OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: Steelers need a new ball thrower for the handball game thingy

[Pens1566]

The DL is one injury away from being a question mark. And if the injury is to Heyward, it's not much of a question.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Of course the D line is a Hayward injury away from being a question mark just like the OLb is trash outside of Watt. Any team will struggle if they are out one of their best players. You are hoping while they are resting you have guys that can fill in. They will need the offense to sustain drives to keep them fresh the o line has improved running blockers. The Qb being able to pick up a 3-5 with their legs and escape will help the o line

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Steelers have the highest paid D in the league, so this better be their best unit by far or Tomlin will have some explaining to do.

I get injures can cause issues, but if their best guys stay relatively healthy all season, this better be a top 5 D to justify their investment in this group.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Steelers have the highest paid D in the league, so this better be their best unit by far or Tomlin will have some explaining to do.

I get injures can cause issues, but if their best guys stay relatively healthy all season, this better be a top 5 D to justify their investment in this group.

Let's talk about the defense then

They've added Og and Aluala comes back from injury. Dline should be a bit better
Myles was added so the ILB play should be better
OLB - they really have no edge rushers to spell Highsmith and Watt
CB - Haden is gone so that chips away at the talent a bit. But they seem to have a bunch of quality guys who have enough experience to survive.

LB crew is extremely thin, even at full strength, but this defense overall should be a slightly better unit vs last year. The question for me is: does the addition of Jack solve a bunch of their run defense issues?

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Let's talk about the defense then

They've added Og and Aluala comes back from injury. Dline should be a bit better
Myles was added so the ILB play should be better
OLB - they really have no edge rushers to spell Highsmith and Watt
CB - Haden is gone so that chips away at the talent a bit. But they seem to have a bunch of quality guys who have enough experience to survive.

LB crew is extremely thin, even at full strength, but this defense overall should be a slightly better unit vs last year. The question for me is: does the addition of Jack solve a bunch of their run defense issues?

Haden could not run anymore and they have 3 solid B to B plus CB. They will use more 3 safety packages like Buffalo does so Edmunds will be an extra Lb. Kazee has lead the league in attempts n interceptions previously and Fitzpatrick is going to go back to playing rover. Larry will bring a lot of what Tuitt brought.Adam and Tyson will help stuffing the run and taking the n double teams. Cam will probably bump inside some with Larry and Loudermilk/Leal playing DE.
I agree on Olb so I am watching camp cuts. Tomlin said it’s to be determined if Bush is a 3 down LB which means we could see more nickel

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Let's talk about the defense then

They've added Og and Aluala comes back from injury. Dline should be a bit better
Myles was added so the ILB play should be better
OLB - they really have no edge rushers to spell Highsmith and Watt
CB - Haden is gone so that chips away at the talent a bit. But they seem to have a bunch of quality guys who have enough experience to survive.

LB crew is extremely thin, even at full strength, but this defense overall should be a slightly better unit vs last year. The question for me is: does the addition of Jack solve a bunch of their run defense issues?

Aluala coming back should help the run D.

Ogunjobi should help as well. He’s not known as a big run stopper but Bengals were able to go from almost last in the league to a top run D with him around.

Wallace and Jack we have to see how they help.

We also have to see how they use Leal. He’s apparently flashed a lot in camp but who knows.

Will Highsmith keep progressing?

Will Flores influence help Tomlin’s D from falling apart in the playoffs (if they even make it)?

Too many variables for me to feel confident in this D.

I won’t be shocked if the O is better, but Canada could be the biggest issue there. Maybe he learned some lessons last season, buts he’s always been pushed out the door wherever he goes so…

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Aluala coming back should help the run D.

Ogunjobi should help as well. He’s not known as a big run stopper but Bengals were able to go from almost last in the league to a top run D with him around.

Wallace and Jack we have to see how they help.

We also have to see how they use Leal. He’s apparently flashed a lot in camp but who knows.

Will Highsmith keep progressing?

Will Flores influence help Tomlin’s D from falling apart in the playoffs (if they even make it)?

Too many variables for me to feel confident in this D.

I won’t be shocked if the O is better, but Canada could be the biggest issue there. Maybe he learned some lessons last season, buts he’s always been pushed out the door wherever he goes so…

Funny- you and I have the opposite feelings of the offense vs defense.

I think the defense is going to be even to slightly better vs last year.
I believe the offense is going to struggle big-time.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

I don’t understand why people think the O is going to struggle every unit is improved from last year.

 

[xlm34]

I think the opinion on how the offense will perform will be pretty dependent on your opinion of Roethlisberger. I personally don’t think the QB situation will be much worse and it may be better. The rest of the units I think will definitely be better.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

I think the opinion on how the offense will perform will be pretty dependent on your opinion of Roethlisberger. I personally don’t think the QB situation will be much worse and it may be better. The rest of the units I think will definitely be better.

That’s fair it’s no secret how I felt about 7.
However cole is an up grade at C. Daniels is better than Turner. They are so much deeper on paper at WR and I am a big juju fan. They have more depth at RB. The line will probably only be top 17 and I don’t think Qb play is more than 20.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

I think the opinion on how the offense will perform will be pretty dependent on your opinion of Roethlisberger. I personally don’t think the QB situation will be much worse and it may be better. The rest of the units I think will definitely be better.

That's a good way to surmise it. It's obviously the most important position on the team and while I have major hopes for KP and MT, I just don't see them succeeding when real bullets start flying.

I have zero faith in Canada.

So to me, this will be clear: if the offense sucks with a different QB with a completely different toolbox and better players everywhere else on offense, then it's obvious that Canada is the issue.

I do agree that WR is better. Oline is better. RB to me is a wash because I don't know that Warren is going to be all that. And even if he is, he won't get any snaps bc of Tomlin's fetish of killing the starter

My prediction: we're going to see more of the U shaped offense and sputtering for 3+ quarters.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Funny- you and I have the opposite feelings of the offense vs defense.

I think the defense is going to be even to slightly better vs last year.
I believe the offense is going to struggle big-time.

The offense hit historical ineptitude last season, so I feel like they can’t go anywhere but up.

Outside of the QB, they have put together what could be one of the best O skill groups in the league.

Canada would have to be pretty inept not to make this an effective unit.

Of course he so far has looked like the worst O coordinator this team has had in all the years I’ve followed them, but I’m trying to be positive.

 

[JTG]

How the f*** didn't we know that Warren is cousins with Willie Parker?!?!

 

[JTG]

Interesting game here. Kenny determines with his play Rudolph's fate and how warm Trubisky's seat is going to be.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Interesting game here. Kenny determines with his play Rudolph's fate and how warm Trubisky's seat is going to be.

Yeah I am hoping he doesn’t take any sacks and actually throws the ball down field. In a controlled one read offense where they moved the pocket against 3rd stringers he looked good.
I don’t think Kenny has any chance of unseating Mitch. I think Mitch is getting until the bye than Kenny takes over if needed.

 

[JTG]

Yeah I am hoping he doesn’t take any sacks and actually throws the ball down field. In a controlled one read offense where they moved the pocket against 3rd stringers he looked good.
I don’t think Kenny has any chance of unseating Mitch. I think Mitch is getting until the bye than Kenny takes over if needed.

Yep. I think he determines if they trade Mason with his performance. He's proving tonight if he can be the QB2.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Interesting game here. Kenny determines with his play Rudolph's fate and how warm Trubisky's seat is going to be.

Brook Pryor, ESPN beat reporter, laughed at Chris Canty in a Steelers segment about KP and MT.

Canty basically said KP should be the week 1 starter etc etc and Pryor said he’s giving out “Yinzer catnip”.

She said there is zero chance he starts week 1, so I assume she’s been told by Tomlin that’s ironclad.

Pretty much what I assumed though and seems like the best idea for now.

MR I suspect is traded if KP doesn’t shit the bed tonight.

Then that killer stretch to start the season will determine if MT stays the starter the whole season or not.

How he does agt Cincy, NE, Bills and Bucs will tell us who the starter will be by the midpoint.

Ie if he goes 1-3, I can’t see KP not getting a chance by week 7.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Omar khan said they don’t plan on trading any QBs. I still think KP spends the year as the scout team QB playing against our 1st team all year

 

[JTG]

The crazy thing with this team is how this team could look right now...

Shazier is 29. Tuitt is 29. Pouncey is 33. DeCastro is 32. Four gigantic guys for this team who would still be playing at a decent level if not for injuries.

 

[pistolpete11]

The crazy thing with this team is how this team could look right now...

Shazier is 29. Tuitt is 29. Pouncey is 33. DeCastro is 32. Four gigantic guys for this team who would still be playing at a decent level if not for injuries.

And if they still had Shazier, they (probably) wouldn't have traded up to get Bush. More picks and a different 1st in the mix.

 

[JTG]

Omar khan said they don’t plan on trading any QBs. I still think KP spends the year as the scout team QB playing against our 1st team all year

Mason may not want to be here and would rather move on if he knows Trubisky and Pickett are 1 and 2. Volunteers, not hostages.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Mason may not want to be here and would rather move on if he knows Trubisky and Pickett are 1 and 2. Volunteers, not hostages.

True which is why Khan said they aren’t looking to trade him but if a team calls and makes a deal because he is a massive upgrade to their backup.

 

[Empoleon8771]

There is no reason to keep Rudolph because Trubisky and Pickett are both NFL caliber QBs right now. Both Rudolph and Pickett are too good to be on the 3rd team and Rudolph is going to make an issue out of it if he's used there.

Just trade Rudolph to a team who needs a backup QB and get like a 6th back for him. It will prevent any issues from potentially arising with Rudolph's usage and it clears the way for Pickett and Trubisky to command the offense for at least the next 2 years.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Omar khan said they don’t plan on trading any QBs. I still think KP spends the year as the scout team QB playing against our 1st team all year

That’s just GM speak and I roll my eyes when I see it.

MR is already starting to bitch and suggest it was never an open competition for the starting spot.

However, he should have been wise enough to see the writing on the wall in the spring. Org just brought in a FA Qb AND used a 1st on a QB.

What does that tell you they think of you as starting material?

Maybe Tomlin sold him some BS, but he should have been smarter than that.

So I’m sure he will push for a trade and if I was him, I’d want to be out of Pgh with the way the fans have treated him.

According to what Filliponi heard, Steelers want a third and would maybe take a fourth.. which is why he’s currently on the team.

He won’t get more than a 5 or 6.

 

[Empoleon8771]

So I’m sure he will push for a trade and if I was him, I’d want to be out of Pgh with the way the fans have treated him.

Yeah, this is another good point to mention. There is no good reason to keep Rudolph because it's just an unfriendly situation all around. Fans don't like him and he doesn't like his role, what's the point in keeping him?

It's either the team looks dumb for drafting Pickett with a 1st rounder only to put him on the 3rd team or they look like jerks for putting a solid backup who wants out on the 3rd team. Neither of those are good options.