Stinker for sure. Not anything we have not seen though over the last few weeks as teams have been taking everything underneath and been patient. Once the defensive backs cheat up, teams can homerun you.
It is obvious that teams work the out on Bryant McFadden and try to get William Gay on a slot guy with everyone else clearing out the center of the field. Tight end Rob Gronkowski looked like a Pro Bowler.
Tom Brady was very accurate, very patient and hardly felt any pressure all night. In a Dick LeBeau 3-4 defense, defensive ends are not known to get a ton of pressure, they surely didn\’t tonight and the blitzes poorly timed.
Until LeBeau gets better pressure, he can not let those corners play so far off.
Linebackers LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison were neutralized pretty good on the edges.
I thought Lawrence Timmons played well for the most part until he left with a hip pointer.
They ran well because the passing game was being respected. Safeties were scared and could not play up.
Outside of the first blitz pickup of the game, the left side of the offensive line with Jonathan Scott and Ramon Foster looked bad. I of course need to watch the film again for my weekly offensive line breakdown, but I am not expecting it to look pretty. I was so busy watching the left side, I hardly watched Trai Essex or Maurkice Pouncey.
Good god the drops by the receivers tonight and why does it always look like Antwaan Randle Elis always backpedaling while trying to make a catch?
Fullback David Johnson missed a few blocks for sure.
I understand why Mewelde Moore is spelling Rashard Mendenhall, but I do not like it. If the wheels fall off Mendenhall then we will have to draft another running back. Moore just is not the same threat on 1st and second down.
Yes Bruce Arians had 3 stinker play calls, with 1 being the draw. Not the reason the Steelers lost. Execution on offense was very poor. Playing catch up all night gets you out of your original plan. Saw Roethlisberger really look uncomfortable at times with some phantom pressure because of all the pressure he was under early on.
When Hines Ward went down it seemed to deflate the whole team. Sad to see his streak come to an end.
The final Roethlisberger stats are very inflated because of the late garbage yardage. Do not read too much into those numbers.
Oh boy Jeff Reed is so gone after the season. I really think it is in his head for sure.
Daniel Sepulveda has been average as well as of late, but 45.2 average is not too shabby.
Keenan Lewis had two special teams gaffs that I counted. One running out of bounds and being first to touch the ball and second was grabbing the onsides kick too soon.
I am seeing signs of Mike Wallace running better crossing routes although most numbers came late.
I can do without Emmanuel Sanders celebrating like that when we are way down. He missed a big hot read too in the game and I saw 2 other missed reads in the game. He is still a rookie for sure.
I saw Crezdon Butler on special teams, but he went out with a quad injury.
The defense was on the field a ton through 3 quarters.
Beaten by Wes Welker, Deion Branch, Gronkowski and Brady. It was that plain and simple.
Tony Hills played right tackle late to get some snaps so at least Flozell Adams got some rest.
