The Good, The Bad, and the Panthers

[insaniti]

I watched the Panthers game yesterday, I really wanted to get a feel for how the team played. This is what I came away with after that game.

1. Their OL is not that good on the interior, specifically LG. They have a converted tackle playing there, and he is clearly still learning the position. He is easily pushed back, or just flat out pushed aside. Cam Heyward and Brett Keisel should have some impact there.

2. Cam Newton takes a LOT of hits. He's been hit more than any other QB in the league since he came into the league, even more than Ben. The main goal here will be keeping him in the pocket and getting some good hits on him, get him rattled.

3. Their WR core is average at best. Kelvin Benjamin has the making of a star, but he's not there yet and is still making some rookie mistakes. After that you have a philly cast off and Cotchery. They aren't going to burn us with speed, but the underneath stuff could kill us.

4. Their biggest weapon is Olsen, and they go to him A LOT. That is where the coverage needs to be. If he lines up outside, the ball is going to him every time.

5. Their running game is ok, but will prob look amazing against our front.

6. Defensively is where things get hairy. Their front 4 is great, they rotate often so it isn't one or two players. It's the entire group. They will eat Gilbert alive. If we don't chip or keep a TE on his side all game, Ben better get his running shoes on.

7. Their secondary can be passed on if we can manage to give Ben some time. They tripled CJ quite a bit and Stafford forced the ball to him a few times, but there were WR running open all game long. They struggled with Golden Tate who is a quicker shiftier type WR. Brown and Wheaton should have good games.

Bottom line is we have to keep Newton in the pocket on defense, and on offense we have to do whatever we can to keep Ben upright. That is really the only scary part of this game. With how Gilbert played in Baltimore, the Panthers D-line is better. They deactivated Hardy, and his back up still had two sacks from the right side of the OL. While Jonathan Stewart had some highlight runs, he was limited to 37 yards on 15 carries with a long of 22. Again this goes back to their OL just not being that good. And we didn't give up a ton of yardage to Baltimore aside from one long run late in the game. This game will be won or loss on the offensive side of the ball for us. We HAVE to give Gilbert help. I would not be apposed to going with a two TE set, with Heath as one and Adams as the other.

 

[Hollywood Bags]

Panthers are going to kick the **** out of this team.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Panthers are going to kick the **** out of this team.

I'm thinking another beatdown of epic proportion.

 

[TDX27]

Most thought this was a definite win coming into the season. From what I have seen after 2 games, the Panthers are much better than the Steelers. It's still any given Sunday, though and I won't pick against the Steelers.

 

[Omar10213245]

I see the Panthers having 5+ sacks in this game, and Olsen looking like Mark Bavarro against our linebackers

 

[Steelerfan]

1. Their OL is not that good on the interior, specifically LG. They have a converted tackle playing there, and he is clearly still learning the position. He is easily pushed back, or just flat out pushed aside. Cam Heyward and Brett Keisel should have some impact there.

Our D-line is not that good either, so this should be an even matchup.

6. Defensively is where things get hairy. Their front 4 is great, they rotate often so it isn't one or two players. It's the entire group. They will eat Gilbert alive. If we don't chip or keep a TE on his side all game, Ben better get his running shoes on.

The no-huddle can mitigate this to an extent, if the Steelers choose to use it.

Overall I'm pessimistic. So far we're on the road to another 8-8 year.

 

[SteelBuckeye]

Help me out here. When the Adams to blocking TE experiment was used last year, wasn't he primarily deployed on Gilbert's side? What's to keep them from doing the same thing for at least this game? I mean they are both ****, but maybe having two tubs of **** out there blocking will at least provide enough of a standing obstacle that Ben gets time to get his passes off.

 

[Wingman]

I watched the Panthers game yesterday, I really wanted to get a feel for how the team played. This is what I came away with after that game.

1. Their OL is not that good on the interior, specifically LG. They have a converted tackle playing there, and he is clearly still learning the position. He is easily pushed back, or just flat out pushed aside. Cam Heyward and Brett Keisel should have some impact there.

2. Cam Newton takes a LOT of hits. He's been hit more than any other QB in the league since he came into the league, even more than Ben. The main goal here will be keeping him in the pocket and getting some good hits on him, get him rattled.

3. Their WR core is average at best. Kelvin Benjamin has the making of a star, but he's not there yet and is still making some rookie mistakes. After that you have a philly cast off and Cotchery. They aren't going to burn us with speed, but the underneath stuff could kill us.

4. Their biggest weapon is Olsen, and they go to him A LOT. That is where the coverage needs to be. If he lines up outside, the ball is going to him every time.

5. Their running game is ok, but will prob look amazing against our front.

6. Defensively is where things get hairy. Their front 4 is great, they rotate often so it isn't one or two players. It's the entire group. They will eat Gilbert alive. If we don't chip or keep a TE on his side all game, Ben better get his running shoes on.

7. Their secondary can be passed on if we can manage to give Ben some time. They tripled CJ quite a bit and Stafford forced the ball to him a few times, but there were WR running open all game long. They struggled with Golden Tate who is a quicker shiftier type WR. Brown and Wheaton should have good games.

Bottom line is we have to keep Newton in the pocket on defense, and on offense we have to do whatever we can to keep Ben upright. That is really the only scary part of this game. With how Gilbert played in Baltimore, the Panthers D-line is better. They deactivated Hardy, and his back up still had two sacks from the right side of the OL. While Jonathan Stewart had some highlight runs, he was limited to 37 yards on 15 carries with a long of 22. Again this goes back to their OL just not being that good. And we didn't give up a ton of yardage to Baltimore aside from one long run late in the game. This game will be won or loss on the offensive side of the ball for us. We HAVE to give Gilbert help. I would not be apposed to going with a two TE set, with Heath as one and Adams as the other.

1 Their O line will look much better when they play against our defense. They likely have coaches that will adapt quickly so look for the tackle playing guard to get it by the time we play them.
2 Cam won't have to worry about anyone getting to hit him this week.
3 the underneath stuff will kill us.
4 Ben is likely to have some time look for more fumbles from wheaton and JBrown due to rookie type mistakes. I expect there will be a few more games played before the offensive players can stop shooting themselves in the foot. I expect lots of holding calls at very bad times or fumbles in the red zone due to nerves on the young guys. The team is rebuilding and not very far along I would not expect a quick turn around.

 

[insaniti]

Our D-line is not that good either, so this should be an even matchup.


The no-huddle can mitigate this to an extent, if the Steelers choose to use it.

Overall I'm pessimistic. So far we're on the road to another 8-8 year.

Yes, the no huddle can help to a point. Let me also add this. The final score for the Lions Panthers game is a very misleading. The lions moved the ball on them, but couldn't punch it in. That was not always because of what the Panthers were doing. Calvin Johnson dropped a TD pass, the Lions kicker missed two field goals, Stafford forced a ball into triple coverage, and Bell lost a fumble, and Ross fumbled on a return. The Lions had more first downs, more yards, they just couldn't put points on the board. For as well as they played last week, they played just as poorly this time out.

 

[Spike]

Carolina defense destroyed the Lions

Run Ben Run!

 

[SteelBuckeye]

Yes, the no huddle can help to a point. Let me also add this. The final score for the Lions Panthers game is a very misleading. The lions moved the ball on them, but couldn't punch it in. That was not always because of what the Panthers were doing. Calvin Johnson dropped a TD pass, the Lions kicker missed two field goals, Stafford forced a ball into triple coverage, and Bell lost a fumble, and Ross fumbled on a return. The Lions had more first downs, more yards, they just couldn't put points on the board. For as well as they played last week, they played just as poorly this time out.

You do realize that you just described exactly what the Panthers can expect from our offense. Move the ball, but can't punch it in. Dropped TD passes. The overconfidently thrown WTF int. So, if something doesn't change in either preparation, execution, intensity or all three, playing this Lions game was a dress rehearsal for the Steeler game for the Panthers.

 

[Wingman]

Carolina defense destroyed the Lions

Run Ben Run!

Shouldn't it be the other eye?

 

[Skott]

This team hasn't fixed any of the problems it's had for the last 3 years... And until they do, it makes for a frustrating Sunday.

 

[Xc944]

Kuechly is going to show us how bad out linebackers are. They are a more physical team

 

[Superman]

so in other words, we should play our safeties deep. extra deep, at that and not be concerned with Benji Olsen.
on offense, slow-developing pass plays with Ben under center snapping the ball just before the play clock expires is the only gameplan in existence.

 

[insaniti]

You do realize that you just described exactly what the Panthers can expect from our offense. Move the ball, but can't punch it in. Dropped TD passes. The overconfidently thrown WTF int. So, if something doesn't change in either preparation, execution, intensity or all three, playing this Lions game was a dress rehearsal for the Steeler game for the Panthers.

Ben has yet to throw an INT as bad as the one Stafford through Sunday. Even his check down INT in the Browns game was a great decision in comparison. Calvin Johnson was TRIPLE covered and Stafford under threw him by a good 5 yards. And yes I'm very aware of what I wrote. My point was that their D isn't some lights out, can't do anything type D. The biggest issue will be with the right side of our line, aside from their D-line, which is very good, their D is very average. The game will be a lot closer than most on here are predicting.

 

[SteelBuckeye]

Ben has yet to throw an INT as bad as the one Stafford through Sunday. Even his check down INT in the Browns game was a great decision in comparison. Calvin Johnson was TRIPLE covered and Stafford under threw him by a good 5 yards. And yes I'm very aware of what I wrote. My point was that their D isn't some lights out, can't do anything type D. The biggest issue will be with the right side of our line, aside from their D-line, which is very good, their D is very average. The game will be a lot closer than most on here are predicting.

Oh, I wasn't saying that Ben has thrown that WTF int. yet. But come on, admit it, you won't be too surprised when it happens. I'm a big BR fan, but I know he will occasionally make the bonehead decision on where to put the ball. As far as their defense goes, you are right, they aren't lights out world beaters and the biggest issue will be the right side of our line (read: GILBERT). Man, I sure as hell hope they decide they don't need the services of Mr. Hardy this week. It could get ugly there.
As far as making a prediction on closeness, I can't. It truly depends on which Steelers team shows up, the kick *** team that was there in the first half of the Cle. game or the sleepwalking, inept buffoons that played in Bal.

 

[Steelerfan]

Carolina defense destroyed the Lions

Run Ben Run!

I'd hit that (no pun intended).

 

[Vader]

Help me out here. When the Adams to blocking TE experiment was used last year, wasn't he primarily deployed on Gilbert's side? What's to keep them from doing the same thing for at least this game? I mean they are both ****, but maybe having two tubs of **** out there blocking will at least provide enough of a standing obstacle that Ben gets time to get his passes off.

You can't go 5 WIDE if you have 6 OL.

On the serious side; Adams was used almost exclusively on Gilbert's side last year. They just gave Gilbert a contract and probably don't want to look like morons by having 2 RTs again.

 

[Steelerfan]

You can't go 5 WIDE if you have 6 OL.

On the serious side; Adams was used almost exclusively on Gilbert's side last year. They just gave Gilbert a contract and probably don't want to look like morons by having 2 RTs again.

Sigh...I'm not even going to say it. You tell ME what you did wrong there?

 

[Bigappleyinzer]

You can't go 5 WIDE if you have 6 OL.

On the serious side; Adams was used almost exclusively on Gilbert's side last year. They just gave Gilbert a contract and probably don't want to look like morons by having 2 RTs again.

You know what youve done wrong

 

[SteelBuckeye]

Dejan Kovacevic had a nice write up on his site regarding the tackling issues of the team. One take away from the article is that we keep hearing that the defensive problems are heightened by the number of young guys playing, but Shazier actually had fewer missed tackles than Timmons, Troy and Mitchell while having the second most tackles (13 .. 9 solo), only two missed tackles and 2 QB hurries.

Sometimes his articles are free and I'm not sure if this is one of them but here's the link.

http://dkonpittsburghsports.com/2014/09/15/column-crazy-little-thing-called-tackling/

 

[F83]

Haley's dumb *** better use more 3 wr 1 rb 1 te sets where the 3 wr are brown moore wheaton miller chip on Gilbert's side then go up the seam or to the flat.
we will get killed if we go 5 wide with brown wheaton Moore miller bell
unless its quick slants or quick screens until Gilbert shows he can not get burned haley and mt better put a te there.
why Dress Will Johnson if you are not going to run anything from the I. If it comes down the 53 spot it better be big Dan.

 

[slashsteel]

I like the idea of Gilbert having help from Adams.

and why not switch Timmons and Shazier where Timmons has his old spot back? then you perhaps have only one guy confused instead of two......

 

[Xc944]

Timmons missing tackles and getting blown out of the play is what he does best. Let's pay the man 9.5 mill a year