OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: Whats a Running Back? Does it make the Steel Steeler?

[OnMyOwn]

As a fan of very big men running very fast, I really hope Kendrick Green to FB works. It's going to be highlight reel after highlight reel if it works.

Can you imagine being a CB and seeing Green coming at full steam towards you? That's a moment to rethink your life choices.

I feel like he needs to lean out if it’s going to work at all. He doesn’t look like he’s in the best shape, even for lineman standards. I guess it could be his body type, but I’ve thought that since we drafted him.

 

[JTG]

https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/news/quinn-meinerz-breakout-prediction-2023

We picked Kendrick Green instead. Much like Pouliot instead of Forsberg or Trouba, Meinerz was the right pick at the time, and he would have been the right pick now.

 

[Peat]

And/or Washington...

Washington would be difficult to stop. Green would be scary.

Maybe it's just me but as someone who did play a lot of collision sports as a kinda Porter shaped guy* I'd far rather tackle a Washington. Grab a limb and hold on. Guys like Green are too thick. You've just got to put yourself in the way and hope it doesn't hurt too much.


*If Porter's body was made of fat rather than muscle.

I feel like he needs to lean out if it’s going to work at all. He doesn’t look like he’s in the best shape, even for lineman standards. I guess it could be his body type, but I’ve thought that since we drafted him.

Probably not wrong but its significantly more entertaining this way and tbf, he's absolutely making it work vs 2nd team guys so far.

 

[JTG]

Loudermilk getting some reps as an OLB at almost 300 pounds. They are putting big men in some really unorthodox positions this camp.

6-foot-7 DT Isaiahh Loudermilk getting plenty of reps as edge OLB for Steelers

In finding answers for injuries and thin depth at outside linebacker, the Pittsburgh Steelers have resorted to some big solutions. How about 6-foot-7, 293 pounds worth of one? Third-year defensive tackle Isaiahh Loudermilk increasingly has been lining up at what the Steelers call outside...

triblive.com

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

And/or Washington...

The jumbo formation with Green and Washington would be interesting.

 

[JTG]

I'm really intrigued by the MLB room. Robinson is said to show up in unreal shape (some have said Harrison-esque). The violence these 4 guys play with is going to be such a welcome addition.

The jumbo formation with Green and Washington would be interesting.

I'm sitting here thinking, in Jumbo formation it's going to be Philadelphia last year. It's a guarantee. A 245 pound RB with a 310 pound FB, a 270 pound TE who blocks like a lineman, and even in 2 TE sets, you have Pickens on the outside who is a blocking beast. I'm really excited for this season watching these guys hammer the ball.

 

[The Old Master]

Loudermilk getting some reps as an OLB at almost 300 pounds. They are putting big men in some really unorthodox positions this camp.

6-foot-7 DT Isaiahh Loudermilk getting plenty of reps as edge OLB for Steelers

In finding answers for injuries and thin depth at outside linebacker, the Pittsburgh Steelers have resorted to some big solutions. How about 6-foot-7, 293 pounds worth of one? Third-year defensive tackle Isaiahh Loudermilk increasingly has been lining up at what the Steelers call outside...

triblive.com

If only sully would be willing to try things.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Saw the Pickett talk from last week. I’m just hoping he can be peak Alex Smith. That would be a really good QB.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I'm really intrigued by the MLB room. Robinson is said to show up in unreal shape (some have said Harrison-esque). The violence these 4 guys play with is going to be such a welcome addition.


I'm sitting here thinking, in Jumbo formation it's going to be Philadelphia last year. It's a guarantee. A 245 pound RB with a 310 pound FB, a 270 pound TE who blocks like a lineman, and even in 2 TE sets, you have Pickens on the outside who is a blocking beast. I'm really excited for this season watching these guys hammer the ball.

They have no excuses for yet another shitty red zone percentage this season.

KP and Canada have to be better down there.

 

[JTG]

They have no excuses for yet another shitty red zone percentage this season.

KP and Canada have to be better down there.

Madden was talking about Karlsson being acquired puts a spotlight on Sully.

Same can be said for the Steelers coaching staff. This offense has absolutely no excuse. This is the year they said Canada's system will be fully implemented. The defense should be top 10. This staff needs to produce.

 

[OnMyOwn]

Madden was talking about Karlsson being acquired puts a spotlight on Sully.

Same can be said for the Steelers coaching staff. This offense has absolutely no excuse. This is the year they said Canada's system will be fully implemented. The defense should be top 10. This staff needs to produce.

I’m surprised every time I hear someone say we’re going to be last in the division. They have to seriously only be looking at KP because the roster is stacked, IMO.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I’m surprised every time I hear someone say we’re going to be last in the division. They have to seriously only be looking at KP because the roster is stacked, IMO.

They see Burrow, LJ and Watson and figure KP is the weakest of the four.

Tomlin owns LJ though and the Steelers are 5-1 agt them the last few yrs.

They are 3-1 agt the Browns last four.

Bengals they are 1-3 agt.

So only one team in the division has been a problem for them.

So it’s basically people looking at KP and not the results of what the past history is showing us.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

I’m surprised every time I hear someone say we’re going to be last in the division. They have to seriously only be looking at KP because the roster is stacked, IMO.

Vegas had us dead last 3 years in a row. We have not finished last since like 1989 but its a Qb league and on paper we have the worst in the division

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Vegas had us dead last 3 years in a row. We have not finished last since like 1989 but its a Qb league and on paper we have the worst in the division

Steelers made the playoffs in ‘89. You have to be thinking of ‘88.

 

[JTG]

I’m surprised every time I hear someone say we’re going to be last in the division. They have to seriously only be looking at KP because the roster is stacked, IMO.

While I understand that they need to see more than Kenny, if anyone watched last season, they saw a guy go 6-1 in the last 7 with no camp reps and thrust into the position mid-season as a rookie. This team has almost no holes...some unknowns, but no holes.

They see Burrow, LJ and Watson and figure KP is the weakest of the four.

Tomlin owns LJ though and the Steelers are 5-1 agt them the last few yrs.

They are 3-1 agt the Browns last four.

Bengals they are 1-3 agt.

So only one team in the division has been a problem for them.

So it’s basically people looking at KP and not the results of what the past history is showing us.

This defense should be much better against Cinci. These MLBs should be much better against Mixon where he's not clipping 7 yards per carry. Benton should help this too. Hopefully our corners are better handling their WRs.

I fully expect this team to lose some games they probably shouldn't, but they will learn and grow.

 

[JTG]

Per PFF -

Bell actually said he thinks Najee needs to drop weight, and I think he's 100% right. Najee has to get more explosive in his first 3 steps. Najee's response is that he's 8% body fat.

 

[xlm34]

I’m curious to see what Najee looks like with what should be the best run blocking he’s had since being drafted. Fingers crossed he also stays healthy until the start of the year — it was night and day with him after getting the metal plate removed from his cleat.

I don’t know if I’m expecting him to be anything more than just a good running back but I’m definitely thinking he’ll be better than he has been.

 

[Pens1566]

Unless Najee stops running into contact instead of obviously open space, that trend will continue.

Not sure it's a physical thing as opposed to a vision thing.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

I guess they are serious about the Green to FB thing.

If they can create something out of him/the experiment, I have no issue.
What I don't want is this to be some as some justification Green is even on the roster and getting a hat.

If he can contribute on ST's and be a poor man's Picard I'm all for it.

What a horrific crime. Have no words for this family

Ex-Raiders WR gets 3 to 10 years for fatal DUI

Former Las Vegas Raiders receiver Henry Ruggs III was sentenced Wednesday to three to 10 years in prison for a November 2021 drunken driving crash that killed a Las Vegas woman and her dog.

www.espn.com

 

[JTG]

Unless Najee stops running into contact instead of obviously open space, that trend will continue.

Not sure it's a physical thing as opposed to a vision thing.

That's a fear of mine too. He chalked that up to not being a participant fully in camp. We will see because he doesn't have much of an excuse now either. He needs to come out and be dominant.

 

[Peat]

Najee's yards after contact and general game generally picks up a lot after the waiver week. Happened both years. Coincidentally, I think that's around the time both years that the offensive line managed to stop being an utterly reprehensible problem and become merely bad/actually kinda good.

So since the line should be okay out of the gate, fingers crossed...

 

[Pengwins]

https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/news/quinn-meinerz-breakout-prediction-2023

We picked Kendrick Green instead. Much like Pouliot instead of Forsberg or Trouba, Meinerz was the right pick at the time, and he would have been the right pick now.

and a lot of people were calling for them to take Meinerz too
sad

Unless Najee stops running into contact instead of obviously open space, that trend will continue.

Not sure it's a physical thing as opposed to a vision thing.

its definitely a vision problem

 

[UnrealMachine]

Najee's yards after contact and general game generally picks up a lot after the waiver week. Happened both years. Coincidentally, I think that's around the time both years that the offensive line managed to stop being an utterly reprehensible problem and become merely bad/actually kinda good.

So since the line should be okay out of the gate, fingers crossed...

He could start by out-producing Warren. Granted Warren was used situationally and is likely not a 4.9 y/a running back when used more heavily, but Warren passed the eye test running, receiving, and blocking. Need to see a fully healthy Najee, because I truly believe he’s a lot better than what we’ve seen so far. But Warren gonna Warren, too!

 

[Peat]

He could start by out-producing Warren. Granted Warren was used situationally and is likely not a 4.9 y/a running back when used more heavily, but Warren passed the eye test running, receiving, and blocking. Need to see a fully healthy Najee, because I truly believe he’s a lot better than what we’ve seen so far. But Warren gonna Warren, too!

To me you nail it with the situational thing. I like Warren but I don't recall him running a lot between the tackles and I don't recall him facing the heavy boxes or immediate pressure Harris did. I don't think he'd cope well with it either. Not that Harris does all that well with it either at times, but to me it's a bit apples and oranges.

 

[UnrealMachine]

To me you nail it with the situational thing. I like Warren but I don't recall him running a lot between the tackles and I don't recall him facing the heavy boxes or immediate pressure Harris did. I don't think he'd cope well with it either. Not that Harris does all that well with it either at times, but to me it's a bit apples and oranges.

Yeah, it’s vitally important to take context into account. If the roles were reversed their stats would look a lot different. That being said, Warren looks and performs like a freaking gem. Ray Rice (on-field) vibes.