Can't Live in a Bubble

Hi Everyone.

I have not posted in quite a while but have been following. I hope everyone is doing well.

A topic that gets its annual spotlight is the playing time of the starters. Year after year it seems that there is the usual back and forth debate on how much time the starters should play in preseason. For us, and especially at the QB position, we know how this goes. Ben sits out the first two games and then plays maybe a quarter in the third game and again sits out the final preseason game.

I understand all of the rationales for this mode of thinking; from preventing injuries to assessing players. I get all of that.

However, like clockwork we come out of the gates with a slow start per se when the regular season starts. Not always but usually. Team sports, and football in particular, must develop chemistry immediately. Given this year’s situation I see this as even more imperative given the following:

• Ben and his elbow are still a question mark.
  
  
• A revamped Offensive Line.
  
  
• A new Running Back who is a rookie.
  
  
• A new Tight End (rookie) that we need desperately to be able to block because Ebron can/will not.

There is very little time to start formulating this cohesiveness in preseason. This cannot be done on the fly as the regular season unfolds. EVERY game is critical. How often have we seen a week one loss affect us in the final week of the season,

We cannot continue to treat these players as Mom’s best china. Sure, the less time on the field, the less chance of injury. However, and again, these players, and coaches, cannot live in a bubble. How many times, in all of our lives, have we wished that we left the house a minute earlier or turned left instead of right. Second guessing is unproductive. All four items listed above need unified reps. I for one would say at least several series of play together EVERY preseason game with maybe one quarter of play at maximum.

Personally, I do not care if this takes place in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th Quarters but again, IMO, it needs to happen.


Take care.

STEELWINDS The East Side Kid

 

Great post

 

Yeah and as soon as someone gets hurt in a meaningless game......

 

Welcome back! Good timing, too. @S.T.D showed up in your stead and is gunning for your title of "Most Polite." But he got grumpy a few times after liking too many of my posts. Your title is safe, for now.

Great post, btw. I'd like to add that there is no level of conditioning or "carrying your pads" against your own team that gets you as ready for game-day collisions as game-day collisions. I think that gets lost in all this protection. There's always a risk, as you stated. But like you, I'd like to see the team prepare more for the start of the season.

The caveat to that is the, accurate, old saying, "Play your best ball in December." If that's the goal, then start slow and get better as the season progresses, and play your best ball in December. Championships are not won in September. Unfortunately, the Steelers have been sandwiching bad play around the meat of the season, starting off, and ending, slow.

 

Bubble boy not only could live in a bubble but played Trivia Pursuit.

 

Well, you're a couple weeks late and probably not going to get your wish. Very few teams play their starters much in the preseason anymore, so all teams are basically in the same boat, and it's why September football can be sloppy and unpredictable across the league.

 

While I tend to agree I'm pretty sure most of the other 31 teams take the same or very similar approach. I would think they do a lot of unified reps it practice but that sure the hell ain't real time.

Now I think a few teams have had some major injuries to some players this pre season. Now let's pretend we lose our QB and RB in the pre season. Imagine the post about Tomlin being an idiot for using them too much in pre season. It is kind of a no win situation.

 

Guys living on the bubble: Josh Dobbs, Jaylen Samuels, Justin Layne.

 

"It's the Moors you idiot!" "There's no such thing as the Moops!"

 

I disagree OP, Ben's elbow isn't a question mark.

 

Why do I got 2 be drawn into this???
LoL.

 

In my opinion the classic slow start has little to do with playing time in preseason and camp and more to do with Tomlin's philosophy on not concerning themselves with what other teams do. If they were to prepare for opening day and have a game plan that they are ready to execute it would go a long way towards on field player execution.

 

Hoodies seasons usually start out slow also

 

Great post!



I agree a ton on cohesion and timing for all positions, those reps are needed for everyone to sync.

My only caveat is with slow starts. I think it was mentioned in another post but the team has started well in the past years. I agree there seemed to be sluggish starts years ago but I think they adjusted and have started well.

 

Back in 1999, Trent Green of the St. Louis Rams was 28-32 in preseason. Rodney Harrison hits him low and Green blows out his knee. In comes Kurt Warner. Whatever happened to that guy? Oh yeah, a movie is be released in December.

 

WTF

He had major elbow surgery. It will always be the biggest question mark.

Whack

 

LOL. No it's like brand new now.
Bionic a stuff. Like freaking Steve Austin

 

Hey BURGH43STEL.

I get the "meaningless game" concept. We hear it year in and year out. Yes, it is a risk any time our players step on the field for even one play. Again, I sincerely get it. However, one quarter of one preseason game is not going to be enough for the "Old" and the "New" pieces to develop any type of chemistry. And again, we cannot live in fear, in a "Bubble". An injury can as easily happen in week #1, #2 or whenever during the regular season as it can in preseason. Sure the less that a player is on the field, then yes the chances of sustaining an injury go down.

If we are going to live that way then why not minimize PRACTICE. Shoot, how many times have we seen a player get hurt in PRACTICE with no contact whatsoever. The player's foot gets stuck in the turf and an ACL or Achilles goes out. Ouch! Now what, should we eliminate or minimize practice as well? Come on, injuries go with the nature of the game. Trying to prevent/predict injuries can also contribute to having them happen.

A loss of practice time or preseason game time, can INDIRECTLY contribute to an injury as well due to a lack of preparation and conditioning.

Given all of this, why don't we wait until we reach the Super Bowl and then come out in full force (smile).

Team sports (football, basketball, hockey etc.) require extensive playing time together for all of the obvious when it comes to "being on the same page". Given that, football, out all of the major sports, provides the least amount of "Game Time" to develop such unification. Sixteen games is not a lot of time. There has to be a "balance" found so that we are ready by Week #1 while minimizing the fear/reality of injury.

Not yelling with Caps or Bold just emphasizing BURGH43STEL (smile).

STEELWINDS The East Side Kid

Hey Seven4Steel.

Good to be back. Thank you.

Yes, admittedly, it does seem that we have been "more prepared" the last few seasons come opening day. Also, yes, I do agree, it is not "totally" about how you start but where you are at come mid-late December. I mean, I do not know what is deemed a satisfactory start. 2-2 maybe. At least we are not out of it by week #5 if we were to start 1-3 or 0-4. Of course, 4-0 is the goal.

Hey for me "Perfection" is always the goal. Knowing that it is unachievable. Although Miami 1972 may argue that. I would guess though that even some from that team would admit that there were things that they would have done differently. However, I live with a "Competitor's Mentality" in that admittedly I do not like even losing preseason games.

Again though, due to the nature of football's "short season" (16 games) there is not a lot of time for chemistry building. As I stated to another poster: If we are going to keep players off of the field for "meaningless games" then why don't we just keep them out of meaningless practice as well? How many non-contact, practice injuries have we all seen before.

On a lighter note.

In the infamous words of Allen Iverson: "We talkin’ about practice, man."



STEELWINDS The East Side Kid

 

I

It is until it's not. Nothing has changed from the end of last season until it does and lasts 17 games. Otherwise, to me, it's a damn big ?

 

Hey Steel Hog.

If you may recall, I for one was, and am still down with Ben. Before I got "lost" for awhile here on "The Board", I was adamant, and still remain so, that Ben's injury was not to be taken lightly. It was more of the two-year healing variety per se. I don't know if it was "Tommy John Surgery" or similar too. Nonetheless, I constantly stated throughout last season, and during the off-season, that his injury was not some spit on it and rub some dirt on it and back in the game you go type. Again, this was Major Reconstructive Surgery. Some here, and outside of The Board, still do not seem to comprehend this fact! Not yelling at you Steel Hog. Just getting fired up (smile).

Ben was good enough to play last season BUT not to lead this team. When the season was over, I came to realize that we were DEAD LAST in running the ball this past season. I knew we were bad but admittedly I did not realize we were that bad. It showed though. This further placed a great deal of the "failure onus" on the Steeler Coaching Staff for our late season meltdown. Hey, even if Ben was never hurt, but we were last in rushing the ball, the outcome would probably have been the same. That is what opposing defenses want. For opposing offenses to become one-dimensional. We handed it to them on a platter; especially during our late season meltdown.

The Steelers Coaching Staff built a game plan that worked around ben's injury. it was the short dump-off, safe passes that initially worked but again teams caught up with us during the last quarter of the season. What were Mr. Tomlin and company thinking? They knew Ben's limitations. Maybe, in fairness to them, they thought that the running game was not going to be that bad and that it would be able to compensate for some of Ben's inadequacies as he CONTINUED to heal.

Statically Ben, was good, very good as the chart below shows. However, it is the Yards/Pass Attempt (AVG.) which stands outs and contributed significantly to our downfall. In tandem, this statistic was okay but was not when complimented with our horrific running game. If the team was say..... middle of the pack in running the ball last season, and Ben's statistics were still what they were, I think we could have finished much stronger. Dead Last in running the ball. Again, Ugh!

I agree Steel Hog that we still are not sure what Ben's return will look like. For me, I am optimistic that he will be much better in regards to another off-season of healing. Add to that the acquisition of Najee Harris and I think that two out of the three "suspect" pieces are looking better than last season. HOWEVER, all will probably be for not if the Offensive Line does not come along for the ride. I admittedly do not know what to think about the O-Line in comparison to my upbeat vibe regarding Ben and Harris.

Remaining optimistic that all three pieces will be unified, then I like our chances a lot. A real lot.





STEELWINDS The East Side Kid

 

6.3 yards per attempt was 29th in the league. I was pointing this stat out halfway through the 11-0 start, but most posters said I was being too negative. Yes, part of the short passing game was to compensate for the lack of run game. What hurt the run game was Banner's injury, then cutting Wisniewski after he came back from his injury. Those two started game 1 and the team had 141 rushing yards. But some dumbass homer poster mocked me by saying "Who," when I brought up this point about how the Steelers should have kept Wisniewski.

Anyway, the o-line should be better, if Green can be average. Okafor and Villanueva are about even, which still may be subpar; Dotson should out perform Feiler; DeCastro was not very good last year, but Turner still has to prove he is a satisfactory replacement. If Banner stays healthy, he will be fine. I also like Moore. Let's say the run game goes from last 20th, that will be huge in converting 3rd and 1s, time of possession, keeping defenses honest, and return to play action, which Ben was so successful with earlier in his career. The Bills game will tells us a lot about the 2021 Steelers. If the o-line performs well and Ben performs well, the Steelers will have a competitive season.

 

Hey Maddog78.

Yes, I agree that most teams play it the same way "across the league". Give or take a bit. And yes, I also agree that in part it does contribute to some sloppy early football. Football is one of the most physical and violent sports on the planet. I have to admit though Rugby looks pretty brutal. I honestly do not get the full gist of the game but it reminds me alot of "Kill the Carrier" that we played when we were young. You know, one guy gets the ball and tries solo to outrun/dodge how many others there may be enroute to trying to get to the end zone. I mean we would play with as many as 10 other guys trying to crush you. You had no one to help you whatsoever. So, it was either go for broke or throw the ball away and the next guy take his chances. I LOVED IT!

Back to adulthood, we know that team chemistry is critical to success. it is not just a cliché' it is the truth. Even being a veteran of nearly two decades Ben still has to get in synch and vice-versa with the new/returning players, coaches, systems, etc. There just is no way of getting around it. Sure, sure he may be able to compensate for some of this ON HIS PART with his years of experience but that does nothing to help the ever-changing Offensive Line and new and returning Running Backs, Wide Receivers and Tight Ends. This can only materialize with time spent together in "Real Game" play. Not just at team practice.

I guess maybe the only equitable aspect of this is, as you stated Maddog, is that for the most part the pre-season is typically run the same way across the league.

Two of the things I am really intrigued as well as optimistic about are the blocking of Najee Harris and Pat Freiermuth. If they can help with the blocking then that is really going to be a big bonus as the O-Line develops. I like Ebron very much. I know he gets theses lapses at time with the drops but I think that Ben relies on him quite abit and feels relatively comfortable with him. However, I do not look at him as an all-around TE. His blocking is not up to snuff. His play and stature are more of that of a Wide Receiver. Personally, I like the guy. Given that, this is why Freiermuth has to become that blocking TE or whoever else may fill that void now that The Vanimal is gone. Man, I loved his style of play. We know Freiermuth can catch but he has to continue to be that blocking TE that we are counting on him to become as Vance.

Man, we are loaded at "Pass Catchers". We were last season as well but again it was our lack of a running game that was our downfall. Hopefully, we have got that covered now; especially with Hajee Harris aboard. He is Bell 2.0 (maybe better potentially?) but seemingly with a dash of humility and selflessness.



STEELWINDS The East Side Kid

 

*Trivial

 

Hey steel machine.

I hope all has been well my friend.

Your Quote:

"Now let's pretend we lose our QB and RB in the pre season. Imagine the post about Tomlin being an idiot for using them too much in pre season. It is kind of a no win situation."

You know how that goes steel machine. It goes without saying. More so your point about it being a "no win situation". Bingo!

Hey look. Chase Claypool got hurt in practice the other day. What are they to do? Keep the starters out of practice or portions of it to avoid the unforeseeable. I mean where do we draw the line between fear and reality? The players have to play. That means in pre-season. They have to practice. That does not mean just on select days or on "less risky" drills.

Seemingly, Claypool was injured on the next-to-last play of last Tuesday’s practice. Now what? Should he have only practiced the first half of that day's workout. Come on! This is not a realistic viewpoint. Before you know it, the players will practice one day a week and the starters will only play in the playoffs. Now, I know that is extreme but is it so far-fetched.

Look how many players are held back once their team clinches a playoff berth early. Then they get knocked out of the first round of the playoffs. You know what is coming next, the talking heads second guessing about the "Rust Factor' and how just maybe these players should not have sat out the last several games of the regular season. Like you stated my friend, a "no win situation".



STEELWINDS The East Side Kid

 

Hey AFan.

I am going to "pick-on" Justin Layne for a moment. In short, why is it that this organization continues to be so seemingly incompetent when it comes to drafting Cornerbacks/Secondary Personnel. This is beyond the odds of probability. I lost count after "Failure" #14. Why is it we cannot succeed in this area? The only successful "DRAFTED" Secondary personnel within the Tomlin era was Keenan Lewis IMO. Given that, he was a bit above average IMO, nothing exceptional. Other than that, the list is full of endless failures and at best mediocrity.. It is "disgusting" as I like to say around here.

It cannot possibly be that all of those players that we drafted for the Secondary are that bad or can it be? No way I say. A huge part of that has to be contributed to the ongoing failure of player development; the coaching staff. The proof is in the pudding. The only successful players that we have had in the Secondary during the Tomlin regime have come from other teams; Nelson, Fitzpatrick, Haden.

The article below is a bit outdated but not much has changed since it was printed a little more than two years ago. Nonetheless, the problem still persists. I figure it like this, unless this organization can get their act together regarding this issue they might as well just go after proven players from other teams. This issue has become a waste of time, money and energy.

I will not get into this again as I did my research in the past, and posted it here, regarding Tomlin's extensive experience as a Secondary Coach. The bread crumb trail leads back to his second coaching gig back in 1996 where he spent the season as a graduate assistant at the University of Memphis working with defensive backs and special teams. See his full coaching bio at the link below.

Now, I am not going to put all of the blame on Tomlin for this but he sure does shoulder quite a bit of it IMO. What do most coaches like to cliché? "It all starts with me." Well, yes it does Mr. Tomlin. Yes, it does.



Steelers’ Secondary Drafting Problems

Coach Tomlin's Coaching Bio



STEELWINDS The East Side Kid