Indeed. Actually, I think Houston was on AB multiple plays. The KC D was very strange at times. They just left Jesse Jamison run free a lot.
AFC Championship: Patriots vs Steelers, the buildup
- Thread starter jsinger121
- Start date
Tom E. Curran @tomecurran 1h1 hour ago
Steeler wideout surreptitiously tapes Tomlin's address to team. Coach says of Pats: "Those assholes have a day-and-a-half head start on us."
http://www.csnne.com/new-england-patriots/antonio-brown-posts-questionable-locker-room-video-after-steelers-win
Tomlin: “Let’s say very little moving forward. Let’s start our preparations. We spotted those a******* a day and a half. They played yesterday. Our game got moved to tonight. We gonna touch down at 4 o’clock in the f****** morning. So be it. We’ll be ready for that ass. But you ain’t gotta tell them we coming. Because some of us might not like the damn (woofkisses?) The chest pounding. Keep a low profile.”
Cheerleading!
Steeler wideout surreptitiously tapes Tomlin's address to team. Coach says of Pats: "Those assholes have a day-and-a-half head start on us."
http://www.csnne.com/new-england-patriots/antonio-brown-posts-questionable-locker-room-video-after-steelers-win
Tomlin: “Let’s say very little moving forward. Let’s start our preparations. We spotted those a******* a day and a half. They played yesterday. Our game got moved to tonight. We gonna touch down at 4 o’clock in the f****** morning. So be it. We’ll be ready for that ass. But you ain’t gotta tell them we coming. Because some of us might not like the damn (woofkisses?) The chest pounding. Keep a low profile.”
Cheerleading!
Weighted DVOA (for one) has them second to the Pats as of last week... but, with a country mile separating the two. PIT is about as close to PHI at #7 as they are to NE at #1.
For what it's worth, weighted DVOA is telling us to revise our notion of PIT as an offensive-led team that can be easily scored on. DVOA likes their defense— just a hair behind HOU at #5— a lot more than their offense. Yesterday's result is likely to strengthen that evaluation.
I think DVOA is right on this one. People overrate their offense due to the Ben, Bell, Brown trio. But their WR/TE depth is a huge weakness due to injuries. Their options beyond Brown are basically putrid. And Ben rides on reputation a bit - he is a very good QB most franchises would kill to have but his last two years really haven't been all that impressive. All in all, I think Pitt on offense plays pretty well into our strengths.
Defensively I think Pitt is underrated. They have drafted really really well on defense the last few years and some of those guys seem to remain a bit under appreciated. A big question is how their two rookie secondary players hold up in a big game environment faced with the Patriots' passing offense.
Tomlin already setting up the excuse train? "Those a******s have a day and a half head start!" At least that is what he said in the locker room postgame.
Come on now, he didn't turn them off. He gave them a heavy dose of Scott Zolak, which is considerably worse.
That's the one that has shown up in Foxboro his whole career. I'm concerned about Bell. That's all
The Pats played Saturday night. The Steelers played Sunday night. How is that a day and a half advantage?
All of these things are basically uncontroversial. Except, I guess, to Antonio Brown who apparently disagrees with the last points.
The Steelers aren't going to leave six touchdowns on the field like they did against Kansas City this weekend. There's a reason that 6 field goals is a record for a game. The offense stalled out, and while they're not the Juggernaut that people thought, they will play better in the Patriots half of the field this week.
Does that mean scoring more points? Maybe not. The Patriots probably have better defense than Kansas City, and because the Patriots offense can put together some drives, the Steelers will most likely be working with a longer field. The Steelers also won't be able to run the ball with Bell 30 times a game like they have the last two weeks. The Patriots putting up points will directly effect how many touches Bell gets. I would bet it's closer to 18-22.
Does that mean scoring more points? Maybe not. The Patriots probably have better defense than Kansas City, and because the Patriots offense can put together some drives, the Steelers will most likely be working with a longer field. The Steelers also won't be able to run the ball with Bell 30 times a game like they have the last two weeks. The Patriots putting up points will directly effect how many touches Bell gets. I would bet it's closer to 18-22.
I dont. The Patriots offensive line struggles with athletic and quick defensive lineman. In fact, that's probably been their Achilles heel for the last decade. Neither Harrison nor Timmons fit that mold.
They had to fly out of town last night. And they have to fly to New England.
You want to avoid that? Have a better record and stay at home. Brady could never beat the Steelers in the AFCCG in Pittsburgh.
Could the steelers line up Dupree in the middle to rush Brady? Andrews was just getting abused and that's a concern to me.
So who released that video? Do we have a Patriots Spy inside the Steeler locker room? A Stealth Patriot Steeler?
And as noted, it's good to see the Steelers ignoring Tomlin to that extent.
Small things but still nice to see the lack of control Tomlin has over his squad.
And as noted, it's good to see the Steelers ignoring Tomlin to that extent.
Small things but still nice to see the lack of control Tomlin has over his squad.
Hahahahahaha. I cannot even imagine the shit storm BB would rain down if this happened at One Patriot Place.
Our offensive line play will be the key. If our offensive line plays like they did against the Texans it will be a big problem. Got to give Brady time and allow him to feel comfortable in the pocket. It was the big problem in the last AFC championship game. Time for Dante to step up. Must get Blount healthy and the o-line must establish some running game to keep the pass rush honest.
Bell had a day but never sniffed the endzone. As said before field goals won't beat the pats. The focus should be on the receivers.
Ask Wes Welker what happens in a playoff week if you aren't a good foot soldier.
Two players who could be very important in practice this week are Jacoby Brissett playing the role of Ben in practice and Dion Lewis/DJ Foster as Bell.
Yeah, it seems like a similar plan for facing a mobile QB like Wilson or Rodgers. Don't overpursue and try to keep contain, and close in on him. Easier said than done.
Don't lose the turnover battle and they should be able to turn enough drives into FGs to be OK.
Going from this season's rankings, here's how the four teams stack up:
New England
- Offense: #3 points, #4 yards (3.5 average)
- Defense: #1 points, #8 yards (4.5 average)
TOTAL AVERAGE RANK: 4.0
Pittsburgh
- Offense: #10 points, #7 yards (8.5 average)
- Defense: #10 points, #12 yards (11.0 average)
TOTAL AVERAGE RANK: 9.8
Atlanta
- Offense: #1 points, #2 yards (1.2 average)
- Defense: #27 points, #25 yards (26.0 average)
TOTAL AVERAGE RANK: 13.8
Green Bay
- Offense: #4 points, #8 yards (6.0 average)
- Defense: #21 points, #22 yards (21.5 average)
TOTAL AVERAGE RANK: 13.8
So yes, the Patriots are, by the basic NFL measurements, by far the best overall team left in the playoffs. I'm sure there are plenty of other ways of looking at this though.
Antonio Brown, who broadcast it on Facebook live.
Most of the team gathered around Tomlin during his speech.
The biggest takeaway is that Brown gets star treatment, but that doesn't surprise me. Most teams operate that way.
Yeah, I know it was Brown. Was kidding.
I do think that this shows something of a lack of control. BIg deal? No. Amusing and enjoyable? Absolutely.
You would have a better representation of Large Ben if you brought Bledsoe out of retirement. Gone are the days of Ben looking like a poor man's Rodgers. He has zero movement in the pocket now. Just a statue back there. There isn't another RB like Bell on the planet so good luck with that one. He is redefining the position with that patient style, vision that hasn't been seen before.
In terms of explosiveness, yes their offense is behind Atlanta and maybe GB. But they are much more balanced offensively than GB. Atlanta's offense is legitimately scary.
Why are people calling this a short week for PIT? They played Sunday and play again on Sunday.
I've never once heard that considered a short week. They played a prime-time road game. That happens every single week in the NFL reg season and no one says it is a short week. Pats get an extra day is accurate but PIT is not at some huge disadvantage playing on a regular schedule.
Hey guys, remember when the Steelers were found to be using under-inflated footballs and nothing happened?
I mean, I think most, if not all NFL teams run this way. Belichick is a rare exception in the league. Running things the way the Patriots do is extremely difficult. It's a fine line between exercising omerta-style control and pissing off a bunch of guys who outearn you.
Crazy that Brady rushed for 5 times as many yards as Ben did. I know pocket movement isn't the same thing, but that's still nuts. And of course, Brady has great pocket movement. We need to hit Ben.
I think they're comparing it to NE's week. A day less, plus travel.
Yeah, they held them to 27. On the road. In Brady's 3rd game back.
The Patriots just played awful and put up 34 on a very good-to-elite Houston D, I don't think it is "naive" to think that the Patriots, at home, can score 30+ against this Pitt team.
Hot Takez in. On First Take this morning
AFCCG Picks
Steve A : PIT
Kellerman: PIT
McNabb: (still trying to figure out the new overtime rules) PIT
AFCCG Picks
Steve A : PIT
Kellerman: PIT
McNabb: (still trying to figure out the new overtime rules) PIT
I fully expect everyone on ESPN to pick Pitt. Thankfully, the opinions of ESPN personalities are worth less than nothing.
Would be nice to get back to a two (or three) headed monster at RB this week.
Blount had one of his best games of the year week 7 @ PIT when he ran for 127yds and PIT has given up big yardage both on the ground and through the air to RB's this season.
By far PIT biggest weakness on D is against the RB position. Obvious benefit of strong ground game is keeping Bell/Brown on the sideline.
Blount had one of his best games of the year week 7 @ PIT when he ran for 127yds and PIT has given up big yardage both on the ground and through the air to RB's this season.
By far PIT biggest weakness on D is against the RB position. Obvious benefit of strong ground game is keeping Bell/Brown on the sideline.