Artie Burns and tackling...

Keep in mind: I only caught highlights, post-game analysis, and thread talk of weeks 3, 4, 5. But based on what I saw in weeks 1, 2, and last season....

Artie Burns and tackling are NOT friends . Am I the only one seeing #25 avoid tackling, and even any moderate physical contact, most of the opportunities he can? Burns is showing a real lack of urgency to close down [and make a tackle] on the ballcarrier on runs to his side, and when downfield. Sure, I can respect smaller NFL players making efforts to avoid big contact. But I need something in return. In Artie Burns' case, at least 2 INTs at this point in the season. Has Burns proved his case this season?

I'm cool with Artie's playing style. He's young. His body will grow, he'll mature. His playing style will evolve. Practicing vs Big Ben, A.B., (and sometimes Bell), lining up with Haden...right environment to foster an elite CB. But the coaching staff needs to adapt to his current weaknesses.

Gap control, setting the edge, tackling on the perimeter, tackling downfield, safety play...all important aspects to limiting the occurrence of big yard plays, and holding the other team to under 200 rush yards...remember the days when we had a perennial top 5 defense..those were the days

 

We were a top tier defense with Ike "hands-o-buttah" Taylor who shied away from contact more than Deion Sanders. Ike was a liability on some really good defenses. DB's always look better with solid line play.

If you want to blame anyone for Artie not looking good this season, blame Shazier. Ryan can't control his gap to save his life.

 

He seems above the line in pass defense and below the line as a tackler. With that said I wished we had Safeties who could get to the play faster and who could make better open field tackles .

I am fine with CB'S who are more of the cover type , but to make that work we need the right kind of Safety play . 1 Safety who can play in the box and be a true force against the run game, and 1 Safety who can play deep and be a true last line of Defense .

 

Artie is one of the leagues best corners when it comes to limiting receivers on his side.


When it comes to containing the edge or gap assignments on running plays, that is a different story.

 

Burns is really bad at tackling. Ike was actually a pretty good tackler. When Dupree makes his big loop on the outside and runner cuts inside of him, Burns then avoids contact and then our safeties take bad angles this usually spells disaster against the run.

The good thing Burns can cover passes better then what we had in the past.

 

Ike couldn't catch a cold, but he was great in run support.

 

Ike was great in run support? Yikes.

 

Ike > burns what say you?

 

Still can't believe this guy took a lunch break during one of the most critical plays of the game...

 

Carnell Lake needs to get him in the LAB and go over technique.

But really, you have to have desire to want to tackle.

 

I can't believe we are all watching the same guy. He doesn't defend passes, his receivers are dropping them, nothing special to see. And yes, he is only a second year player but he blows coverage assignments every single game, the team has been fortunate not to have faced a QB that has been able to capitalize on it yet. When he gets put in man coverage he gets beat....Consistently! I was giving him some credit saying he was serviceable in the zone but he is so full of himself that even in zone he is becoming a liability. Smith was getting flushed out and running for his life this game and it was a good thing as he missed Brunt's guy wide open 5 times, over throws happened because of pressure but Brunt didn't have a hand in defending anything but 1 pass that was dropped before the receivers hand was grabbed so he gets credit for that but nothing else.

 

I think it was him that allowed a receiver for KC to be in the end zone near the end of the game by himself. Missed assignment. If not for the pressure applied by our dline Smith had a wide open receiver for a sure TD

 

So Artie sucks? Lol

 

They won't until December 17th unless Stafford has one of his "A" games. Rodgers is out, so Steelers D got a break vs. the Pack.

 

Artie was having an excellent day, up until he wiffed on the tackle.

He had a key 3rd down pass break up earlier in the game.

 

Take a look at our 24 pick first round corner in 97 chad scotts first two years, artie dont look too bad in comparison, year 3 chad broke out of his shell and had a good year with 5 picks 70 tackles and he had an even better year in year 4 with 5 picks 80 tackles two pick sixes and 19 pdfs, it takes a couple years for these corners to get comfortable in their position, artie will come around at least by next year and the light could come on in one of these next 10 games...

 

I remember the days of Chad Scott and DeWayne Washington. It was feast or famine with those guys... great games along with games where they were totally torched. Washington got quite a few Pick 6's in his time with the Steelers... I remember he got 2 in one game! Can't remember who they were playing against.. maybe the Bungles. Lee Flowers and Brent Alexander at safety. Flowers was one of the best sh!t talkers the Steelers ever had... almost as good at talking smack as Porter.

 

Burns is going to become awesome, they all make mistakes! how bout it Ben..

 

I will admit burns has done nothing in 6 games, look at his pathetic 6 game stats, he better get better quick or he needs someone like scott to coach him up or sit him:

http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/gamelog/_/id/3051921/artie-burns

 

His stats suck lol

 

I love artie's coverage ability, but I was highly aggravated during de'anthony Thomas's td catch and run.........
To my eyes, artie had at least 2 chances to lay hands on Thomas and gave up rather than get dirty...... that has to change badly.... I don't want deion Sanders pt. 2 on this defense

 

Burns does like contact, when has made a good tackle or even a good hit. If anything i seen him avoid or go behind his team mates so as not to make a hit. That is what is the difference between average and good cornerbacks, endless your Dion who never tackled.

 

I'm not sure if Burns blew the plays where Smith had a receiver open and missed him or not, but his play on the touchdown was a killer. He got caught peeking at Smith and lost the receiver behind him and then missed the tackle to turn a big mistake into a touchdown. He needs to be more consistent.

 

He seemed to be confused to me on the touchdown and on another play in or near the red zone when Alex smith overthrew a wide open receiver on an out route. Looked like in both cases he should have been playing a deep third but was playing squat technique in the flat. Miscommunication maybe.