Game Balls, Game Goats & FU's......Week 1 @ Buffalo.....

[Chicoman]

I knew this game would be a uphill struggle vs a Bills team that has been branded a Super Bowl Contender before the start of this season while our Steelers weren't really given any chance by the experts this week and given a pretty bleak outlook for the season...calling for Tomlin's first losing season. One thing really stood out to me today was how impressed I was by our Defense throughout the whole game. Hey we have a secondary! The O-line is certainly a work in progress and in the first half they looked pretty terrible. I was having visions of Todd "Turnstyle" Fordham & Oliver Ross from the 2003 Steelers season in the first half. They couldn't run block, they couldn't pass block.....I sure as hell didn't think they would turn this game around after halftime and pull out a win against a seasoned Bills squad. It's a key victory down the stretch with a win over a team we just might face again. Keith Butler said he had a plan to take Diggs out of the game and I'd say it pretty much worked to perfection despite Diggs having 9 rec for 69 yds. Going forward one thing is certain if this Steelers Defense can stay healthy especially up front with our edge rushers in Watt, Highsmith & Ingram we are going to be in every friggin game. Josh Allen was under constant pressure today and our Defense played great the entire game! Every Steelers fan should be happier than a pig in **** right now! I didn't think we would come away with the "W" today but I'm glad I was wrong!



Per Tomlin's Post Game:

Robert Spillaine - Hurt in warmups today Buddy Johnson replaced him
no major injuries today just a few bumps and bruises associated with play

Game Balls:

Cam Heyward - This guy was a MONSTER today...all over the field....great pressure 2 batted balls, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery......He really helped set the tone up front early
TJ Watt - Our $112 Million Lb'er really showed his worth today....2 sacks....1 forced fumble....He was held or tackled to the ground at least 5 or 6 times during the game and no penalty flags...UNREAL!
Cam Sutton - Had some nice pass breakups on the backend today and made one hell of a read on 4th & 1 for the Bills tackling the RB for a 4 yd loss and turning the ball over to the Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger - Not a great stat day but he sparked the offense in the 2nd half with some nice throws downfield to move the chains and score points.
Dionte Johnson - Way to tough out a game. Hurt early, caught out only TD pass and had 5 rec for 36yds
Keith Butler - Our DC said he had a game plan to take Stefon Diggs out of the game and he delivered!
Miles Killebrew - BLOCKED PUNT that turned the game upside down for the Bills. Really was the turning point of the game!

Game Goats:
Pressley Harvin - Shanked a terrible punt in the 2nd QTR that didn't even travel 30 yds....giving the Bills the ball at the Steelers 35 yd line. Thank god TJ Watt stripped Josh Allen to stop that drive!

FU's:
FU to all the so called experts who predicted the Steelers first losing season under Tomlin!

 

[CoolieMan]

defense was huge today

secondary played well

OL needs work

Offense was much better in the 2nd half

 

[bkwheat28]

Was anyone else screaming at the TV when we had a lead with less than five minutes and still throwing the ball?!

 

[CoolieMan]

Was anyone else screaming at the TV when we had a lead with less than five minutes and still throwing the ball?!

yes.....but the running game is just not there

 

[xjx]

This OL needs work "BIG TIME" (as Miss Pei would say in her little asian voice).

 

[stillwright]

Ben played as part of the offense...not the offense. Zero ints.

 

[Steelz]

Ben definitely does not get a game ball for this game. If he just made the throws he was supposed to then this wouldn't have even been this close. But adding game balls to the coaches for the 2nd half adjustments and to Ingram for his play. He was disruptive all day as well.

 

[TDX27]

The entire O struggled in the 1st half. The play calling was just like last year so no surprise. They opened it up in the 2nd half and Ben thrived, as did the rest of the O. The D is legit.

FU to the refs. As usual, they were so inconsistent it's ridiculous. And how the **** do we keep getting that female ref. She was terrible against us last year and wasn't much better this year.

 

[Djfan]

Was anyone else screaming at the TV when we had a lead with less than five minutes and still throwing the ball?!

Yes. Burn clock. Scoring is a great thing, but they had to burn TOs then had none. The clock was the game at that point.

 

[TDX27]

Ben definitely does not get a game ball for this game. If he just made the throws he was supposed to then this wouldn't have even been this close. But adding game balls to the coaches for the 2nd half adjustments and to Ingram for his play. He was disruptive all day as well.

Huh? He absolutely does. HE brought us back with his great, on-point throwing in the 2nd half. Did you not watch the game everyone else did? Canada didn't have him throw anything past 5 yards in the 1st half.

 

[Skott]

FU the the refs who some now think it’s OK to HOLD Watt and even Highsmith almost every play.

this league is sooooo inconsistent with what gets called and what is OK👌

 

[Djfan]

FU to the refs. As usual, they were so inconsistent it's ridiculous. And how the **** do we keep getting that female ref. She was terrible against us last year and wasn't much better this year.

 

[Steelz]

Huh? He absolutely does. HE brought us back with his great, on-point throwing in the 2nd half. Did you not watch the game everyone else did? Canada didn't have him throw anything past 5 yards in the 1st half.

Was it Ben who brought us back? Or was it the special teams block or the Defense 4th down stops and short field?

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

game ball to the defense.

Goat, to Tombert / the oline. No push. No time,, pathetic.

FU. to select members of our O line.

 

[Steeltime]

The pass rush is ferocious. Also, holy hell, Ingram plays like he is ANGRY anybody would run to his side. Buffalo churned out about 50 yards rushing in one drive when down 10 in the 4th, making their running stats look better than they really were.

I don't mean to sound like a coaching cliche, but if the Steelers defense continues to stuff the run, force teams into obvious passing, and that pass rush is cut loose, the D is going to be damn good.

 

[Shane Falco]

Gotta give some kudos to Canada. He made some actual adjustments at halftime and the offense became productive

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

game ball to the defense.

Goat, to Tombert / the oline. No push. No time,, pathetic.

FU. to select members of our O line.

edit,, fu to Dotson wearing the black and yellow bandanna hanging out the back.. This isnt the rajun cajuns.

 

[stillwright]

Was it Ben who brought us back? Or was it the special teams block or the Defense 4th down stops and short field?

I believe our offense scored on every possession in the 2nd half but at the end to run out the clock. I very well could be wrong though. Ben had a part in that. Defense played simply an awesome game. Throw in some special teams play and we get a victory. 🙂

 

[Ron Burgundy]

edit,, fu to Dotson wearing the black and yellow bandanna hanging out the back.. This isnt the rajun cajuns.

That and he had a motion penalty at a really bad time.

 

[bermudasteel]

I hated the first half of offensive game planning. Ben needs to start throwing medium range balls from the get go because everyone doubts him. That will open up the running lanes...

I predicted we'd win and I'm really happy w/ the defense!!!

Bad day for Harvin...

 

[stillwright]

I hated the first half of offensive game planning. Ben needs to start throwing medium range balls from the get go because everyone doubts him. That will open up the running lanes...

I predicted we'd win and I'm really happy w/ the defense!!!

Bad day for Harvin...

I don't know if they as much doubt Ben as they do our OL. The Bills kept 8 to 10 players in the box until the very end of the game. We have to make teams pay for doing that. We did in the 2nd half.

 

[insaniti]

All the shifts were gone in the second half. Still had motion, but the 7 shifts before the snap were cut down, and the offense started to be productive.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Gotta give some kudos to Canada. He made some actual adjustments at halftime and the offense became productive

Shades scoffs at your suggestion that anyone made adjustments.
The Tuesday presser will be interesting to see if he admits to making any adjustments.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Bad day for Harvin...

Why can we not find a decent punter to save our lives?

 

[Steelmann]

I have to disagree with a few on here. I don’t think the OLine deserves a **** you whatsoever. It was their first start in the NFL as a unit ,and first at all for our rookies. While they didn’t open up a ton of holes in the first half,I thought they gave Ben time on a few pass plays,but Ben totally missed receivers. He looked horrible. 5 drives..... 5 punts. One half assed drive. To blame that all on the OLine?

When they were in the redzone they gave their QB lots of time. Take a look. Lots of improvements in the 2nd. They did well in the no huddle. It’s not like Ben was running for his life the whole game. If anything Josh Allen had more pressure. Ben of course looked way sharper in the second,and I thought the OLine looked good. First start as a unit in the NFL.
They deserve al least a mini game ball.