Well done. Very well done.Ice storm in Kansas City
Late night plane trip
Flu virus
Brown video
Fire Alarm
Unknown TBA Pats Shenenigans
Refs
Also really liked this one, for what in retrospect was arguably the biggest play of the game.Harmon for not quitting on the almost Steelers TD and meeting James at the line.
That drive was fantastically called - although I'm sure we'd be screaming about McDaniels being too cute if it hadn't worked out. That throw to Hogan was terrible though.and the drive that ended in the flea flicker had 3-4 really creative plays mixed in. [Including a double fake handoff that resulted in an incomplete pass when Brady missed Hogan, but it was otherwise beautiful in design and execution.] I'm so glad McDaniels didn't have any worthwhile jobs to take..
Fans, for not getting together a more coherent "Where Is Roger?" chant?Better question is who was bad?
This. In the game thread someone called it a methodical ass-kicking which seems exactly right. Everyone did their job and the lead grew to a very comfortable margin by the end.Better question is who was bad? Malcolm Mitchell could have hauled in that 3rd down pass? Thuney could have blocked a little better? They could have gotten more heat on Ben? Really as flawless of a game as you could possibly imagine.
Announce crew praised him, but I thought Ryan had a rough game. Made a few plays, as well, but maybe even those are penalties with a different crew.Better question is who was bad? Malcolm Mitchell could have hauled in that 3rd down pass? Thuney could have blocked a little better? They could have gotten more heat on Ben? Really as flawless of a game as you could possibly imagine.
Honestly, I thought the Pats pass rush was all but worthless today. Ended up not mattering but Rothlisberger had all day on just about every drop back.Better question is who was bad? Malcolm Mitchell could have hauled in that 3rd down pass? Thuney could have blocked a little better? They could have gotten more heat on Ben? Really as flawless of a game as you could possibly imagine.
I think that was sort of by design. They didn't want the D-line to commit, to penetrate too far upfield. From what I could tell, at least in the first half it seemed to be that their job was just to maintain position, clog up the holes. They knew Roth was not a threat to run. The D ends stayed in position for contain, to keep Roth from sliding side to side.Honestly, I thought the Pats pass rush was all but worthless today. Ended up not mattering but Rothlisberger had all day on just about every drop back.
But couldn't you turn that around and say that Ryan was smart enough to realize that the refs were allowing tough defense so he altered his game accordingly?Announce crew praised him, but I thought Ryan had a rough game. Made a few plays, as well, but maybe even those are penalties with a different crew.
Except Slater's tackles rarely blow a guy up like Jones's did on that second kickoff. And his one arm takedown of Brown with a full head of steam was also impressiveJonathan Jones brought some serious heat on special teams with three tackles and was beating blocks all night. Mini-Slater.
In what sense...simply that everyone should get one?Did anyone mention James Develin yet? He gets a game ball from me.
Also, with the way Bell runs, if you push too far too fast and don't just clog the lanes, Bell (had he not LaDainian Tomlinson'd) would have danced into the holes and taken off.I think that was sort of by design. They didn't want the D-line to commit, to penetrate too far upfield. From what I could tell, at least in the first half it seemed to be that their job was just to maintain position, clog up the holes. They knew Roth was not a threat to run. The D ends stayed in position for contain, to keep Roth from sliding side to side.
I guess, but he was toasted on one of the plays and was scrambling to get back. I don't think there was much thought process into it, he was just reacting to catch up to his receiver. He got there early with his back turned. PI by definition, though it wasn't some blatant must call.But couldn't you turn that around and say that Ryan was smart enough to realize that the refs were allowing tough defense so he altered his game accordingly?
Yes, but also he had more receptions and yards than Malcolm Mitchell.In what sense...simply that everyone should get one?
It might have been a shutout if Bell had played the whole game. They looked incredibly well-prepared for him. The change to Williams was the only spark they got on offense, however brief.Two small observations I thought were interesting.
First, although Bell was only in the game briefly I think you could see how they were going to try to defend him at the line and it was an interesting wrinkle. It almost seemed like they were battling Bell's trademark patience by having the d-line be exceedingly patient themselves. Rather than having Hightower or Roberts crash the line, I recall the defensive line almost passively engaging with the Steelers o-line because they they knew Bell likes to hesitate behind the line until a hole (or sliver of a hole) opens up for him. Chung was almost in a linebacker type role filling in the gap where they wanted to run. I think they would have done a good job on him over the course of the game had he not gotten injured.
Second, after last year's Stork head bobbing debacle, I thought their use of snap count cadence was interesting. For the entire game they used a slightly delayed snap cadence where Brady would give a hard GO and the snap would come about a half second later. Against a young, inexperienced, and poorly coached defense it seemed to keep them off balance and unable to time the snap.
I've heard of playing contain on guys who can run; I've never heard of playing it on guys who can't. And Roethlisberger had plenty of room to move in the pocket, and did at times. And I don't care what the approach is, zero sacks on 47 dropbacks is terrible. But the DL did a great job against the run. Bell being out helped, sure, but Williams is a pretty good RB and they held him to 14 carries for 34 yards.I think that was sort of by design. They didn't want the D-line to commit, to penetrate too far upfield. From what I could tell, at least in the first half it seemed to be that their job was just to maintain position, clog up the holes. They knew Roth was not a threat to run. The D ends stayed in position for contain, to keep Roth from sliding side to side.
Must not have appreciated post-game panel on CBS -- with Cowher (of all people) saying Pats dominated line play on offense and defense.It's funny to me in how a lot of the commentary I'm reading today there are words like surgical and precise to describe the Pats domination. Nothing about passion, hard-hitting, Jones knocking a guy flying onto his ass, Blount leading a rugby scrum to the 1 yard line. Of course they're more disciplined (watching 4 members of the Steelers secondary cover no one while Hogan is standing wide open in the end zone was comical). But the Pats were also tougher. It's as if sports commentators can't move beyond their own cliches: Steelers=tough; Pats=surgical. Analysis=cliche.
That was me. There was a little bit of flash during that game (not as much as in ATL/GB), but generally it was a 60 minute, end to end ass kicking.This. In the game thread someone called it a methodical ass-kicking which seems exactly right. Everyone did their job and the lead grew to a very comfortable margin by the end.
Brady made one really bad throw on the fake end around, where he threw it behind a wide open Amendola. Would have gone for 20+. Other than that he was pretty much perfect.Brady's numbers were great, but he was even better than the numbers. There were 3-4 drops, a spike, a couple throwaways, the play where Mitchell should have but couldn't tap his feet in bounds - he only made a couple off throws all night. The closest he came to throwing a pick was the ball that went through Mitchell's hands. Steelers defenders were credited with zero pass breakups as a team.
racistYou're right. I don't know why but I often mix up Hogan, Amendola and Edelman.
I thought it was a terrible decision by Hogan on that play. He kept running straight into the safety's path for no reason.Yeah it was Hogan he threw behind. I think Tom threw it exactly where he wanted to on that one, he just thought Hogan was going to sit in the zone and instead he kept moving.
Agree with all of this. On the bolded, it seemed more often to be guys missing assignments than getting physically blown up as there were just guys straight up unblocked in the backfield. Curious what the Steelers were doing up front.I've heard of playing contain on guys who can run; I've never heard of playing it on guys who can't. And Roethlisberger had plenty of room to move in the pocket, and did at times. And I don't care what the approach is, zero sacks on 47 dropbacks is terrible. But the DL did a great job against the run. Bell being out helped, sure, but Williams is a pretty good RB and they held him to 14 carries for 34 yards.
Sort of similar on the other side of the ball - the pass protection was pretty good most of the day, excepting the play where Hargrave ate Thuney's lunch, but they could not get the Steelers blocked up in the run game at all. Someone was in the backfield hitting the RB behind the LOS almost every play. It was ugly.
Brady's numbers were great, but he was even better than the numbers. There were 3-4 drops, a spike, a couple throwaways, the play where Mitchell should have but couldn't tap his feet in bounds - he only made a couple off throws all night. The closest he came to throwing a pick was the ball that went through Mitchell's hands. Steelers defenders were credited with zero pass breakups as a team.
All y'all white people look alike!You're right. I don't know why but I often mix up Hogan, Amendola and Edelman.
I thought Brady just made a bad throw behind him.I thought it was a terrible decision by Hogan on that play. He kept running straight into the safety's path for no reason.
It was a bad throw, but I doubt that play is designed so that if Hogan is wide open in a zone, he should keep running straight into coverage.I thought Brady just made a bad throw behind him.
Anyone have a video/GIF of this play?It was a bad throw, but I doubt that play is designed so that if Hogan is wide open in a zone, he should keep running straight into coverage.
I just don't understand this perspective. Sacks are a means to an end - screwing up the passing game.I've heard of playing contain on guys who can run; I've never heard of playing it on guys who can't. And Roethlisberger had plenty of room to move in the pocket, and did at times. And I don't care what the approach is, zero sacks on 47 dropbacks is terrible. But the DL did a great job against the run. Bell being out helped, sure, but Williams is a pretty good RB and they held him to 14 carries for 34 yards..
Nantz or Simms mentioned the physicality too towards the end of the game (as terrible as they are).Must not have appreciated post-game panel on CBS -- with Cowher (of all people) saying Pats dominated line play on offense and defense.
My first thought was bad throw, but on replay I wondered if Brady threw it back shoulder/behind him, so that Hogan wouldn't get blown up by the lurking DB.It was a bad throw, but I doubt that play is designed so that if Hogan is wide open in a zone, he should keep running straight into coverage.
The defense playing well overall and the pass rush being fairly poor are not mutually exclusive.I just don't understand this perspective. Sacks are a means to an end - screwing up the passing game.
They took a top 10 NFL offense and held them to 9 points during the meaningful part of the game. They did that by dropping lots of guys back into coverage, doubling some of the better options, blanketing the receivers, and occasionally blitzing. They forced Ben to decide between non-productive checkdowns, and risky throws downfield into double coverage.
Sometimes he took the checkdowns, and the offense moved a bit until a play got blown up. Sometimes he took the shots downfield (and got picked on one, and had a couple other picks dropped).
He ended up 16/22 for 136 yards in the first half. That's 8.5 yards per completion and 6 yards per attempt. (Ben:11.5 ypc, 7.5 ypa on the season).
6.2 YPA is Blake-fucking-bortles - only Bortles put up 10.5 Ypc. They turned Roethlisberger into a more checkdown-y version of Blake Bortles and people are upset they didn't sack him more?
He had deep shots against single coverage, they just didnt hit them. That's fine, the Pats neutralized Brown and the running backs and that's the right approach to beating the Steelers, the secondary options were pretty bad. I dont really understand the confusion though, I dont think 2 hurries on 47 passes or whatever was the production the coaching staff was looking for. It was a good defensive effort overall though.I just don't understand this perspective. Sacks are a means to an end - screwing up the passing game.
They took a top 10 NFL offense and held them to 9 points during the meaningful part of the game. They did that by dropping lots of guys back into coverage, doubling some of the better options, blanketing the receivers, and occasionally blitzing. They forced Ben to decide between non-productive checkdowns, and risky throws downfield into double coverage.
Sometimes he took the checkdowns, and the offense moved a bit until a play got blown up. Sometimes he took the shots downfield (and got picked on one, and had a couple other picks dropped).
He ended up 16/22 for 136 yards in the first half. That's 8.5 yards per completion and 6 yards per attempt. (Ben:11.5 ypc, 7.5 ypa on the season).
6.2 YPA is Blake-fucking-bortles - only Bortles put up 10.5 Ypc. They turned Roethlisberger into a more checkdown-y version of Blake Bortles and people are upset they didn't sack him more?
I missed that. One reaches the point where the mute button must be activated.Nantz or Simms mentioned the physicality too towards the end of the game (as terrible as they are).
Josh and Matty P coming back next year. LOL NFL. This is like the 03-04 Pats. Let's win 3 outta 4 again. Then Josh and Matty P can leave and TB12 and BB can retire