MasterStrategist

Few interesting things to watch with Active/Inactive list: 1. Who will be this weeks Punt Returner? Isiah or Speedy 2. What combo of Basham/Aj/Obada will be active? I think Basham and Obada 3. Moss back to inactive? Or is Breida still in the doghouse?

Exactly! @GunnerBill mentioned this a couple weeks ago, but we lack bluechip/true difference makers. Especially on defense, IMO, Tre being the only one. We have some very good pieces/complimentary talent, and hopefully some young guys who will become great for us. I think Beane has done great in his handful of years and our expectation for this season was through the roof because of his success. But he's not perfect. He's missed and cost us value cap $$$s, especially on the lines. To me the strategy is perplexing on how they built the front 7. Hindsight is 20/20 but when you want to be a "primarily nickle" defense, with more fast than physical LB play, then I'd think you want serious beef up the middle and balanced DEs (which we've primarily gone after). Or, you change how you attack with Edmunds and Milano, ie: get more creative with them run blitzing.

Agree with all your comments btw, and great topic starter. If there's one infuriating thing about the defensive effort, it was lack of fundamentals/poor tackling. Way too many missed "gaps", overpursuit and missed tackles that extended a couple drives. Bottom line, they performed solid and well enough to give the Off a chance to win. I'm not an Edmunds hater, but he got lost way more than usual last night. Poor angles, not disengaging from blocks. Our DTs finally learned how to play against a "trap" block...like something you're taught in HS. And similar with our def ends against toss sweeps, ie:pin and pull concepts. Fundamentals is what NE executed throughout the night, while simplistic, it was something we struggled with at times.

Great post! Agree, can't imagine many can be blaming the defense for their effort. 14 points allowed is solid no matter the weather. Lack of execution/finishing offensive drives has occurred way too many games this season. We crossed the 50, 7x against Jacksonville to only come away with 6 points. Frustrating when we've shown glimpses and certainly have the potential, hopefully they can hone in and correct the issues down the strecth

Should not even be a 2nd thought about it. Daboll needs to get some misdirection or bootlegs mixed in...NE is flowing very quickly on those stretch runs

Defer??? No way, get this opening drive in the 2nd half and March down the field.

Should, NEs choice coming out of half on direction to kick off...assume they won't give us the wind while we get the ball. So should be our wind in the 4th.

By running down the field? They hit 1 pass...

Pats going to run tight man, we should keep running shallow crosses and 1 deep outside route. Take a shot if it's there and hope for DPI, or a big catch

All of a sudden you're picking OT, as your example? We were just talking about to start the game and you said a team receiving kickoff in both halves. OK man, I dont care but your reasoning is messed up. Go Bills!

Please find at least 1 example to share, if you're saying it's not unheard of. I'm willing to bet my house neither team will do that tonight.

Yes you can, but why? No excuse to ever give away a possession. Pretty certain that gets said player/coached a lifetime ban from the sport 😁

People make mistakes, he is officially active...all that matters

He's active

Someone told Suzy, finally, to put the mic inside not outside your jacket. Sounded like the annoying person walking outside on their cell phone

Breida or Jones, is my guess, for kick return. Micah for punts, or they might not attempt to catch anything unless it's a line drive

Clarification that Star is ACTIVE

Well you either Defer or Receive, so you're saying Defer to 2nd half? I'd actually elect to receive, then Ne would pick to put wind at their back. Basically gives us a chance to pick wind in 2nd half. So we'd have wind at our back 2nd and 4th qtr, which in my mind are most critical.

Two games with Edmunds out, exactly my point

Listening to Coach's weekly press conferences, Feliciano seemed like he was still working his way back...not a sure thing to play. Calfs are tricky and IMO, he is not a major upgrade over Ike to play at less than 100%. That's like saying my 1995 Chevy cavalier can smoke your 1998 Honda civic. Bottom line, Feliciano isn't healthy enough from his calf yet. And he's not some special talent at G, in fact, played quite poorly against Pitt, KC, Tennessee, and Washington.

Who was a practice saying we were planning to use a base 4-3 with Klein this game? We run a base nickle defense, Klein is an important part of ST and a solid backup, but doubt it has a huge impact on defense.

Refs shouldn't have blown that dead. Very close to a fumble, they're told to let it play out and can always reverse the call. I see 2 steps, and a 3rd step/football move before its knocked out. Should be a fumble.

How we lost can be explained by horrible playcalling, IMO. Daboll refused to be balanced, or at least the threat or running. Defense balled out, maybe lapsed some in the 2nd half of Steelers and the blocked punt, but if we decided to play more balanced those games then we win. Lessons that will hopefully sink in when it really counts in the playoffs.

Ball moved after it hit the ground, at least IMO, without clear control as Ray Ray looked to "trap it". Lame excuse. Steelers 3rd stringers on their OL are doing the same thing.

Steelers should try wrapping their arms around the Ravens ballcarriers....tackling is horrible.