ON TO PITTSBURGH! LV@Pitt GDT! (early I know)

[Totty]

5 hours ago, RaidersAreOne said:

 

I wish we had a "heart" button instead of a little football.  

[oakdb36]

Can't be that pass happy again this week. It's a road game and Pittsburgh fans are loud. Young oline won't be able to handle it.

[Bitty 2.0]

12 hours ago, NYRaider said:

They just completely shut down the Bills passing attack. 

The Bills are not the Raiders. The Raiders have 4-5 good options on a pass play. The Bills basically have one. Carr is also known to spread the ball around, he just has to do it early in the game.

[agarcia34]

It was also very windy during most of the game. What they did was impressive against a very good Bills passing game. The Bills just looked out of sync on offense. The Steelers surprisingly where getting run on as well. Think that should be the game plan is to establish the run to set up the pass. Not sure you want to pass the ball 56 times against Pitt.  
 

[Steeler Hitman]

On 9/15/2021 at 3:13 AM, Rolni said:

Greetings from Steelers Nation.  I agree with most of your assessment and would like to offer some input from a long time Steelers fan's perspective.

 

Super hard game incoming...

I agree completely. The Raiders and Steelers are a great rivalry despite not having the same things at stake as in the 1970's. Regardless of records, this is typically a hard fought and well contested game.  I think these two teams match up well in some areas and the team that better exploits the other teams weaknesses and plays to their own strengths will win. 

1, Short week after a long, emotional and physical game.

2, Early east coast game

Both teams are coming off of emotional wins in which they were the underdog. Slight advantage on paper to Steelers with playing at home and the Raiders playing on Monday night, having to go to the east coast and then play an early Sunday game. As a Steeler fan, we hope to exploit this slight advantage. However, the Steelers offense have been notorious slow starters. Throw in the fact that f the Raiders can stay close, get a turnover, and win the battle of field position attrition, they can put some serious pressure on the Steelers. What happens if the Steelers defense is slightly off? If I am a Raider, I would hope to come out slugging and hope you connect. 

3, We are already down 2 veterans from our starting OL and the Steelers have legit pass rushers

Many Steelers fans believe that you will try to establish the run because of this. If you can get Josh Jacobs going on early downs, it will open up the passing and potential to neutralize the Steelers pass rush by making them weary of getting gashed. I think the Steelers will play more base defense if the Raiders go two TE and a FB, so it will be a battle won in the trenches. 

4, Miller-Simpson-James-Elumeunor-Leatherwood OL will struggle mightily to push that DL in the running game

I would like to think so. I believe the Steelers front seven is much better than many give them credit for. The weakness is at CB and particularly in the Nickel and Dime.  If the Steelers can get and keep the Raiders in second and long and third and long, it plays to the Steelers defensive strength. If the Raiders run well, it will make passing much easier and the Raiders can control the pace of the game.

5, Gruden's O is totally different without a running game

I think that is true with most teams. When you are second and one or two, the offense has many more options. Big difference in play calling from being second and nine or ten.

6, Those receivers will give fits to our DB's

I think the Steelers want to try to run more to set up the pass. The Steelers OL is still untested and are missing key players and some playing out of position (Zach Banner on IR and Chuks playing RT when he is a better or more comfortable LT). This is a game, that I think they will use some motion and other things to spread the ball around. Ju Ju, Dionte Johnson, Chase Claypool, Eric Ebron, and Freiermuth are a dangerous bunch.  Much better in a balanced offense. 

7, Their interior OL looks solid and Harris is a quality RB, while our run D looks suspect

I think they have the potential to be with Dotson and Turner at OG, but they have a rookie at C. I think he is a future pro bowler, but is very raw right now and is the weak link in the interior. He is not an experienced C. It is new and he can be fooled and beat on some plays. The OL did much better in the second half against the Bills, but the rushing attack struggled at times.  I think some of the conservative offensive play-calling by the Steelers hurt us as well.

8, They have a really solid CB unit, which could slow down our WRs

I think the Steelers have a really good CB in Joe Haden, a developing one in Cam Sutton and (To be determined)TBD in James Pierre. Beyond that a lot of questions that need answered. I think Witherspoon will be a big help, but he is just coming over and still learning the defense. Maulet and Lane are average to below average. Maulet is actually playing out of position, better safety. The TE and the spread with 4 WR's can hurt the Steelers defense especially if Carr gets time to pass them open. 

9, We could be without Yannick who was a big factor against the Ravens

No doubt that not having a player of his caliber hurts.  Crosby can still give the OT's fits. I think that our LT playing out of position at RT is actually better at pass protection than run blocking. Dan Moore is playing before we wanted him to due to Banner's injury on the right side. That in essence weakens two positions on the OL. Although Moore has played decent at LT, but this is not pre season. I am more concerned with the big guys in the middle. Our OL has had problems mauling and moving people. The Raiders have some beef inside. 

How could we win?

Keep it simple and methodical. Limit our OLs role and use a quick passing game and attack the middle of the field in the short, medium range with Waller, Moreau and Renfrow. Pressure Big Ben all game long and take away the deep/big plays. The good news is that Carr is capable to play quick and sharp (hopefully the rust is off after this Ravens duel) and Bradley's scheme should be equipped to guard the deep stuff.

Our game plans to beat one another should be somewhat similar:

1. Win the turnover battle. Don't give the game away or give extra possessions with turnovers.

2. Stay ahead of the down in distance. Avoid second or thirds and long situations. Limit pre snap penalties, holding calls or personal fouls that take you out of offensive rhythm and scheme.

3. Run well to pass well.

4. Keep the opposing offense off the field. Avoid three and outs. Wear down the opposing defense.

 

On 9/15/2021 at 3:13 AM, Rolni said:

If we can play well back to back against tough teams in a short week in east coast time...that would be something!

This is two football teams who are trying to prove that last week was no fluke. I even said in my thread that the better team doesn't always win (Bills and Ravens losing). Both of those teams are still favored by many to win their division, make play-offs or go beyond that. Statement game for both teams, but one of 16 more. We could very see each other in the post season. I would wish you luck, but you know that I really don't mean it. 😁

[agarcia34]

👀

Even if he just comes in on 3rd downs to rush to limit his snaps would be huge 

Edited September 16, 2021 by agarcia34

[SimonGruber]

15 minutes ago, agarcia34 said:

👀

Even if he just comes in on 3rd downs to rush to limit his snaps would be huge 

I mean it’s only week ideally wouldn’t it be better if he rests as opposed to making it worst possibly ?

[agarcia34]

6 minutes ago, SimonGruber said:

I mean it’s only week ideally wouldn’t it be better if he rests as opposed to making it worst possibly ?

Well rest for an hamstring is never a bad thing but if he can play then you play him. 
 

Think we can say his hamstring issue was a tweak and nothing more then that 

[BackinBlack]

2 hours ago, Steeler Hitman said:

This is two football teams who are trying to prove that last week was no fluke. I even said in my thread that the better team doesn't always win (Bills and Ravens losing). Both of those teams are still favored by many to win their division, make play-offs or go beyond that. Statement game for both teams, but one of 16 more. We could very see each other in the post season. I would wish you luck, but you know that I really don't mean it. 😁

Thanks for posting! I always appreciate reading through other teams thoughts / break downs on pre games. 
Especially when they can admit holes in their own team, and not just post, woo we are going to win 50-0.

[Geezy]

id probably prefer to keep Yannick out and rest that hammy for the rest of the season no sense it making it linger. 

[NYRaider]

8 hours ago, Bitty 2.0 said:

The Bills are not the Raiders. The Raiders have 4-5 good options on a pass play. The Bills basically have one. Carr is also known to spread the ball around, he just has to do it early in the game.

The Bills aren't the Raiders, they were 3rd in both passing yards and passing TD last season. Diggs had 1,500 yards, Beasley had nearly 1,000 yards, Davis had 600 yards, and they just added Emmanuel Sanders. Waller had almost every target outside of our RB's through the first 3.5 quarters last week.

[NYRaider]

1 hour ago, SimonGruber said:

I mean it’s only week ideally wouldn’t it be better if he rests as opposed to making it worst possibly ?

Yes. As a Jazz fan I can tell you it's better to just rest then play on it. Mike Conley tried to come back too early and was out for a month.

[NYRaider]

4 hours ago, agarcia34 said:

It was also very windy during most of the game. What they did was impressive against a very good Bills passing game. The Bills just looked out of sync on offense. The Steelers surprisingly where getting run on as well. Think that should be the game plan is to establish the run to set up the pass. Not sure you want to pass the ball 56 times against Pitt.  
 

Week 1 is also always different because you have months to prepare for a team and you also don't really have a great gauge of what they're going to try to do. The Steelers pass defense is one of the stingiest in the league. But one thing that is working for us is that their offense couldn't run the ball and didn't do much damage deep. 

[Bitty 2.0]

17 minutes ago, NYRaider said:

The Bills aren't the Raiders, they were 3rd in both passing yards and passing TD last season. Diggs had 1,500 yards, Beasley had nearly 1,000 yards, Davis had 600 yards, and they just added Emmanuel Sanders. Waller had almost every target outside of our RB's through the first 3.5 quarters last week.

I don't wanna argue with you but every time the Bills need an important play it goes to Diggs. Where the Raiders use Renfro for 3rd downs, Waller to move the chains and Rugs for a deep threat. You can't argue that Carr doesn't spread to ball around

[NYRaider]

17 minutes ago, Bitty 2.0 said:

I don't wanna argue with you but every time the Bills need an important play it goes to Diggs. Where the Raiders use Renfro for 3rd downs, Waller to move the chains and Rugs for a deep threat. You can't argue that Carr doesn't spread to ball around

Ruggs and Edwards weren't getting any looks at all until late in the game and Waller led the NFL in targets.