-By Coach Ismael Azuara
In the Mexican imaginary there are several sayings that refer to the fact that two parts complement each other “You are such for which”, “There is no shortage of broken for a seamless”, “Hunger and the desire to eat joined”, What’s this all about? Because yesterday we saw how the offensive and defensive scheme prepared by the Steelers fit perfectly with that shown by the Cleveland Browns, if we have criticized the work of the staff in previous weeks, now we have to admit that they did a great job. So let’s go to my reflections on yesterday’s overwhelming victory.
OFFENSIVE
If one word can define the game plan -offensive and defensive- for this game it is CONSERVATIVE, using known weapons, with very simple and low-risk schemes, taking advantage of the opponent’s shortcomings allowed the match to be kept under control from the first offensive drive of the match. No spectacular lights, no games of artifice, simple and effective football.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Good performance of the fat men, this has already been a healthy habit in the season, this week with a running game prepared by the staff that took advantage of the rival’s 4-3 front, one of the characteristics of this defensive scheme is its little versatility and This was used in the design of the blocks, taking advantage of the two-against-one blocks on the line, enough gaps were opened for a good running game throughout the game, either with zone block and drop block, blocking scheme that He took advantage of the overreaction of the defensive fronts to create gaps in the line at the start of the game, as with pin & pull and gap block at the end, that is, the type of plays varied during the match, all this with the complicity of the visit. On the pass protection side, one of the most aggressive fronts seven in the league was controlled practically the entire game, except for two Sacks against, one with six men charging a third time and long and another near the end of the second quarter, again the game plan design almost completely eliminated the most dangerous part of the opponent. Great performance by Dotson and Feiler, pulling off at high speed, Maurkice Pouncey good game, but he left his post when he was stepped on by Okorafor at the start of the fourth quarter. Okorafor great work containing Garrett, except for the peccadillo of the second quarter and Big Al, good game, discreet and compliant. Very Good Performance.
RUNNERS
The number of plays on the floor 61.66% exceeds for the first time in the season the number of passes in a game, this is not a coincidence, it simply took advantage of the opponent’s very little versatile frontal scheme, DE-NT-TD-DE and de there you do not move -at least in first and second down- was exploited by James Conner (20 att, 101 yds, 1 td) who ran very consistently during the game, the graduate of the University of Pittsburgh is having a great season, Benny Snell (6 att, 17 yds, 1 td) appears as number two and his sacrificed labor was rewarded with a touchdown on the ground, Chase Claypool (2 att, 7 yds, 1 td) again scored on the ground with the same jet sweep from the previous week. Very good performance.
RECEIVERS
Once again, the captain distributed the few passes he threw in the game to eight targets – just 22 – completing 14 passes, a number that seems very little, but nevertheless, they were very effective, with two big plays – one of 36 and the other of 28 yards for touchdown- Chase Claypool (4 compl, 74 yds, 0 td) he left with a perfect mark, the fans got used to the good very quickly and this boy is already getting us used to great performances; James Washington (4 full, 68 yds, 1 td), great receiver at Oklahoma State, was slow to get into the rhythm of professional football, but is now established as a reliable starter. Eric Ebron (2 compl, 9 yds, 0 tds) y Juju Smith-Schuster (2 compl, 6 yds, 0 td) discreet and compliant, Benjamin has already ratified Juju as the team’s number one receiver, so a game with little production does not make a dent in this great player, the runners complete the aerial numbers Anthony McFarland, Benny Snell Y James Conner with a reception each. Good performance.
QUARTERBACK
Once again Ben Roethilsberger (14/22, 162 yds, 1 td, 0 int, 100.9 rt) again he was above 100 points of passer rating, another game without interceptions, leading the team with care, this game was designed not to expose him to unnecessary risks, get rid of the ball fast either with short passes or by leaving the ball to the runner, to dry up the ambitions of the frontal opponents, it caught my attention that in the three RPO plays he tried, he failed very simple short passes, too much force on the ball, a matter of adjusting the touch. Very Good Performance.
DEFENSIVE
As I mentioned at the beginning of these brief comments, the team’s defensive scheme was very conservative, now almost no changes were attempted in the strength of the team, which is the pressure on the rival quarterback and the result was obvious, solid performances against the running game and the opponent’s passing game, so much so that the Heisman trophy that visited us only worked three-quarters and was replaced by the second team.
DEFENSIVE LINE
When two forward and the two ILB are the team’s tackle leaders, that’s great news. Our well-known DT-NT-DE and two edge scheme in technique 7 was respected as the basic front of the team. It was used for the first and second down packages to contain the race and forced the rival qb to use the air game and of course the errors came, the captain Cam Heyward (8 tackles, 1 tfl, 1 qh) was the takedown leader, very powerful against the run that was priority in this game, Stephon Tuitt (5 tackles, .5 sack, 2 qh, 1 ff) gave a great game again holding the run and putting pressure on the qb; Tyson Alualu (1 tackle) looks comfortable in the center of the line and in the rotation Wormley and Buggs (both without statistics) did their job well.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
Great performance from Bud Dupree (4 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 tfl, 2 qh) always starting from his position on the far right of the defense, strong and powerful he did a great job throughout the game, TJ Watt (3 tackles, 1 tfl) was the one sacrificed in the scheme of this game, we saw him in pass coverage, doing work through the center in third-down packages, or going out on the right side, going through gap B and forcing the tackle to close and clear the way for Dupree, not to mention, he’s the best man we have and that’s why they’re using him for so many different activities. Alex Highsmith He did not have defensive statistics but he was only in eight plays during the game, he continues in his learning work, to be a starter in the near future. Very Good Performance
INSIDE LINEBACKERS
Let’s start with the bad news Devin Bush (5 tackles, 0.5 sack, 1 qh) was giving a great game until the injury came that marginalized him from the rest of the season, he was replaced by Robert Spillane (5 tackles, 1 tfl) who had a good performance coming off the bench, let’s hope he continues like this, because there are two really very complicated commitments on the ground. Vince Williams (6 tackles, 1 tfl) is rejuvenated, his attacking role through the center fell perfect and it shows that he enjoys it, with some problems in the cover, but in general very good. Good performance.
PERIMETER
The only ones who played 100% of the team’s defensive series were Steven Nelson (3 tackles) and Joe Haden (3 tackles, 3 sf) and they are precisely the ones that fill us with doubts, Nelson allowed the longest play against (36-yard pass to Hooper) and another of 11 yards for first and ten, Joe Haden even though he had three passes defended allowed three passes of more than 10 yards (24, 13 and 11 yards) and once again they burned him ugly in the end zone, again giving leverage on the outside, this begins to be worrying. In this game, it must be recognized that this time people were not piled up behind, but that it was done in an orderly way, with nickel packages (three backs) and tell me (four backs), Cam Sutton (2 tackles, 1 sack, 1 int, 1 sf) had a great game despite playing only 46% of the game and Mike Hilton, this time without statistics he did it in a good way in the 22 plays that he participated. Let’s talk about Minkah Fitzpatrick (1 tackle, 1 int, 1 td) although for a moment we thought that he was going to return to his old playmaker form, with the great pick six at the beginning of the match, this was a mirage and his figure quickly faded as it comes being (bad) habit in this 2020, what was your main virtue last season? THE ANTICIPATION, why did you intercept this time? BECAUSE HE ANTICIPATED, but after the same of this season, far back to being one more spectator of the game, and I am not saying it for saying, I have been analyzing the games of this season and he is seen with a disdain that draws attention. By last Terrell Edmunds (2 tackles, 1 point) perhaps the most accurate tackler on the team, it’s very difficult to see him miss a takedown, although he was burned once with a 12-yard pass to center. Very Good Performance.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Dustin Colquitt (5 points, 41.8 avg) continues to perform poorly, although cornering his kicks better and better, Ray Ray McCloud returning the kicks well and the best without errors and Chris Boswell (8 points) with another match without blemish. Good performance.
STAFF
Just as I have criticized the staff on other occasions, this time I only have recognition for their work, from the preparation of the game plan, which, as I said at the beginning of this analysis, took advantage of the opponent’s weaknesses to grow the strengths of the team, improved in a vital aspect in the development of the game: third-chance conversions both defensively and offensively, on the defensive side only 1 of 12 conversions were allowed and 5 of 14 were converted on the offensive side, the opponent was stopped on all three occasions who tried on fourth down and the offense converted the two that were tried, the ball was controlled when establishing the running game and possession of the ball was had nine minutes more than the visit, the penalties decreased to six and less than 50 yards against and HE NEVER STOPPED ATTACKING, which the fans appreciate because now they did not trust the score in favor.
In short, a round performance of the team, starting with the head, hopefully we continue like this, because perhaps the two most important tests of the season are coming, in the meantime, let’s enjoy this 5-0 and why not? let’s dream of the seventh. So far my comments. What do you think?
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