DeAngelo Williams--Ageless Wonder

[Stallworth16]

Last night- 26 carries, 143 yards, 2 TDs. 5.5 yds/carry

Career average: 4.8 yds/carry

When we signed DeAngelo Williams last season at the age of 32, most of us (including me) yawned. Who knew we were getting one of the Best? Looking at film of DWill in his 20s, last season, and last night (at age 33), there is very little difference in his speed and power. DWill is arguably one of the most effective RBs in the league, starters and backups.

In his 20s with the Panthers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWX25_WH03s

Last Season with the Steelers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW4PWvgfRZ8

Last Night against the Skins:
http://www.steelers.com/videos/videos/H ... 8a3134ba95

[Legacy User]

Agree but he shouldn't have been carrying at the end...the scrubs need the work anyway.

[Legacy User]

The Steelers are in vast need of another quality RB. DWill and Bell wont last in Haleys offense.

[Stallworth16]

We didn't need DWill in garbage time. But from his point of view, he's got 3 games of guaranteed starting, and then he goes behind the best RB in the league. He gets touches when Bell comes back, but way less.

[Legacy User]

Agree but he shouldn't have been carrying at the end...the scrubs need the work anyway.

We talked about that in the game thread.

Crazy for him to be in that late. Only explanation was that he was a starter on Tomlin's fantasy team.

Obviously

[Orangesteel]

What's with the criticism this morning? I'm sorry, but I thoroughly enjoyed what I watched last night. That was fun as hell.

D Will is 34 years old and doesn't have many years left in the league. I'm glad they kept him in. He will show those touchdown runs to his grandkids someday.

Good for him.

[Legacy User]

What's with the criticism this morning? I'm sorry, but I thoroughly enjoyed what I watched last night. That was fun as hell.

D Will is 34 years old and doesn't have many years left in the league. I'm glad they kept him in. He will show those touchdown runs to his grandkids someday.

Good for him.

Who do you want starring vs Cincy?

Touissant or Williams?

Not criticism, it's about being smart. Game was over.

[Orangesteel]

What's with the criticism this morning? I'm sorry, but I thoroughly enjoyed what I watched last night. That was fun as hell.

D Will is 34 years old and doesn't have many years left in the league. I'm glad they kept him in. He will show those touchdown runs to his grandkids someday.

Good for him.

Who do you want starring vs Cincy?

Touissant or Williams?

Not criticism, it's about being smart. Game was over.

Until we went up 38-16 the game wasn't over. It was 31-16 with plenty of time left. That's a two score game.

Who do you want fumbling the football? Because last time I checked Frenchie did that in a pretty important game. The game was over when D Will scored his second TD. Not before.

[Stallworth16]

DWill is 33. He won't turn 34 until April 25th.

[Orangesteel]

DWill is 33. He won't turn 34 until April 25th.

Thanks.

[Legacy User]

What's with the criticism this morning? I'm sorry, but I thoroughly enjoyed what I watched last night. That was fun as hell.

D Will is 34 years old and doesn't have many years left in the league. I'm glad they kept him in. He will show those touchdown runs to his grandkids someday.

Good for him.

Who do you want starring vs Cincy?

Touissant or Williams?

Not criticism, it's about being smart. Game was over.

Until we went up 38-16 the game wasn't over. It was 31-16 with plenty of time left. That's a two score game.

Who do you want fumbling the football? Because last time I checked Frenchie did that in a pretty important game. The game was over when D Will scored his second TD. Not before.

Your definition of "game over" and mine differ. 31-16, 2 minute stoppage. We have the ball deep in Washington territory. Fitz was ok to run there. Game, blouses.

[benstunner]

D Will made a good point. He has less touches then LeSean McCoy who is 5 years younger. He's defied age at a tough position to last but a 2 horse backfield for much of his career has really helped him out too.

[Donnie Brasco]

What's with the criticism this morning? I'm sorry, but I thoroughly enjoyed what I watched last night. That was fun as hell.

D Will is 34 years old and doesn't have many years left in the league. I'm glad they kept him in. He will show those touchdown runs to his grandkids someday.

Good for him.

Who do you want starring vs Cincy?

Touissant or Williams?

Not criticism, it's about being smart. Game was over.

Until we went up 38-16 the game wasn't over. It was 31-16 with plenty of time left. That's a two score game.

Who do you want fumbling the football? Because last time I checked Frenchie did that in a pretty important game. The game was over when D Will scored his second TD. Not before.

How is Frenchie going to get experience so he DOESN"T fumble the football again in key situations, if we just keep holding him out? Gotta fail sometimes to learn....

[Orangesteel]

It's not a knock on Frenchie. I dunno, I just really like D Will and it was cool to see him kick ass up and down the field all night after being overshadowed by the Bell bullshit the last few months.

It was like his version of "hey, remember me?"

[Legacy User]

Still have PTSD from that Denver playoff game...backup RBs have to be ready, and preferably starting RBs healthy

[Legacy User]

It's not a knock on Frenchie. I dunno, I just really like D Will and it was cool to see him kick ass up and down the field all night after being overshadowed by the Bell bullshit the last few months.

It was like his version of "hey, remember me?"

No doubt. But he is way too valuable to risk injury unnecessarily.

I love him....great performance by him last night.

[steeledge]

The Steelers are in vast need of another quality RB. DWill and Bell wont last in Haleys offense.

you are such a fucking Negative Nancy douchebag, STD...

You need to learn to relax and enjoy life a little while there's still some of it left.



And don't try to pull this "who's this mythical STD?" horse shit, either.

You seem well acquainted with several other historic old-timers on this site, but STD is somehow mythical?!



...give us a fucking break already...

[Stallworth16]

Jerome Bettis and others talking about DWill's perceived lack of value at age 31:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivxySM5IScs

What a masterful FA signing DWill was. I don't know who in the Steelers spearheaded it, but Fichtner put in a good word for him. DWill interview after he was signed:
http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/ ... 9bc9b37e11

[Stallworth16]

Was reading the Steelerfury thread from when we signed DeAngelo.

DP39, Scrunge, Lifelong, and a few others were on to the fact that DWill had a lot left in the tank.
Here: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3105&hilit=DeAngelo&start=10

[Quixotic]

What's with the criticism this morning? I'm sorry, but I thoroughly enjoyed what I watched last night. That was fun as hell.

D Will is 34 years old and doesn't have many years left in the league. I'm glad they kept him in. He will show those touchdown runs to his grandkids someday.

Good for him.

Who do you want starring vs Cincy?

Touissant or Williams?

Not criticism, it's about being smart. Game was over.

Until we went up 38-16 the game wasn't over. It was 31-16 with plenty of time left. That's a two score game.

Who do you want fumbling the football? Because last time I checked Frenchie did that in a pretty important game. The game was over when D Will scored his second TD. Not before.

At one point, I believe it was 24-16, right? That’s a single possession. Now, at that point the momentum of the game was so clearly ours, I didn’t have any sense that it was at risk. But a turnover, a TD, and a 2-point conversion, and it’s tied late in the game…on the road…to a team we (had this happened) had on the ropes and failed to put away. I’m all for preserving D Will’s legs. But I felt a lot better keeping the foot on the gas.

[alancac98]

i had no problem with Dwill being in their up till the last drive. I actually thought they should have dispelled him a bit more throughout the game in general. The Skins defense was gasping for air so bad, that had they put in Richardson, he probably would have burned them for a TD on a long run. My thought was to run their D into the ground, then bring fresh legs in and completely destroy them further and in short order. They could have rotated Frenchie and Richardson, and probably would have never had to throw another pass. Hell, at that point they could have put Landry in to finish things up.

[Flanker]

I LOVE DWill's running style... He is so decisive and hits the hole so quick at full speed but runs himself to contact at times. Oddly, he's the backup to the most patient runner I've seen in my lifetime. While Bell is slow to hit the hole and makes special plays out of nothing I wish we could add some of DWill's energy and urgency to Bell at times.

[Scunge]

I loved the signing from day one and pointed out that Bell had already had a combined 660 touches to Williams 1600 at that point. Williams sharing the load with Jonathan Stewart down in Carolina was like having a car that is 10 years old but only has 50,000 miles on it.

Fitchner, our current QB coach was DeAngelo Williams offensive coordinator while both were at Memphis. I hope the Steelers do whatever it takes to keep Fitchner happy, like they did with Kieth Butler on defense, because he is the perfect replacement for Todd Haley if that ever comes to pass.

I think Williams can easily play another two years, the Steelers should give him a contract extension to keep him around through 2018.

[Stallworth16]

Scrunge, not sure if you read the whole thread, but I named you as one of the guys who had DWill down from day one with the link. (Page 2 of this thread)

And I agree Fichtner may have helped DWill get here.

[Legacy User]

Absolutely LOVE this player.

[Thrillsseeker]

I loved the signing from day one and pointed out that Bell had already had a combined 660 touches to Williams 1600 at that point. Williams sharing the load with Jonathan Stewart down in Carolina was like having a car that is 10 years old but only has 50,000 miles on it.

Fitchner, our current QB coach was DeAngelo Williams offensive coordinator while both were at Memphis. I hope the Steelers do whatever it takes to keep Fitchner happy, like they did with Kieth Butler on defense, because he is the perfect replacement for Todd Haley if that ever comes to pass.

I think Williams can easily play another two years, the Steelers should give him a contract extension to keep him around through 2018.

Absolutely great points and I didn't know the Fitchner connection. I loved the Dwill signing when it happened. Was nice to read thru the old thread and see people's responses and how some were way off and others were spot on with some not giving two shits. I wrote "championship" and I usually do that as a joke for a no name backup but my buddy and I play fantasy football so we can talk shit to each other every year and we always fight over the Dwill Stewart combo in Carolina. We talked about this signing and we're stoked to get him. I really thought "championship" was gonna happen. I am a homer and want to believe that every year. You had the perfect analogy of a 10 yr old car with low mileage. Hell yes they should sign him for two more years. I completely agree.

[Orangesteel]

I was concerned that the 2015 season was an indicator that his body was breaking down. RBs can go quickly in this league. So glad I was wrong.

[Vertical Steel]

Gonna beat me to 34 by 2 days. He fast!

[Vertical Steel]

Was reading the Steelerfury thread from when we signed DeAngelo.

DP39, Scrunge, Lifelong, and a few others were on to the fact that DWill had a lot left in the tank.
Here: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3105&hilit=DeAngelo&start=10

Yeah, but nobody had the sight like Clem. Just dead on.

[rocky mtn stiller]

Last night I heard DW's career fumble stats during the game. I instantly thought that would be the kiss of death and we would see the ball on the ground on his next carry. The stats seemed remarkable so I looked them up this morning to get some more detail.

In 1690 carries he's fumbled 12 times losing 9. (0.5%)
In 228 receptions hes fumbled 3 times and lost 2. (0.8%)

Amazing, but...

Bell, in his career, has fumbled once in 647 (0.15%) carries and never in 152 receptions.

By comparison, Adrian Peterson...

In 2412 carries has lost 20 balls (0.8%)
In 240 receptions he's lost 2 balls (0.8%)

The league average was 3.28%. http://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/rushing-fumble-rates/2015/

I know we complain about situational time outs and other shortcomings but whether by design or luck, ball security seems to be a high priority.