Steelers Game Preview

[kerouac9]

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/what2watch4-cards-at-steelers/

I don't have a great feeling about this one, to be honest with you.

 

[BigRedRage]

Thanks for posting.
I doubt they can hang 27 on us with Mike Vick back there. It would be hard to do even with Big Ben. We'll see.

 

[kerouac9]

Thanks for posting.
I doubt they can hang 27 on us with Mike Vick back there. It would be hard to do even with Big Ben. We'll see.

Rams hung 24 on us in our house with Nick Foles back there. Even at 35, I think that Vick is a more challenging QB to defend than Foles.

 

[Redheart]

Thanks K-9.

You are calling for a close game with Pitt putting up 27; pretty good scoring for a MV led team. Against a pretty good AZ defense.

Are you thinking there will be Defensive or special team points?

Also, isn't 24 a little below expectation for this Offense? I keep thinking they leave a lot of points out there and still score a bunch.

I think the score may be right, just flip it for a close Cardinal win!

Like your stuff.

 

[MrYeahBut]

Vick seemed to get quite a bit more comfortable in the 2nd half of the Charger game so it's likely that could carry over to this game. I don't have a good feeling about this either... but the team has surprised me more than once in the last year.

 

[Garthshort]

JMO, but Foles is a LOT better than Vick. Especially the way he played against us. And whether it's Vick or Ben, I'm expecting a lot of rushing attempts.

 

[BigRedRage]

Rams hung 24 on us in our house with Nick Foles back there. Even at 35, I think that Vick is a more challenging QB to defend than Foles.

Due to their defense demolishing us and causing a bunch of turnovers. The steelers D will not check us like the rams D did.

 

[kerouac9]

Thanks K-9.

You are calling for a close game with Pitt putting up 27; pretty good scoring for a MV led team. Against a pretty good AZ defense.

Are you thinking there will be Defensive or special team points?

Also, isn't 24 a little below expectation for this Offense? I keep thinking they leave a lot of points out there and still score a bunch.

I think the score may be right, just flip it for a close Cardinal win!

Like your stuff.

I'm actually not sure how good this offense really is. They couldn't score against a good Rams defense. It feels like the offense can cash in on opponent turnovers, but struggles to generate consistent offense that ends in touchdowns. I don't have a lot of evidence to back that up, to be honest with you.

What I can say is that Pittsburgh is an elite rush defense.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

This will be a good matchup - Pittsburgh knows how to use it's receivers (too bad Vick is playing), probably the first team we play that can do so. I think this may turn into a shootout as Bell and their ST can keep their offense within striking distance all day long.

 

[jbeecham]

Right now, Pittsburgh is middle of the pack (#15) in rush defense... giving up an average of 101 ypg (Cards #11, 97.2 ypg).

Pitt gives up an average of 3.9 ypc, which is #13 in the NFL (league best is 3.5). Cards give up 4.0 ypc.

They have caused 5 fumbles though, which is 2nd best in the league (Cards have caused 4, tied for 3rd). This is fairly elite.

The only other elite rush defense stat I can see if that they've only given up 1 rushing TD this year. We've given up 2 rushing TDs.

Our rush defenses are pretty well matched.

 

[NJCardFan]

Actually, this game doesn't worry me. The Baltimore game does only because of our past history in prime time isn't so great.

 

[DVontel]

Gonna be a long day for me & if we lose to a Mike Vick-led team in 2015.

I hope I don't see Minter covering Le'Veon not once in this game. Buc and/or Tyrann better be on him at all times.

 

[crisper57]

I hope you are wrong. I really do. I think if we get out ahead early, Bell will be neutralized. Brown can't utilize his speed when Vick is throwing ducks. Their DL is good, but if we give them a healthy dose of CJ, DJ, and Ellington in the first half, they will be gassed by the second half because they stay in for every play.

Their secondary, which isn't all that good to begin with, is banged up.

Even with all that, I don't have a good comfort level with going into that stadium and winning.

 

[DVontel]

And while I don't think that highly of Foles myself, he is better than Michael Vick in the year of 2015.

 

[crisper57]

Injury Reports

http://www.steelers.com/team/injury...ardinals/863f00e0-2307-4a5f-b932-47356bc09691

 

[BullheadCardFan]

I don't have a great feeling about this one, to be honest with you.

+1

My dislike for the Steelers makes me want this game even more. I believe it will not be an easy game and the Steelers may expose some of our flaws.
If Vick can play like he did the 2nd half of the last game and run around on us he could give us trouble. We have no LB's that can contain him from running. If Butler shanks any punts they could shift field position at a critical time in the game.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Dont see Mike Vick beating us. And everyone is talking about the Colts/Pats game as FU game.....to me this is a very very underatted one. He has played coy (as he should) but Arians is going to bring the kitchen sink and coach the game of his life imo. With Vick i see the opportunity to really put it on them but i do think defense is good and Bell will be a handful. But we always get up for good backs so I think well be okay there.

31 - 17 Cardinals

If Big Ben was playing it would be a different story. But you better believe Arians has this game and the first game at Seattle as circled on the calendar.

I personally think he is going to depants Tomlin especially with the limited Mike Vick under center. He was atrocious for 3 Q and that is NOT a good SD defense.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

And while I don't think that highly of Foles myself, he is better than Michael Vick in the year of 2015.

No question. No question.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Also like I said many times in many other threads.

4 and 0

It is written.

 

[Russ Smith]

Bryant is the wildcard how rusty he is, how healthy etc.

If Vick plays against us the way he played the other night we should win. He had 3 here you go defense throws in that game that were all dropped by the Chargers. Balls literally thrown right to the defense, two of them were potential pick sixes. I know dropped INT's happen every game but our DB's have been pretty damn good at exploiting stuff like that, if he's as inaccurate and careless in this game I would expect us to capitalize more than SD did.

Stopping Bell concerns me, Brown concerns me, covering Bryant if he's healthy concerns me because even an inaccurate Vick can throw the ball up and let him jump for it.

Road games are always a concern. I just think unless Vick plays MUCH better, or Ben plays and plays great, it's unlikely their offense can put up 27 points on us. With defense and ST maybe, not just that offense unless they get MUCH better QB play.

 

[eastcoastSUN]

Keys to the game:

- Our Front 7. They will run the ball ALOT. Bell is patient as hell, and hides behind his big OL and waits for an opportune time to kick it into second gear. Minter really needs to show us here that he is not big, slow and fat and can shed tackles because the Steelers will be zone blocking alot. Opposite Minter, Golden, in his new starting role, will also need to be patient because even at 35, Vick can still scramble and make plays with his feet.

- Cards Secondary. If I were the opposing team, I'd go after Powers all day with inside slants and post slants. The guy is getting burned more than my dating life in high school and that is saying alot. He was responsible in coverage for at least 3-4 touchdown passes by the opposing team in the last few weeks. While we're arguing the meaning of a dollar nickel/safety for Buc, the real concern here is Powers. Martavis Bryant is back for this game and I can see them running these slants for catch and runs all day.

- Cards Passing. We should have some decent success given that the Steelers secondary is banged up and have some gaping holes. If we set the tempo early with some good runs by CJ2K and Duke, it should keep the Steelers front 7 honest and we can air it out. You know Fitz will be hyped for this game since he played his college ball down the street. Oh, and there's a rumor that our coach was once considered for the HC job here. Should be the impetus for some gunslinging and we should be firing on all cylinders if we can get the run game going.

 

[BigRedRage]

+1

My dislike for the Steelers makes me want this game even more. I believe it will not be an easy game and the Steelers may expose some of our flaws.
If Vick can play like he did the 2nd half of the last game and run around on us he could give us trouble. We have no LB's that can contain him from running. If Butler shanks any punts they could shift field position at a critical time in the game.

Vick only ran once in the last game. If our OLBS play contain he should be marginalized.

My concern is that you cannot spy both Vick and Bell so if anything I would have Bucannon spy bell and then just hope the OLBs play contain properly to keep vick in the pocket.

 

[Buckybird]

I'm actually not sure how good this offense really is. They couldn't score against a good Rams defense. It feels like the offense can cash in on opponent turnovers, but struggles to generate consistent offense that ends in touchdowns. I don't have a lot of evidence to back that up, to be honest with you.
.

I'm not sure how you can say that.

1) #1 scoring team
2) #3 rushing offense
3) #10 passing offense
4) #6 total offense at nearly 400 per game
5) #5 in first downs



Btw how many points did the Stealers score against the Lambs? I'll give you a hint...it starts with 1 & ends with 2

I'll give the Lambs credit they've got an excellent D but If the Cards executed plays that were set up to be made they would've score at least 35 points because they moved the ball up & down the field for 450 yds.

I understand this is gonna be a tough game because it's on the road & in the Steal City. I truly believe our offense is dynamic which gives us a shot in any game. Plus I think BA wants this badly & will probably have some new wrinkles in the game plan including trick plays.

I don't care who we've played this offense is pretty damn good & that's the bottom line.

 

[TJ]

If Pittsburgh scores 27 points against us, it would mean that we completely lost control of containing Bell. Since Rapistberger went down, Antonio Brown has been virtually useless, and now he's going to be facing the best corner he's seen all season long. And now Antonio is lobbying through the media for Vick to throw more his way. Well, perfect time for us to see more forced balls to PP21's area of the field.

Vick was never known for his accuracy, only his legs. Now that he's 35, his ability to break out and run is not what it used to be. On that 24 yard scamper last Monday, Vick didn't look much faster than Aaron Rodgets TBH. If Bell has an average game, the Steelers are screwed.

 

[kerouac9]

I'm not sure how you can say that.

1) #1 scoring team
2) #3 rushing offense
3) #10 passing offense
4) #6 total offense at nearly 400 per game
5) #5 in first downs



Btw how many points did the Stealers score against the Lambs? I'll give you a hint...it starts with 1 & ends with 2

I'll give the Lambs credit they've got an excellent D but If the Cards executed plays that were set up to be made they would've score at least 35 points because they moved the ball up & down the field for 450 yds.

I understand this is gonna be a tough game because it's on the road & in the Steal City. I truly believe our offense is dynamic which gives us a shot in any game. Plus I think BA wants this badly & will probably have some new wrinkles in the game plan including trick plays.

I don't care who we've played this offense is pretty damn good & that's the bottom line.

Because those include points of turnovers, and I'm not sure how representative that is — or how sustainable for the long-term. We didn't get turnovers in the Rams game, had to settle for field goals, and only scored 22 points.

Here's where I'm concerned: we're 29th in the NFL in plays per drive (5.21), 8th in yards per drive (33.9) and 2nd in points per drive (2.78). I'm not sure that's a sustainable variance for the long-term — both because big plays are relatively rare and have a high potential for turnover and because of regression toward the mean.

But I've been pretty consistently wrong about Carson Palmer's ability to continue to protect the ball and be productive carrying over his performance from last year, but we're 22nd in the NFL in passing attempts per game and 10th in passing yardage. I could pretty easily be wrong about this.