CoachC
11-19-2011, 08:06 AM
With Kansas City looming and injured, the Steelers should take the ’04 approach and take the air out of the ball. The Chiefs just allowed Tebow and the Broncos to run 55 times on them with multiple backs and succeed.
In ’04, Ben was a rookie; we were rolling in dominating fashion. We were coming out early, throwing safe balls, taking shots, getting up on teams 21 – 0 (i.e. Eagles game in ’04) then shutting the door with the run. With Ben’s thumb broken again and our team in somewhat of a heeling mode, I believe this same approach should be taken in 9 days.
We all miss the days of the 3 yard and a cloud of dust mentality, at least I do. Many question whether we have the backs to do it. Mendenhall is a top notch back in my opinion, though I do believe he has a tendency to dance before hitting the hole. If we can put a package together with the old school “pro” or “split-backs” look. We can get him and Redman in the game together and truly “take the air out of the ball.”
Now, I know what some of you are thinking, our defense isn’t the same shut out defense it once was. Is it not? Yes, we have given up leads late in games, but shouldn’t some of that blame fall on the offense going 3 and out continuously in the 4th quarter of games? We saw the Seattle Seahawks take the final 4 minutes off of the clock against the Ravens this past weekend. If we could have done that in the Ravens game, we are singing a different tune today. Our offense hasn’t ended a game in the 4th quarter since our playoff run last season.
We need to get back to it, and we can get back to it with a statement pounding of the football in Kansas City.
In ’04, Ben was a rookie; we were rolling in dominating fashion. We were coming out early, throwing safe balls, taking shots, getting up on teams 21 – 0 (i.e. Eagles game in ’04) then shutting the door with the run. With Ben’s thumb broken again and our team in somewhat of a heeling mode, I believe this same approach should be taken in 9 days.
We all miss the days of the 3 yard and a cloud of dust mentality, at least I do. Many question whether we have the backs to do it. Mendenhall is a top notch back in my opinion, though I do believe he has a tendency to dance before hitting the hole. If we can put a package together with the old school “pro” or “split-backs” look. We can get him and Redman in the game together and truly “take the air out of the ball.”
Now, I know what some of you are thinking, our defense isn’t the same shut out defense it once was. Is it not? Yes, we have given up leads late in games, but shouldn’t some of that blame fall on the offense going 3 and out continuously in the 4th quarter of games? We saw the Seattle Seahawks take the final 4 minutes off of the clock against the Ravens this past weekend. If we could have done that in the Ravens game, we are singing a different tune today. Our offense hasn’t ended a game in the 4th quarter since our playoff run last season.
We need to get back to it, and we can get back to it with a statement pounding of the football in Kansas City.