Questions and comments

[Preacherman0]

1.  Did Kreider play?  Sorry, I don't care how versatile Cary Davis is, Kreider is the pick here.  He is so much the better blocker of the two.

2.  Last week I made fun of the guy on espn talking about how much we needed Hines Ward.  Guess that leaves me feeling like a moron today.

3.  However, I also said last week that espn should have picked our most glaring issue:  The oline, and FWP having to make them look good week in, week out.  It's little consolation that I happened to be proven correct on that one yesterday.  Whoop-te-frickin-do.

4.  Any word on Hines, or any other injured guys, getting healthy?  

[Finnegans Wake]

What we needed, first and goal, was Max Starks tackle-eligible, and Dan Kreider running lead block, swing it to the right and plow over the MFers.  Be up 14-0; if the punt return doesn't get re-kicked, the Cards are never in this game.

[Joetorious]

I didn't get a chance to watch the game, but I was told we struggled running the ball. Also, Preach's previous Q3 makes me wonder: Did Faneca possibly not play to his top ability in order to throw his former coaches and the his favorites for the Steelers HC job a bone? And ultimately say FU to the Steelers?

Like I said, I didn't see the game, but heard the OLine sucked.  

[Hercules50]

I really don't buy any talk of Faneca 'throwing' the game.

I do buy the talk that he's merely an above-average lineman these days -- and when a linemen at that level is playing on an overall poor offensive line, he looks even worse.

BTW, big credit for Ben saying that "this loss is on me."  

[DCSteelers]

I don't buy the throwing the bone factor either.  It would be obvious on film, and when Faneca is riding the pine and Kemo starts at left guard this week, people would ask why.  Then so long large contract.

[give'emthaboot]

yeah i was looking for Kreider yesterday too, not sure if he was even active.  when Parker is getting hit behind his line of scrimmage on pretty much every carry, it's Kreider time.  if they want to keep two fullbacks active, that's fine with me, but if the running game isnt working with Davis, i really dont understand why Kreider isnt in there.

[DCSteelers]

The more I think about it, the more I think we took the big picture approach yesterday.

Why did we run, run, pass, punt through the third quarter yesterday when the momentum was in the balance?

I am surprised troy and Snack were out the entire second half unless theyre injuries were more serious then it looked?  (I can't imagine they were too bad if both were standing around with the helmets on?)

Where were the screens and the vaunted no-huddle?

I really do believe that Tomlin wants to win the game, but, it seems like this was to serve as a learning expirience, wake-up call, and/or test to see how this team handles hard-times.

What other conclussion can I make?... we certainly didn't lay it all on the line yesterday.

[vinman3]

Maybe I was watch Faneca too close, but with a key False Start on a third and short, and a big sack by his guy on the play before the TD, it sure got me thinking. Right or wrong, the thought popped into my head.

[otismalibu]

We were talking about the dreaded 2nd punt and making references to the New England playoff game when lightning struck again.

Ya hate to lose, but if ya gots to...make it against an NFC team.

Get back on track this week and hit the by week at 4-1.  

[Finnegans Wake]

The thing with Kreider versus Davis is that if we want finesse, Davis might be the guy to get out to the edge and seal a little faster; if we want power, Kreider's the guy.  I'm fine with tailoring the personnel to the gameplan, but where was the gameplan?  Did we completely underestimate the front 7?  I had mentioned that I thought the Card D was close to that of SF, so we should have seen it coming.

Makes you wonder how we'll be able to get ANY ground game AGAIN this year against Baltimore, Jacksonville, or New England.

And yeah, Arians called his worst game of the year.  Just atrocious.  On the first and goal from the four, we went run, run, pass (INT).  I'd have considered PAP on first, letting Ben stretch the field and possibly taking it in himself.  That doesn't work, I run the JUMBO set twice, and maybe three times, forgoing the FG.  Anyway, run, run, pass.  It's a bad nightmare.  We never established ourselves, and BA was just getting too effin cute.