2018 Steelers Thread

[tifosi77]

They led the League in sacks, were top five in both total yards and passing D, and top ten in rush yards. They were 7th or 8th in pts/game. Which tells an expected story: You don't win 13 games in an NFL season without having a decent defense.

The problems are I think more in other big play scenarios. They were sort of middle-of-the-pack in turnovers, and getting off the field on third down, and the only team with a worse red zone TD% was CLE.

[slappybrown]

What? Our defense is not good. I’ll agree to not that bad, but certainly not good.

Yes, our defense is actively good relative to the NFL in 2018.

[slappybrown]

They led the League in sacks, were top five in both total yards and passing D, and top ten in rush yards. They were 7th or 8th in pts/game. Which tells an expected story: You don't win 13 games in an NFL season without having a decent defense.

The problems are I think more in other big play scenarios. They were sort of middle-of-the-pack in turnovers, and getting off the field on third down, and the only team with a worse red zone TD% was CLE.

Thank you for your service.

[tifosi77]

That red zone stat is a real killer - 2/3 of the time the bad guys got inside the 20, they scored a TD.

[slappybrown]

That red zone stat is a real killer - 2/3 of the time the bad guys got inside the 20, they scored a TD.

Given they finished 7th in points against, it appears that not many teams got inside the 20 often. Were we first in fewest number of red zone opportunities allowed?

[Dickie Dunn]

Almost 25% of their sacks came against Cleveland. They don’t have a starter worthy ILB or FS. Their DT can’t stop the run. They couldn’t stop the run at the end of the season. Their red zone defense was a mess all year. You wanna call them middle of the pack last season? Fine. But the defense right now is worse than last season and relying on the draft to fix all your holes for the third year in a row is a big ask for a team that’s supposed to be a Super Bowl contender. They should actively be trying to make their defense better than last season because that defense wasn’t good enough. In their current salary cap situation they literally cannot sign anyone of value because more than 55% of it is allocated to the offense.

[slappybrown]

I have to give them some leeway on ILB/Shazier as how you can possibly anticipate losing him for at least two years if not his career? I know, I know, next man up and the standard is the standard but now they have to plug this extra hole notwithstanding the fact that they have 9mm in guaranteed salary/cap hit tied up in a guy who may be done for good.

I don't think a 55% percent split salary wise in favor of the offense is facially obscene. What's the split across the league?

[tifosi77]

That red zone stat is a real killer - 2/3 of the time the bad guys got inside the 20, they scored a TD.

Given they finished 7th in points against, it appears that not many teams got inside the 20 often. Were we first in fewest number of red zone opportunities allowed?

If I'm reading the right stat, it looks like they were 6th.

https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/o ... s-per-game

That isn't gonna hurt too much in a division with six games against bottom-ten offenses. But in the games with matchup issues (JAX) or against really good offenses (NE), that can be the crushing.

[tifosi77]

I don't think a 55% percent split salary wise in favor of the offense is facially obscene. What's the split across the league?

I can't find the metric right now, but I recall a few years ago hearing that only a couple teams are usually at or above 55% favoring one side of the ball.

[columbia]

That 55 is heavily skewed by two players, so it doesn’t seem to be an unjust balance.

[slappybrown]

I don't think a 55% percent split salary wise in favor of the offense is facially obscene. What's the split across the league?

I can't find the metric right now, but I recall a few years ago hearing that only a couple teams are usually at or above 55% favoring one side of the ball.

Interesting. I would expect us to one of top 5 teams skewing offensively given the talent.

I also wonder whether DD is talking projected 18 and the number has been lower than that in prior years. Insayb18 bc I think that ABs number popped and Bell has inched up another couple mill

[slappybrown]

That red zone stat is a real killer - 2/3 of the time the bad guys got inside the 20, they scored a TD.

Given they finished 7th in points against, it appears that not many teams got inside the 20 often. Were we first in fewest number of red zone opportunities allowed?

If I'm reading the right stat, it looks like they were 6th.

https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/o ... s-per-game

That isn't gonna hurt too much in a division with six games against bottom-ten offenses. But in the games with matchup issues (JAX) or against really good offenses (NE), that can be the crushing.

If I had to bet I would bet that red zone conversion percentage against shows no meaningful consistency year over year.

[columbia]

It’s also interesting how past the top 25, salaries dip to 4th liner level.

[Dickie Dunn]

I don't think a 55% percent split salary wise in favor of the offense is facially obscene. What's the split across the league?

I can't find the metric right now, but I recall a few years ago hearing that only a couple teams are usually at or above 55% favoring one side of the ball.

Interesting. I would expect us to one of top 5 teams skewing offensively given the talent.

I also wonder whether DD is talking projected 18 and the number has been lower than that in prior years. Insayb18 bc I think that ABs number popped and Bell has inched up another couple mill

I’ll take a closer look when I have a bit more time, but the numbers I was looking at factored in AB’s reworked contract.

[slappybrown]

Cool

Very good football talk imo thank you all for your service

[dodint]

HGFY

[NTP66]

Matchup issues with Jacksonville? You mean Blake Bortles and his Merry Band of Nobodies? Come on.

[Trip McNeely]

Honey badger signs with Texans, 1 year 7 million

[tifosi77]

Matchup issues with Jacksonville? You mean Blake Bortles and his Merry Band of Nobodies? Come on.

The 9-win team that beat the Steelers twice in Pittsburgh in 100 days? Yes.

JAX has been a goofy matchup for years. The Jags and Belicheats are the only visiting teams with winning records at Heinz since BRoeth was drafted. Including playoffs, they've only beaten the Jags once in six games at home; they actually have a better record v NE.

[columbia]

Del Rio had a long run, but that the Jags have had 5 coaches and (obviously) endless player turnover since Ben entered the league. I’d describe that more as an anomaly than JAX having the Steelers number.

[NTP66]

There’s no excuse for it. We’ve made it a habit of letting awful teams stay in games (and win) over the years.

[Lemon Berry Lobster]

Burfict blaming his suspension on the JuJu hit.

[shmenguin]

I would like to CREDIT the hit

[columbia]

Suppose he had real (and lasting) pain and was taking opiates? The league suspends him? That’s a disgustingly sick system.

[dodint]

Yeah. I'm happy to give him the benefit of the doubt here.

Oh, wait. NOPE.

More likely he's deflecting his indiscretion by placing blame on the one time he was wronged.