Spikes is the real problem

[Mark Morse]

The Steelers exposed Spikes for what he is ... a liability. He cannot cover anyone ... He is too slow and if the opposition is not running the ball he is not a factor. How many catches did Miller have in the soft zone? How many Steelers ran free under the MLB and within the 5yards that you can legally hit a player? Put Mayo back at MLB and put Cunningham (he either produces or you cut him) or Guyton at the other LB spot.

 

[Snake Eyes]

Keep in mind that I’m not a big Spikes fan and I think that he certainly has physical limitations, that said is there really 1 single problem causing this defense and team to perform the way they are? There are a LOT of problems with the team that have resulted in our lack of post-season success for the past several years, it’s not because of 1 linebacker.

 

[IllegalContact]

are you kidding me?

it seemed as though the steelers were counting on the MLB blitz....... its one of the safeties job to cover the middle......except that the scheme seems to insist on leaving the middle wide open.......it was a zone, and spikes was covering outside while guyton was in the middle, blitzing.....

the real problem is that without mayo out there, it seems nobody is making the calls, or whoever is is not being recognized by the other players.

what I see right now is a dysfunctional unit

 

[PatsSox363804]

Spikes is a liability in pass defense so when teams pass 50+ times he's going to get exposed. He is really good at stopping the run however but yeah he isn't an every down player at MLB.

 

[IllegalContact]

Spikes is a liability in pass defense so when teams pass 50+ times he's going to get exposed. He is really good at stopping the run however but yeah he isn't an every down player at MLB.

please.......give me one name right now who is not a liability in coverage......we sort of knew that about spike from collegel......he's a 2-down thumper.....what's everyone elses excuse?

 

[NinjaZX6R]

please.......give me one name right now who is not a liability in coverage......we sort of knew that about spike from collegel......he's a 2-down thumper.....what's everyone elses excuse?

Yep. Plus Mayo was slowly being eased into action and Dane F is injured.

 

[PatsSox363804]

please.......give me one name right now who is not a liability in coverage......we sort of knew that about spike from collegel......he's a 2-down thumper.....what's everyone elses excuse?

I can't do that, unfortunately. I'm not saying the OP is correct and that Spikes is THE problem, he's part of it because he is a 2 down thumper on a defense that gets passed on constantly. Basically, we agree on this.

 

[BradyManny]

Spikes' limitations are well known, it's up to the coaching staff to work within those parameters.

Jerod Mayo is the guy who needs to be a more consistent pass defender. We took him with the 10th pick to be a legit 3 down player, and he needs to be that 100% of the time. When healthy, that is.

 

[JackBauer]

Spikes, while a liability against the pass, is pretty far down my list of "real" problems with the defense.

 

[IllegalContact]

Spikes, while a liability against the pass, is pretty far down my list of "real" problems with the defense.

bingo.....he's been just as good in coverage as any of our DBs

 

[SyN65]

Actually the real problem is the guy that drafted all these players and whose ego is too large to admit he needs outside help.

 

[DarrylS]

Spikes, while a liability against the pass, is pretty far down my list of "real" problems with the defense.

Agree, Spikes is what he is.. and in Mayo's absence has done pretty well. There were some thread last week where folks were annointing Spikes for Canton. People long and pine for Guyton, but he is not very good in coverage either..

 

[Deus Irae]

The Steelers exposed Spikes for what he is ... a liability. He cannot cover anyone ... He is too slow and if the opposition is not running the ball he is not a factor. How many catches did Miller have in the soft zone? How many Steelers ran free under the MLB and within the 5yards that you can legally hit a player? Put Mayo back at MLB and put Cunningham (he either produces or you cut him) or Guyton at the other LB spot.

You do realize that the Patriots were in a deep shell, which was so deep that it prevented the linebackers from being up on the tight end, right?

 

[Rob0729]

Spikes is definitely not the problem. He is the Ted Johnson of the defense (although the comparison may be a bit premature). Like Johnson, he can excel as a two down LB, but isn't suited to drop into coverage. Unfortunately with Fletcher out and Mayo limited, he was thrust into a coverage role. When the LB corp is at full strength, he is an asset to the team.

 

[ForThoseAboutToRock]

To my casual observation, this was the first game I noticed what has caused the more astute to label Spikes as slow. The only tackles he seemed able to make in the passing game were the clean up types, where someone else had caused the runner to stop, or had him in the grasp when Spikes caught up to assist the final moment of the play.

 

[Patspsycho]

The Steelers exposed Spikes for what he is ... a liability. He cannot cover anyone ... He is too slow and if the opposition is not running the ball he is not a factor. How many catches did Miller have in the soft zone? How many Steelers ran free under the MLB and within the 5yards that you can legally hit a player? Put Mayo back at MLB and put Cunningham (he either produces or you cut him) or Guyton at the other LB spot.

If you are thinking of the first Steelers drive, that was by design. On the next drive, they put Spikes in man-free over the zone, and Miller was limited to one catch. Spikes broke up two passes to Miller IIRC.

The fact that Spikes had the green dot helmet suggests that BB just doesn't quite see things the same way you do.

 

[ForThoseAboutToRock]

You do realize that the Patriots were in a deep shell, which was so deep that it prevented the linebackers from being up on the tight end, right?

So would you say the plan was to limit the ability of the speedy Pit WR's to blow past anyone, thus asking the Steelers to settle for the underneath routes?

I've not seen many games before where an opponent was so ruthlessly patient in just taking the underneath 7 yard gains so effectively all game. They didn't score a lot, but they chewed such an amazing amount of clock that their red zone field goals sufficient.

 

[Bigatrop]

I do not agree. Spikes is one of the few players out there that isn't on my list of "biggest defensive issues." My biggest concern at this point is we don't have a big physical SS that can step up to TE passes alone.

In our previous games we focused on stopping a TE with multiple players, but in this game we focused on Wallace and left Miller alone. We simply don't have enough legitimate defensive players to take away more than 1 option from a QB. If we had CB's that could eliminate a WR single-handidly, we would be able to take away TE's and other options. On the same token, if we had a SS that could take away a TE single-handidly, we could focus more of our efforts on helping out our CB's that are in single-coverage.

Moral of the story - Cotchery was right, we don't have enough playmakers on defense. And it will be our undoing this season.

 

[Deus Irae]

So would you say the plan was to limit the ability of the speedy Pit WR's to blow past anyone, thus asking the Steelers to settle for the underneath routes?

Yes

I've not seen many games before where an opponent was so ruthlessly patient in just taking the underneath 7 yard gains so effectively all game. They didn't score a lot, but they chewed such an amazing amount of clock that their red zone field goals sufficient.

Jacksonville playoff game... The Steelers gave the Patriots a taste of their own medicine.

 

[dhamz]

Spikes isn't a problem. He is what he is - a classic 2 down run stopping ILB who shouldn't play on passing downs. His value is sverely limited by the fact that in 2011 the NFL is a league where run stopping is no longer a 2 down job.

Now that there is no other option but to use him as an every down player against a team whose game plan is to throw 60 passes? Yes that is a problem.