lillloyd
Third String But Playing on Special Teams
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Gonna split this mini-novella across a couple of posts. I'll start with some thoughts about Pitt and its development over the year, and then will go to the game itself.
This is a Different Steelers Team Now (Literally)
Few Steelers seasons have had so many in-season changes as this one.
The Offensive Line Is Pittsburgh’s Best Unit
Yes, Pitt has its ‘killer Bs’...but Ben and even Brown have had off years. It’s the OL has been consistently excellent.
Ben has been kept almost perfectly clean in the pocket—the line had allowed a league-best 17 sacks entering the final, meaningless game of the regular season (a game in which they rested starters). They’ve been equally dominant in the run game.
Pouncey and DeCastro are the obvious names – and while I think they may be bit overrated (both can be had by elite power rushers), they’re still top shelf talents. But it’s the vast improvements by RT Marcus Gilbert (who’s played at a near Pro Bowl level this year) and more recently, LT Allejandro Villenueva (who graded out as one of the league’s best tackles over the past half of the year) that has made all the difference. It’s a versatile, athletic group.
I’m lukewarm on PFF and analytics generally, but I did find the following tweet from PFF eye-popping:
Whether you believe that heady praise or not, Pitt’s OL will have to play like the best unit in the league on Sunday for Pittsburgh to have a chance.
“Road Ben” is a Real Thing…But Pitt Will Still Move The Ball
There are a lot of reasons for Ben’s inconsistent play this season. But one of them is Ben himself – he has been streaky with his accuracy, and less effective under pressure overall.
There is a world of difference statistically over the past two years between Ben’s home performance (super-human) and his road performance (run-of-the-mill). You can chalk some of this up to the entire team being more prone to subpar play on the road, and some of it to his young receivers…but the bottom line is Ben throws more picks and less touchdowns away from home.
That said, I think people may be taking things a bit too far lately when assessing Ben’s play – he did not morph into Brock Osweiler or Ryan Sixpatrick overnight. Here are Ben’s stats from his last 4 games against New England:
So Ben is averaging 375 yards and 2.5 TDs against New England, and Pittsburgh as a whole has averaged 447 yards against New England in Ben’s last 4 games. Even the Landry Jones-led Steelers got 375. So between the 20s, Pitt should move the ball, and Ben should be just fine.
Whether they punch it in for TDs – since after all, games are not won on yardage totals (!) – against New England’s tough Red Zone defense is another matter entirely.
This is a Different Steelers Team Now (Literally)
Few Steelers seasons have had so many in-season changes as this one.
- Ben was the headliner inactive in the first NE tilt, but other key players who missed that game included: Bud Dupree, Marcus Gilbert, Ladarius Green, Eli Rogers, Roosevelt Nix, and of course Cam Heyward and Marcus Wheaton (both of whom were later IR’d). Ryan Shazier played hurt (rotating in one out of every three series), as did Sammie Coates (who has since gone MIA).
- Dupree, James Harrison, and high roundrookies Artie Burns, Javon Hargrave, and Sean Davis have all been promoted to the starting defensive lineup.
The Offensive Line Is Pittsburgh’s Best Unit
Yes, Pitt has its ‘killer Bs’...but Ben and even Brown have had off years. It’s the OL has been consistently excellent.
Ben has been kept almost perfectly clean in the pocket—the line had allowed a league-best 17 sacks entering the final, meaningless game of the regular season (a game in which they rested starters). They’ve been equally dominant in the run game.
Pouncey and DeCastro are the obvious names – and while I think they may be bit overrated (both can be had by elite power rushers), they’re still top shelf talents. But it’s the vast improvements by RT Marcus Gilbert (who’s played at a near Pro Bowl level this year) and more recently, LT Allejandro Villenueva (who graded out as one of the league’s best tackles over the past half of the year) that has made all the difference. It’s a versatile, athletic group.
I’m lukewarm on PFF and analytics generally, but I did find the following tweet from PFF eye-popping:
# Steelers O-line as it’s playing right now may have the league’s best offensive line. As in better than Tennessee, Dallas. No weakness
Villanueva has become a Top-10 tackle over the last eight weeks. I can’t think of a mid-season switch like that for a lineman recently.
Villanueva has become a Top-10 tackle over the last eight weeks. I can’t think of a mid-season switch like that for a lineman recently.
Whether you believe that heady praise or not, Pitt’s OL will have to play like the best unit in the league on Sunday for Pittsburgh to have a chance.
“Road Ben” is a Real Thing…But Pitt Will Still Move The Ball
There are a lot of reasons for Ben’s inconsistent play this season. But one of them is Ben himself – he has been streaky with his accuracy, and less effective under pressure overall.
There is a world of difference statistically over the past two years between Ben’s home performance (super-human) and his road performance (run-of-the-mill). You can chalk some of this up to the entire team being more prone to subpar play on the road, and some of it to his young receivers…but the bottom line is Ben throws more picks and less touchdowns away from home.
That said, I think people may be taking things a bit too far lately when assessing Ben’s play – he did not morph into Brock Osweiler or Ryan Sixpatrick overnight. Here are Ben’s stats from his last 4 games against New England:
2010 30/49 387 3:1 97.9
2011 36/50 365 2:1 97.5 (WIN)
2013 28/48 400 4:2 95.8
2015 26/38 351 1:1 95.4
2011 36/50 365 2:1 97.5 (WIN)
2013 28/48 400 4:2 95.8
2015 26/38 351 1:1 95.4
So Ben is averaging 375 yards and 2.5 TDs against New England, and Pittsburgh as a whole has averaged 447 yards against New England in Ben’s last 4 games. Even the Landry Jones-led Steelers got 375. So between the 20s, Pitt should move the ball, and Ben should be just fine.
Whether they punch it in for TDs – since after all, games are not won on yardage totals (!) – against New England’s tough Red Zone defense is another matter entirely.