The weakest link in Steelers offense is their lack of reliable depth and....Big Ben?

[PScottman]

maybe they let the d-line penetrate more to disrupt his stalling in the backfield

That's exactly what they want you to do - expose a gap for the OL and RB to exploit. Gap discipline, not penetration, is the key - string the play out along the DL and have the LBs and good tackling CBs & Ss finish.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Nice breakdown of Roethlisberger struggles this season....

http://deadspin.com/which-ben-roethlisberger-will-the-steelers-get-this-wee-1791086732

 

[Ivan]

That's what I thought when I saw them cruise past the Dolphins with Roethlisberger throwing ... what, 17 passes. Silly Dolphins DC, I thought. Then they did more or less the same thing to KC and I started to wonder if there wasn't a bit more to it than I could see. Anyway, paging Elandon Roberts!

Bell is a really good player, no doubt about it, I just feel like Belichick has so much experience and knowledge, and that he knew this match up was a strong likelihood, that he has been working on the way to handle Bell's running style. I'm actually much more concerned with Bell coming out of the backfield as a receiver than I am his running from scrimmage. I can't remember the last time a team beat the Patriots with their run game. (Possibly the wildcat game against Miami?) Denver had Moreno run for 225 against them and still lost.

 

[archstanton543]

They don't call him "Worthless-beger" for nothing.

 

[mgcolby]

Yeah hopefully, maybe they let the d-line penetrate more to disrupt his stalling in the backfield, or maybe have the d-line engage and just hold their blocks and let Bell come to them and make the stop.

The 2nd one. You don't want the big boys chasing him around in the backfield, that is how his lanes open. It's all about maintaining gap responsibility, squeezing and riding the down (block).

Bell makes a living sitting in the backfield and waiting for either a defender to get impatient or for his OL to clear a path. That OL is good. But more often than not a defender abandons his gap responsibility and Brown is off to the races.

 

[shmessy]

Something is absolutely up no question.

In his first 10 games he threw 8 picks. As I said earlier he thrown 9 in his last 6.

He is not a healthy man on a number of levels.

Healthy enough to QB a team that has won 8 in a row.

I wouldn't mind being that healthy.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Healthy enough to QB a team that has won 8 in a row.

I wouldn't mind being that healthy.

This is true.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Bell is a really good player, no doubt about it, I just feel like Belichick has so much experience and knowledge, and that he knew this match up was a strong likelihood, that he has been working on the way to handle Bell's running style. I'm actually much more concerned with Bell coming out of the backfield as a receiver than I am his running from scrimmage. I can't remember the last time a team beat the Patriots with their run game. (Possibly the wildcat game against Miami?) Denver had Moreno run for 225 against them and still lost.

Every time you see a running back creating havoc, you should look at the O-line. I agree that Le'Veon Bell is a very, very good player, but he's not Adrian-Petersen-in-his-prime good. I don't think he's that much better than Forte, say. But, clearly, the results in the last two weeks have been amazing.

My guess is that BB will have a plan and that it involves the old two-gap and letting the linebackers fill the hole. It may not give negative yardage plays, but it will limit the damage. They can't be giving up chunks of 6 or 8 yards on first down like the Dolphins or the Chiefs.

 

[Ring 6]

I am not sure the Steelers last year were not better - they had better WRs. Remember if the RB (not Bell) does not fumble in the 4th - Steelers very likely put Denver out. Ben was hurt for that game with his shoulder too. I do not fear their offense this year as much as last. Their defense is probably a bit better - certainly a lot better than when we played them in week 1. Control their big weapons and they will struggle.

We didn't play them in week 1

 

[mgcolby]

Every time you see a running back creating havoc, you should look at the O-line. I agree that Le'Veon Bell is a very, very good player, but he's not Adrian-Petersen-in-his-prime good. I don't think he's that much better than Forte, say. But, clearly, the results in the last two weeks have been amazing.

My guess is that BB will have a plan and that it involves the old two-gap and letting the linebackers fill the hole. It may not give negative yardage plays, but it will limit the damage. They can't be giving up chunks of 6 or 8 yards on first down like the Dolphins or the Chiefs.

I'm gonna go back and see what they used in the regular season game, but my instincts are to one gap Bell. Fill every hole and make him stretch to the sideline. Try to limit his chances between the tackles.

 

[bormio]

We didn't play them in week 1

We did in 2015 - I was referring to that shell of a defense the Steelers had that night.

 

[Ring 6]

Every time you see a running back creating havoc, you should look at the O-line. I agree that Le'Veon Bell is a very, very good player, but he's not Adrian-Petersen-in-his-prime good. I don't think he's that much better than Forte, say. But, clearly, the results in the last two weeks have been amazing.

My guess is that BB will have a plan and that it involves the old two-gap and letting the linebackers fill the hole. It may not give negative yardage plays, but it will limit the damage. They can't be giving up chunks of 6 or 8 yards on first down like the Dolphins or the Chiefs.

The 2 gap philosophy should hinder Bells running style. In a 2 gap, each player is assigned to 2 gaps, which means each gap has 2 players assigned to it. Where Bells is successful is in taking his time to wait for overpursuit to open a lane and then he gashes it. No doubt there will be plays where he gets that opening, but our defensive system prioritizes trying to prevent it.

 

[Ring 6]

I'm gonna go back and see what they used in the regular season game, but my instincts are to one gap Bell. Fill every hole and make him stretch to the sideline. Try to limit his chances between the tackles.

Disagree. If you one gap you are creating seams. The way to defend this guy is to wall him off, not to shoot gaps hoping to get him in the backfield and they create a seam. The is what they want. If one guy penetrates and the other guy holds the los, you have created a large gap for cutback.
Keep in mind, saying I am going to play one gap does not mean the offensive lineman allow my defenders to penetrate those gaps.

 

[Ring 6]

We did in 2015 - I was referring to that shell of a defense the Steelers had that night.

I'm not sure its really any better now.

 

[mgcolby]

Disagree. If you one gap you are creating seams. The way to defend this guy is to wall him off, not to shoot gaps hoping to get him in the backfield and they create a seam. The is what they want. If one guy penetrates and the other guy holds the los, you have created a large gap for cutback.
Keep in mind, saying I am going to play one gap does not mean the offensive lineman allow my defenders to penetrate those gaps.

I'm not saying shoot the gaps per se, and really not looking for penetration. Just gap fill at the LOS and hold the point. Essentially what you are saying by walling the LOS forcing him to stretch it out to the sideline.

But admittadly I haven't focused on Pittsburgh's blocking scheme this season. I assume they are still a counter/Power/Trap blocking team vs a stretch team.

I will hit the film before Sunday just to see. I think however they played it in week 7 will be similar to how they play it this Sunday with a few wrinkles of course.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Disagree. If you one gap you are creating seams. The way to defend this guy is to wall him off, not to shoot gaps hoping to get him in the backfield and they create a seam. The is what they want. If one guy penetrates and the other guy holds the los, you have created a large gap for cutback.
Keep in mind, saying I am going to play one gap does not mean the offensive lineman allow my defenders to penetrate those gaps.

Agreed.

In the first match-up, Bell carried 21 times for 81 yards, but there were only 7 carries of 5 yards or more, so the Pats did a really good job on him.

But ...

The Steelers were behind, so they were throwing the ball a lot of the time. And Bell caught the ball 10 times (on 13 targets) for another 68 yards.

 

[Ring 6]

I'm not saying shoot the gaps per se, and really not looking for penetration. Just gap fill at the LOS and hold the point. Essentially what you are saying by walling the LOS forcing him to stretch it out to the sideline.

But admittadly I haven't focused on Pittsburgh's blocking scheme this season. I assume they are still a counter/Power/Trap blocking team vs a stretch team.

I will hit the film before Sunday just to see. I think however they played it in week 7 will be similar to how they play it this Sunday with a few wrinkles of course.

If the point is to wall off the los why would you tell your DL to go to one gap, rather than control the blocker and play 2 gap? A DL trying to get to a gap is much easier to move than a DL trying to control the blocker.
If you aren't going to penetrate the gap, there is no reason to play one gap, you would essentially be telling the DL to avoid the OL then stand still while the OL gains a blocking angle on you.

 

[The Brandon Five]

Rich Hill made a great observation on how to limit Pittsburgh explosive offense:

The key to beating the Patriots requires the third, fourth, and fifth offensive skill players to outplay the Patriots third, fourth, and fifth defenders

.....But once you get beyond Bell and Brown, who represent 51.8% of the Steelers yards from scrimmage in 2016, there aren’t many other consistent threats in the Pittsburgh offense. WR Eli Rogers has 600 yards from scrimmage as the #2 receiver. No other player has more than 500 yards from scrimmage. If the Patriots can limit either of Bell or Brown, as they are capable of doing, then the Steelers offense would be greatly hindered.

Essentially, the Patriots can figure out a way to scheme out the impact of both Brown and Bell, and put the pressure on other WRs, TE, and RBs to make plays.

Where it gets interesting is what Hill says about Roethlisberger:

Ben Roethlisberger is having a bad season: The Steelers QB, who I had as a top 5 player at his position, has been terrible in 2016. Even though the Steelers have won 9 straight games, their offense has been carried by Le’Veon Bell over that stretch. Bell’s historic rushing output has been great for the Steelers in terms of moving the ball, but Roethlisberger has struggled with turnovers and finishing drives. The Steelers QB likes to take chances with his All-Pro caliber arm strength, something the Patriots can take advantage of. The Patriots will likely be keeping two safeties deep and playing a good amount of Cover 2 to take away the big plays and make Roethlisberger dink and dunk his way down the field. The Patriots defense will have to be patient because Roethlisberger will make mistakes and give you that turnover-worthy throw at least once per drive.

Seems like a risky strategy to try and dare a 2-time Super Bowl champ like Big Ben to beat you with his arm and put togethet long, methodical drives. But then again, you could argue he's been the weak link of Pittsburgh Killer Bs, especially on the road:

@PF_SU: "For some reason Roethlisberger has struggled massively on the road these last couple of years (for his standards).

2015: 6 games, 1850 yards, 70.8% completion, 5 TDs, 9 INTs
2016: 8 games, 1904 yards, 59.36% completion, 9 TDs, 8 INTs"

Also, this


Will definately look forward to seeing the Patriots defensive gameplan

That's Tom's road passer rating over that period. What was his passer rating at home?

 

[Ring 6]

Agreed.

In the first match-up, Bell carried 21 times for 81 yards, but there were only 7 carries of 5 yards or more, so the Pats did a really good job on him.

But ...

The Steelers were behind, so they were throwing the ball a lot of the time. And Bell caught the ball 10 times (on 13 targets) for another 68 yards.

I think if there is one thing we have seen this year its that when our defense is working effectively, there are tons of check downs to RBs, FBs, TEs and they don't go far. Now Bell can do more than that, but if he seeing that many passes, things are good for us.

 

[ALP]

i wonder if we will stop the run w/ some kind of focus on the backend puruit? put a speedy S or good taclkling CB there and have them catch Bell from behind