Week 11 Titans...TNF

[ATL96Steeler]

Steeler Nation...Week 11 is here!

While I think we all wanted a decisive win last week vs the Colts, but we got what we were expecting...a close game...fortunately they got the W and are 7-2 coming into this contest vs the 6-3 TN Titans. Dick LaBeau will be in the house of Heinz once again.

Both teams won close games last week...the Titans, rank 13th on OFC behind the young dual threat Mariota, and the DEF is a surprising 22nd ranked, but that is skewed somewhat by the 57 HOU hung on them...since then they have been handling their business pretty well, holding their opponents to 22 or less pts and they are ball hawks. I know a little about their OC...Terry Robiske was the WR coach in ATL...well respected, old school approach. They want to run it, and they can run it...Mariota will live dangerously with the ball...high TD/INT ratio...but he can make plays throwing and running. He's been nicked a lot so if they get a chance to lay a nice lick on him they need to do it.

Health...playing on 4 days off, is never really a good thing...this is one of those games you'd like to maybe extend your bench some...we know Haden is on the shelf for 3 to 6 weeks...Mitchell (ankle) doubtful, Bryant (illness) McDonald (ankle), Harrison (back). We'll have to see who suits up....They have been going to Golden lately for the reserve FS spot...I assume that will be the same. When I looked at the game again, I have to give Mitchell the benefit of doubt on the 2nd TD pass...maybe his ankle was a problem there.

Outlook...the road team rarely wins these games on TNF so I'm hopeful that trend continues. Derrick Morgan GA Tech guy, is a converted 43 DE playing OLB in LeBeau's 34...he's their sack leader...I like the Steeler OL to block their edge guys well...keep the ball away from Byard and they should win another fairly close game. Steelers tend to get up for the primetime games and better opponents...I'm guessing Butler will bring Davis down in the box, so I would expect some deep shots at Golden...Henry and Murray are very good RBs, they are going to make plays...the key is 1st down...need to keep at 3 or less yds. I think the DEF frustrates Mariota maybe get a pick.

This could be an old fashion power game Thursday Night...put on your big boy shoulder pads and bring your hard hat....24-17 Steelers

What say you?

@FaCe-LeE-uS that was a rough rush hour last night!!! Nah...just got home and never set foot in my office until this morning...

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

Steeler Nation...Week 11 is here!

While I think we all wanted a decisive win last week vs the Colts, but we got what we were expecting...a close game...fortunately they got the W and are 7-2 coming into this contest vs the 6-3 TN Titans. Dick LaBeau will be in the house of Heinz once again.

Both teams won close games last week...the Titans, rank 13th on OFC behind the young dual threat Mariota, and the DEF is a surprising 22nd ranked, but that is skewed somewhat by the 57 HOU hung on them...since then they have been handling their business pretty well, holding their opponents to 22 or less pts and they are ball hawks. I know a little about their OC...Terry Robiske was the WR coach in ATL...well respected, old school approach. They want to run it, and they can run it...Mariota will live dangerously with the ball...high TD/INT ratio...but he can make plays throwing and running. He's been nicked a lot so if they get a chance to lay a nice lick on him they need to do it.

Health...playing on 4 days off, is never really a good thing...this is one of those games you'd like to maybe extend your bench some...we know Haden is on the shelf for 3 to 6 weeks...Mitchell (ankle) doubtful, Bryant (illness) McDonald (ankle), Harrison (back). We'll have to see who suits up....They have been going to Golden lately for the reserve FS spot...I assume that will be the same. When I looked at the game again, I have to give Mitchell the benefit of doubt on the 2nd TD pass...maybe his ankle was a problem there.

Outlook...the road team rarely wins these games on TNF so I'm hopeful that trend continues. Derrick Morgan GA Tech guy, is a converted 43 DE playing OLB in LeBeau's 34...he's their sack leader...I like the Steeler OL to block their edge guys well...keep the ball away from Byard and they should win another fairly close game. Steelers tend to get up for the primetime games and better opponents...I'm guessing Butler will bring Davis down in the box, so I would expect some deep shots at Golden...Henry and Murray are very good RBs, they are going to make plays...the key is 1st down...need to keep at 3 or less yds. I think the DEF frustrates Mariota maybe get a pick.

This could be an old fashion power game Thursday Night...put on your big boy shoulder pads and bring your hard hat....24-17 Steelers

What say you?

@FaCe-LeE-uS that was a rough rush hour last night!!! Nah...just got home and never set foot in my office until this morning...

I think the home team TNF advantage wins out here despite LaBeau being on the opposing sideline. But his presence will keep it close. 17-10 Steelers.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

lol... You're gonna give me some shit for this. But I'm not sure I'll be able to post a full pregame like I usually do. Just finished packing up all my hunting gear & I'm about to head out to white-tail country.

Great writeup per usual though @ATL96Steeler !

Short & sweet version:

Offense... I'm sure Lebeau's got some extra incentive to pull out the stops this week. Been hearing that Ben is wanting to roll out the no-huddle to take away any advantage that Lebeau could gain. I'm all for that as that takes Haley out of the equation as well! Short week with little prep it makes sense to go that route. Stick to what you know and try to get better as a team rather than develop new schemes since that hasn't been working. BUt none of it matters if the O-line doesn't find better cohesion.

Defense... Expecting a better output at home. Hoping the young guns will be fired up to put on a show on national TV. We know they'll be without Sensabaugh so I think they'll look to exploit that. Not sure what Mitchell's status is, but Golden/Wilcox shouldn't be much of a dropoff. D-line will have their hands full. TEN's O-line is stout and their run game has been dominant. Hopefully they wrap-up better instead of launching at the runners again.

Not exactly enthused about this...

Mind the juju...

Titans 20 - Steelers 14

 

[ATL96Steeler]

lol... You're gonna give me some shit for this. But I'm not sure I'll be able to post a full pregame like I usually do. Just finished packing up all my hunting gear & I'm about to head out to white-tail country.

Great writeup per usual though @ATL96Steeler !

Short & sweet version:

Offense... I'm sure Lebeau's got some extra incentive to pull out the stops this week. Been hearing that Ben is wanting to roll out the no-huddle to take away any advantage that Lebeau could gain. I'm all for that as that takes Haley out of the equation as well! Short week with little prep it makes sense to go that route. Stick to what you know and try to get better as a team rather than develop new schemes since that hasn't been working. BUt none of it matters if the O-line doesn't find better cohesion.

Defense... Expecting a better output at home. Hoping the young guns will be fired up to put on a show on national TV. We know they'll be without Sensabaugh so I think they'll look to exploit that. Not sure what Mitchell's status is, but Golden/Wilcox shouldn't be much of a dropoff. D-line will have their hands full. TEN's O-line is stout and their run game has been dominant. Hopefully they wrap-up better instead of launching at the runners again.

Not exactly enthused about this...

Mind the juju...

Titans 20 - Steelers 14

Have fun!

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

The song 'Deer Camp' just went through my brain.

 

[NorthCoastSteelersFan]

I hate Thursday games.

I'll be watching the first quarter, and maybe part of the second, at the bowling alley (league night).

Then it'll be on at the lodge, where I go for a bite after bowling.

And if they kick me out before the game is over, I'll be listening to it on the car radio on the way home...we have a Steelers network station here in Browns country.

And I may end up watching the final minutes from my recliner.



Our boys are favored by 7 pts...so I'm worried. But on a positive note, they play better against better teams. They also tend to play well at home, in prime time, with a national TV audience.

Soooooooo, I'll keep a good thought, and predict the Stillerz to win by 10.

 

[Ojb81]

Steelers - eleventy billion
Titans - negative kajillion

 

[Bridgeburner]

Never feel good when we are favored. And I’m nervous this ends up being Corey Davis’ coming out party.

Titans 23 Steelers 17

 

[Psych-Ward]

7 ON DA BOARD!!!!!

 

[Psych-Ward]

Welcome home coach Lebeau.......

But your going home with an L.

 

[Psych-Ward]

Nice pick......

Could we be looking at a blow out???

 

[Maximus Rex]

Par for the course so far, D overachieving, offense underachieving. Go back to the fucking no huddle, it works, why the hell stop?

 

[Maximus Rex]

Holy, Holy, Holy Fuck, AB has just become a God.

 

[Psych-Ward]

Been calling an audible by yelling "Dilly Dilly"

That was Fuckin awesome!!!!

 

[Psych-Ward]

3-2-1-WIN

 

[Ojb81]

WOOOOO! just got home from watching with a fellow Steelers fan at their house. Now THAT'S what I'm talking about.

Haley, pack your shit and get out, we're done with you, Ben is calling the plays from now on.

 

[NorthCoastSteelersFan]

Great game!

At last, the Steelers are playing Steelers football.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Recap week 11

Finally!!! A Beatdown!!

OFC...3 of 5...40 is 40, but still not hitting on all cylinders, the 1st pick should've been converted to 6....penalties, drops, poor protection plagued that drive. FGA there instead of 6 really allowed them to stay up mentally and get back into it early. Like the no huddle...they should use it more. An outstanding catch by AB caps a trifecta TD night for him. Distribution could be better still, but Ben was more on target than I've seen him in recent games. With 4 INTs you're suppose to win going away.

DEF...4 of 5...big plays still haunting this DEF...Golden is no better as a last line of defense but I guess that's why Mitchell starts...he did make up for it with a pick. Run DEF was very good in spots and you would expect them to make a few plays, but the scoreboard eventually took that option away and the DL was able to feast on a pretty good young OL...Sensabaugh gives and taketh.

ST...4 of 5...Boswell 4 for 4...solid punting, overall field position was good, pinned TN really deep once (only to see the DEF let them out of the hole).

Outlook...8-2 and in control of of the #1 seed for another week. Clearly this team responds to the level of the opponent. That concerns me with an Aaron Rodgerless GB team coming into PIT in 10 days. But it's a SNF game...they should have their primetime game face on again. Keep it going!

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

And we saw why Lebeau is no longer in Pittsburgh. His D stops the run but gets torched by the pass.

All and all a good win and now they have 10 days til they play GB on Sunday night. I wonder if they can flex that game to afternoon instead. It's hardly a marquee matchup without Rodgers at QB.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

And we saw why Lebeau is no longer in Pittsburgh. His D stops the run but gets torched by the pass.

All and all a good win and now they have 10 days til they play GB on Sunday night. I wonder if they can flex that game to afternoon instead. It's hardly a marquee matchup without Rodgers at QB.

MNF matchups are locked in, but I think NBC gets to flex out SNF games.

My only fear there is they move it to 1p and we lose them in ATL.

Yeah, but per norm the last 5 or 6 yrs of him running DEF, he's been working with less than a full deck. LeBeau has one CB worth his salt in TN and he's a rookie. Jackson kid is pretty good. They're getting a career yr out of Byard.

I was for LeBeau leaving only because I think all good things come to an end eventually. TN is ranked about where they should be imo based on what they are working with.