again, all set up by the poor 2nd down call allowing time to keep running, the #1 thing you can't do there.
The Game Ball Thread: Week 15 at Pittsburgh
- Thread starter SeoulSoxFan
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315 of the team's 556 passing yards the last two games he has played.
He did a dumb thing and it might have cost his team a game last week but he dominated the fourth quarter.
Gronk was insane.
Overall the offense was very productive given the number of drives but take Gronk away and I think it looks a lot like the team that played in Miami. That is a testament to Gronk's greatness but also speaks to a pretty serious issue with not having WRs that can beat man coverage. Hopefully either Mitchell comes back, Britt catches on quick, or Hogan gets healthy. Because right now our passing offense feels like its a bomb to Cooks, anything anytime to GRONK, or a checkdown to a RB and that's it.
Overall the offense was very productive given the number of drives but take Gronk away and I think it looks a lot like the team that played in Miami. That is a testament to Gronk's greatness but also speaks to a pretty serious issue with not having WRs that can beat man coverage. Hopefully either Mitchell comes back, Britt catches on quick, or Hogan gets healthy. Because right now our passing offense feels like its a bomb to Cooks, anything anytime to GRONK, or a checkdown to a RB and that's it.
This is all correct. What happened to Amendola? He used to be able to run some of the Edelman underneath routes, now those are just not being used.
The one nice thing about this catch-non-catch argument is that it very clearly spells out the true diehard football fans and the casual fans. I mean, this rule has been the subject of debate since the Megatron fiasco like a decade ago, and has been discussed/debated/resulted in controversy literally dozens, if not hundreds, of times, and if there is one part of the rule that every diehard football fan knows, it's that you have to control the ball the entire time when you are falling to the ground. Once CBS went to the replay to try to figure out why the review was taking so long, there isn't a single diehard football fan who is honest with themselves that saw that play and thought "that's a catch under the rules." Not one. There may have been some that thought it would not get overturned because of the situation, and there were plenty of others that hoped it wouldn't get overturned, but not a single one who is intellectually honest would argue that it shouldn't have been overturned.
He has a lot of practice in that spot.
My game balls:
GRONK!!!
Lewis
Whoever's fault it was on the Steelers for wasting that timeout early in the 2nd half
And playing hurt. His lower leg smashed in to Brown causing the calf injury.
He wasn't running well at all but at the end DID HIS JOB!
GRONKAMANIA IS RUNNING WILD LIKE IT'S NEVER RUN BEFORE
WHATCHA GONNA DO, BROTHER, WHEN GRONKAMANIA RUNS WILD ON YOU!!!!
WHATCHA GONNA DO, BROTHER, WHEN GRONKAMANIA RUNS WILD ON YOU!!!!
Rob Gronkowski for showing once again that he’s one of the greatest football players ever. Easily the best tight end ever.
I would totally watch a Gronk/Rock buddy cop movie, no matter how bad it is.GRONKAMANIA IS RUNNING WILD LIKE IT'S NEVER RUN BEFORE
WHATCHA GONNA DO, BROTHER, WHEN GRONKAMANIA RUNS WILD ON YOU!!!!
Yup.
It was so subtle that I missed it the first 3-4 times they showed the replay, but once I saw the ball hit the ground, I was pretty confident they’d overturn the ruling.
And the rule isn’t likely to change. The NFL will accept an occasional stupid result for the sake of consistency — and I don’t think you can craft a rule that would be consistently applied that would result in tonight’s play being called a catch, unless you’re willing to live with a couple catch-and-fumble plays a week that would create even more stupid results than the existing rule.
O-line wasn't blocking, D-line wasn't rushing. No one did anything. That was bizarre.
Saw a replay and agree incomplete. Lucky break because I don't think he needed to lunge to break the plain.
should Juju have stayed on the sidelines on the big play? already in FG range on huge play, little chance to get TD there (but got awfully close), don't have to use final timeout.
This is stunning to me. If there's one thing we know about the Patriots it is that they are the most exquisitely situationally coached and aware team in the league. Every year, every player. Sure they make mistakes, but I'd rather take my chances at them straight-up than run a gimmick play with limited options.
So he's trying to pass the buck?
It might not have been a good call but it was worse execution. Have to throw it away if it isn't there right away.
They had time to call a play there. Other than the obvious fade they should have a few plays they can call in that situation. Time was not as tight as they felt.
For game balls, its Gronk and Lewis.
Perhaps, but he broke for the inside and probably thought he saw an opening. Can't fault him for that.
Amendola has always pretty much been a zone killer, he doesn't beat MtM coverage too often.
Charlie Weis was just on talking about how they need to use their WRs much more creatively to play to their individual strengths. Troy Brown, same thing. Their performance in the second half, other than Cooks, was horrendous.
I would shut the fuck up if I was him - what is he hoping to gain for his team by admitting that?
Gronk and Tomlin
How can you not put two men on Gronk at some point when you have nobody capable of even slowing him? It’s like watching a hammer smash your dick over and over again and doing nothing but a sideline pouty face.
How can you not put two men on Gronk at some point when you have nobody capable of even slowing him? It’s like watching a hammer smash your dick over and over again and doing nothing but a sideline pouty face.
Gronk for my favorite celebration I've ever witnessed in my fucking life. The goddamn point and maniacal laugh after shrugging off the defender? Holy shit, I'm dying just thinking about it.
It's amazing how much this lines up with the Patriots/Seahawks SB.
Ridiculous Shuster catch - Ridiculous Kearse catch.
Shoe string tackle by Hightower- shoe string tackle by Butler.
Poorly designed pass for game winning pick...times 2.
History does, in fact, repeat itself.
It's amazing how much this lines up with the Patriots/Seahawks SB.
Ridiculous Shuster catch - Ridiculous Kearse catch.
Shoe string tackle by Hightower- shoe string tackle by Butler.
Poorly designed pass for game winning pick...times 2.
History does, in fact, repeat itself.
Coach Tony Romo for being so convincing in pitching his man-to-man concept that Pitt kept some scrubby nickel back on Gronk for the final drive and 2 pt. conversion.
Who is “they”? Dorsett, who was picked up off the scrap heap? Britt, who has been w the team for approximately 72 hours? Slater? It’s pretty much Amendola, who, as noted, is less a man-to-man guy than a zone killer – his skill is reading coverage and finding space, not beating guys one-on-one.
What the Steelers found in this game is that sure, Brady picks them apart when they play zone but when they play man they have no answer for Gronk. None.
I give my game ball to Brady. Everyone keeps saying he’s missing guys and hearing footsteps and getting old but the fact is his weapons have been decimated and his protection has been in a weekly state of flux. So he doesn’t know where guys are going to be and he has no idea how much time he has and is making more (a few more) mistakes than he normally does. But once again he made a ton of good plays when it mattered.
Brady. All day and every day. Brady.
This is very fair. How many weapons did Brady start the season with vs. how many are left? Edelman. Hogan. Mitchell. He has Gronk and Cooks, which is great, but if Big Ben had lost as many weapons as Brady has, the Steelers would not be in this game or in the playoffs.
I think the first drive of the game set up the endgame. I think Steelers were done with zone after Brady shred it and Brady was getting happy feet. But as the pass rush got a little winded, Brady found Gronk. Gronk had almost half his yards in the last drive.
It would have been interesting if the Steelers had switched to zone that last drive, I wonder what happens. I'd like to think Brady finds Cooks.
It would have been interesting if the Steelers had switched to zone that last drive, I wonder what happens. I'd like to think Brady finds Cooks.
Agreed, and if so, is this an indictment of Cooks? I mean, giving up a first round draft pick to a guy who can't beat man coverage? Doesn't particularly seem like he's given the safety-over-the-top coverage, at least not on every play.
But they didn't need to go to Cooks because Gronk was abusing his man the entire half.
Cooks had 4/60 and he's gonna go over 1000 yards. Dude has been fine.
Thank you. Imagine the call isn’t overturned then seeing this?Best I can do to show ball on ground:
His left hand clearly off ball, right hand on side of ball. The ball has to be resting on ground. If you watch video, laces were visible just before that screen cap, so ball was moving.
After the 3rd or 4th replay, when I stopped cursing at the D and realized it was an incomplete pass, I figured the TD would be upheld and not a single national media type would ever mention that the catch was, in fact, not a catch.
You're right, but back then this was "correctly" ruled NOT a catch, since the ball couldn't touch the ground under any circumstances and be a completion:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-top-ten/0ap2000000113876/Top-Ten-Controversial-Calls-Burt-Emanuel-s-catch
Turns out defining a catch is hard. I think the current rule is the best iteration yet.
Not really. Cooks would've been even better in this offense with Edelman drawing underneath coverage. And Cooks has still been very good.
Great shot. No doubt replays will emerge eventually as the NFL will want to prove the refs got it right.Best I can do to show ball on ground:
His left hand clearly off ball, right hand on side of ball. The ball has to be resting on ground. If you watch video, laces were visible just before that screen cap, so ball was moving.
I only saw one clear replay that showed the ball on the ground like that. All the others seemed inconclusive so it was really lucky to have that one.
I've run out of superlatives to describe this team. Fully expected them to lose today. I just laughed when Harmon came done with the Int.
Gronk is an OG. What sets him apart is not so much his size, but his hands. That shoestring catch at the 10 was without question smooth
Gronk is an OG. What sets him apart is not so much his size, but his hands. That shoestring catch at the 10 was without question smooth
Sure, everyone is better when there is more talent on the field.
And I'm not saying Cooks hasn't been productive. But for two weeks in a row, Cooks doesn't seem to be able to beat man coverage.
Just a question of expectations, I suppose. When in need, Gronk / Edelman were 1a and 1b. Cooks, to my eyes, hasn't been able to fill the Edelman role when really needed, and I'm not saying Cooks needs to become a shift underneath guy. Rather, on 3rd-and-need-it, Cooks hasn't been a complement to Gronk.
It’s funny that Harmon caught that one on the deflection as he dropped the one on the opening or second series deflection. Guess it just wasn’t the right time of the game for him.
Rodney calling Ben a liar. Saying if Ben had told everyone to clock it, Eli wouldn't have run the route.
Replay is at this link on NFL.com. between 1:28 and 1:45 I think is the angle in question.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000894836/article/nfl-steelers-jesse-james-lost-control-of-the-football
Edit: In the accompanying article, I particularly enjoyed the writer throwing BigBen under the bus...
"Another correct interpretation of a controversial rule -- the tuck rule -- once benefitted the Patriotsbefore the rule was eventually changed. It's always possible that the fine print of the catch rule could be revisited yet again this offseason by the Competition Committee. That won't be much consolation to Steelers fans, especially after Ben Roethlisberger's inexplicable decision to throw into triple coverage a few plays later."
He has been way more of a one trick pony than I expected, although I don't know how much that is on him, how much on the way he has been used, and how much is about Brady's comfort level. The trick is pretty good and pretty valuable but I still think he's been a bit disappointing for this reason.
In 2015, he had 24 catches on 3rd/4th down, including 17 on downs with 8 yards or less to go. In 2016, he had 16 catches on 3rd/4th down, including 12 with 8 yards or less to go. With us, he has 6 catches on 3rd/4th down all year, only 3 of them with 8 yards or less to go. Basically, he has been a non-factor in the 3rd and short and 3rd and medium situations that this offense is designed to be really good at. But he wasn't that way in New Orleans.
They don't have Gronk in New Orleans. And they didn't have running backs (until Kamara this season) who can catch the ball out of the backfield like we do. Cooks just isn't the third down option in our offense because he's not an underneath/short yardage guy. He's a burner who makes big plays, and that's exactly what the Pats are using him for.
That's why late in the game, Brady started going deep on the sidelines when he wasn't going to Gronk over the middle. The philosophy is if you're going to go man to man on Cooks, then let's see if you're fast enough to stay with him. It worked on one play beautifully, but Cooks went out of bounds and got a penalty.
Edit: The other thing is Cooks tends to run routes that are longer, and take more time to develop, and unfortunately, last week for example, Brady simply didn't have enough time in the pocket to wait for those routes. If the offensive line doesn't hold up, Cooks will be the first weapon to disappear.