Diontae Johnson

[RamblinMan99]

21 hours ago, wwhickok said:

Diontae's issue is focus imo. He is too worried about rhe play after the catch. He doesn't take enough patience and focus to make the catch first. He had an easy walk in TD, but instead, he dropped rhe pass because he ran right through the pass heading to the endzone, he didn't bother focusing on actually catching the ball.

I think you're reading too much into this.  

[mwalker]

On 12/4/2020 at 10:15 AM, RamblinMan99 said:

Have you watched any of the other games this season?  

Diontae Johnson's great.   

Yeah, he had one bad game.  

Yes. I've watched every game.
I didn't say he's a terrible player.
I said he's dropping too many passes. 
He makes some great plays too.
I just think the drops need cleaned up.

[Steeler Hitman]

On 12/2/2020 at 8:25 PM, wwhickok said:

Diontae's issue is focus imo. He is too worried about the play after the catch. He doesn't take enough patience and focus to make the catch first. He had an easy walk in TD, but instead, he dropped the pass because he ran right through the pass heading to the endzone, he didn't bother focusing on actually catching the ball.

Spot on and very accurate. We have seen this at times all this season and last. He did it on punts early and on some other passes in games as well. Great talent, but has to secure the catch first.

On 12/3/2020 at 7:26 AM, warfelg said:

Personally to have this many I think it shows the physical and mental toll having two games moved, not non-practice bye week (this whining from Ravens fans makes me to punch em in the teeth), and the general lack of concentration. The first two certainly making the last worse. 

No one from the Steelers will openly admit this (At least not right now during the season), but this is spot on. Teams are used to routine. Well run organizations have a schedule and manage that to the letter. Finding out Wednesday, you aren't playing Thursday was one hit, but then finding out Saturday you are not playing Sunday, and then on Monday you're not playing Tuesday. It throws you out of rhythm and sync. No excuse for the mad amount of drops by pro receivers, but the team made some mistakes in all areas of the game. If Dionte can even be something between Santonio and AB....🦾

On 12/3/2020 at 6:15 PM, RamblinMan99 said:

Have you watched any of the other games this season?  

Watched every one of them. He was pretty good the last two, but extremely inconsistent in some of the others including this one.

Diontae Johnson's great.   

I think many people confuse good and great. I think he is good and may even have the tools to be great. But he isn't there yet. He is not even our best or most consistent WR on this roster of young players. That would be Ju Ju. Most would not call Ju Ju a great player. He is definitely what I would call a great person though. High character and good teammate. 

Yeah, he had one bad game.  

Not hating on Dionte, but he has had a few bad games.  He is inconsistent and that keeps him from being great and keeps him at the "good" prospect level. 

Great catch here. He high points the ball and if you look closely he is eyeing the ball in his hands. Textbook reception. Receiving class 101

Look at Dionte's eyes here. They are above the ball. Guess what? He dropped this pass looking to turn upfield. He never caught this perfectly thrown pass.

He has some basics to clean up on in his game. It is one game. He was targeted 13 times had 8 catches and dropped at least three balls including a TD. Not the stuff greatness is made of, but he is young. You hope he learns and improves.

Edited December 5, 2020 by Steeler Hitman
type-o

[3rivers]

say he drops a few passes early in this game, does Ben keep throwing his way or will Tomlin tell him, that JW will take that place while DJ can have a rest on the sidelines  similar to this:

[Steeler Hitman]

13 hours ago, 3rivers said:

say he drops a few passes early in this game, does Ben keep throwing his way or will Tomlin tell him, that JW will take that place while DJ can have a rest on the sidelines  similar to this:

 

To  further illustrate what I was saying: Look at where Dionte's eyes and head are looking (seeing how to avoid #32)!  He is running and looking to make a play before he secures the catch as so many have mentioned. This is correctable, but he is also on a (pardon the pun to your doghouse reference) on a very short cord to be yanked by the coaches, if he continues to drop the easy ones.  It is annoying and bothersome, but truthfully as Ramblin Man said, it was one very bad game in terms of drops. It is becoming a bit of a pattern with putting the ball on the ground with drops, fumbles, or not securing a catch. Either way he has to get better.

Difference between he and Artie Burns is that Artie rarely made a good pass defense, int, or was in good coverage around the ball. Dionte'  has made big catches, scored TD's, and had some decent games receiving. The concentration thing should be fairly easy to correct. If I am Ike Hilliard, I simply show him some of these photos. Ask him what he was thinking and doing? Then explain where his head and eyes are (not on the football). Show him some Chris Carter and Steve Largent 101 (looking the ball into their hands). It is a habit.  Reminds me of when Tiki Barber used to fumble all the time and then learned to carry and hold the ball high and tight. 

To your point, if this continues, James Washington is waiting in the wings and in the immortal words of Rick Flair, "If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch! Woooo!"

 

Read Coach Tomlin's take on this courtesy of Steelers Depot..... Very straight forward on his position of this subject.

https://steelersdepot.com/2020/12/mike-tomlin-on-drops-the-catching-of-the-ball-needs-to-be-a-non-discussion-at-this-level/

[3rivers]

non discussion - agree.

[mwalker]

On 12/5/2020 at 11:53 AM, mwalker said:

Yes. I've watched every game.
I didn't say he's a terrible player.
I said he's dropping too many passes. 
He makes some great plays too.
I just think the drops need cleaned up.

Ebron and DJ dropping balls again.
Yes, they made some plays, but it's just too 
many drops. The lack of a run game is
obviously an issue as well - and the 3 games
in 13 days, but man.

Ebron has always dropped more than he should.

[3rivers]

2 hours ago, mwalker said:

Ebron has always dropped more than he should.

this was a concern, now a reality.  However, it also appears contagious, more than covid - not good. Will it go away anytime soon?  Maybe another reason to start running the ball again?

[CKSteeler]

3 hours ago, 3rivers said:

Maybe another reason to start running the ball again?

They barely run the ball now and can't even catch defenses napping. Unless they fix the vertical passing game, the run game isn't improving. The blocking isn't suddenly going to get better. The design isn't going to magically get better unless they hide Fitchner in a closet before game time. You can see opposing teams sneak extra defenders up to the line on the few plays they actually decide to run the ball and there's little fear because odds are they're just running a 2 yard slant anyway.

[mwalker]

1 hour ago, CKSteeler said:

They barely run the ball now and can't even catch defenses napping. Unless they fix the vertical passing game, the run game isn't improving. The blocking isn't suddenly going to get better. The design isn't going to magically get better unless they hide Fitchner in a closet before game time. You can see opposing teams sneak extra defenders up to the line on the few plays they actually decide to run the ball and there's little fear because odds are they're just running a 2 yard slant anyway.

I think the blocking schemes are predictable and obvious. Fitchner is 'Bens' guy' but he's no chess player.

[3rivers]

2 hours ago, mwalker said:

I think the blocking schemes are predictable and obvious. Fitchner is 'Bens' guy' but he's no chess player.

that's the issue, along with ben wanting to throw the ball all the time. No legit run game or threat of one, no SB. Simple as that. Get onboard with that and maybe there is a chance. 

[Shady Slim]

while ben hasn't been that great in recent weeks let's take some time to appreciate how despite DJ's drops ben has been with him every step of the way - read that the two of them had a good chat during the second half of the buffalo game after DJ was benched and it helped him get his head back on straight and refocus for the second half where he started to make some catches and some plays

brady's obviously a superb quarterback but given ben is, some fans would have you believe, terrible as a leader, the juxtaposition of the two of them couldn't be clearer