Steelers game thoughts

[barrett]

Offense

Schaub was solid. He obviously did not have a ton to work with after AJ went down, but in a game where you are eating the opposing QB allive, no turnovers is key. I would have liked to see more shots down field off of playaction considering how well we ran it though.

Foster was really good. He is an absolute game changer. I really don't think there is a single running back who does more things well than he does (short yardage, YAC, big plays, catching and route running, blitz pickup, cutbacks, picking a hole). You name a positive RB quality and he has it. And as good as he was, I don't think he was quite back to game speed yesterday. He looked a little impatient and did not keep his feet that well, but those kind of things are to be expected with how little football he has played in the last 10 months.

I don't know why we would not look to get it to Casey more after AJ went down. He should be a guy we design plays for even when AJ is healthy.

Walter and JJ were absent yesterday. More balls went to Dreesen. JJ simply doesn't have the hands to be a starting NFL WR. And Walter is not a guy who will have an impact without AJ. Remember, when AJ went down a few years ago it was actually Andre Davis who stepped up most as a #1 and deep threat type. Walter needs to play off of other guys taking coverage away.

Daniels was fantastic. Great feel for the game. Great connection with Schaub. And totally healthy again. I don't think there are 5 better.

OL was great. I don't think Dierdorf was wrong when he said they are one of the top 3 OLs in the NFL. Duane Brown was really good again.

Defense was great.

Antonio Smith is a stud. I remember a few arguing with me that 34 DE and 43 DE are basically the same. Smith shows how different they are. His hand fighting, get off, and violence make him a top level 34 DE. His lack of speed and inability to run on his inside shoulder made him a mediocre 43 DE. He is mauling guys this year and has probably been our team MVP through 4 games. Watt played really good again as well. And every game I don't notive Cody is a good thing. That means another week has gone by without anyone taking advantage of our soft middle.

Connor Barwin was awesome yesterday. He is getting a better feel for when to use his inside move, and he is looking better when he goes outside too. Him and Mario are playing so well that Brooks Reed is not even really seeing the field and it is not his fault.

Cushing is playing great. Either he is timing his cycles better or the whole steroid thing was never a factor and last year was more about injury and bad team play. Either way he looks really good inside. Super physical and big enough to stand up without protection of a big NT. Ryans has been a little better the last 2 weeks at the things he used to do well. Most likely he has gotten enough reps in a new system to start flowing to the ball and playing intuitively again. He still struggles when blocked, but is not bad as a 2 down player.

Jonathon Joseph is really settling in. Best Texans CB since early days Aaron Glenn. And Jason Allen actually played well. He was beaten plenty, but was in the play and battling even when he got beat. Far more than can be said for Kareem Jackson. If Jackson was not a 1st round pick I doubt he would see the field because I have seen nothing that would say he was our 3rd best CB.

Manning played great and Quinn had a huge play breaking up a Ward catch just when momentum was turning against us.

Our special teams were mostly terrible. They had actually played really well so far, but looked like their old self in this one. Manning needs to stay in the endzone when it is more than 5 yards deep. We have had too many drives start at the 10 after a kickoff. And Jacoby Jones needs to get upfield or be cut. On a long punt you get a 10 yard return just by going forward. But he catches the ball and waits until the guys get to him and then tries to make them miss laterally. It is colossally stupid and really costs us sometimes. The field goal block was huge though. The TD coming back makes it easy to overlook that it was big with Pitt getting the ball back after half.