Offense shows as little bite as defense

Quote :

By Ed Bouchette / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A victory in their opener against Cleveland put to rest any chance the Steelers would get off to the kind of miserable 0-4 start they did a year ago.

But what if things turn worse? Maybe the second half of their 30-27 victory against the Browns in the opener wasn't the aberration; maybe the first half was.

Plenty of players spent their postgame interview minutes in the locker room Thursday night proclaiming they were not worried after their 26-6 shellacking in Baltimore. Maybe they should be. That first half against the Browns seems as far away as that second half of the 2013 season that seemed to provide the impetus for so much hope in this one.

Yet a toothless defense — their main concern entering this season — has been joined by a suddenly ineffective offense over the past six quarters to raise doubts whether the Steelers can get off to that hoped-for fast start against a so-called weak schedule through the first seven games.

"We have to evaluate ourselves and see where we can get better, that's all we can do," tight end Heath Miller said. "I don't think there's any panic in the locker room."

They are, after all, still 1-1 and they were not favored to win in Baltimore, which is also 1-1. But after getting outscored, 50-9, over the past six quarters, something else might be telling: Maybe they just do not have the talent, especially on defense.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2014/09/13/Steelers-offense-shows-as-little-bite-as-defense/stories/201409130286

I don't agree that we don't have the talent. I think the issue is that the talent isn't fully developed yet. Should we be surprised that Jones, Worilds, and Heyward aren't looking like the beasts many of us think they can be? None of them has even started a full season yet. McLendon and Allen are in only their second year as starters. Shazier is a rookie. That's a lot of inexperience on a defense that is well-known for taking a long time to learn. And then we have to factor in two new veterans in Thomas and Mitchell. And let's not forget ... out of our 3 most-experienced veterans, two of them (Ike and Troy) are well past their prime. A lot of fans seem shocked that the defense is struggling. Quite honestly, I'd be shocked if it wasn't.

Yep.  Although I have my doubts about Cam Thomas, and expected more from Mitchell.  I can't help but wonder if Troy would have been better if Clark was still on the team.  Those two had chemistry like no other, and played well off that chemistry.

They are young.  I say Shazier will end up a beast -- give him a year or two.  Timmons  and McClendon will improve.  I also think Sharmarko, once healthy, will give a boost to the D.  He has the talent, including work ethic like AB.

I think the game against Carolina is going to be very telling and  may very well set the tone for the rest of the season.

And what the hell is Ed talking about when he states the Steelers were not favored to win. Everything I read from ESPN, analysts on the NFL network, to bookies had picked the Steelers. The only one I heard that picked Baltimore was Deon Sanders.

And what the hell am I still doing on this forum?  I should be in bed!

Gingerchip wrote:

And what the hell am I still doing on this forum?  I should be in bed!

Repeat after me ... Sleep is overrated. Must. Post. More.

But Wally, if I don't get sleep, this is what I will be in the a.m.:

  and this:    and later in the day this:  


Man, I am having just too much fun with he emoticons

Gingerchip wrote:

Yep.  Although I have my doubts about Cam Thomas, and expected more from Mitchell.  I can't help but wonder if Troy would have been better if Clark was still on the team.  Those two had chemistry like no other, and played well off that chemistry.

I agree. Clark and Troy had great chemistry. I didn't expect Troy and Mitchell to have the same kind of chemistry right from the start, but I figured Mitchell's younger legs and talent would at least make up for the older, slower Clark. That hasn't been the case so far. As for Cam Thomas, I'll quote myself from the day we signed him:

Wallace108 wrote:

I didn't know much of anything about Cam before yesterday. From what I've read, I'm not too impressed. Sounds like nothing more than a body for depth./

I didn't think he'd actually end up starting. But I still say that I'm not too impressed. The fact that he's a veteran, and the last thing we need is more inexperience on the field, will probably keep him starting longer than he should be.

Gingerchip wrote:

I think the game against Carolina is going to be very telling and  may very well set the tone for the rest of the season.

Yep. Even if they lose, they need to show some improvement on both sides of the ball. More than anything, I want to see some intensity. They need to at least LOOK like they want to win.

Maybe Clark and Troy would have more chemistry if Mr. Head and Shoulders would have taken of season OTA's and the such more seriously? Even if he didn't workout, being there to at least pick Mitchell's brain and vice versa certainly wouldn't have hurt.