Stop The Steelers? Stop Two Guys
September 20th, 2018
How do you stop him?
It’s a passing league.
Much of the press conference that Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith had today dealt with the passing game, both his defense and the NFL in general.
Last week for the first time, more quarterbacks completed more than 70 percent of their passes than did not. And one of the leading teams in the passing game comes to Tampa Monday night.
The Steelers.
And when the Steelers do pass (which is often), it’s a top-heavy passing attack. Ben Roethlisberger has thrown 101 passes in two games. Of those passes, over half were targeted to two receivers and two damned good receivers, Antonio Brown (33 targets) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (27) who doesn’t know who Kwon Alexander is.
So it sure seems like you cut off Brown and Smith-Schuster, a defense can pretty much stifle Roethlisberger (until he starts throwing to tight end Jesse James).
Joe is so happy Brent Grimes is back to practicing.
September 20th, 2018 at 5:09 pm
Come on now…. that’s easy for Antonio.
Ryan Smith!
September 20th, 2018 at 5:12 pm
We can actually start to talk about outscoring other teams.
September 20th, 2018 at 5:17 pm
IMO…this game comes down to locker rooms….not rosters…
September 20th, 2018 at 5:23 pm
let’s not use the Julio Jones coverage scheme on Antonio Brown
September 20th, 2018 at 5:28 pm
I know it’s tough for y’all to hear but Mike Smith is gonna call a ton of off coverage on the sidelines.
You press on these guys and they will blow the top off our defense.
We just gotta win the redzone, which we haven’t been able to do in the first 2 games. Or maybe our line can reek havoc.
They might also come out run heavy to keep our offense on the bench. This line was built with a focus on runstop so I expect results…..if we ever get tested.
September 20th, 2018 at 5:29 pm
Hopefully we can just stop Big Ben with our D-Line. Stop three birds with one stone.
September 20th, 2018 at 5:29 pm
Bracket AB and put Grimes on juju. James is slow enough for our lbs. Stopping Connor will be key obviously.
September 20th, 2018 at 5:31 pm
Errs abused us all game last week. Jesse James had a monster game against the Chiefs. Look for the matchup all day long on Monday night.
September 20th, 2018 at 5:32 pm
Ertz.. stupid autocorrect.
September 20th, 2018 at 5:33 pm
Ertz.. stupid autocorrect!
September 20th, 2018 at 5:39 pm
Ertz is very athletic and was the number 3 TE last year. KC just doesn’t have a good def made James look better than he usually is. He’s like the Minnesota te, forgot good name, very sporadic and matchup dependent.
September 20th, 2018 at 5:40 pm
His
September 20th, 2018 at 5:45 pm
I don’t know. Since when have we been able to stop TEs. I wouldn’t really look at our LBs and feel assured they can stop James.
Would be an interesting battle if they attack us with James to see how Smitty adjusts.
September 20th, 2018 at 5:54 pm
Let’s not get too caught up in the hype. Forget about ABrowns recent pouting,complaining, n primadonna episodes on the sideline. The Steelers will come together because that’s what they really do during prime time. We barely beat them in 2014 in which ABrown had a field day. Also they no longer have tightend Heath Miller but let’s not forget they have tightend,Jessie James. The last time we played the Steelers they went up their sleeves for a bag of trick plays. Also, the last time we played the Steelers on a Monday night 12/23/18, our record was 11-3 as we lost to Bettis n the Steelers. The Steelers proved to us that they play some of their best football on Monday night n they have the best winning percentage in the league. We cannot get cocky or lackadaisical. Let’s continue to play aggressive with the intent to score on the first possession each time we have the ball.
September 20th, 2018 at 5:59 pm
Could be a saftey too if line backers struggle.. Evans could lock him down, jump balls being winnable for James
September 20th, 2018 at 6:07 pm
These guys routinely roast the even the best CBs but I believe in you Ryan Smith!
September 20th, 2018 at 6:50 pm
Antonio brown plays mainly on left side (Pittsburg side ) so he won’t see grimes.
September 20th, 2018 at 7:05 pm
So if Grimes starts which seems certain who starts on the other side……Carlton or Smith? Tough call
September 20th, 2018 at 7:21 pm
This roster is going to have to show their teeth on MNF and prove the perception Wrong!
September 20th, 2018 at 7:30 pm
Bird,
That’s why I was thinking bracket AB with Grimes on juju. I like Stewart to get his hands on him with the jam and a saftey over there top since he lacks AB s speed.
September 20th, 2018 at 7:31 pm
Except in 3 wide sets then it would be Davis
September 20th, 2018 at 7:48 pm
James Conner has been a very good fill-in for Bell so far, so saying you need to just stop the passing game isn’t exactly correct since the Steelers can also run it down your throat.
This is a terrible match-up for a very very bad Bucs pass defense. Perhaps the rookies come through, perhaps Brent is back and plays at 100%, perhaps Big Ben is terrible on the road once again and throws a bunch of INTs, but even if all that happens they’re still probably putting up 40 points, so Fitz needs to keep that hot streak going if the Bucs are going to have a chance.
Then again we know the Bucs record on national TV games, they normally end up looking really awful. Hopefully this isn’t the case once again.
September 20th, 2018 at 7:56 pm
Munch .. much of what you said is possu… the trend of historical Buc teams laying a hot stinky turf on these honorary games has been abysmal
September 20th, 2018 at 8:17 pm
@Rod Munch – “This is a terrible match-up for a very very bad Bucs pass defense.”
How do you figure? I think Grimes will shutdown his WR. Davis improved with his press skill last weekend. Ryan Smith had a great game. Stewart is coming along too. Jordan Whitehead had an excellent game filling in for Conte and will be starting soon. If we can get our rush going then, I think we can slow down the Steelers offense. As much as our Defense is allowing point we are still a much better defense than the Steelers. I think Smith’s Defense will make the proper adjustment.
On Offense, the Steelers have 3 hurt Oline men. Their best guard is down with a broken hand. Their pre-Madona WR is a social nightmare. They have no running game. Ours Oline is the best we had in years and Fitz is on fire. Our WR is no match for their DBs and no one can cover OJ Howard. Knock on wood, but I think this should be an easier game than the first two one we just played. Bucs 41 – 24.
September 20th, 2018 at 8:35 pm
Glennon beat the Squeelers in Pittsburgh
September 20th, 2018 at 9:14 pm
AlabamaBucsFan – Grimes is very good, but Brown is probably the best WR in football, and Smith-Schuster is way better than any 2nd corner we have. As for Ryan Smith he didn’t have a great game – the only way you’d say it was great is if you were grading on the Ryan Smith curve. He was getting beat quite a bit, including multiple times in the endzone, but Foles is Foles and was either missing wide open guys or holding on to the ball too long. Against the Eagles he made a nice play on a jump ball versus Ertz to keep him out of the endzone, then was kinda close on a guy on a play where Foles threw the ball out of bounds. Mind you if he wasn’t going against Ertz he was playing against guys that were just signed off the Eagles practice squad. Against Brees in week one he his normal awful self and I highly doubt he suddenly figured out how to play football in one week. If I’m wrong, if he’s not constantly on tape getting burned and looking lost, then fantastic, but to hold up that game against the Eagles as proof he suddenly figured it out? I think you need to watch the game again. In any case, even if Smith had a huge leap and went from the worst corner in football to merely being a below average corner, in either case if he’s playing against Brown or Smith-Schuster, it’s gonna be a slaughter if Ben has any time at all to throw the ball and doesn’t go full Foles (which, based on Big Ben’s road performances is a possibility).
September 20th, 2018 at 10:22 pm
@Lord Cornelius:
If the Steelers’ receivers burn the best cornerbacks, then Smith and the Bucs are totally safe.
:~)
September 21st, 2018 at 9:31 am
@Rod Munch – And your prediction?
I have given my prediction: Bucs 41 – 24.