Comments on: Ryan Clark Loses His Mind http://nicepickcowher.com/2009/12/17/ryan-clark-loses-his-mind/ A Pittsburgh Steelers Blog Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:21:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: JD http://nicepickcowher.com/2009/12/17/ryan-clark-loses-his-mind/comment-page-1/#comment-1273 JD Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:15:50 +0000 http://nicepickcowher.com/?p=2123#comment-1273 I agree with Temple. Defense is still ranked highly, but has failed miserably when needed. Really shouldn't be in that position to begin with. Fault does seem to lie with the offense (and special teams). Roethlisberger is just a good quarterback who is a great scrambler. I don't know who to look to for blame...receivers, offense line, or Ben himself. I tend to think it's mostly on Ben...Ben makes hay after the secondary has broken down. He doesn't seem to find receivers very quickly (like a Manning, or Brady for that matter). Defense can't stick with receivers forever, and if you give any quarterback enough time, he'll find someone. Ben is just big enough and mobile enough to get the time for breakdown to happen. Doesn't take a Buddie Ryan to figure out how to keep Ben contained and get to him. With this ridiculous play calling (3rd and short in the shotgun? TWICE!!!) it plays right into what the defense has been practicing for all week. We'll see what happens today against GB. I agree with Temple. Defense is still ranked highly, but has failed miserably when needed. Really shouldn’t be in that position to begin with. Fault does seem to lie with the offense (and special teams). Roethlisberger is just a good quarterback who is a great scrambler. I don’t know who to look to for blame…receivers, offense line, or Ben himself. I tend to think it’s mostly on Ben…Ben makes hay after the secondary has broken down. He doesn’t seem to find receivers very quickly (like a Manning, or Brady for that matter). Defense can’t stick with receivers forever, and if you give any quarterback enough time, he’ll find someone. Ben is just big enough and mobile enough to get the time for breakdown to happen. Doesn’t take a Buddie Ryan to figure out how to keep Ben contained and get to him. With this ridiculous play calling (3rd and short in the shotgun? TWICE!!!) it plays right into what the defense has been practicing for all week. We’ll see what happens today against GB.

]]> By: Temple3 http://nicepickcowher.com/2009/12/17/ryan-clark-loses-his-mind/comment-page-1/#comment-1272 Temple3 Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:24:27 +0000 http://nicepickcowher.com/?p=2123#comment-1272 "(h)ave" would have fit nicely on line 1. Pardon. “(h)ave” would have fit nicely on line 1. Pardon.

]]> By: Temple3 http://nicepickcowher.com/2009/12/17/ryan-clark-loses-his-mind/comment-page-1/#comment-1271 Temple3 Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:22:06 +0000 http://nicepickcowher.com/?p=2123#comment-1271 I don't a problem with what Ryan Clark had to say. He clearly and repeatedly affirmed his love for the fans. He is clear about the scope of Steeler Nation and the level of commitment fans have made. He couldn't have been clearer. I think his real beef is that the media and some fans are acting as though the defense is equally culpable for the outcomes of the season. The defense, operating without Smith and Polamalu, is still ranked 4th. The offense, for the second year in a row has struggled mightily to score and has turned the ball over when games could have been put away. Every INT Ben has thrown this season has been with a lead or tie. The offense and special teams have surrendered 8 touchdowns. Jeff Reed is ranked next to last in avg kickoff distance. Between the injuries, the short fields, the offensive turnovers, and the new faces on defense, people need to be honest about the entire team. The defense is ranked 4th and entered the Raider game #1 in fewest TD's allowed. They're not as good as last season, but given who is on the field it's hard to say the unit is not over-performing. This is not the case for the offense or special teams...and this is the point that Clark is implicitly hammering home in his criticism of the coverage of the defense. It's just not about Clark and "the fans." That's a red herring. I don’t a problem with what Ryan Clark had to say. He clearly and repeatedly affirmed his love for the fans. He is clear about the scope of Steeler Nation and the level of commitment fans have made. He couldn’t have been clearer.

I think his real beef is that the media and some fans are acting as though the defense is equally culpable for the outcomes of the season. The defense, operating without Smith and Polamalu, is still ranked 4th. The offense, for the second year in a row has struggled mightily to score and has turned the ball over when games could have been put away. Every INT Ben has thrown this season has been with a lead or tie. The offense and special teams have surrendered 8 touchdowns. Jeff Reed is ranked next to last in avg kickoff distance.

Between the injuries, the short fields, the offensive turnovers, and the new faces on defense, people need to be honest about the entire team. The defense is ranked 4th and entered the Raider game #1 in fewest TD’s allowed. They’re not as good as last season, but given who is on the field it’s hard to say the unit is not over-performing.

This is not the case for the offense or special teams…and this is the point that Clark is implicitly hammering home in his criticism of the coverage of the defense. It’s just not about Clark and “the fans.” That’s a red herring.

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