Not the Gospel

[Legacy User]

This is different from FC's work, and not nearly as thorough. This is just a head to head comparison of the Ravens and Steelers.

QB: Ben vs Joe Unibrow = Big Advantage Steelers
It may seem weird to say this, but the guy with the Superbowl MVP still isn't respected as a great QB, even by Ravens fans. Sometimes they call him 'good Joe' and sometimes they call him 'bad Joe'. He is great at checking down and chucking it downfield to get the PI call, but he just comes off as aloof and unaware, and despite whatever stats they throw out, he just doesn't give you the same sense of clutch as Ben. Maybe a better deep ball, but Ben wins in every other category - touch, mobility, escapability, smarts, leadership, etc

RB: Cheech & Chong vs Justin Forsett, Bernard Pierce = Big Advantage Steelers; Cheech looks like a top NFL RB this year; Chong is running nasty. Don't know much about Forsett and Pierce but they don't scare me. Ray Rice is a piece of shit who should be in jail. That is all. And yes, if he were a Steeler I would say the same thing.

WR: AB/Wheaton/JBrown vs T Smith/J Smith/J Jones = TIE; AB is the best of the bunch, but Steve Smith and Jacoby Jones are better than Wheaton and J Brown. Take away the long PI moonball to T Smith and the Steelers are significantly better

TE: Heath/Spaeth vs Pitta/? = Advantage Ravens; Heath got about 5 years older this past year. He can still catch. Haloti Ngata probably beats him in a footrace. Pitta is a young Heath. He can catch and run.

OL: Big Advantage Ravens. Our OL, playing at 100% of its potential is mediocre at best. Ravens have had us beat here for years and years.

[FC]

You can always feel free to post your pre game thoughts in my gospel thread...We like football talk

I agree with everything except the offensive line.

I think the Steelers Oline may be a good group...I think they could be great if they could find a legit franchise LT. I like Beachum...I think his best fit could be LG. Gilbert needs work in pass pro...He has ability.

I think the Ravens have a slight advantage at LT...I am not a fan of Monroe.
I would take Kelchi Oseleme over Foster
I would take Pouncey over Zuttah
I would take Decastro over Yanda...Its real close.
I would take Gilbert over Wagner.

Right now I would call it even...If the Steelers stay healthy I think the Steelers could be a better group..I expect improvement from Gilbert and Decastro...Foster's play improves when the leaves turn the last 3 years. Beachum is what he is.

2-0 would be so fucking big for the Steelers

[chippedhamsandwich]

FC.....

Do you have ANY hope for Adams at LT and Beachum at LG?

Or is the Adams experiment over when it comes to protecting Ben's blindside......if you will.

[FC]

I think Adams is a RT...I think he can play in this league...I am not sure if he ever starts barring injury for the Steelers.

Foster is signed through 2015...I think Foster walks...Beachum may bump inside he is also signed through 2015. I believe the Steelers acquire said LT in the draft.

[955876]

I hope you are right about Gilbert. I'm pretty down on the guy.

Always seems to be getting his ass whooped.

[Ice]

This line, as a whole, needs some consistency in coaching and some time to gel and play together, injury free, without constant change in message, approach and philosophy. Offensive line is the most team oriented part of the sport. With a lot of these guys, I still don't even think we know what we've got yet. The consistent inconsistency has been the biggest problem at this position for quite some time.

[Legacy User]

I hope you are right about Gilbert. I'm pretty down on the guy.

Always seems to be getting his ass whooped.

At least he didn't hurt any of our guys in game 1

[Legacy User]

Re-watching the Cleveland game... I don't know if it was so much the OT's, or if it was Paul Kruger... They lined him up super wide and that seemed to cause problems. I would assume the Suggs will cause similar problems and they'll move him around too...

Not every team likely has those kinds of bodies with those kinds of quicks to do that with.

[bradshaw2ben]

Re-watching the Cleveland game... I don't know if it was so much the OT's, or if it was Paul Kruger... They lined him up super wide and that seemed to cause problems. I would assume the Suggs will cause similar problems and they'll move him around too...

Not every team likely has those kinds of bodies with those kinds of quicks to do that with.

Kruger, Sheard, and Bryant all looked too much for our OTs unless it was short set/misdirection. Those two plays in a row in drive two of second half-- OTs were just blown up on consecutive plays

[Legacy User]

That was two plays... Winn had a nice play one play. Sheard had a couple. The only Cleveland DL with consistently solid play was Kruger, and the worst of it they put him really wide. On a couple runs he stuffed, he wasn't even blocked. Literally, no one touched him.

What concerns me against the Ravens is that unlike Kruger, Suggs needs very little in terms of bench time to stay on top of his game and keep his legs. Also, Ngata creates problems... Just a better unit.

[bradshaw2ben]

agreed... although it was just two plays, there weren't very many plays where the OTs were asked to protect for more than 1.6 seconds and they failed twice in a row at it.

[Legacy User]

You're exaggerating just a little bit. For example, on the deep throw to Wheaton Browns showed 7 at the LOS and brought 5... Ben had a solid 3 seconds holding the ball and made them pay. 3 seconds isn't 4 seconds, but still- they brought 5.

Everyone remembers the failures, and then exaggerates to minimize the successes. Not how I do it.

[bradshaw2ben]

if there was spread or misdirection, they did better protecting

Yes, the deep fly requires a skosh more time and yes they did protect for it.