Lewis ready for attention

By Ralph Paulk

The Steelers defense did exactly what it needed against AFC North rival Baltimore on Sunday night at Heinz Field.

The Ravens were limited to 47 rushing yards — including 40 by Ray Rice, who saw little daylight on 20 attempts. Torrey Smith, quarterback Joe Flacco’s deep threat, didn’t corral a pass until midway through the fourth quarter.

Yet the Steelers are preparing to face Cleveland on Sunday knowing they wasted a superb defensive effort in a 13-10 defeat.

Cornerbacks Ike Taylor and Keenan Lewis were at their best against a receiving corps that ignited a franchise-record 55-point explosion against Oakland. Taylor clamped down on Smith, and Lewis tormented Anquan Boldin, one of the league’s best possession receivers on third down.

“I knew I had to hold my own,” said Lewis, who had teams highs in tackles (10) and passes defensed (two). “We had to challenge them on third down, because Boldin is a big, strong receiver who they like to force it to on third down.

“I knew I had to make those stops. We couldn’t let him get anywhere near the football — just as we couldn’t let Rice get going because he’s the key to their offense.”

Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco appeared to target Lewis, in part, because Taylor gave Smith little room to breathe in tight bump-and-run coverage. Boldin had a game-high eight receptions but averaged only 9.9 yards a catch.

“Keenan has taken it upon himself to improve every week,” safety Ryan Clark said. “He’s taken these challenges personally, and that’s what makes him play at his best.”

Lewis, though, was even more effective against the run. He and Taylor shut down the edge, mostly on stretch plays off right tackle — a ground strategy Cleveland used to protect rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden from Dallas’ pass rush


Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/2987600-85/lewis-taylor-steelers-game-keenan-boldin-corner-run-browns-clark#ixzz2Ck9Id1gZ
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I really like the play Lewis is showing he is playing like a true corner. I was thinking we would have to draft a corner early in the upcoming draft but know I am thinking we can use that pick somewhere else. Like maybe a safety or a good pass rusher. Keep up the good work Lewis.

coach Lake is doing a good job with the DBs.

effyou515 wrote:

coach Lake is doing a good job with the DBs.

Our secondary was consistently horrendous before Lake got there. It's been consistently good ever since. Lake doesn't get nowhere near the credit he deserves.

Actually they were excellent in 2008 with Bryant McFadden and William Gay splitting time opposite Ike. Top of the league.

Dodens Grav wrote:

Actually they were excellent in 2008 with Bryant McFadden and William Gay splitting time opposite Ike. Top of the league.

Without looking it up, could that be because of the pressure we were consistently getting on quarterbacks? It's hard for a QB to find open receivers when he's running for his life every play.

Wallace108 wrote:

effyou515 wrote:

coach Lake is doing a good job with the DBs.

Our secondary was consistently horrendous before Lake got there. It's been consistently good ever since. Lake doesn't get nowhere near the credit he deserves.

If he can make William Gay into a player, he's a goddamned miracle worker.

Wallace108 wrote:

Dodens Grav wrote:

Actually they were excellent in 2008 with Bryant McFadden and William Gay splitting time opposite Ike. Top of the league.

Without looking it up, could that be because of the pressure we were consistently getting on quarterbacks? It's hard for a QB to find open receivers when he's running for his life every play.

That was certainly a factor, but the secondary did play great that season. McFadden was a damn good CB in his first stint with the team, actually. And Gay at the time was too young to know any better. Polamalu had 7 picks that year I believe, which helps.

Dodens Grav wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

Dodens Grav wrote:

Actually they were excellent in 2008 with Bryant McFadden and William Gay splitting time opposite Ike. Top of the league.

Without looking it up, could that be because of the pressure we were consistently getting on quarterbacks? It's hard for a QB to find open receivers when he's running for his life every play.

That was certainly a factor, but the secondary did play great that season. McFadden was a damn good CB in his first stint with the team, actually. And Gay at the time was too young to know any better. Polamalu had 7 picks that year I believe, which helps.

McFadden didn't play well in Arizona. And he didn't play well when he returned to the Steelers. Did he suddenly forget how to play? Or was his mediocrity during his first stint masked by our consistently good pass rush?

That's what's impressive about our secondary right now ... we're not getting any pass rush, yet teams aren't throwing the ball all over the field on us.

Wallace108 wrote:

McFadden didn't play well in Arizona. And he didn't play well when he returned to the Steelers. Did he suddenly forget how to play? Or was his mediocrity during his first stint masked by our consistently good pass rush?

I'm leaning this way. Of course, I guess his injury could still be lingering from 2008 like "Cowboy" Bob Orton's broken arm.

this secondary is playing with out Troy P. a first year starting corner and not much of a pass rush, thats what i'm talkin about.

coach lake damn good job.

McFadden broke his arm in 2008 and played through injuries and in a scheme not suited to his skill set in Arizona. No, McFadden was a good player. And he doesn't deserve near the crap that fans give him.

Dodens Grav wrote:

McFadden broke his arm in 2008 and played through injuries and in a scheme not suited to his skill set in Arizona. No, McFadden was a good player. And he doesn't deserve near the crap that fans give him.

Really? Two different teams used him incorrectly? I don't see him making any Pro Bowls with any other teams right now either. He had one good year and was a beneficiary of a great pass rush defense and system that helped him. If he's so good why isn't he starting elsewhere right now?

I said he was a good player. And he had more than one good year. If you think McFadden had nothing to do with the strong secondary in the 2008 season, then you're just flat out wrong.

Dodens Grav wrote:

I said he was a good player. And he had more than one good year. If you think McFadden had nothing to do with the strong secondary in the 2008 season, then you're just flat out wrong.

And I feel that if you think McFadden was a good player you are flat out wrong. If he was a good player he'd still be in the league. I guess 32 NFL team owners agree with me.

If you're saying he's a good football player, obviously that's correct since he made it to the NFL, but if you're saying he's a good NFL football player as a career body of work I'd say you're crazy.

I also never said he had nothing to do with the strong secondary in 2008. He was competent enough to make some plays and not do anything stupid with a dominant front 7 in front of him. That hardly makes him a great player, just a player who worked well in a system/scheme for a couple of years. Since then, he's been toast on two different teams bad enough to not warrant any roster spot with 30 other NFL teams.

Mark my words, Keenan Lewis will be 3 times the NFL player McFadden was... at least.

Does that mean than now we'll have a 50 men roster + Lewis x 3 Fuck

Again, I said he WAS...WAS a good player. And then he became mediocre. And that's why he's unemployed now. There's a good chance the Steelers don't make the Super Bowl in '05 without McFadden.

Dodens Grav wrote:

Again, I said he WAS...WAS a good player. And then he became mediocre. And that's why he's unemployed now. There's a good chance the Steelers don't make the Super Bowl in '05 without McFadden.

And he fell into mediocrity for the better part of his short career and that's why he gets grief. His bad far outweighed his good and it fair to say that he wasn't really a good player for the bulk of his career.

Dodens Grav wrote:

There's a good chance the Steelers don't make the Super Bowl in '05 without McFadden.

It's a good thing Manning under threw that pass.

Wallace108 wrote:

Dodens Grav wrote:

There's a good chance the Steelers don't make the Super Bowl in '05 without McFadden.

It's a good thing Manning under threw that pass.

Yea agree but he did do a good job of defending that play. He did what he had to do to keep him from getting a touchdown.

Even Limas Sweed made a good play once.


Once.

Wallace108 wrote:

Even Limas Sweed made a good play once.


Once.

That was a Sweed play.

Wallace108 wrote:

Even Limas Sweed made a good play once.


Once.

Well then he WAS a good player too.

I'm sorry, but you guys are clueless. McFadden deserves a lot more respect than he's given. Even in the 2010 season when he came back and the Steelers...you know...reached the Super Bowl...he allowed a high percentage of receptions, but his yards per target was still very respectable and he allowed minimal yards after catch. He also had 10 passes defensed and two interceptions and was strong in run support while adding two sacks and two forced fumbles. The only reason McFadden is gone now is because the team got younger by drafting new cornerbacks that proved their worth on special teams and McFadden's contract didn't justify not starting with the team's salary cap as it was. Is Keenan Lewis playing better than McFadden ever did? Probably, at least as good. But that's more of a compliment to Lewis than an admonishment of McFadden. And I normally don't say this, but this statement is flat out bullshit and ignorance, with a dash of selective memory: "His bad far outweighed his good and it fair to say that he wasn't really a good player for the bulk of his career."

Anyway, here's PFF paying Lewis some respect: https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2012/11/21/analysis-notebook-week-11-2/

Dodens Grav wrote:

I'm sorry, but you guys are clueless.

You know that name calling and personal attacks are not welcome here. Attack the argument, not the poster.

Dodens Grav wrote:

The only reason McFadden is gone now is because the team got younger by drafting new cornerbacks that proved their worth on special teams and McFadden's contract didn't justify not starting with the team's salary cap as it was.

The reason he's gone is because he wasn't very good when they brought him back. They brought him back to replace William Gay, but they ended up giving the starting position back to Gay. McFadden got pushed out by a cornerback whom the Steelers didn't even make an attempt to re-sign last year. If McFadden was the player you think he was, they wouldn't have kept him on the bench in favor of William Gay. McFadden was a mediocre cornerback who played on a great defense. Nothing more, nothing less.

Not only did McFadden fall behind William Gay on the depth chart, he also fell behind a young and inexperienced Keenan Lewis:

Quote :

Mark Kaboly is reporting via Twitter this afternoon that Steelers cornerback William Gay will once again get the start this Sunday at left cornerback against the Houston Texans in place of Bryant McFadden. Keenan Lewis will come in at the outside spot in nickel packages and Gay will slide inside to the nickel cornerback spot as he has done the last several weeks. McFadden seems to have lost his spot altogether after being hampered all season by a hamstring injury. Kaboly stated that McFadden will not play at all so that could mean he will be inactive for a third straight week. According to the latest injury reports, McFadden practiced fully all last week and never showed up on any of the injury reports leading up to the Sunday night game against the Colts. He also was not listed on the Wednesday injury report released yesterday afternoon.

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2011/09/william-gay-to-start-again-against-texans/