OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: Oh no! They are 3 and 1. Panic!

[Buddy Bizarre]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841530847503253931

 

[Peat]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841583006936445348

 

[TooManyHumans]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841530847503253931

I know the blocking is crap, but man Najee is just so slow and cannot make an NFL level cut to save his life.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

I know the blocking is crap, but man Najee is just so slow and cannot make an NFL level cut to save his life.

The best news we play a bottom tier rushing defense every week in October I think they will throw to get the lead and then run just by the way Arthur Smith has been talking seems like they are ready to let Fields take the next step in development

 

[TooManyHumans]

The best news we play a bottom tier rushing defense every week in October I think they will throw to get the lead and then run just by the way Arthur Smith has been talking seems like they are ready to let Fields take the next step in development

I don't have a problem with Najee late closing games. He runs hard, doesn't fumble, and no one in the fourth wants to tackle him. It is getting to that point that I have a problem with him. I am tired of all the early downs wasted running him into the line. They know it is coming and our blocking and Harris are not good enough to do anything when they know it is coming.

 

[Peat]

The best news we play a bottom tier rushing defense every week in October I think they will throw to get the lead and then run just by the way Arthur Smith has been talking seems like they are ready to let Fields take the next step in development

If they do that I will probably double the number of nice things I've ever said about this team in a couple of weeks

 

[Ulf5]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841530847503253931

You think I'm watching THAT again?
I'd rather do this....

 

[JTG]

The reasoning why Najee doesn't get the same blocking is because he's predictable. He's not a good RB in terms of having feel for the position (a la Leveon). He's a good player who really takes good care of the ball, he's a good locker room guy, he could carry the load in a pinch, but I just don't see a starting RB there for an extended period of time. Really good #2 like Brandon Jacobs was.

Najee just does not have good vision, which is the long and short of it

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Now is the time for everyone to be shocked.

 

[Peat]

The reasoning why Najee doesn't get the same blocking is because he's predictable. He's not a good RB in terms of having feel for the position (a la Leveon). He's a good player who really takes good care of the ball, he's a good locker room guy, he could carry the load in a pinch, but I just don't see a starting RB there for an extended period of time. Really good #2 like Brandon Jacobs was.

Najee just does not have good vision, which is the long and short of it

Uhm. How is Harris' predictability the reason teams consistently show up with crowded boxes and blitzing LBs/DBs rather than the playcalling?

 

[Pens x]

I think we’ll do our due diligence on Adams but will ultimately offer less than some other team. I think Khan has demonstrated he won’t overpay for someone he wants.

Khan also started the season with Van Jefferson as our # 2 WR.

Maybe he needs to overpay?

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Khan also started the season with Van Jefferson as our # 2 WR.

Maybe he needs to overpay?

Not if they are winning with Jefferson as wr 2. They can wait until halloween to make a trade

 

[Factorial]

Khan also started the season with Van Jefferson as our # 2 WR.

Maybe he needs to overpay?

 

[JTG]

Uhm. How is Harris' predictability the reason teams consistently show up with crowded boxes and blitzing LBs/DBs rather than the playcalling?

Because they know he's limited in terms of his skills. He's not going to bounce it outside, and if he does, he's toast. As along as they get to the line, he's done. He's not going to make anyone miss and he's not going to run away.

It's a different coordinator now, a different offense, and he still has to run into packed lines. At some point it's him. Beside those games at the end of last year, the guy is not a starting RB. We shouldn't be looking at Patterson and Warren and wondering why they don't get more carries.

They didn't re-sign him for a reason Peat. He's not good.

EDIT: AND he has a drastically better line

 

[TooManyHumans]

Harris has no moves, isn't fast or quick, and can't read a hole. We limit our offense by featuring him.

 

[JTG]

I'm just at the end of my rope with Najee. I staunchly defend him but some of the decisions he makes with the ball in his hands, at this point they should not be happening. He cannot manufacture runs for himself. He misses clear opportunities to go N-S all of the time in favor of trying to run like he's a 5'10 200 pound back. He is a dude you put behind an Alvin Kamara or someone like that.

I like Najee alot. I understand why they drafted him. But I just don't think he's the dude. I think he plays entirely too heavy. He doesn't have great feet, elusiveness, or feel for the position, and making him run behind the offensive lines and the offensive schemes he has had to run behind has been discourageable.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

The best news we play a bottom tier rushing defense every week in October

Oh kinda like the Colts?

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Now is the time for everyone to be shocked.

I mean Ben R, a 15 yr vet wasn't permitted to audible.

If there was only 1 constant we could point to figure out where this edict is coming from. Guess I'm just too dumb to understand...

 

[TooManyHumans]

I'm just at the end of my rope with Najee. I staunchly defend him but some of the decisions he makes with the ball in his hands, at this point they should not be happening. He cannot manufacture runs for himself. He misses clear opportunities to go N-S all of the time in favor of trying to run like he's a 5'10 200 pound back. He is a dude you put behind an Alvin Kamara or someone like that.

I like Najee alot. I understand why they drafted him. But I just don't think he's the dude. I think he plays entirely too heavy. He doesn't have great feet, elusiveness, or feel for the position, and making him run behind the offensive lines and the offensive schemes he has had to run behind has been discourageable.

I am at the point where I don't even care whether it is Harris or the line or the play calls. Running him into the backs of the linemen on early downs is hamstringing the offense. It needs to stop no matter what is to blame for the lack of success.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I am at the point where I don't even care whether it is Harris or the line or the play calls. Running him into the backs of the linemen on early downs is hamstringing the offense. It needs to stop no matter what is to blame for the lack of success.

A-freaking-men. When Najee touches the ball, bad things happen. 2nd and 9 is a bad thing. Going from 2nd and 10 to 3rd and 8 is a bad thing. We aren't good enough to waste downs justifying a failed 1st rounder.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

A-freaking-men. When Najee touches the ball, bad things happen. 2nd and 9 is a bad thing. Going from 2nd and 10 to 3rd and 8 is a bad thing. We aren't good enough to waste downs justifying a failed 1st rounder.

Isn’t Fields also a failed 1st round pick

 

[Peat]

Because they know he's limited in terms of his skills. He's not going to bounce it outside, and if he does, he's toast. As along as they get to the line, he's done. He's not going to make anyone miss and he's not going to run away.

It's a different coordinator now, a different offense, and he still has to run into packed lines. At some point it's him. Beside those games at the end of last year, the guy is not a starting RB. We shouldn't be looking at Patterson and Warren and wondering why they don't get more carries.

They didn't re-sign him for a reason Peat. He's not good.

EDIT: AND he has a drastically better line

Except his highlight tape is littered with carries to the outside. He's also entirely capable when motioned outside for a screen play if they want to tendency bust that way... or just pass it to someone else entirely. Harris in the back field doesn't have to equal Harris getting the ball, unless the OC's play calling is that predictable. And the argument that the Steelers not re-signing him is the ultimate indictment of his skills carries little water when they also decided not to re-sign Daniels, who is indisputably a good player.

And more importantly, this isn't a different offence because Tomlin's still there at the top handing down dictates on a tough, ball control, no risk game. That's why this team is still among the league leaders for doing stupid shit like running on 2nd and long.

That's why teams know they can key in on Harris carrying between the tackles. Because that's just what the Steelers do. They could run play action or a dropback pass from a heavy set but everybody knows it won't happen. Heck, if anything, it's got worse, which is why Fields and Warren are also sporting by far the worst YBC of their careers.

Also, it doesn't matter how good the line is if opposition teams are free to see extra blitzers and those guys have to be blocked by Van Jefferson. Although I'd argue it's not really drastically better. Dan Moore is still Dan Moore. Broderick Jones is still Broderick Jones, although playing worse. Spencer Anderson and Mason McCormick aren't Seumalo. The one big win is that Frazier is way better than Cole, but one improvement doesn't equal a drastically better line. But again, can only do so much when the WRs and TEs (bar Washington) can't block very well.

 

[WickedWrister]

Najee isn't as bad as his haters make him out to be, like I remember when people were calling him Trent Richardson, but he grades out as mediocre by pretty much every metric I've seen.

NextGenStats says Najee is only seeing 8+ man boxes on 16% of plays which is definitely on the lower end for RB's. He's the only RB on the team with enough carries to qualify, so I can't compare to CPatt or Warren for example.

Haven't read it yet but Muth wrote an article on the Players Tribune:

Hand the Ball to the Damn Referee, Patrick | By Pat Freiermuth

From the day that I walked into this culture, I knew that it was different. It’s not a cliché. It’s real.

www.theplayerstribune.com

 

[pistolpete11]

The most frustrating thing about Najee for me is...this was all very predictable. He was a power back with little explosiveness who had highway lanes to run through at Alabama. And they used a 1st on him. If he was a 3rd or something, the backlash would be way less than it is.

I agree with @Peat that there is an element of predictability when it comes to the playcalling and offensive mindset in general, though. I think that's why the backups tend to look better because they get carries when the other team is not expecting it. I don't think Najee would be anything more than 'fine', but I don't believe he's this bad either. Using him better would also lessen the backlash.