One Thing This Offense Needs

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One Thing This Offense Needs

Post by bradshaw2ben » Mon Sep 20, 2021 6:38 pm

More Eric Ebron.

His warts are many and they’ve been duly catalogued here and on the show… but he’s a one-trick pony whose trick is pretty damn good. He can get open quickly, get up the seam or at least threaten the seam and break out to defeat tight coverage. He and DJ are the only Steelers receivers with that skill. When defenses are sitting on the short crossing routes and frustrating DJ on the outside—with this OL’s inability to protect—what Ebron gave them last year is huge in terms of opening everything up. When Ben refers to other guys just sitting on the bench, I think Ebron is definitely one of them—maybe the main guy he’s talking about. Even with his catching and blocking issues, he’s still a threat to any defense.

Watching this offense in Buffalo during the first half of that game, I said at the time that they miss Ebron and can’t run block anyway. Once Ebron did get a target and a catch in the seam, it seemed to loosen things up a bit and the Steelers had more success. It might have been a coincidence but I think it matters.


1 20 Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
2 51 TRADE: Brandon Aiyuk, WR
3 84 Hunter Nourzad, C, Penn State
3× 98 Jarvis Brownlee, Jr., CB, Florida State
4 128 Qwan'tez Stiggers, DB, Toronto Argonauts

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Post by Orangesteel » Mon Sep 20, 2021 6:55 pm

I endorse this poast. This offense also needs to stop being so damn easy to defend, which Ebron could help. I can’t believe how bad our offense is compared to some of the other ones I saw yesterday. Terrible in every way.
“Thoughts are a waste of time for me.” - Michael Pettaway Tomlin

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Post by Stosh-67 » Mon Sep 20, 2021 6:59 pm

bradshaw2ben wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 6:38 pm
More Eric Ebron.

His warts are many and they’ve been duly catalogued here and on the show… but he’s a one-trick pony whose trick is pretty damn good. He can get open quickly, get up the seam or at least threaten the seam and break out to defeat tight coverage. He and DJ are the only Steelers receivers with that skill. When defenses are sitting on the short crossing routes and frustrating DJ on the outside—with this OL’s inability to protect—what Ebron gave them last year is huge in terms of opening everything up. When Ben refers to other guys just sitting on the bench, I think Ebron is definitely one of them—maybe the main guy he’s talking about. Even with his catching and blocking issues, he’s still a threat to any defense.

Watching this offense in Buffalo during the first half of that game, I said at the time that they miss Ebron and can’t run block anyway. Once Ebron did get a target and a catch in the seam, it seemed to loosen things up a bit and the Steelers had more success. It might have been a coincidence but I think it matters.
Yup.

Was at the game yesterday with my boys.
Watched the teams warm up.
WR's and TEs were around the 40 yard line closer to the Steelers side line. Warming up, catching passes from coaches.
Mooth and Gentry were next to each other, 5-10 yards apart catching balls from a coach zipping them passes from 10-15 yards away.

Ebron was not with the them.
He had his helmet off, was in the endzone close to the opponents side line, helmet off dancing to the music and chatting with the RBs who were warming up.

He has a ton of natural talent.
He is an absoulte weapon that streches the field for this offense.

Wish he worked at his pass catching skills, game prep, etc.
Did he know he was not going to be getting as many snaps?

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Post by Kodiak » Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:17 pm

When Ben tells you before Wk1 that "it's going to take time...it won't be pretty" then we were all naive.

New offense around a new OL. And Ben just looks confused and indecisive. Guessing x11 players and you get what we've gotten.

I do think the solution may be more Ebron and Muth. Gives you more max protect options, and might help run the ball. Definitely not getting any mismatches from the 3-4 receivers. We all like to overrate the receivers, but truthfully they might all be JAGs with the exception of DJ.
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Post by Orangesteel » Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:20 pm

Sorry you had to endure that live, Stosh. But I trust you enjoyed the afternoon with your sons.

Ebron is no doubt in the shithouse. The film from the Buffalo game likely showed a brutal drop on the first series and several terrible blocking attempts in the run game.

Our offense is sputtering so the dude needs to be on the field as a passing target.
“Thoughts are a waste of time for me.” - Michael Pettaway Tomlin

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Post by COR-TEN » Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:24 pm

I know you don't mean the only thing, but shit. If Ebron playing is the difference between a functioning offense or not, then they are fucked worse than I thought.
Arguing with idiots is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter how good you are, the pigeon is going to shit on the board and strut around like it won anyway.

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Post by 955876 » Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:36 pm

Many teams seem to be able to field pass catching only TE that don’t spend much time blocking and still manage to run their offense.

Not us though.

Ebron is highly inconsistent but is weapon nonetheless.

Figures we can’t figure out how to make that work.

Man I want much of this team and staff blown up and replaced.

Need new bodies in uniform and new thinking from the coaches to the scouts to the front office.

A decade of playoff futility is what these bumbling morons have collectively “put on tape”.

“Worst 11-0 team ever” whoever said it when they did last year certainly wasn’t wrong.
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Post by Orangesteel » Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:43 pm

COR-TEN wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:24 pm
I know you don't mean the only thing, but shit. If Ebron playing is the difference between a functioning offense or not, then they are fucked worse than I thought.
This is also very true.
“Thoughts are a waste of time for me.” - Michael Pettaway Tomlin

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Post by LakecrestSteeler » Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:46 pm

Kodiak wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:17 pm
When Ben tells you before Wk1 that "it's going to take time...it won't be pretty" then we were all naive.

New offense around a new OL. And Ben just looks confused and indecisive. Guessing x11 players and you get what we've gotten.

I do think the solution may be more Ebron and Muth. Gives you more max protect options, and might help run the ball. Definitely not getting any mismatches from the 3-4 receivers. We all like to overrate the receivers, but truthfully they might all be JAGs with the exception of DJ.
DJ gets into jag territory with his flakiness and ADD. He is still an amazing water skipper with or with out the ball.

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Post by stairway 2 seven » Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:49 pm

Imo what this team needs is 1 wr with elite speed like the raiders have. He doesn't have to be that reliable a catcher. Just stretch the opposing defense and take the top off it.

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Post by Baltostiller » Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:55 pm

If Ebron could catch his asshole with his thumb I may agree with you. Also, he has to be he biggest 6'4" 253 pound pussy every to enter the NFL with the way he "blocks" Cost this team the Washington game last year and he has only gotten worse...

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Post by tbsteel » Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:56 pm

Kodiak wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:17 pm
When Ben tells you before Wk1 that "it's going to take time...it won't be pretty" then we were all naive.
Not all of us were naive. Sure, some were delusional thinking this o-line was worth a damn, or that Ben was still somehow this game-changing QB, or that Matt Canada's offense made any sense at all with our roster.

I said before the season it would last a month before Ben started just going 4-5 wide and calling his own plays. We're at week 2 and he's already basically publicly calling for it. Not that it will matter much unless our D is healthy and absolutely lights out, because the offense as a whole is trash. In most games this year we'll have the weaker QB, the worst o-line, and a bunch of skill guys who are mainly meh.
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Post by 955876 » Mon Sep 20, 2021 8:12 pm

Baltostiller wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:55 pm
If Ebron could catch his asshole with his thumb I may agree with you. Also, he has to be he biggest 6'4" 253 pound pussy every to enter the NFL with the way he "blocks" Cost this team the Washington game last year and he has only gotten worse...
Truuuth.

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Post by bradshaw2ben » Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:02 pm

Baltostiller wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:55 pm
If Ebron could catch his asshole with his thumb I may agree with you. Also, he has to be he biggest 6'4" 253 pound pussy every to enter the NFL with the way he "blocks" Cost this team the Washington game last year and he has only gotten worse...
Still, despite those obvious flaws and inconsistencies, he put up a top 25% NFL TE receiving stat line last year (with a shitty OL and a dead armed QB) and one of the top Steelers TE seasons ever put up by someone not named Miller.
1 20 Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
2 51 TRADE: Brandon Aiyuk, WR
3 84 Hunter Nourzad, C, Penn State
3× 98 Jarvis Brownlee, Jr., CB, Florida State
4 128 Qwan'tez Stiggers, DB, Toronto Argonauts

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Post by franco32 » Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:09 pm

The problem with this theory is that the Oline isn't good enough to block a front without help from a TE. Ebron of course can't block to save his life. So, putting Ebron in means that it has to likely be a passing situation. We are already predictable as hell so that won't help. It also means the 5 Olineman need to hold their blocks for more than 2 seconds or Najee has to help chip (which he did a lot yesterday) and it takes him out of the offense.

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Post by Steeler Owl » Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:33 pm

Serious question. Did Ebron play at all yesterday?

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Post by steelmann58 » Mon Sep 20, 2021 10:23 pm

He failed to come up with a pass that would kept the drive moving

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Post by Steeler Owl » Mon Sep 20, 2021 10:48 pm

steelmann58 wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 10:23 pm
He failed to come up with a pass that would kept the drive moving
I thought I watched every play until the Raiders kicked the clinching FG. On the other hand, I am quite old.

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Post by TTP » Mon Sep 20, 2021 10:51 pm

Steeler Owl wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:33 pm
Serious question. Did Ebron play at all yesterday?
TE snaps:

Muuuth - 33
Enron - 24
Gentry - 8
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Post by Roeth2Rudolph » Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:23 pm

Ebron is on his way out of the Burgh. I highly doubt we see much of him from this point forward barring injury.

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Post by Mick » Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:57 pm

We should run 2 TE sets in general. Every defense is built to focus on 3 WR sets, and we aren’t going to get any matchup help by doing the same thing as everyone else except with less talented weapons.

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Post by SteelerDayTrader » Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:00 am

Mick wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:57 pm
We should run 2 TE sets in general. Every defense is built to focus on 3 WR sets, and we aren’t going to get any matchup help by doing the same thing as everyone else except with less talented weapons.
Good point
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Post by LakecrestSteeler » Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:05 am

One thing this offense needs is the realization that Ben has all the skills that Tom Brady has and more. Absolutely no reason Ben can’t do what Brady is doing in Tampa.

Figure it out Ben and raise hell to do it!

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Post by SteelerDayTrader » Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:08 am

LakecrestSteeler wrote:
Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:05 am
One thing this offense needs is the realization that Ben has all the skills that Tom Brady has and more. Absolutely no reason Ben can’t do what Brady is doing in Tampa.

Figure it out Ben and raise hell to do it!
Colts Draft 2024
1 Terrion Arnold DB
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3 Isaac Guerendo RB/WR
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Post by RemoAZ » Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:11 am

955876 wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 8:12 pm
Baltostiller wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:55 pm
If Ebron could catch his asshole with his thumb I may agree with you. Also, he has to be he biggest 6'4" 253 pound pussy every to enter the NFL with the way he "blocks" Cost this team the Washington game last year and he has only gotten worse...
Truuuth.

Not a guy you wanna sit in a fighting hole with in Indian country.
I'd be happy if they cut him tomorrow. He may have been good at one point but he's just a sideshow now. Can't rely on that him to catch the ball and that's the only damn thing he can do. They should have never reworked his contract and released him. Couldn't admit it was a bad signing.
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Post by meanjustinbarlow » Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:20 am

Ebron is a glorified WR that cant go deep

There aren’t any packages that really scare defenders with him on the field. If he is out there, you can sot on the routes he is good at and you know that you can overplay the run on the side opposite of him

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Post by 955876 » Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:24 am

LakecrestSteeler wrote:
Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:05 am
One thing this offense needs is the realization that Ben has all the skills that Tom Brady has and more. Absolutely no reason Ben can’t do what Brady is doing in Tampa.

Figure it out Ben and raise hell to do it!
If you mean skills as in physically, absolutely.

If you mean skills as in mental, no fucking way.
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Post by LakecrestSteeler » Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:27 am

955876 wrote:
Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:24 am
LakecrestSteeler wrote:
Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:05 am
One thing this offense needs is the realization that Ben has all the skills that Tom Brady has and more. Absolutely no reason Ben can’t do what Brady is doing in Tampa.

Figure it out Ben and raise hell to do it!
If you mean skills as in physically, absolutely.

If you mean skills as in mental, no fucking way.
Disagree partially. I do mean physically, but mentally he is a gamer and has equal processing power in game. Mentally for prep and discipline? I think that is the fork on the road.

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Post by Stillchest » Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:39 am

tbsteel wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:56 pm
Kodiak wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:17 pm
When Ben tells you before Wk1 that "it's going to take time...it won't be pretty" then we were all naive.
Not all of us were naive. Sure, some were delusional thinking this o-line was worth a damn, or that Ben was still somehow this game-changing QB, or that Matt Canada's offense made any sense at all with our roster.

I said before the season it would last a month before Ben started just going 4-5 wide and calling his own plays. We're at week 2 and he's already basically publicly calling for it. Not that it will matter much unless our D is healthy and absolutely lights out, because the offense as a whole is trash. In most games this year we'll have the weaker QB, the worst o-line, and a bunch of skill guys who are mainly meh.
I agree.

Also, one of the top insufferable and spoiled fan base on planet earth.

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Post by Roeth2Rudolph » Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:46 am

SteelerDayTrader wrote:
Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:00 am
Mick wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:57 pm
We should run 2 TE sets in general. Every defense is built to focus on 3 WR sets, and we aren’t going to get any matchup help by doing the same thing as everyone else except with less talented weapons.
Good point
That could work w/ Fry Daddy/Gentry

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