A nightmare QB performance, A nightmare night for Randy Fichtner & More Buzz
The Duck crumbled as the Buffalo Bills (10-4) picked off Devlin Hodges four times, en route to a 17-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6) on Sunday night. The Bills in clinching a playoff spot, went Duck Hunting in quarter 4, picking off Hodges three times over the Steelers final five possessions, as a 10-7 Steelers lead to open the 4th quarter, evaporated to a 17-10 loss.
This was just a maddening game for the Steelers on a number of levels and in all three phases, yet, here they were with a three point lead entering the 4th and drove into Bill’s territory twice when trailing by seven on their final two possessions.
When you dissect this game, it starts with the offensive game plan.
It was either too conservative (1st/2nd QTR), just plain overthinking things (All Game) or too aggressive (2nd half).
The game plan in the first half was so vanilla, no creativity, everyone in the building knew what the Steelers were going to do and nothing just went together. Finally in the waning minutes of the second quarter, a Steven Nelson interception completely changed momentum of the game and the Steelers decide to overthink things.
1st and goal at the 10, they line up James Conner in the wildcat and what do you know, Diontae Johnson who is prone to fumble, botches the handoff and the Steelers turn the ball over at the Buffalo 12 yard line. Just a gut punching turnover and an idiotic play call against a defense like the Bills have. Three points is great in that situation as you get the ball to start the third quarter.
Entering the third quarter the Steelers had to get more creative in the passing game and they produce a flawless drive, going 69 yards on 7 plays to take a 10-7 lead. Hodges connected with Diontae Johnson for a 29 yard pass on the drive and for the first time in the game, Pittsburgh had Buffalo on their heels defensively.
But, what played out here was the Steelers deciding to completely abandon the run the rest of the way when it was a game that was going to be decided by defense and field position.
Following the opening 2nd half drive to go up 10-7, the Steelers had a 26-3, pass to run ratio. Just mindboggling.
Randy Fichtner doesn’t get enough credit this season for what he’s at the work with at quarterback, but what your made of as an offensive coordinator becomes magnified in pressured situations like Sunday
night’s game was considering the opponent on defense and the playoff implications.
Fichtner obviously didn’t make the horrid sideline throws or poor reads Hodges made, but he had to be a difference maker from the sidelines and he failed miserably in this one.
Leash Shorter, Stick with Hodges vs Jets
— For how rotten Devlin Hodges performance was against the Buffalo and you have to wonder if Hodges ignoring Tomlin saying into the headset ‘spike the ball’ has some consequences in opening up the QB decision vs the Jets, the Steelers should again call Hodges number.
The leash should be a lot shorter entering the Jets game, but between the two QB’s, I still look at Hodges as giving Pittsburgh the best chance to hit on a couple deep passing plays, especially with the connection Hodges and Pittsburgh’s best WR right now James Washington have developed.
The Steelers shouldn’t overthink this. Go with Hodges, see how he responds and go from there.
— For all that went wrong for the Steelers, four Devlin Hodges interceptions, Jordan Berry giving the Bills a short field, ect, I still come back to the wildcat call and Josh Allen’s 14 yard TD pass to Tyler Kroft on 3rd and 9 as being the two critical plays that swayed this game.
Credit to Allen for attacking the Steelers one weak link on the defense in Terrell Edmunds whose back peddling into the end zone instead of protecting the chains. The Steelers had the right formation as Mark Barron passed Kroft to Edmunds who was day dreaming for a second. Steelers hold Buffalo a field goal, that game probably goes to overtime.
Steelers – Titans Tiebreaker Scenario’s
— The Steelers playoff chances would have spiked to 95% with a win vs Buffalo and have now dipped to under 50% with Sunday’s 17-10 loss.
It’s simple, win out and the Steelers are in. After that it’s complicated.
10-6 Scenarios:
*If the Steelers and Titans both win out and finish 10-6, the Steelers win the tiebreaker.
9-7 scenarios
*If Steelers and Titans each finish 9-7 with the Titans win coming against the Saints, [hide] Pittsburgh wins the 9-7 tiebreaker based off conference record.
*If Steelers and Titans each finish 9-7 with the Titans win coming against the Texans in week 17, Tennessee wins the 9-7 tiebreaker based off strength of victory
8-8 Steelers-Titans 2-way Scenario:
*Titans win tiebreaker
Invest in a backup QB in 2020
— The Pittsburgh Steelers have a special Super Bowl caliber defense that isn’t going anywhere in the coming years. This team has to invest in a legitimate veteran QB next off-season and be willing to pay a backup $4-$5 million as insurance. Putting all your eggs in the basket of a 38 year old Ben Roethlisberger coming off major elbow surgery is quite risky if you come back with Mason Rudolph or Devlin Hodges as your No. 2. Pittsburgh has to maximize the window this defense has now given the team.
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Bobby Mac putting a dagger in any Kovalchuk to Pittsburgh or Boston ideas….
Good.
Shultz is week to week. It just keeps coming.
Mother fucker….
One thing is for sure, if this team goes deep this year they will have some well rested players. Problem is others will be accumulating way to many mins.
Lets hope we can rest fraud Murray as much as we can for the playoffs .
Like that he get steal jarrys regular season glories
“We” lol
Kovalchuk to the Penguins? i hear hell no i hear maybe, i hear he might do well with a disciplined team like Pittsburgh having Malkin Crosby and Coach Sullivan who doesn’t put up with BS and defensive lapses..
one one hand he would help our struggling power play the man can still shoot…off wing?
One the other hand -34 a bad attitude and the penguins play fast and have more structure now..
is it worth taking a chance for the rest oft the season.
my fear he goes to the Crapitals and lights it up with OVI!
I’d take a flyer on him for a minimal price. He could fill the PP role and make Galchenyuk even more expendable, giving them some cap space. Still has a ton of skill and it’d be fun to watch him as a Penguin, provided the cost is low. If he would play with geno, they better have a gritty, defensive minded winger with them.
I may be wrong but I do not think Washington has the cap space.
apparently he is $800,000 or what ever he agrees on…you may be right Capitals are up against the cap
Impeached.
welcome back, tiops. i thought you were gone for good this time. but i always think that when the site is down
Lol was thinking the same
Murray for E. Kane. Do it.
We already have a cancer like galchenyuk we don’t need Kane here
Sadly, I agree… Kane is not good for the locker room
ZeroTools sheary will probably on highlight real tonight
Boy Mathews made him look like a jabroni on his goal
Didn’t you bash Mathews a few weeks ago? Flipflop.
Sam to finally jump online to praise Letangs EN goal and shitt on Malkins in 3… 2… 1…
FWIW in Canada the announcers applauded Malkins game while saying Letang wasn’t at his best lol
It’s a good thing Malkin went back to Russia.
Who told you Stan
The crew has arrived
400 goals for Geno!
Fucken brain dead play Letang
Dude killed about 35 seconds with that one stupid fucken play
He was not even trying to beat Rieder to the puck.
Schultz is dead.
Another freaking injury…wow
One yeat deal for Kovy at 925k. It’ll be funny to see him in a Pens uni. I usually don’t like Ryan Wilson, but thought he brought up some good points. Kovy can take over Kessel’s spot on the PP, which just isn’t the same this year. Also, we’ve habitually had plugs in the lineup because they could kill penalties, so why not have a guy on the other side of things?
JK!
Drooooollll baby drooollll
Dudes getting his dog to lick the Taylor hall Sharpie tattoo off his balls as we speak but has others drooling over million dollar ideas that would easily replace a couple wingers on the roster. you’re dumb Sam
PS you still have answered… how does 10/30 = 95% and how does 10 equate to more than 13 jerkoff
French Canadian math.
Creepy….
Pens interested in Kovalchuk per Pagnotta.
JR will probably give him 5 yrs with a nmc/ntc.
Amazing just what we needed one dimensional expensive powerplay specialist.
I wouldn’t be surprised with Malkin and gonchar pushing it
Except the suggestion is, if he wants a contender, wait until termination and sign him.for the rest of the year at a pro-rated 1 million…..
Also read the pens and sabres have been discussing a galchenyuk for bogosian swap
That I’m uncertain on although I guess it’s a fallback for Schultz leaving this offseason
Add Kovy at 1 million then Bogo for Galchenyuk… they’d be far better off for sure
He’s making less than a million per year. Jeez, you’re sooo bad at this!
1 million, no more… I’ve always liked dude and I get he was in a bad situation in LA but I’m also worried about his age. If he’d take a million if he happy to take that chance
Remember he has a contract next year as well
We are talking a terminated contract you dumbfuck…
Unrestricted. Look that word up too.
I would save the money and hopefully invest in a solid D man. They will need the cap space come the trade deadline.
Adding Kovalchuk I’d immediately move Galchenyuk
So Sam(e) “runs” his own business yet he is terrible at writing, reading, geography and now it appears his math skills are not very good either. The Canadian school system must be really hard to graduate from.
Good news Penguins get to play tonight at 9pm. Npl and half the bandwagon fans would be in bed by then
Bad news Fraud Murray will be in net
Hey sam, I was working on a math problem… maybe you can help… 10/30 = 95%… how?
13/30 is what then?
Which of those figures is the higher as a percentage?
Jarry is starting tonight homeschooled.
Oh yeah true scum sully would hide him behind the bench since Calgary been playing some good hockey lately and use him vs the struggling Oilers
Sam(e); instead of looking up worthless videos on youtube, look up the word strategy. I know Montreal fans are not used to that word.
Unless he also plays vs Edmonton on Friday…. Which is hugely possible
Did you guys see my prediction come true with Hall going to the Coyotes? I might be the smartest man alive.
I am sure you are
more like a thief
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3MLZ9R4jug
95% happens to be American names I guess Same was Right
safe to say https://media0.giphy.com/media/13sY5MBe3khsly/giphy.gif?cid=790b7611bb5ab6af38a5f662ad5a1d3dd9b38908b42d5d56&rid=giphy.gif to Zero, and to Stan
Well, if a 14 year old on the internet says so…..
For those counting…
13 Canadians
7 Euro
10 Americans…
I think Sam(e) was home schooled by Dusty.
Forbes ranked Penguins fans #1 in the nhl. Surprised they didn’t cite all the Canadian bandwagons as part of the criteria.
yes because they have the most bandwagons
I agree. Canada has a ton.
Yup, and Flip Floppin Sam(e) driving the wagon.
ect
Looks like I was right again when I said Hall to the Coyotes months ago
I am sure you were Assshole keep stealing my stuffs and get the Glory
Stuffs!
Coyotes got a nice haul for Hall, no pun intended. Still don’t think they’ll do anything in the playoffs, but they needed some scoring. Funny how Tanner on HB thinks they are a contender
Now sam can stop fucken drooling over Hall!
Hall is too young for him. They have to be on the verge of retirement. I remember he was really high on Joe Thornton last year and his drool is only getting heavier.
yeah a new offensive coordinator would help…hard though to call plays with young limited back-ups…
Scandella would help. Oh wait, wrong thread
replace offensive cordinator
I wonder how fruitbat feels about this year’s team.