Isn't the Punch Line... "If he could catch a football he would be a WR"?

Yeah without pressure. Pressure of anything changes everything. Example: I've seen guys that while sparring are brilliant ,but as soon as it's the real thing, it counts, and people are watching them....they become stiff, and disjointed, and easy things become hard.
As one of My favorite Authors (David Gemmell) termed it in a book.....a pebble in the moonlight.

 

They likely didn’t call the fake, it’s probably an automatic play if the gunner on either side is left uncovered. Imagine watching a replay of the game and seeing on film that it was 4th and 3 and the Gunner was standing there alone! This is pro football, not HS, players are expected to catch a ball.

 

A little dramatic there, first quarter 5 mins into the game. If it fails they tie the game and you have 55 mins to recover. For a team that has been notoriously conservative it showed they are willing to take chances, and the risk/reward here was something you can overcome.

 

Unless of course it was .





................Dwight Stone. While the pic looks like he's about to catch a pass, more than likely it already bounced off his metamorphic hands. He did have some wheels and played a very long time, but lots of disappointments otherwise.

 

The way it turned out, IMO, both are fools.... both of them were risking too much for a low probability of a reward.

 

That's how it goes. If James Pierre hadnt turned into Donte Moncrief, than we'd be talking about how great Danny Smith/STs are.

 

Because it has to be a normal gunner or else the other team will know? Like the other team won't notice a guy that hasn't been on gunner duties on any of their film, and then just think nothing of it? Also, Skowronek is the other gunner, and because the "pressure" look of vacating a gunner came from Pierre's side and not Skowronek's, then that is the guy the play is supposed to go to.

They likely didn't call a fake punt there. They saw a look that Washington likes to bring in certain situations on film this week and realized they could exploit it. They probably had a check where if Killebrew sees a gunner open, to call the check then quick snap it to throw it. The gunner would know the ball is coming to him the second that the zone is vacated. It just happened to come in the first quarter at our own 20. If it happened in the second quarter at mid-field, they would have done the same thing there. That is all.

 

Pierre was brought in primarily to be a gunner and way back depth. As soon as Trice is back, he takes both spots from Pierre immediately. Henderson isn't getting a hat bc he isn't good and can't play ST. We have had him on the 53 because we have had some injuries/suspensions at corner (Trice, Jackson has been banged up a few times, and Sutton was suspended for 8 games). He was more of an insurance policy than anything. It is either him or Pierre getting cut as soon as Trice comes back from IR.

 

Yep he could have walked for 15 yards...Only 1 guy to beat that was the punt returner 50 yards away..That was the problem he was thinking score before he thought catch...These guys play a game of pass all the time so 98 percent of the time i would say any NFL player will make that play..

Its not like he had to run a route beat a man or even worry about taking a hit ...As I stated in other thread its a auto call and I am sure they practice that play every week.. If the punt return Team doubles both gunners and goes spread block the other auto call is the same direct snap OL blocks out the other up guy becomes lead blocker and you run it right up the middle...This is coached this way starting at the elementary level on...

 

Well that theory of CJ Henderson actually playing for the Steelers this year just went out the door.

ADDED: And is this another player seriously injured in a Friday walkthrough?

Steelers Place Veteran Cornerback on Injured Reserve