Can't tell much from preseason but 1 thing is clear...

We are going to run the damn ball.

Most of what we've heard out of camp is true, it looks like we will be a run first team, with a controlled passing game. Once Mike comes back I'm sure we'll take more shots down the field here or there but I wouldn't expect to be a "bombs away" offense that we have been recently.

I like it personally. I haven't been overly impressed with the OL thus far but they can run block. Jonathan Dwyer looked very good with the first team OL in front of him. He and Redman (hopefully he comes back soon) could be a nice 1-2 punch until Mendenhall returns... If Mendy is at full strength and has his explosiveness back he could do BIG things.

 

I love it too, problem is converting the 3 - 2, 3 - 5 is not Ben's strong suit. We'll need to convert many of those short, timing routes and I don't see how he improves after 8 years in the league, and no Hines safety blanket.

 

I love it as well...Redman is going to try and practice Today,,I hope it goes well....As I stated in the other thread we will run the ball about 40 times a game..Haley has showed he is going to run the ball and use a quicker passing game...

 

On the 3rd and shorts Id like to see Heath and Jerico run just PAST the 1st down marker and wait for a pass. I hate when they throw short of the first down. Ugh.

 

i don't know what bens stats are for this, but i have noticed that this O requires alot of 3 down plays to make a drive. i know they are not showing it all, but so far thats what i see. someone was saying our starters are up 27-7 against other starters. i'm thinking only 10 points in 2 games by the offense.

 

I agree that they haven't been overly impressive, but I'm more hopeful now than in the past. I've grown to accept that preseason - at least for the Steelers - is very vanilla. They don't show their cards in any facet of the game. So, I'm expecting that the OL play will elevate when it's for real, just as the rest of the offense and defense will. One of the good things about this team is that they don't have to open up the whole playbook and do everything they CAN do in the preseason. This makes them more difficult to face in the regular season.

The one downfall to all of that may be game 1, when they really try to open things up and they haven't practiced it in game situations. It's always a crap shoot on whether they're going to come out flat or dominant in that first game. Let's hope it's the latter this year.

 

This is almost exactly what I was thinking...
Except that we rarely had third and short, the last few years. It seemed to usually be 3d and 10ish(or longer)... because of the previous plays/penalties, and we had to live and die by converting loooong third downs, which Ben made happen a LOT!!
And when we did have 3d and short, Bruce would put Ben in the shotgun w/ an empty backfield. Which DROVE ME NUTS!!! :o
Anyhow, what I am thinking, is that this year, we should have more 3rd and less than 5 yard chances, and Haley, can help to coach Ben up, to actually USE Heath and Cotchery for short pass plays just over the first down marker, hopefully , without them actually "sitting there"(stopping their routes and waiting for the ball, as opposed to making them a primary target, and hitting them in stride), OR using our runningbacks, to gain first down yardage, out of formations, where the defense doesn`t know if it`s going to be a run, or pass.....
That is one of the things I am looking forward to seeing this season...Multiple plays from similar formations...
Keeping the defense guessing... I hope that happens... Because it will be a HUGE step in the right direction, IMHO.
GO STEELERS!!!
Edit... I did notice an article, I think from the Tribune, that mentioned it was odd that Heath hasn`t had a single pass thrown his way so far, while other tight ends have....
I believe that is by design, and goes with the "not showing all your hand in pre-season" train of thought...

 

Yeah I'm not sure Ben gets enough credit for short yardage plays and probably, as others have stated, its due to not seeing it happen much before. Personally, after watching the preseason I'm still as excited about the up-coming season as I was before training camp. I guess I'm one that just doesn't find much fun in thinking the worst. I'm not taking anything away from the nay-sayers or the "realist" out there. Just saying, for me, it is a lot more fun to go into the season/game thinking that we are going to win. Does it hurt more when we lose, maybe, but damn it is a fun ride!