The Good, Bad and Ugly from Week 3 Steelers – Buccaneers
It was a tale of two halves for the Steelers. A team that won the first half 30-10, but came out flat in the second half and were outscored 17-0 in the final two quarters.
Still it was enough for the team’s first win of the season. Barely.
But it did show the upside of what this team can be, and that’s something different than what we’ve seen through the first two games. The defense wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough to come away with a win.
Let’s look at the Good, the Bad and the Ugly from the Steelers win against the Buccaneers.
Good
Ben Roethlisberger
30/38, 353 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 120.7 Rating
Vintage. Masterful. Classic.
I heard those terms being repeated over and over in relation to Ben’s performance. He earned his sixteenth AFC Offensive Player of the Week award for his efforts. Who am I to argue?
Ben was really good for most of the game. Almost all of it. Take out the first two drives of the game, and majority of the third and fourth quarters anyway. I don’t know how much Ben is calling plays, how much are scripted and how much is Randy Fichtner. What I do know is that so far this season the first few series, the scripted ones, have been below the line.
Imagine what Ben’s numbers would look like if they started strong? Regardless, Ben has played well above the line this season, especially in the last two games.
JuJu Smith-Schuster
9/11, 116 yards, 12.9 average
Juju is becoming a well trusted option in this offense. While Ben and AB work out whatever kinks have popped up in their chemistry, it’s nice to have a solid option in Juju. He’s played primarily in the slot, and has been tremendously effective there. Three straight 100 yard games and leading the team in receiving yards. He should continue to be improve as the year goes by.
Vance McDonald
4/5, 112 yards, 28.0 average, 1 TD, 1 Bad-Ass Stiffarm
#GrownAssMan award winner! I don’t know if I need to say anything more than I can watch that stiff-arm repeatedly and never get tired of it. Just stay healthy and maybe Vance can provide yet another weapon and option for Roethlsiberger and this offense.
First Half Defense
4 turnovers, 10 points allowed (and 7 came off being set up in a bad way off interception). I’d take that every week. They looked much better at communicating, and in while certainly some of that is due to the return of Joe Haden, I think it also has a lot to do with the attitude that the defense showed in the first half. Aggressiveness.
The coaching was aggressive, the players were aggressive, and the result was (to keep my rhyming intact) impressive.
This is the way this defense should play, and it’s the way it’s built to play. They showed what they can be in the first half.
If only it lasted.
Bad
Second Half Defense
I really don’t want to beat them up to badly, because frankly when push came to shove and the Buccaneers had the momentum, the ball and the chance to take the lead, they stood tall and got a three and out. So there is that.
But overall, the defensive effort in the second half was nothing like it was in the first. I’m not sure, but I got the feeling a lot of that was dictated by the scheme they chose to play. It was soft. They lost that aggressive attitude they had in the first half. I haven’t re-watched the game yet, but it felt different. Were they tired? Maybe. That’s a possibility on a hot humid Florida night. I just don’t know.
What I do know is because of that second half, we are left with as many questions about this defense as we had before the game.
Monday Night Football Announcers
Oh my god. Learn some new words. They were awful. It almost made me forget how much I don’t like Chris Collingsworth. I’ll give Jason Witten a pass because he’s new to the whole thing, but the rest of them? Blah.
And I’m sorry, but please get Booger out of his Boogermobile.
Ugly
The NFL’s Stupid “Please Save Aaron Rogers” Rule
https://twitter.com/JFowlerESPN/status/1044575070310608896
https://twitter.com/JJWatt/status/1044398189166702592
I could rant about this for hours, and write about it for paragraphs and paragraphs.
But why bother. It’s bad, we all know it’s bad. Hell, they know it’s bad.
This needs to be fixed as quickly as possible. When the coaches and the players start wondering if the game is even enjoyable for the fans (and it isn’t – the cascade of yellow flags is not why we watch) then you have to question your choices.
Yes, the Refs stink. They still stink, but this isn’t even their fault. This is on the league. Fix it.
Conclusion
1-1-1 is better than 1-2. It’s not just a saying, it actually is! The Steelers have a better record than the New England Patriots. Better than the Chargers, the Cowboys and the Falcons. And they are in position to move ahead of the Ravens simply by winning.
AFC North football comes to Pittsburgh on Sunday, and this is a game they really do need to win. Let’s hope that the offense continues to improve, and that the first half defense shows up for a whole game.
