Week 2, 2022 - Pats @ Pittsburgh

chevss454

Data-driven decision-making is science and art.
Joined
Mar 8, 2010
Messages
76,524
Reaction score
38,070
Points
113
Location
Canton, MA
Sunday, 1PM at Heinz Field

Tough game coming up and vanilla won't get it done.
All 53 practiced today including Mac.
Pats are 2 pt favs




 
Last edited:
Steelers D is better than Miami's even down Watt. I like the Pats D chances of hopefully getting to Trib and forcing some short fields. Offense has got to be a lot better for the Pats to have a chance.
 
Hoping defense is able to keep the Steelers' offense from scoring too many points.

Trubisky scares nobody, but then again Pats offense shouldn't scare anybody, either.

I predict a low-ish scoring game unless the Steelers get going, which could get ugly.

I'd love a win, but I'll settle for the OL keeping Mac upright, and a noticeable improvement offensively.

The game is winnable, but let's see what Pats team shows up on Sunday.
 
This Steelers defense is messy and opportunistic, but can be had. Burrow was under pressure and confused, but he also carved that secondary up for 338. The picks were largely based off pressure and confusion - the Bengals passcatchers often had room.

If Mac is on his diagnostic and quick processing game, he can make some hay. That's his superpower - the scheming and play calling needs to enable it, and even solid protection will be enough if the MEs can be cut out.
 
This Steelers defense is messy and opportunistic, but can be had. Burrow was under pressure and confused, but he also carved that secondary up for 338. The picks were largely based off pressure and confusion - the Bengals passcatchers often had room.

If Mac is on his diagnostic and quick processing game, he can make some hay. That's his superpower - the scheming and play calling needs to enable it, and even solid protection will be enough if the MEs can be cut out.
Burrow’s top three WRs are all better than any receiver on the the Patriots roster. Hurst is a decent enough tight end who was a first rounder, and Mixon can catch the football.
Mac is throwing to castoffs, and he’s not as talented as Burrow. If he throws for 250 yards it’s a great day. I don’t see the comparison.
Watt being out is a huge loss for them though.
 
Burrow’s top three WRs are all better than any receiver on the the Patriots roster. Hurst is a decent enough tight end who was a first rounder, and Mixon can catch the football.
Mac is throwing to castoffs, and he’s not as talented as Burrow. If he throws for 250 yards it’s a great day. I don’t see the comparison.
Watt being out is a huge loss for them though.


LOL. Is that the best you can do? How much of an advantage is the color scheme for Pitt? That can't be overlooked can it? What about the water?
 
Burrow’s top three WRs are all better than any receiver on the the Patriots roster. Hurst is a decent enough tight end who was a first rounder, and Mixon can catch the football.
Mac is throwing to castoffs, and he’s not as talented as Burrow. If he throws for 250 yards it’s a great day. I don’t see the comparison.
Watt being out is a huge loss for them though.
Castoffs? Yeah, not so much. Yes, Cinci's WR group is probably better, especially at the top (and especially if the coaching staff refuses to go 4 wide). I'd take 2, maybe 3 of the Patriots WRs over Boyd and 1, maybe 2 over Higgins...who didn't play much of the late game anyway due to injury, so wouldn't matter much in evaluating the WRs gaining separation.

Pats are deeper at WR, better & deeper at TE, and at least deeper, arguably better at RB. Burrow is better and more talented than Mac, but the strengths of Mac's game, properly deployed, are exactly what is needed to slash through Pittsburgh's defense: quick, accurate diagnostics, quick release, and willingness to take what the defense gives you is the skill set needed to be successful against a defense predicated on pressure and confusing the passer's reads, especially if their pure coverage players aren't top shelf.

That doesn't mean he WILL. It just means that it's a good matchup. It will take good play-calling that allows Mac to make reads (use motion) and have options at the line, and the OL not whiffing on protection due to mental mistakes, especially early, which would likely lead to Mac getting jittery.
 
Trubisky is a career meathead with poor recognition skills, but he's one of those guys that takes off at the first sign of trouble and moves the sticks. He's a good runner and a tough guy.

Losing Watt is big for them, but Cam Heyward looked about half-dead coming off the field last Sunday. I haven't looked it up but he can't be 100%.

Good D, yes, but one week doesn't make them Steel Curtain -- The Sequel. I don't see why we can't beat them if we clean up the pre-snap shit. If Mac isn't impaired with the back then we can win the game.
 
It will take good play-calling that allows Mac to make reads (use motion) and have options at the line, and the OL not whiffing on protection due to mental mistakes, especially early, which would likely lead to Mac getting jittery.

These are exactly my #1 & #2 improvement goals for the offense this week.
Mac's best skill is reading the D pre-snap. Motion gives him the info he needs to know what the D is doing so he can cook. That was largely removed from the play calling vs Miami. The coaches need to be more in sync with strategies that allow Mac to perform at his best - motion, play action, RPOs, misdirection - it was all missing last week. I have a feeling BB will want to emphasize those elements of the game this week to allow Mac to take advantage.

Surely communication problems of the O Line can be resolved with a short lecture & video session with a quiz afterwards. There's a lot at stake. Just do it.

I'll add 1 for the D which I think played well overall last week but can improve in this area.

Turnovers. We need turnovers

The Patriots defense has forced 0 TO’s in the last 3 reg/post season games.
The Pats record when the D forces 0 TO’s in a game the last 2 years + last week is 1-10.

With Mac at the helm when we
Win the turnover battle: 8-0.
Tie the turnover battle: 1-1.
Lose the turnover battle: 1-8
 
Last edited:
For the Steelers to come away with a win last week, was special for them. I think their head coach is excellent, and they're playing at home. Listening to the media, it seems the Patriots aren't that good this season. But, I remember the talk after the 2001 first and second games-loses by the Pats, and a new qb coming in during the second game. The Pats defense was pretty good- and the qb was decent, along with fine coaching. Anyway, I'll hope for the best, this week.
 
Sunday, 1PM at Heinz Field

Tough game coming up and vanilla won't get it done.
All 53 practiced today including Mac.
Pats are 2 pt favs




Espn LOVES the Patriots! :coffee:
 
Back
Top