Did the defense wear out?

[clevestinks]

I am worried about our dbs. I think they may be overrated , with the exception of Troy, even though he is not a true Safety anyway. I know we didnt have alot of pressure, and I know Brady is really good. But it must be so much fun for Brady to drop back , the last quarter and a half, and have guys wide open. It was like playing catch in warmups. I didnt want to say anything after week one. But McNair had a descent game against us. I didnt want to say anything after week two. But Carr had his moments, even with costant pressure, he still picked us apart at times. Thiese guys are not exactly what I was hoping for. I hope I`m wrong. Please tell me I`m wrong. I want to be wrong.

[I.C. Lights]

Well, maybe it's not so much the players as the defensive scheme...That's my hope. This game reminded me of the one 3 years ago where Weis found our "weakness." Hopefully it will just take some innovation and not new players.

The D definitely got tired, but I think they were set up to fail on the last drive. I mentioned this somewhere else, but we need to be able to kick the ball into the endzone and prevent large run backs when necessary - and especially against the likes of Brady and the Pats.

[Koopa]

our real test for the dbs will be when we play the colts, if he has a field day on them we are going to have a lot to worry about cause we could be facing them in the playoffs, in fact i know we'll be playing them in the playoffs

[Livinginthe past]

Pretty much every team has its weaknesses - some have a below par QB, some have no running game, some are stuck with a shambolic D.

What matters is what you do with your strengths to outweigh these weaknesses - in the salary cap era it is difficult to have a dominant ground game, an excellent D, and a top notch QB aswell.

DB's might well be a weakness for the Steelers, but you have to come up with schemes that allow you to camouflage it better - and improved play by the D-line is another option.

I mentioned it before, but T.O.P is going to kill your D unles you work out a way to make longer drives.

Cheers

NM

[ironcitychef]

I don't thinl our DB's are the problem. I would have to say our LB's ability to pass cover is something you guys pick on time and time again.

[slashsteel]

Sorry not improved play from our D-line. We shut down the run decently. Year in and year out we are one of the best if not the best. Our 3/4 runs on LB's getting the pressure. That is the area that needs to improve besides the secondary.

Overall we were not blownout, and our stats overall isn't bad. I don't buy into any problems with drives on either side of the field. One game doesn't make a season problem. And 20 points isn't a horrible final score. And on D 23 isn't horrible either. What was horrible was that last drive and like many mentioned the players being tired out had everything to do with the outcome.

Which goes along with the need for better subsitutions, and being crisper on offense and executing better. Like the pats the Steelers respond during the season and correct mistakes.

We will I know it.

But 10 points was lost on mistakes, not forced but our own blunders. That 10 points would have changed the outcome of the game. I guess whoever agrees or disagrees with this will have to stay tuned and see what happens later. I still think great things are yet to come...............


The question is and will be what we do in the postseason.


That is up to Cowher to fix. And if he doesn't his time might have ran out, but we'll see.......

[I.C. Lights]

I think that what Living and Slash are referring to is right, it's a chess match of sorts and you have to be able to make the necessary adjustments. Pat's are the best at that hands down. I'm not sure where we stand.