Eye Test: Defense

Some observations I wanted to bounce off you guys.

Defense spends zero time in the opponents back field, they get no tackles for loss, no sacks and don't even pressure the QB consistently enough to make him the least bit uncomfortable.

Teams offenses are constantly faced with third and shorts because this defense gives up some sort of yardage on every play. Which is why they always sustain drives so easily.

It just really looks like they don't even make it hard for the other offense I know they're great defenses, that we knew before, weren't perfect but they always made it a battle, watching the current D....it's like taking candy from a baby.

Other observations.

This team seems to always lose, and look terrible doing it, in the national spotlight ( Thursday, Sunday and Monday nights ).

Can't ever beat the Raven's in Baltimore....even tho Harbaugh's game plan hasn't changed since his second year as the Raven's coach.

All the players that seem to play with passion on this team are on the offensive side ( Ben, Bell, Antonio as examples ) I really miss the days of fire from the defense. They seem like they don't care how they play good or bad...it's whatever.

I know it's taboo, but the refs either have it out for the steelers...or have no idea how to officiate them. A hard hit from a steelers defender is a penalty no matter how or where you hit them.

Listening to refs long winded explanations as to why it was a penalty ( Which directly conflicts with that I see in the replay ) has me wondering if I really even know what football is anymore?

I mean really, hitting a player after he went across the middle and caught the ball, covered it with both arms and braced to get hit....is hitting a defenseless player......WHAT?!?!

That defenseless thing really really irks me......how any of these players are defenseless...I'll never know

This is like 4 years running with this bull ****.

Only Phil Simms seems to understand it, and that's a scary thing...considering I don't think Simms even understands how to spell his own name.




Sorry I went of on a tangent there....thanks for reading!

 

All in all not bad observations. My thoughts are in red.

 

Yes it has actually happened in both games there were plays made in the backfield, tackles for loss and QB pressures and sacks. They aren't huge splash plays and the memory of them is wiped out by other glaring mistakes.

No QB sacks (and very little pressure) on Flacco in the second game, thorn. Our lack of pressure on the quarterback and the third fewest turnovers by the defense the last few years are extremely disconcerting.

 

Thanks Thorn, all very great points. I always try to remember there are a lot of new parts here...but it's so difficult, when I watch them on TV, to think rationally. Can't see too well through the anger and disappointment.

Your right those plays have happened, but they are washed away by a WTF play later in the drive usually on third down, or more specifically 3rd and long as you mentioned.


Jack,

I'm feeling you bro, what makes me feel really down right now is that the pressure isn't even "almost" getting there as they tend to say from time to time, they often look like they aren't even close to getting a sack.

The secondary is almost never there to force a tough catch or throw...these people are wide open. It's just sad to watch....they seriously almost never give me a reason to be excited when they are on defense anymore.

I hope I'm over reacting..it is early, but I'm starting to hear that voice that says, this defensive scheme is old and used up, in the back of my head a little louder every game.

That opens up the question, if this scheme just doesn't work in today's NFL, why do the steelers try so hard to make it?

I mean at the very least...you can't let WR's have a free release anymore, almost ever.

Maybe someone can explain it, but that philosophy just makes no sense to me today, you have to press and disrupt where you can.

backing off and always giving them at least 5 yards for free just makes zero sense to me, this may be me being ignorant, but I just can't for the life of me see the value of it.

 

"I know it's taboo, but the refs either have it out for the steelers...or have no idea how to officiate them. A hard hit from a steelers defender is a penalty no matter how or where you hit them."

I'm gonna say it catches the ref by surprise that we actually hit something. The anomaly causes a muscle memory reflex resulting in a flag.