After rewatching the game

[deanpet21]

The thing about playing a zone defense, especially the type of zone we play (One High Safety), it SHOULD allow you to be able to get a pass rush and stop the run. We have got to be able to at minimum slow down the run if we are effectively playing eight in the box.

I noticed Pitt ran a lot out of the shotgun. Does that matter? just curious.

 

[Sharkinva]

I noticed Pitt ran a lot out of the shotgun. Does that matter? just curious.

If Pittsburgh had some one like a healthy RG3, or Dak Prescott it would matter more. But the thing is, we should be getting some sort of penetration with eight in the box no matter what. IM not saying Blitz, but we are bringing both OLBs, plus two of the three DL SHOULD be able to either get pressure or at a minimum contain their respective gap assignments. Our D-line is getting handled by single blocks, the other two O-line are taking on the ILBs, leaving the Safety in the box to basically cover run support.

 

[skinsdad62]

If Pittsburgh had some one like a healthy RG3, or Dak Prescott it would matter more. But the thing is, we should be getting some sort of penetration with eight in the box no matter what. IM not saying Blitz, but we are bringing both OLBs, plus two of the three DL SHOULD be able to either get pressure or at a minimum contain their respective gap assignments. Our D-line is getting handled by single blocks, the other two O-line are taking on the ILBs, leaving the Safety in the box to basically cover run support.

enter sua cravens , time to get the utility man involved

 

[Sportster 72]

My bad... that should have been Cover 2 with safety help over the top.

As in, both corners play man, both safety's play zone. Who ever is closest to a guy like AB gives help to that corner, and the other safety is tasked with playing a true zone.

Or we play a cover 4 zone which automatically should give safety help over the top.


Bottom line is, we suck at playing a cover 3 because we dont have the talent to do it, and even when we do, we cant stop the run for shit.

The thing about playing a zone defense, especially the type of zone we play (One High Safety), it SHOULD allow you to be able to get a pass rush and stop the run. We have got to be able to at minimum slow down the run if we are effectively playing eight in the box.

I share your concerns about the run game.

Whether they play zone, man to man doesn't matter regarding the run. Essentially in basic football your SS is the 8th man in the box. Especially on run expected downs. IF and I repeat IF you can keep the other team in 2 or even better 3rd and long you play coverage .... again doesn't matter man to man or zone. If you are good on 1st down then you are probably changing your defense to a 4-3, changing your dline personnel, this is when Cravens comes in and this is when you go to nickel or maybe even dime defense.

I think Cullen Jenkins will help. I would also consider playing Nacho instead of Bruton. Nacho played the run well in his limited experience with us.

I maintain and so did you all off season that we are light in the britches on D. I just don't think Reyes and Hood were the answer to our Dline.

 

[Sharkinva]

I maintain and so did you all off season that we are light in the britches on D. I just don't think Reyes and Hood were the answer to our Dline.

ON this we agree 100%

 

[Breed]

I agree with some of this but I prefer to look at things another way for now.

We started off dominating the game but offensively we made a key and costly error on each possession.

We lose 4 yards on second leading to 3rd and 14 where we gained 13 yards. We chose not to go for it.

Settled for 3 on possession 2.

3rd and 9 thanks to a false start by LICH and settled for another field goal.

The Steelers didn't score until possession three. On that possession, they basically fumbled 2 times. The one that counted we fumbled the recovery and the one we recovered was a momentary play. The eventual TD came on a play where Breeland basically missed the ball in the air because he was in position.

We easily could have been up 17-0 at the half...or more.

It's a game of inches and every inch went against us this game. As a team, we have never handled adversity worth a damn. I have said the whole time we need to get ahead and this is an offensive team. We need leads to take the other team out of their game plan.

Our offense was horrid last game and this destroyed our defense which is questionable at best on the ground.
KC was trash and looked timid. He was extremely indecisive.
Trent Williams looked horrible. He had a false start and a hold.

I wouldn't say the offense was dominating at the time and while everyone who's posted in this thread has made valid points. I guess I saw the game much like G did. That 4 yard loss was a killer on the 1st possession and the position that Trent set up in after the snap of the ball was just weird as fuck. As basically it left Trent's man is a great spot to make a play on Jones and he did. I was was meekly hoping we'd go for it on 4th down, but up to that point we gained exactly 0 yards and -4 yards on our only two running plays.

KC killed us on the second drive as his tunnel vision for Reed made it so he didn't bother looking at PG on 2nd down. He was wide open and would've gotten a 1st down. Or Chris Thompson lined up wide left, A decent pass to him and he scores on that play. Then KC threw another shitty pass to JC's shoes on 3rd that looked like a vantage McNabb pass. A pass put on JC's body and The Skins hav e a whole set of downs somewhere insidedthe 6 yd ln.

That Lich false start, that was the biggie right there, and KC giving up too soon, at least imo, and throwing a no chance to get the 1st dn 2 yd pass to PG on 3rd n 9.

The final killer was KC's INT on the Skins 1st possession in the 2nd half. Instead of scoring on a fast (4 plays) drive on an uplifting 56 yd strike to Davis who was wide open, cutting Pitt's lead to 4. After Shazier's INT. The Steelers only need 5 plays to push the lead to 18 with their TD drive. Another bitch about that drive was after turning a 1st n 10 into 1st n 15 on Jone's false start then 2nd n 16 as Jones lost a yard on his 1st dn carry. KC got in a mini groove with JC and 2 quick passes to him later we had a 1st down and added another 7 yards after PG advanced JC's fumble. I was just starting to think, alright maybe KC is on the stick now and we can make this a game with a TD right here..........BAM!..................INT

 

[Sportster 72]

Good points Breed, of course there was also the 450 yards the D gave up.

 

[Sportster 72]

Here is the thing Shark. I listened to Cooley this morning and he said when ever the Skins had 5 in the box (what we were calling 7) they ran. Whenever they had 6 in the box (we were calling it 8) then they passed. Reaching back into my old Richie Petibon book (disguise the MFing coverage!) There is the problem. Ben is an old vet that has seen a lot. I mentioned during the last game a couple of times that Ben was picking his matchups.

I hope ... emphasis on HOPE ... with a rookie QB this week Barry can disguise his coverages better. Of course we have to play the run better and that could be an issue today. Petibon almost never lost to a rookie QB. <sigh> the good old days.

 

[Sharkinva]

Here is the thing Shark. I listened to Cooley this morning and he said when ever the Skins had 5 in the box (what we were calling 7) they ran. Whenever they had 6 in the box (we were calling it 8) then they passed. Reaching back into my old Richie Petibon book (disguise the MFing coverage!) There is the problem. Ben is an old vet that has seen a lot. I mentioned during the last game a couple of times that Ben was picking his matchups.

I hope ... emphasis on HOPE ... with a rookie QB this week Barry can disguise his coverages better. Of course we have to play the run better and that could be an issue today. Petibon almost never lost to a rookie QB. <sigh> the good old days.

Game time in 30 minutes, lets put that clusterfuck from last week in the rear view mirror. I hate getting to week two and thinking... we need a win... but we do. Get the feeling its going to take until week six for this team to get into gear, and by then it might be too late.

 

[Sportster 72]

LOL, I was ready to let it die by Wednesday. I wasn't in the line to jump off the bridge.