Ramon Foster struggled in Saturday’s game (Photo Credit: vader29)
Tidbits I saw while rewatching the game. Lot to cover so let’s hop to it.
First Half
– First team KR. Dunn return man, Kashif Moore the upback. Dwyer and Will Johnson forming the two man “wedge”. Also on the unit were: Slyvester, Paulson, Vince Williams, Marshall McFadden, Cromartie-Smith, Chris Carter, and Brian Arnfelt.
– Michael Palmer started the game in a 2 TE set with Paulson. Paulson obviously the #1 though.
– Nothing special for the game but just something I’ve read about before that I saw in the game. Simple blocking rule for WRs. If it’s a “Sky” look with the safety walking down int he box and less depth than the CB, crackback on him. If not, stalk block the WR. Pictures.
– Really strong first punch by Cullen Jenkins on Foster on the first sack of the game. Mike Adams also exposed his chest and got walked into the pocket.
– Markus Wheaton, Shamarko Thomas your first team gunners. Robert Golden the upback. Also on first team punt coverage: Cromartie-Smith, McFadden, Will Johson, Slyvester, Baron Batch, Carter.
– When in nickel, Gay moved to the slot and Victorian played on the outside.
– Troy covering RB Andre Brown who split out wide on Giants 3rd and Goal on first possession.
– Dwyer didn’t see the field until after Howling’s 10th play and 12th play of the game. LASH only played in two more plays before leaving the game permanently.
– Sanders 14 yard gain: Motion him to a nasty split, comes under Pauslon for a free release on a drag route.
– Bad string of plays near end of first team offense’s final drive. Five plays. Three of them? Timeout, miscommunication between Ben and Brown and another timeout. Oh preseason…
– First team FG kick. Suisham, Butler the holder. L-R. Paulson, Titupou, Beachum, DeCastro, Warren, Foster, Gilbert, Adams, Carter
– 3rd and 9 on Giants second possession. No Steeler had their hand down. Overload blitz with Ike at bottom of picture. Unfortunately, pass complete for a 16 yard gain to Randle. Still, was cool to see a spry Brett Keisel run him down.
– Still hard to tell what broke down on Cruz’s TD. Cover 2, two verticals to the open side (divide route concept for the safety, tough to play both). Gay did get beat though tough to matchup with the speedy Cruz.
– Malecki replaced Pouncey at C. Wheaton and Gilreath 1st WRs in to replace AB, Sanders.
– Wheaton moved to the slot when Justin Brown came in with 11 personnel.
– Wheaton tripped over Thomas on the play where he crashed into and injured Slyvester.
– Woods, Heyward 2nd team DE. Josh Victorian, Isaiah Green 2nd team CB. DCS/Golden safety, Golden SS. McFadden/Terrance Garvin ILB. Jones/Worilds OLB.
– Definitely worth noting that Sly tried to come back into the lineup three plays after he got hurt. Was in for one play than went to the sidelines and his day was done. Safe to assume he was trying to get his leg worked out on the sideline, came in to test it, then came back out. So he’s probably running ahead of Garvin, whose spot he took on the lone play he was in.
– Bad play from Dwyer. Dances, tries to bounce this run instead of going to the inside of Paulson.
Loses one on the play. Bleh.
– Golic Jr, Arnfelt, Cheadle a couple guys I saw on the backup FG unit.
– Cam Heyward sniffed out 3rd/1 screen, led to Jason Worilds sack.
– Hard to tell but it looked like Thomas was first team jammer and DCS, Green were double viced on the other side. Others on punt return. Dwyer, Carter, Baron Batch, Peter Titupou, Alan Baxter, Dunn as the PR.
– Second team offensive line: Whimper, Hubbard, Malecki, Cheadle, Beachum
– Backup offensive line in a nutshell. Gradkowski forced to run for his life. Whimper opens the gate (boxed in) Beachum in no man’s land, Cheadle doubling over, stunt leads to 3 Giants against 2 lineman up the A gap.
– Isaiah Green, Thomas gunners on punt right after two minute warning.
– Vince Williams came in at ILB following play. Paired with McFadden.
– Chris Carter replaced Worilds at OLB after he was pulled.
– Ramon Foster struggled in this game. Beat on the sack, got knocked to the ground in another instance in pass pro, played too high overall.
Second Half
– Kion Wilson started at ILB with Rolle. Fangupo and Arnfelt at NT, DE respectively.
– Secondary the same. DCS, Golden, Victorian, Green
– Shamarko Thomas played exclusively as the nickelback.
– OL for start of second half. Everything the same but Cheadle at C and Malecki at RG.
– Jones at QB, Batch RB (as we quickly found out). Moye, Brown WR. Titupou, Palmer TE.
– LeBeau was not vanilla this game. Still very aggressive. Fire stunts, attacked A gap. Love it but also a reason why some of the LBs and DL had so much success. Wreaks havoc on young lines that don’t have much chemistry. The Steelers’ line was terrible at picking up stunts, too. So bear that in mind.
– Devin Smith/Justin Brown, Derek Moye/Ryan Steed double vice gunners on punt return early in the 3rd.
– David Gilreath…don’t need to add anything else. Tomlin wants guys he can trust to secure the ball and make good decisions. He showed neither.
– Smith/Victorian gunners on first second half punt.
– Jarvis Jones dropping into coverage, jamming and stoning the TE.
By my notes, Jones dropped back five times in 42 snaps.
– Look! I’m Guy Whimper and I love to open my gate off the snap!
Point is, Whimper is terrible. D’Anthony Batiste not much better.
– Great job by Jarvis Jones on his 3rd down tackle to save a first down/big play. Stayed at home in coverage, saw the screen, fought through the block and made the tackle. Definitely flashed but needs to get lower bending around the edge so he doesn’t get pushed up the arc.
– Spotted Paulson on a punt return late in the third quarter. Doing it all.
– D’Anthony Batiste relieved Whimper at LT.
– Beachum pancaked on first play of first quarter. At RT.
Honestly, Beachum is valuable as a very versatile swingman, but he isn’t that good either. It’s not like he was an All-Star last year.
– Alvester Alexander replaced Batch.
– Devin Smith/Ryan Steed last pair of CBs to enter the game.
– FG kick unit after Robinson TD. Hrapmann K, Moorman P. Wilson, Titupou, Hubbard, Cheadle, Warren, Madsen, Golic Jr, Arnfelt, Malecki.
– Ta’amu looked explosive throughout the game. Good first step. Shot of him driving the center back a good three yards.
– JD Woods with a terrible choice of returning the kick nine yards deep and blowing through the upback’s stop sign. Blockers not prepared to block. Know he wants to make the team and show what he can do but coaching > instinct It gets you farther.
– Mike Farrell on kick return late in the game.
– Kashif Moore playing exclusively in the slot.
– Peter Titupou getting reps out of the backfield though mostly releasing into the flats.
– Cheadle’s snaps at center were constantly high.
– He and Chris Hubbard both played really high, no leverage in the game.
– Thought Alvester Alexander did pretty good in blitz pickup. Decent game from him.
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Documented kicks and punts. Distances and hangtimes.
Suisham: 3.84 (Out of End Zone) 3.60 (-8, TB)
Hrapmann: 3.85 (OEZ) 3.94 (-9, TB)
Butler: 4.36, (55 yards – penalty negated it) 3.28 (42) 4.76 (51)
Moorman: 4.45 (33), 5.40 (34), 4.20 (41), 4.45 (56)
For punts, I calculate the distance from the LOS to where the ball is caught/lands. Don’t count bounces, just air time.
Danny Smith considers an “NFL punt” to be 45 yards and have a hangtime of at least 4.2 seconds. That in mind, Butler had two. Moorman had one. But the 5.4 hangtime is really nice.
