• Please be aware we've switched the forums to their own URL. (again) You'll find the new website address to be www.steelernationforum.com Thanks
  • Please clear your private messages. Your inbox is close to being full.

MIA........... injured Highsmith leads team in sacks

Drink IRON City

Drink IRON City

KAYAK Champion who drives a LUXURY S10
Forefather
Contributor
Joined
Apr 9, 2014
Messages
35,145
Reaction score
39,650
Points
113
Location
between $2 short & ten buck two
Cam and Benton being well below the line (literally and figuratively), and only having 2 down linemen, it is allowing double teams and in some cases triple teams with the HB/FB being the third blocker, to shut him down. Combine that with the zone defense that Tomlin runs, you almost always have a receiver open on the quick slant and quick outs that enables the QB's to get the ball out of their hands quicker. Combine all of that with our complete inability to shut down the running game, and now play action passes become even more lethal. I think it is 90% a scheme issue, and 10% an issue of others not stepping up when TJ is drawing double and triple teams.
 
More Tomlin bs! Some of these players are getting close to their expiration dates. Cam 36, Watt 31,Ramsey 31. The age catches up to everyone and it’s showing now with these guys.
TJ is not the same player he was and you can see it on full display.
On top of that these teams know how to neutralize him now but Tomlin isn’t doing anything to overcome that. One thing Tomlin could do is call for more blitzes or even move him around like I thought they might do. That’s my opinion!
 
The one time they moved TJ (that I saw) there was much pressure vs the Seahawks.

You’d think numb nuts might try that more than once a game…you know, scheme and coach the guys that are so highly invested in 🤦🏻‍♂️.

Sadly this team has gotten to the point that on only the third week into the season I don’t even care to etch out 3-4 hours on my Sunday to watch this trash defense…indeed it is historic that they’ve got me disinterested by week 3.

This defense is just painful to watch.

Top paid in the league, bottom 5 in results. Thats a very poor ROI.
 
Frosty said:
Out 4-6 weeks?

Click to expand...


That is hoping to hurt this “D” tremendously. Alex could set the corner against the run better than TJ. They have no replacement that can do that nearly as well.

This “D” could fix things pretty fast if the DC/HC would start taking risk(s). I think they blitz twice yesterday and both worked, only to never see them blitz again the rest of the game.

These players need help with scheming to get them in the right position to win.

Opposing offenses don’t have to win the battle of the guy in front of you, they just need to delay the guy enough to run their schemed play.



Salute the nation
 
Maybe Watt has declined, maybe not, but what exactly is he supposed to do when he is doubled and tripled, look at Sawyer's sack, 3 guys slid to Watt, even though Sawyer was the inside guy, giving Sawyer a free run to the QB.
Go back and watch James Harrison in his prime, he was rarely doubled because LeBeau would send a blitz from anywhere so teams couldn't afford to dedicate two guys to just Harrison, and if teams did to Harrison what they do to Watt, LeBeau would overload the other side every time and hit the QB. We just watch teams slide protection to Watt every play, then rush the 2 DL and the other OLB, that's it. They actually did something different with Sawyer, and blitzed Wilson up the middle, shocker, then that was it, back to super scared conservative D.
 
As this defense currently sits I can't name a single thing this defense (or any player) does that's average, let alone well. That's been the case since the end of last season so it's not a small sample size anymore.
 
Coryea said:
Maybe Watt has declined, maybe not, but what exactly is he supposed to do when he is doubled and tripled, look at Sawyer's sack, 3 guys slid to Watt, even though Sawyer was the inside guy, giving Sawyer a free run to the QB.
Go back and watch James Harrison in his prime, he was rarely doubled because LeBeau would send a blitz from anywhere so teams couldn't afford to dedicate two guys to just Harrison, and if teams did to Harrison what they do to Watt, LeBeau would overload the other side every time and hit the QB. We just watch teams slide protection to Watt every play, then rush the 2 DL and the other OLB, that's it. They actually did something different with Sawyer, and blitzed Wilson up the middle, shocker, then that was it, back to super scared conservative D.
Click to expand...
I'm sure the brain trust will get this figured out in no time and adjustments will be made.
 
Fiji Mariner said:
The one time they moved TJ (that I saw) there was much pressure vs the Seahawks.

You’d think numb nuts might try that more than once a game…you know, scheme and coach the guys that are so highly invested in 🤦🏻‍♂️.

Sadly this team has gotten to the point that on only the third week into the season I don’t even care to etch out 3-4 hours on my Sunday to watch this trash defense…indeed it is historic that they’ve got me disinterested by week 3.

This defense is just painful to watch.

Top paid in the league, bottom 5 in results. Thats a very poor ROI.
Click to expand...
"We don't go shopping in the produce aisle when we're trying to build a blanket fort."
/Mike Tomlin, probably
 
I’m listened to Mike Defabo and he’s saying exactly what some of us have been saying here.
Move Benton out of the NT and kick him to the outside to DE. He said he’s not a NT. That is what I’ve been screaming about. He said put Black in at NT. Couldn’t agree more.
 
steelhurt said:
More Tomlin bs! Some of these players are getting close to their expiration dates. Cam 36, Watt 31,Ramsey 31. The age catches up to everyone and it’s showing now with these guys.
TJ is not the same player he was and you can see it on full display.
On top of that these teams know how to neutralize him now but Tomlin isn’t doing anything to overcome that. One thing Tomlin could do is call for more blitzes or even move him around like I thought they might do. That’s my opinion!
Click to expand...
31 is not near the expiration date for premium pass rushers. They have one of the oldest plateaus of all positions...

Its just him getting multiteamed and our scheme is just all individual effort based....
 
madinsomniac said:
31 is not near the expiration date for premium pass rushers. They have one of the oldest plateaus of all positions...

Its just him getting multiteamed and our scheme is just all individual effort based....
Click to expand...
Idk, this is season nine for TJ and when these guys get on the other side of 30 it’s not uncommon to see them start to decline.
I do agree he’s getting chipped by multiple guys and thats where Tomlin needs to provide some help with some blitzes. Also, try moving TJ around instead of keeping him in one spot.
It’s now six straight games without a sack.
 
Watt isn't playing like a superhero anymore. He would just dominate the players in front of him and he isn't, though I still believe he's playing well. The problem is, no matter the situation, when you are paid $40+ million, you have to make plays.

Highsmith looked like one of the best defenders on the field so it's frustrating to see him hurt again.
 
steelhurt said:
Idk, this is season nine for TJ and when these guys get on the other side of 30 it’s not uncommon to see them start to decline.
I do agree he’s getting chipped by multiple guys and thats where Tomlin needs to provide some help with some blitzes. Also, try moving TJ around instead of keeping him in one spot.
It’s now six straight games without a sack.
Click to expand...

Checking the list of all time great pass rushers shows they are effective until 35 or 36 in most cases...

Typically you can see what positions wear out by what age ranges pretty easily. RBs are done the earliest, by their late 20's more often than not.

Regular qbs can play till their late 30's but running qbs are done by their early to mid 30's unless they learn how to be a pocket passer
Wrs are usually done by 32 or 33. High end oline can play till their mid 30's.

CBs typically need to move to Safety by 32 or 33

Its pretty consistent... high end pass rushers play a long time... have you ever wondered how TJ could have the 4th most sacks among players before they turned the age of 30, but is still only 31st all time in sacks? (44th if you count sacks prior to them being an official stat) before last season, when that stat came out he wasnt even in the top 50, all time. Its not at all unheard of for these guys to play at pro bowl levels at 35 and 36... many walk away while still effective
 
I think the 'real' DC, the guy who is behind the curtain of pulling the defensive levers, if he had Casey Hampton he would have him either at end or linebacker... Just think, what or who is the common denominator in all the underperforming teams the Steelers have had over the last 5 years...
 
steelhurt said:
I’m listened to Mike Defabo and he’s saying exactly what some of us have been saying here.
Move Benton out of the NT and kick him to the outside to DE. He said he’s not a NT. That is what I’ve been screaming about. He said put Black in at NT. Couldn’t agree more.
Click to expand...

What are Tomlin and Austin thinking here? 309 lb guy playing NT, 336 lb guy playing end.
 
WindyCitySteel said:
What are Tomlin and Austin thinking here? 309 lb guy playing NT, 336 lb guy playing end.
Click to expand...
Have you seen Black? He’s huge!! If he’s a pound under 350 I’d be shocked. The man is prototype NT and should be there.
 
Drink IRON City said:
What the hellA is happening? TJ Watt is invisible, no sacks last 6 games.
Highest non-QB at time of extension......................

I'm not panicked yet, But !!!


Here is a home page article about TJ




What say YOU ?




Salute the nation
Click to expand...
People said TJ sucked last year which is not the case. Here are is 2024 rankings. 1st in strip sacks, 1st in FF, 6th in QB hits, 2nd in tackles for loss, 8th for sacks, and 7th in fumble recoveries. Yes his sack numbers were down, but he was in top 10 for basically everything. It was still a great year. He could have had a sack against fields, but it was ruled he was a runner. The defense as a whole has been struggling, but i think TJ is the least of the worries. Other guys / coaches have to help him
 
jitter77 said:
People said TJ sucked last year which is not the case. Here are is 2024 rankings. 1st in strip sacks, 1st in FF, 6th in QB hits, 2nd in tackles for loss, 8th for sacks, and 7th in fumble recoveries. Yes his sack numbers were down, but he was in top 10 for basically everything. It was still a great year. He could have had a sack against fields, but it was ruled he was a runner. The defense as a whole has been struggling, but i think TJ is the least of the worries. Other guys / coaches have to help him
Click to expand...



I hear everything you are saying jitter, my concern was for the last 6 games. He has been fairly silent.

I also said I’m not panicked yet, meaning that sacks / stats come in spurts.

I’m more worried about how the scheme / game plan takes him out as much as opposing players do.



Salute the nation
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top