OC Smith goes right to non-throwing middle of field

[Ike Kelly]

Aurthor Smith is a good OC and had


Nice post Ike, thank you.


DK sports is one of those beat writers that does do practice and locker room interviews. All the players know him and respect him. He does a DK Daily shot, usually out early morning. Then he started doing what he calls the Double Shot, comes out at 4pm. NO, they are not just repeats of one or the other, pretty good stuff.

The OP doesn’t have much credibility on anything, he’s proven that more than once. He can’t seem to find his happy spot with himself as he continually has to put himself in front of the camera, shameful or ————— just leave it at that.



Salute the nation

Thanks Drink. Yeah, DK is top notch, he even has two other writers, including Matt Williamson who has NFL FO experience covering stories with him. The Athletic had Kaboly but, he was included in their huge purge of staff last month. Dale Lolley was superb when he was writing independently. But he works for the team now and SNR radio.

 

[Ike Kelly]

Yeah maybe he was just safe guarding it early as I am sure as the injury rear view mirrors he will be back to his old self. Even then he was never afraid of throwing and occasional INTs have followed suit.

So in that aspect hard to know how much was just the Steelers playing sound D and how much was Cousins shaking off rust or attempting to.

I guess moving forward we will find a clearer picture as they have some upcoming opponents that can pass very well.

I want to think the secondary is a strength but I will say they have the makings of it.

Corner is my question mark to an extent. But I think the room has some bodies that can change that thinking. Bishop has the speed and Trice has some outside corner attributes that have my curiosity of what can be.

If DJ can continue showing solid my concerns will lessen by the week….

Yeah Slash, that’s logical about still having injury flashback syndrome. But you know as well the number one rule, if you play not to get hurt, you’re going to get hurt.

Larry O said that it took the front 7 about a half to start “feeling it” and once the second half started they “had it figured out” and was playing ball like they knew how. I’m telling you, reduction in practices and preseason games is the primary cause to increase in injuries and poor play. Taking away snaps, even practice ones, degrades the product.

I’m not as nervous with the secondary as you are. I think Omar got a good player in D-Jack and he’s fast as hell. Something we’ve lacked for several years. Porter, DJ, Trice, Rush all have the same features. Size, height, length. Bishop may well become another Mike Hilton type player, but when Sutton comes back we will have a very solid back end to our defense (barring any injuries).

 

[madinsomniac]

So i get that NFL defenses adjusted to play the middle of the field dramatically better the past few years... it was only a matter of time before that happened...

But I do find humor in the hypocrisy of Tomlin perpetually saying they don't live in their fears, then literally gameplanning around hypothetical fears... I'm not saying it was the wrong move.. they won, so it worked... but it is absolutely hysterical that Smith came out and said what we knew for years, that when it comes to offense, the Steelers address is 1313 fear avenue in the city of Scaredy-cat in the heart of ballessburgh...

The funny thing is that as the league swings back towards D, his strategy might eventually work...

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

1313 mocking bird ln.

 

[slashsteel]

1313 mocking bird ln.

Whose address is this?

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

Herman munster

 

[Lloyd]

So i get that NFL defenses adjusted to play the middle of the field dramatically better the past few years... it was only a matter of time before that happened...

But I do find humor in the hypocrisy of Tomlin perpetually saying they don't live in their fears, then literally gameplanning around hypothetical fears... I'm not saying it was the wrong move.. they won, so it worked... but it is absolutely hysterical that Smith came out and said what we knew for years, that when it comes to offense, the Steelers address is 1313 fear avenue in the city of Scaredy-cat in the heart of ballessburgh...

The funny thing is that as the league swings back towards D, his strategy might eventually work...

Yea, the strategy worked so all is good. We will see what happens in a few more weeks and how the ultra-conservative gameplan works when we aren't playing ATL anymore.

 

[madinsomniac]

Yea, the strategy worked so all is good. We will see what happens in a few more weeks and how the ultra-conservative gameplan works when we aren't playing ATL anymore.

You do understand this is a league wide movement...

The Bengals getting to that Super Bowl using their Flood D to stop the over the middle dink and dunk and yac offenses changed everything

Its a copycat league..

Week 1 td passes
2018- 49
2019- 61
2020- 52
2021- 61
2022- 51
Bengals go to SB
2023- 37
2024- 35


Its about the same with 300 yard games..

Last year defenses came back en vogue.

Through week 1 this year, it looks the same...

A handful of offensive geniuses still utilize the MOF, but most teams are shying away from it and fans are bitching everywhere

 

[TimesAreChanged]

Brilliant strategy by Smith/Tomlin.
Picking up where we left off last year by never throwing down the middle, Denver will assume it will be no different against them and not be prepared.
Then BOOM! Out of nowhere, Fields to Muuuuth! Down the middle for a TD!!!

The following week Fields and company will have our opponents head spinning as we evolve into a scoring machine .

Stephen A is that you?
Bro it's week 2. Does anyone get a chance?

Overall he brought home a very valuable road W And if he does it again on the road in Denver tomorrow I will be giddy

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

Me too. The odds are not in his favor.

 

[Lloyd]

Art may say he's not throwing to the middle of the field because the safey's there. But come on: we are talking Tomlin play calling. He's scared to death to throw to the middle, everyone knows it.

 

[Fiji Mariner]

It would be nice to see a high percentage throw like the slant be brought back into the mix to start, then maybe eventually a drag route if we’re feeling frisky

Baby steps…maybe a couple this week?
Maybe…

 

[FordFairLane]

Apparently, we live in our fears. Bates is a decent safety but I wouldn’t take away the entire middle of the field because of him.

 

[stuntmanmike]

He has got to get those tight ends integrated in to the passing game better. It should be all hands on deck working with Washington to get him “in” the game. He has HOF talent it’s up to these coaches to get that out of him. Good running needs a good short passing game, that with a few deep balls to the wrs, no turnovers and with this defense we be in playoffs again. Justin just needs to run the ball enough to keep chains moving… nothing fancy just move the ******* chains! We can take fgs all day thats ok! Just move the chains, keep the defense off the field keep them fresh, NO TURNOVERS! We can do that all season long!!! But it’s critical to get the tight ends involved in that offense!

 

[Fiji Mariner]

He has got to get those tight ends integrated in to the passing game better. It should be all hands on deck working with Washington to get him “in” the game. He has HOF talent it’s up to these coaches to get that out of him. Good running needs a good short passing game, that with a few deep balls to the wrs, no turnovers and with this defense we be in playoffs again. Justin just needs to run the ball enough to keep chains moving… nothing fancy just move the ******* chains! We can take fgs all day thats ok! Just move the chains, keep the defense off the field keep them fresh, NO TURNOVERS! We can do that all season long!!! But it’s critical to get the tight ends involved in that offense!

While it would be nice to see Big O get a few targets he was definitely “in the game vs Atlanta” and a key part of the TOP, rushing attack and pass blocking. His blocking was excellent.

 

[Ike Kelly]

Art may say he's not throwing to the middle of the field because the safey's there. But come on: we are talking Tomlin play calling. He's scared to death to throw to the middle, everyone knows it.

I saw several passes in between the numbers today. What now Dumb ***? Tomlin didn’t call plays or the players lied about Smith?

 

[slashsteel]

I saw several passes in between the numbers today. What now Dumb ***? Tomlin didn’t call plays or the players lied about Smith?

 

[Fiji Mariner]

I saw several passes in between the numbers today. What now Dumb ***? Tomlin didn’t call plays or the players lied about Smith?

I saw several very well thrown/accurate balls by Fields today and slightly improved speed through progressions

And yep the middle of the field wasn’t lava today, but the steady downpour may have cooled it enough to make it passable