Game Thread: Week 14... @BUF ***SNF***

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Game Info: Week 14​

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Buffalo Bills​

Sunday, December 13, 2020 at 8:20 PM​

Betting line: Even
Over/under: 47.5

Last Regular Season Meeting: Steelers (L) 17-10 vs Buffalo
Win streak: 1 game BUF
Last 3 Meetings: PIT 2 - 1 BUF
Last 10 Meetings: PIT 8 - 2 WAS

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

This has the look & feel of one of those collapse games...

• 3rd game in 12 days. This team is going to be tired.
• Steelers defense sans Bush, Nelson, Haden, Dupree, Spillane
• Offense sucks balls, and Pouncey & Conner aren't going to do much to fix that since the scheme & receivers are terrible. Too short of turnaround between these games to expect anything different.
• Still no word on Boz's status. More 4th down attempts incoming lol.

Hope I'm wrong but this may very well be a massacre. The Bills are red hot. Steelers offense will undoubtedly struggle which will eventually wear out the defense...

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Still no word on Pouncey. But he tested positive the day of the Wed football game... Meaning he's not eligible until Saturday at the earliest.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Slight good news with Nelson returning

 

[thedddd]

Good news on Nelson and not worried about Pouncey the new C is playing well.

Still concerned about the non existent rushing attack. Sooner or later they have to hand off the ball and not on a draw play out of the shotgun.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Good news on Nelson and not worried about Pouncey the new C is playing well.

Still concerned about the non existent rushing attack. Sooner or later they have to hand off the ball and not on a draw play out of the shotgun.

Hassenauer has his moments, but his inexperience really shows. That weird snap that basically went at Snell was strange, but at least that's not a reoccurring problem. It's the blocking in the run game that's hard to stomach. Him & Feiler right next to each other creates a gaping problem in the run game. He even gets caught sleeping on stunt blitzes. But not all is bad. You can see why they had faith in him & kept him around.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Offense... Bills are the 21st overall defense, 20th against the pass and 24th against the run. But don't let that fool you. Since getting healthier their defense is playing more like a top 10-15 outfit. Milano is an excellent cover LB. I think the Steelers need to make an effort to attack Josh Norman and Levi Wallace while staying away from Tre White. No doubt they are going to smother the LOS-5yd window like Baltimore & Washington did to force the Steelers inept passing game into tighter windows down the sideline. Considering the Steelers are living in their fears on offense trying to protect Ben, I don't suspect anything will change. The run game may provide some breathing room with Conner & Pouncey back, but don't expect anything noteworthy. Even with both of those guys they were still only averaging 40-50yds per game. Unless they rip the training wheels off this offense, I don't suspect this offense to move the ball with much ease at all. The best they can hope for is Ben doing his magic and his receivers finally growing up... But considering Juju's route tree looks like a high-school football program, and Claypool is under 50% of snaps... I'm not all too optimistic. They want to get Washington more involved because of his hands, but he has little to no ability to create space inside the intermediate window. I'd much rather see Washington & Claypool getting Ebron's snaps honestly. If they are just running Ebron out of 4-wide sets, then why not? I'm done with Ebron.

Defense... Haden & Spilly out. Sutton & Williamson up (and more Marcus Allen). Going to be a bend-but-don't-break type of game. Josh Allen just won AFC offensive player of the week so I wouldn't expect that to change against a banged up unit. Buffalo's O-line is a weakness so hopefully Heyward, Tuitt & Alualu can wreak havoc. But that forces Josh Allen out of the pocket where he thrives. He's apt to run the ball, so keeping him contained will be a tough test.

Buffalo is going to score points, and it will be up to the offense to keep up. Just not seeing it happen, but I'll hope for some sort of primetime magic to happen.

Buffalo 32 - PIT 13

 

[thedddd]

Hassenauer has his moments, but his inexperience really shows. That weird snap that basically went at Snell was strange, but at least that's not a reoccurring problem. It's the blocking in the run game that's hard to stomach. Him & Feiler right next to each other creates a gaping problem in the run game. He even gets caught sleeping on stunt blitzes. But not all is bad. You can see why they had faith in him & kept him around.

Oh, yeah there are very noticeable issues there and the answer from Fincter to work around that gap was non-existent. If can't scheme a good running attack to counter those issues than they should can him now. Meaning I think their pass selection and run options are pigeonholing them even deeper into the most predictable offense ever. Ben can't do this all drawn in the dirt.

 

[BigKen]

The Steelers will be motivated by the loss to Washington Crocs. If the coaches have ever watched BB and the Pats against the Bills, they'll they will have the defensive answers as long as Ben doesn't fumble on first and goal with 13 seconds left.

All they have to do is crush the packet and Allen won't run. he's not the kind of QB to take off and run outside. He likes to see the line open have 15-20 yards of open space. Push the pocket from the outside and he;ll throw the ball away. Patriots would have won their game if Cam wasn't running. All he had to do was hand off to Harris but he wanted to be the hero and became the goat.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Vince placed on COVID-IR... Holy shit.

@Superbelt @SteelersPride @thedddd

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

So that leaves Williamson & UG3 as the only ILBs... But UG3 is still on IR but practicing

Get ready for a healthy dose of Marcus Allen... Maybe Brooks Jr & Dangerfield will get in the mix?

 

[Superbelt]

This was going to be a rough game even if everyone was healthy.

Bills being a very good team, Steelers finishing up their 12 day, 3 game bender. And the crashing down of offensive woes.

This looks like Loss #2.

 

[SteelersPride]

This was going to be a rough game even if everyone was healthy.

Bills being a very good team, Steelers finishing up their 12 day, 3 game bender. And the crashing down of offensive woes.

This looks like Loss #2.

I think ppl were making more out of the 3 games in 12 days than it was. No diffeeent that playing two sundays and a Thursday. Little longer break after...

 

[thedddd]

Vince placed on COVID-IR... Holy shit.

@Superbelt @SteelersPride @thedddd

Going to be a lot of DB's on the field then and I see Buffalo trying to run up the middle constantly.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Going to be a lot of DB's on the field then and I see Buffalo trying to run up the middle constantly.

Buffalo is another pass-heavy team, so they would have been in dime a lot anyway... I see TJ playing spy to Josh Allen more in this game. Sort of like what Dupree has done in the past. But thinking about Allen & Brooks filling in run blitz lanes scares me. Hopefully the Bills don't try to run it that often.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Steelers Injury Report: Chris Boswell returns, Joe Haden still out Thursday

The Steelers rookie receiver also missed practice due to illness.

www.behindthesteelcurtain.com

Boz being back is good. Nelson logged his 2nd FP in a row which is great news. Still not status on Haden, but its a stretch to think he clears protocol beforehand.

Claypool not practicing due to illness. Likely home awaiting test results. Might be another COVID casualty this week.

 

[thedddd]

Buffalo is another pass-heavy team, so they would have been in dime a lot anyway... I see TJ playing spy to Josh Allen more in this game. Sort of like what Dupree has done in the past. But thinking about Allen & Brooks filling in run blitz lanes scares me. Hopefully the Bills don't try to run it that often.

Has shades of Russell Wilson from last season. Allen will pick his spots and get the easy run up the middle.

 

[thedddd]

Steelers Injury Report: Chris Boswell returns, Joe Haden still out Thursday

The Steelers rookie receiver also missed practice due to illness.

www.behindthesteelcurtain.com

Boz being back is good. Nelson logged his 2nd FP in a row which is great news. Still not status on Haden, but its a stretch to think he clears protocol beforehand.

Claypool not practicing due to illness. Likely home awaiting test results. Might be another COVID casualty this week.

Geez.... I guess this explains why they barely targeted him last week<sarcasm>.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Looks like Spilly is out for the remainder of the reg season... Luckily they get UG3 back to have an able-body at ILB to pair with Williamson. I don't know anything about Scales.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]