Game Previews from Pittsburgh

[CGI_Ram]

Steelers-Rams: Brian Batko's Week 10 scouting report

When Rams have the ball Key performers: QB Jared Goff, RB Todd Gurley, WR Cooper Kupp, WR Robert Woods, TE Gerald Everett, LT Andrew Whitworth, C Brian...

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Steelers-Rams: Brian Batko's Week 10 scouting report

When Rams have the ball

Key performers: QB Jared Goff, RB Todd Gurley, WR Cooper Kupp, WR Robert Woods, TE Gerald Everett, LT Andrew Whitworth, C Brian Allen, RG Austin Blythe, RT Rob Havenstein

What’s been working: The Rams have built an explosive attack with the system of offensive-minded head coach Sean McVay. McVay has turned 2016 No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff into a two-time Pro Bowler despite a disappointing rookie year, and after finishing fifth in the league in passing last season, Goff ranks sixth so far in 2019. Kupp is his favorite target, and his 792 receiving yards are third-most in the NFL behind Michael Thomas and Mike Evans. His 410 yards after the catch are second only to Chargers running back Austin Ekeler.

Who’s hot (or not): A season after being a key to a Super Bowl run, the Rams offensive line is looking leaky. Their 12 sacks allowed are the sixth-fewest among all offensive lines, but that’s to be expected with veteran bookends Andrew Whitworth and Rob Havenstein. The rushing yards per game are down from 139.4 last year to 97.3 this year, and at 3.9 yards per carry, only 10 teams are running the ball with less efficiency. San Francisco sacked Goff four times four weeks ago and New Orleans got home for three in Week 2.

Game plan: The Rams have changed up their backfield pecking order the past two games, rotating dynamic rookie third-rounder Darrell Henderson with oft-injured Todd Gurley. Even against the struggling defenses of Atlanta and Cincinnati, the Rams have failed to establish the ground game early on, so they might just come out firing with Goff and his support cast of pass-catchers. Kupp will mostly work out of the slot, trying to feast on mismatches, while Josh Reynolds will need to replace Brandin Cooks, who’s dealing with a concussion.

Keep an eye on: Gerald Everett might not be George Kittle or Hunter Henry, but will he be the latest tight end to gash the Steelers over the middle? A second-round pick in 2017, Everett is a handful to bring down after the catch, and the Rams could use more “12” personnel with him and fellow tight end Tyler Higbee, given the Cooks injury plus the rushing struggles.

When Steelers have the ball

Key performers: DE Michael Brockers, DT Aaron Donald, OLB Dante Fowler, ILB Cory Littleton, OLB Clay Matthews, CB Jalen Ramsey, CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, FS Eric Weddle

What’s been working: Aaron Donald continues to dominate offensive lines as one of the best defensive players in the NFL, if not No. 1. But the Rams also made the biggest trade of the season a couple weeks ago, bringing in shutdown corner Jalen Ramsey to bolster a reeling secondary. They have a top-10 run defense, and a pass defense that has just six interceptions — only two courtesy of a player still on the active roster — should only get better with Ramsey in the fold.

Who’s hot (or not): In addition to Ramsey and backup quarterback Blake Bortles, edge-rusher Dante Fowler gives the Rams three former top-five overall draft picks of the Jaguars on their roster. Fowler is having a career resurgence in Los Angeles and now has 4½ sacks over the past two games, giving him a team-leading 6½ on the season. He’s also tied with Donald for the most quarterback hits at nine.

Game plan: In their 3-4 scheme, the Rams will usually rush Fowler from the blind side and Clay Matthews opposite him, while moving Donald all around the line of scrimmage to try to avoid double-teams. Expect Ramsey to shadow JuJu Smith-Schuster, while Cory Littleton shoulders plenty of coverage responsibility from his linebacker position. Littleton has two interceptions this season and the highest coverage grade among linebackers, per Pro Football Focus.

Keep an eye on: Eric Weddle is new to the Rams, but he’s a familiar face to the Steelers and vice versa. After spending three seasons in Baltimore, he has added an experienced presence in the secondary, but will he be up to make a big play at Heinz Field? Weddle is second on the team with 59 tackles. Between his time with the Chargers and Ravens, he’s 3-10 against the Steelers.

Special teams

Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein is always a long-range weapon, but he is 16 of 20 on field goals this year. And yet, he’s 4 for 4 on kicks of 50-plus yards. All four of his misses have been between 40 and 49. … Punter Johnny Hekker is a four-time Pro Bowler who has booted a 71-yarder this season, 7 off his career high. … Diminutive receiver JoJo Natson handles kick and punt return duties, ranking sixth in the NFL in the latter (9.8 yards per return). … Nick Scott, a rookie safety out of Penn State, caught a 23-yard pass from Hekker on a fake punt three weeks ago.

Keys to victory

To win, the Rams must…

Stay rolling on the road. The off week came at a nice time for a West Coast team that played at Atlanta, then in London, and now travels to Pittsburgh before finally returning home next week.

Make Mason miss. A high-percentage passing game worked for the Steelers against the Colts but might not be sustainable when Aaron Donald & Co. are bearing down.

Recalibrate to competition. Yes, the Rams are enjoying a two-game win streak, but they now take a step up in class from the going-nowhere Falcons and Bengals.

To win, the Steelers must…

Avoid 99 problems. Donald will be amped up in his Pittsburgh homecoming, so protecting Mason Rudolph will be of the utmost importance to the offense.

Ram it downfield. The Rams are only giving 4.8 receptions and 37 receiving yards per game to opposing running backs, which could limit the short throws to Jaylen Samuels.

Lock Kupp up. Cooper Kupp is coming off a career-high 220-yard performance, so whatever the Bengals did, well, don't do that.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Paul Zeise: Steelers offensive line will be up to the challenge of handling Aaron Donald

The Steelers offensive line will face the ultimate test Sunday when they take on a Rams defensive front led by all-world defensive tackle Aaron Donald. In...

www.post-gazette.com

Paul Zeise: Steelers offensive line will be up to the challenge of handling Aaron Donald

The Steelers offensive line will face the ultimate test Sunday when they take on a Rams defensive front led by all-world defensive tackle Aaron Donald. In case you didn’t know and couldn’t tell from all the stories written about Donald this week, he is from Penn Hills, played at Pitt and thus this is a homecoming for him.

All the coverage makes sense since he is not only an incredible athlete but a great guy who has never forgotten where he’s from, but I think we get the point already. I’ve known Donald since he was a senior in high school and covered him at Pitt, and he is as good in every area that they say he is.

At some point this week, it went from well-earned praise and morphed into a little bit of hyperbole and well, enough is enough. He is a great player and an even better human being, but he ishuman and the Steelers have faced great players in the past.

After reading through all of the stories written out of the Steelers locker room this week and in talking to Steelers offensive linemen myself, it’s clear the Steelers get the point, as well. And they, too, have heard enough of it and are ready to take their shot at blocking Donald.

Nobody really has success stopping Donald, but the Steelers will have success Sunday because they have one of the best units in the NFL. They are also finally playing at a reasonably high level and, although they won’t say it, they are a little bit annoyed by having to answer questions about Donald all week and will use it as a little extra motivation.

And that’s true even though the offensive line is in a state of flux because Ramon Foster (concussion) may be out. The Steelers have moved Matt Feiler, B.J. Finney and Chuks Okorafor around at practice this week in Foster’s absence, and the unit will be somewhat of a work in progress all the way up to game time.

“Well, Finn's been great,” offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner told a scrum of reporters earlier this week. “Yes, we've been trying to piecemeal it. You talk about musical chairs, I mean, we've had to do some of that, too. We know we have X amount of guys who can play, so we've got to kind of fit them and see who's going to be available. I still hold out hope for Ramon, you're just not sure when you deal with those types of things.”

Regardless of who plays, the Steelers will be ready for Donald and his teammates. They have spent a lot of time watching him on video, they have studied the way the Rams use him and know what teams have done to have some success against him.

Now, make no mistake — the Steelers have said all the right things about Donald all week long. They have talked about how dominant he is, about how hard he is to block and how they will need to be aware of where he is on every play. I even heard Foster and Maurkice Pouncey talk glowingly about Donald’s homecoming this week and how great it is that he still gives back to his community of Penn Hills and his alma mater Pitt.

Buried beneath all these platitudes, though, there is definitely a burning desire by the Steelers offensive linemen to shut everyone up and prove they are up to the task. Pouncey and Foster both hinted that they were a little bit worn down by having to talk about Donald all week, as they both said something similar to “we’ve played a lot of great players and at the end of the day, it is about manning up and winning individual battles.”

That is a paraphrase, but it’s the essence of what both said after having to answer the question about what it takes to stop Donald and how important it is to get double teams on him. Players have no issue giving other great players credit and even signing their praises, but there is a limit to it. They all have egos and generally use this kind of over-the-top praise of an opponent as motivation.

The Steelers offensive line with or without Foster will win more than their fair share of battles Sunday against Donald and the Rams. They seem to be looking forward to the challenge, actually. The Steelers will need the offensive line to be great, too, because there is no path to a win this week unless that unit plays well.

Given all I’ve heard and read this week, I’m thinking they are poised and ready to play the best game they’ve played all season.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Steelers defense embraces pressure of 'being reason why we win'

It was four years ago a Pittsburgh Steelers offense, featuring a litany of Pro Bowl talents and multiple future Hall of Famers, publicly pledged its goal to score 30 points per game. On Thursday, Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler made a similar declaration. “My thing is,” Butler said...

triblive.com

Steelers defense embraces pressure of ‘being reason why we win’

It was four years ago a Pittsburgh Steelers offense, featuring a litany of Pro Bowl talents and multiple future Hall of Famers, publicly pledged its goal to score 30 points per game.

On Thursday, Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler made a similar declaration.

“My thing is,” Butler said, “if we can keep them under 17 points a game, then we have done a decent job.”

It was an offhanded comment similar to the nonchalant ones that former offensive coordinator Todd Haley and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger made in 2015 and ‘16 about aiming to score 30. But that the Steelers’ publicly expressed goals have changed from outscoring opponents to not allowing them to score carries some telling symbolism for an organization that has quickly done an about-face with its identity.

“I just think we have to be catalysts for why we win,” defensive captain Cameron Heyward said of his unit. “We can’t hide behind that we’ve got missing pieces on the other side of the ball. We have to be the ones responsible for getting the job done.

“I don’t think we shy away from letting the pressure be on us and being the reason why we win.”

The defense is why the Steelers (4-4) have remained in playoff contention heading into Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams. While the turning point from an offensive-oriented team to a defensive one was gradual and began with the departures of former All-Pros Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown, it probably hit its breaking point Sept. 16.

Within hours, two pieces of stunning news altered the trajectory of the season, if not the entire franchise: it was announced franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger would miss the remainder of the seasonbecause of an elbow injury and that the Steelers had traded a future first-round pick for Miami Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.

The first bombshell all but ensured the offense was no longer going to be capable of carrying the load; the latter jaw-dropper made it more possible the defense could.

“(Roethlisberger’s injury) just put a little more pressure on us,” outside linebacker Bud Dupree said, “and that kind of makes the hair stand up on your arm when you know you are getting called out like that.

“We’re just trying to make as many plays as we can just for the offense. Ben is out, so we know we have to make sure we pick up the slack.”


View: https://twitter.com/c_adamskitrib/status/1191453499600584706?s=21


Since Fitzpatrick arrived, the Steelers defense leads the league with 20 takeaways. They are allowing 4.5 yards per play in that span, which would rank tied for second in the league over the full season. They would also rank fourth in yardage allowed (299.0) and tied for sixth in points allowed (18.0) using their six-game stats.

“I think we are one of the league’s best defenses,” rookie linebacker Devin Bush said.

Bush’s statement was one any Steelers defender could have uttered for almost any part of about a two-decade span between 1993-2012, when the Steelers led the NFL in fewest yards or points allowed 10 times and finished in the top three of one of those categories 19 times.

Between 1993-2013, the Steelers ranked higher among their NFL peers in total defense than offense 19 of 21 times. From 2014-18, the Steelers offense has ranked higher than their defense.

That almost certainly will change this season, with the Mason Rudolph-led offense sitting at No. 28 in the NFL at the halfway point.

Still, between 2015-2018, the average NFL ranking for the Steelers offense was seventh and their average rank on defense was a respectable 11th.

“I think we’ve always been a good defense; it’s just that with the offense going through what they’re going through, losing ‘7,’ it opened up an opportunity for us to lead the way,” veteran inside linebacker Vince Williams said.

“Now, it’s just kind of, I guess, more obvious because we don’t have the high-powered offense that we usually have.”

 

[CGI_Ram]

Rams are talking about Minkah, JuJu, & more

Find out what is being said in Los Angeles ahead of Sunday's game against the Rams at Heinz Field

www.steelers.com

Rams are talking about Minkah, JuJu, & more

The Steelers take on the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday at Heinz Field, a game that features two teams that have been on win streaks as of late. The Steelers have won their last three games, while the Rams have won their last two games.

It will also be a homecoming for Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who is from the Pittsburgh area and grew up a Steelers fan.

“It’s going to be a good experience,” Donald told the NFL Network. “That is my hometown where I was born and raised. A team I grew rooting for and cheering for. The opportunity to play against them and play at home is going to be big.”

Donald played at the University of Pittsburgh and this will be the first time he will be playing against one of his close friends, Steelers running back James Conner.

“It’s going to be good,” said Donald. “I am going to be out there talking a little trash. We were talking trash this summer. It’s going to be fun. I’m just going to be out there competing and he is going to do the same thing and we are going to get after it.”

The Rams also weighed in on a variety of other topics, including the Steelers defense, Minkah Fitzpatrick, the offensive line, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mike Tomlin and more.

Head Coach Sean McVay on the challenges the Steelers defense presents:

“They do a great job. I want to say other than New England they’ve taken it away as much as anybody in the league. They’re very opportunistic. You look at the acquisition of Minkah Fitzpatrick, it has been a big add for them. They’re physical, they’ve always had that identity. They’re a tough, hard-nosed football team. They play physical on all three levels of defense. They do a great job of aggressively mixing it up. They’ll come after you, they can play sound coverage on the back end. It’s going to be a great challenge, especially playing in that atmosphere where you know it’s going to be a great crowd in Pittsburgh. They’re coming in rolling, so they’re feeling good about themselves. We’ve got a little bit of a streak. Hopefully we’ll be feeling healthy and play good football on Sunday.”

Quarterback Jared Goff on how Minkah Fitzpatrick changed the Steelers defense:

“He’s a great player, he plays that centerfield position pretty well. You see the way he’s able to make breaks on plays, he’s got great hands. He’s a great tackler. He’s a great player and has helped them a lot."

McVay on if Jaylen Ramsey will be matched up against JuJu Smith Schuster:

“I think there will be some situations that you can see him matched up against a variety of guys. JuJu is a guy that’s made a lot of plays. I think he is one of the better receivers in this league. In a lot of instances, he dictates and determines some of the coverage rotations. He has some of the best corners on the opposing team traveling with him. He can make plays down the field, he is great after the catch, he is physical, he can catch contested balls. I think what he has done early on in his career kind of speaks for itself. Kind of like what I think Mike (Tomlin) said the other day. I don’t think his stats are indicative of the impact he has had on the offense. I think he is doing a lot of really good stuff and he is getting better.”

Run game coordinator Aaron Kromer:

“A very talented front. High draft picks, productive, experienced, powerful, quick. I mean they’ve dominated. You watch the Colts game, and they’ve taken some of the top draft picks that they’ve had to the woodshed a little bit last week. We need to be prepared for that and we need to be on our aggressive edge. We need to be sound with our eyes and our technique and we’ll see what happens. But I believe we have confidence that we can get that done. They’re a very explosive and powerful group though.”

McVay on if the Steelers are tough to scout because of who they have beat and lost to and how he is able to gauge their talent:

“I think the one thing that is apparent in this league is usually the most recent performances are the best indicator of what to expect in the near future. If there is one thing that is displayed by this football team, even though things didn’t start out the way they wanted, they found a way to stay mentally tough, stay resilient. They have three big wins. You can see these guys don’t flinch if things don’t go their way in the framework of the game. They have beaten three pretty good teams. They have played pretty well as of late. These guys have played really good football the last three weeks.”

Goff on playing in Pittsburgh for the first time:

“It will be cool, never being there and knowing the history there and knowing everything that’s gone on on that field. It’s very similar to a place like Lambeau or something like that. You do feel that history and do feel that with their crowd and the passion of the city. It will be fun. It’s one I’m looking forward to.”

McVay on if he pays attention to what Coach Tomlin said, being that he quotes a comment from his press conference:

“Mike is a guy that whether we are playing them or not I have always had a huge amount of respect for the way he handles himself as a leader and as a head coach. You pay attention to that kind of stuff. I notice that. It’s not something that is exclusive to this week. He is just a guy that I respect, and think is one of the best at what he does.”
McVay on his impression of Tomlin:

“I’ve always been impressed with him from afar with his charisma, his presence, his ability to lead. All of the things you’d like to say you hope that you would be described as as a coach. I think Mike has a lot of those great traits and qualities. Guys follow him. He has a great competency in the game and a great feel. He is one of those guys that has a great presence about himself. I have been appreciative of how he has treated me and been willing to share information to help as you navigate through the ebbs and flows and the inevitable challenges you face as a head coach in this league. Nothing but respect for Coach Tomlin and their staff.”

McVay on linebacker Mark Barron, who used to play for the Rams, and how he can help the Steelers with his knowledge of the team:

“Mark’s a stud. I love Mark Barron. I think he is one of the toughest competitors I’ve been around. He has a great, consistent demeanor, especially watching him overcome some of the injuries the last couple of years. Great, physical, tough football player. I think he fits the mold of what a lot of those inside linebackers that have had a lot of success kind of identify and personify in that Steelers defense. He and (Devin) Bush have great speed. Great lateral agility. You can see there is confidence whether it’s blitzing them, whether it’s asking them to play in coverage. I am sure he can help in some ways. I just hope it’s not too much.”

McVay on the Steelers offensive line:

“They do a great job. I’ve really been impressed. Just being able to see the way that they protect the quarterback. I think they do an excellent job schematically picking and choosing. Balls coming out, finding backs on check downs, picking and choosing their spots, to take some things down the field when you get the structures that they want. I think Coach (Randy) Fichtner, Coach Tomlin, they’ve done an excellent job of being able to kind of put Mason (Rudolph) in some of the situations that help. They’ve got great veteran offensive line that’s played well for a long time. I want to say they’ve given up the fewest sacks of the league, they’re physical.

“When you talk about, ‘What is the epitome of a Pittsburgh Steelers team?’ Tough on both fronts, physical. That’s what you see form this football team, it’s going to be a great challenge for us. (James) Conner brings a different element, (Jaylen) Samuels did an excellent job against the Colts last week. You look at him catching 13 balls and you feel him as a runner as well. Making sure that we tackle well, swarm to the football and then account for those guys in the passing game is going to be a big point of emphasis.”

McVay on how the Steelers use Minkah Fitzpatrick:

“I think they’ve done a great job using him. You can see he’s gotten more comfortable from when he started early on and they’re able to mix in and use him in some different ways. When you just look at him, especially playing as a post-safety, his ability to play visual on the quarterback, make the appropriate breaks – when you’ve got really one shot to find an angle. I thought that was the play of the game, where he ends up having the pick on (Colts QB Brian) Hoyer, they’re running a four-verts off a play-action concept and he takes it the distance. They had a chance to go up 17-3 right there, then he ends up tying it and I thought you felt the momentum shift in their favor. He’s made a bunch of impact plays. He can play in the post, he can play down in the box. He’s a great player and he’s been a big addition for them.”

 

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these guys, i don't know. i wouldn't be taking betting advice from them.



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[Flint]

Sounds like they’re tired of hearing about AD, maybe the Pittsburgh media is tired of hearing about him cuz I doubt the players go out if their way to piss him off. But it sounds like they’ve had their fill of the praise of AD, ok, let’s talk about their #1 rb being out and the #2 being injured, let’s talk about Juju being a game time decision, let’s talk about Rudolph completing most of his passes to running backs and averaging 180 yds a game.
The Pittsburgh press wants to talk about the soft schedule the rams have had, well, they don’t beat Indy without a 90 yd pick 6 and the Indy holder inexplicably not turning the laces out on a makeable game winning kick.
The Steelers have bigger issues than AD, the Rams are favored on the road, and the steeler offense looks to have a difficult time scoring against a defense that’s been playing pretty well. Hopefully the rams can grind the defense down and get the win. This running game however, doesn’t exactly fill me with optimism, I’m hoping this isn’t a field goal kicking contest, kicking there can be an adventure.

 

[OldSchool]