Stillers-Iggles Postgame Comments

 

The first preseason game of any season is akin to watching a Chinese fire drill.� Lots of motion and commotion, and a little bit of order amidst the chaos.� Some comments from the 1st half, as the 2nd half became too much of a scrubeeniefest:�

 

Defense:� The defense got an inordinate amount of PT in the 1H, due to the scoring by the STs and defense.�

 

- Wee Willie got the scoring going, picking off a hideous McFlab misfire and returning it for the easy TD on the game's 1st play.� Wee Willie chipped in with some solid tackling, but got tooled a couple times in coverage, including a nearly comical 3d & 17 in which he was turned about and then slipped, easily giving up the 1st down yardage (and more) on a deep curl-out.�

 

- 3d & 17, and the Iggles play pitch n' catch for 21 yards.� Billy Cowhard's defense is already in midseason form.

 

- Haggans had a nice wrap and stop of Westbrook on a 1Q 3rd down screen, as did Ike Taylor later in the 2Q.�

 

- Townsend had very sound coverage on a deep pass to Lewis that was well covered.� Combined with some good tackling, DeShea pretty much has his starting job sewn up.�

 

- Foote came in, untouched, on a couple of designed run blitzes and helped stuff the plays for negative yardage.� Still, I can't help but think that, were Foote to get nicked up, he'd never regain his starting job from Jamie Harrison.

 

- Harrison, playing at ROLB, did little.� He had a sack of sorts, but this was on a play in which the LT passed him off to a back, and Harrison was able to loop around the back and get McNabb while he was flushed.

 

- Stuvaints had a pitiful, weakassed whiff in run support early in the 2Q.� He'll be "looking for his life's work", to quote the greatest football coach in Steeler history.�

 

- Keisel exploded out of his stance and by a blocker on a 3d & 1, and his harassment forced a throw-away.� Nice work.�

 

Offense:� Offense is always behind the defense this early in camp, and to boot, the 1st team offense got little work because of the excessive scores by the STs and defense.�

 

- Ben Roth looked mediocre in very limited work.� He got away with a dropped INT on a play in which he was flushed to the front of the pocket, and threw a hurried pass that sailed on him.�

 

- El had a nice grab on a 3d down pass, but later in the drive, dropped a 3d down pass.�

 

- Maddox was charged with an INT, but this was a slant pass in which Freddie Gibson allowed the ball to go through his hands and into the clutching hands of a DB that made a fine play.�

 

- Some things never change.� The "renewed emphasis on the TE" by the 1st team offense consisted of 1 catch by Heath Miller for 5 yards.� Quick, be sure to add a Stiller TE to your fantasy football draft wish list.� J� �In scrub time, the TEs saw the ball a bit more, but we'll get more looks later in preseason as to what the 1st team offense does with its #1 draft pick.�

 

- Starks blocked down on a left-side ground play, and Kearse slashed through and ran down the ballcarrier for a loss.� I'm not sure if Starks botched the play or if his assignment was to block down relative to the alignment that presented itself.�

 

ST:

 

- Colclough took an early punt to the house for a TD.� This really wasn't any kind of artistic dash; Ricky simply followed a fence and then did a routine cutback once down the field.� Frankly, I though Ricky looked slow -- much slower than his supposed 4.29 speed -- but he looked far faster when he hustled and escorted Taylor into the EZ on Ike's long KO return.� Ike had a nice read and cut early in his jaunt, which allowed him to hit the seam for paydirt.�

 

- Barr didn't particularly boom the ball on his punts.� Gardocki's job is secure.�

 

- Reed's KOs were solid.� His 1st 3 boots went to the GL, -2, and -3.� Not shabby at all.

 

GM:� Colbert shouldn't allow the WR-depleted Eagles to depart town without taking an excess WR off the Stiller roster.� Lewis and Brown had good games for Philly, but with Pinkston out and TO on the ropes of a contract squabble, Philly is desperate for some depth.� Getting a 7th round pick for, say, Lee Mays, would be an outright steal by Colbert.�

 

In all, much work to be done, just like all� the other NFL teams.� We should see more, and get a better judgment on who stays and who goes, during next week's tilt.�

 

�(Still Mill and Stillers.com -- the only nationally read coverage on the Pittsburgh Stillers that has accurately predicted the how's and the why's of the past 4 Stiller playoff losses�.)