No daylight for Conner

That stat, alone, tells nothing.
Scheme? O-line Performance? Calls against bad matchups? bad math from the QB at the LOS?

That stat is gonna be higher now, after the SF game:
-The D had 7-8 stacking the box most of the time, and on that scenario probabilities to get contacted before the LOS are higher.
That's what happened yesterday (and I tend to think that happened 2nd half against Sea too).

 

Agreed . Plus it’s telegraphed. Without McDonald though we’re going to have to commit to a extra OL. We don’t have a TE that can block at the point of attack. Question is where’s the motion and misdirection to give the D something else to think about. Couple of the end arounds were positive but we need to see more motion. Our scheme on O is far behind the rest of the league. Spacing and route combos are lacking and we don’t have a change of pace back to test the perimeter of the D. Most times it looks like we’re playing offense in a phone booth.

 

Let Mason throw deep early.

That will potentially solve many scheme mismatches (like them stacking the box).

 

The line has played bad but, Also note the last 5 guys listed, they're all fast...Conner is not....

Actually going from bottom.to top, It goes from.fastest to slowest...Quite simply, A faster guy will hit the line quicker than a slower guy...Again our line has played poorly, But this particular argument also involves the RB

 

Shhhhh, Tomlin might read this board and learn something. It was a huge secret that the game plan was to run the ball and throw very little. *insert sarcasm*

Let the kid play for crying out loud!!!! So what if throws some IT, let him play, let him get his feet wet.

 

James surely is not getting any holes without question. That being said, he has got to do a better job of holding onto the football. Good blocking or not, ball security in games like yesterday are paramount; doubly so if your QB is in his first start.

 

His speed is definitely not a strength. He doesn’t pose much of a threat to bounce it outside which gives the defense a bit of a advantage to press and squeeze the LOS. Stacking the box because our O is currently lacking a consistent passing attack isn’t helping the cause. He is getting the yards that are currently being blocked for him. It would be nice to have a speed back as well though.

 

I think....That was due in part because teams couldn't " squeeze " the Los because we had WEAPONS...AB, 1st and foremost, a SECOND TE, and a healthy McDonald...Teams are daring us to pass, and we don't have the arsenal imo

 

Let's just get a freakin win this week and regroup...Any word on McDonald

 

This is way it is stupid to pay lots of money to most any running back. Running success is predicated on a really good offensive line. No blocking, no running. We need to draft or trade for new linemen.

 

Samuels actually touching the ball could help too.

 

Conner absolutely deserves every bit of criticism he gets for the lack of ball security. He was surrounded by three defenders in the backfield and failed to properly secure the ball on the fumble in San Francisco. That can't happen.

That said, he often has nowhere to go. It isn't about speed. He gets to the line quickly enough. The holes aren't there. The offensive line isn't getting the job done. Not having Nix and now McDonald makes things even worse. So does the lack of a downfield passing game. It's just too easy for teams to line up and stop the run.

 

The line has to run block better than they have. That being said I've never felt Conner had good field vision and most good running backs can make a cut or adjustment here and there to be more productive on their runs. His ball security is also a issue. I would go with Samuels for a game and see how it goes. As we all know good running opens up the pass and vice versa . They gotta get some offensive momentum somewhere. Don't have much faith in our coaching to get this done consistently but we will see.

 

Cincinnati has some of the worst run defense in football, but they have played three teams that run the ball well in Seattle, San Francisco, and Buffalo. Interesting, two of the teams, the Steelers have played. If Conner doesn't break out against the Bengals, I would not mind seeing Finney or Fred Johnson getting a shot at replacing Foster.

 

I think all you know by now I am a big Pitt fan and JC fan,
but he needs to take a seat by the coach and think about
how devastating his fumbling is to the team. Granted his OL
hasn't done SQUAT. But let's see what Samuels can do.