Heyward and Schobert comments after the game…

I watch a lot of games each week and you can see where the limited practice because of the CBA affects them and not just the Steelers. The one difference is that different coaches have different ways to deal with these limitations and Tomlin's seem to expound on them rather than minimize them

 

Our star RB did not know the game could end in a tie. Wondering who else on the team did not know this? Another example of this team under Tomlin has never been sharp on details. Not button up'ed. Sloppy, Lacking football smarts, struggling with basic technique week and and week out... I mean the last 2 games in the middle of the season we have multiple players not knowing where to be committing really stupid penalties, not managing the clock, etc. The fumble near the sideline was awful but what was maybe more awful was that we probably dont have time to get a kick off if he didn't fumble it.

 

When your run defense ranks near the bottom of the league.. (I believe only 4 other teams rank worse) then there's a problem that has nothing to do with the CBA. Not to mention we started the year off pretty good... I think it's safe to say we have the worst defense in the league against the run - at this current moment. It's funny to me that we actually did fine against the best running team in the league but can't stop the Lions w/ a hurt QB that can't throw a pass past 10 yards.

 

I read that earlier was thinking that seems about right. This is the team where our franchise QB and starting Rb didn't know the best course of action when going after a bobbled snap near the endzone is to knock it out the back of the endzone.

 

Yeah that is coaching and team management. Coaching because no one on the backside tracks the ball carrier and team management because they didn't address quality depth on the Dline. Buggs doesn't eat up blocks, Wormley is so-so, Mondo not sure what they see in him and Loudermilk is raw.

 

The issue thus far this season has not so much been the intensity of tackling (save a few notable names) but the lack of fundamentals of it as well. Having limited contact drills does not assist but the basics should be a common theme within the form of it. Far too many times opposing Running Backs have broken free overall.


If anything, both of these comments by both Scho and Cam seem more geared towards those aforementioned notable names more so than the rest of the defense though they are not without blame either.

 

I feel like this was directed at Devin Bush.

 

There's been an obvious drop off since losing Alualua but on most of the runs I watched the D-line was engaged with blockers. The Lions blockers were not getting to the LB's off the snap, the LBs were still free to make the tackle or fill the gap and neither happened - over and over again. The LB's would run right to the blockers and take themselves out. Most of the time Bush would literally run into the blockers before he could read the play. It was mind boggling how bad he was miss reading the runs.

They should have just told Bush to not move off the snap. At least he'd be a blocking dummy.

Both the Bears and Lions literally tried to run wide outside the TE and Bush was run blitzing into the OG and Center right up the middle. The ball carrier was already outside the hash marks. That left no one but the safeties out there to make the tackle 5-10 yards down field. Bush has no ability to read a play so he has been just guessing . How many runs were right at him and he was MIA. It was crazy. All he had to do was hold his ground off the snap. The LB's don't know what to do and our Safeties do not like contact. Minkah was avoiding tackles and just trying to grab their shoulder pads. He must have shoulder injury. They were protecting them selves not trying to tackle anyone.

Just watched some game film on the Lions runs and it actually looks like they did tell Bush to just not move. WHen he wasn't running him self out of the play the center was blocking him 5+ yards past the LOS. How bad are you when the center is eating you up before you can even make a step to the runner?

 

Dunno why the offense can’t score points for s**t anyways.

 

Let me preface this by saying I'm not blaming Cam. He seems to play hard on every single down, no matter the situation.
But, he has the "C" on his jersey. Is he doing everything he can to light a fire under the guys on the field? If the coaches won't do it, he should step up. I'd like to see him get in people's faces for a lack of effort or discipline

 

Watch game film of the last few games on the runs we give up. Then watch game film of a several years ago when we dominated the run. There's glaring issues .

The NT is not setting the anchor in the middle. This creates holes in the middle and allows the center to easily target the ILB. The Center gets off the snap and easily eats up Bush with regularity 4 yards up field. Bush shows no ability to shed blocks let alone avoid them. Finally our safeties are not giving run support at all. Watch some film with Troy on run support then watch now. It's laughable.

Minkah might be good in pass defense but he's a joke when it comes to snuffing out running backs up the middle. Most of the time when the running back hits the hole the one player left to make the tackle is the safety. He's afraid to tackle physical runners. Minkah literally shy's away from contact. Bush does the same thing. He's slow to make a move to the running back so he's gobbled up by blockers. The D-line is getting moved and the LB's can't fill the holes. It's discipline and toughness and we have neither. Notice the big runs are usually between the tackles and right at Bush. We made a deliberate effort to build this defense with speed vs power and opponents can easily exploit this. We need a ferocious tackler up the middle and Minkah, Bush, and Alualua's back up are not getting it done.

The other problem is with our pass defense struggling we are using the nickel more... guessing because of the personnel opponents are showing. We got burned several times in a nickel defense and Bush in the middle. The D-line gets easily stood up and Bush freezes, gets blocked and it's nothing but pay dirt. He should be attacking but isn't doing it. The D-line isnt taking up space. They got their hands full 1 on 1. Anytime an opponent can get us in the nickel it's an invitation to run up the middle. That's what happened on the Lion's TD run up the middle. The safeties were no where to be found once Bush was blocked. Thus the huge run.

 

They never made finding our "NT of the future" a priority.

Can't tell me Casey couldn't still play in this league if he was coming out today.

 

One last thing worth adding. Watch the film. Our defense is trying to free up Bush to make the tackles..he's just not getting it done. We have Schobert assigned to the Lions TE and RB's. When their TE goes out to block Schobert is taking him on and trying to push the runner to the inside to Bush to make the play. Bush is no where to be found. We clearly have Schobert trying to feed Bush and he wont eat it. It looks like he's afraid to play physical ball because he actually is avoiding the collision. Early in Bush's career he was attacking, he's no reluctant to do it and to make matters worse we are weak at DT. The D-line is getting pushed back off the snap more often then not.

The injuries to Bush IMO have made him soft. He's not in the right head space. It's a huge problem because we have no other options. Minkah and Schobert are not going to stuff runs. Scobert is a Bush 2.0 . We built this team hoping Bush would be a more aggressive run stuffer. We have two ILB's built for pass defense. Scobert is making the same mistakes Bush is making on the runs. We occasionally switch the two LB's and the results are the same. Both can't get off blocks and both are reluctant to attack until it's too late. I suspect that's a mental thing and both are just too slow to make a read and too reluctant to play physical.

When Bush isn't getting blocked or run at...he's quick to the ball. He's playing like a safety. We need him to play like a LB. He needs to add some weight and strength IMO and get his head right. We are built for speed but reacting slowly and don't have the toughness to force our will on anyone. IMO we really need a monster in the middle. or a tougher D-line.

 

Might as well bench Bush and start Spillane. Steelers D would be better off.

 

I love Cam, but this off-season he was telling guys to stay away from OTA’s. Not something a team Captain does.

 

I'd call up Vince Williams!!!

He should have been on this roster. Deep down, I think he wanted to play this year.

 

Another weekly Nugget from Dingbat Aditi...There is no way in Hell, A Coach would give her any Info....right?

 

Or this one...Nothing ever has legitimacy or names associated with it...Just I seen this, heard that...EVERY week she is stirring up S*** behind the scenes, and wonders why Tomlin doesn't take her seriously

 

Well, the thing about that is we can easily read the entirety of his post. The CBA wasn't the only thing he mentioned as concerning, and likely it isn't. Having neither their starting NT or RDE isn't helping matters either.

 

Now I am see why so many players love playing (or not playing) for him. Adds up if this is true.

 

Nobody, it's BS

 

I think your spot on, Bush right now may be the worst starting MLB in the NFL today. If the coaches are watching him then they are wrong for not benching him now. He is hurting us and getting blown up on most running plays. Anybody would be better at this point.

 

There was a player on Detroit who said he didn't know the game could end in a tie also.