Steelers biggest weakness...

[juck]

is the middle of the field,a good TE eats them up.I think Witten and Bennett are gonna be huge.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

is the middle of the field,a good TE eats them up.I think Witten and Bennett are gonna be huge.

I think their secondary is suspect. But their front-7 are HUGE, and they play so well that teams don't ever have enough time to test their secondary! If we can get past their front-7 - by running right at them and picking up their blitzes - then we can nullify their effectiveness; and as a rsult we will EXPLOIT their secondary.

 

[SteelManiac55]

According to whom?

Chris Cooley had the best performance from a TE this season against the Steelers with 8 catches for 78 yards. The Commanders still took a beating. Other than that, Kellen Winslow had 7 catches for 55 yards. Dallas Clark had a mediocre game against the Steelers. Antonio Gates took a beating. Kevin Boss had a mediocre game.

If this defense does have any weakness it would be more against the short underneath stuff. Quick passes can often negate the zany zone blitz schemes of Coach LeBeau. That's what the Patriots had always done successfully against the Steelers in the past - dink and dunk us all game long. It didn't work this last game though (partially because Tom Brady was missing and also partially because we sustained pressure the entire game). While this defense is very fast they are also very aggressive which leaves some of the underneath stuff vulnerable. This has been cured a bit this season with both safeties staying healthy.

 

[LearningToFly]

Really? I haven't really noticed that this year. Just checking some numbers real quick of how they did this year against some of the leagues top tight ends...

Kellen Winslow - 7 catches for 55 yards, 0 TDs
Antonio Gates - 2 catches for 10 yards, 0 TDs
Dallas Clark - 3 catches for 24 yards, 1 TD
Chris Cooley - 8 catches for 78 yards, 0 TDs
Owen Daniels - 3 catches for 33 yards, 0 TDs

That averages out to about 4.5 catches and 40 yards a game. Not to mention, in that Monday nighter against the Commanders most of Cooley's catches came in the 4th quarter in garbage time. Through three quarters he had 4 catches for 24 yards. I don't think tight ends have been a huge problem for the Steelers. Lawrence Timmons is a very solid LB in coverage and Polamalu will do some shadowing here and there. But Witten is the best tight end they have gone up against and I expect him to get his. I don't think he'll be giving another performance like what he had against the Seahawks though.

 

[LucaBrasi]

They're gonna have to give Flozell and Columbo help with Harrison and Woodley. That might involve Bennett and even Witten on occasion.

 

[DasTex]

O-line and Big Ben's feet

 

[juck]

another weakness is thier OLINE blows.Max starks is the LT and is putrid.Ben is constantly avoiding pressure.

 

[SteelManiac55]

O-line and Big Ben's feet

More like offensive line and Big Ben's head. He's pretty mobile and rivals just about any QB with his ability to avoid the rush. He's not a great scrambler by any means but he navigates around the pocket as well as anyone. I still think the Steelers need to roll him out more often as he tends to play best when on the run. Ben isn't a pocket QB but Bruce Arians is trying to turn him into one.

Ben holds on to the ball longer than usual with hopes of striking a big play. Sometimes it works, sometimes it backfires. That is his style of play. It causes a few dumb decisions from time to time as well.

 

[ROMOSAPIEN9]

Steelers biggest weakness... ?

Antonio Ramiro Romo

 

[miamicowboy21]

I saw the pats run the DRAW play sucessfully a lot last week. Also Randy Moss dropped at least 3 balls. The steelers defense is great, but their will be some things available. Our WR's must win the mactup with there corners.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

It's their OL for sure. They give up sacks and pressures. Bad weather actually helps them here. Pittsburgh plays a Cover2 so they are going to have issues defending the middle of the field and the underneith stuff, depending on how their LBs get depth in passing situations. The reason Pittsburgh hasn't really been hurt all that bad by TEs this year is because they are so good against the run. When you can run the ball against this team, it makes the drops of the LBs a bit more shallow and takes just a little bit more time for the LBs to drop. That creates the inherrant hole in the Cover2 in the middle of the field. When you don't have success in the running game, those LBs play the pass better. This is the one game, IMO, that we will really miss Felix Jones in. His speed to the edge could really have dictated to Pittsburgh and created huge miss matches in the passing game. We will have to get it done without him. That means our OL is going to have to have a monster game.

 

[DasTex]

More like offensive line and Big Ben's head. He's pretty mobile and rivals just about any QB with his ability to avoid the rush. He's not a great scrambler by any means but he navigates around the pocket as well as anyone. I still think the Steelers need to roll him out more often as he tends to play best when on the run. Ben isn't a pocket QB but Bruce Arians is trying to turn him into one.

Ben holds on to the ball longer than usual with hopes of striking a big play. Sometimes it works, sometimes it backfires. That is his style of play. It causes a few dumb decisions from time to time as well.

While that has been the case in the past years - that hasn't been his strength this year. Not sure why, maybe just injuries and body wearing down, but his mobility in the pockets has declined a great deal.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Steelers biggest weakness...

Guys with stars on their helmets?

 

[SteelManiac55]

While that has been the case in the past years - that hasn't been his strength this year. Not sure why, maybe just injuries and body wearing down, but his mobility in the pockets has declined a great deal.

It has been coming back the last few games though. He's starting to return to form a little bit (probably because he hasn't taken nearly the beating that he was early on in the season). I think that shoulder is just about healthy and Ben is starting to look like Ben again. More mobile and definitely more confident. The offensive line has also improved a little bit since early on in the year. We have two usual back-ups in on that line (including one who had never played before this season) whom are finally starting to gel a little bit. Max Starks has done a fine job, as has Stapleton. They are still mediocre as a unit but improving at least.

 

[khiladi]

We have 2 tight-ends that are downfield threats. Bennett is starting to make his impact felt at the right time. We are not the same as a San Diego that has only a Gates, or Cincinatti that has a Winslow. I am expecting Bennett to have a huge game, especially when he gets single coverage.

 

[SteelManiac55]

We have 2 tight-ends that are downfield threats. Bennett is starting to make his impact felt at the right time. We are not the same as a San Diego that has only a Gates, or Cincinatti that has a Winslow. I am expecting Bennett to have a huge game, especially when he gets single coverage.

Again, however, who blocks Harrison and Woodley all game long? If you leave the edges covered only with a tacke Romo will be under distress all game long.

 

[28 Joker]

It's definately their offensive line. They wouldl make Jane very proud and Tarzan would be upset.

 

[DaBoys4Life]

Again, however, who blocks Harrison and Woodley all game long? If you leave the edges covered only with a tacke Romo will be under distress all game long.

If you blitz Woodley and Harrison all day long you will lose pretty handly....Also Flo can block Harrison....

 

[Chocolate Lab]

The real question is, how do we beat the unbeaten, incomparable Steelers?

Because from reading what their fans post, they must be 12-0, right?

 

[DaBoys4Life]

The real question is, how do we beat the unbeaten, incomparable Steelers?

Because from reading what their fans post, they must be 12-0, right?

they're 1-2 against the NFCE right now.....