We can't do either so it really makes me think coaching is 100% the issue. It's not a coincidence that the production dropped off dramatically after the passing of Darryl Drake.

    Most completions have a lot more to do with the WR using their body's and hand strength to make catches. Like in basketball getting your body in the correct position will allow you to go get a pass no matter how close the defender is to you. They do not fight for balls they usually wait for it to come to them. They usually get beat off the line as well so their route is toast from the start.

    Balance also seems to be an issue .... especially claypool. He jumps for balls and just falls to the ground. He struggles to keep his feet. He usually just miss times the jump and plays the ball horribly or just gives up on it. There were several really well thrown balls last nigth that should have been caught but poor wr play made them look like passes off the mark. These WR's are killing us. It's been a problem all season and the issues are the reason we have not seen any development from Claypool this season. I'd say he has regressed big time.

    I was watching some Ben career highlight videos and the WR play stuck out to me the most. It's night and day. Watching our WR's now is brutal. The contrast in play is shocking if you watch the old videos of Brown, Holmes, Ward, etc. I also sort of forgot just how good Ben was. Dude made plays I can't imagine anyone doing now days, he did it routinely. We got spoiled. But yea the WR's were SOOOO much better. It now makes sense why our most dependable WR's have been Juju and Pat. Johnson seems to do some things right but his hands are terrible and he has way too many mental lapses. He's a #3 WR until he can correct the consistency issues.

    Because of the lack of development at WR I think we have no choice but to resign juju. He'll probably be cheap compared to most vets given the injury. Due to the desperate needs on the O-line, ILB, DT, and SS I don't see how we can spend a premium draft pick on a WR. There's no reason why Claypool cannot be more of a deep threat. Maybe we coach him up ? Maybe we sign a FA deep threat?
     
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  3. steel_d_curtain

    steel_d_curtain Well-Known Member

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    Our WR core stink as of now. But, Will have breakout games in the playoffs. We have no big time #1 WR. Johnson is a good #2 at best.
     
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  4. truckin9999

    truckin9999 Well-Known Member

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    He always falls down
     
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  5. jrompola

    jrompola Well-Known Member

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    I think this every week when i watch the steelers then the other games. Other teams seem to get guys wide open much more. We do sometimes but its few and far between unless u count the 1 good wr screen ran per week.
     
  6. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    I bet former WR coach Richard Mann could coach Claypool up.
     
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  7. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    Claypool with his size and 4.4 speed should be able to get deep, but he rarely gets separation.
     
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  8. 86WardsWay

    86WardsWay Well-Known Member

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    I took my son to the Steelers Vs. Bengals game and Claypool was making some incredible catches. It was quite a wow factor but then it occurred to me that nobody was covering him. He really needs to step up his game. An offseason with some great CB's would do him a world of good.
     
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  9. Kreighoff

    Kreighoff Well-Known Member

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    There have been a lot of good points being made.
    Hard to do a double move when the ball is out in 2 seconds.

    Diontae can almost look like Brown in his prime but is too inconsistent.

    Claypool doesn't get any separation because the only route they let him run is a straight go route with no threat to cut into the forbidden zone. The middle of the field is treated like a waste land in Canada's offense. Someone on here a month ago plotted Ben's passes over two complete games and nothing not one throw to the MOF. Who in their right mind thinks you can completely ignore a full third of the field. When Claypool was scoring TD's some of his best highlights were on a deep in route. Now all the DB has to defend is the sideline. Because they never throw to the middle the safeties can cheat to the outside and help the corners with over the top coverage.

    Ray Ray is nothing special and Washington can't seem to outrun NFL corners like he did in college.

    When Ben was at his best quick slants to Hines ( and not 2 yd slants but 7 or 8 yd slants ) and seam routes to Heath Miller were his bread and butter throws then unload one to Wallace who could just out run anyone.

    Maybe better play from the oline gives more time to develop a more complicated route tree. Or a new QB who can throw to the middle of the field will open things up.

    Either way I wonder if Canada just sucks, with his pop gun offense, or was it Ben being a shell of what he once was.
     
  10. Da Stellars

    Da Stellars Well-Known Member

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    Yeah I still don’t understand the middle of the field thing.

    I’m guessing they didn’t want Ben throwing there anymore?

    Heath used to just find that open zone right behind the middle of the inside linebackers and just sit there. It wasn’t even that far, maybe 12 yard pass?

    They couldn’t have Muth do something similar?
     
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  11. Steel Acorn

    Steel Acorn Well-Known Member

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    Yea, the middle of the field thing is a mystery. People have been saying Ben can't throw it there, but I have not heard a "why not" answer. Like you said, it's not far, so probably not arm strength. Maybe it is because there are so many defenders close to the line there are no lanes to throw through. But they just don't seem to try, which hints at scheme. But again, why?
     
  12. Steel Acorn

    Steel Acorn Well-Known Member

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    Reminds me of an old Peanuts line about Charlie Brown's favorite baseball player, How Schlabotnic - "Makes spectacular catches of routine fly balls".
     
  13. 86WardsWay

    86WardsWay Well-Known Member

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    Several times the Chiefs receivers were 10 yards wide open last night and I can't recall one time any of our receivers had more than 3 yards separation.

    For the love of God, Fire most, if not all of this coaching staff.

    Oh' I forgot. It's because Ben gets rid of the ball so quickly. Yea, whatever. He could have 15 seconds back there and our receivers would still be covered like blankets. Also somebody get DJ some stickum.
     
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  14. Marvology

    Marvology Well-Known Member

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    Some of those noodle arm deep passes look like tight coverage because the WR has to come back into the DB to make the catch. I'll be interested to see what our WRs look like next year; assuming we have a QB with a good deep ball.
     
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  15. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    Roethlisberger's limitations are a big part of the problem. He can't make the tough throws down the field anymore. Watch highlights from a few years back, or watch what guys like Mahomes and Burrow can do. There were opportunities down the field last night, but Roethlisberger couldn't make the throws. It started with the very first third down. A good throw gives the receiver a chance to convert that, but Roethlisberger couldn't even get it close.
     
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  16. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    It is the one thing Rudolph does better than Roethlisberger. Unfortunately, neither of them can throw the intermediate passes worth a damn. Roethlisberger can't do it anymore and Rudolph never could.
     
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  17. defva

    defva Well-Known Member

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    Defenses were playing our wr's short, after the Washington game last season. Our offense got exposed. Short, quick passes. Nothing changed this season. We definitely, need a better oline and better qb play. No one were afraid of our receivers, because, no one was afraid of our qb
     
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  18. Da Stellars

    Da Stellars Well-Known Member

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    We need a Mike Wallace MK 2.

    Take the top off!
     
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  19. SteelerJJ

    SteelerJJ Well-Known Member

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    It must be hard playing WR in a box.
     
  20. Wardismvp

    Wardismvp Well-Known Member

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    I am not so sure these guys study enough film. They need coached up badly,
    and a possible OC that can design some more plays suited for the talent on the team.
    A good running game can also up the passing game. Look at SF play action. When you have to respect the run
    passing lanes open up.
     
  21. D0bre Shunka

    D0bre Shunka Well-Known Member

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    They’re not that great. We focused for years on the big receiver and contested catches. DJs our best and unless you throw the ball right at him, he sighs and says whatever with hand gestures. We need someone who can get separation.

    Call AB home.:popcorn:
     
  22. cajunyankee

    cajunyankee Well-Known Member

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    You itching for a switching!!! Just like grandma use to say!!

    Cajun
     
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  23. cajunyankee

    cajunyankee Well-Known Member

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    I agree with many thoughts I’ve read.

    My take is, the reason they can’t get open enough as a group is the same reason Canada’s job is safe!!! Crazy Statement I know.

    1- OLine sucked in pass blocking. Ben had the quickest release in the league, barely over 2 sec after the snap on avg…. How can the play develop that fast or WRs get open? Barely enough to to make their 1st cut.

    2- OLine sucked in run blocking- Since the defense could more easily handle the run they were better able to bring down the defense and clog the passing lanes and harass the WR at the line of scrimmage because they knew Ben was not going to hold the ball very long.

    3- Bens consistent 20+ yds passing inaccuracy helped defenses use less man power deep.

    These things week in and week out was shown on tape which also limited what Canada could call. Our offense was way to predictable. I’m watching plays screaming at the TV say don’t call this play, they would and we’d fail to get the 1st down. At the game in the stadium fans were saying, “ watch, he’s going to do this and we’ll fail “ and that’s exactly what happened.

    If fans knew it so did opposing DCs….

    If Tampa Bay and Tom Brady had our entire Receiver Corp. He’d be MVP and undefeated this year…….. and I Hate Tom Brady

    Cajun
     
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