What's your biggest concern?

Offense or defense?

I'm not saying the sky is falling on either side of the ball. Just looking for some discussion.
We obviously have some concerns on both offense and defense, but I think defense is the bigger concern.

On offense, our biggest worry is the O-line, just as it is every year. And losing Colon doesn't help. But Ben has shown that he can play well behind a weak O-line. He's going to have to do it again this season, and I think he will.

I'm more concerned about the defense. All we heard during the offseason is how our D is old. I didn't buy into it, but damn they looked old and slow out there Sunday. Troy was nonexistent in the Super Bowl, but I chalked it up to him still being injured. But he was nonexistent against the Ravens as well. Are age and injuries catching up to him? Is the same true for Harrison, Smith, and Farrior?

Whatever the reason was, we couldn't stop the run, we couldn't get to Flacco, and McFadden couldn't cover anyone. It's easy to blame the players, but some of the blame goes to LeBeau. Our defense is built on pressuring the QB. We weren't doing it, so where were the exotic blitzes? For most of the game, it looked like we were playing a vanilla defense like we did in preseason. Ike was the only bright spot on the defense.

Yep.

The age issue aside, the Patriots created the blueprint for how to attack our defense. The Packers followed the blueprint in the Super Bowl, and now other teams are doing it as well. LeBeau needs to get it figured out ... fast.

Defense. When you can't stop the run OR the pass, you just aren't going to win many games. Hopefully this loss lights the needed fire under their collective ass and they turn it on next week against the Squawks like they did after their first abysmal preseason game against the Foreskins. They really turned it up in game 2 and were all over the field making plays. I'm still worried though.

I wasn't particularly worried about the loss until seeing that Colon is out for the season. Far too many good if not great teams have stumbled out of the block and gone on to do well to worry about one game. However, now that our line is going to be a complete patchwork mess again I'm getting concerned.

supytalpeht wrote:

I wasn't particularly worried about the loss until seeing that Colon is out for the season. Far too many good if not great teams have stumbled out of the block and gone on to do well to worry about one game. However, now that our line is going to be a complete patchwork mess again I'm getting concerned.

Do you ever notice that the more our line gets beat up and depleted, the better it actually gets? If we could just lose 2 or 3 more guys, we should be OK.

I wish they would just go ahead and start Gilbert. They didn't plan on starting Pouncey at center last year, but I'd say it worked out fairly well. Throw the kid in there and see what he can do. Seriously ... could he possibly do any worse?

Wallace108 wrote:

supytalpeht wrote:

I wasn't particularly worried about the loss until seeing that Colon is out for the season. Far too many good if not great teams have stumbled out of the block and gone on to do well to worry about one game. However, now that our line is going to be a complete patchwork mess again I'm getting concerned.

Do you ever notice that the more our line gets beat up and depleted, the better it actually gets? If we could just lose 2 or 3 more guys, we should be OK.

I wish they would just go ahead and start Gilbert. They didn't plan on starting Pouncey at center last year, but I'd say it worked out fairly well. Throw the kid in there and see what he can do. Seriously ... could he possibly do any worse?

I doubt he could be much worse by any means. However, I doubt he's strong enough or has the endurance to play a full pro-season. It seems that is frequently a problem with rookies, they're strong but no pro strong and they lack the endurance of minimum 16 game season. Gilbert's case isn't helped by him showing up to camp out of shape and overweight. You'll have too take my word for it on him being overweight because I don't have time at the moment to find the article again. In the article he admits too not taking his conditioning very seriously.

supytalpeht wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

supytalpeht wrote:

I wasn't particularly worried about the loss until seeing that Colon is out for the season. Far too many good if not great teams have stumbled out of the block and gone on to do well to worry about one game. However, now that our line is going to be a complete patchwork mess again I'm getting concerned.

Do you ever notice that the more our line gets beat up and depleted, the better it actually gets? If we could just lose 2 or 3 more guys, we should be OK.

I wish they would just go ahead and start Gilbert. They didn't plan on starting Pouncey at center last year, but I'd say it worked out fairly well. Throw the kid in there and see what he can do. Seriously ... could he possibly do any worse?

I doubt he could be much worse by any means. However, I doubt he's strong enough or has the endurance to play a full pro-season. It seems that is frequently a problem with rookies, they're strong but no pro strong and they lack the endurance of minimum 16 game season. Gilbert's case isn't helped by him showing up to camp out of shape and overweight. You'll have too take my word for it on him being overweight because I don't have time at the moment to find the article again. In the article he admits too not taking his conditioning very seriously.

I think I remember reading that, but I'm not sure. I'll take your word for it though. But it looks like he might get his chance after all.

Gilbert up next at RT?

With Colon out possibly for the rest of the season, the Steelers will have a new right tackle this Sunday when they host Seattle (0-1). As of right now, that appears to be rookie Marcus Gilbert, the Steelers' second-round pick in this year's draft.

Trai Essex, a versatile lineman who can play center, guard or tackle, could be a candidate at right tackle. But there is already speculation that he may be tried out at right guard this week and could replace Doug Legursky, who didn't play well against the Ravens.

There's also a chance the Steelers might re-sign either Flozell Adams or Max Starks

http://www.timesonline.com/sports/local_sports/colon-could-be-lost-for-season-gilbert-up-next-at/article_9da47721-1a75-5203-9cbb-68a95bd8e5ca.html

Well, it's official ...

Steelers rookie Gilbert gets nod at right tackle

With Willie Colon likely out for the season, the Steelers will turn to a rookie at right tackle.

Marcus Gilbert will make his first career start Sunday when the Seattle Seahawks visit Heinz Field for a 1 p.m. game.

Read more: Steelers rookie Gilbert gets nod at right tackle - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_756534.html#ixzz1XqzD5KB0
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I applaud the move. Now lets see if lightning can strike two years in a row.

Defense is my biggest concerned. They looked their age on Sunday. They looked slow, and out of place.

Wallace108 wrote:

Do you ever notice that the more our line gets beat up and depleted, the better it actually gets? If we could just lose 2 or 3 more guys (except Pouncey!), we should be OK.

Fixed it for you, you nipplehead!


P.S. BRING BACK THE HOTEL!!!

BGSU A Dub wrote:

I'm excited to see what the rookie can do.

We need the biggest improvement from the defense.

We need improvement all around!

I refuse too panic. We were done in by a perfect storm of shit which just magnified minor problems 100x.

supytalpeht wrote:

I refuse too panic. We were done in by a perfect storm of shit which just magnified minor problems 100x.

I'm not in panic mode yet.... just high alert.

Threat level orange, anyone?

I was ready to jump off a bridge Sunday night, but now I've got a better perspective.

I'm not going to panic yet. Yeah, we looked like absolute crap, but we got our asses handed to us last season by the Saints and Patriots and still made it to the Super Bowl. This game was a lot uglier, and it hurts more because it was against the Ravens, but I think we have to keep it in perspective. Our defensive players are only 8 months older than they were when they played in the Super Bowl. I don't think they all went from Super Bowl caliber to completely over the hill and useless in 8 months. And sure, our offensive line sucks. But when was the last season that it DIDN'T suck? And we have to figure that Ben isn't going to have too many games like he had against the Ravens.

Let's see what happens Sunday against the Seahawks before we even think about panicking.

Wallace108 wrote:

I was ready to jump off a bridge Sunday night, but now I've got a better perspective.

I'm not going to panic yet. Yeah, we looked like absolute crap, but we got our asses handed to us last season by the Saints and Patriots and still made it to the Super Bowl. This game was a lot uglier, and it hurts more because it was against the Ravens, but I think we have to keep it in perspective. Our defensive players are only 8 months older than they were when they played in the Super Bowl. I don't think they all went from Super Bowl caliber to completely over the hill and useless in 8 months. And sure, our offensive line sucks. But when was the last season that it DIDN'T suck? And we have to figure that Ben isn't going to have too many games like he had against the Ravens.

Let's see what happens Sunday against the Seahawks before we even think about panicking.

thats the spirit

we will be fine and we will win the divison

Honestly, I don't see the Steelers losing like that again all season. I almost feel bad for what's going to happen to the Seahawks on Sunday.

JonM229 wrote:

Honestly, I don't see the Steelers losing like that again all season. I almost feel bad for what's going to happen to the Seahawks on Sunday.

C'mon, Jon! Feel bad for the Squawks? They're even bigger whiners than the Ratbirds.