What would your game plan be?

It was said in another post that it is beyond time to stop talking about the shit-for-brains Bengals and their shit-for-brains fans and whoever said it was spot on.

This week could be one of the most pivotal games the Steelers have played in a long time; because if they can win this game and gain another week of recovery for three of the best players in the NFL (Ben, AB, and DW) we could become the force to be reckoned with.  

How do we beat the Broncos if Ben can't throw deep, DW can't play, and AB is missing or limited?  Let's hear your game plan.....here is mine.

A. First and foremost, the D "must" be solid and opportunistic!

B. If Ben can't throw deep with accuracy, and everybody knows it, it's going to require Todd Haley's best game plan to date.  A combination of a couple gadget plays, some quick release slant passes to the speedsters, and well disguised alignments to fool the Broncos stout overall D

B.01.  The O line "must" protect Ben if the quick release pass game isn't working and he has to chance the deep ball.

C. Solid special teams play.

D. Win the turnover battle

Actually he should throw deep on the very first pass of the game.
Reason being is that it 'shows' you can even if it's imcomplete you again 'show' that you will do it so it makes the safeties play a bit deeper which in turn should open up the underneath stuff.

But if they start to pinch you go deep again.

It's the usual chess match that is football.

SteelersNorth wrote:

Actually he should throw deep on the very first pass of the game.
Reason being is that it 'shows' you can even if it's imcomplete you again 'show' that you will do it so it makes the safeties play a bit deeper which in turn should open up the underneath stuff.

But if they start to pinch you go deep again.

It's the usual chess match that is football.

And if that first play deep pass gets intercepted because Ben couldn't put it where he wanted to? Or worse yet, hurts Ben's arm and shortens his day????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

You hope that he over throws said receiver.
But I'm guessing he'll be jacked up on pain killers so I don't think that'll happen.
And it shouldn't matter if it gets picked off its the 'threat' of being able to go deep which you may not do again all game long.

Maybe we can beat them Brady style, dink and donk?

If Ben gets hurt throwing the first pass of the game, regardless of how long it is, he shouldn't be playing.

SteelersNorth I agree -- use this shoulder injury to establish balance on the field. You could even start off with short passes and runs (to make them think he can't even go long) and then on a 2nd and 4 or something when they start loading the box take a shot down the sideline to show we aren't one dimensional.

My game plan would involve the same balance they had last week with the run and pass. Ben really did not throw many (if any?) long balls last week, and the offense was still able to gain yards on the Bengals without the deep threats. We need Bryant and Wheaton to step up and be a factor in this game, but most importantly (imo) will be Toussaint/Todman and Heath/James.

lotas wrote:

If Ben gets hurt throwing the first pass of the game, regardless of how long it is, he shouldn't be playing.

SteelersNorth I agree -- use this shoulder injury to establish balance on the field. You could even start off with short passes and runs (to make them think he can't even go long) and then on a 2nd and 4 or something when they start loading the box take a shot down the sideline to show we aren't one dimensional.

My game plan would involve the same balance they had last week with the run and pass. Ben really did not throw many (if any?) long balls last week, and the offense was still able to gain yards on the Bengals without the deep threats. We need Bryant and Wheaton to step up and be a factor in this game, but most importantly (imo) will be Toussaint/Todman and Heath/James.

If Ben's injury is that serious he shouldn't be playing.

A lot of football is psyological and showing you can throw deep makes the DBs all second guess coming up or blitzing. And I only picked the first play due to the hype all week around not being able to do it supposedly. In general it should ideally happen within the first few possessions.

In regards to last weeks game I think the run was to be established and the short passes were due to the crazy rain.

SteelersNorth wrote:

lotas wrote:

If Ben gets hurt throwing the first pass of the game, regardless of how long it is, he shouldn't be playing.

SteelersNorth I agree -- use this shoulder injury to establish balance on the field. You could even start off with short passes and runs (to make them think he can't even go long) and then on a 2nd and 4 or something when they start loading the box take a shot down the sideline to show we aren't one dimensional.

My game plan would involve the same balance they had last week with the run and pass. Ben really did not throw many (if any?) long balls last week, and the offense was still able to gain yards on the Bengals without the deep threats. We need Bryant and Wheaton to step up and be a factor in this game, but most importantly (imo) will be Toussaint/Todman and Heath/James.

If Ben's injury is that serious he shouldn't be playing.

A lot of football is psyological and showing you can throw deep makes the DBs all second guess coming up or blitzing. And I only picked the first play due to the hype all week around not being able to do it supposedly. In general it should ideally happen within the first few possessions.

In regards to last weeks game I think the run was to be established and the short passes were due to the crazy rain.

I respectfully disagree.  Ben's knowledge of the game and his will to win makes him superior to most, pushing the limits of an arm that could go at any time is unwise.  Ben told Haley last week, "Don't call a deep pass again, I can't do it!"

ImmaculateGreenePolamalu wrote:

Maybe we can beat them Brady style, dink and donk?

You mean "dink and gronk"

My game plan would be doing it the old fashioned way - Defense and ball control.

We need the Defense to step up as they did against Cincy and we need steady production from TNT.
When we DO pass the ball, we need to do it quickly and concentrate on short gains and not waste a lot of effort going for home runs.

Denver has posted over fifty sacks this season, so dropping back and waiting for routes to develop is not going to be easy, so we need to basically dink and dunk this game Offensively and try to put as much pressure on Peyton as we can Defensively.  
Peyton has never played well when he's forced to get rid of the ball before he's ready or if he's forced to scramble, so we need to make him as uncomfortable as possible.

We can either look at this as a lost cause or as an opportunity to show the world what an underdog can really do.

DesertSteel wrote:

ImmaculateGreenePolamalu wrote:

Maybe we can beat them Brady style, dink and donk?

You mean "dink and gronk"

No...he means spy and deflate.............

QueenstownPa wrote:

SteelersNorth wrote:

lotas wrote:

If Ben gets hurt throwing the first pass of the game, regardless of how long it is, he shouldn't be playing.

SteelersNorth I agree -- use this shoulder injury to establish balance on the field. You could even start off with short passes and runs (to make them think he can't even go long) and then on a 2nd and 4 or something when they start loading the box take a shot down the sideline to show we aren't one dimensional.

My game plan would involve the same balance they had last week with the run and pass. Ben really did not throw many (if any?) long balls last week, and the offense was still able to gain yards on the Bengals without the deep threats. We need Bryant and Wheaton to step up and be a factor in this game, but most importantly (imo) will be Toussaint/Todman and Heath/James.

If Ben's injury is that serious he shouldn't be playing.

A lot of football is psyological and showing you can throw deep makes the DBs all second guess coming up or blitzing. And I only picked the first play due to the hype all week around not being able to do it supposedly. In general it should ideally happen within the first few possessions.

In regards to last weeks game I think the run was to be established and the short passes were due to the crazy rain.

I respectfully disagree.  Ben's knowledge of the game and his will to win makes him superior to most, pushing the limits of an arm that could go at any time is unwise.  I played golf at a competitive level with a back problem and there were days I simply could make a certain move to hit a certain type of shot, if I did, it was instant withdrawal.  Ben told Haley last week, "Don't call a deep pass again, I can't do it!"

Personally I would only call the one pass that is considered deep which is anything in the air over 15 yards...oddly enough his final pass in the Bengals game that got AB almost decapitated was supposedly 22.5 yards in the air. (I read that in a few places so how accurate that is I don't know)

Just a funny side note:
If Ben were a rassler his entrance theme music (based on song title only really) Matthew Good Band - Indestructible.

SteelersNorth wrote:

QueenstownPa wrote:

SteelersNorth wrote:

lotas wrote:

If Ben gets hurt throwing the first pass of the game, regardless of how long it is, he shouldn't be playing.

SteelersNorth I agree -- use this shoulder injury to establish balance on the field. You could even start off with short passes and runs (to make them think he can't even go long) and then on a 2nd and 4 or something when they start loading the box take a shot down the sideline to show we aren't one dimensional.

My game plan would involve the same balance they had last week with the run and pass. Ben really did not throw many (if any?) long balls last week, and the offense was still able to gain yards on the Bengals without the deep threats. We need Bryant and Wheaton to step up and be a factor in this game, but most importantly (imo) will be Toussaint/Todman and Heath/James.

If Ben's injury is that serious he shouldn't be playing.

A lot of football is psyological and showing you can throw deep makes the DBs all second guess coming up or blitzing. And I only picked the first play due to the hype all week around not being able to do it supposedly. In general it should ideally happen within the first few possessions.

In regards to last weeks game I think the run was to be established and the short passes were due to the crazy rain.

I respectfully disagree.  Ben's knowledge of the game and his will to win makes him superior to most, pushing the limits of an arm that could go at any time is unwise.  I played golf at a competitive level with a back problem and there were days I simply could make a certain move to hit a certain type of shot, if I did, it was instant withdrawal.  Ben told Haley last week, "Don't call a deep pass again, I can't do it!"

Personally I would only call the one pass that is considered deep which is anything in the air over 15 yards...oddly enough his final pass in the Bengals game that got AB almost decapitated was supposedly 22.5 yards in the air. (I read that in a few places so how accurate that is I don't know)

Just a funny side note:
If Ben were a rassler his entrance theme music (based on song title only really) Matthew Good Band - Indestructible.

I agree! The "never let them see you bleed" attitude is critical, I just don't want to see any of the bad things that could happen from going DEEP. Ben get's smashed again, he get's intercepted, or tweaks his arm and is now even less valuable. One thing I am comfortable about......Ben will decide and I am good with that!

QueenstownPa wrote:

DesertSteel wrote:

ImmaculateGreenePolamalu wrote:

Maybe we can beat them Brady style, dink and donk?

You mean "dink and gronk"

No...he means spy and deflate.............

Hahaha yeah that too.

Rotate RBs so there are fresh legs in every couple of plays. Between Williams, Touissant, and Truman, we should be able to wear down their front 7.

Keep Heath on the radar. Ben rarely throws the deep ball to him, and Heath is usually 7-10 yards down field. Keep the defense honest, Ben is going to have to chuck the ball a few times (even if it hurts a wee bit).

Defense has to be beyond lights out. So lights out, they turn the lights on.

Run the ball & play tough defense. With how the defense has been playing lately, I think that's doable. Manning will make his mistakes if we get to him, Ben won't need to win this with his arm.

stlrtruck wrote:

Rotate RBs so there are fresh legs in every couple of plays.  Between Williams, Touissant, and Truman, we should be able to wear down their front 7.

Keep Heath on the radar.  Ben rarely throws the deep ball to him, and Heath is usually 7-10 yards down field.  Keep the defense honest, Ben is going to have to chuck the ball a few times (even if it hurts a wee bit).

Defense has to be beyond lights out.  So lights out, they turn the lights on.

Wasn't Williams officially ruled out?

jak341 wrote:

stlrtruck wrote:

Rotate RBs so there are fresh legs in every couple of plays.  Between Williams, Touissant, and Truman, we should be able to wear down their front 7.

Keep Heath on the radar.  Ben rarely throws the deep ball to him, and Heath is usually 7-10 yards down field.  Keep the defense honest, Ben is going to have to chuck the ball a few times (even if it hurts a wee bit).

Defense has to be beyond lights out.  So lights out, they turn the lights on.

Wasn't Williams officially ruled out?

yep, he is out

Or how about Tomlin takes a page from the Bill Cowher playbook and rotates QB's like Cowher did with Tomczak and Kordell?

If Ben is only good for 10 or 20 yard passes, use either Jones or Vick to get the team down to the Red Zone and then put Ben in to close the deal.  
Dever would be like "What?" and we might be able to catch them off guard.

I figure that since there's no tomorrow, you gotta do whatever you can to get it done and if it works, we're on to the AFCC where we'll be a lot healthier.

FanSince72 wrote:

Or how about Tomlin takes a page from the Bill Cowher playbook and rotates QB's like Cowher did with Tomczak and Kordell?

If Ben is only good for 10 or 20 yard passes, use either Jones or Vick to get the team down to the Red Zone and then put Ben in to close the deal.  
Dever would be like "What?" and we might be able to catch them off guard.

I figure that since there's no tomorrow, you gotta do whatever you can to get it done and if it works, we're on to the AFCC where we'll be a lot healthier.

No, Vick will go 3 and out the entire game and Landry Jones will 4 TD's for the other team. If ben's healthy enough to play, he plays

jak341 wrote:

stlrtruck wrote:

Rotate RBs so there are fresh legs in every couple of plays.  Between Williams, Touissant, and Truman, we should be able to wear down their front 7.

Keep Heath on the radar.  Ben rarely throws the deep ball to him, and Heath is usually 7-10 yards down field.  Keep the defense honest, Ben is going to have to chuck the ball a few times (even if it hurts a wee bit).

Defense has to be beyond lights out.  So lights out, they turn the lights on.

Wasn't Williams officially ruled out?

Was unaware of that at time of post. So now we just rotate Touissant and Truman. Stick with T-n-T and blow the broncos defense up.