Winners & Losers

[Legacy User]

Tell you something else - best game of Terrell Edmunds career. Kid was constantly asked to play assignment sound against a wide variety of window dressing and he did it. The 3rd down stop of the Edelman tunnel screen to force NE to kick a FG was huge . Didn't hesitate which has been the biggest negative to his game to this point. If he can read just a little bit faster he has a chance to be a reliable starter on this team - good developments.

Vance McDonald blocked like a filthy animal on those toss counters - he was awful last week in Oakland.

Villanueva is a freak. He gets put on an island more than any OL I can remember and he just wins snap after snap. For all the talk about how unlikable this team is, I find it hard to believe you can't like and root for this guy.

[bradshaw2ben]

Tell you something else - best game of Terrell Edmunds career. Kid was constantly asked to play assignment sound against a wide variety of window dressing and he did it. The 3rd down stop of the Edelman tunnel screen to force NE to kick a FG was huge . Didn't hesitate which has been the biggest negative to his game to this point. If he can read just a little bit faster he has a chance to be a reliable starter on this team - good developments.

Vance McDonald blocked like a filthy animal on those toss counters - he was awful last week in Oakland.

Villanueva is a freak. He gets put on an island more than any OL I can remember and he just wins snap after snap. For all the talk about how unlikable this team is, I find it hard to believe you can't like and root for this guy.

I wonder how many LTs get less protection than AV. I'm guessing not many.

I have hopes that Fichtner will show some different new looks this week for a NO defense that is suddenly a top 5 defense past 5-6 games. One thing I suspect--counter runs from the slot receiver. That Sally play the Panthers ran last night... looks like a ZBS outside zone run and then you hand it forward to slot-- that was made for AB or Switzer or Jaylen Samuels if Conner is in the game.

[Orangesteel]

Tell you something else - best game of Terrell Edmunds career. Kid was constantly asked to play assignment sound against a wide variety of window dressing and he did it. The 3rd down stop of the Edelman tunnel screen to force NE to kick a FG was huge . Didn't hesitate which has been the biggest negative to his game to this point. If he can read just a little bit faster he has a chance to be a reliable starter on this team - good developments.

Vance McDonald blocked like a filthy animal on those toss counters - he was awful last week in Oakland.

Villanueva is a freak. He gets put on an island more than any OL I can remember and he just wins snap after snap. For all the talk about how unlikable this team is, I find it hard to believe you can't like and root for this guy.

I wonder how many LTs get less protection than AV. I'm guessing not many.

I have hopes that Fichtner will show some different new looks this week for a NO defense that is suddenly a top 5 defense past 5-6 games. One thing I suspect--counter runs from the slot receiver. That Sally play the Panthers ran last night... looks like a ZBS outside zone run and then you hand it forward to slot-- that was made for AB or Switzer or Jaylen Samuels if Conner is in the game.

And what a play design/call that was. It was perfect, then the guy fumbled. Broke the Panthers hearts on that one.

[bradshaw2ben]

Actually did some reading on it this morning... it's a really old play design, from the days of the wing-T.

Carolina and Tennessee should be doing a lot more of that kind of thing... they have the perfect QBs for the Wing-T.

[steelmann58]

I even give a big good job to Ridley who first carry was out of his endzone and gave the steelers breathing room with a nice gain.

[alancac98]

Said this in another thread. I give Tomlin and Butler props for a great game plan, but...I felt this was a do or die game for them, so instead of sitting in the office drinking coffee and sucking a few donuts down, they actually fucking worked (contrary to the last couple weeks).

Winners: past Steeler players who ripped this team a new asshole after the bullshit game against the Raiders! I think this served to properly piss this defence off enough to fucking ball out. Actually, I give this more credit to the D's success than Tomlin and Butler!

[Orangesteel]

Losing to the Raiders is still totally inexcusable. Completely. That is a team you do not lose to. That will remain with Tomlin for a long long time.

[stillthere]

Tell you something else - best game of Terrell Edmunds career. Kid was constantly asked to play assignment sound against a wide variety of window dressing and he did it. The 3rd down stop of the Edelman tunnel screen to force NE to kick a FG was huge . Didn't hesitate which has been the biggest negative to his game to this point. If he can read just a little bit faster he has a chance to be a reliable starter on this team - good developments.

Vance McDonald blocked like a filthy animal on those toss counters - he was awful last week in Oakland.

Villanueva is a freak. He gets put on an island more than any OL I can remember and he just wins snap after snap. For all the talk about how unlikable this team is, I find it hard to believe you can't like and root for this guy.

I wonder how many LTs get less protection than AV. I'm guessing not many.

I have hopes that Fichtner will show some different new looks this week for a NO defense that is suddenly a top 5 defense past 5-6 games. One thing I suspect--counter runs from the slot receiver. That Sally play the Panthers ran last night... looks like a ZBS outside zone run and then you hand it forward to slot-- that was made for AB or Switzer or Jaylen Samuels if Conner is in the game.

I have been a big fan of Sally's since I played at Delaware. We used that Sally at 7 to devastating effect over and over for years. I even convinced my old HS coach to bring it into his game plans.

[stillthere]

Losing to the Raiders is still totally inexcusable. Completely. That is a team you do not lose to. That will remain with Tomlin for a long long time.

Maybe it will last until Feb 4th when they are bringing a sticky Lombardi back to the 'Burgh.

[bradshaw2ben]

Excellent post, agree on the winners and would add Fichtner for scheming those counter plays for Samuels. Scoring only 17 pts not on him.

Burns is toast. Tomlin said post-game the blown coverage on the lacrosse TD wasn't his fault (that was I think the Mitchell/Davis combo in the 2016 playoff game? or Artie had one as well?). He then said he put in Sensabaugh because he wanted that vet presence the rest of the way. Yeah sure. But he's not going to crucify Burns in public.

Meanwhile Burnett was gashed by the seam routes several times and had another "knock out your fellow DB" special. Seriously, is he worth giving more snaps the rest of the way? I didn't notice enough how often he was in, except when he was getting beat.

Between Burnett and Edmunds, it just seems they are always a step too late.

edmunds is the 3rd leading tackler on the team, had an excellent game, and Burnett knocked down the final play by outjumping everyone. Seems like a weird time to criticize their play.

[bradshaw2ben]

I have hopes that Fichtner will show some different new looks this week for a NO defense that is suddenly a top 5 defense past 5-6 games. One thing I suspect--counter runs from the slot receiver. That Sally play the Panthers ran last night... looks like a ZBS outside zone run and then you hand it forward to slot-- that was made for AB or Switzer or Jaylen Samuels if Conner is in the game.

I have been a big fan of Sally's since I played at Delaware. We used that Sally at 7 to devastating effect over and over for years. I even convinced my old HS coach to bring it into his game plans.[/quote]
How long ago did you play there, still? I know a guy from the old days (Gannon era) and one from the new.

What I found fascinating is that there are like 12 variations on the Sally. It really makes me think that there's not enough practice time and/or teams don't work hard enough. Newton-Mariota-Josh Allen... those guys should be killing it in the Wing T and variations, because they have so much more throwing talent than the average QB who's ever run that kind of O.

[stillthere]

How long ago did you play there, still? I know a guy from the old days (Gannon era) and one from the new.

What I found fascinating is that there are like 12 variations on the Sally. It really makes me think that there's not enough practice time and/or teams don't work hard enough. Newton-Mariota-Josh Allen... those guys should be killing it in the Wing T and variations, because they have so much more throwing talent than the average QB who's ever run that kind of O.

Post Gannon. Bill Vergantino was a senior my freshman year then we had Dale Fry. Early 90's (91-94). The play is great with that offense because it looks like one of the base plays that you run 10-20 times a game then all of a sudden the ball is moving the opposite direction with a seal and it becomes a game of speed and angles once the D sees what just happened. We used to get like 15 yards whenever we ran it which was only 2-4 times a game.

[bradshaw2ben]

Nice. I'm a big fan of old-school plays that make a comeback and blow everyone's minds.

[Minkah'n History]

Excellent post, agree on the winners and would add Fichtner for scheming those counter plays for Samuels. Scoring only 17 pts not on him.

Burns is toast. Tomlin said post-game the blown coverage on the lacrosse TD wasn't his fault (that was I think the Mitchell/Davis combo in the 2016 playoff game? or Artie had one as well?). He then said he put in Sensabaugh because he wanted that vet presence the rest of the way. Yeah sure. But he's not going to crucify Burns in public.

Meanwhile Burnett was gashed by the seam routes several times and had another "knock out your fellow DB" special. Seriously, is he worth giving more snaps the rest of the way? I didn't notice enough how often he was in, except when he was getting beat.

Between Burnett and Edmunds, it just seems they are always a step too late.

edmunds is the 3rd leading tackler on the team, had an excellent game, and Burnett knocked down the final play by outjumping everyone. Seems like a weird time to criticize their play.

One of them if not both have to be blamed for that huge gainer to Edelman on that last drive. That can never happen in that spot. So there’s that. Also, Burnett has done zilch so far...ok he knocked down a pass finally.

[bradshaw2ben]

One of them if not both have to be blamed for that huge gainer to Edelman on that last drive. That can never happen in that spot. So there’s that. Also, Burnett has done zilch so far...ok he knocked down a pass finally.

It's definitely not Edmunds... he was the safety on the other side of the field.

The Steelers were running that Cover 2 variation they ran all game-- looks like Cover 3, but center safety comes forward to take the place of what would normally be the dropping MLB. They used a little window dressing presnap--Burnett showed like he was going to be in the middle, then bailed at the snap to an outside safety position.

Davis came forward to play C2 MLB spot in the deep middle, but he came too far forward, considering his job there is to be deeper than the row of 4 CB-LB-CB-LB in front of him, and he came almost to where Vince was. Vince has the hook/curl, Davis has to carry to the deep safeties any seam route or 3rd vertical. NE has two outside vertical routes, so Edmunds, in particular, has no choice but to widen towards the free runner outside to his left. Burnett plays it pretty well, staying more to the middle, and would have been in pretty good over the top position if only Davis had been in trail and forced Brady to drop the pass in over Davis's head. In reality, though, Steelers are freaking lucky Brady didn't throw it to Hogan, because Edmunds would have had a tough task making it to the throw before Hogan got there. He's in good position but it's a lot of ground to cover.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L3PX6qhlEb_2GYvGAWUws6pCyQkq3vr2/view?usp=sharing

[swissvale72]

And I would like to throw Eli Rogers into the mix for winners. I think his contribution early in the game set up a LOT of the success later on. Coming off the pup list, he stepped up big time.

I noted that on the Beat Those Bitches OP.

One could argue that if Eli doesn't come up with a 5 yard catch on which he was blanketed on the game's initial 3rd down, we might have had a different outcome. He also drew a very big DPI, directly preceding a TD pass to AB. Instrumental on both Steeler TD drives.

[steelcountry]

One of them if not both have to be blamed for that huge gainer to Edelman on that last drive. That can never happen in that spot. So there’s that. Also, Burnett has done zilch so far...ok he knocked down a pass finally.

It's definitely not Edmunds... he was the safety on the other side of the field.

The Steelers were running that Cover 2 variation they ran all game-- looks like Cover 3, but center safety comes forward to take the place of what would normally be the dropping MLB. They used a little window dressing presnap--Burnett showed like he was going to be in the middle, then bailed at the snap to an outside safety position.

Davis came forward to play C2 MLB spot in the deep middle, but he came too far forward, considering his job there is to be deeper than the row of 4 CB-LB-CB-LB in front of him, and he came almost to where Vince was. Vince has the hook/curl, Davis has to carry to the deep safeties any seam route or 3rd vertical. NE has two outside vertical routes, so Edmunds, in particular, has no choice but to widen towards the free runner outside to his left. Burnett plays it pretty well, staying more to the middle, and would have been in pretty good over the top position if only Davis had been in trail and forced Brady to drop the pass in over Davis's head. In reality, though, Steelers are freaking lucky Brady didn't throw it to Hogan, because Edmunds would have had a tough task making it to the throw before Hogan got there. He's in good position but it's a lot of ground to cover.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L3PX6qhlEb_2GYvGAWUws6pCyQkq3vr2/view?usp=sharing

Great pic. You wonder what Davis is thinking/seeing on that play. There's absolutely 0 reason to not drop back on that play.

The long TD to Hogan looks to also be on Davis. Steelersdepot did a nice job breaking it down. In past games the safety has recognized the shallow crosser and the two CB's end up bracketing the deep man. Davis just doesn't see Hogan in the middle.

Davis has been trending down lately. He was a breath of fresh air earlier in the year because we were so used to Mike Mitchell unsuccessfully playing centre field the last couple years. I'm now realizing Davis just sits so far out of the play (usually) that of course no one is going to beat him deep.