The elephant in the room...

[JupiterBnG]

Suisham's kicks were by design and if the coverage team was even average, the Titans would have started around the 20-22 yard line. No discipline or tackling ability on that end, but Suisham's kicks were well executed.

So, knowing that the coverage team sucks, they intentionally tell Suisham to kick it low and short, and give the return guy plenty of time to get up to speed? Still don't understand the logic...

 

[Drink IRON City]

So, knowing that the coverage team sucks, they intentionally tell Suisham to kick it low and short, and give the return guy plenty of time to get up to speed? Still don't understand the logic...

Its hard to reason a good reason, for quieting a weakness. Sushi does and has a WEAK leg. Mondays wind had a lot to do with his projection of the ball. I'm thinking ST coach also said low kicks. In any event he is what he is and I'd like to see a better PK & P competition next training camp.



Salute the nation

 

[Ron Burgundy]

I think with the kickoffs moved up by design so as to have more touchbacks and less injuries and lawsuits, it doesn't matter so much how strong your kicker's leg is. If he's not kicking it into the end zone then it's probably because that's what they're telling him to do. I'm 54 and I could probably kickoff and get it to the 15 with a leg cramp. Flip side is that the kick coverage sucks so they ought to tell Sushi to just put it in the end zone and hope they don't run it out. By the same token, how many times has Archer or whoever run a kickoff out of the end zone and failed to get to the 20? (answer: way too many times) I'm thinking it's not Sushi's leg but rather lousy ST coaching but then this team has almost always had horrible ST's no matter who's coaching. 'Tis the Steeler Way.

 

[Confluence]

This site hasn't gone down because DD chucked a beer across the room and swamped the server, like happened with Jeffy.

Sushi is a keeper til that point.

 

[insaniti]

When kicking into the wind (to the left on the TV screen), we kicked low "squib" type kicks. When we switched they were normal kick offs. But the coverage team sucked big time, couldn't tackle the full back until he got 20 yards.

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

When kicking into the wind (to the left on the TV screen), we kicked low "squib" type kicks. .

This is what I saw too.

 

[Hines57]

They were done that way on purpose. Kicking from right to left he was kicking into the wind. From left to right he had the wind. Think all of our points came to the left so he had to kick into the wind for kickoffs.

 

[steelermania]

We'd all like to have a 25 year old Adam Vinatieri, but there aren't many of them. Sushi has a weak leg, but he's accurate on fgs in a stadium where many kickers struggle. The coaches have decided that accuracy on fgs is more valuable than deep kickoffs. I can only imagine this board if some scrub kicker cost us a trip to the Super Bowl, the way Cundiff did the Rats, by missing a chip shot fg.

 

[Wingman]

We had good special teams with Bobby April as a coach. I suspect some of the issues are the guys playing special teams, normally our depth players are doing that and they are fresh for that job, we have so many starters down we either have depth that is tired or deep depth that often does not see the field.

 

[Hines57]

We'd all like to have a 25 year old Adam Vinatieri, but there aren't many of them. Sushi has a weak leg, but he's accurate on fgs in a stadium where many kickers struggle. The coaches have decided that accuracy on fgs is more valuable than deep kickoffs. I can only imagine this board if some scrub kicker cost us a trip to the Super Bowl, the way Cundiff did the Rats, by missing a chip shot fg.

Weak leg but he hit a career long FG the week before in NY? His kickoffs leave a little to be desired but remember kicking a frozen ball in single digit wind chill isn't gonna go boom through the end zone like during September. It was frigid during the game.

 

[steelermania]

Weak leg but he hit a career long FG the week before in NY? His kickoffs leave a little to be desired but remember kicking a frozen ball in single digit wind chill isn't gonna go boom through the end zone like during September. It was frigid during the game.

Weak leg is relative to some other guys in the league. Career high doesn't mean much because you're competing with yourself. There are a bunch of guys who have career highs that Sushi will never come near. Sushi is accurate, which is why he's on the team.

 

[POP]

Did we win the game???

Hey man, this is not logical thinking. Just because "we won the game" doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement OR that certain elements will likely cause us to lose an upcoming game, such as super weak kick offs and giving the opp. the ball average on the 30. That is indeed a problem and something that needs addressed, or it WILL cause us to lose some games.

 

[obxsteeler]

Hey man, this is not logical thinking. Just because "we won the game" doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement OR that certain elements will likely cause us to lose an upcoming game, such as super weak kick offs and giving the opp. the ball average on the 30. That is indeed a problem and something that needs addressed, or it WILL cause us to lose some games.

I'd bet a strong, inaccurate leg will lose you more.

 

[Super Dave]

I've always thought there should be a FG kicker and a long kicker. My son is a kicker in a youth league, he actually trains with a good friend of ours who is a kicker at a large college. Our friend explained why my son is great at kickoff and ok at FG. It has something to do with the "step over" during the kick, on the kick off you almost do a jump skip after the foot goes across. You do this on FG too, but on FG you are focused more on accuracy so it doesn't come off as well.

Their should be a separate union contract for kickers and punters and they should not count against the roster limit. Each team can carry up to 4 kicking specialists. LS K P and a designated kicking specialist whether that be hang time, coffin corner, long FG, or deep kick offs.

That is a hell of a lot better idea than eliminating XP's and kick offs like Roger Goodell wants to do........you would actually put strategy into the kicking game.

 

[Wingman]

Their should be a separate union contract for kickers and punters and they should not count against the roster limit. Each team can carry up to 4 kicking specialists. LS K P and a designated kicking specialist whether that be hang time, coffin corner, long FG, or deep kick offs.

That is a hell of a lot better idea than eliminating XP's and kick offs like Roger Goodell wants to do........you would actually put strategy into the kicking game.

Interesting idea and I would add that the whole 53 dress for the game plus the specialists, no point in having 53 guys if they all can't have a chance to play, worst that could happen they get a better game for the fans.

 

[Drink IRON City]

Interesting idea and I would add that the whole 53 dress for the game plus the specialists, no point in having 53 guys if they all can't have a chance to play, worst that could happen they get a better game for the fans.

Wing, as credible as most of your post(s) are, you of all people should know, the NFL isn't about FAN PLEASURE!!!!!!!




Salute the nation

 

[Wingman]

Wing, as credible as most of your post(s) are, you of all people should know, the NFL isn't about FAN PLEASURE!!!!!!!




Salute the nation

It is true of late no doubt, but I will add there will be a loss of the hard core fans over time if things continue the way they are and I suspect that will affect the bottom line. I know I have stopped spending money that in anyway goes to the NFL and I suspect there are others as well. Eventually they will see the need to try and attract more to the audience.