Watt

[bradshaw2ben]

Watt is going to be a badass perennial pro bowler. I saw enough to believe that.

That said I hope butler uses him like wade phillips used Demarcus ware and moves watt around extensively.

Dripping olbs into coverage is the defensive equivalent of throwing the bombbon 3 and 2. Would be cool but has almost no fucking chance of working.

Dupree is our best coverage LB, and that includes any of the ILBs. Watt also doesn't yet seem to have the burst off the snap that is really going to challenge elite OTs, but that might be just being a bit worn down from camp.

[Kodiak]

Dupree is our best coverage LB, and that includes any of the ILBs. Watt also doesn't yet seem to have the burst off the snap that is really going to challenge elite OTs, but that might be just being a bit worn down from camp.

I realize Dupree probably had 17 lbs of pure muscle on Watt, but Dupree was considered a physical freak. But when you compare their combine numbers:

4.56 (Dupree) vs 4.69 (Watt)
42" vert vs. 37"
4.47 shuttle vs. 4.13
7.49 3-cone vs. 6.79

[franco32]

Dupree, despite his athleticism, always has struggled to get off the snap quickly. He also lines up a half yard off the line of scrimmage routinely which hurts his first step.

I thought Watt's explosion off the edge Friday night was fine once he got going. My problem was that he was often a split second late in starting after the snap. I still think he is getting his timing down.

I agree that all these fancy drops in coverage are a nice luxury to have but at the end of the day we need to get to the QB. I hate to have that pass rushing talent dropping in zone coverage a lot.

[jebrick]

Dupree, despite his athleticism, always has struggled to get off the snap quickly. He also lines up a half yard off the line of scrimmage routinely which hurts his first step.

I thought Watt's explosion off the edge Friday night was fine once he got going. My problem was that he was often a split second late in starting after the snap. I still think he is getting his timing down.

I agree that all these fancy drops in coverage are a nice luxury to have but at the end of the day we need to get to the QB. I hate to have that pass rushing talent dropping in zone coverage a lot.

Give Watt a year with Harrison to add muscle and he will be fine. He struggled to disengage once the tackle got him. Add some muscle and hands and I think he will be alright. On Friday he did a lot of what Sgt would call titty-fighting.

[Lynch]

Lol, forgot about titty fighting.

[Legacy User]

Lest we forget, this kid did not play LB of any variety until 2015.

He looks as he does at his position already? I'll take it! I have high hopes.

[bradshaw2ben]

Dupree is our best coverage LB, and that includes any of the ILBs. Watt also doesn't yet seem to have the burst off the snap that is really going to challenge elite OTs, but that might be just being a bit worn down from camp.

I realize Dupree probably had 17 lbs of pure muscle on Watt, but Dupree was considered a physical freak. But when you compare their combine numbers:

4.56 (Dupree) vs 4.69 (Watt)
42" vert vs. 37"
4.47 shuttle vs. 4.13
7.49 3-cone vs. 6.79

Watt is way more agile-- his COD attacking the ball looks really good so far.

Dupree has explosion Watt doesn't have. 6042 252 1.59 37 10,07 6040 269 1.6 42 11,06
I think that translates to jump off the line at the snap, for instance.

Let's wait and see them in real action for a while to get a feel, but I expect Watt will find ways to win that are different from Dupree... I think both are going to be good. Patience.

[oldsteelerfan]

Hey Steelafan77, part of my doing my signature was to thumb my nose at the Steelers and have them prove me wrong!

I sort of imagined it would go something like Colbert was here on SteelerFury catching up on our topics of discussion and then he saw my signature! He would be like, "screw that Scunge! Can't find an OLB eh? Better shot at finding Big Foot? Or a unicorn? I will show him! Hey Mike, let us draft this TJ Watt kid to shut up this dumbass over on SteelerFury."

So, mission accomplished!

[Steelcody7]

I was pleased, but lets wait for actual games before we get too excited.

If he's injured every week like his brother, it won't matter.

[Legacy User]

My main concern with watt and Dupree and Jarvis before him is I wonder if the steelers are doubling down on what I see as the flawed dick "bengal for life" lebeau system.

I like watt the player a lot. What I saw was s presence on the edge. I think in not too long teams will think twice about even going to his side of the field.

That's good but still won't be enough IMO if butler plows ahead with only minor tweaks to the D. Sometimes I see them taking steps forward (man coverage) sometimes I see them clinging to old ways (drafting 3 OLB in 4 years in round1). One step forward one step back.

But like I said before the draft watt can only make the team better. He's going to be a special player IMO. Whether butler and tomlin can make the necessary changes is a big open question however.

[R_S]

I was pleased, but lets wait for actual games before we get too excited.

If he's injured every week like his brother, it won't matter.

Hi again, you inbred, goat fucking, hair lipped, pile of excrement.

JJ Watt played in 3 games last year due to a back injury. He played in all 16 games the previous 5 years and won 3 Defensive MVP awards.

[Steelcody7]

I was pleased, but lets wait for actual games before we get too excited.

If he's injured every week like his brother, it won't matter.

Hi again, you inbred, goat fucking, hair lipped, pile of excrement.

JJ Watt played in 3 games last year due to a back injury. He played in all 16 games the previous 5 years and won 3 Defensive MVP awards.

Perhaps you can fix his back, as our resident back cracker.

Or do you give massages?

[Legacy User]

[COR-TEN]

inbred, goat fucking, hair lipped, pile of excrement.

Hmmm. Not bad. But how does excrement fuck a goat?

[Legacy User]

I was pleased, but lets wait for actual games before we get too excited.

If he's injured every week like his brother, it won't matter.

Yeah, JJ's talent is totally wasted. His 4x first team all-pro selections and 3x DPOY awards attest to that.

[Legacy User]

I was pleased, but lets wait for actual games before we get too excited.

If he's injured every week like his brother, it won't matter.

Hi again, you inbred, goat fucking, hair lipped, pile of excrement.

JJ Watt played in 3 games last year due to a back injury. He played in all 16 games the previous 5 years and won 3 Defensive MVP awards.

Perhaps you can fix his back, as our resident back cracker.

Or do you give massages?

RS is a chiropractor? That makes so much sense.

[R_S]

Uh no, I'm not, I'm being mistaken for someone else.

[Steelafan77]

Hey Steelafan77, part of my doing my signature was to thumb my nose at the Steelers and have them prove me wrong!

I sort of imagined it would go something like Colbert was here on SteelerFury catching up on our topics of discussion and then he saw my signature! He would be like, "screw that Scunge! Can't find an OLB eh? Better shot at finding Big Foot? Or a unicorn? I will show him! Hey Mike, let us draft this TJ Watt kid to shut up this dumbass over on SteelerFury."

So, mission accomplished!

Ah ha..., the reverse psycology tactic. Touché!

[bradshaw2ben]

Could yinz try and not be jagoffs to each other for at least the part of your time that you spend here at SteelerFury?

It's football, season, friends.

[R_S]

I only call Cody those things in good fun. Like you'd do to your little feeble minded brother.

[bradshaw2ben]

oh boy

[Steelafan77]

James Harrison's new role:
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/stee ... 1708140112

Good article regarding Dupree and Watt with Deebo playing the role of their 'relief pitcher'... per Porter.

[R_S]

James Harrison's new role:
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/stee ... 1708140112

Good article regarding Dupree and Watt with Deebo playing the role of their 'relief pitcher'... per Porter.

Speaking of Porter, i was wondering if he'd be coaching again this year. He's got to be all out of Get out of Jail Free cards from the org.

[Havoc]

James Harrison's new role:
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/stee ... 1708140112

Good article regarding Dupree and Watt with Deebo playing the role of their 'relief pitcher'... per Porter.

Thanks for posting that, 77

Good to hear...

The Steelers plan to play their two first-round draft picks at outside linebacker, Bud Dupree and rookie T.J. Watt, virtually all the time this season and not rotate others into games as they have done in the most recent past.

[bradshaw2ben]

Porter has previously been proven to be full of shit on this subject, and he'll likely be proven foolish, once again.

Furthermore... if you have depth, USE IT. For chrissakes, how difficult is it to understand?

[Scunge]

I agree B2B, but more to the point how about waking up to current trends Tomlin/Butler?

Does Von Miller spend most of his time up against elite NFL Left tackles or pedestrian Right Tackles?

Does Vic Beasley spend most of his time matched up against Pro Bowl caliber Left Tackles or overwhelmed Right Tackles?

You look at the highlights of these beastly pass rushers and all I see is them taking advantage of inadequate Right Tackles, that are clearly overmatched. If either one were to play in Pittsburgh, and were pigeonholed into being the ROLB, and had to face the opposing team's best pass blocker, the LEFT TACKLE, they would probably be lucky to get 6-7 sacks.

It is funny, people do stories about these two fearsome pass rushers and they will interview Left Tackles and get their opinion on what makes Beasley and Miller so fearsome. Why are they asking the Left Tackles? They barely get to play against them! It is just so laughable.

Anyway, wake up Butler/Tomlin, the key to getting a better pass rush is to not be predictable about it and to take advantage of your enemies weakness. Most teams, I would say 90% of the teams out there do not have Marcus Gilbert at Right Tackle. So, why do you do those teams a favor being so rigid? We primarily line up our guys on the Right and on the Left and that is where they play, teams can game plan for that and be comfortable in that and not have to waste extra reps and time.

But what if we were able to flip Watt and Dupree within the game? What if James Harrison comes in and relieves Dupree at LOLB? In the past teams were able to go into a game knowing that they had to come up with ways to slow down Lamar Woodley, that is who we would play for the vast majority of snaps at that LOLB spot.

But what if Dupree, Watt and Harrison all took snaps at that LOLB spot? What if we actually had a DC and Head Coach using all three pass rushers, with different body types, different skillets to soften up and set up that Right Tackle? That is how you overwhelm your opponent, if they don't know who they are going to face and so have to prepare for all 3 pass rushers. This is not rocket science, and if Tomlin/Butler think so then they should go talk to Josh Dobbs, he will set them straight!

Furthermore, why not have all three on the field at the same time? Take Vince Williams out and line up Watt at ILB?

I too think we need to get away from Dick LeBeau and move our guys around more, line them up differently, try new things.

[V DUB]

I could get with that, in theory. What you're proposing is thrusting entry level position guys into management roles. Asking 2 young high potential guys to be ambidextrous with their foot movement is a lot.

I want to see them get good at what they do, & excell.

[Legacy User]

James Harrison's new role:
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/stee ... 1708140112

Good article regarding Dupree and Watt with Deebo playing the role of their 'relief pitcher'... per Porter.

I like the move, put Watt in for run stopping on 1st/2nd down and bring Harrison in to strictly rush the passer or if we're lucky enough draw a holding call on 3rd down. This defense might be a legit Top 5 in the league this year barring some crazy injuries. Secondary will still be a little suspect, but if the pass rush catches on like it did towards the end of last season (and we can get some turnovers out of it too), watch out!

[Old School Steeler]

Good points here, some core issues

Unlike last few Tomlin teams the disparity on D between the beginning of the year and the end of the year cant be as significant, D has to be a force early. We have the horses.

Bellicheat has to see wrinkles from us, not something stupid like AB option. NE may not use something new in reg season, will in playoffs.

So far I like the national psyops

[Pabst]

Unlike last few Tomlin teams the disparity on D between the beginning of the year and the end of the year cant be as significant, D has to be a force early. We have the horses.

Prior to the bye week, opponents are: Cleveland, Minnesota, Chicago, Baltimore, Jacksonville, KC, Cincinnati, Detroit. That's eight weeks of bad or mediocre offenses. If they struggle early we are screwed.