Congratulations to the Bengals - looks like they are for real this time and now they enjoy a two game lead on us. Unless they collapse, looks like the Steelers will need a wildcard spot. Not impossible, but not an enviable position.
A couple of thoughts:
First, our unspecial teams need to be taken out and shot.
Secondly, whoever was in the CBS broadcast booth with his or her phone on vibrate needs to be taken out and shot.
Finally, whoever decided that the Steelers running backs, who were regularly having success (gaining four yards per carry) should get only 16 carries, shoud be taken out and shot.
What about Jeff Reed, who regularly makes no effort to tackle on kick returns other than occasionally jogging towards the guy with the ball if it looks like he might cross the 50?
While I certainly agree that Reed is putting on something less than a tackling clinic, the real issue is that he is regularly being put in the position of having to make a tackle. I’m sick of seeing him in frame on kickoff returns period. Let’s get this shit nailed down.
One of the key coverage guys in recent years has been Anthony Madison. The Browns had signed him from the practice squad but they released him this week. I think with Keenan Lewis going down we’ll see Madison back again soon.
I actually like Reed in spite of the air tackles lately. He’s been a very reliable kicker in an inhospitable kicking environment. What he hasn’t been able to do though is kick into the other teams end zone. When was the last time you saw a returner field one of his kicks from deep in the end zone? I wonder how Sepulveda would do in that situation. BTW, google “Sepulveda hit” and go see the lick he laid on a guy in college. It was pretty impressive.
I agree that the kickers shouldn’t have to be making tackles but it happens and when it does they should be expected
to at least steer the runner back into the part of the field where help is coming.
No, that’s rubbish. There is no excuse for a kicker not to be able to tackle - they are, after all, the only players who are certain to be on the field during a kickoff.
It’s not as though they need to watch hours of film and understand blocking assignments; they have plenty of time to participate in tackling drills.
I hadn’t noticed that Anthony Madison was signed by the Colts already. He was the leading tackler on special teams last year and I would have liked to see him back. Oh well. They brought Donovan Woods back off the practice squad hoping he will help shore up the coverage unit. I think it’s a good move. I thought Woods should have made the 53-man roster right after camp.
In other news, Polamalu’s knee injury wasn’t a re-injury of the MCL but a PCL strain. It’s not expected to be very serious at all.
Is Reed’s number eleven? If so, the block our punt returner Quan Cosby had (you know, that WR from Texas that caught that certain TD catch against a certain team) absolutely planted him into the stands at the end of that Bernard Scott TD kickoff return.
Also, seeing Brandon Johnson (LB) for the Bengals simply knock Ward down within the 5 yard perimeter was a pretty welcome change.
Finally, whomever mentioned the cellphone on vibrate…that’s what that was! I kept wondering where in the hell that sound was coming from!
I didn’t notice it during the game but I’ll definitely watch it. It’s not too bad watching a 5’6" buck-eighty returner get pasted. Hell, I could pummel him (if I could catch him ;)).
Its a the very end of the return. Our punt returner Quan Cosby gets him, and he’s no big guy either. In fact, if you can, try to find Cosby during the course of the entire return. I believe he gets three blocks in, with the one on Logan being the most “highlight-reel worthy”.
Aw, you didn’t say it was your punt returner. That settles it. If I meet Stefan Logan I am going to pummel him.
On another note, has anyone read the article in the NY Times about missed tackles this year? There are some interesting references to how the Steelers have tended to practice more in full gear and work on tackling in practice more than other teams. The risk of injury is higher but the tackling is better. It’s one of the areas where we as fans have become spoiled. We’ve had such a good defense for so long it’s easy to forget how frustrating it has to be to watch your team miss these. I’ve been noticing an incredible amount of missed tackles throughout the league this year.
