lumm0x

After watching how Payton called offensive plays last preseason and this first game one thing seems consistent to me. He is only utilizing these games to dissect our protection/blocking schemes, the route running and seeing who stays in position and gets their assignments correct and who does not. His play calls are very simplistic. He's not doing a ton of calls where we run various looks from a single offensive line up. He's lining the guys up in a formation, running a staple play in it and then moving to a new formation and running another well used route or run block scheme.

I am certain that just like last year, these formations will suddenly have a myriad of options thrown in them and wrinkles that are intended to throw defenses off their plans.

I really don't think he entered this game with a goal being to win or to strut his stuff as an offensive mind. He wanted to see some youngsters and how they've grasped what he's taught them so far in camp. To see if their repetition in camp translates to a real game scenario.

Take nothing negative from the fact that we didn't light it up. I doubt he wanted to, and if we did it would have been because the Steelers blew their own assignments. I think Tomlin had the Steelers fired up for his first real action and they wanted to win one for their rookie coach and use it as something to build momentum off of after a poor outing last year.

The only things I saw that mattered were:

Colston had some sharp routes even if the defense anticipated them. Bush looks equally or more elusive. Smith and Grant look solid on the ends. Hollis needs to trim it up...alot. Kaeshviharn can tackle better than anyone else in the secondary. David looks lost as a m2m corner. Lance Moore looks like he really wants this job as does Pierre Thomas.

WillMacKenzie

I do agree with this assessment, and about Payton just throwing out some standard plays and formations for his players to grasp while the game doesn't mean anything - instead of opening night against Indianapolis. Nobody wants to look lost THEN.

I agree that Colston still looked good, Bush looked good (even with only 2 carries). I can tell he's been working on trying to settle for those few tough inside yards if nothing is there, rather than dance for a loss of yards and a wasted down.

I agree that Kaesviharn can tackle wonderfully, and I'm sure we weren't seeing everything from him. We have to keep in mind he's coming into a NEW team with new man-to-man schemes and possibly weaker corners. By week 1 of the regular season he should be sharp and playing smart.

Our defensive ends. They're the bright spot. I hope our offense gives them more time to rest on the sidelines in the coming games, because you have to factor in that they're wearing down the more they're out there. And the more time they spend on the field, the more risk of injuries.

BlueDevil1978

There's been a lot of misery on these threads since the thumping last night. I'm in the corner that it's only a pre-season game -- a very early preseason game at that. If any of you have ever gone through two-a-days, imagine a week's worth in the Mississippi August heat and then playing a game that weekend. That might be the reason for the sluggish play -- lack of legs.

As long as we come out with no injuries (Meachem's headache and I read somewhere that Fain strained his calf), we're doing o.k.

Still, lack of legs does not explain why Jason David looked absolutely lost at corner. I'll give the Predator the benefit of the doubt on his biting on the receiver's "fancy foot action" - he'll come around. And hey, did anyone see Fred Thomas come up and make an open field stick on the RB? Never saw Deion do that!

/"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" - Billy Ed Hatfield (Walton & Johnson) /