OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: Sneaking up onto training camp

[Empoleon8771]

Why

Because both showed highly drafted OL can come in and immediately have success, so any comment like “Jones just need more development time” is an indictment of Jones.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Because both showed highly drafted OL can come in and immediately have success, so any comment like “Jones just need more development time” is an indictment of Jones.

I don’t know every guy develops at their own pace. He isn’t healthy and is really raw. I think his comments about not wanting to rotate will allow Tomlin to put him at Lt 2 and the swing ot til the bye

 

[Ryder71]

Schlereth is bag mad lol

Better than losing. And if we didn't beat ourselves with incessant penalties it would have been a lot more one sided.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

I couldn't imagine Fields starting over Wilson when he is healthy.

He did everything that was asked of him but the playcalling in the 2nd half today made it painfully obvious to me how much trust the coaching staff has airing it out with Fields. They were running into stacked boxes all day.

The Steelers run power run with a lot of play action passing. Their choices are a spread qb who struggles with taking snaps under center and a guy who won a sb playing the kind of football the Steelers want to play.

Maybe Russ at his age coming off an injury sucks but he won the job going in to the season and 2 games of Fields providing rock solid game manager work isn't enough to win the job imo.

I know having a qb who doesn't spike 5 yard slants into the dirt anymore makes Fields look like John Elway by comparison but 1 td in 2 games is still 1 td in 2 games.

 

[Ryder71]

Matt Williamson believes the Altitude might have been a prevalent issue for the team in the 2hd half.

 

[WickedWrister]

It’s not just the Steelers, offensive scoring is down across the league through two weeks.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

uhhh nick herbig

Ah wrong Herbig lol. Sorry mate.

I don't know why my mind went straight for the injured brother, like the least important brother on the roster lol.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

the whole saying about any drive that ends with a kick is good.. well coach T takes that to the extreme.

That was me who pointed that out: Tomlin loves any drive that ends with either a) FG or b) Punt

 

[MrBrightside]

I'm kind of two minds about this. I think Tomlin is conservative and safe to a fault and I think the 2018 team that shit away the playoffs with turnovers and mistakes only reinforced in his mind that he wants to take no chances on offense ever and it greatly limits the team's upside. That said, I also think the first two games were against bad offenses and it wasn't hard to know that if they don't screw up, the defense would likely be able to win the games, so I get the game plans to a large extent.

What is so clear, though, is that the WR situation is undermining them badly. No one can get open other than Pickens, including Friermuth, and things are a mess with no fix in sight.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

From another site/poster (not my words but agree with all of it)
*****************
Here are some rambling thoughts after week 2.

1. This offense would be completely inept without George Pickens. We all hate watching it now, but take away the handful of big plays that he produces per game and it’s really unwatchable and untenable. How good would Pickens stats look if not for the bullshit OPI call last week, the hold wiping out his deep catch today, and the pick play that took his TD away. He’s matured in year 2 and they absolutely cannot afford for him to miss any games this year.

2. The Steelers offense is equally really close and really far away from being good. They just need time to develop the O line and a second good WR. They’re really far away because the HC philosophy is risk averse, ball control, ugly football. I could only imagine what Ben’s career could’ve looked like under an Andy Reid or Shanahan. Fields looked really good in the first half and has been accurate on deep balls so far. Then Mike Tomlin football happened and he decided to nurse a 2 score lead instead of trying to win by 3 scores. Due to that fact absolutely nothing will ever make this offense ever look as good as it could, because ugly isnt just the destination it’s also the goal. The Arthur Smith hire showed what they desire to be. A ball control, conservative, run heavy offense. Anyone see what Clint Kubiak is doing down there in New Orleans? Another Shanahan disciple tearing shit up while we are intentionally stuck in the Stone Age. Kubiak was hired two weeks after we hired Smith. Kubiak was the pass game coordinator in SF. We hate passing and scoring so he wasn’t ever considered for a job here.

3. I don’t know if Broderick Jones sucks, or if he’s lazy, or hurt, or if he’s just a young guy developing. What I do know, the Steelers have absolutely mismanaged him. A young guy with relatively few collegiate starts, he needed more reps last year. Coming into year two, he should have been named the starting LT from the first day of camp. f*** Dan Moore’s feelings. Flopping Jones to the RT spot, then platooning him at LT at camp, then making him rotate series today is all just a really f***ing stupid thing to do with a 1st round pick at LT that you moved up for. He was very measured and level headed in his post game interview. He didn’t t hide from tough questions, didn’t sulk or make excuses. He came off mature. I’m hoping he’s not a bust, just a guy who was put in a tough spot by a franchise that hates offense. This run heavy offense suits him well if he gets a chance to settle in. He was pretty good in week 1.

4. NFL needs age limits on these sideline guys working the sticks. 3 games this weekend where one of these old f***s got knocked out or had a heart attack during a game, and I don’t have time to watch that shit. Every time the sticks injured guy looked 80. You telling me they can’t find 30 year olds to work some damn sticks? If prisoners can clean highways they can work sticks. Might put a few former players to work that way.

5. Patrick Queen never impressed me much in Baltimore. I thought he was overrated because he was a first round pick and played MLB for the Ravens. He’s not super physical and misses more tackles than you’d like. He can run and covers fairly well. He’s an upgrade here for sure, but through two weeks he’s the same guy I saw in Baltimore. Hope he improves greatly, but I don’t expect that at all.

6. Playoffs? It’s early, but there are a few teams with a real shot at winning the AFC. KC obviously. I think the Texans are a really good and complete young team that is growing. Bills with Josh Allen are always a threat. After that, Ravens and Bengals if they get right have potential to do some damage. Chargers are right there too if you like ball control and defense and ultra conservative football. Steelers could join that group if they figure out some ways to make the passing game a real threat, but they can’t and they won’t so just making the playoffs is the realistic goal.

 

[JTG]

I feel like the instant success of Frazier and Fautanu make Jones' struggles as a 2nd year player look even worse tbh

Fautanu enrolled at Washington January of 2019. Jones enrolled at Georgia June of 2020. Jones was also seen as a raw prospect. Like I have said, I think you are being kind of harsh on Jones.

Frazier is the same class...but he's a C. Way easier than tackle, additionally playing off side.

 

[T1K]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1835646420985991457

This drive started on our 1 yard line. Jones committed 3 penalties on the drive, including this play that wiped out a 51 yard gain and would have put the Steelers in the red zone. Fields isn’t the one who should be getting benched, but people are cherry picking stats here which is nothing new.

 

[xlm34]

I'm kind of two minds about this. I think Tomlin is conservative and safe to a fault and I think the 2018 team that shit away the playoffs with turnovers and mistakes only reinforced in his mind that he wants to take no chances on offense ever and it greatly limits the team's upside. That said, I also think the first two games were against bad offenses and it wasn't hard to know that if they don't screw up, the defense would likely be able to win the games, so I get the game plans to a large extent.

What is so clear, though, is that the WR situation is undermining them badly. No one can get open other than Pickens, including Friermuth, and things are a mess with no fix in sight.

Yeah Khan botched the WR situation. I think you can make the argument that Jefferson and Austin aren’t even WR3 types let alone what they’re asking them to do currently. I don’t have high hopes for Roman Wilson this year but hopefully he can give them something.

 

[JTG]

I'm kind of two minds about this. I think Tomlin is conservative and safe to a fault and I think the 2018 team that shit away the playoffs with turnovers and mistakes only reinforced in his mind that he wants to take no chances on offense ever and it greatly limits the team's upside. That said, I also think the first two games were against bad offenses and it wasn't hard to know that if they don't screw up, the defense would likely be able to win the games, so I get the game plans to a large extent.

What is so clear, though, is that the WR situation is undermining them badly. No one can get open other than Pickens, including Friermuth, and things are a mess with no fix in sight.

I think that is kind of how it has been drawn up. Muth has 8 for 66. What we see as ineptitude I truly believe Tomlin sees as a masterpiece. It's why I just cannot get that upset about the WR2. Do we need one? For sure. In the grand scheme of things is it going to matter that much? I don't think. Certainly not as much as a corner has. The secondary has been outstanding.

4. NFL needs age limits on these sideline guys working the sticks. 3 games this weekend where one of these old f***s got knocked out or had a heart attack during a game, and I don’t have time to watch that shit. Every time the sticks injured guy looked 80. You telling me they can’t find 30 year olds to work some damn sticks? If prisoners can clean highways they can work sticks. Might put a few former players to work that way.
offs is the realistic goal.

My take with this has always been, you have these players all having measurable speed below a 4.6 - we will just call it that. To have a SIXTY YEAR OLD referee being tasked to keep up with the play is never ever going to work. These guys are track stars with pads these days.

I think all major leagues need to put a cap on how long a guy can be an official and there needs to be a max age. Sports...politics...business...not everyone should get to choose when they go.

 

[MrBrightside]

I think the WR analysis is somewhat a chicken-or-the-egg thing. Give how much they do throw to Pickens it suggests to me that they would throw to another WR if they had a second skilled guy who could actually get open. I get that Johnson is a bit of a head case and I also get that they needed a CB, but this offense would look a hell of a lot better if he was still around.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Yeah Khan botched the WR situation. I think you can make the argument that Jefferson and Austin aren’t even WR3 types let alone what they’re asking them to do currently. I don’t have high hopes for Roman Wilson this year but hopefully he can give them something.

I disagree he "botched" the WR situation. DJ needed to get out of this lockerroom and he did that.

The issue with FA is there has to be mutual interest. Would you want to come to the Steelers and play Neanderthal offense that will sink your value? Your only options after FA are the draft and trade. He tried to get BA, but it didn't happen for whatever reason.

Wilson was their top rated guy and that's why they took him vs some taller WR's avaialble. I feel like Wilson is going to replace CAIII within the next year anyway.

 

[cookthebooks]

roman wilson gonna get a helluva an opportunity if he can get/stay healthy

 

[MrBrightside]

 

[xlm34]

I disagree he "botched" the WR situation. DJ needed to get out of this lockerroom and he did that.

The issue with FA is there has to be mutual interest. Would you want to come to the Steelers and play Neanderthal offense that will sink your value? Your only options after FA are the draft and trade. He tried to get BA, but it didn't happen for whatever reason.

Wilson was their top rated guy and that's why they took him vs some taller WR's avaialble. I feel like Wilson is going to replace CAIII within the next year anyway.

Trading DJ wasn’t the problem. Not replacing him was. And they traded him early enough where there was plenty of time to come up with a better option than Van Jefferson. Say what you want about Mike Tomlin, but you cannot argue that he’s a massive draw to free agents so I don’t really buy that there wouldn’t have been any interest in coming here from any receiver. We know that at least Boyd was interested but the feeling wasn’t mutual from the Steelers side.

I think Khan went big game hunting and came up empty. Doesn’t make me think less of him as a GM but I don’t think he played his hand at WR particularly well.

 

[JTG]

Yeah this past draft class is looking everything we thought it was going to be. Dominance from many OL prospects early going.

roman wilson gonna get a helluva an opportunity if he can get/stay healthy

There is really good potential he comes in and goes off. This offense is craving a guy like him. Wilson really is a Hines Ward-lite. He does the exact same things...much faster, a bit smaller, arguably as tough.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1835646420985991457

This drive started on our 1 yard line. Jones committed 3 penalties on the drive, including this play that wiped out a 51 yard gain and would have put the Steelers in the red zone. Fields isn’t the one who should be getting benched, but people are cherry picking stats here which is nothing new.

OK because I'm out of market and in other teams' market, I didn't see the game from start to finish yesterday. I saw bits and pieces and highlights and...

But my question is... THAT'S the holding call on Jones?

 

[MrBrightside]

OK because I'm out of market and in other teams' market, I didn't see the game from start to finish yesterday. I saw bits and pieces and highlights and...

But my question is... THAT'S the holding call on Jones?

Jones was not good yesterday but you're not wrong. The second holding call that brought the Pickens catch back was a joke. It really felt like both Jones and Porter were being heavily scrutinized by the officials yesterday - I presume Payton and his staff had highlighted that to them.

 

[JTG]

OK because I'm out of market and in other teams' market, I didn't see the game from start to finish yesterday. I saw bits and pieces and highlights and...

But my question is... THAT'S the holding call on Jones?

He had 3 calls back to back basically. One was horrible. One was meh. One was actually a hold.

 

[T1K]

OK because I'm out of market and in other teams' market, I didn't see the game from start to finish yesterday. I saw bits and pieces and highlights and...

But my question is... THAT'S the holding call on Jones?

If I recall correctly the other angle makes it more obvious as far as Jones goes. He was a true liability out there.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Trading DJ wasn’t the problem. Not replacing him was. And they traded him early enough where there was plenty of time to come up with a better option than Van Jefferson. Say what you want about Mike Tomlin, but you cannot argue that he’s a massive draw to free agents so I don’t really buy that there wouldn’t have been any interest in coming here from any receiver. We know that at least Boyd was interested but the feeling wasn’t mutual from the Steelers side.

I think Khan went big game hunting and came up empty. Doesn’t make me think less of him as a GM but I don’t think he played his hand at WR particularly well.

Hard to decipher who did and who didn't have interest as a FA. And that's not a Steelers thing, agents/players/teams tend to be pretty secretive about interest levels.