Ryan Shazier and Jarvis Jones both have missed the Steelers’ past eight games to injury. — GETTY IMAGES
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
“Gang’s all here!” Ike Taylor fairly shouted as the Steelers strode off their South Side fields Monday.
The picture was thousand-words perfect, too.
It was the first practice since saying bye-bye to the bye week.
The first step toward bracing for Drew Brees and the Saints next weekend.
The first chance to focus on the challenge of rising above in the airtight AFC North.
And above all, the first time in two months and two days that Troy Polamalu, Ryan Shazier, Jarvis Jones and Taylor partook in drills together.
A third of the starting defense.
“Imagine that,” Jones would say afterward. “Crazy, huh?”
Yeah, it is, actually. And maybe it’s been forgotten in all the week-to-week angst over what’s ailed the defense that, well, it sure helps to have all the players you’d like to have. Or even most of them.
That’s not to suggest all of those players will be ready for New Orleans. More will be known after Mike Tomlin’s Tuesday press conference — obviously — but the initial indications are that Polamalu and Shazier have the best shot, with Jones and Taylor behind and Steve McLendon still not suiting up for practice.
Hey, it’s a start. Right, gentlemen?
It’s probably smart to start with those two, Shazier and Jones, since, theoretically, their losses should be felt so much harder given that they’re the franchise’s past two first-round picks.
That’s should.
Shazier, the first-rounder this summer, was felled by a sprained knee Sept. 21 at Carolina, then again by a high ankle sprain Nov. 2 against the Ravens. He has played about a quarter of the Steelers’ defensive snaps with 198, but he’s been solid when out there: with 19 tackles, five assists and six stops. That grades to slightly above average for any NFL inside linebacker.
Just as important, Shazier’s steadiness afforded Lawrence Timmons more leeway to stunt at Dick LeBeau’s whim. If Timmons hasn’t seemed as noticeable in recent weeks, don’t overthink it. He’s been asked to hold down the middle, stop the run and smile, nothing more.
As Shazier put it, “One of the best things about having everybody coming back is what it does for depth.”
There’s zero chance he spoke that as a slight to Sean Spence, but that’s still the broader, harder truth: Shazier’s 0.6 grade from Pro Football Focus is miles above Spence’s minus-4.1, and that’s almost entirely because of Spence’s poor pass coverage. Tomlin and LeBeau have turned to Vince Williams more often, but Williams isn’t Shazier, either. Having Shazier’s phenomenal-for-his-position speed affords so many additional approaches, not just to cover but to attack.
Then there’s the minor matter of Shazier’s sanity.
“Man … I can’t even …” he said. “It’s been frustrating. It has. I’m ready to go, believe me.”
Jones’ stability has been tested, as well, since his wrist required surgery following that same game in Charlotte where Shazier’s knee buckled. He feared that night leaving the locker room his season was done. He’d heard multiple timetables. He was placed on the NFL’s recently created injured reserve/designated to return list, meaning he was required to miss eight games and, upon returning to practice, would have only three weeks to show he can play.
That clock started ticking Monday, but it didn’t sound as if Jones needed any alarm.
“I was so nervous today. Stayed up all last night. I felt like my whole body was tensing up,” he said. “But it was a great day. It isn’t fun watching from the sidelines knowing you can’t help your teammates. You want to be a part of that. You want to be able to hit somebody and make plays. I’m glad I was able to get out there. Hopefully, I’ll continue to get better.”
Jones showed serious flashes in his three games, with 14 tackles and two sacks, including the Cam Newton fumble he forced that caused his injury. But unlike Shazier, he didn’t exactly give way to a downgrade: James Harrison has been nothing less than the defense’s highest-graded starter since his return, and that’s despite a slow start. So his return could be gradual, or it could be into a backup role. If I had to guess, Harrison and Jones will wind up in a 60/40 rotation similar to the one in which Arthur Moats has been used.
But that’s fine. Because the immediate benefit could be the same as the ultimate in that the Steelers will get fresh legs and a fresh chance at raising their own defensive ceiling.
Let’s not kid anyone: Even with the Steelers being party to the ridiculous parity in their division — the Ravens’ 34-27 win late Monday in New Orleans put all four teams at seven wins — this is no contender for anything more than a one-and-done playoff unless the defense finds another level.
That’s not going to happen simply through the returns of Polamalu and Taylor, though both will be welcome. So will Shamarko Thomas, who vowed to return Sunday, although that almost surely would be limited to special teams. More is needed. A pleasant surprise is needed. And a younger guy breaking through, the way Cam Heyward and Jason Worilds did last season, offers the most plausible path.
Brought that up with a few players, actually.
“You’re always looking for someone to step up, whether it’s defense or offense,” Antonio Brown told me. “If you look at where we are in the standings, how many games are left, the opportunity that’s there … we all have to step up, but you always love to see the younger guys do that. It’s great for all of us.”
“We’re getting stronger. That’s how we feel,” Le’Veon Bell said. “But we know we need to be stronger.”
As long as theres Pressure, Steelers 'D' has a chance. If not we will see Brees, Dalton play Pitch, and Catch with their receivers. As our Toast D Backs do not scare any one.
Just putting it out there, With the Steelers down to one veteran running back, and Ray Rice now available (over reaching Goodell), Is it worth taking a chance with Ray? He was considered a good citizen, until his most recent egregious lack of Judgement.
November 25, 2014
Column: Steelers’ defense could use real upside
by Dejan Kovacevic • Columns • Steelers
Ryan Shazier and Jarvis Jones both have missed the Steelers’ past eight games to injury. — GETTY IMAGES
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
“Gang’s all here!” Ike Taylor fairly shouted as the Steelers strode off their South Side fields Monday.
The picture was thousand-words perfect, too.
It was the first practice since saying bye-bye to the bye week.
The first step toward bracing for Drew Brees and the Saints next weekend.
The first chance to focus on the challenge of rising above in the airtight AFC North.
And above all, the first time in two months and two days that Troy Polamalu, Ryan Shazier, Jarvis Jones and Taylor partook in drills together.
A third of the starting defense.
“Imagine that,” Jones would say afterward. “Crazy, huh?”
Yeah, it is, actually. And maybe it’s been forgotten in all the week-to-week angst over what’s ailed the defense that, well, it sure helps to have all the players you’d like to have. Or even most of them.
That’s not to suggest all of those players will be ready for New Orleans. More will be known after Mike Tomlin’s Tuesday press conference — obviously — but the initial indications are that Polamalu and Shazier have the best shot, with Jones and Taylor behind and Steve McLendon still not suiting up for practice.
Hey, it’s a start. Right, gentlemen?
It’s probably smart to start with those two, Shazier and Jones, since, theoretically, their losses should be felt so much harder given that they’re the franchise’s past two first-round picks.
That’s should.
Shazier, the first-rounder this summer, was felled by a sprained knee Sept. 21 at Carolina, then again by a high ankle sprain Nov. 2 against the Ravens. He has played about a quarter of the Steelers’ defensive snaps with 198, but he’s been solid when out there: with 19 tackles, five assists and six stops. That grades to slightly above average for any NFL inside linebacker.
Just as important, Shazier’s steadiness afforded Lawrence Timmons more leeway to stunt at Dick LeBeau’s whim. If Timmons hasn’t seemed as noticeable in recent weeks, don’t overthink it. He’s been asked to hold down the middle, stop the run and smile, nothing more.
As Shazier put it, “One of the best things about having everybody coming back is what it does for depth.”
There’s zero chance he spoke that as a slight to Sean Spence, but that’s still the broader, harder truth: Shazier’s 0.6 grade from Pro Football Focus is miles above Spence’s minus-4.1, and that’s almost entirely because of Spence’s poor pass coverage. Tomlin and LeBeau have turned to Vince Williams more often, but Williams isn’t Shazier, either. Having Shazier’s phenomenal-for-his-position speed affords so many additional approaches, not just to cover but to attack.
Then there’s the minor matter of Shazier’s sanity.
“Man … I can’t even …” he said. “It’s been frustrating. It has. I’m ready to go, believe me.”
Jones’ stability has been tested, as well, since his wrist required surgery following that same game in Charlotte where Shazier’s knee buckled. He feared that night leaving the locker room his season was done. He’d heard multiple timetables. He was placed on the NFL’s recently created injured reserve/designated to return list, meaning he was required to miss eight games and, upon returning to practice, would have only three weeks to show he can play.
That clock started ticking Monday, but it didn’t sound as if Jones needed any alarm.
“I was so nervous today. Stayed up all last night. I felt like my whole body was tensing up,” he said. “But it was a great day. It isn’t fun watching from the sidelines knowing you can’t help your teammates. You want to be a part of that. You want to be able to hit somebody and make plays. I’m glad I was able to get out there. Hopefully, I’ll continue to get better.”
Jones showed serious flashes in his three games, with 14 tackles and two sacks, including the Cam Newton fumble he forced that caused his injury. But unlike Shazier, he didn’t exactly give way to a downgrade: James Harrison has been nothing less than the defense’s highest-graded starter since his return, and that’s despite a slow start. So his return could be gradual, or it could be into a backup role. If I had to guess, Harrison and Jones will wind up in a 60/40 rotation similar to the one in which Arthur Moats has been used.
But that’s fine. Because the immediate benefit could be the same as the ultimate in that the Steelers will get fresh legs and a fresh chance at raising their own defensive ceiling.
Let’s not kid anyone: Even with the Steelers being party to the ridiculous parity in their division — the Ravens’ 34-27 win late Monday in New Orleans put all four teams at seven wins — this is no contender for anything more than a one-and-done playoff unless the defense finds another level.
That’s not going to happen simply through the returns of Polamalu and Taylor, though both will be welcome. So will Shamarko Thomas, who vowed to return Sunday, although that almost surely would be limited to special teams. More is needed. A pleasant surprise is needed. And a younger guy breaking through, the way Cam Heyward and Jason Worilds did last season, offers the most plausible path.
Brought that up with a few players, actually.
“You’re always looking for someone to step up, whether it’s defense or offense,” Antonio Brown told me. “If you look at where we are in the standings, how many games are left, the opportunity that’s there … we all have to step up, but you always love to see the younger guys do that. It’s great for all of us.”
“We’re getting stronger. That’s how we feel,” Le’Veon Bell said. “But we know we need to be stronger.”