Personally I think Pittsburgh knows their defense is banged up and will try to run the ball against the Jets to keep the ball away from the Jets offense. They're going to play very much ball control here assuming from the Buffalo game that the Jets can't stop the run. They are going to try and keep Mark Sanchez on the sideline. Not knowing exactly who the Jets recievers are but knowing that they lit the Bills up last week the Steelers are going to err on the side of caution and try to control the clock in this game. They're shooting for a low scoring 13 -10 type victory here. Their line can't protect Big Ben so I don't see them trying to go 40+ passes in this one. For once the roles are reversed in this game. The Steelers fear the Jets passing game... Their only option is to try and limit the Jets possessions by controlling the clock. They will not be successful... Jets 24 Steelers 13
I only see Pitt play as much as your average fan, which means when my team plays them or when they are on Sunday or Monday night. I wouldn't even necessarily bother to watch them if they played the Giants, which they rarely do, and even all the time when they do get those night games. And of course in the playoffs. But they almost always do come out swinging no matter their record. The exception was against Denver in the playoffs, when they looked like a bunch of imposters. Ben was hurt, so that was a factor, but without counting on it continuing, you have to wonder whether they really are the same top tier team many just assume they will continue to be indefinitely. Losing the opener after that disgraceful playoff loss has to have some of their fans worried.
I can see why a fan would be nervous after that opener but at the same time I think what that game really proved is that the Peyton Manning led Broncos are the real deal... they're going to be a scary team if Peyton stays healthy all year. The Jets won't have the advantage of the Colorado air or one of the greatest QBs of all time tearing apart the Steelers defensive scheme... the Jets are going to have to earn this much more through quality gameplanning and physical play as opposed to Peyton who picked them apart pre-snap. What concerns me is that I consider the Steelers to be one of the better coached teams in the NFL. Whenever you have a team that is as well coached as they are (fan overreactions to short term negativity aside) they'll usually be put in a position that gives them the best chance to succeed and this will show up if the Jets prove to be inconsistent like they'd been in the past.
Two things: Rashard Mendenhall had a full practice yesterday and will probably play on Sunday. He'll probably be limited and won't take that many snaps but it does indicate that the Steelers intend to try and run the ball in this one. As of yesterday Pouha is still limited in practice. Kendrick Ellis has filled in nicely though and it's good experience for him. Don't think Pouha starts in this one, maybe Week 3.
Limited practice could just be taking it easy on him. Pouha said he wanted and could have played last week if they really needed him. I think he plays this one if not might as well sit him for the Phins game too. Give him all the rest he needs.
i dont see pitt playing ball control unless is a situation where they pound the ball on the ground for big chunks and we cant stop them. big ben got sacked a ton each of the last 3 years and it didnt stop them from throwing they know there best chance to win is for ben to buy time and make plays down the field... and thats likely what it will come down to... how we stop ben, especially on third downs, throwing from outside the pocket and covering the tight ends. 48 points or not, i cant imagine pitt is scared to let sanchez on the field or scared to get in a shootout
http://www.ganggreennation.com/2012/9/14/3332244/player-injury-updates Mendenhall is unlikely to play still. Their backup RB did pretty well though last week from what I saw.
i dont think its that simple. we have seen sanchez have great starts before. consistency is an issue. didnt he start out with like 8TD and 1 int last year or the year before? great game, but he has alot to prove vs much better teams the next few weeks
Well the only problem is thier line is real real bad, and Ben got injured behind that line last season. I don't see them taking chances against this D on sunday. Even if Revis doesn't play and Cro gets shifted over to the #1 slot the Jets still have a formidable pass defense. The Steelers must be thinking the Jets can be run on after the Buffalo game, and it makes sense to go with what you think will work rather than what you think might not work. Again, I do not see the Steelers running more pass plays than run plays here. If they did I would be very surprised.
I love Ellis as well, but Pou'ha coming back means we'll probably see both in at the same time and see more 4 man fronts. This would be critical. We can't let Mendenhall do what Spiller did last week.
No way Pitt plays ball control. Banged up o-line and 3 banged up Rbs. They brought in Haley (who knows why) to go back to their run-first roots, but they have no choice but to pass-first with the personnel they have. Antonio Brown could have a huge day against us (assuming Revis covers Wallace)--dude is easily one of the most underrated WO's in the game.
Also, word is that they're still easing Mendenhall back into the offense and he could possibly sit out another week or two of games and get in game shape. Just conjecture, but the Steelers always do things differently
It will depend more on whether Polamalu and Harrison plays or not. Roethlisberger has been almost always terrible against Rex Ryan (2 TDs, 7 INTs, with 50+@% completion ratio) and I expect that to stay that way - meaning, it will be on the front seven to stop the run game. With that said, if Polamalu and Harrison (both didn't practice) cannot play, then Jets O will be that much better off. Like I said earlier, even with all the pieces, Steelers offense never scored more than 17 against Ryan's defense. With all the OLs so thoroughly banged up like they are, I find it hard to believe they will be able to do what they usually do *17 point act* much less anything better. Or it could be the total homer in me speaking -_-;;;
Ben has never had the passing weapons he has now, though. 2 elite WR's, solid TE, and Cotch and Sanders are both very good 3rd and 4th options.
WHen you look at the sets the Jets employed against the Bills on D, with Wilson out there most of the time and even six and seven db sets, was that a chicken and egg thing where it might have been Pouha's lack of availability leading to that, or is that how they wanted to defend the Bills, giving up more exposure to the run but attacking their passing game primarily? Not to digreess but Spiller seems to be one of the better backup RB's in the league right now. Would a hurt Mendenhall really do as well? Anyway, the key will likely be Revis, who now appears likely to play. I see a lot of posts here where people say it makes no big deal if he's out since Cro can move to the number one wr and Wilson plays opposite. Yeah, but then who's the nickel back? Lankster? Not yet a big fan, I am afraid. But if Revis is in there, I expect to see a D not much different than was there against Buffalo, with perhaps Pouha, if available, being out there more than Ellis was.
I dunno about Brown being elite. Wallace you could make the case for but its borderline. Both receivers were not top 10 last year in yards, TDs, or average. Both put up over 1100 yards, but Brown only had 2 TDs while Wallace had 8, same # as Santonio last year. In comparison Calvin Johnson had 16 TDs and 1600 yards. That's the definition of elite. Don't get me wrong, they are both excellent receivers. If Revis doesn't play Cotch and Sanders could pose problems. Mike Wallace I don't really see contributing all that much because of the hold out.
What you are missing is, Ben lost Hines Ward as well. This is rather critical. I do think current WR corps of the Steelers are very good receiving threat, but I do not think they are the kind of complex threat that Hines Ward was. Case in point; with Ward in the line up, Steelers could churn out yards after yards through the ground while in single-back trips formation. (That is, unbalanced 10 formation for the junkies, or passing formation with 1 RB and 4 WRs, for the laymen) The primary cause? Hines Ward. He was such a destructive force in the run blocking that, Steelers had no problem going with either option, depending on what look the defense gave on any particular play. If anything, the struggling ground game last week was a tell-tale sign of what they were missing. They no longer had that option to play whatever the defense was willing to concede. End result is, putrid production through the ground. True, it was the backups playing, in Mile High, of all places. Still, I do not think Mendenhall starting would have made that much difference in that situation.
