Teams biggest weakness

[CoolieMan]

Yeah, I know this really can't be answered until after training camp, but right now what do you think is the 2017 Steelers biggest weakness?

Running back depth?
Return game?
Tight end?
middle linebacker?

Something else? What is it and how would you fix it

 

[SteelerSask2]

Im not concerned about running back depth. Im confident in Conner. I think James and Grimbel are good enough TE with the receiving corps around them. Return game is pretty irrelevant in the NFL. Take the knee on the kickoff and dont drop the punt. They are thin at ILB. I will take that and raise an inexperienced secondary as a concern.

 

[Steeltime]

Tight press coverage. And it's not close.

Tight press coverage disrupts the ***** dink-and-dunk passing game. Steelers struggle in tight press coverage. Therefore, dink-and-dunk passing rapes them.

That is known as a syllogism.

 

[Stoney]

Coaching.

 

[slashsteel]

Tight press coverage. And it's not close.

Tight press coverage disrupts the ***** dink-and-dunk passing game. Steelers struggle in tight press coverage. Therefore, dink-and-dunk passing rapes them.

That is known as a syllogism.

I have to go with this for the win.

Although pass rush and the lack of a number 2 WR were very deserving partners last year.

I think it is fair to see as a team we need to see improvement in all three phases.

Pass rush you have TJ joining the mix and hopefully a healthy Bud Dupree.

That number two if you count Bryant and should has two new bodies to help shore that spot up.

For me it leaves us with how quick Sutton can develop. As I like his skill set. Also Burns will have to improve on his year 1 man to man coverage.

You think about the pieces in place, and potential.

But for me it always brings me back to the secondary.

I think they have the most to prove....................

 

[Coach]

Yeah, I know this really can't be answered until after training camp, but right now what do you think is the 2017 Steelers biggest weakness?

Running back depth?
Return game?
Tight end?
middle linebacker?

Something else? What is it and how would you fix it

Well, the Steelers had a lot of cap space in free agency and sat on their hands. The time to win is NOW.

The team biggest weakness is the secondary, though improving they still are weak in man coverage.

Anytime we play a good QB, our pass rush must deliver otherwise we get sliced to pieces by the better QB's.

Another team weakness is coaching, as the Steelers lose too often to bad teams despite superior players on the field and seldom make the right adjustments to win.

The draft addressed some issues, including our glaring need for a long snapper.

 

[Drink IRON City]

Secondary improvement, ILB depth, AYERS at both return positions. NEED a depth (that's good) ILB signing. Maybe someone becomes available at final team roster cut.




Salute the nation

 

[SteelerFan448]

Until proven otherwise, it's the pass rush and then secondary. The pieces finally appear to be in place, it will just take time to get the performance that we expect from the young guys. Outside of this, I'd say inside linebacker and tight end. I like Vince, however, can he make the splash plays that Timmons brought even as he was slowing down? How much will two inside linebackers even be on the field? We have a bunch of backup caliber players at tight end, but as long as our receivers stay on the field the position should be good enough.

 

[Steelerfan]

Coaching.

LOL, use the right format next time: Tomlin sucks!

 

[Steelerfan81]

Hopefully kick coverage improves. Not sure why we can't find a decent special teams coordinator.

I'm not worried about back up running back depth. Davis and Conner can handle the load behine Bell. If we get desperate I feel like Williams could come back.

Secondary, middle linebacker, and pass rush need to get better this season.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Tight press coverage. And it's not close.

Tight press coverage disrupts the ***** dink-and-dunk passing game. Steelers struggle in tight press coverage. Therefore, dink-and-dunk passing rapes them.

That is known as a syllogism.

DB's and ST's.

 

[ark steel]

with pass rush and pass coverage, one feeds from the other, IMO.

With QB's that can get the ball out fast, pass rush is less important, again, IMO, as the rules are more and more designed to allow blocking that should be holding and to protect the QB.

Combine this with what should be an upgrade from Jones to Watt, leaves the pass coverage as most important. I throw in ST after pass coverage.

Often, our pass rush, has been just a step off from getting to the QB. If our DB's can cover for that extra step, we are good. If our DB's can catch, even better.

Last year the Steelers ended up in the top 10 in some major D categories and top 50% in others (10th in points allowed, sacks, 11th in forced fumbles 15th in interceptions (17th in interceptions per pass play)). Where we were terrible on D was 3rd down conversions. 28th in the league. Better pass coverage gives the rush the time for that extra step and this is fixed.

For ST coverage, we were 24th on PR and 30th on KR. Just outside the top 50% when returning kicks or punts. No idea why this can't be fixed.

The only offensive category for which we were not in the top 50% is interceptions thrown per pass attempt. This was 20th.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Where we were terrible on D was 3rd down conversions. 28th in the league. Better pass coverage gives the rush the time for that extra step and this is fixed.

Because the ghost of Dick LeBeau is still here and playing 10 yards off on 3rd-and-3. Even average QB's eat that up.

 

[TDX27]

Wouldn't put any of those as top concern. Top two concerns are still outside pass rush and the secondary. Until those two prove they have improved enough to help win games, they will remain as our top 2 weaknesses.

 

[ark steel]

Because the ghost of Dick LeBeau is still here and playing 10 yards off on 3rd-and-3. Even average QB's eat that up.

Honestly, I could give zero ***** about number of yards allowed or 3rd down conversions allowed. The things that are more important to me, in order, are PPG, INT's and Sacks. The last two are close to each other, but far behind PPG at which we were pretty good. Being just a little better in either, I think, helps the defense, significantly.

We allowed less than 17 points 7 times. Another 2 games were less than 20. I didn't check other teams, but that doesn't appear too shabby.

In the five games we lost during the regular season, we allowed 34, 30, 27, 21 and 35 points. In the first four of those games, we scored less than 17 points. Even if the D plays better in those four games, do we still win when scoring less than 17 points? Seems unlikely for the first two.

 

[Drink IRON City]

Because the ghost of Dick LeBeau is still here and playing 10 yards off on 3rd-and-3. Even average QB's eat that up.

TRUE speak, good for sensible thinking.



Salute the nation

 

[xjx]

Current weaknesses:
Head coach
Press coverage....pretty much nonexistant. Lets see what might happen this year.

Improvements...perhaps tj can play with fire. But compared to jarvis anyone would look good.

 

[ExUSAF]

Coaching.

Where is the voting poll? I vote for coaching. I don't care what players are on the field, some coaches get more from their team than others and the Steelers, all too often, underperform.

 

[Stryker]

I personally didn't think we had a glaring need at long snapper. Not until we cut Warren after we drafted a long snapper...

 

[Skott]

The biggest weakness is clearly the fact that they won't let us posters coach or call the plays.. lol

 

[Drink IRON City]

There's a lot of good points made in this thread. Tomlin isn't going anywhere as his neck will remain attached to his shoulders, so to speak. TJ will be a BIG improvement. Add in the Roockies with more experience and we are looking tougher. I still ILB depth or starter is a need but looking at where we are in the calander vs season, we will be fortunate to get a quality depth signing if even that.




Salute the nation

 

[bermudasteel]

ILB. Vince is ok - but he's not Timmons...

 

[Steeler]

I will go with the secondary. If we can't up our game in regards to man coverage, we will continue to get eaten alive by Brady and the dink and dunk.
The pass rush comes in 2nd for me. With all those high draft picks we should be getting more in return there. If the pass rush improves, it will make weak secondary look a lot better.

 

[DBS1970]

Current weaknesses:
Head coach
Press coverage....pretty much nonexistant. Lets see what might happen this year.

Improvements...perhaps tj can play with fire. But compared to jarvis anyone would look good.

Beat me to it.

The Cheatriots will continue beat us like a rented mule until we grasp this.

 

[slashsteel]

ILB. Vince is ok - but he's not Timmons...

thing is Timmons was not Timmons as he as starting to decline. So if he can match the declining Timmons on the field, perhaps at least against the run he won't be a liability. Perhaps maybe even be a strength in that area. As far as his coverage responsibilities. My hope is he is used in that capacity little to none.