Unsere Regeln! » Snap Counts show exactly how opposing offenses

are exploiting the Steelers’ defense This shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone who pays close attention to the game of football Zach Gentry Jersey 2019 , but the ‘secret’ on how to abuse the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense is out there. It might have taken some teams longer than others, but there it has become very obvious how offenses are approaching the Steelers’ defense to maximize success.It is simple, really. Just keep the two inside linebackers on the field as much as possible.If there is a glaring weakness in the Pittsburgh defense, it would be at inside linebacker. While we have written, and talked, about the absence of Ryan Shazier a lot here, his absence is noteworthy on a weekly basis, and when you analyze the snap counts from the team’s Week 4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football you see just what I’m referencing. In my opinion, by drafting Terrell Edmunds in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the team believed they would be able to utilize this big safety in a hybrid inside linebacker role. Morgan Burnett would play alongside Sean Davis, and Edmunds could the the ‘rover’ in the middle. Clearly, Burnett was injured in the game Black Zach Gentry Jersey , and Mike Hilton’s absence compounded the issue, but the Steelers going against two tight end sets has left them vulnerable in more ways than one.When everyone is healthy, Jon Bostic and Vince Williams are on the field for the run-heavy look, and offenses are shredding them because of it. In the Week 4 loss, the Steelers played Williams 65 snaps, 86 percent, and Bostic 58 snaps, 76 percent of the plays. On the flip side, the Ravens deployed two tight ends often. Nick Boyle registered 55 snaps, Maxx Williams 40 and Mark Andrews 26. Talk about a lot of tight end play from the opposition. Even in the team’s Week 3 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where the Steelers possessed a huge lead in the first half, the Buccaneers tight ends O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate saw 48 and 31 snaps respectively.This isn’t a new trend Rod Woodson Jersey , but one which wasn’t abused with teams who have the tight ends to pull it off when Ryan Shazier was healthy and active. With Shazier, they had a knifing linebacker in run support, and an athlete fast enough to run with the more receiver-like tight ends in the passing game.How can the Steelers fix this issue? It doesn’t come without paying a price. They can continue to die a slow, painful death watching Bostic and Williams attempt to cover, or they can gamble with a smaller, but more athletic, player manning the middle of the field. In my opinion, I’ve seen enough in the first quarter to know I don’t want to test Bostic and Williams more than they already have been. I would be all for Edmunds becoming the player in the middle in certain sub packages, or giving Matthew Thomas a shot at trying to be the stop-gap for this leaking defense.With a 1-2-1 record, and a defense making history in all the wrong ways, I don’t see how you keep continuing to do what you have done, expecting a different result. In fact Dan McCullers Jersey , some say that is the definition of insanity.Only time will tell.If you want to see the complete Snap Totals for the Steelers in Week 4, you can check the chart below, or click HERE. The Pittsburgh Steelers arch nemesis not named Tom Brady has decided to step away from the NFL after just 9 seasons."New England Patriots tight end announced his retirement on Sunday. One of the most feared tight ends in NFL history hung up his cleats after nine seasons. The five-time Pro Bowler finished his career with 521 receptions, 7,861 yards, and 79 touchdowns. Pittsburgh Steelers fans will not miss Gronk’s monstrous games he put up against their favorite team. The Patriots with Gronkowski compiled a 5-2 regular season record with the four-time All-Pro. 2010: NE 39 / Pit 26 5 receptions 72 yards 3 touchdowns Gronk’s inaugural season saw him have one of his best games of the season against the Steelers. His second receiving touchdown put the Patriots ahead by two touchdowns in a game that the Steelers never had a lead. 2011: Pit 25 / NE 17 7 receptions 94 yards Gronk led New England in receptions and receiving yards but the Steelers kept him under the century mark and out of the end zone. Limiting Gronk’s damage propelled the Steelers to four wins in a row. 2013: NE 55 / Pit 31 9 receptions 143 yards, 1 touchdown The beat down by the Patriots was the most lopsided win by New England against the Steelers since 1986. The loss kept the Steelers mired while losing six of the teams first eight games. The win was also the first of five straight losses against the Patriots. Eight of his nine receptions went for first downs. 2015: NE 28 / Pit 21 5 receptions,94 yards, 3 touchdowns The first game of the season had Steelers fans excited. Gronk silenced Pittsburgh fans with two touchdowns in the first seven minutes of the game. His third touchdown of the day was the one that broke the fan’s hearts and put New England up by two touchdowns. 2016: NE 27 / Pit 16 4 receptions, 93 yards, 1 touchdowns Another effective game for Gronk against Pittsburgh. His touchdown at the 6:13 mark in the third quarter ended a streak of 13 straight points by the Steelers and continued the Steelers losing streak against New England. 2017: NE 27 / Pit 24 9 receptions, 168 yards While Gronk did not score a touchdown Roosevelt Nix Jersey , he was otherwise unstoppable. Not only was his reception and yardage totals the most on New England but also lead all players in the contest. The drive for the go-ahead score late in the fourth is the one that gives Steelers fans nightmares. Snaring receptions of 26, 26, and 17 yards, and getting the two-point conversion put New England ahead for good. 2018: Pit 17 / NE 10 2 receptions 21 yards Snapping a five-game losing streak against New England was helped by silencing Gronkowski on his five targets. His absence during the game was baffling especially when the Steelers were one of the worst teams against opponents tight ends. ...With 45 receptions, 685 yards, and eight touchdowns over seven games, Steelers fans have to be happy knowing the #87 will not be on the field terrorizing Pittsburgh’s secondary defenders in 2019. Taking away a fearsome weapon from Brady at Gillette Stadium is a win before the game even starts. The question will be, will Brady miss Gronk or will he find other weapons as he did in the AFC Championship game in 2017 when he hung 36 points on the Steelers without the probable future Hall of Famer?* All stats provided by Pro Football Reference.