Well we knew it would be an uphill battle vs Buffalo but I thought the Steelers showed heart tonight and fought tooth and nail the entire game. Minus two in the turnover battle tonight sure didn't help. The fumble deep in Steeler territory by Pickens resulted in a 1 play TD for the Bills and Rudolph's INT in the endzone that took points off the board for the Steelers. In addition to the 2 turneovers the play that really made the difference in this game was John Allen's 52 yd TD run on a 3rd & 7 at the Bills 48 yd line in the 2nd Quarter to give them a 21-0 lead......sloppy tackling (Steelers need to tackle better....is this on the DC or who) by the Steelers on that play really pretty much was the difference maker of the game even though the Steelers fought back to make it a game!
Steelers running game was never able to get going this game but they got taken out of that gameplan after going down 21-0. I think you could almost make a case for Eddie Faulkner as the next Steelers OC. I don't know who made the adjustment at the half but it was a good one as they started to use the short passing game over the middle of the field to take advantage of the Buffalo Bills glaring weakness. I actually think that's the recipe for beating Buffalo and I'd expect their opponents will try to exploit that just like the Steelers did in the 2nd Half.
I'll always wonder if TJ Watt would have been a difference maker in this one if he wasn't injured. I was really suprised to not see Nick Herbig on the field until the 3 minute mark in the 2nd Quarter....they kept using Marcus Golden until Herbig saw some reps....far too late in the game IMO.....Herbig is more dynamic of a player than Golden ever was. I just didn't understand why Herbig didn't get more reps.
Defensively our ILB's is a glaring weakness for the Steelers going into the off-season and they need another BIG FATTY in the middle to replace Cam Heyward in the offseason. That sloppy tackling on Josh Allen's TD run was perhaps the most frustrating thing to watch in today's game because tackling is such a fundamental part of the game!
I thought Mason Rudolph did ok once he settled down....that INT in the endzone was hard to watch and it turned out to be a 14 point swing as the Bills took that INT and turned it into a Bills TD. Both Steeler turnovers turned into TD's for the Bills and it was the difference in the game.....14 points!
Two things in the game tonight really made my blood boil and maybe the NFL needs a rule change in the off-season.......
The hit on Joey Porter Jr that put him out with a Concussion was a Cheap Shot! Helmet to the back of his head....and WTF was no penalty flag throw for a Block in the Back on the TE who hit Porter?
Second and perhaps this is one of the most disturbing things and they need to change the rules here.....2nd & 5 with about 7:30 seconds to play...Bills have the ball.....John Allen calls his own number....runs up the middle for 2 yards (he's at the point where he's reaching the 2nd level and he hook slides as Myles Jack is trying to tackle the ball carrier.....I doubt that Jack could even see that it was Josh Allen....he hits him....as Allen hook slides....B00M...he's hit.....15 yd Unnecessary Roughness). I guess the point I'm trying to make here is when a QB calls their own number....they are a RB......from that point on there should be no Hook Sliding allowed because players are reacting to a running play and trying to tackle the ball carrier...They simply don't have time to process whether it's a QB, RB or whoever it is...they are trying to tackle the ball carrier. It's a different situation when a pass play breaks down and the QB is scrambling because no one is open and he's trying to get a first down....then a hook slide should be allowed but not when a QB calls his own number.....he is choosing himself as the RB.....I get that they want to protect the QB's but how about giving a break to a Defensive player since they are only trying to tackle the ball carrier. Heck if they don't change that rule and I'm a defensive coach.....I tell my players hit that QB and hit him hard so he doesn't do that again! I mean it's a bullshit rule and benefits the offense and the QB who does call his own number. I'm sorry if he does he's a RB!
Well it's onto the off-season.....Steelers have needs.....we need DT, ILB, OL. Hopefully we see Kwon Alexander back in a Steelers uniform and also Eric Rowe....he played great for us....an excellent tackler out there on Defense! Bring Rudolph back and let him and Pickett battle it out for the Starting QB job! Send Trubisky packing, Ogunjobi too! Extend Najee too!
Game Balls:
Eric Rowe - 8 Tackles tonight....He needs to come back next season
Minkah Fitzpatrick - First game back from injury....10 tackles althought he let that little Bills WR break loose from his grasp I think it was Shakir
Dionte Johnson - 4 rec 48 yds 1 TD.....had a couple nice moves in traffic to keep drives doing and get into the endzone. Was this his last game as a Steeler? If it is we need WR in the Draft!
Elandon Roberts - Nice pass defensed downfield in the endzone.....5 tackles.....we need him back next season along with Kwon & Cole Holcomb
Cam Heward - the veteran guy in the Steelers locker room....6 tackles tonight....I know his career is winding down......maybe he can play a couple more seasons...still playing at a high level
Game Goats:
Pressley Harvin - Three seasons as our starting punter and it's 3 seasons too many. a 30 yd punt tonight that led to the Bills first TD. Seeing an injured Bills punter out kick him was embarrassing. He's gotta go!
George Pickens - That fumble tonight really hurt the Steeler chances.....gotta hold onto that pigskin George
Mason Rudolph - The INT in the endzone was a costly turnover and for a team like the Steelers it's almost backbreaking
Mike Tomlin - The team came out flat again tonight to start the game (We are seeing this all too often lately and I'm sorry the Head Coach gets the blame here).......I really am indifferent if Tomlin stays or goes. If he does leave I want Bobby Slowik the OC for the Texans
FU's:
FU to the Bills TE who cheap shotted Joey Porter Jr.....absolutely classless.....I still don't know how it wasn't a Penalty. It was clearly a block in the back! Was also Helmet to Helmet!
Steelers running game was never able to get going this game but they got taken out of that gameplan after going down 21-0. I think you could almost make a case for Eddie Faulkner as the next Steelers OC. I don't know who made the adjustment at the half but it was a good one as they started to use the short passing game over the middle of the field to take advantage of the Buffalo Bills glaring weakness. I actually think that's the recipe for beating Buffalo and I'd expect their opponents will try to exploit that just like the Steelers did in the 2nd Half.
I'll always wonder if TJ Watt would have been a difference maker in this one if he wasn't injured. I was really suprised to not see Nick Herbig on the field until the 3 minute mark in the 2nd Quarter....they kept using Marcus Golden until Herbig saw some reps....far too late in the game IMO.....Herbig is more dynamic of a player than Golden ever was. I just didn't understand why Herbig didn't get more reps.
Defensively our ILB's is a glaring weakness for the Steelers going into the off-season and they need another BIG FATTY in the middle to replace Cam Heyward in the offseason. That sloppy tackling on Josh Allen's TD run was perhaps the most frustrating thing to watch in today's game because tackling is such a fundamental part of the game!
I thought Mason Rudolph did ok once he settled down....that INT in the endzone was hard to watch and it turned out to be a 14 point swing as the Bills took that INT and turned it into a Bills TD. Both Steeler turnovers turned into TD's for the Bills and it was the difference in the game.....14 points!
Two things in the game tonight really made my blood boil and maybe the NFL needs a rule change in the off-season.......
The hit on Joey Porter Jr that put him out with a Concussion was a Cheap Shot! Helmet to the back of his head....and WTF was no penalty flag throw for a Block in the Back on the TE who hit Porter?
Second and perhaps this is one of the most disturbing things and they need to change the rules here.....2nd & 5 with about 7:30 seconds to play...Bills have the ball.....John Allen calls his own number....runs up the middle for 2 yards (he's at the point where he's reaching the 2nd level and he hook slides as Myles Jack is trying to tackle the ball carrier.....I doubt that Jack could even see that it was Josh Allen....he hits him....as Allen hook slides....B00M...he's hit.....15 yd Unnecessary Roughness). I guess the point I'm trying to make here is when a QB calls their own number....they are a RB......from that point on there should be no Hook Sliding allowed because players are reacting to a running play and trying to tackle the ball carrier...They simply don't have time to process whether it's a QB, RB or whoever it is...they are trying to tackle the ball carrier. It's a different situation when a pass play breaks down and the QB is scrambling because no one is open and he's trying to get a first down....then a hook slide should be allowed but not when a QB calls his own number.....he is choosing himself as the RB.....I get that they want to protect the QB's but how about giving a break to a Defensive player since they are only trying to tackle the ball carrier. Heck if they don't change that rule and I'm a defensive coach.....I tell my players hit that QB and hit him hard so he doesn't do that again! I mean it's a bullshit rule and benefits the offense and the QB who does call his own number. I'm sorry if he does he's a RB!
Well it's onto the off-season.....Steelers have needs.....we need DT, ILB, OL. Hopefully we see Kwon Alexander back in a Steelers uniform and also Eric Rowe....he played great for us....an excellent tackler out there on Defense! Bring Rudolph back and let him and Pickett battle it out for the Starting QB job! Send Trubisky packing, Ogunjobi too! Extend Najee too!
Game Balls:
Eric Rowe - 8 Tackles tonight....He needs to come back next season
Minkah Fitzpatrick - First game back from injury....10 tackles althought he let that little Bills WR break loose from his grasp I think it was Shakir
Dionte Johnson - 4 rec 48 yds 1 TD.....had a couple nice moves in traffic to keep drives doing and get into the endzone. Was this his last game as a Steeler? If it is we need WR in the Draft!
Elandon Roberts - Nice pass defensed downfield in the endzone.....5 tackles.....we need him back next season along with Kwon & Cole Holcomb
Cam Heward - the veteran guy in the Steelers locker room....6 tackles tonight....I know his career is winding down......maybe he can play a couple more seasons...still playing at a high level
Game Goats:
Pressley Harvin - Three seasons as our starting punter and it's 3 seasons too many. a 30 yd punt tonight that led to the Bills first TD. Seeing an injured Bills punter out kick him was embarrassing. He's gotta go!
George Pickens - That fumble tonight really hurt the Steeler chances.....gotta hold onto that pigskin George
Mason Rudolph - The INT in the endzone was a costly turnover and for a team like the Steelers it's almost backbreaking
Mike Tomlin - The team came out flat again tonight to start the game (We are seeing this all too often lately and I'm sorry the Head Coach gets the blame here).......I really am indifferent if Tomlin stays or goes. If he does leave I want Bobby Slowik the OC for the Texans
FU's:
FU to the Bills TE who cheap shotted Joey Porter Jr.....absolutely classless.....I still don't know how it wasn't a Penalty. It was clearly a block in the back! Was also Helmet to Helmet!
