Report: Wallace' last year in Pittsburgh

[BlaZeQuietly]

Dwyer as our #1 running back, Brown and Sanders as out #1 and #2 WRs along with big ben at QB could turn out to be a very dominating force. Use wallace to patch our defense up, and I could smell a SB title or 2 in the making :D

[GoFor7]

Originally Posted by BlaZeQuietly

Dwyer as our #1 running back, Brown and Sanders as out #1 and #2 WRs along with big ben at QB could turn out to be a very dominating force. Use wallace to patch our defense up, and I could smell a SB title or 2 in the making :D

So the Steelers do it with only 3 WRs?

[Bayz101]

Originally Posted by GoFor7

So the Steelers do it with only 3 WRs?

Not like Cotchery is seeing many footballs.

[Hawaii 5-0]

On the Steelers: Wallace adjusts nicely, happily in new offense

November 2, 2012
By Ed Bouchette / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



Steelers receiver Mike Wallace pulls in a pass against Redskins' Josh Wilson in the fourth quarter last Sunday at Heinz Field.

The Steelers' new dink-and-dunk offense has shrunk Mike Wallace's receiving statistics, but he has kept a positive outlook about it.

He entered the season as one of the celebrated deep threats in the NFL with a career average of 18.7 yards per catch. After averaging 7.6 yards on 15 receptions the past two games, his season average has dipped to 12.8.

His attitude, however, has not descended with it.

"I'm trying not to, you have to stay positive," Wallace said Thursday. "We're winning right now; you don't want to try to fight it or go against it if it's being productive. I'm just trying to adjust what we're doing in this offense."

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has called Todd Haley's offense the "dink and dunk," which is different from the wide open, go-deep thinking under former coordinator Bruce Arians. Haley has emphasized high-percentage passes and getting them away more quickly.

Roethlisberger compared it to the West Coast offense.

"When I grew up, the [San Francisco] 49ers, that's what they did," Roethlisberger said. "That's what a West Coast offense is. Not saying we're a West Coast offense but "dink and dunk' is not a negative term. We're taking advantage of quick, fast receivers, a lot of different receivers, running backs, tight ends, guys getting open.

Especially when defenses take away the big play down the field, that's what's open."

Wallace has been open enough to catch 36 passes for 459 yards and four touchdowns and is on pace to catch more than his career high of 72 last season. He's just not catching them deep much. He had an 82-yard touchdown reception at Tennessee, which accounts for nearly 18 percent of his yardage this season.

Wallace said he's run eight "go" routes all season, but three of those were as decoys or clear-outs.

How many did he run last season?

"Almost five a game!" Wallace said. "I used to go deep a lot last year, until eventually I was just clearing it out for AB and Hines. Now, I haven't really gone much deep. Hopefully, we will."

Antonio Brown leads them with 40 receptions and 480 yards with a 12.0 average. Hines Ward was forced into retirement after the 2011 season. Heath Miller is third with 35 catches for 336 yards and leads the team with six touchdowns. Emmanuel Sanders is next with 22 for 282.

Whereas Arians would use four and five receivers, Haley does not deploy as many as four wide receivers much.

"You have to go with the offense that you're in," Wallace said. "Just do what you're used to doing and you have to be able to adapt, and that's what we're trying to do right now. I get the ball, so that's still cool."

Wallace, a restricted free agent, declined to sign his one-year, $2.7 million tender until the end of the preseason, which allowed him to stay away from spring training and the preseason.

He said he has not thought much about what effect this season might have on his future In one sense, the lower numbers per catch might cause some suitors to shy away; in another, they show he's willing and can play in different styles of offenses.

"It might affect it, it might not," Wallace said. "It might affect it in a good way, it might affect it in a bad way. You never know. Right now, I'm not worried about it. I'm just trying to stay positive.

"It could be a positive thing for me, it just depends on how you look at it, and I'm always looking at it in a positive way, especially when we're winning. As long as we're winning, everybody will be happy."

Wallace also has not given up on the idea that the big play will return in a big way.

"Yeah, I think they'll come. I don't think we're just going to go short the whole year. I think we'll eventually open it up and, whenever we do, we'll be ready for it.

If you look at practice, it's not like we never do it, we're still [throwing deep]. It's just a matter of getting an opportunity in games. Hopefully, we get back to it."

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...#ixzz2B58ezvDJ

[austinfrench76]

Wallace is going to say all the right things after his slip up after the Redskins game last week. Where he told a reporter that he "wasn't much a part of the gameplan". I know it doesn't seem like it but he, I think, is smarter than that. He is going to be asking for ALOT of money this off season from some team will over pay him so he will stay the course. But, I don't think he fits Haley's offense well anyways. Look at the disparity between his YPC last year and how many times he's run go routes this year. HUGE difference. I like Wallace and really wanted to keep him but he played his hand this last off season and his money went to Brown. I know some will argue that they can keep both, and they can, BUT they won't! Brown, Sanders and Cotchery with another "Cotchery type" in FA or the draft. Maybe a young speedster in the draft that doesn't cost a mint. I'm looking forward to watching Wallace catch a couple of deep throws this year and then he walks. No worries...

[steeltheone]

Agreed ... Too many holes on this team for big money at wideout. BR7 will pump up any wideouts stats especially on the dink and dump type offense.

Dwyer needs to be more dependable to even be considered a number 1.

[Atlanta Dan]

Originally Posted by Hawaii 5-0

On the Steelers: Wallace adjusts nicely, happily in new offense

November 2, 2012
By Ed Bouchette / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...#ixzz2B58ezvDJ

Whomever at the P-G wrote that headline to Bouchette's story apparently did not read the quotes

Wallace does not sound happy at all about the new regime as opposed to the good old days when he ran at least 5 go routes per game

Wallace said he's run eight "go" routes all season, but three of those were as decoys or clear-outs.

How many did he run last season?

"Almost five a game!" Wallace said. "I used to go deep a lot last year, until eventually I was just clearing it out for AB and Hines. Now, I haven't really gone much deep. Hopefully, we will."

Nice dig at how AB got open last season

[Curtain_of_Steel]

Well lucky for us that we have Ike, as when Wallace leaves Ike will shut him down, LOL

Christ, Wallace will have 5 TDs on 5 receptions for 400 yards on Ike. I sure hope if he goes its to someone we won't play.

With that said, I believe Wallace will not be going anyplace. You just do not let him walk for nothing. Minimlayy they tag and trade him. But imo he is not going anyplace. The Offense is to important to lose him with the way its running.

[steelfury02]

Former receivers don't do well against our secondary. They have the benefit of going up against them in practice, know their tendencies - and one is that if you get physical with him - he isn't much of a factor.

I can't believe I just typed that. I really think he is good as gone.

[ricardisimo]

Originally Posted by Atlanta Dan

Whomever at the P-G wrote that headline to Bouchette's story apparently did not read the quotes

Wallace does not sound happy at all about the new regime as opposed to the good old days when he ran at least 5 go routes per game

Wallace said he's run eight "go" routes all season, but three of those were as decoys or clear-outs.

How many did he run last season?

"Almost five a game!" Wallace said. "I used to go deep a lot last year, until eventually I was just clearing it out for AB and Hines. Now, I haven't really gone much deep. Hopefully, we will."

Nice dig at how AB got open last season

Curious. How exactly is Brown getting open this year?