3 HUGE Plays

by 5020 on Nov 30, 2009 11:25 AM EST Comment 23 comments

In any game there are a myriad of plays that had they gone differently, the outcome could have been changed. To me there were 3 HUGE plays that spelled defeat for the Steelers last night. The first two were in regulation with the defense on the field and the third was in OT with the offense on the field. Typical of the Steelers season, there were 3 times (at least) that the game was right there to be taken and the Steelers shrunk from the spotlight.

1) 3rd and 22 for the BrownRavens deep in the 4th quarter. If someone on defense steps up and makes a play there, the game is over. To me this was the play of the game. If we force an incomplete or tackle someone after a short gain, then Baltimore would be forced to punt on 3rd and 20 with 3 minutes left. Steelers could have ground out the clock and tucked away the W. Instead the porous secondary allows ancient Derrick Mason a HUGE 17 yard pass completion.

2) 4th and 5 for the BrownRavens deep in the 4th quarter. This play has been discussed ad naseum in some other posts. Seeing Farrior on Rice, Flacco knows he will be open. Clarke and Carter whiff on the tackles and Rice is deep inside Steelers territory and after a FG the game is tied. Don't know what other DBs were lined up for the Steelers on the play that could have taken Rice? Farrior or any other LB is not hanging with Rice on 4th and 5 without a chip at the line.

3) With the Steelers holding the ball at midfield in OT on 2nd and 6 even Chris Collinsworth is begging for an innovative and creative play from BA and Dennis Dixon to move the Steelers into FG range and a major upset. The Steelers choose to throw a bomb down the sideline instead of exploiting Dixon's speed and legs which have already burned the BrownRavens for runs of 24 and 40. Or how about that nifty Mewelde Moore halfback toss for a big gain? On the next play Dixon is intercepted and the ball is returned into FG range. Steelers earn another L.

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yep

them were some hat-throwin moments alright

"Now that I'm here, I don't want to just be here, I want to be here for a long time." Hines Ward, 1998 4th round draft pick.

by kick him in the head on Nov 30, 2009 11:48 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Errrrr

Why can’t we call games right anymore? Dick do you really have to have Troy to look like the other world DC you are? Bruce do you really have to make Dixon do that? Didn’t you watch him in college!? Can’t you make more plays that exploits what he’s good at? I don’t care about the short week. Great Coordinators get it done regardless.

Bring a towel to the game. Black or gold or yellow. If you don't have one buy one, If you can't buy one, dye one!!!

by SoCalSteelerFan on Nov 30, 2009 12:10 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I really wonder how Sean Payton would have called this game

by SteelersVT on Nov 30, 2009 11:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

2nd and 6 in OT

How about the quick pass to Hines and see if he can muscle down the sideline for 6 yards? How about the bubble screen? How about running that little roll out that created the first TD? Or the QB bootleg that resulted in the second TD? Sure, maybe these plays don’t work as well the second time, but we only needed 6 yards. It seems like Arians never goes back to the plays that work (except for the old “run the ball behind the pulling guard” play).

I liked to see Dixon throwing long earlier in the game, because you have to show you can do that to stretch the D. But in OT, you play for the FG, not the bomb, especially with your 3rd QB in the game. Convert the first down there, another couple of runs up the middle, and send in Jeff Reed to try a 50-yard FG for the win.

by Steelin on Nov 30, 2009 12:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

In defense of #3

It was open. Interesting that you criticize Arians for not being “innovative” yet that play had the Ravens caught with their pants down. In sort of agreeing with you. You lose points for agreeing with the idiot Collinsworth though. That throw needed to be inside because the DB was not going to catch him. It may have been a gamble because the timing hasn’t been established…however he threw that pass as good if not better than Ben. He and Ben throw that pass to the wrong shoulder making him have to adjust by angling out of bounds. Ben gets one inbounds at times but it still runs him out of bounds. At least Dixon hit Wallace in stride. Ben never does. All that said, when you gamble sometimes you win sometimes you lose. If he catches that pass none of these shananagans are even being brought up. Innovation? How many teams are drawing up plays all season for their emergency QB? Remember an emergency QB doesn’t come in for gadgets. He can only come in when 1 &2 are out…

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill

by PixburghArn on Nov 30, 2009 12:39 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Don’t think Baltimore had their pants down Arn. There was a DB right there with Wallace. DD did hit Wallace in stride 3 yards out of bounds.
With all the talk from media, fans etc about Dixon and the wildcat, I am very surprised that since July at Latrobe NOTHING creative was put in the playbook for Dixon. Especially after what Miami did last year. They had DD on the roster since last year. If what you say about there being no plays with Dixon in mind in the playbook then that is further indictment of the OCs abilities…

When You Run The Ball Good Things Happen

by 5020 on Nov 30, 2009 3:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

What QB runs the wildcat with success? Pat White? nope. Mike Vick? nope. The Wildcat works in Miami because their QB is a RB and they have 2 very good running backs and a great run blocking O-Line, and a coach who ran that offense a lot. No one else has been able to duplicate that, and even they can’t do it with White like they do with Ronnie Brown.

by Phantaskippy on Nov 30, 2009 4:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well firstly, the Steelers have run a wildcat formation with FWP in the backfield in preseason. Just very surprised that with FWP, Mewelde and Hines Ward on the roster there is nothing deep in the playbook for that situation.
Secondly Cribbs and Cleveland seem to duplicate the Miami wildcat pretty good skippy so there is one team that runs that formation with some success. Some would say the Cribbs led wildcat is the best part of the Cleveland offense.
To me it is just another example of the OC being unprepared for any eventuality. The Steelers should be prepared to use all 53 not just load up Big Ben for the “big splash play.” I am disappointed that there is no plays in the playbook to exploit Dixon in case they want to throw him in the game and use his athletic talent. Just like I’m surprised that they have designed nothing for Stephan Logan on offense. Even as a decoy?

When You Run The Ball Good Things Happen

by 5020 on Nov 30, 2009 5:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I forgot Cribbs, he’s doing pretty well with it. Logan was in the Hypocycloid as a decoy, that worked well once. Can’t pull out all the rabbits though.

by Phantaskippy on Nov 30, 2009 6:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

+1 I got ridiculed for saying something similar earlier

luckily, I’m pretty ridiculous…

"Now that I'm here, I don't want to just be here, I want to be here for a long time." Hines Ward, 1998 4th round draft pick.

by kick him in the head on Nov 30, 2009 7:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He was there burnt like toast :)

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill

by PixburghArn on Nov 30, 2009 4:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The problem with the Wildcat is all the time you have to devote to it

For Miami it’s not part of their gameplan it is their gameplan. we don’t need it to win. so we don’t put the time in to make it work.

by Steel in FL on Nov 30, 2009 6:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I realize that DD only had a package of about 15 plays but wildcat aside, what about some other innovative play involving the element of surprise and your other athletes abilities? Like that Dixon run? Guys like Moore, Hines, Wallace, Logan etc can be utilized in crucial situations. You remember plays we ran in the Whiz era. By the 11th game in OT we should have had something up our sleeves.

When You Run The Ball Good Things Happen

by 5020 on Nov 30, 2009 7:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

BA is over-relying on past sucessful schemes and has not utilized the vast talent available to him

If what you say about there being no plays with Dixon in mind in the playbook then that is further indictment of the OCs abilities…

This is the truth. A good coordinator would make a huge chat of all the tantalizing possibilities with the weapons they have, and be ready to exploit the potential when needed, especially when injuries take away parts of the game. I think this is one of the reasons New Orleans has been so successful lately. I don’t know what their backup QB situation is, but by all accounts, they have game planned for nearly every possibility. I have never heard of most of the Saints receivers.

If we had a good OC, I think they’d have tested multiple configurations in our backfield, like trying stuff with Logan, and other underused players. Why did it take them 2 years to figure out DD is a baller? Any OC worth his salt would know what he has.

by SteelersVT on Nov 30, 2009 11:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

chat= chart

by SteelersVT on Nov 30, 2009 11:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I was going to say something, but thought I'd leave it alone

I’m not trying to shoot your comment down but there’s a lot of assumption in what you just said. While what you said has an element of truth, it’s not that simple.

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill

by PixburghArn on Dec 1, 2009 10:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

does the sb hangover apply

to the OC?

"Now that I'm here, I don't want to just be here, I want to be here for a long time." Hines Ward, 1998 4th round draft pick.

by kick him in the head on Dec 1, 2009 6:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I guess it could

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill

by PixburghArn on Dec 1, 2009 10:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’m mildly encouraged that half of what I said today are opinions you share.

You sure Ike isn’t reacquainting himself with his fingers, he certainly doesn’t use them for catching. - Brian (DaBolts) on "Face Me Ike"

by steelguy99 on Nov 30, 2009 5:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Me too.

by Phantaskippy on Nov 30, 2009 6:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

why is that?

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill

by PixburghArn on Nov 30, 2009 11:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

How about the third down run by Ray Rice late in the game

Timmons and a DB stepped into the hole where Rice was going to run. Timmons stopsin the hole instead of finishing the play, the DB runs into him, and Rice cuts it back and breaks a big one for a first down. LeBeau called the perfect play and Timmons and DB (I don’t remember who) failed to execute.

by CarlWeathersMustache on Nov 30, 2009 1:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs