« Yet Another Reason to Love KG | Home | Thoughts/Advice »
Steelers vs Bengals: Breakdown
By Dagger | December 7, 2007
Can You Solve? Not sure I believe it, but it’s all I could come up with.
First, the stats:
32 NFL teams played last weekend. The Steelers had the 4th worst Yards Per Carry in the league last week.
32 NFL teams played last weekend. The Steelers threw the ball to their RBs the LEAST amount of times in the entire NFL last Sunday.
—The Steelers need to throw more screens and swing passes to Willie Parker. You have one of the fastest RBs in the NFL and you don’t want to give him the ball in space? Check out some of these stats real quick from Sunday (this is a trend every Sunday and you see RBs much, much worse than Parker catching 5 balls for 40 yards or more with regularity. To leave this mode of attack out of your gameplan is moronic.
(Passes to the RBs/Total Yards )
Steelers: 1 for 14 yards
Tampa: 13 for 96 yards
Saints: 7 for 48 yards
Buffalo: 7 for 69 yards
Carolina: 4 for 81 yards
Chicago: 7 for 82 yards
Ravens: 5 for 34 yards
Atlanta: 4 for 44 yards
Rams: 5 for 75 yards
San Fran: 6 for 60 yards
Jets: 3 for 60 yards
Minnesota: 4 for 38 yards
Detroit: 4 for 27 yards
Washington: 4 for 24 yards
Need I say more? Please start dumping that ball off to Parker. Spread the field, attack all zones, make the defense respect all of your weapons, get your playmaker the ball in space, etc….this stuff is elementary.
Average yards per rushing play: 2.9
Longest run of the day for PIT: 12 yards
Yards Per Carry Left: 3.7
Yards Per Carry Middle: 1.4
Yards Per Carry Right: 3.2
“Hey, that looks like the same push/movement the Steelers get from their OLine….”
The Offensive Line is totally average. After the ball is snapped there is absolutely no movement and the defensive line is very rarely pushed back off the line of scrimmage. You want to know how average the offensive line is? It’s so mediocre that you’re not getting an Offensive Line Breakdown this week. Let me explain: I went through the entire game and was ready to post a traditional “offensive line breakdown” on Wednesday. However; I figured it was a waste of time. I went from the first play of the game to the last play of the game and I came up with an astounding 5 plays that were “grade worthy”…meaning only 5 times did I see an individual effort that warranted a plus or a minus. So instead of dedicating a lot of time and energy going over the usual play-by-play and breaking down the performance drive-by-drive I’ll go a different route.
I mentioned a few weeks ago that when watching this O-Line I am reminded of big concrete or brick wall. Some of you may be like “wow, awesome, Ben gets to sit behind a big immovable object and has all day in the pocket.” Well, that’s not exactly what I mean. What I mean here is that on 99.9% of Steeler running plays the offensive line resembles a brick wall in that there is absolutely no movement at all. You can pause the game “mid-play”, whip out a ruler, and draw a straight line from the LT to the RT and you’d be drawing your line right over the backs of every member of the line. Very rarely do you see Mahan or Simmons get 4 yards to the 2nd level putting their hands on Linebackers. There is just no movement…..the ball is snapped and there is a “wrestling match” at the line of scrimmage and the defensive line doesn’t move an inch. The Steelers actually did a nice job in pass protection on Sunday but the running game has looked bad for a few weeks now.
Do you know how hard it is to watch 4 running plays in a row on your TiVo and not be able to find a single block that I deem “plus-worthy?” On 4 running plays I’m sitting there looking for a big block that springs the play open or a Guard/Center to get to a LB and blow him up. I find nothing. I know Parker has been putting up some nice “total yardage” but his Yards Per Carry and the Steeler running game as a whole is not where it needs to be at this point in the season. By week 14 your OL should have had enough time to gel into a cohesive unit and should be playing their best football of the season. I don’t think this unit can improve much if at all between now and playoff time.
Having said that, I think a way that you could possibly improve this unit is a personnel change.
At some point, I would like to see the following:
Configuration 1: Marvel Smith, Alan Faneca, Seah Mahan, Willie Colon, Max Starks.
Pros: Coming out of college all the experts said Colon was going to be a better OG than OT…lets see. Starks gives you a dominating run blocker on the right side which would give the running game more balance. This team runs to the left side of the field MUCH more than they do the right. The left side of the line remains the same. Also, by removing Simmons you take out the man that is almost entirely responsible for any and all pass rush that Ben faces. Remember the “non-safety” the Steelers gave up vs Cincy last week? That was Simmons. We’ve seen it a million times this season….guy’s overpowering him and stunting past him and getting pressure on the QB. Take Simmons out and put Colon/Starks on the right side and maybe we upgrade the pass protection AND the running game. Hmm…
Cons: If Mahan continues to stink up the joint then nothing you do at RG or RT makes much of a difference. Sad but true. If Colon doesn’t give you much of an improvement over Simmons then what’s the point? If Starks dominates in the run game but can’t be trusted in pass protection (I dont see why this is a concern though…just playing devils advocate) then this move blows up in your face and you gain nothing.
Configuration 2: Marvel Smith, Alan Faneca, Kendall Simmons, Willie Colon, Max Starks.
Pros: Addition by subtraction. Removing Mahan may stop the DL penetration we see week in and week out. Remove that “trouble spot” and Simmons and Colon can be “average” and we improve the run game immediately. If Colon can play a good Guard we have a real nice G/T combo on both sides of the ball.
Cons: Simmons struggles in closed spaces. He looks solid pulling and moving in space. He is a better suited for what Faneca does on the left side than what he is now responsible for on the right side where he “fights in a phone booth” on most plays. Putting him against big NTs might be the death of him…and Ben Roethlisberger. If Simmons isn’t an upgrade over Mahan then it doesn’t matter what Colon and Starks do.
Configuration 3: Marvel Smith, Alan Faneca, Sean Mahan, Kendall Simmons, Max Starks
Pros: This is a pretty popular choice among Steeler fans seeking change on the OL. You keep the entire line the same minus one spot. This is the easiest move and you insert the 2nd best run blocker on the entire team into the starting lineup.
Cons: Again, if Mahan and Simmons continue to stink it doesn’t matter if Starks “dominates” his man. The DL or LB that Simmons/Mahan were responsible for will make the play. This doesn’t solve any pass protection issues. Colon and Starks are pretty even in the passing game so you really don’t gain anything here.
Wild Card: Trai Essex (is he still on the team?) and/or Chris Kemo (will probably start next year)
Something to think about: If you put Starks in at RT it would improve the running game most likely. Take last week out of the equation…..could we possibly be any worse in pass protection? Ben is running for his life many times per game. Let’s not act like Starks is going to come in and “ruin a great thing” by getting burnt off the edge repeatedly. This OL could ONLY get better with a change. Also, don’t think it’s silly to be talking about making changes to this OL so late in the season. The Steeler coaching staff couldn’t decide on the starting 5 until the last week of the preseason. If you remember there were position battles for 3-of-5 offensive line spots. Mahan, Simmons, and Colon all had to ‘win’ their jobs. Who’s to say Kemoeatu shouldn’t be in there instead of Simmons or Okobi instead of Mahan or Starks in for Colon? I’m not 100% sure the “five best men” are starting right now. Just my two cents.
My Choice: Configuration 1. I like Colon and I like Starks. Too bad they play the same position because I think they can both bring something to the table….they excel in different aspects of the game and might be a nice tandem on the right side. I also don’t think you have to “choose one of the other”…. it seems people love Colon and hate Starks or love Starks and hate Colon. I don’t think it has to be that way. It’s unfortunate that the Steelers have “too much depth at OT” and not enough at Center and Guard.
I’d like to hear your take….which configuration do you like the best. I leave you with a shot of TJ Housh wearing a Terrible Towel.
Topics: NFL, Sports, Steelers | 15 Comments »
December 7th, 2007 at 8:37 am
I am up for changes to the line, max starks has played really well these last two weeks. I worry about how he would do with the patriots linebackers though. It seems like he plays better against 4-3 De’s than smaller speedier LB’s.
Whatever we do might as well be done with pass protection in mind, the running game is not going to turn around this year. The idea of changing our philosophy to throw to the rb more could help things though, quick short throws to a rb for 4 of 5 yards can make up for a bad running game, somewhat. Short throws to Addai is how the Colts dominated the Pats early on in their game.
December 7th, 2007 at 9:03 am
Give me configuration 1. The line is the weakest part of this team by far and I’m really tired seeing Ben run for his life and FWP run nowhere.
Also can Chris K play center? Wouldn’t that be a run blocking line huh? Starks, Colon, Chris K, Faneca, M Smith
December 7th, 2007 at 9:35 am
I’m still trying to figure out the ditty at the beginning. Got two lines, but the third? Ya got me.
December 7th, 2007 at 9:37 am
I certainly don’t want to see Simmons at center any more than I want Mahan to continue there. The coaches raved about Stapleton’s leaps and bounds progress leading up to the season, but I’m guessing his development took the backburner during the season. The only apparent reason for bringing Philip up from the practice squad is Mahan being on the brink of a hook.
Agree with your, ‘Something to think about’ segment. Starks improves the run game, wash in pass-pro. So atleast there’s improvement. And I also agree that they have Colon out of position at tackle. Starks pass-pro limitations can be mitigated by using a chipping end or back to help slow the defenders initial burst until Starks gets his snowshoes moving.
Coming into the season, I would’ve rather seen Configuration #1. I wasn’t buying the Simmons hype then. Figured they were in negotiations to resign him, and the constant fluff was their way to sell it to the fans.
That said, what I expect to see is Starks returning to his utility tackle role. Only more of it. I like the 3OT line much better than the 3TE anyways. And this way they can move Starks around. And he comes off in passing situations. 20-30 snaps is better than nothing, I guess.
I know they’re slowly working in more zoneblocking this year, but it still doesn’t seem like a significant number of snaps. I also thought that shift might be why they were bent on (Mahan), Simmons, and Colon, rather than Kemo and Starks. Do you have a sense of ratio in the run game- zone:man? I don’t, but if I were to hazard a guess, I’d say 20:80.
December 7th, 2007 at 9:40 am
Max Starks needs to start at offensive tackle on the right? Is that close?
December 7th, 2007 at 9:45 am
i-Maque – I agree with “Max Starks Needs to Start” (but “they left the “d” sound out of “needs”).
How they get “offensive tackle” I don’t know, even if you give them “tack” instead of “pin” or “pushpin.” :-)
December 7th, 2007 at 9:58 am
Nice work Sir.
My Choice would be
Smith
Faneca
Mahan
Colon
Starks
Solving the Puzzle.
Max Starks needs to start at Right Tackle
December 7th, 2007 at 10:00 am
Third kine is: “at right tackle” ….@ Wright Tack + Kul
December 7th, 2007 at 10:04 am
Good enough Michael. And I would tend to agree… but do you really want to make massive changes to the line of a 9-3 team? I dunno. Part of me says “can’t get much worse.” We’re 9-3 in spite of the line.
December 7th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
Good job FC.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Here’s what I want to see:
Smith
Faneca
Mahan
Kemoeatu
Starks
Meat. Lots of meat.
Mahan would have a fighting chance with all that girth flanking him.
If you’re stuck building a crappy wall with the wrong materials, at least use the biggest rocks you can find.
December 7th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
Dagger once again great work…Forgot to add that in my post.
December 7th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Thanks Dagger…I hate the predictability in our rushing attack. Yul Brenner is a beast!
December 8th, 2007 at 11:18 am
Has everyone already forgotten how horrible Starks was in pass protection last year? He didn’t lose his job because he couldn’t run block, he lost his job because he was a sack machine, for example giving up 5 sacks in one game against the Raiders. Putting him back in at rt may improve our run game, although not much because Mahan and Simmons will still be giving up penetration, but you’re automatically downgrading our passing attack, and probably taking about 2 years off Big Ben’s career/life. The only reasons he didn’t struggle the last two games were because the field conditions made it impossible for teams to speed rush, and because the Bengals are to worried about teams exploiting their injured linebacking core to blitz in general.
I don’t think there’s any changes we could make during the season that would greatly improve the line. I think our best option is draft a franchise blind-side pass blocking tackle in the draft, move Smith back to right tackle which he is much better suited for. And put Colon inside at guard.
December 8th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
I was wondering what was up with the OL breakdown, lol.
excellent work as usual :D