My Untrained Eye -- thoughts on BUF/PIT

[26CornerBlitz]

Our front four wasn't getting much penetration at all. I'm not seeing any blitzing. Steelers O line looks in mid season form already.

You expect exotic defensive looks in the form of blitzes/coverages in the preseason? Schwartz isn't going to show much more than vanilla until the opener at Chicago.

Edited August 17, 2014 by 26CornerBlitz

[Big C]

You expect exotic defensive looks in the form of blitzes/coverages in the preseason? Schwartz isn't going to show much more than vanilla until the opener at Chicago.

 

Again, Schwartz has already said we aren't going to be scheming and showing those kinds of packages and looks. We might get a couple in next week's "dress rehearsal," but that's it.

[jumbalaya]

Hackett's desire to play up tempo with a team that hasn't produced at any speed will cost us 3 to 4 games this year. What happened to building your game plan around your players? This should not an uptempo offense at this point. To play up tempo you need an experienced offensive line that can dominate (not there ), a steady QB that makes quick reads and accurate throws (not there) and a very good running game (got this).

[CodeMonkey]

You expect exotic defensive looks in the form of blitzes/coverages in the preseason? Schwartz isn't going to show much more than vanilla until the opener at Chicago.

The same was said about the stache too But I feel much more confident that it is true in this case.

[PS 56]

EBall I love your analysis. However I remain concerned that we fall apart in the Red zone. I am also worried that EJ is not capable of throwing a ball on the run.

[YoloinOhio]

 

You expect exotic defensive looks in the form of blitzes/coverages in the preseason? Schwartz isn't going to show much more than vanilla until the opener at Chicago.

ive watched quite a bit in the preseason and the only D I have seen run exotic blitzes is Cleveland. I think that might be all pettine knows how to do, lol.

[Big C]

EBall I love your analysis. However I remain concerned that we fall apart in the Red zone. I am also worried that EJ is not capable of throwing a ball on the run.

 

I think he made it happen a couple times last year. I remember him scrambling and Woods coming back up the sideline to help him out.

[Wayne Cubed]

ive watched quite a bit in the preseason and the only D I have seen run exotic blitzes is Cleveland. I think that might be all pettine knows how to do, lol.

 

The Steelers certainly didn't blitz, they rushed 4 and sometimes 3 and dropped 7 or 8 into coverage.

[vincec]

You expect exotic defensive looks in the form of blitzes/coverages in the preseason? Schwartz isn't going to show much more than vanilla until the opener at Chicago.

So there's no need to practice your actual defense prior to the opening game of the season?

[YoloinOhio]

 

So there's no need to practice your actual defense prior to the opening game of the season?

they do practice it. Just not when there are scouts from every opponent they face this season sitting in the stands with iPads. Edited August 17, 2014 by YoloinOhio

[vincec]

they do practice it. Just not when there are scouts from every opponent they face this season sitting in the stands with iPads.

So basically, the scouts are stupid? They come to the games where the teams don't use their "real" defenses but don't go to the open practice sessions where they do?

 

If you never practice your defense against live opponents how will you ever be able to play it well once the season starts? I agree that they don't game plan during the preseason, but they'd better be practicing the stuff that they plan on using once the real games start. Otherwise these two months are just an exercise in avoiding injuries.

Edited August 17, 2014 by vincec

[QCity]

Vince, teams don't blitz in the preseason.

[YoloinOhio]

 

So basically, the scouts are stupid? They come to the games where the teams don't use their "real" defenses but don't go to the open practice sessions where they do?

 

If you never practice your defense against live opponents how will you ever be able to play it well once the season starts? I agree that they don't game plan during the preseason, but they'd better be practicing the stuff that they plan on using once the real games start. Otherwise these two months are just an exercise in avoiding injuries.

. The pro scouts go to all the preseason games AND the regular season games. They know when to get certain info. There are some things that can be gleaned from PS games. Punt hang time. ST schemes. Tendencies on offense.

[Dan]

To my untrained eye:

 

EJ wasn't nearly as bad as many posters here made him out to be. He looks young and needs to work on his accuracy, both of which I think will improve with more playing time.

 

Hackett is stilll my biggest conern! I'm not at all able to say he's putting together a professional NFL level offense. The play calls and play designs are our biggest limiting factor on offense, by far.

 

I don't get all the Tuel hate. He looks like a young, inexperienced.. back up. But, he's easily out-playing Thad. If Thad starts the season as #2, I'll have lost all confidnce in Marrone to evaluate his players.

 

We have a lot of depth. For the 3rd preseason game in a row, our reserves are out-playing the other team's reserves.

 

Finally, was it just me, or did the Steelers come out hitting harder and playing a little faster than the Bills? I think they took a little offense to all the talk of Watkins owning them in the practices and came out determined to show up and win. Maybe not, but the #1s just seemed to be playing with more intensity than our guys.

 

 

[hondo in seattle]

Thanks eball. I missed the game due to living in the ever-overcast, far-away-from-Buffalo Pacific Northwest.

 

While it's nice to know the Bills can move the ball offensively, the inability to find the endzone is concerning. Hopefully it's just a preseason, statistical aberration based on a limited unrandom sample.

[26CornerBlitz]

So there's no need to practice your actual defense prior to the opening game of the season?

 

They do practice what they might do in the regular season, just not in public view. But even more important is that there will be specific packages for each opponent designed to exploit matchup advantages and/or opponent weaknesses.

Edited August 17, 2014 by 26CornerBlitz

[Speedy G]

Just a thought: has anyone thought about the fact that the Steelers saw EJ and co for 2 days in practice before this game, and when u practice against someone, you can see their tendencies and read them like a book. I know it was only 2 days, but it does make a difference. EJ looked good in the second practice, so the Steelers learned from that and took advantage of it. Yea, I know, everyone is sick of hearing "it's only preseason" but it holds merit. No one cares what your record is in the preseason. It dosent count, but it matters... There were some questionable things for sure, but what team dosent have questions. We all think we know it all, but we don't!!, or we'd be on a coaching staff in the NFL. So let's just drink the koolaid until the real bullets fly, and depending on which way the chips fall, you either enjoy the cool refreshing drink, or mix it with and adult beverage and get the warm fuzzies to take the edge off! But no matter what, Support our team!! #LetsGoBuffalo!!

[BADOLBILZ]

ive watched quite a bit in the preseason and the only D I have seen run exotic blitzes is Cleveland. I think that might be all pettine knows how to do, lol.

 

Pettine isn't afraid to show his hand. He wants his players to play that way all the time. He is a DC for the modern game.

 

Shwartz? He is the kind of DC that a modern OC likes to work against. Saw it last night. Big Ben was LOVING that pumpkin pie haircut of a 4 man rush. It was getting no push and creating gaping passing windows for Big Ben to step into and that allowed him to make some spectacular throws.

 

Just a thought: has anyone thought about the fact that the Steelers saw EJ and co for 2 days in practice before this game, and when u practice against someone, you can see their tendencies and read them like a book. I know it was only 2 days, but it does make a difference. EJ looked good in the second practice, so the Steelers learned from that and took advantage of it. Yea, I know, everyone is sick of hearing "it's only preseason" but it holds merit. No one cares what your record is in the preseason. It dosent count, but it matters... There were some questionable things for sure, but what team dosent have questions. We all think we know it all, but we don't!!, or we'd be on a coaching staff in the NFL. So let's just drink the koolaid until the real bullets fly, and depending on which way the chips fall, you either enjoy the cool refreshing drink, or mix it with and adult beverage and get the warm fuzzies to take the edge off! But no matter what, Support our team!! #LetsGoBuffalo!! ��

 

Schwartz sure didn't seem to be able to read Big Ben like a book.

 

To my untrained eye:

 

EJ wasn't nearly as bad as many posters here made him out to be. He looks young and needs to work on his accuracy, both of which I think will improve with more playing time.

 

Hackett is stilll my biggest conern! I'm not at all able to say he's putting together a professional NFL level offense. The play calls and play designs are our biggest limiting factor on offense, by far.

 

I don't get all the Tuel hate. He looks like a young, inexperienced.. back up. But, he's easily out-playing Thad. If Thad starts the season as #2, I'll have lost all confidnce in Marrone to evaluate his players.

 

We have a lot of depth. For the 3rd preseason game in a row, our reserves are out-playing the other team's reserves.

 

Finally, was it just me, or did the Steelers come out hitting harder and playing a little faster than the Bills? I think they took a little offense to all the talk of Watkins owning them in the practices and came out determined to show up and win. Maybe not, but the #1s just seemed to be playing with more intensity than our guys.

 

I thought the OL in particular looked fatigued. I think the tell tale was a pretty weak showing by Eric Wood, who is supposed to lead the toughness charge on offense.

 

These guys have been in camp a week longer than most and have spent a lot of time on the road and in uncomfortable settings.

 

As an organization, most of these guys are not used to having to be mentally tough. They have been coddled and had excuses made for them and haven't really had to play teams that were bringing their A game very often because Bills week has been a glorified bye week for the past decade.

 

Which is why Marrone came in with both guns firing in demand of accountability. I think it is obviously still a work in progress but I do see some progress in that regard.

 

Vince, teams don't blitz in the preseason.

 

Says the fan of a team that blitzed like crazy last preseason.

[1billsfan]

Just a thought: has anyone thought about the fact that the Steelers saw EJ and co for 2 days in practice before this game, and when u practice against someone, you can see their tendencies and read them like a book. I know it was only 2 days, but it does make a difference. EJ looked good in the second practice, so the Steelers learned from that and took advantage of it. Yea, I know, everyone is sick of hearing "it's only preseason" but it holds merit. No one cares what your record is in the preseason. It dosent count, but it matters... There were some questionable things for sure, but what team dosent have questions. We all think we know it all, but we don't!!, or we'd be on a coaching staff in the NFL. So let's just drink the koolaid until the real bullets fly, and depending on which way the chips fall, you either enjoy the cool refreshing drink, or mix it with and adult beverage and get the warm fuzzies to take the edge off! But no matter what, Support our team!! #LetsGoBuffalo!! ��

 

 

It's funny when you read this board and then watch the game. These guys practiced against each other for a few days so IMO there was even less of a real game feel than in your average preseason game. I'm sure that after getting to know each other, the starters were even more conscious of not wanting to hurt each other out there. That's why preseason is so maddening, because fans on message boards are trying to come to rock solid conclusions based on games where guys are trying to look good while avoiding injury. Coaches are trying to call plays while not giving away anything real to their first couple of opponents. They should call it the silly season.

 

My one take from the game was that is was promising seeing Manuel drop back, look to the left to fake the deep cover guy and then hit Woods on a 15 yard out pass to the right on a ball thrown before Woods made his break. This is what separates the franchise QBs from the journeyman QBs. I saw him do this a couple of other times as well. The more comfortable he gets at doing this, the quicker he will become a true franchise QB.

[Dan]

 

I thought the OL in particular looked fatigued. I think the tell tale was a pretty weak showing by Eric Wood, who is supposed to lead the toughness charge on offense.

 

These guys have been in camp a week longer than most and have spent a lot of time on the road and in uncomfortable settings.

 

As an organization, most of these guys are not used to having to be mentally tough. They have been coddled and had excuses made for them and haven't really had to play teams that were bringing their A game very often because Bills week has been a glorified bye week for the past decade.

 

Which is why Marrone came in with both guns firing in demand of accountability. I think it is obviously still a work in progress but I do see some progress in that regard.

 

 

Valid point, the team as a whole may be getting gassed. It's been a long, active camp and presason for this team. Add to that considerable tinkering with the lineup (no way Hogan starts over Woods, for ex) and maybe the players just need a mental and physical break?

 

It'll be interesting to see how they start the season. Like I said, my biggest concern at this point is the coaching. And I'm not sure that gets fixed with rest or finally getting all the starters in the lineup. A stretch read option on 3rd and short is just a bad play any way you call it.