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concerns heading into the season

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by mac daddyo, Aug 28, 2014.

  1. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

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    has our O-Line improved enough under munch at the rate we expected? we are 6 weeks into the preseason at this point.

    do we have a legit 3rd TE?

    are our WR's good enough to win with, after AB, going into week 1?

    OLB's? are they where we need them to be at this point?

    CB's? who past the first 3, are good enough to step in if needed? are the top 3 enough at this point?

    D-Line. young and hopeful, but are they at a point of being good enough to win with and have they created enough pressure so far? are they good enough with they're run stopping ability at this point to win with consistently?

    suisham?

    wing?

    longsnapper?

    is our ST's at a point that we are comfortable with? it is a big part of the game.

    we open the Sunday after next. are we where you thought we would be at this stage or do we still have a ways to go? I still see a lot of question marks this close to the opener. any other concerns? :cool:
     
  2. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    I almost created a similar thread. All valid concerns but for me, my biggest fear heading into the season is the D-line.

    Hoping I didn't get lulled into a false sense of security, buying into the hype.
     
  3. blountforcetrauma

    blountforcetrauma Well-Known Member

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    My concerns are the o-line, the d (and secondary to be specific), and this one might sound a little odd but I'm curious if we have wr's that can block. There were some plays in the preseason where we would have had some big yards but guys couldn't hold blocks long enough to create space. Also this one might sound kinda weird but I'm also concerned that if we have another down year Haley might get the ax and then Ben will have to learn ANOTHER system.
     
  4. USCGSteeler

    USCGSteeler Well-Known Member

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    - I am just concerned that this team went 8-8 the past two season and looked pretty much the same this preseason. Archer could be a great weapon but all I see them doing with him is running that stupid WR screen that it seems like we use at least once every series and teams are always sitting on because they know how much we run it; you have to get a guy like that in space and this team does not know how to do that. Shazier did look great but I have serious doubts about JJ and our corners are pathetic. We keep hearing about how it was not all on the corners because we did not have enough speed up front but now we have speed up front and our corners are still dumpster fires. I hope I am wrong but I am afraid we are in for another long season.
     
  5. thorn058

    thorn058 Well-Known Member

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    I don't think Haley will get the ax if it is another subpar year. They have tailored things to fit Ben almost as much as BA did. Ben is going to have more control over things than we have seen in the past. Haley might have a loose game plan but Ben will be directing things. I will say I don't think they can be wishy washy with every offensive possession like they have in the past. I'd say about 50% of all offensive possession must result in a TD and another 25 % in some kind of points in order to compensate for a suspect defense. They can't rely on the defense to win them games so they can't waste a single possession. None of these "hey lets see if we can catch them napping" 70 yard bomb plays to DHB that don't work and kill a drive. They need to keep moving the chains and avoid having the defense out there too much.
     
  6. thorn058

    thorn058 Well-Known Member

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    Biggest concern for me. Youth exuberance causing mental mistakes. You have a guy stopped in the backfield and he is thinking about reversing his field don't get over excited to make a big play or big hit to impress the coaches, maintain your responsibility, don't break backside contain and keep the guy bottled up. On offense same thing, maintain your responsibility, if you are there for blitz pick-up don't throw a chip in on a guy that the linemen aren't expecting and then slide out to the flat. Do your job and wait for a blitzer, if Ben motions you out to the flat then move. Ben get rid of the ball, take the easy completion. Run the wheels off Bell, don't give him one series early and when it doesn't work try waiting till late in the third. Feed him till he drops get 25 three yard runs I don't care but get the ground game going. Hmmm:hmmm: I think I have more here some where.
     
  7. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    Biggest concerns are the secondary, run defense, pass rush, punting.
     
  8. lovembig

    lovembig Well-Known Member

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    i think the secondary will only be successful if the d-line and lbs can get some pressure. if the refs throw their flags on corners like they have in the preseason, Ike might break a record for penalties.

    the wr group also concerns me. AB is a legit #1 wr after him there is a severe drop off. Wheaton is ok once the ball is in his hands, but he hasnt shown me anything that makes me think he can catch on a consistent basis.

    offense in general. i just dont see them being very consistent. Bell and Blount have the skills, but you have to question where their heads are. Miller is great, but not getting any younger and he has no skilled backup. the wrs are a mess other than AB. the o-line could be good if they can stay healthy. Ben is Ben. hes gonna do what he can, but if he has no guys that can make plays for him he could have a very up and down year.
     
  9. TarheelFlyer

    TarheelFlyer Well-Known Member

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    At this point, I think they are probably improved, but have not reached their potential yet. The right side looks pretty well set for the next few years, but at this point they still have guys trying to mesh from the center out because of Pouncey's injury last year. I still think the long-term answer is a new LT with Beachum sliding into the G position. I think Beach can play, but may find himself overmatched at times at LT.

    I honestly don't care about the 3rd TE unless we have injuries to the top 2. In cases where we are going 3 TE it would be run and we can bring in Adams as a TE which I am fine with. The 3rd TE is a special teamer only at this point.

    I think the WR question is one reason why DHB makes this roster. Moore and AB are the only vets otherwise. JB, Wheat, Archer, and Bryant have about 10 catches between them. There is very little polish in those guys. I expect some INTs where they WR and Ben aren't on the same page this year.

    There is no way our OLBs are where we need them. We have one player who has shown anything in his career in Worilds. Carter has underperformed. J. Jones has talent, but hasn't shown it yet. Moats is moving from the inside in Buffalo back to the outside, granted a place he should be more comfortable. H. Jones, the only other guy I think still has a shot, has zero experience. There just isn't enough there to expect them to be complete. Same could be said for the ILB position. Shazier is impressive, but will make mistakes...most of which I expect are in overpursuit and getting burned by misdirection.

    The new rules are going to make us look even worse. It is funny to me to watch Ike getting call after call, while Sherman pretty much does the same thing without any flag getting thought about. I honestly feel better about our depth than I do about who we have in those top 3 positions.

    The Dline is young other than Keisel and honestly freaks me out. I worry that bringing Keisel back was a mistake honestly. If we are going to go through the growing pains of bringing at least 2 rookies up to speed this year, if Thomas gets cut and Keisel doesn't come back next year, we will be right there all over again bringing along 2 rookies. As good as Mauro has looked to me, Arnfelt looked the same to me last year, like a guy with potential, but out the door he goes. McClendon needs to step up his game IMO. We need it in a big, big way.
     
  10. deljzc

    deljzc Well-Known Member

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    I have similar concerns but I am not ready to conclude that our weaknesses are so great to prevent us from improving on our win/loss total this year.

    I think our schedule is extremely favorable and the list of quarterbacks we anticipate facing is relatively easy.

    So while I agree we continue to stagnate a bit on defense waiting for younger players to evolve into pro-bowler, impact players (and if is appropriate here as well), this team should get more sacks and turnovers just because of the QB's we are going to face (many young and turnover prone).

    I hated week 3 preseason as much as anyone, but I'm still picking 11-5. But I think that is a very false "11-5" and this organization will treat next off-season like we've accomplished something and have few holes on the roster when, in fact, we have many. They will likely tag Worilds. They will give Ben his big new contract. They will try to retain most of what we have and add only through the draft (probably, FINALLY a cornerback).

    In 2015, I anticipate the exact same issues (lack of pass rush from Worilds/Jones), undersized and lack of physicality inside (McLendon/Timmons/Shazier), small at WR which effect red zone production, thin at TE and O-line, and really struggling at CB while we bring in the new "rookie". Only this time with a tougher schedule, heading out west a lot more and playing much better quarterbacks. In 2015 we regress (AGAIN) back into an 8-8 or 9-7 team and failing to make the playoffs.

    Wash, rinse, repeat.
     
  11. Cali Steel

    Cali Steel

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    My concerns are can we beat the hell out of Cleveland or will this team show up week one looking like it's the first practice AGAIN and have another junk season.
     
  12. fanforlife

    fanforlife

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    Many! I'm still thinking right at 12-4.
     
  13. TarheelFlyer

    TarheelFlyer Well-Known Member

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    Cleveland is likely a must win for us. With Baltimore being on a short turnaround, we cannot start off 0-2 again.
     
  14. Thigpen82

    Thigpen82 Bitter optimist

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    It was only a few weeks ago Haley was talking about how deep we were at WR. Now there seems to be a lot of concern. I'm interested: are the people worried about the receiving corps worried because of preseason, or were they always worried (e.g. about the lack of height - as I know some of you were)?

    Other than that question, I tend to agree with a lot of what's being said. My main concern is exactly what it was the last two seasons - will the fire be there?
     
  15. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    My only concern with the receivers is how bad a blocker Wheaton is, at least in the limited attempts I have witnessed, I didn't know that about him.

    I think they have to carry 6 now, I've been flip flopping all over on this but I think they have to get another vet presence on the unit, DHB. I thought once he got injured, he lost his chance but he has made the most of his opportunities. Unless they go with 5 and JB doesn't make it, he hasn't followed up his strong camp in preseason.
     
  16. Da Stellars

    Da Stellars Well-Known Member

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    I think we are going to have a season much similar to the 2007 Steeler season...
     
  17. ThrowToHeath

    ThrowToHeath Well-Known Member

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    I am unusually optimistic about the upcoming season. However, I was hoping that we would see a little more out of the running game thus far, particularly from Bell. I was hoping and still hope that he can become our best offensive player. Unfortunately, the running game has not looked good so far. Hopefully it is just because its the preseason.
     
  18. Romans5:8

    Romans5:8 Well-Known Member

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    1. Run defense
    2. Run defense
    3. I wouldn't be surprised if our record was decent this season (fairly easy schedule), but I have concerns about how we will fare against the good teams (see #1 and #2)
    4. Run defense

    /shrug
     
  19. SSylvester

    SSylvester Well-Known Member

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    I see a lack of leadership on the defensive side of the ball. Troy leads by example but someone needs to turn these guys into maniacs. I want to see them punch Cleveland in the face and make it clear they are the pathetic offense we think they are.
     
  20. SteelHaven

    SteelHaven Well-Known Member

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    Not to worry, our RB's have high standards.
     
  21. Da Stellars

    Da Stellars Well-Known Member

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    1-3 in preseason--- WOW! I did NOT see that happening.

    I think panicking is premature, our 1 stingers aren't bad, but wow there is a big drop off with the second team. I really thought our depth was better.
     
  22. TarheelFlyer

    TarheelFlyer Well-Known Member

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    So we play our 3rd and 4th string QBs and they play their 2nd and 3rd. The ability to evaluate the outcome of this game is silly. We showed very little in this game, but the fringe guys competed, that was what was supposed to happen.
     
  23. steelers5859

    steelers5859 Well-Known Member

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    My biggest concern is the defense. I use to look forward to the defense taking the field but now I cringe when they come on.

    Is William Gay our best corner?

    Will be get pressure from our OLB?

    Will our DLine hold up

    Will we find a solution to the dreadful 2-4-5 Nickel Defense?
     
  24. knab70

    knab70 Well-Known Member

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    It was a preseason game, puting points on the board or even winning is not necessary. We have hidden talent and depth that's yet to be seen ...when Tomlin gives the cue to unleash hell the Steelers will be unstoppable. Looking forward to an awesome season!
     
  25. AFan

    AFan Well-Known Member

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    Well, prepare to be disapointed. Last yr, Denver set a record for scoring and they scored TDs on 37% of their possessions and scored on 50%. No matter what this offense does they won't do that.
     

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