I was thinking about the OL today and thought of one of my favorite players in the early Cowher years. Justin Strelcyzk. What ever they do, I hope they can get a couple of guys with his attitude on the line. Probably not the most athletic, but he'd take your head off.
Overhaul Starts Tomorrow
- Thread starter johngaenzler
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Steeleers have become Kruger Industrial Smoothing. This is what i think of behind the scenes
He was always out down the south side… great guy… real shame how he ended up
Don't forget Watt's 30+ million cap hit starts this year - the largest cap hit for one player the Steelers have ever had.
They can tweak that if necessary...
The first four offensive TD's that the Browns scored on us in the playoff game last year came with us only have 2 Dlinemen on the field, which is absolutely idiotic when you're facing one of the best running teams in the NFL. This happens alot too, even on goal line or short yardage situations, we are trotting out just 2 Dlinemen, that is not a LeBeau or Butler defense at all.
I wonder about the thought process of the coaches, but then I think I can see a bit of what they are thinking. Hear me out...
We watched the 90s with Cowher, the Steelers had that great running game and controlled the clock. But they would get into the big games against a team that could do multiple things and they'd get beat. The thing about a dominant running game is that you are not scoring in bunches, and it keeps other teams in the game. A few quick scores by the other team and next thing you know you are losing. That usually didn't happen with Cowher because of the defense, but the issue remains.
Look at this year. The Steelers gave up 201 to Tennessee, 185 to Cleveland, 249 to Baltimore on the ground and still won those games. They gave up 246 to the Vikings and perhaps could have won that game because of a few big plays they made.
My point is I think I can see what they may be trying to do. Limit the scoring in bunches. I'm not saying they are right, I can just see the argument.
IMO, the Steelers need to get back to doing a few things really well, like run the ball and stop the run and build from there. Right now, they don't do anything well, which I think is a problem with this desire to be multiple.
Well those Cowher teams before Ben didn't have a QB that could make teams pay with their arm when they sold out to stop the run.
Those 3 games this season you mentioned, we were trailing into the 4th quarter in each and we won the turnover battle, I don't think that's the way they planned on winning.
To me is just shows more of Tomlin's stubborness and we play our way, who cares what the other team does crap.
You know Mayfield throws picks, you know Cleveland has a very good Oline and very good running game, how does deploying only two 2 Dlinemen counter that? You're all but guaranteeing that a few Olinemen are going to be road grading a couple of your 240lb LB's easily out of the way.
It's the same bullshit as watching us trying to use Timmons, or Spence, or WIlliams, or Spillaine to cover a WR over and over again.
Yeah...I agree with you. I guess I am just trying to understand the thinking, because it doesn't make a lot of sense to me either.
I wouldn't though. This is their chance to finally get out of all of this cap manipulation they have been doing. Quit kicking the can down the road. After 2022, they will have minimal cap hits from former players or pushed from prior years.
While I believe cowher had a package with two d linemen, I agree that we overuse it under Tomlin… but most of our run game issues can be traced to is reformatting the way the dline operates…instead of just tying up blockers they legitimately pass rush and are supposed to just play the run on the way to the qb… guys like heyward and tuitt can do that, but the average guys lose containment way too easy and let giant holes right up the middle…
I agree, every team has that package, but when the team you are going against is the best running team in the NFL and their QB is an INT machine, using primarily 2 DL is idiotic because it's so easy to just double Cam right out of the play. I know it's not this simple, but it's a glorified pushing contest, give me the team with 5 and 6 OL who are 300lbs vs the team with just 2 guys at 300lbs every time, it just creates such a physical mis-match. That's his tampa 2 influence, which is why I can't blame Butler, I see very little of any resemblance to a 3-4 LeBeau defense, which is what Butler knows.
After Tyson went on IR nickel was mostly 4-2-5 but Cam was always targeted A to double team and Wormley even at 300 got washed away he is a Rush end he sucks playing DT unless you want to run the shooting gaps and penetrating swiss cheese system Dungy ran with the Manning big numbers days they need to reintroduce the 3-3-5 or try some new stuff like 4-6
For example, the 2-4-5 must be scrapped completely. if mt want to run Tampa 2 draft Davis so he can occupy 2 blockers and have cam as your under DT and watt and Highsmith as your rush ends Bush and another speedy sideline LB, can draft one or restructure Joe I think he was not 100% vs kc due to covid n a lingering injury and some weird love affair with Spillane who is an utter waste of an LB to ask to cover TE. Just look how efficient Tampa D has been since Vita Vea has been in there at times he can occupy 3 blockers and still break up a play, That is what I see in Davis.
For example, the 2-4-5 must be scrapped completely. if mt want to run Tampa 2 draft Davis so he can occupy 2 blockers and have cam as your under DT and watt and Highsmith as your rush ends Bush and another speedy sideline LB, can draft one or restructure Joe I think he was not 100% vs kc due to covid n a lingering injury and some weird love affair with Spillane who is an utter waste of an LB to ask to cover TE. Just look how efficient Tampa D has been since Vita Vea has been in there at times he can occupy 3 blockers and still break up a play, That is what I see in Davis.
Tampa has 360 Vea in the middle 320 or so in Suh and 280 in Gholston on their DL that's about 960 but its fresh young legs they have with Vea we have to rotate cam with scrubs for breathers because of all the double teams and consecutive plays he is playing at his age opponents s double cam and without Tyson, its been very easy to 1-1 take Wormley and esp Mondeaux out on the DL. ESP the Lions and Vikings games where they blew cam and pulled the OL upfield and Joe and Bush were sucked into a vacuum with the OL ruining at full speed shielding the RB. Henry should not be back Adams is worth trying to develop into a future starting NT to replace Tyson but in rnd 3-5 we should draft a big massive NG. Feel they gave up on Buggs last year when filling in for Tuitt or Cam he did well at 6"5 320 after the Lions game should of been a extra DL vs the Chargers.