NFL Week 10

Nice work by Watt and Williams on that pick-six, but Newton made a terrible decision to throw it.

I'm still wondering if the Steelers can figure out how to stop the Panthers' running game. McCaffrey is far too quick for their inside linebackers and they can't seem to figure out how to defend him while keeping an eye on Newton.

 

I know we have plenty of folks who don't like the Steelers here, but how can you not love James Conner?

I hadn't heard that quote by Alejandro Villanueva. "He runs like he's faced death." A bit dramatic, but he's not wrong given Conner's history.

 

I feel like someone missed a coverage assignment on that McCaffrey touchdown.

 

That was a bad defensive design to ask Bostic to cover that. That is twice the Panthers caught the Steelers on that same mistake, once on each inside linebacker. Pittsburgh has handed Carolina both touchdowns with defensive designs that were doomed to fail from the snap.

 

Carolina has handed Pittsburgh at least two.

 

Who was the genius that called single-man coverage on Antonio Brown?

 

Make that three.

 

Brown at least had to beat somebody for his touchdown. The first score, however, was a huge screw-up by the Carolina cornerback. Neither defense is playing particularly well. Newton's mistake on the pick-six is the primary difference here.

The real issue for the Steelers is I think Conner may be injured. He missed the second half of the field goal drive and all but one play of the last one.

 

The officials blew a call there. Watt led with his helmet on the sack. Even if he hits the shoulder, that is supposed to be a penalty under the new rules.

 

Cam doesn’t get those calls.

 

Neither does Roethlisberger, but you are correct.

The officials just blew another one. Vance McDonald did not have control of the ball before he went out of the back of the end zone on that touchdown pass from Roethlisberger. That said, with a little help from that call, the Steelers are up, 38-14, and Roethlisberger has 18 completions in 20 attempts for 289 yards and three touchdowns with 8:18 remaining in the third quarter.

 

Panthers haven't looked this bad on defense in a long, long time. Secondary has been awful.