Happy Friday to yinz.
Well, two weeks left until the first Pittsburgh Steelers training camp practice of 2019 and four weeks from tonight the team will play their first preseason game. I am so ready for this slow cycle to end and I bet most of yinz feel the same.
Wifey and I made it up to the Carson City/Reno/Virginia City/Lake Tahoe area last weekend and spent two full days bouncing around the area and seeing the sights. It was a a 7.5 hour drive each way, but well worth it. If you get a chance to vacation in that area, do it, as you won’t be disappointed. It was good for me to get away one last time before football season gets underway as I’m about to be working nonstop until February. Don’t cry for me, however, I’m not complaining.
My blood cell count levels are back where they need to be for now so that’s a good sign, Hopefully I am done with the doctors for a little bit longer. I still have to go get poked often, but that takes just 5 minutes and I go at 5 AM when I need to. I’m usually gone just 30 minutes.
It looks like a hurricane will hit around New Orleans on Saturday and if you live in that area, please be safe. I lived on the Gulf Coast for 45 years and I don’t miss it one bit. I miss some of the fresh seafood and nothing else. I went through way too many hurricanes and stressed about several others hitting.
Ok, as usual, In have five questions for yinz to answer during this quiet July Friday night and it should take just a few minutes to post them in the comments. Please participate if you read this post tonight.
Have a safe and prosperous weekend and thank yinz for visiting the site this past week. Despite it being the slowest part of the offseason, site traffic numbers haven’t been bad at all. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Peace and love, peace and love!
DB
1 – Last season Steelers tight end Vance McDonald played 50.5% of all offensive snaps that were run. Will McDonald top 59% in 2019?
2 – Name the players from the list below who will sign contract extensions prior to the start of the 2019 regular season:
Joe Haden
Javon Hargrave
Sean Davis
Mike Hilton
B.J. Finney
3 – How many teams in the AFC North will finish with a record of better than 8-8 in 2019 and how many of those teams will win more than 10 games?
4 – Does it bother you any when Steelers players make grand entrances on reporting day at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe?
5 – Last season against the New England Patriots the Steelers offense used their 00 personnel grouping (5 wide receivers) on 14 total plays. Will they use that personnel grouping at least 12 times in their Week 1 2019 game against the Patriots?
Recap of 3 Weeks Before 2019 Training Camp Friday Night Questions
Question 1: Steelers Depot respondents love Vance “Vanimal” McDonald but continue to worry about his injury history. As a result, 72% believe Donte Moncrief will have more receptions than the Vanimal in 2019. Let’s hope both have stellar seasons.
Question 2: The New England Patriots are viewed as the toughest road game in 2019. A trip to west coast California Chargers and then the road game in Baltimore are the next two toughest. It was a toss-up between the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers in the middle. The New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals are 6, 7, & 8 respectively.
Question 3: After losing 1st Team All-Pro caliber wide receiver & running back; Steelers Depot respondents named 10 of 16 players on the defensive side of the ball. Safety Derwin James (50%) & linebacker Von Miller (45.8%) were by far the most popular AFC players we would like to see wearing the Black & Gold. Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (20.8%) and tight end Travis Kelce (16.7%) were the two most frequently named AFC offensive players.
Question 4: We believe JuJu Smith-Schuster will go over 500 yards receiving anywhere from the 4th to 7th game in 2019. The median response was that it would occur in the 6th game. But if we look at the average of all responses; JuJu should make the reception that takes him over 500 yards receiving will be in 9 minutes into the 4th quarter of the 5th game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Question 5: Donnie Shell was the overwhelming favorite to Depot respondents would name to the Pro Football Hall of Fame over LC Greenwood and Andy Russell even if it meant they would have to wait 10 more years to be considered. He got 85.7% with Greenwood the only other former Steeler great mentioned. Andy Russell may suffer from name recognition since he began his career in 1963 – before many current fans were born. He does have two Super Bowl rings and was a 7-time Pro Bowler even with having his career interrupted by two years of military service after his rookie season. Greenwood, famous with his golden shoes, was a charter member of the Steel Curtain drafted the same year as Joe Greene. He was a first team all-pro twice and a 6-time pro bowler.
