end of season grades and next yrs. outlook.............. secondary

Where do I start. On the one hand, our secondary had 4 pick 6's (tied for 1st league wide). Now for the glass mostly empty... We gave up 4,049 yds. passing (27th. league wide), 30 td's (tied for 30th), and gave up 15 pass plays of 40 or more (31st)... In other words, we are in big trouble.. Many will point to the lack of pressure/sacks up front... I would ask how many coverage sacks did we get?... We need to get better and that's the bottom line.... We have a cb and a S that simply aren't what they used to be.. Another safety that pretty much stole a paycheck, and a bunch of nickel and dime corners playing starter minutes...and then there's the cb that was supposed to be the next coming, but instead ended up so bad that the coaches ir'd him with a phantom injury..... Do we have the pieces in place, and were they just not used, or misused...
Do we need to draft a stud, or do we dig into the f.a. pool.... All I know is that if a change doesn't come, then we will be looking at more of the same futility next yr......
and now for the individual

CB:
Ike Taylor: at one time Ike could be counted on to shut down one side of the field, and many qb's avoided him altogether..Never one to make a big catch, but it was widely accepted that you were wasting a down throwing his way.. That time seams like a decade ago now, as he just doesn't have it any more.... the time has come for this once great cover man. Still an aggressive tackler, but the cover skills have eroded to nothing... I strongly believe that Ike has played his last down as a Steeler.. At this stage, he reminds me of the aging boxer that just can't let go of the bright lites and cheers... Time to ride off into the sunset.
Final grade: D-

Cortez Allen: He was supposed to be the next man up. Ike taylor with hands...... instead, he took a big payday and transformed himself into what may have been the worst corner in the league.. Last yr., Cortez ran step for step with Mike Wallace and shut him down and out.. He was holding Rob Gronkowski in check at one time.... Now he was getting burnt by Jordan Cameron.... Whenever he was on the field, it was a foregone conclusion that the ball was coming his way... Cortez allen's only decent game came against the jags and their rookie qb and wr's.. Either he has to get his act together and start showing why he got that big check, or he needs to be gone
Final grade: F

Willie Gay: May have been our best cb... All 3 of his picks went for td's, and they basically came when we needed them most... On the other hand, there's a reason that he's called big play willie gay..... Either he makes the big play, or he gives up the big play.. A sure tackler, and he did make some big ones at opportune times.. Will obviously be back next yr., and will probably start.. I still think he's better off as a nickel or dime..... As much as I believe that he has no business as a #1 or #2, I still shudder to think how much worse we would've been without him
Final grade: C

Brice McCain: Had the only other pick 6 on the defense. Had some moments, but like Gay, is better off as a nickel, and Would probably make an excellent dime. Has his moments when it comes to intermediate throws, but gets somewhat lost if the play is beyond 25 yds..... A move to Safety might even be best for him, but I don't see it happening.
Final Grade: C-

Antwon Blake: our fastest corner.... he's also our shortest corner.. I give him credit, as he's a scrapper and wr's know they have to fight for the ball when blake is covering them.... In the end, his physical limitations may be the only thing standing in the way of him developing into more than a nickel or dime himself... Of course that's not his fault, and there's nothing he can do about it.. It just is what it is... Yes, he has a place on this team, but if it's in the starting lineup, then we have problems.
Final grade: C

S:
Troy Polamalu: Mark it down people.. We have seen the end of an era.. Many people never get the chance to see a true hall of famer playing for their team... We have been blessed to witness this greatness, but all good things come to an end. Troy is a shell of his former self. Every game I saw him in, I could see his mind still processing what was going on, and the body failing to act with the usual quickness.. Then there's the missed tackles.. Just like Ike, I believe Troy has seen his last days as a Steeler.. His salary and eroding skills just don't match any longer... I'm sure it will be nearly as hard to let Troy go as it will be for me to give him a low grade, given what he's meant to the team all these yrs., but hard descisions have to be made... I choose to celebrate what he was, not lament what he is now, but I still have to be honest in my grading.
Final grade: D-

Mike Mitchell: The season's big F.A. prize that just didn't deliver... Missed tackles, and assignments.. No ints or sacks... The optimistic side of me says that rookies don't play right away in dick lebeau's defense because it's too complicated and takes time to learn, and free agents that are playing in the system for the 1st time should be looked at no differently.. The pessimistic side says that he should be locked up for felony theft and that he was the ultimate rick roll..... I believe the coaches and F.O. believe in the optimistic side and will give him one more yr. to get it together... I would like to believe that he will, but for this season, he didn't meet the standard
Final grade: F

Will Allen: Solid, but unspectacular... If you're looking for average, ordinary play, then Allen's your man.. That, however, was still good enough to be the best safety we had during the season... That's not good enough for this defense to thrive... He will probably be back next yr., for stability, but after that, I expect some youth and potential in the fold
Final grade: C+

Shamarko Thomas: The young heir apparent to Troy.. Injury derailed his second season, but he's an extremely hard worker, and has the heart and desire to be great... I fully expect him to find the starting lineup next yr., and show what made the team draft him in the 1st place.. But this past season was a lost one.
Final grade: inc.

Robert Golden: At one time, I had Golden penciled in as our fs of the future.. His grasp of the defense and knack for always being around the ball gave me hope for the future... Then he fell off big time, and couldn't find the field again except for special teams... Unfortunately, his special teams play was filled with bad penalties.... Can he recapture the form that he showed early on, or is he done before he really gets a chance to start.
Final grade: D+

Ross Ventrone: I was going to skip Ventrone, since he was brought in so late, but his special teams play was so good, I just had to give him a shout.. Don't think he'll ever see the field in the defense, but as a special teams gunner, he was incredible... Not sure how the coaches missed this when they cut him, but i'm sure he will now have a place with us...
Final grade: B+ (solely based on special teams)


Next up: QB's and kickers

 

I agree with all these grades and are very similar to mine . I do however have concerns about Shamarko . He was a healthy scratch a few games I think and others they turned to Allen and he played Special Teams .

My concern is if he is the future then why could he not get on the field when healthy. I don't buy the fact he was healthy enough to play ST'S but he couldn't play defense that Coach Tried to sell...

 

you forgot B W Webb that was on the 53 man roster all year and never got used. why? why did we take up a roster spot for this cat and lost a draft pick like Johnson? webb was the only other guy with starting experience in the NFL and we never used him. with as bad as our played at times. head scratcher.

I will also say I think McCain played every bit as well as blake. I still say we have to fix the backend of this defense and will allen isn't the answer.

 

yes, I forgot about webb, and apparently so did the coaches

 

LOL true B&G.

 

It is imperative that the Steelers get either thru FA/draft, ball players for the back end. 2 cornerbacks 1 safety. Hell its a matter of attrition now.

 

I'd probably rate McCain higher - often the issue with the longer plays was what the safeties were doing, rather than his coverage. Given the expectations on them, both McCain and Blake played well above their stations.

But ultimately, we have a whole load of nickel corners right now.

I'm still thinking in the draft we aim for safeties and OLBs, and give Lake some more potential rough diamonds to work with.