Browns no test for shaky defense

Bob,

This is one of those 'nervous' games. We should smoke the Browns, but with Minn up next week, will we be looking ahead?

As to that Viking game, now I REALLY wish Favre would've stayed retired.

Btw, if I were you, I'd negotiate something with Jerry M to give you $5 everytime a blogger spells Favre's name wrong. :=]

Bob - I think you may be switching Ryan Clark and Tyrone Carter. Carter is Polamalu's backup while Clark plays a different position. Small potatoes in the context though.

(Yikes!  Thanks.  -- Bob Smizik)

Bob,  Ryan Clark said something interesting in Ed's article  about the blitzes that ended the Detrioit game.  "Clark said "we dialed them up"

Does that mean they were curtailing the rush possibly because of Troy's absense? The thing I noticed is the huge amount of real estate between our defenders and the opponents receivers.

It seems as if our guys catch in traffic while the opponents are allowed to make the catch with a very soft cushion. Our defenders seem to hit the opposition very hard and they do make sure tackles but other than Ike Taylor the catches do not seem to be contested.

Also nothing is more irritating than  Willie Gay's dance routine after a stop. Particularly when they are trying to turn Duante Culpepper into ... well... Ben Roethlisberger.

How bout less dancing and a few more picks instead? Jes sayin.

Hopefully we won't ry to turn Derek Andersen into Drew Breeze. Troy can't get back fast enough.

Bob,

The defense---just the defense---has allowed only 15.6 points per game. They are playing very well. Add Ben's two pick-sixes and the ridiculous non-whistle on Logan's punt return v. San Diego and that's 21 points given away with the Steelers defense on the sidelines. This is where you allow statistics to confuse your argument. I would hope that you'd recognized that those 21 points equal an extra 4.2 points per game...quite a significant bump considering they've only played 5 games this season.

The defense is playing very well, but also note that those 21 points allowed by the offense and special teams have affected the defensive numbers considerably.

naje-

No doubt the points per game looks good, and this defense isn't a train wreck as some suggest, but the concern is allowing Cinci and 'da Bears to drive late in games to win those games.  A great defense (which we all think/thought we have shouldn't allow this.  

Bob -

I would be curious how many drops our WR's  have this season.  It seems like a lot.  I am too lazy to do the research, but I thought you might know.

(The Washington Post had this information:  - Bob Smizik)

The above was for the NFL. Below is the AFC leaders:

Thanks Bob !

Good information.  I thought Ward had more than 2 drops and Sweed should be on here, so I am not sure how accurate the Posts info is.

(Those numbers came from Stats, Inc. They were published by the Post.  Stats, Inc is pretty good but I would agree with you on Sweed.  I don't know what their definition of a drop is. -- Bob Smizik)

Bob & Crew,

The "shaky"defense may be due to the fact that Ben & Company seem to be able to quickly score at will, putting that D out on the field more. If the steelers can get comfortably ahead early in the Cleveland game it would be nice to see them work on their run game and get all the RB's involved in some smash mouth football. They need the work, the D needs a blow and for goodness sakes allow Polamolu another week to rest.

As far as late game defensive collapses it seems like a trend in the NFL these days. All the D-Backs seem to be giving large cushions and play in fear of the dreaded "ghost" interference call (see end of Jets vs. Dolphins last night.)

(The Steelers are fourth in the NFL in time of possession at 33:49. Last year they were sixth at 31:41, which means the defense is on the field less this year -- even if it doesn't seem that way. -- Bob Smizik)

Either their definition of a drop is so kind it is meaningless or they only count starting receivers-Swede surely has two. I also would have sworn Hines has more than two of what I would consider drops, but it is a very subjective statistic. With all that, it isn't good to see Santonio at the top of the list.  

The pass defense is way off not only to Polamalu being hurt -- it's off because McFadden's on Arizona now, too.

Burger in CA -

Not to deminish what McFadden contributed to the team, but I am not sure he was all that big of a loss.  I believe he was sharing time with Gay by the end of last season anyhow.

The D is just not getting the same pressure, especially from the edge that they did last year and they're not getting off the field on 3rd and long.  Last year the pressure was getting there quickly and the coverage was tighter because they didn't have to hold it as long.  Woodly in particular has been MIA

Alot of questions will be answered if the Steelers let the Brownies score 28 on us this weekend.

I doubt the Brownies are as bad as this past week makes it look. They did take the division leading Bungals to overtime, something neither the Steelers or Ravens did.

Again, this is a game we should win by three touchdowns but I said that last week too, and we were one play away from being tied in that one.

Are we expecting too much from the defense? Statistically, they are pretty solid, maybe not #1 but still very good. But what I see on the field, they seem suspect. So am I expecting too much? I feel like I expect the Steelers to shut out every opponent giving up 0 yards. But that is not realistic.

But they certainly are not what they were last year. Is it age? The D-Line is getting up there. Polamalu? Teams catching up to us? Or just proof that it is very very difficult to be the best in the NFL for long.

TOR,

Couldn't agree more. Either they are slower or have added a few Superbowl Party pounds, but the edge seems a smidgen slow.

Bob,

Do the stat's measure the amount of time the D spends on the field at the end of the game? I believe in years past it was our run game that was grinding down the opposing team, not our defense playing back on its heels. Not criticizing but I'd be interested to know?

(I've never seen those figures broken down by quarters. -- Bob Smizik)

@BFD-

McFadden was the one free agent I did not want to lose, but glad we didn't outpay what Arizona overpaid.  Although McFadden & Gay split time starting, the difference shows up in the nickel & dime packages, instead of having Ike, Bryant McF & Wm. Gay ALL on the field in the nickel D, we now have Ike, Gay & Ratliff (as it seems that Deshea can't even get on the field in the nickel).  Might be acceptable with Troy in the line-up, but doesn't seem like it with him out.

was just reported that Aaron Smith has a shoulder injury that is potentially significant...what I don't get is that Tomlin has already said that Ziggy Hood is not at the point where he needs to be to replace him???

Yes...I also caught the "dialed up" comment, Clark let slip.  I've the impression that Clark is one of the more cerebral players who's tuned into LeBeau's tactics.

Polamalu's absence (along with other defensive changes/aging from last year) may have caused a "domino" effect that has LeBeau "dialing back" the defense a bit more.  Maybe the  defense would even WORSE w/o LeBeau's game planning?

Either way, Troy's return can only improve matters....

FYI NOTE TO BOB SMIZIK and PG IT DEPT....You may wish to delete this note and/or forward to PG IT Dept Bob.  

I constantly have to re - sign in to post on this Blog after restarting Internet Explorer and each time I do check both of the "Remember Me" boxes, the one at the general PG sign in area and the one specfic to this Blog's comments.  This does not happen with other non-afilliated PG websites/blogs to which I post....my Internet Explorer is set to accept the cookie which should be sent in order to keep my signed in through an IE restart.  I am running Vista with SP 2 installed.....TX

 I don't think you can under estimate how big Woodley's drop off has hurt the defense. Not only are his sacks down but i remember him causing fumbles, and delivering 2-3 huge hits per game that made you look for the number of the guy making the hit. We need to get him going.

I think the way the NFL rates defenses is ridiculous. They use total yards in a game when they should be using yards per play such as yards per carry and yards per pass given up.

For instance, when the Chargers were in town the Steelers gave up I believe 274 years and 3 touchdowns up in like 17 minutes. If the Chargers had the ball for 30-32 minutes they would had about 550 yards or more.

They shouldn't reward defenses that have a good ball control offense.

As for Woodley, he better step it up with Smith being gone. He especially needs to re-think his constant wide pass rush on every play. He's starting to look like Jabaal Sheard. He'll need to stay in the gap and watch the run more, especially with the Vikings coming to town.

Re Aaron Smith injury: the last time he was hurt the Steelers were unable to stop the run, and even the best defensive coordinator in league history couldn't scheme around his absence. If the Brownies can have a successful day running the ball it will not bode well for the future.