*WARNING* The following has been written as an editorial from a Steeler Fan! *WARNING*

Defense is the name of the game and this is how it’s played! The Jags outlast the Steelers to go to 2-0 on the strength of a 9-0 win at home in Jacksonville. I loved the game but I’m not going to dwell on it too much since we lost and have a short week preparing for the Bungles. So, here it goes off-the-cuff.

On to the breakdowns…

Breaking down the Steeler Offense:

QBs – Big Ben need another week, after he got hit he was throwing while he was crouching all night. 38.7 rating is all you need to know.

Offensive line – No push against a stout Jags Defense and no holes and little pass protection. They have to get better.

Running Backs – FWP went from 29 carries to 11 carries and split time with Haynes after it appeared that he may have tweeked his leg on a cut. The carries baffle me, we all know it takes FWP around 20 carries to get going.

Wide Receivers – After the first series these guys disappeared, more because of the rush that Big Ben was getting but they weren’t helping. Where is Willie Reed?!!!! Holmes needs to watch a game or two….

Tight Ends – Nice to see Tuman back in action, but 1 catch for he and Miller isn’t going to cut it with a defense like the Jags. They need to be utilized more and they will be.

Breaking down the Defense:

Defensive Line – No Pass rush, but great run stopping until the 4th.

Linebackers – Farrior, Foote, and Haggans had a great game and helped to keep the Jags off the score board for most of the game. Joey was taken care of by a TE, A TIGHT END JOEY!!!

Defensive Backs – Troy needed another week to recover from his shoulder, Smith might have been a nice surprise to spell him…There were some minor breakdowns and every DB had a play they wish they could have taken back but this unit will get better and we’ll find out how much they’ve learned next week.

Breaking down the Special Teams:

Jeff Reed – Well he got to kick once that’s not good..

Coverage Teams – Nice work by this unit after a dismal start against the ‘Fins. 5.4 yppr is great and the one kor we won’t discuss.

Chris Gardocki – Got to kick 8 times and bailed us out of field position that’s bad.

Returners –Nothing to write home about here, or at least nothing I’d care writing home about. Willie Reed got all the practice in the preseason and the rest of the guys look like they could have used it. Coklee is starting to work his way off this team….

Last Thoughts:

I absolutely loved this game except for the outcome of course. The defenses played well, maybe even great. The Jags had a few penalties that kept the Steelers moving in the first couple drives and the Steelers made some mental errors in the second half but this was really a good defensive game. We need more of these types of games….

I like what The Wis was trying to do in the first half, kind of reminded me of the post season last year. But to not try and pound the ball to set something up in the 2nd and 3rd quarters may have proven costly, we’ll never know.

LeBeau was kind of handcuffed since Troy wasn’t up to par, but the defenses he did call were the right ones. A lot of yards were given up in the second half but when you hold your opponent to only 9 points, all field goals, you should have a good shot at winning.

I’m glad to get past this game and move on to the Bungles, the Jags are becoming our Achilles heel. My hats off to Del Rio and his staff and the Jags they played a great game and overcame some penalties to take this one. We’ll see them in the playoffs…

Next up the Bungles on a normal day and time, thank goodness. I thought I saw a puddy cat, I DID see a puddy cat, I did, I did!

Remember winning is what we expect to do not what we hope to do.

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