01-16-2020, 11:09 PM
In all facets James Conner Jersey , the Steelers’ 3-pronged ILB rotation is a disaster waiting to happen Well, it seems the Steelers indeed will be without Vince Williams against the Atlanta Falcons at home on Sunday. Williams has been an incredibly underwhelming presence on the defense, and I dare say he’s currently playing himself right out of a starting job, should one of his three understudies step up.But that would imply this experiment might possibly prove to be a positive. After all, there are three hungry linebackers who want their shots at getting more snaps once Williams returns to the fold. Maybe these guys will offer something Williams does not, and they might at least somewhat remedy an ailing defense as it goes against a top-5 offense in the NFL. Unfortunately for us all, the Steelers’ coaches not only ignore the shortcomings of these backups, which cause the idea to be so horrendous, but they also refuse to watch the tape, to give them an idea of the guys who ought to be playing. It seems that’s a huge issue with the Steelers’ current coaching staff. Offensively, it’s curious how the Steelers never use play-action when it works every time they run it. Or why not give Jaylen Samuels some opportunities to play when James Conner and Stevan Ridley are getting stuffed? In the case of their linebackers, though, it’s why not give Matthew Thomas and L.J. Fort all the snaps after what they’ve shown on tape.If anyone watched tape from the Ravens game, they’d see that, in relief of Vince Williams, L.J. Fort actually played pretty well. Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora broke down in two GIFs how L.J. Fort made a difference in the run game right away. Fort makes two excellent reads and navigates through traffic well on both. The rip on the first one is particularly well done. That’s what they call ‘getting skinny.’ On both plays, you can see Fort has the athletic ability that the Steelers have been missing. His range allows him to make those plays and, if anything, he deserves more snaps for plays like this. But instead https://www.thesteelerslockerroom.com/au...nds-jersey , he’s shunned to the sub-packages for Tyler Matakevich in base. The most egregiously non-athletic ILB in the NFL is going to be the one you want covering running plays and going into the flat to deal with Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman? That’s not going to work, and this ‘sprinkling in’ of Matthew Thomas needs to be in higher doses. We know Thomas is a raw project, but this team needs some athletic play-making in the middle of the defense.Who offers that? Matthew Thomas and L.J. Fort — so play them. Unfortunately, personnel decisions aren’t the only reason why this is a terrible idea. Since we all know it should be Fort and Thomas getting the bulk of the playing time, why are we rotating three ILBs in the first place? First off, the Special Teams is already hurting heavily with two of its top-3 players down for the count this week. Nat Berhe is done for the season with a torn pectoral muscle and Darrius Heyward-Bey is out with an ankle injury. If Matakevich happens to get injured, and he is a great special-teamer, you’ll be down your three core special-teamers. Not exactly what I’d like to see. But even more importantly, you’re now running two councils — one of four guys at CB2 and three now at ILB. In the past two weeks during which you employed that CB2 council, there were frequent instances of 12 men on the field and 10 men on the field. Personnel didn’t know the play call on many occasions. So now you suddenly think this will change because of this rotation?I highly doubt it and I predict more 12-men-on-the-field penalties this week. You are without your two main communicators on the defense in Vince Williams and Morgan Burnett. Those two are the guys that would communicate the defense if you will. Who does that now?It will likely have to be either Cam Heyward or Joe Haden, which means your main means of communication will never be in the middle of the field. If it happens to be Sean Davis, the young kid ought to be focusing on his improvement at FS — not worrying about handling communication on top of it. And if it’s Jon Bostic — well how do we even know he’s ready to call plays from a playbook he picked up about five months ago?Disarray is going to be afoot on the Steelers’ defense this week and possibly worse than ever. In terms of communication, Mike Tomlin and Keith Butler better have their straps buckled in tight. They’ll need it. Bracketing the best teams in the past 50 years of Pittsburgh Steelers history never to win a title. Who do you consider the "Best of the Rest" between the 1972 Steelers and the 1992 version?"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Latest NewsSteelers Film Room2018 NFL Draft AnalysisLatest NewsLatest NewsFeatures and Long FormPittsburgh Steelers March Madness: The Best of the Rest featuring No. 4 seed 1972 vs. No. 13 seed 1992New,5commentsBracketing the best teams in the past 50 years of Pittsburgh Steelers history never to win a title. Who do you consider the “Best of the Rest” between the 1972 Steelers and the 1992 version?EDTShareTweetShareSharePittsburgh Steelers March Madness: The Best of the Rest featuring No. 4 seed 1972 vs. No. 13 seed 1992BTSC continues to search for the best and most-memorable Steeler team to not win a title. Last time around, you voted the 2017 team of dysfunction over the rootable 2002 Steelers with Tommy Maddox at the helm. It was a closer margin than most.No. 3 - 2017: Team Turmoil- 57%No. 14 - 2002: Tommy’s got a gun - 43%This time around we pit the team that started it all against the team that got the ball rolling again a lot quicker than most expected. Be sure to vote for the team that remains the most memorable to you or the one you feel is simply the “best of the rest”. Your choice. Be sure to wax poetically in the comment section below. No. 4 Seed: 1972 (11-3) Immaculately sewing the seeds of a dynastyThe fourth season of Chuck Noll’s rebuilding of the once-moribund franchise was the edition that showed that his blueprint was starting to take shape. The Steelers improved from a 6-8 record (second in the AFC Central) in 1971 to division title and a mark of 11-3. The Steelers got a boost from their first-round pick out of Penn State, Franco Harris. No. 32 rushed for 1,055 yards and totaled 11 TDs (ten rushing/one receiving). Franco was also a phenomenon for the fans in Three Rivers. Frenchy Fuqua chipped in with four TDs. Terry Bradshaw went 11-3 as a starter and started to make strides, but still struggled at times with only 12 TDs vs. 12 INTs. The Blonde Bomber’s top receivers were Ron Shanklin and Roy Jefferson. On defense, Joe Greene was becoming an absolute force. Johnstown’s Jack Ham was as well with seven picks and four fumble recoveries. Mike Wagner tallied six interceptions Womens Terrell Edmunds Jersey , while Andy Russell added four fumble recoveries as well. After starting the season 2-2, Noll’s team won nine of ten to close out the regular season. In the playoffs, their first appearance in 35 years, the team achieved the greatest play of all-time. All I have to write is “Immaculate Reception” and nothing more. In their first AFC Championship, the team succumbed to undefeated Miami. But the seeds had been sewn for greatness that fateful year.Pro Bowlers: Henry Davis, Roy Gerela, Joe Greene, Franco Harris, Andy Russell, Dwight WhiteFirst-Team All Pros: Joe GreeneSecond-Team All Pros: Roy Gerela, Franco Harris, Andy RussellTeam MVP: Franco HarrisFirst Round Selection: Franco HarrisNo. 13 Seed: 1992 (11-5) Cowher Power is BornBill Cowher’s inaugural season was supposed to be a painful rebuild, but nobody told the likes of Rod Woodson, Most media outlets figured them for a 4-12 team, but the Steelers played in the image of the gutsy Cowher and improved their record from 7-9 in ‘91 to a robust 11-5. Leading the way that year on offense was O’Donnell, Jeff Graham (711 receiving yards and Foster with his (still) single-season record of 1,690 yards rushing. No. 29 also had 11 TDs that campaign. On defense Terrell Edmunds Jersey White , Woodson was dominant with four interceptions and six sacks. Other defensive leaders included Lloyd (6 1/2 sacks), rookie Darren Perry (six picks) and DJ Johnson (five picks).1992 started against a possible Super Bowl team, the Houston Oilers, in their aptly-nicknamed stadium...the House of Pain. Down 14-0 early, the Steelers roared back to win 29-24. The game featured a fake punt that rattled the Astrodome crowd, five interceptions of Warren Moon (one from Woodson) and 107 yards on the ground by Foster. The season’s first loss came in Green Bay during the debut of Brett Favre in Week 4. The Steelers started out 10-3, but an O’Donnell leg fracture against Seattle in Week 14 stymied offensive production as Bubby Brister struggled to a 1-2 record in their final three contests. O’Donnell returned for the No. 1 seeds in the AFC Divisional playoffs at Three Rivers, but the Buffalo Bills were way too much for the Steelers in a 24-3 loss. Despite the quick exit, Steeler Nation felt a rebirth instead of a rebuild.Pro Bowlers: Dermontti Dawson, Barry Foster, Carlton Haselrig, Greg Lloyd, Neil O’Dinnell, Rod Woodson First-Team All Pros: Barry Foster, Rod WoodsonTeam MVP: Barry FosterFirst Round Selection: Leon SearcyRookie of the Year: Darren Perry