I'm not worrying too much about the tackling yet...

[sutz]

There are strict rules limiting contact in training camp, so they don't get much practice tackling before the games go live.

I'll give them the pre-season to iron it out.

 

[GeekHawk]

It *was* pretty uncharacteristic for a PC defense, but you're right. Thanks for easing my anxiety a little bit!

 

[DanejaHawk]

Absolutely. It's hard to get those reps with live rounds in the chamber in TC under the current CBA. Also, I believe pretty wholeheartedly that having Al Woods, Jordyn Brooks, and Jamal Adams on the field would have put the kibosh on the Steelers practice squad running backs squirting through arm tackles like the freaking Greased Up Deaf Guy.

The poor tackling was palpable, but I'm honestly not too worried about it.

 

[sc85sis]

The more mistakes they make and clean up now the less they’re likely to make during the regular season.

 

[TwistedHusky]

It doesn't work like that.

Generally, the problems we see in preseason, tend to be problems all year long.

Now, Game 1 is still rough. Just because something is a problem Game 1 it doesn't mean that won't be resolved.

But throughout the entire Carroll era, if we have problems in the preseason - it dogs us all year long.

- The year we went to the SB?
We were dominant in all phases in the preseason.

-The year our safeties struggled?
Same thing in the regular season.

-Remember that time we struggled to score TDs in the preseason and everyone was certain once the 'real games' started that would fix?
It didn't.

-What about the year we struggled to get pressure on the QB and everyone kept pointing out that was because we played 'vanilla' defenses and didn't want to show too much?
We struggled to get pressure on the QB all year long.

If this continues in Game 2 and 3?
Then it will be an issue until the last game of the year. Because that is the pattern.

 

[keasley45]

I can't dispute what you're saying about carryover, but no pattern is eternal. If there was a year for us to not be who we've been before, it's this one.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

It doesn't work like that.

Generally, the problems we see in preseason, tend to be problems all year long.

Now, Game 1 is still rough. Just because something is a problem Game 1 it doesn't mean that won't be resolved.

But throughout the entire Carroll era, if we have problems in the preseason - it dogs us all year long.

- The year we went to the SB?
We were dominant in all phases in the preseason.

-The year our safeties struggled?
Same thing in the regular season.

-Remember that time we struggled to score TDs in the preseason and everyone was certain once the 'real games' started that would fix?
It didn't.

-What about the year we struggled to get pressure on the QB and everyone kept pointing out that was because we played 'vanilla' defenses and didn't want to show too much?
We struggled to get pressure on the QB all year long.

If this continues in Game 2 and 3?
Then it will be an issue until the last game of the year. Because that is the pattern.

Now do the negative patterns of franchise QB Russell Wilson.

 

[toffee]

The next two pre-seasons will tell us more about our tackling issues. We did start two rookie CBs, especially Woolen who has minimum experience and drafted as a project. Our LBs' tackling or lack of, IS an issue, those are veterans well, most of them. For our line, those three dudes, I don't know what to say.

Did Jamal and Diggs play? If they did, those two did not have tackling issues historically, but both just came back from major injuries, they could be taking it easy which is understandable.

 

[sutz]

The next two pre-seasons will tell us more about our tackling issues. We did start two rookie CBs, especially Woolen who has minimum experience and drafted as a project. Our LBs' tackling or lack of, IS an issue, those are veterans well, most of them. For our line, those three dudes, I don't know what to say.

Did Jamal and Diggs play? If they did, those two did not have tackling issues historically, but both just came back from major injuries, they could be taking it easy which is understandable.

Several "starters" did not play Saturday, including Diggs and Jamal.

 

[toffee]

Several "starters" did not play Saturday, including Diggs and Jamal.

Some said the Barton, Bryant, and Woolen were especially bad with their tackling, two are rookies in their first preseason game, I am cutting them some slack. Barton has no excuses and quite worrisome.

 

[Spohawks]

Played football their whole life, no excuse.

 

[andyh64000]

Our starters barely played and it seemed like one backup linebacker missed the most critical tackles.

 

[TwistedHusky]

Again, 1 game is not a trend. It is a data point.
If things become a trend in the preseason though, then yes, it will be a problem in the regular season.
Likely a big problem. Things that bother us in preseason tend to haunt us for the whole year.

But we won't know after 1 preseason game.

 

[Rainger]

Played football their whole life, no excuse.

Bullshit!!! What is taught in high school and the new NCAA is all just throw your body or dive at the ankles, no grab hold twist and hang on. They need to learn after their whole life of not learning fundamentals that went out in the 60s maybe 70s.

 

[sutz]

Bullshit!!! What is taught in high school and the new NCAA is all just throw your body or dive at the ankles, no grab hold twist and hang on. They need to learn after their whole life of not learning fundamentals that went out in the 60s maybe 70s.

I think there's something to this. I know there has been a tendency to make the "big hit" to make the highlight reels, and the fundamentals of lead with the shoulder and wrapping up kind of fell by the wayside. It's been going on for years with the proliferation of sports commentary shows. Hell, Pete put out a video a few years ago on the fundamentals of tackling that was widely disseminated around the league. I think it's still on youtube.

Add to that how the CBA limits contact in practices and a little rust in the 1st pre-season game is not surprising to me.

 

[samwize77]

I'll be concerned when its time to be concerned.........its not that time yet...sheeez.....

 

[Hawknballs]

I don't mind seeing missed tackles from younger guys. Adjusting from practice to a real game, but also having it in the back of your mind that you don't want to get hurt or hurt anyone else in a meaningless game has to be a factor.

I DO mind seeing missed tackles from Cody Barton. This guy is supposed to have arrived by now to be a contributor and he's out there getting run over. NOT GOOD. Can we trade the Rams something and get Bobby back? Honestly I'm not sure how or why we let such leadership leave the building.

 

[Ruminator]

Would be curious to dig up old videos of Kam, Earl, and Richard during their rookie year preseason games to see how they did in comparison. Maybe I will when I'm bored.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

They were without Diggs, Adams and the tackling machine Brooks.

 

[toffee]

Our starters barely played and it seemed like one backup linebacker missed the most critical tackles.

Sorry I didn't watch the game, who was that backup linebacker? I watched some highlight of the game, it looked like our CBs missed some tackles as well.