NT Daniel McCullers To Resume Practicing

[Spike]

Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Daniel McCullers has yet to play so far during the preseason due to a hamstring injury suffered during one of the training camp practices a few weeks ago, but it appears as the mammoth Tennessee product will begin his march back Sunday when the team resumes their work at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe........

http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN ...s-to-resume-practicing-in-a-limited-capacity/

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Good news everyone!

At least he's on the field. We need this big guy back healthy. DL needs all the help they can get, maybe he could be that difference maker.

 

[slashsteel]

He could help solidify that run D. ( could potentially be huge no pun intended)

Combined with Boykin with improved secondary play.

Then you are looking at what the pass rush does VS the even bigger question mark what kind of year SS Shark Thomas has.

 

[Spike]

even bigger question mark what kind of year SS Shark Thomas has.

from everything I've seen, this guy looks lost - like, totally lost back there

Of course the Steelers were 27th against the pass last year - they can't get much worse, can they?

 

[Tibs]

Welcome back Shade Tree. Plant that big boy in the middle of the line and let the magic happen!

 

[slashsteel]

from everything I've seen, this guy looks lost - like, totally lost back there

Of course the Steelers were 27th against the pass last year - they can't get much worse, can they?

I think With Boykin the CB play will improve. A 2nd year in the system a healthy Mitchell should improve even if ever so slightly.

Which would be a two to 1 ratio improvement with a a possibly slight decrease in play at SS, where they could plug in Allen if need be.

Said this from the start of camp that position with a often injured SS has the potential to easily be the biggest weakness.

I think come final cutdowns that a SS should be brought in for competition /much needed depth.

 

[SteelBuckeye]

I think With Boykin the CB play will improve. A 2nd year in the system a healthy Mitchell should improve even if ever so slightly.

Which would be a two to 1 ratio improvement with a a possibly slight decrease in play at SS, where they could plug in Allen if need be.

Said this from the start of camp that position with a often injured SS has the potential to easily be the biggest weakness.

I think come final cutdowns that a SS should be brought in for competition /much needed depth.

If it comes down to it, move Mitchell to SS, have Allen (Will) start the season at FS and groom Grant/Wild/Holliman to take over for Allen by the end of the season (or sooner).

 

[slashsteel]

Our 1st team defense has been shredded this preseason and faces Rodgers this week, should be a true test of how bad we might be,

With vanilla scheming, and some of the D starters playing little, really hard to tell where the D stands.

Not to say with their pedigree that no stone should be unturned, and obviously above the line play is expected.

Around here the standard is the standard.

 

[slashsteel]

If it comes down to it, move Mitchell to SS, have Allen (Will) start the season at FS and groom Grant/Wild/Holliman to take over for Allen by the end of the season (or sooner).

Yeah I would be all for moving Mitchell in. Especially if Holliman shows FS capable,

I would think Allen would be a little better at FS anyways..........

 

[slashsteel]

We can't get pressure on the QB and scheme only hides so many warts, No pressure and this defense will be historically bad.

I think Moats and Harrison can bring pressure. Especially Harrison.

But yeah no question that the pass rush is still in need of improvement.

Lot of bodies, and now perhaps the teams second biggest weakness.

If Bud can at least bring some situational pass rush /pressure. That would be a big plus. But until it happens it is a big IF.

 

[slashsteel]

My biggest worry is playing a ton of cover 2 behind a poor pass rush, we will get gouged. We played a ton of cover 2 Friday, hope it is just a learning tool because without a consistent pass rush the cover 2 is a horrible defense.

I think their thinking was one gap Tuitt and Heyward bringing more pressure. Problem is Heyward is solid not a superstar, and Tuitt is very much still in the learning process.

So I am not sure that will be effective.

They can blitz Shazier like a Kendrell Bell / Chad Brown schematic. I would think that might be effective, but with his speed I could see them putting him in coverage a decent amount of time.

just for me brings me back to Dupree.... the wild card in all of this conjecture

 

[black and gold apex]

No one has stood out on defense and with green Bay up next may really show our weakness . We need a rush and none to be seen so far.

 

[Shane Falco]

With vanilla scheming, and some of the D starters playing little, really hard to tell where the D stands.

Not to say with their pedigree that no stone should be unturned, and obviously above the line play is expected.

Around here the standard is the standard.

I was thinking the same. They're running a vanilla cover 2 and getting exposed. But, it obviously shows the deficiencies in the defense and who pretty much sucks. Maybe in the next 2 weeks we'll see more of their special blend of 3-4 and Tampa 2.

 

[Vader]

I was thinking the same. They're running a vanilla cover 2 and getting exposed. But, it obviously shows the deficiencies in the defense and who pretty much sucks. Maybe in the next 2 weeks we'll see more of their special blend of 3-4 and Tampa 2.

That is their special blend of Tampa 2 and the 3-4. It's a zone with everyone looking at the QB. They all have a great view of QBs shredding their defense.

 

[slashsteel]

That is their special blend of Tampa 2 and the 3-4. It's a zone with everyone looking at the QB. They all have a great view of QBs shredding their defense.

to be fair regardless if it ultimately works or doesn't work it will take more than a few preseason games to know if it a keep or throwaway

 

[Vader]

to be fair regardless if it ultimately works or doesn't work it will take more than a few preseason games to know if it a keep or throwaway

Which is why I'm worried. They aren't just playing half *** to implement this. IF they are truly wanting to do this then pre-season is where you work out the kinks. Which means this is the defense they want to run. That's bothersome.

 

[Wingman]

Which is why I'm worried. They aren't just playing half *** to implement this. IF they are truly wanting to do this then pre-season is where you work out the kinks. Which means this is the defense they want to run. That's bothersome.

They still have to go back to the lab, turn over stones, and unleash hell. They don't game plan for preseason so they will find out that it needs work when they are 2 and 6 on the season. But hey contracts have been extended so there are a couple more years that we have to try and make something out of this mess. Remember 8 and 8 means no losing seasons.

 

[Superman]

hopefully they're using specific schemes to work on in pre-season. it is worrisome, nonetheless. though we do not know yet how vanilla the defense is being run.
14 to the vikings and 23 to the jaguars - and their obviously vanilla offense gameplan - isn't comforting.
but, we have to take into account that when OUR 1st string offense is on the field, the defense can get rest and regroup - i've not seen much from our offense thus far in the pre-season (aside from the jaguars game with the 1st team scoring).

I don't put much stock in the pre-season. Absolutely not comparing the defenses, but in '95, we went 1-3 in the pre-season and our defense was beat up on in 2 games.

 

[diver]

On a serious not here, a question I have is can you play shutdown defense anymore? What teams really play consistent, shutdown defense? Seattle? Maybe.

Sometimes I wonder if we as fans are just slow in adjusting to what the NFL is becoming. Maybe there is no such thing as true shutdown defense anymore. Hell, you can't touch the QB high or low, and I guarantee you, that alone will improve accuracy markedly. Can't hit receivers too hard, hell you miss them entirely like Holliman did the other night and you get a flag.

 

[FordFairLane]

He could help solidify that run D. ( could potentially be huge no pun intended)

Combined with Boykin with improved secondary play.

Then you are looking at what the pass rush does VS the even bigger question mark what kind of year SS Shark Thomas has.

I've seen a lot of big plays especially on draws when the MLB commits to the pass then has to come up and stop the run. Big Dan could help stuff that run before the hole opens.

 

[slashsteel]

Which is why I'm worried. They aren't just playing half *** to implement this. IF they are truly wanting to do this then pre-season is where you work out the kinks. Which means this is the defense they want to run. That's bothersome.

Yeah I am hoping it doesn't make a average to below average D, limited on fine tuning what works.

I think they feel DL is a strength, but not so sure I can point to one unit on D and call it a strength outside of ILBer perhaps.

 

[Vader]

hopefully they're using specific schemes to work on in pre-season. it is worrisome, nonetheless. though we do not know yet how vanilla the defense is being run.
14 to the vikings and 23 to the jaguars - and their obviously vanilla offense gameplan - isn't comforting.
but, we have to take into account that when OUR 1st string offense is on the field, the defense can get rest and regroup - i've not seen much from our offense thus far in the pre-season (aside from the jaguars game with the 1st team scoring).

I don't put much stock in the pre-season. Absolutely not comparing the defenses, but in '95, we went 1-3 in the pre-season and our defense was beat up on in 2 games.

I'm not worried at all about the offense. They'll be fine. I'm normally not worried about the defense in pre-season. But this year I am because they are trying something new. So pre-season is where you see the implementation of the new scheme. They can't afford to roll it out during the regular season. So if this is the "new" defense they are in trouble.

 

[stillwright]

I'm not worried at all about the offense. They'll be fine. I'm normally not worried about the defense in pre-season. But this year I am because they are trying something new. So pre-season is where you see the implementation of the new scheme. They can't afford to roll it out during the regular season. So if this is the "new" defense they are in trouble.

The way I was looking at it was...they can't get any worse than the last few seasons. After watching the first to games I'm wondering if they actually can. If they can actually generate some TO's that would go a long way.

 

[madinsomniac]

IDK, the defensive schemes seem mostly vanilla to me... yes we are running new things, but I don't think they are slated to a teams strengths or weaknesses just yet... its more see how people play in the basic new defensive roles... I mean what are you going to do, gameplan for the 1 series you see the starters in these games?

 

[Wingman]

IDK, the defensive schemes seem mostly vanilla to me... yes we are running new things, but I don't think they are slated to a teams strengths or weaknesses just yet... its more see how people play in the basic new defensive roles... I mean what are you going to do, gameplan for the 1 series you see the starters in these games?

Looks like they were able to determine that nearly everyone sucks at this point.

 

[madinsomniac]

Im interested to see McCullers in game action, mostly his conditioning... I want to see what he does when teams spread them out and go hurry up when he is out there... Hampton would get tired or mad or both then just blow through the line once or twice and more or less kept that stuff at a minimum. I remember him looking so winded after a series of plays vs the spread, then blowing up the middle for a rare sack once and he moved like the QB was made of steak then he blew up the next play too IIRC... they quit trying that shortly after... I believe he is an upgrade in the run stuffing department, but till he proves he isn't a liability vs a pass heavy format, I will reserve judgment..

I do hope he can do it and replace McClendon, though. McClendon doesn't draw the double teams consistantly and Tuitt cant handle the double teams yet. I see McClendon more of a Hoke type player... certainly not bad, but not exactly what we are used to at NT