a few observations

I have watched the steelers play for over 30 years. I can't remember being as depressed as I was after the game Sunday. I have seen them lose in person. I have seen them lose super bowls. I have even seen them lose to teams that suck. It hit me monday that this is different. The offense is good enough to win consistantly, even though the defense is ranked high I feel like it is a little misleading. teams cant pile up yards or points when they have 15 play drives that seem to last the whole quarter. this defense cant get teams off the field. I am not gonna say that it is coaching because the players seem to be in the right place. They are a step slow and they cant get off blocks anymore. I dont know what the solution is. I think it is easy to blame the coaching staff, but the players are on the field. Maybe we read how great we could cover after the pats game and thought we could lock people up. Joe flacco torched us on 3rd down. he is not that good and we made him look all-pro. I guess i am just wanting to see if anyone agrees with me that our defense is not even close to what we are used to. I think we need replacements for hampton, gay, clark, and farrior or foote to become elite again. Worilds looked a little overmatched to me, so I am not sure he will ever be a starter. I am all for drafting o-linemen, but I think the defense needs to be addressed first. i actually think the o-line has played good the last 4 games

 

well they are a couple of years older and maybe a tad slower....max starks had made the 0Line look great lately...what the hel were we thinking by not bringing him back

 

Already giving up on Worilds? That was his first start, he only played half the game, and I thought he did well.

 

Absolutely! Why do people want to give up on him so quickly?

 

I think our guys are fine and in a good position for the future with the likes of Ziggy, Cameron, Sly and Worilds. I'm thinking maybe this draft we grab a monster of a nose to groom behind Casey. We pride ourselves on destroying the oppositions ground game so I think beefing up that position with what we already have and this defense will stay nasty for years to come. Also maybe add to the secondary since teams are pass happy nowadays. I don't think this last game against the Ravens exposed us at all or proved anything. We have to remember that as many times as we've played each other it's just different than any other game we play. They were victorious that night, let's just hope that we see them again in the playoffs. If we could carry a healthy squad into the playoffs you can't make me believe we can't win another title. It's not just wishful thinking on my part its just the talent here on this team in my opinion is second to none! The rally starts this Sunday! I'm feeling 31-20 Steelers.

 

I am also quickly losing confidence in our supposedly #1 passing defense. Still, we need to draft an offensive lineman first this year. Then, cornerback for #2, Offensive lineman #3 and then possibly inside linebacker.

 

I look at our needs like this:

Offense:

3rd string QB - UDFA is okay here as well
WR (if Ward retires or Cotchery doesn't resign) - rather just keep them and draft someone next year
OG - Foster and Kemo
OT - Colon, Starks, and Gilbert is a nice 3....give me another.

Defense:

NT - I think McClendon is okay based on how the new offenses attack any defense. Add Hoke or Hampton back and we are okay here.
ILB - Foote has been much better than I had hoped. Farrior is going to be done soon. Sylvester??? Timmons we know.
CB - Allen and Brown are looking like they will be able to contribute. Gay is okay as long as you put him in the correct role. McFadden needs to go.
S - Upgrade to Will Allen

Special:

P
K

That is 10 spots. Hmm.....we only have 7 picks. In order to get the best draft you then have to weight a couple of factors. The need on a scale of 1-10 versus the player available and chance of making it on a some scale.

 

I am not giving up on him. He has issues staying healthy and I just didnt think he played that good. I loved in at va tech and think he might be a good player, but in our system we need stud olb and I just think he may be a career backup. hope I am wrong

 

Seems very early to think Worilds will never amount to a starter. Last year he never had a chance. This year he would have started for the last month if he didn't get hurt. I'm not sure we can say he has trouble staying healthy. He had one quad injury that he reinjured, and is now over. He played one game, and although he didn't have a huge impact, he definitely "held down the fort," and I think that's all we can ask for a guy's first start. Especially since I think he mostly practices on the right side.

We do need stud OLBs, and what do we know about this guy? We know he's a good athlete. Good enough to play in coverage, despite converting from DE. He's faster than Woodley. He showed enough as a pass rusher in college to be taken #52 overall by the Steelers, who traditionally know their OLBs. He is a stud on special teams, which is the only thing he's really been asked to do for us so far. We also know that this position is not one that comes quickly to everybody. Shoot, it took James Harrison like 4 years before getting the hang of it. Worilds is still getting stronger and more comfortable, and I think he'll get better and better with more playing time. He'll never be as good as the lengendary Harrison, but I think he can be a strong point for the defense if he fills out his potential, similar to Ziggy Hood replacing the legendary Aaron Smith.

Or maybe he won't work out. I just think it's waaay to early to say that right now.

 

i think our biggest needs are middle lb cb and lg . the best player available will decide in which order they should pick . if somehow we can pick one between Vontaze Burfict mlb or morris clayborne cb or de castro guard with our first round pick would be great

 

I don`t care about stats, or rankings.
I care about getting the job done.
And my biggest problem for several years now, is not getting off the field on 3d down!!!
I don`t know why it is, or exactly when it happened,
But over the course of the last three years or so,
I would rather face a team in third and short(less than 5yds to go), than third and long!
Statistically... that makes no sense!!!
But it just feels like we CONSTANTLY give up the 3rd and 15, 3rd and 12, 3rd and anything over 10, way more often than we give up third and anything less than 7!!! :evil:
Doesn`t seem to matter which players we have on the field, it just seems that after they have "done their job", and forced the offense into a long third down conversion, they CANNOT close the deal, and make `em kick!!!
Not just during "two minute" drives, or when we have a big lead...
Just ALL THE DAMN TIME!!!
No idea why...
If it has to do with the scheme, or the players, or what...
I just know it is making me CRAZY!!!!

 

Gay was getting crushed the whole first half of Rats game....Why not try McFadden or Lewis second half?

Could do no worse!!

 

I believe Clark leads the team in tackles. He was out of position on the last play, but he played a solid game. Gay is horrible, he needs to be replaced.

 

I thought Carter played pretty well. Definitely would like to see more of him....

 

it's a little bit too early to make predictions.
Right now, my guess is that next draft we'll take (in no particular order)
-2 OL & 2 DB on the first 5 rounds
-1 WR at 5th or 6th round
-1 skill position best available if there's a sleeper.
-and a Kicker on the 4th or 5th (ok, this is a particular wish).

Still, coaches will need to give playing time to young guys actually on the team, to see if they need to be let go after the season or if they are answers for near future (LB Worilds, Sylvester, Carter, CBs Lewis / Brown / Allen, NT McLendon, OL Meredith / Gilbert, RB Batch / Dwyer, S Mundy / Allen)
And it will depend on which of our own FA we'll get back (Starks, Wallace, maybe someone on defense I'm missing) and who retires (Ward, Farrior and A Smith leading candidates, also Charlie Batch may be on his way out of football).

As I said before, still to early to make a prediction, but as of right now that's how I see it.

 

And giving up those 3rd and longs ALWAYS seem to happen at the most critical times in the game ie, that last Ravens drive. For 3 quarters they pretty much held Flacco in check. Yes they were giving up third downs but they were also getting a little pressure, a sack here and there, etc. Then the last and most important drive of the game it's like they were totally helpless out there

 

Gay had an awful game, but he has improved significantly this year.

Not, improving from where he was at is not necessarily impressive - but improvements were there.

Can't remember who was saying it elsewhere, but I think that what our CBs really need is better help from the safeties. Troy has not been the impact factor he can be recently - why not keep the safeties more in coverage and let Timmons roam the line?

 

I was very disheartened after Sunday's loss as well. I think what made it so bad was because it was against the Ravens...and because we gave up a 92 yard drive to end the game....and it still hurts to think about it.

However, I do think there is an upside to take from Sunday's game: our run defense. That was the best game we have played all year against the run (except possibly against the Seahawks), and we did it against a good running offense that had its way with us the first time we played. I was very encouraged by this.

Now I do think we have issues in the secondary, but I honestly think we are better vs the pass than we were last year. If we can continue to stop the run like we did Sunday, I think we are good enough in the secondary to allow our offense to win versus anyone in the league. Notice I didn't say that our secondary was good enough to stop anyone in the league (as was demonstrated on the Ravens' last drive Sunday), but that our secondary is good enough to slow down high-powered pass offenses enough to allow Ben and the offense to outscore them. I believe it was that way last year too all the way through the Super Bowl--it was turnovers that killed us in that game, not the Packers offense. That's simply my opinion, of course.

My biggest concern at this point really is our first round bye potential. I think having that bye in the first round of the playoffs is a huge advantage, especially considering the age of some of our players (no, I don't think they are too old, but let's face it, it takes longer to recover physically the older one gets). The loss to the Ravens Sunday may have locked us out of a first round bye

 

I place the blame not on the coaches,not the defense,or even the injuries.But the place the blame on ben.Don't get me wrong ben is one helluva player,but not phenominal.You want to throw the ball more then be more consistent.Practice more and get into the film room.When we first start the game,it's no different from ben and me and anyone on this board,it seems like ben hasn't seen their defense before.Ben is a pro bowler,superbowl champion,and top 5 qb,but will never be considered one of the best because he won't take the time to take his game to another level.Wallace can be a pro bowler,superbowl champion,hall of famer only if ben improves his work ethics. It's frustating to see the offense struggling with so much talent surrounding ben.
WITH GREAT SUCCESS COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY!!