12 hours after I learn BA retires, it finally hits me!

Could we maybe, possibly, conceivably get.........
























A FULLBACK?!?!?!?!?!

He said he didn't believe in the position and would never have one, but then used David Johnson as an acting fullback like 20 times per game. Johnson was not a trained fullback and is not a good lead blocker. Meanwhile, he's not good enough at catching or running to warrant being on the team for those reasons. The only thing he's decent at is in-line blocking, but why would we need a third blocking tight end? Miller and Saunders could do that. A roster spot on a third blocking tight end is the biggest waste I can imagine. A true fullback would be a much better lead blocker and could catch and run as well or better than Johnson, and maybe even get a hand-off now and then. This has been clear to me for some time (beginning of 2007, to be exact), and BA seemed to be the only thing in between logic and my dreams. Now that he's gone, we'll see if Tomlin is just as stupid without Arians by his side.

Hopefully all the running backs will get in the new OC's ear.

Mendenhall, Redman, Dwyer, B. Batch, FB, Miller, Saunders. We don't even take an extra roster spot, and gain a better running game and possibly a special teamer as well.

 

I would agree with you sir. A legit blocking full back is what is needed. Willie Parker in his last years said many times that he wished he had a lead back to run behind, but Arians had no use for it in his offense because all he wanted to do was throw the football all over the yard. Now that he's gone, hopefully they will aquire a legit blocking fullback like the Ravens who happens to have the best blocking fullback in the league who made the pro bowl. He is the reason why Ray Rice does so well.

Now that the Steelers know that Redman can get the job done, perhaps they will get a fullback and get rid of the TE Johnson. He is a waste being on the team. The full back can take his place even in the passing game. Lets hope that the new OC will utilize the running backs with screens and passes out of the back field, something that Arians never did. Bye Bye Bubble Screen Brucie!!!!!

 

I agree with you guys. Why waste a roster spot on Johnson, who does nothing well, when we could get a specialist to do at least one of the things right that DJ pretends to do? I like seeing big #85 in the backfield, but then the play starts and nothing happens. Sometimes position versatility really irks me.

 

I don't necessarily agree with GB as I do think Johnson does some things well and there were many times he did have some great, play-altering blocks. However, I do agree that we need a true fullback to not only open up the run game but to help protect Ben in the passing game. It woul also be nice to get one that can carry (hold-on-to) the ball from time to time. I miss those first-back-through runs.

 

I too hope that the Steelers hire someone that understands the running game,
and its importance.

 

Can we have a do over and get John Kuhn back??

 

You mean like the play-altering block he missed in th sb that allowed Mathews to hit Mendy as he was just getting the ball from Ben, causing a game changing turn over. I blame DJ much more than Mendy there.

 

I do want a FB on the staff as I think one can really help the running game, but I'm also fine if we don't get one. A lot of teams these days don't use FB's. What will make me lose my mind is if we don't get a FB, yet we continue to use terrible TE's to block in the running game while never using those TE's in the passing game. What the hell is the point of having a TE on the roster that isn't used in the passing game? Why not get a FB instead? It makes no sense.

 

I'm sorry but we can do much better than DJ he can't block that well and is relatively useless in the passing game, a true fullback would be much more effective.

 

To me, David Johnson is a hybrid type player that is used as both a catching TE and a blocking full back, but he can't do either very well. We have a solid, if not spectacular TE with Heath, but we really need a full time full back to open up some running lanes (better yds per carry for Mendy/Redman), offer Ben some extra protection (more time in the pocket & fewer sacks), and as an outlet receiver (fewer sacks & better 3rd down efficiency).

 

I thought about that as soon as I saw BA was not coming back

 

I don't blame Johnson or Mendy on that play. I blame Arians for running the same play a thousand times during a game. The Green Bay defense telegraph that play from the start just like those bubble screens. When they motion another receiver over with already two receivers on that side, it's a bubble screen. That's why Suggs got that interception in the game we played them at Heinz field and what almost cost us a lateral in the game in Denver.

 

It may be that we telegraphed the play and BA is partially to blame, but all you can really blame him for there at most is a loss of yards. It's the players that caused the fumble. Johnson had a clean shot at Matthews, who caused the fumble, and managed to whiff completely. I think he saw the other guy that was there and thought about blocking him, but didn't decide and went right between them and blocked no one. Mendenhall did not expect to be hit by Matthews at all, because he had his fullback running right for him, and the next thing you know he's getting hit very hard, with a helmet on the ball. Of course he deserves some blame too, because it's still his job to hold onto the ball, but to me it's no different than a left tackle completely whiffing and giving the DE a free run at the QB's blind side.

 

He's been doing it for 3 years, so during that time he's made some good plays. He might make a decent block half of the time, a good block one out of 5, and a play-altering block one out of 20. But those numbers are unacceptable! It that still leaves the other half of the time, where he makes a subpar block or no block at all. Compare that to a guy like Kreider, who made a goood block every single time, and a play-altering block about half of those times. Johnson may have made some good plays, but he has NOT made his fair share of good plays. He has cost the team far more points than he's earned with his lack of blocking.

I think people are literally beginning to forget how good fullbacks are at lead blocking. It's what they do. Johnson is still out of position. It's like we've had a receiver being our quarterback for the last three years. Sure, there are probably some good throws in there, but if you replace him ANY real quarterback, even a mediocre one, the difference will be night and day. So I'm not saying we need another Dan Kreider/Peyton Manning. Those are hard to come by. But I'll take a T.J. Yates...

If you get too close to a guy by watching him too much, you lose perspective. That happened to me in '08 watching our OL. I thought, "Eh, they're not THAT bad." And everyone on this board (you know what I mean) was laughing about how terrible Alan Faneca was playing over on the Jets. Then I watched a Jets game and studied him closely, and I saw much, much better blocking than I saw from any of our guys all season long. It was like I went from watching high school ball to college ball. He made Kemo look like... well, Kemo. Watch some real fullbacks, and you won't be able to stomach Johnson.