2011 NFL season

[Socnorb11]

If Alabama made Tebow cry, I wonder what James Harrison is going to do to him.

Champ Bailey cried on the field after the game today.

[docellis]

If Alabama made Tebow cry, I wonder what James Harrison is going to do to him.

Champ Bailey cried on the field after the game today.

i really enjoyed the game. i wish tebow would stop talking about jesus (felt the same way about pujols) but i think he is a very interesting character.

[stlouie_lipp]

It was exactly the same game plan the Chiefs used to shut out the Broncos last week.

No, it's not.

OK....... care to elaborate? What do you think the Chiefs did?

The Chiefs gave up over 200 yards rushing. They gave their corners safety help and rushed the passer. Tebow throws for 60 yards and they score 3 points.

The Steelers put 8 in the box every play with their safeties too shallow to help at all. They were completely preoccupied with stopping the run and containing Tebow in the pocket. So Tebow ends up with all day to throw against one on one coverage. He throws for 316 yards and they score 29 points.

You make a good point about the safeties. The Steelers did gamble too much.

But I still think that the Broncos did a good job of adjusting to that, and Tebow executed well. The story on Tebow is that he can't throw the ball, won't pull the trigger, etc. So I don't blame the Steelers for forcing the issue.

The defensive game plan was fine, as long as Ike Taylor played like Ike Taylor usually does...it assumed that he would. What was going on with him I have no idea.

But cardsfan is right, they should have adjusted and had safety help. Right at the start of OT I said to my buddy, just double Thomas and the Steelers will be all right...he's the only one who can hurt them. Mundy came in to fake a blitz and couldn't get back. Does Ryan Clark play that differently? Probably, but it really shouldn't have mattered.

[cardsfansince82]

The defensive game plan was fine, as long as Ike Taylor played like Ike Taylor usually does...it assumed that he would. What was going on with him I have no idea.

But cardsfan is right, they should have adjusted and had safety help. Right at the start of OT I said to my buddy, just double Thomas and the Steelers will be all right...he's the only one who can hurt them. Mundy came in to fake a blitz and couldn't get back. Does Ryan Clark play that differently? Probably, but it really shouldn't have mattered.

That's kind of the Steelers style, but I question if it's a good idea when you are missing Clark, Kiesel, Hampton, Woodley, etc. Taylor didn't play great, but even the best corners give up a few catches. Usually they have someone behind them to make up for it. If you are going to play Cover 0 regularly you better be getting serious heat on the quarterback. The Steelers didn't even tally a single knockdown, let alone a sack (unless you want to count Harrison's late hit). So it's pitch and catch for Tebow (with no additional defenders to make him hesitate) and Taylor has to tackle a guy 40 pounds heavier than him.

[TheoSqua]

That was just a perfect storm game. The Steelers are the sort of team prone to Tebow and they were injury depleted on top of it.

I'd take that Steelers team healthy over that Broncos team 9 games out of 10. Just how it goes in the NFL.

[AdmiralKird]

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[Cronos]

If you are going to play Cover 0 regularly you better be getting serious heat on the quarterback. The Steelers didn't even tally a single knockdown, let alone a sack (unless you want to count Harrison's late hit). So it's pitch and catch for Tebow (with no additional defenders to make him hesitate) and Taylor has to tackle a guy 40 pounds heavier than him.

I hadn't even realized that, but you're right. They didn't (or couldn't) do nearly enough to put pressure on Tebow. That, and they basically gameplanned believing that he could not make the throws that he did. And he proved that he could.

As theosqua put it: just a perfect storm that can and does happen in the NFL. Will the Broncos beat the Patriots? Doubt it, but who knows. The Pats' defense is pretty bad. Should be a fun game to watch.

[vinsanity]

As theosqua put it: just a perfect storm that can and does happen in the NFL. Will the Broncos beat the Patriots? Doubt it, but who knows. The Pats' defense is pretty bad. Should be a fun game to watch.

As bad as they are you have to think Belichik will have a smarter game-plan/defense out there, no?

[Cronos]

As bad as they are you have to think Belichik will have a smarter game-plan/defense out there, no?

Yes, and Denver can't be happy about Belichick managing to get his hooks in McDaniels again just in time to play them this weekend.

[Socnorb11]

As bad as they are you have to think Belichik will have a smarter game-plan/defense out there, no?

Yes, and Denver can't be happy about Belichick managing to get his hooks in McDaniels again just in time to play them this weekend.

McDaniels knows virtually nothing about the current Broncos system, I don't think. Actually, the Broncos probably know McDaniels better than McDaniels knows the Broncos, at this point.

The Patriots aren't a bad matchup for the Broncos, really. Their run defense isn't good, so they may have to stack the box. Tebow has shown that he can make a team pay for that. The Broncos racked up almost 400 yards against the Patriots last month, and were actually handling the Patriots until back to back fumbles kinda took them out of it.

I think Denver can score on New England. I just have my doubts that they can slow New England's offense down.