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Head coach Mike Tomlin looks ahead to the San Francisco 49ers at Heinz Field for the Pittsburgh Steelers' Week 2 home opener.
(video)
http://www.steelers.com/news/articl...co-49ers/66fdeb15-711a-464b-96ea-b14a2e11dedc
Let’s talk about San Francisco. They played good football last night. I thought they dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides. Offensively, their run game was stellar. Carlos Hyde did some really nice things. I saw some good concept things, supplementary things from Reggie Bush before his injury. They have a nice personality to complement their run game, with the corresponding misdirection or play-action passing game.
Colin Kaepernick’s mobility is obviously something that is going to be an issue for us. It’s something that we have to work to minimize. This guy can create issues for you from a design run standpoint but also his ability to improvise as plays break down and he finds escape lanes, that’s a critical element of the game. If you want to win third downs you have to do so structurally, but you also have to be able to minimize his impact on the game in terms of him pulling the ball down and running. He was able to do that some in the game last night, and he converted some possession downs. We have to be great in terms of rushing coverage, and more importantly, rush lane integrity to minimize those escape lanes for him.
He has some quality receivers. Anquan Boldin is a savvy veteran guy, a guy that has a definite playing personality. He is physical, and he can make combat catches, and he has for probably 14-15 years now. We’ve seen a lot of him over the years. Vernon Davis is a quality, veteran tight end, with the type of vertical speed that creates issues and matchup issues. They have a nice mix of personnel packages and groups, two tight end sets, three tight end sets. They give you a variety of formations out of those personnel groups. We have to be sharp there. Particularly, we have to be sharper than we were in some instances last Thursday night in regards to dealing with some of those things. We are working hard to do that.
If you look at them on defense, I thought the story of the game, at least for them last night, was their ability to minimize Adrian Peterson on first-and-10, oftentimes, doing so, in two-high safety defenses. I think that speaks to their stout front. They did a nice job of controlling the line of scrimmage, from inside out. I thought they did a really nice job of controlling the line of scrimmage, which allowed guys like NaVorro Bowman to do what he does, and Antoine Bethea to do what he does.
They play good sub-package defense. They play good on first-and-10 and second-and-medium. They put Minnesota in some advantageous third-down situations, and Coach Mangini, who we are familiar with from his past experiences, he’s done a nice job putting together some sub-package defenses and spinning the dial with pressure, bogus pressure and coverage. They mix up their third downs well. That’s not unlike what we’ve seen Coach Mangini do in the past in some of the other stops that he has had. But it was just a good overall team performance from them on both sides of the ball. But I think it started up front and their ability to win the line of scrimmage on first down on offense and on defense.
They have some guys we have to contend with on special teams. Obviously Bush is a dynamic guy if he is healthy. Bruce Ellington is a guy that we held in high regard when he came out of school. We have a great deal of respect for him as a return man. But more importantly than that, it’s just important that we get off to a good, sound start and get a good fundamental base here as we start our week to decide the manner in which we want to attack these guys in all three phases
Brandon Boykin said he was puzzled as to why he didn’t get any snaps. Do you anticipate him playing this week?
We’ll see. We’re putting together a plan that will allow us to play the type of ball we want to play. He’s a guy who is under strong consideration.
Why didn’t he get any snaps?
We chose to play other people.
What do you need to see from Shamarko Thomas to get him back on the field?
He’s got to be good above the neck, he’s got to be in a position to make plays and he’s got to be good at communication. Some things we thought Will Allen gave us a better opportunity to do well at. And of course, his experience.
Re: On Cortez Allen and Antwon Blake being listed as an “or” on the depth chart:
We like some of the things we’ve seen from both guys. There have also been some inconsistencies from both guys. That’s why they are listed that way, while also acknowledging sub-package football is a big element of the game. All three corners are going to play significant roles, regardless of who is starting. Both of those guys will play just as many or more snaps than a guy like Steve McLendon. That’s just the nature of today’s football. I think the “or” is appropriate.
Can you assess you clock management at the end of both halves?
I didn’t see any real issues there. I know there was a quick discussion about potentially using a timeout as we drove late in the second quarter. I thought a running clock and allowing Ben Roethlisberger to stay at the line of scrimmage would minimize what they would give us and would get us an opportunity to get a touchdown. Obviously, it didn’t work out. You move on from those things. But no real issues from our perspective.
Do you have to play faster when approaching the two-minute warning at the end of the game like last week?
We could, but it was a two-score game at that point. We were dealing with personnel issues and getting guys in and out. As fatigue set in, we would have liked to play faster, but we didn’t.
Is it size that made you go with Will Johnson?
It was just what we decided to do last week. There’s no indication on how we will move going forward.
Will Jordan Todman see some action this week?
Jordan was very new a week ago. We’ll see what he’s capable of doing and that may change how we utilize all of our backs.
Is he under consideration in the return game?
He’s under consideration in everything.
What about Carlos Hyde is challenging?
I think collectively, without taking anything away from him, they did a nice job of playing football. I thought they won the line of scrimmage. When you have the opportunity to not have to deal with any disruptions from the time you get the ball to the point you get to the line of scrimmage, you have an opportunity to have a good day. He was good, but I think their front was just as good. That’s why I talked about their run game collectively.
(video)
http://www.steelers.com/news/articl...co-49ers/66fdeb15-711a-464b-96ea-b14a2e11dedc
Let’s talk about San Francisco. They played good football last night. I thought they dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides. Offensively, their run game was stellar. Carlos Hyde did some really nice things. I saw some good concept things, supplementary things from Reggie Bush before his injury. They have a nice personality to complement their run game, with the corresponding misdirection or play-action passing game.
Colin Kaepernick’s mobility is obviously something that is going to be an issue for us. It’s something that we have to work to minimize. This guy can create issues for you from a design run standpoint but also his ability to improvise as plays break down and he finds escape lanes, that’s a critical element of the game. If you want to win third downs you have to do so structurally, but you also have to be able to minimize his impact on the game in terms of him pulling the ball down and running. He was able to do that some in the game last night, and he converted some possession downs. We have to be great in terms of rushing coverage, and more importantly, rush lane integrity to minimize those escape lanes for him.
He has some quality receivers. Anquan Boldin is a savvy veteran guy, a guy that has a definite playing personality. He is physical, and he can make combat catches, and he has for probably 14-15 years now. We’ve seen a lot of him over the years. Vernon Davis is a quality, veteran tight end, with the type of vertical speed that creates issues and matchup issues. They have a nice mix of personnel packages and groups, two tight end sets, three tight end sets. They give you a variety of formations out of those personnel groups. We have to be sharp there. Particularly, we have to be sharper than we were in some instances last Thursday night in regards to dealing with some of those things. We are working hard to do that.
If you look at them on defense, I thought the story of the game, at least for them last night, was their ability to minimize Adrian Peterson on first-and-10, oftentimes, doing so, in two-high safety defenses. I think that speaks to their stout front. They did a nice job of controlling the line of scrimmage, from inside out. I thought they did a really nice job of controlling the line of scrimmage, which allowed guys like NaVorro Bowman to do what he does, and Antoine Bethea to do what he does.
They play good sub-package defense. They play good on first-and-10 and second-and-medium. They put Minnesota in some advantageous third-down situations, and Coach Mangini, who we are familiar with from his past experiences, he’s done a nice job putting together some sub-package defenses and spinning the dial with pressure, bogus pressure and coverage. They mix up their third downs well. That’s not unlike what we’ve seen Coach Mangini do in the past in some of the other stops that he has had. But it was just a good overall team performance from them on both sides of the ball. But I think it started up front and their ability to win the line of scrimmage on first down on offense and on defense.
They have some guys we have to contend with on special teams. Obviously Bush is a dynamic guy if he is healthy. Bruce Ellington is a guy that we held in high regard when he came out of school. We have a great deal of respect for him as a return man. But more importantly than that, it’s just important that we get off to a good, sound start and get a good fundamental base here as we start our week to decide the manner in which we want to attack these guys in all three phases
Brandon Boykin said he was puzzled as to why he didn’t get any snaps. Do you anticipate him playing this week?
We’ll see. We’re putting together a plan that will allow us to play the type of ball we want to play. He’s a guy who is under strong consideration.
Why didn’t he get any snaps?
We chose to play other people.
What do you need to see from Shamarko Thomas to get him back on the field?
He’s got to be good above the neck, he’s got to be in a position to make plays and he’s got to be good at communication. Some things we thought Will Allen gave us a better opportunity to do well at. And of course, his experience.
Re: On Cortez Allen and Antwon Blake being listed as an “or” on the depth chart:
We like some of the things we’ve seen from both guys. There have also been some inconsistencies from both guys. That’s why they are listed that way, while also acknowledging sub-package football is a big element of the game. All three corners are going to play significant roles, regardless of who is starting. Both of those guys will play just as many or more snaps than a guy like Steve McLendon. That’s just the nature of today’s football. I think the “or” is appropriate.
Can you assess you clock management at the end of both halves?
I didn’t see any real issues there. I know there was a quick discussion about potentially using a timeout as we drove late in the second quarter. I thought a running clock and allowing Ben Roethlisberger to stay at the line of scrimmage would minimize what they would give us and would get us an opportunity to get a touchdown. Obviously, it didn’t work out. You move on from those things. But no real issues from our perspective.
Do you have to play faster when approaching the two-minute warning at the end of the game like last week?
We could, but it was a two-score game at that point. We were dealing with personnel issues and getting guys in and out. As fatigue set in, we would have liked to play faster, but we didn’t.
Is it size that made you go with Will Johnson?
It was just what we decided to do last week. There’s no indication on how we will move going forward.
Will Jordan Todman see some action this week?
Jordan was very new a week ago. We’ll see what he’s capable of doing and that may change how we utilize all of our backs.
Is he under consideration in the return game?
He’s under consideration in everything.
What about Carlos Hyde is challenging?
I think collectively, without taking anything away from him, they did a nice job of playing football. I thought they won the line of scrimmage. When you have the opportunity to not have to deal with any disruptions from the time you get the ball to the point you get to the line of scrimmage, you have an opportunity to have a good day. He was good, but I think their front was just as good. That’s why I talked about their run game collectively.
