Thursday Night

Well, I made it back in one piece from the game. It wasn't always pretty, but since I was with a Ravens fan, it wasn't awful. What WAS awful was our week two performance. Saying the team came out flat is an understatement. They were a sheet of paper, and the defense held up like one too. A wet paper bag, and couldn't contain anyone. Often out of position and clueless where the ball was going. The front 3 were getting man handled and pushed all over the field. The LB's were getting ZERO penetration, Flacco had time to knit a sweater behind his line. Cortez Allen was beyond bad. I haven't seen the televised version of the game, but from the 500 level, I saw a team on BOTH sides of the ball, not ready for an NFL experience. I also can't remember the last time I saw Ben play so poorly. But his receivers didn't do him any favors with dropping the ball for costly turnovers. And Gilbert looked like a waste of money. Not to mention Haley's play calling was TERRIBLE. Dink and dunk, end arounds. I didn't see Ben take any shots down field deep.

This is NOT a team that is gelling, and I'm not sure a few games are going to be enough time to do it.

A weird take away; I've been to multiple stadiums against multiple teams, including Pittsburgh vs. Ravens in Pittsburgh, and I have never seen so many T-shirts dedicated to the sheer hatred of ONE team towards another NFL team than the Ravens against the Steelers. The "Fuck Pittsbugh", "Shittsburgh", "Rapistburger", "Steelers Suck" shirts were easily 1/4 of the fanbase. This is definitely a Baltimore anomaly based on my own experience. Sure there are some of those shirts out there elsewhere, but the sheer number was staggering. It's like they would rather hate on the Steelers than cheer for their own team. Rather than get excited about a good play on the field and cheer, a "Steelers suck" chant ring throughout the stadium instead. Yes, its an intense rivalry, but I wouldn't take my kids to that stadium for your life, and that's kind of sad.

Anyway, I haven't pulled the rip cord yet. I'm hoping there is still some magic left in the black and gold for this year. But something drastic has to happen or we are in a heap of trouble...

Lastly, Ike Taylor had a decent game...

Drizz -- What??????  Did you say Taylor had a decent game??????   Is this really you posting or some imposter???

Yeah it was a rag of a game.

As far as their anti-paraphernalia, I don't expect anything else from a city that ranked #5 in crime last year.....

Yeah it pained me to say it, but he was one of the few that showed up to play. I truly cannot stand Baltimore City or the majority of its inhabitants.

I know it hurt Drizz, but it will get easier as the season progresses

Drizztbob wrote:

Not to mention Haley's play calling was TERRIBLE.  Dink and dunk, end arounds.  I didn't see Ben take any shots down field deep.

Drizz, I saw you mention this in the Haley thread, but it got lost in the shuffle. I'll respond to it here since you brought it up again.

I really didn't have a problem with the play calling. The trouble was in the execution. The Ravens defense was getting pressure and hitting Ben all game. End arounds and quick passes were a way to counter a defense that was pinning their ears back and bringing pressure.

And just because Ben threw short doesn't mean that was the design. Per Kovacevic:

Quote :

But hidden is that he hardly ever looked, much less attempted, to throw downfield — long of 27 — and the few times he did, he threw strikingly behind his targets.

http://dkonpittsburghsports.com/2014/09/12/column-lay-this-one-on-the-steelers-offense/

Was Ben not throwing downfield because that's not the plays that were called? Or was Ben not even looking downfield and was just dumping off to his safety valves because of all the pressure? It's hard to throw downfield when you don't have time for the plays to develop.

Drizztbob wrote:

Lastly, Ike Taylor had a decent game...  

That brings us even with the Steelers at 1-1. Quite honestly, I'll take a .500 record.

I am trying to remember the game.....

Ben didn't have the time to throw downfield on every play, but there were SOME opportunities to do so. And his long pass was once for 27 yards...not great.

Ben's deep game was among the best ever.

Then Todd Haley showed up and took it all away.

17-17 since.

Btw, Bruce Arians teams are 23-11 since we "retired" him.

mrcrash wrote:

Ben's deep game was among the best ever.

Among the best ever? That's a bold statement. Source?

mrcrash wrote:

Then Todd Haley showed up and took it all away.

DAMN YOU FRAUD HALEY!!

Wait a second ...

Quote :

Roethlisberger's deep ball in decline

There were concerns that offensive coordinator Todd Haley's controlled passing offense might take away from Roethlisberger's downfield throwing, but statistics show the now 30-year-old quarterback's deep-ball decline began last season under Bruce Arians.

When the Steelers went 14-5 in 2010, counting the playoffs, Roethlisberger was the seventh-best deep passer in the NFL, completing 22 of 54 throws that traveled 20 yards or longer. Factoring in drops by his receivers, he operated at nearly 50 percent efficiency on such passes.

But he fell to No. 26 in 2011, hitting only 21 of 68 passes with five interceptions

Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/3228681-74/roethlisberger-season-yds#ixzz3DLYC84WZ
Follow us: @triblive on Twitter | triblive on Facebook


Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/3228681-74/roethlisberger-season-yds#ixzz3DLY0ED4k
Follow us: @triblive on Twitter | triblive on Facebook

Since the decline started under Arians, is it possible *gasp* that it has something to do with Ben?

IMO, I think the lack of the deep game has a lot more to do with the loss of Wallace than it does the scheme.

SteelersYak wrote:

IMO, I think the lack of the deep game has a lot more to do with the loss of Wallace than it does the scheme.

You're trying to bring about the perfect storm of debates, aren't you?

Who me?!