PIT 10 HOU 17
October 3rd 2011 00:51
What should be painfully obvious to anyone - including normally over-the-top Steeler fans - is that this year's team is simply not very good. It's clear that both lines are suffering. Take your pick - poor players, age or something else - these two lines are almost woeful. It's going to be a long season.
From the opening snaps, the Houston offensive line was taking the game to the Steelers line. Casey Hampton has not been able to get off blocks all year. Worse, he's being driven backwards. Aaron Smith does not have any burst to speak of. I can't evaluate Ziggy Hood, except to say that he's not standing out. And if that's damning with faint praise, then so be it. The linebackers, for all their hype, have not been able to play with their same intensity because the line is failing so badly. That said, James Farrior looks done to me. Just...done. That's also too bad since he's a popular player and has been such a stalwart on the inside. But he's missing tackles, looking slow and out of position and generally has not looked very solid. The only player who I can't criticize is Ike Taylor. But then, that could be perhaps because no one is throwing his way because they don't have to. Defensively, this unit can't stop the run and can't pressure the passer. That's a very bad combination.
But then, if anything, the offensive line is worse. "Offensive" being the operative word here, as the only description suitable for that line's play is offensive. They stink. There was a clean hit on Ben in the first half that the announcers miscredited as a blitz. No, it wasn't - it was a blown assignment as Trai Essex looks inside and the outside guy (thank god it wasn't Mario) gets a free run at Ben. They couldn't run block, pass block or any other kind of block. They're just bad. They were bad before injuries. Their depth is as bad as their overall play.
Look, at 2-2 the world isn't coming to an end, and I suppose that the team might be good enough to sneak into the playoffs. But they'll get creamed by the more elite AFC teams. Several teams have passed them by this year. I don't know if it can be saved. They'll win games - it's not like they're so atrocious that they can't win any games - but a Super Bowl contender? Forget it. Division winner contender? Nope. Wild Card contender? Maybe. They'll have to improve, though.
The only good thing about today's loss is that they can continue to improve. I don't know if the two lines could have played much worse. Or I should rephrase: I sincerely HOPE that the lines couldn't play any worse!
From the opening snaps, the Houston offensive line was taking the game to the Steelers line. Casey Hampton has not been able to get off blocks all year. Worse, he's being driven backwards. Aaron Smith does not have any burst to speak of. I can't evaluate Ziggy Hood, except to say that he's not standing out. And if that's damning with faint praise, then so be it. The linebackers, for all their hype, have not been able to play with their same intensity because the line is failing so badly. That said, James Farrior looks done to me. Just...done. That's also too bad since he's a popular player and has been such a stalwart on the inside. But he's missing tackles, looking slow and out of position and generally has not looked very solid. The only player who I can't criticize is Ike Taylor. But then, that could be perhaps because no one is throwing his way because they don't have to. Defensively, this unit can't stop the run and can't pressure the passer. That's a very bad combination.
But then, if anything, the offensive line is worse. "Offensive" being the operative word here, as the only description suitable for that line's play is offensive. They stink. There was a clean hit on Ben in the first half that the announcers miscredited as a blitz. No, it wasn't - it was a blown assignment as Trai Essex looks inside and the outside guy (thank god it wasn't Mario) gets a free run at Ben. They couldn't run block, pass block or any other kind of block. They're just bad. They were bad before injuries. Their depth is as bad as their overall play.
Look, at 2-2 the world isn't coming to an end, and I suppose that the team might be good enough to sneak into the playoffs. But they'll get creamed by the more elite AFC teams. Several teams have passed them by this year. I don't know if it can be saved. They'll win games - it's not like they're so atrocious that they can't win any games - but a Super Bowl contender? Forget it. Division winner contender? Nope. Wild Card contender? Maybe. They'll have to improve, though.
The only good thing about today's loss is that they can continue to improve. I don't know if the two lines could have played much worse. Or I should rephrase: I sincerely HOPE that the lines couldn't play any worse!
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Comment by Joe Soriano
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