Where does it go from here?

Terrelle Pryor was stabbed in the shoulder and chest overnight in the Heinz Lofts apartment. Some fans on Reddit say this is his home. He is in critical condition.

https://twitter.com/WTAE/status/1200781430726578177?s=19

@jak341 wrote:

Terrelle Pryor was stabbed in the shoulder and chest overnight in the Heinz Lofts apartment. Some fans on Reddit say this is his home. He is in critical condition.

https://twitter.com/WTAE/status/1200781430726578177?s=19

Sad situation.

@solardave wrote:

@jak341 wrote:

Terrelle Pryor was stabbed in the shoulder and chest overnight in the Heinz Lofts apartment. Some fans on Reddit say this is his home. He is in critical condition.

https://twitter.com/WTAE/status/1200781430726578177?s=19

Sad situation.

it is....BUT... these guys could lower their risk of these kind of violent misfortunes if they chose better company and didnt put themselves in places where this kind of things happen. my mother always like to tell us we are only as good as the company we keep...

So glad we didnt sign him. Def dont need that distraction

@Master_Of_Puppets wrote:

@solardave wrote:

@jak341 wrote:

Terrelle Pryor was stabbed in the shoulder and chest overnight in the Heinz Lofts apartment. Some fans on Reddit say this is his home. He is in critical condition.

https://twitter.com/WTAE/status/1200781430726578177?s=19

Sad situation.

it is....BUT... these guys could lower their risk of these kind of violent misfortunes if they chose better company and didnt put themselves in places where this kind of things happen. my mother always like to tell us we are only as good as the company we keep...

Right. I've been saying this for years. This article says he has been arrested as a result so maybe he is the bad company that Tomlin/Colbert were not interested in signing.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001081943/article/former-nfl-wr-terrelle-pryor-arrested-after-he-was-stabbed

OBJ to Steelers?

https://twitter.com/KDKA/status/1206976955863719938?s=19

@jak341 wrote:

OBJ to Steelers?

https://twitter.com/KDKA/status/1206976955863719938?s=19

Man that's crazy. Post Gazette ran a story about this too. Things must be bad in Cleveland. This all just rumor, but hypothetically, my guess would be Steelers don't bite on something like this if they did indeed have the chance.

Little different spin. OBJ told Steelers to "come get him."

https://twitter.com/GabriellaDeLuca/status/1207019305763819522?s=19

Sorry, but No. Not another diva WR.

Here is an excerpt from Asked and Answered about Bradshaw in the beginning that I find interesting:



STEVE BARRIERO FROM DAYTONA BEACH, FL: Early in Terry Bradshaw’s career, wasn’t he benched on occasion for Terry Hanratty and Joe Gilliam due to performance, or am I remembering that wrong? My point in asking that question is to consider whether some quarterbacks struggle to adapt to the NFL game. Would you think maybe Mason Rudolph also might overcome that transition? Not to imply Mason is as good as Bradshaw, but I’d still like to give our front office the benefit of the doubt that he’s worthy of the draft grade they gave him.
ANSWER: Terry Bradshaw was the first overall pick of the 1970 NFL Draft, but history will show he earned a Super Bowl ring before he earned the full-time starting job. And it’s also true that Bradshaw owned a Super Bowl ring before he was able to finish a regular season with more touchdown passes than interceptions.

For Bradshaw, the low point had to be the 1974 regular season. When training camp opened in 1974, the NFLPA was on strike, and Bradshaw was among the bulk of the veteran players walking the picket line, while Joe Gilliam and some others reported to Saint Vincent College. Gilliam took advantage of the opportunity to impress Coach Chuck Noll, and then shortly after the strike was settled and the bulk of the veterans reported to camp, Bradshaw sustained an injury that prevented him from practicing, and he ended up losing the starting job. Gilliam started the first six games, and even though the team went 4-1-1 in those, Noll wasn’t happy with the direction of the offense – too much passing, with the quarterback calling his own plays – and Gilliam didn’t help his cause by throwing eight interceptions vs. four touchdown passes in those games.

Bradshaw started the season’s seventh game, a win over Atlanta, and then the next two after that, but in his third start, a 17-10 loss in Cincinnati, he completed 13-of-35 for 140 yards, with no touchdowns, one interception, and a rating of 37.8. Noll started Terry Hanratty the following week in Cleveland, but when he was 2-for-15 for 63 yards, with one touchdown, three interceptions, and a rating of 27.2 in a 26-16 loss to the Browns, Noll went back to Bradshaw the following week in New Orleans.

Beginning with that game against the Saints, Bradshaw started the final four of the regular season, and the team finished 3-1 in those, but the quarterback play was hardly scintillating. He completed 32-of-68 (47.1 percent) for 358 yards, with six touchdowns, four interceptions, and a rating of 68.13. For the season, Bradshaw completed 45.3 percent, with seven touchdowns, eight interceptions, and a rating of 55.1.

In the playoffs, the Steelers were punishing teams with their running attack and defense and all they needed from Bradshaw was to quit throwing interceptions. In the wins over Buffalo, Oakland, and then Minnesota in Super Bowl IX, Bradshaw completed 29-of-50 (58 percent) for 394 yards, with three touchdowns, one interception, and a rating of 94.9.

Clearly, not every quarterback’s career gets off to the kind of start Ben Roethlisberger’s did.


https://www.steelers.com/news/asked-and-answered-dec-19

I clearly remember him being benched for both QB's Gilliam and Hanratty) at various times. I didn't remember Hanratty doing so badly. I'm wondering if he had other starts where he was better, at some point.

Another point: if the numbers seem shocking to some (low completion %, high interception %, low QB rating), something to remember about that era: DB's had a LOT more latitude. You could light up a receiver, headhunt, etc. You'd never see the number of slant plays to the slot receiver that you see now, because that receiver would get killed over the middle. So the rules favored the defense a lot more back then, and kept passing in check. Also, a QB like Bradshaw would sling it deep a lot more often meaning - lower completion %, more INT's, etc. I'm not saying he was on the level of a Unitas or a Montana - but his style of play worked for the Steelers (most of the time), and we had a lot of success with him. There were a lot of intangibles with Bradshaw. Really really tough, hard-nosed guy. Once got duplexed and dropped on his head. Went into convulsions on the field, taken off on a stretcher - came back out in the 2nd half. That hit would've been an ejection and very long suspension today.

I've been watching a lot of old 70's games on YouTube lately and it amazes me the number of picks Bradshaw would throw. By today's standards it seems like the game would be a certain loss but they usually ended up winning.

Brian Batko had what I thought I good answer about Hodges today in his Q&A at PPG:

Quote :

@contra412: If Duck throws 2 picks in the first half against the Jets and nothing positive, Mason starts the 2nd half?

Brian: First of all, I regret to inform you that in a search of all the photos we have access to at the Post-Gazette, there is indeed one of a duck on a leash. But it costs $35 to download and use, and unfortunately, the bosses tell me there just isn't room for that in our budget right now as we near the end of our fiscal year.

Obviously, I don’t know what Mike Tomlin is thinking as we approach Sunday, and neither does anyone else. But here’s the thing that it seems a lot of fans are forgetting about Duck Hodges: He’s had one poor performance. Let’s recap his season to this point …

• Makes NFL debut in relief of Mason Rudolph and nearly beats the team that’s now the odds-on Super Bowl favorite.

• Wins first NFL start in prime time.

• Returns to the bench, stays ready, provides a spark and helps avoid a loss to the league’s worst team the next time he’s called upon.

• Makes second career start and beats the only team the Steelers had lost to since Week 5.

• Has best game of his career at Arizona in another victory.

• Struggles mightily against the league’s third-ranked pass defense while being asked to throw 38 times — against the league’s third-ranked pass defense.

And now a whole bunch of people think he should go home to Greenbow, Alabama?

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2019/12/19/steelers-mailbag-devlin-duck-hodges-leash-jets-week-16-mike-tomlin-mason-rudolph-wildcat/stories/201912190143

@LambertWardSteel wrote:

I've been watching a lot of old 70's games on YouTube lately and it amazes me the number of picks Bradshaw would throw. By today's standards it seems like the game would be a certain loss but they usually ended up winning.

Brian Batko had what I thought I good answer about Hodges today in his Q&A at PPG:

Quote :

@contra412: If Duck throws 2 picks in the first half against the Jets and nothing positive, Mason starts the 2nd half?

Brian: First of all, I regret to inform you that in a search of all the photos we have access to at the Post-Gazette, there is indeed one of a duck on a leash. But it costs $35 to download and use, and unfortunately, the bosses tell me there just isn't room for that in our budget right now as we near the end of our fiscal year.

Obviously, I don’t know what Mike Tomlin is thinking as we approach Sunday, and neither does anyone else. But here’s the thing that it seems a lot of fans are forgetting about Duck Hodges: He’s had one poor performance. Let’s recap his season to this point …

• Makes NFL debut in relief of Mason Rudolph and nearly beats the team that’s now the odds-on Super Bowl favorite.

• Wins first NFL start in prime time.

• Returns to the bench, stays ready, provides a spark and helps avoid a loss to the league’s worst team the next time he’s called upon.

• Makes second career start and beats the only team the Steelers had lost to since Week 5.

• Has best game of his career at Arizona in another victory.

• Struggles mightily against the league’s third-ranked pass defense while being asked to throw 38 times — against the league’s third-ranked pass defense.

And now a whole bunch of people think he should go home to Greenbow, Alabama?

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2019/12/19/steelers-mailbag-devlin-duck-hodges-leash-jets-week-16-mike-tomlin-mason-rudolph-wildcat/stories/201912190143

Some good perspective. In my opinion, he's exceeded expectations every game except the last one. For me the leash would be pretty long.

I think he has a bounce back game on Sunday and he starts in Baltimore.

Donate Johnson is tired.

https://steelersdepot.com/2019/12/steelers-wr-dionate-johnson-admits-hes-tired-im-hitting-the-rookie-wall/

@jak341 wrote:

Donate Johnson is tired.

https://steelersdepot.com/2019/12/steelers-wr-dionate-johnson-admits-hes-tired-im-hitting-the-rookie-wall/

We're tired too Dionte. Tired of watching you fumble so catch the ball and hang onto it and "whatnot".

@solardave wrote:

@jak341 wrote:

Donate Johnson is tired.

https://steelersdepot.com/2019/12/steelers-wr-dionate-johnson-admits-hes-tired-im-hitting-the-rookie-wall/

We're tired too Dionte. Tired of watching you fumble so catch the ball and hang onto it and "whatnot".

I do have a little empathy for the kid, it's his first time playing a full on NFL season. Definitely much more taxing than the college season ever was. He also took a nasty hit to the head earlier this season, I think that wears on your body.

@IowaSteeler927 wrote:

@solardave wrote:

@jak341 wrote:

Donate Johnson is tired.

https://steelersdepot.com/2019/12/steelers-wr-dionate-johnson-admits-hes-tired-im-hitting-the-rookie-wall/

We're tired too Dionte. Tired of watching you fumble so catch the ball and hang onto it and "whatnot".

I do have a little empathy for the kid, it's his first time playing a full on NFL season. Definitely much more taxing than the college season ever was. He also took a nasty hit to the head earlier this season, I think that wears on your body.

Yeah you're right (ask Mason) however this is what he signed up for. I think he will be pretty good once he gets used to the speed of the game.Seriously I like what he brings to the table and he does have that punt return for 6.

Cameron Kelly waived. There was an incident at a South Side bar. Kelly was charged with making terroristic threats.

Steelers waive S Kameron Kelly; S Marcus Allen added to roster http://espn.com/app

Poof there goes your chances...

https://www.wtae.com/article/pittsburgh-steelers-defensive-back-kameron-kelly-facing-charges/30295382#

Steelers still trying to find right mix in the RB position.

Steelers' run game still seeking balance and right mix of running backs https://es.pn/2txH3x1
via @ESPN App http://espn.com/app

Where does it go from here? The last few games have exposed a few things, even for next season if / when Ben comes back.

[1.]The offensive line is a big problem. They can't pick up the blitz, and can't open up holes for the RB. What was a strength is now a liability. Big Al and Foster are just plain bad.
[2.] We don't have a #1 RB. Conner isn't it. Too injury prone and too easy to shut down. Snell, Edmunds, and the other RB by committee aren't it either.
[3.]We don't have a #1 WR. JuJu isn't it. He may be a good #2, but too many times he disappears and will drop the ball.

Unfortunately, we don't have a #1 or #3 pick. Cash is tight too, with Hargrave and Dupree needing paid.

@jak341 wrote:

Where does it go from here? The last few games have exposed a few things, even for next season if / when Ben comes back.

[1.]The offensive line is a big problem. They can't pick up the blitz, and can't open up holes for the RB. What was a strength is now a liability. Big Al and Foster are just plain bad.[2.] We don't have a #1 RB. Conner isn't it. Too injury prone and too easy to shut down. Snell, Edmunds, and the other RB by committee aren't it either.[3.]We don't have a #1 WR. JuJu isn't it. He may be a good #2, but too many times he disappears and will drop the ball.

Unfortunately, we don't have a #1 or #3 pick. Cash is tight too, with Hargrave and Dupree needing paid.

Well let's look at the bright side.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................We have a pretty good defense.

Mark Madden has some good ideas on how to fix the offense. I agree with a lot of his ideas.

https://triblive.com/sports/mark-madden-horrific-duck-hodges-killed-steelers-season/