bradshaw2ben wrote:next week is the defense's turn to shock the world
Hopefully the defense can find ways to get better each and every week.
We knew it was going to be tuff to stop Inday and Luck.......
after all that team still put up 34 points, 24 first downs, almost 500 yards of offense?........in less than 21 minutes of play.
Yesterday we certainly saw the deficiencies of our secondary.........but we saw the coaching changes to try and hide or offset those shortcomings........with the relentless blitz and pass rush.
Not only the 15 hurrys...but the 9 knock downs.
How many of those blitzes resulted in Luck throwing the ball out of bounds............or directly into the turf.
He could have legitametly had 4 intentional grounding flags.........as there was zero intent on completing a pass for threee of the intentional spikes.
But one can certainly look at the positives about this defense...........and see things that can only help improve that side of the balls performance. Remember, this defense has been playing with-out 4 starters and finally got one back in Shazier yesterday. The other three will be back. I think there are many teams that have lost players for the year.........we will continue to add them back to the mix.
1.
Steve Mac will be back in the mix.....hopefully this Sunday making the Dline deeper. While bringing back our best penetrationg lineman.
2. Big Dan continues to take baby steps (is that an oxymoron?) that has helped the run defense and helped keep the C/G from jumping our LB's
3. Tuit continues to get reps.......had a real nice hard hit on Luck yesterday. I'm sure things will be alot clearer after the bye and down the strech. Can't wait till he stops thinking and just plays.
4. Maybe with the above three..........Cam Thomas can play less......and Keisel can stay fresher. With the addition of Big Dan and the ensuing return of Steve Mac.....gotta believe Thomas is playing for a helmet on Sundays.
5. Shazier will get healthier.........and his speed will remind us of his ability to make impact plays and or turnovers. He closed on a pass yesterday....that if 100% healthy could have been going the other way.
6.
Jarvis will be back in the mix.........another guy still growing, that seems to be around the ball more so than not.....working in the weight room with James can only help.
7.
Ike will be back in the mix..............to help the secondary down the strech.
8.
Shamarko will be back in the mix.........................to help the secondary the second half of the season. Another guy that when on the field, seems to have a nose for the ball.
9. James Harrison is still playing his way into shape. Looked slow the first game or so....not as slow yesterday. I thnk he can still lose 5-8-10 lbs that will make a difference in his pass rush.
10. Familiarity...................Tuit, Thomas, Big Dan, Shazier, Moats, Blake, McCain, Williams, Mitchell, Shamarko, Spence..............thats a lot of players that see the field that are playing with one another for the first time. That have less than 5-8 games under their belt as a pro footbal player....that have less than a full season worth of games as teammates, etc. etc. They will grow as a unit in the second half as they spend more time together on the practice field, in games, in packages and in crunch moments. I like the flexibility that this team can put on the field when all are healthy.
The defense can certainly be better and i think will certainly get better each week. Its still a work in progress. I stilll think we draft more defensive players in the next draft....as drafting two corners is a must.
But rhe last thing that I will add to that list that will have the defense looking forward and improving in the second half..................will be the continued growth and attacking style of the offense.
Go Steelers.
