Einstein

Just FYI, that script has seem to flip (for the Steelers) over the past three games. Last week: 155 rushing yards Week before: 202 rushing yards Week before that: 113 rushing yards They seem to have found something in their rushing game over the past three weeks that they didn’t have most of the season.

Again? Or did you just see this? I remember this back around draft time.

I’m fine with the play because given 100 chances with the same play I think we score on most of them. Baker made a great play closing in that fast, but doubt he could do it consistently.

Great post Shaw. Enjoyed reading it.

I hope so. I want him in the NFC.

Seems like yesterday, but it has been 11 years since he won the Super Bowl with Seattle. And they haven't reached 10 wins in the past three seasons.

A calf for Rapp is not what I expected when he came up lame on that last play. Thought he just fell on the ball and got the wind knocked out of him.

Yes it was Broadcast. And he does show outside pre-snap. The Dolphins 22 cam is also mounted to the right, which makes it difficult (you can tell by the skew of the field). I can see on 22 why you felt it was outside, but I assume was just a disguise, as teams often do. Because he flips to inside real quick. Side angle shows inside too. Look at the feet. And wowza, the previous play, Josh has Kincaid wideeeee open. Bummer!

Yes. He is disguising outside leverage pre-snap and the second the ball is snapped, he moves to inside leverage. The other hint that he is playing inside is that the ENTIRE middle of the field is left wide open. Even AI knows I'll let it go though, before you offer to "teach me" again

No disrespect intended, but this is simply false. At no point did the CB have outside leverage (except pre-snap). It was definitely an option route. And Brian Baldinger confirmed it was as well.

We already talked about it. See here and here.

Well said. That was my takeaway as well.

Field goals are going to be tough. I'm hoping we get minimal snow.

The defender only had open hips because Gabe went to the boundary. He didn't start there. He started inside, with base, and any option route is going to tell you to run boundary or deep there. Wait, what? Inside leverage = outside break or deep. Since we are in the endzone, deep is not an option. NOT a slant. Running a slant on inside leverage is asking for the defender to jump the ball and intercept it. Here are two examples: Which is exactly why Gabe originally went outside, and then fought back inside.

Leverage is how we choose the pattern on an option route. Eli Apple had inside leverage. Gabe should have went to the boundary (which he originally did). That’s why the defender had open hips. Then he decided to stop and fight through the leverage, back toward the defender. It was not a sick move. Gabe was not open due to his route running. He only looked open because the defender stopped following him when Allen threw the ball to where he was supposed to. Defender looks at Allen, then stops to catch the ball that Davis abandoned. Gabe is only “open” because the defender stops to catch the INT. Not only does it not make sense what Gabe did based on leverage, but also based on the defense. He knew Allen was only going to have a second or two to release the ball. So he ignores his leverage and runs back through it, taking more time than Allen had.

In the NFL, passes are not thrown once a receiver wins the route. That’s not a thing. It’s throwing with anticipation. This was an option route. if Gabe kept going, that’s a touchdown. Heck, the defender who was behind Gabe even caught it.

He 100% threw it in the direction of the boundary. Which, based on the defenders leverage, is where Gabe should have went. When Allen releases the ball, the red circle below is where he is throwing to - and you can see that Gabe is headed directly toward it. Then Gabe suddenly stops and fights back THROUGH the defender, for some reason that I can’t even begin to understand: And the defender intercepts it exactly where Gabe should have been. And here they are side by side.

Both the QB and WR should be making their decision based on reading the defensive back. Everything about Eli Apple’s positioning (he has inside leverage against Gabe) screams to either run toward the boundary, or do a comeback route. Literally nothing about his positioning tells Gabe to run inside to where the defender already is! Gabe’s decision to go inside is part of why it took him so long to get open. Gabe had to fight back through the defender in order to get separation. Inside leverage: Deciding to fight back THROUGH the defender for some reason: And the only reason Gabe ever got separation is because Eli Apple let him go and stood still, since he was looking at the backfield and saw Josh release the ball. This was just a fail in every way for Gabe Davis imo.

Definitely not in panic mode, but i’m also not taking the Steelers lightly. They’ve been playing well over the past 3 games. I was shocked at how confident their fans are on their forum. They absolutely expect to beat us.

Update: Wink Martindale reportedly cursed out Daboll before quitting. https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/report-wink-martindale-cursed-out-brian-daboll-after-learning-of-defensive-staff-firings

Does Rudolph have a weak arm? I googled it and I got conflicting info. Not sure what to believe.

I wish the forecast wasn't calling for so much wind. Allen is ready to go on a tear passing. After the game on Sunday he said "On those final 2 drives the ball was coming out of my hands the best all year".

He didn't play much. Only 2 more snaps than Von. Floyd and Rousseau were the mainstays.

It's telling that Dorian Williams has lost some favor with the staff at the current moment. He has been higher on the depth chart since training camp, and this is the first game where McD turned to Spector over Williams. We had a LB go down, and Dorian still garnered 0 snaps. Prior to the Philly game, Dorian was getting between 15% and 80% of defensive snaps on a near weekly basis. Dorian had a good block on the Hardy punt return TD though.

Totally understand that, and I am open to Von being back to his normal self next season and helping us. But right now - this season - he is just wasting a gameday roster spot.