2021 Week Four GDT Steelers at Packers

[Steeler Hitman]

4 hours ago, OneTwoSixFive said:

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Here is one guy you need to think about this weekend. The Rock report below just shows Kenny Clark against the 49ers.

Thank you for the video. Kenny Clark reminds me of a former Steelers (but a bit bigger/stronger) Javon Hargaves. Hargraves is probably quicker, but Clark seems to have a great combination of strength and quickness. He will be going against our inexperienced rookie C Kendrick Green or our struggling OG Dotson and OG Turner. All three of these guys are more maulers, but have not consistently gotten push or movement along the OL. 

 

From this video it looks like the LB play may be something that the Steelers rushing attack may be able to exploit if they can get any semblance of a hat on a hat and some movement. A lot will be dependent upon how well Najee can read  the blocking (if he gets any to read). 😳😁

and for more on Kenny from before this season.....

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I'm guessing this game comes down in large part to how well your offense moves the ball.

I too believe that. Moving the ball doesn't always mean scoring. It is keeping the defense on the sideline and getting some first downs, flipping the field, and establishing some cohesion. This offense hasn't done this in any of the three games consistently. The Ole' Offense (1-2-3 kick!) will doom them early. You just can't keep giving the ball to Aaron Rogers and the Packers offense. 

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If you can score more than 24 points this could be as much of a nailbiter as the Packers/49ers was last week (30-28). Score less than 24 and I wouldn't expect the Steelers to win. You've managed to score 23, 17, 10 the last three weeks, so that would look to be a challenge, but Green Bays defense has not had a good record for many years.

I think a lot of it comes down to match-ups and how a team can exploit them. I don't think any of the Steelers three opponents have bad defenses, but they are also not great/elite. The thing is they they created some bad mismatches  for our offense and OL.  Sadly, the Steelers offense actually scored 16 (special teams scored 7 of the 23), 17, and 10. Hitting 24 might be out of their scope right now unless the Packers aid that with turnovers, penalties, or poor play. I don't think the Steelers offense can do it on their own. This team has not played a complete football game in almost two and a half seasons. That is the frustrating part for many fans in Steelers Nation. This team has talent and ability, but rarely put it all together, do it consistently, or for all four quarters of a football game. No one likes losing, but it is sickening to lose because of perceived lack of effort and teamwork. 

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One other thing that might upset the Packers is that their O line is very inexperienced (they lost their fine long-time center Linsley last year and are currently missing by far their two best O linemen to injury).

We feel your pain and understand your concern there. This OL has not had its complete starting unit and has not played well together. They are lacking some leadership. Losing Pouncey and DeCastro cost the line that leadership and stability, even if they were not opening holes like they used to. LT Moore is a rookie and he was struggling mightily last week. The refs missed quite a few holding calls on him (they made up for it with other BS calls though). Dotson has not shined like he did last year. One of our members pointed that out to me, and I watched him much closer this past weekend and if his play was similar in the first two games, yes he's struggling. Green is a rookie who has never played Center consistently, so he is definitely a work in progress and getting schooled at times. Trai Turner is a mauler and former pro bowl OG, but has not looked great either. I actually think he may have the most run blocking upside if/when he gets his stable mate next to him (Zach Banner). That will probably not be for at least another game.  Joe Haeg will probably start for Chuks who is in the concussion protocol.  

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The Packers won against the 49ers in large part because Rodgers had the shortest ever snap-to-throw time of any game he played (2.05 secs), which made it very difficult for the excellent 49ers defensive front to get home.  If Rodgers reverts to holding the ball too long in this game, it could be a long day for the Packers.

I just don't see this happening. Rogers is smart and still has mobility. Our QB is very limited there and has not had much success. I dream and wish, but reality says that you always take the better team. We got an early gift in Buffalo by beating a better team. This team can't get out of its own way and typically helps beat itself. Friendly fire at it's best. Thanks for the post/report, it was very informative. 

 

[August4th]

 

[Dcash4]

The overwhelming theme of those numbers is that as Ben has declined, they have almost bought in more to how he wants/needs to play. (I wont deduce why here, because someone will come yell "Tomlin!" at me like how Mike has long been adverse to the middle of the field despite the actual numbers telling you otherwise)

High percentage in shotgun. No play-action. Decreased motion. Bottom 5 in pace & no huddle offense usage. High 5 wide usage.

That all means we line up and try to beat you just our guys vs yours. Nothing more than that. Our guys are better than yours, or else. Problem is, when you don't have AB or that offensive line at the peak -- you will not win at this style at any sort of variance worth a damn. We are not talented enough for no window dressing. We cannot play without trying to breakdown communication for the defense. We cannot try to run simplistic, individual route concepts and have the QB pick his matchup. 

The other thing I see as being overwhelming is how this is NOT a Matt Canada offense. I still have zero clue if Matt Canada is a good OC at the NFL level or not, but one things for sure -- this isn't an offense he is used to calling. 

If Ben isn't physically able or mentally capable of doing the things you need to do to help a team like ours with a lack of top end talent -- then you need to get rid of him. 

If our offensive coordinator is incapable of pushing the right buttons, is in over his head, or can't get buy in from the QB -- then you need to get rid of him. 

And if your Head Coach believes far more in his eyes and in his gut than to believe what analytics are telling you about your offensive bus having already driven off a cliff and being stuck, flipped over in the ravine below -- then, well....

Also, for the love of god -- find some rest for Najee. The funniest part about his playing time to be is that they all actively said this week that those 14 passes he caught were mostly check downs -- AKA, you are not running the actual offense through him...so he doesn't need THAT workload on a rookie body about to play the most games he has ever played in his life. And just for the context -- he played 13 last year with 2 weeks off in Nov and 1 week off in December before a 10 day stretch of his last game. When he plays 13 games this year, he will have had 1 week off and 4 weeks left to go. 

Edited October 1, 2021 by Dcash4

[43M]

Chuks absolutely needs to be replaced.   He might be okay as a backup LT...but he cant play RT.   Hopefully Banner is back in.

As far as Dotson, if he keeps struggling....put in Finney or sign a guy like DJ Fluker.   One of the most annoying things about Tomlin is that he will put people in the doghouse for stupid reasons, but he will put up with atrocious play for way too long (see Jonathan Scott and Antwon Blake).

Make a freaking change.   Learn from the past.   If you cant do that, you arent qualified to manage an Arby's, much less a professional football team.

[Dcash4]

13 minutes ago, 43M said:

Make a freaking change.

This is all I am begging for at this point. There is no change that takes us from a bottom 3 offense to a top 10 unit, but at least commit to trying to figure things out instead of hoping and wishing that guys getting better at "executing". 

Like Eric Ebron. He continually under performs. Why does he deserve another chance and how little would he impact us if he was sat down? Inactive him -- even for 1 week -- so other players see it and think about their own performances and what reaper is coming for them. 

[August4th]

34 minutes ago, 43M said:

Chuks absolutely needs to be replaced.  

 

[MOSteelers56]

Just now, August4th said:

 

Haeg time?

[43M]

35 minutes ago, MOSteelers56 said:

Haeg time?

Banner time.

Edit...nevermind, he wont be active.

Haeg time.

Edited October 1, 2021 by 43M

[MOSteelers56]

I think the o-line will take a big step forward when Banner comes back. Chuks will probably be an improvement over Moore at LT. I know technically Moore has more time at LT in the NFL than Chuks, but it’s a lot to start this many rookies on a line. Letting Moore step back and catch his breath will probably help him. It’s not like he lost the job due to play, Chuks has pretty much been the starter all year. Moore was expected to be the backup. That will have a trickle down that will ease Dotson’s workload too. Dudes still only started like 7 NFL games in his life. Having to play between two rookies is probably not ideal for Dotson. I thought the best the line looked last year was with Dotson at RG, next to Chuks at RT. I am also completely anti-benching Green. I think he’s pretty bad right now, but Finney and Hasseneur are not going to be even a little better. Finney was always trash at C, even in his best years. His best games came at OG. Hass is JAG. May as well let Green take his lumps and hope his mindset is strong enough to be bad for awhile. Sometimes that breaks people. 
 

Idk, just typing out some things I’ve been thinking about. Maybe y’all needed a touch of my dumbly ever present optimism.

[Dcash4]

20 minutes ago, MOSteelers56 said:

I think the o-line will take a big step forward when Banner comes back. Chuks will probably be an improvement over Moore at LT. I know technically Moore has more time at LT in the NFL than Chuks, but it’s a lot to start this many rookies on a line. Letting Moore step back and catch his breath will probably help him. It’s not like he lost the job due to play, Chuks has pretty much been the starter all year. Moore was expected to be the backup. That will have a trickle down that will ease Dotson’s workload too. Dudes still only started like 7 NFL games in his life. Having to play between two rookies is probably not ideal for Dotson. I thought the best the line looked last year was with Dotson at RG, next to Chuks at RT. I am also completely anti-benching Green. I think he’s pretty bad right now, but Finney and Hasseneur are not going to be even a little better. Finney was always trash at C, even in his best years. His best games came at OG. Hass is JAG. May as well let Green take his lumps and hope his mindset is strong enough to be bad for awhile. Sometimes that breaks people. 
 

Idk, just typing out some things I’ve been thinking about. Maybe y’all needed a touch of my dumbly ever present optimism.

I agree with a lot of what you said. In the off-season, I think there were three keys, in their kind, that would improve the line. Banner is one of them. He won the job and should be a better run blocker, in particular. I think the other two were Decastro having a bounce back year and Dotson taking a step forward into a pro-bowl type of world. 

One of those can’t happen (Decastro). One of them can (Banner). And I think we all still hope the third has a chance (Dotson). 

I also agree with Chuks over Moore, at least for a couple games. Despite everyone wanting to hate him because well, because, Chuks has quietly been one of OUR better offensive linemen so far — but that’s not to be confused with being a good offensive lineman.  I think there is value in sitting too, so let Moore take a break, work on refining his game instead of worrying about countering defenders as a starter and see what happens. The only part that makes it tough is that I think Moore has been our second best OL through 3 games, just behind Turner. Chuks is third, though so it’s not like I think there is a huge separation….but maybe a vet beside him helps Dotson. 

I don’t think the offensive line ends up a dumpster fire, so I share your optimism. But Banner being the answer at RT and Dotson rebounding from trash needs to happen. 

Edited October 2, 2021 by Dcash4

[August4th]

 

[MOSteelers56]

27 minutes ago, August4th said:

 

Not the biggest deal with how the offense is looking. Ben can miss Washington on 3 deep balls now. 

[warfelg]

 

[DR43]

Here is my most recent Mock Draft:
1. Malik Willis QB Liberty
2. Thayer Munford OG Ohio State
3a. Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington
3b. Garrett Williams, CB Syracuse
7a. Emeka Emezie, WR NC State
7b. Cade Mays, OT Tennessee 

[DR43]

Does anyone think a playoff birth is going to happen?  I dont want to root for us to lose but I would love to get a top 5 pick.