Al Capone wrote:

BR1986FB wrote:

Non wrote:

BR1986FB wrote: I think the defense will drop off. The key for them is getting a new nose tackle. Hampton's play has slipped considerably.

Their defense doesn't stay down. They have too much of a commitment to it.

You take away two of the cornerstone players like Polamalu and Aaron Smith and there is going to be a dropoff.

Hampton had a solid year. Their run defense fell off some because Smith was out.

Hampton is showing his age/weight issues. He got manhandled by a rookie Alex Mack) in the Browns/Steelers second meeting.

Aaron Smith is the key to their defense, IMO.

You can't use Polamalu because he's a China doll. Dude is as fragile as glass and can't be depended on. If they get a stud safety to replace him I might buy your argument.

You're actually saying they should replace Polamalu? What the hell are you smoking tonight?

If you have a safety that never plays you, in fact, have NO safety.

Non wrote: Browns aren't really starting over but it's a challenge blending what they established late last season with the new philosophy brought in by Holmgren.

I don't know how much precedent there is with this kind of team management.

I still think Mangini and Holmgren could clash resulting in either Holmgren just coaching the team or hiring his guy.

You can't just play tough defense one or two games and say we have a defense that's going to set the tone for a winner. The defense played well in spots but still overall gave up a lot in some games and wasn't ranked very high, I don't think.

They don't have a true QB. They still need help at RB and WR and LB and in the secondary.

They traded guys away to load up on draft picks, which is nice, but they're not going to draft a bunch of guys that are going to come in and deliver right away.

I agree that the Mangini/Holmgren "marriage" bears watching. They will run Mangini's offense with a sprinkling of Holmgren's WCO mixed in. I expect them to continue to ground 7 pound with some Wildcat & short/intermediate passing mixed in.

Their defense is FAR from proven and pretty inconsistent.

Don't know what they have at QB at this point but I do know they are better off than they were with Quinn & DA, which isn't saying much. Completely disagree at the RB position. I think that's fine. WR is a mess. They are fine at ILB but need a rush LB which I anticipate them getting. The safeties are weak and they need a CB opposite of Wright.

As far as the trades, the guys they sent off weren't impact guys anyhow. Defensive players drafted will make a lot faster impact than offensive, IMO.

I wouldn't say that Polamalu is fragile. He gets injured so often because of how he plays......like a fucking rampaging mad man lunatic. The guy is all over the place......launching his body around. That INT he had early in the game against Tennessee in last year's opener was one of the most spectacularly athletic plays I've ever seen. I'm not sure how he managed to avoid injury on that play. LOL. Also, take a look at Bob Sanders. He plays balls to the wall as well and throws his body around. He gets in there for run support and takes on ballcarriers who are much bigger than he is at times. They play with reckless abandon and that's why they're injury prone.

killer_ewok wrote: I wouldn't say that Polamalu is fragile. He gets injured so often because of how he plays......like a fucking rampaging mad man lunatic. The guy is all over the place......launching his body around. That INT he had early in the game against Tennessee in last year's opener was one of the most spectacularly athletic plays I've ever seen. I'm not sure how he managed to avoid injury on that play. LOL. Also, take a look at Bob Sanders. He plays balls to the wall as well and throws his body around. He gets in there for run support and takes on ballcarriers who are much bigger than he is at times. They play with reckless abandon and that's why they're injury prone.

And Ed Reed is the same way. I'm not saying any of those guys are pussies by any stretch. They play with reckless abandon but, in turn, can't be relied on to play a full season.

That's why I'm kinda torn on the Browns using a high draft pick on Eric Berry. Seems like the shelf life of good safeties isn't that long in the NFL.

BR1986FB wrote:

killer_ewok wrote: I wouldn't say that Polamalu is fragile. He gets injured so often because of how he plays......like a fucking rampaging mad man lunatic. The guy is all over the place......launching his body around. That INT he had early in the game against Tennessee in last year's opener was one of the most spectacularly athletic plays I've ever seen. I'm not sure how he managed to avoid injury on that play. LOL. Also, take a look at Bob Sanders. He plays balls to the wall as well and throws his body around. He gets in there for run support and takes on ballcarriers who are much bigger than he is at times. They play with reckless abandon and that's why they're injury prone.

And Ed Reed is the same way. I'm not saying any of those guys are pussies by any stretch. They play with reckless abandon but, in turn, can't be relied on to play a full season.

That's why I'm kinda torn on the Browns using a high draft pick on Eric Berry. Seems like the shelf life of good safeties isn't that long in the NFL.

Yes, Reed does play similarly. He just doesn't seem to get injured as often as the other two.

I get what you're saying though and agree about Berry. Although you don't pass up on a talent like him IMO. I don't think he'll still be on the board when Cleveland picks though.

killer_ewok wrote:

BR1986FB wrote:

killer_ewok wrote: I wouldn't say that Polamalu is fragile. He gets injured so often because of how he plays......like a fucking rampaging mad man lunatic. The guy is all over the place......launching his body around. That INT he had early in the game against Tennessee in last year's opener was one of the most spectacularly athletic plays I've ever seen. I'm not sure how he managed to avoid injury on that play. LOL. Also, take a look at Bob Sanders. He plays balls to the wall as well and throws his body around. He gets in there for run support and takes on ballcarriers who are much bigger than he is at times. They play with reckless abandon and that's why they're injury prone.

And Ed Reed is the same way. I'm not saying any of those guys are pussies by any stretch. They play with reckless abandon but, in turn, can't be relied on to play a full season.

That's why I'm kinda torn on the Browns using a high draft pick on Eric Berry. Seems like the shelf life of good safeties isn't that long in the NFL.

Yes, Reed does play similarly. He just doesn't seem to get injured as often as the other two.

I get what you're saying though and agree about Berry. Although you don't pass up on a talent like him IMO. I don't think he'll still be on the board when Cleveland picks though.

I saw a stat recently of how many games Polamalu, Reed & Sanders have missed over the last 3 years and was stunned. Heck, Brodney Pool (former Brown), who plays at nowhere near the level of those guys, should be hanging up his cleats, IMO, due to 5 or 6 concussions he's already suffered. Safety is a rough position.

I think Polamalu is underrated by non-Steelers fans.

When he's on the field, as I've said many times, he makes plays that get the defense off the field. Timing a blitz to maybe not get the sack but force the QB to be rattled or step up and another guy drops him. Or he'll make a tackle right at the marker, making it short. Instead of another guy getting run over for that last yard. And sometimes he makes athletic interceptions or pass breakups.

The Steelers have won two Super Bowls and reached the playoffs several times because they were fortunate to draft players like Polamalu and Aaron Smith. The other players on the defense turn to Polamalu to make a play or they look at how Smith goes about his business and they respect the heck out of him and therefore they're going to play harder when he's healthy and on the field. You take players like that out of the lineup and it's not going to be the same.

But I agree that Polamalu is always prone to injuries because of the position and the way he plays, so the Steelers should do a better job with their depth at safety in case he goes out again for a long stretch.

Ed Reed isn't the same as Polamalu or Bob Sanders.

Reed plays more coverage and isn't nearly as physical when playing up near the line of scrimmage, which is why he doesn't get hurt as much.

Reed is an awesome, ballhawking safety, don't get me wrong, but what makes Polamalu unique is he's a strong safety that has great speed and coverage skills. A lot of your best strong safeties are like linebackers and they're lumbering in coverage.

In this draft, there are three linebackers I really like but the Steelers can't take them because they already have two starters at OLB. Browns may consider them as well.

Brandom Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan
Eric Norwood, OLB, South Carolina
Koa Misi, DE/OLB, Utah

Graham hustles on every snap and has way too much speed for most tackles. He's a no doubter IMO.
Norwood is a classic Steelers linebacker, in the same mold as Harrison and Woodley. I think the Browns should consider him in the second round. I hope they don't because I'm pretty sure he's going to be a ballplayer.
Misi is a New England guy all the way. He's close to like 270 but runs very well and actually covered pretty good at the Senior Bowl for a guy converting from DE.

Non wrote: I think Polamalu is underrated by non-Steelers fans.

When he's on the field, as I've said many times, he makes plays that get the defense off the field. Timing a blitz to maybe not get the sack but force the QB to be rattled or step up and another guy drops him. Or he'll make a tackle right at the marker, making it short. Instead of another guy getting run over for that last yard. And sometimes he makes athletic interceptions or pass breakups.

The Steelers have won two Super Bowls and reached the playoffs several times because they were fortunate to draft players like Polamalu and Aaron Smith. The other players on the defense turn to Polamalu to make a play or they look at how Smith goes about his business and they respect the heck out of him and therefore they're going to play harder when he's healthy and on the field. You take players like that out of the lineup and it's not going to be the same.

But I agree that Polamalu is always prone to injuries because of the position and the way he plays, so the Steelers should do a better job with their depth at safety in case he goes out again for a long stretch.

No, Polamalu isn't underrated by most knowledgeable fans of other teams. Pittsburgh is clearly at a disadvantage when he and Aaron Smith are not in the lineup. Their season may have ended differently with both players healthy but that's the question mark....CAN they stay healthy?

Hasn't Smith also finished the last couple of years injured or was that the year they got eliminated by JAX in the playoffs? Their run defense was a sieve at the end of that season and I attribute most of it due to the loss of Smith.

Non wrote: In this draft, there are three linebackers I really like but the Steelers can't take them because they already have two starters at OLB. Browns may consider them as well.

Brandom Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan
Eric Norwood, OLB, South Carolina
Koa Misi, DE/OLB, Utah

Graham hustles on every snap and has way too much speed for most tackles. He's a no doubter IMO.
Norwood is a classic Steelers linebacker, in the same mold as Harrison and Woodley. I think the Browns should consider him in the second round. I hope they don't because I'm pretty sure he's going to be a ballplayer.
Misi is a New England guy all the way. He's close to like 270 but runs very well and actually covered pretty good at the Senior Bowl for a guy converting from DE.

I like Graham a TON but am also partial to Michigan linebackers (make much better pros than tOSU backers). I just don't think the Browns are looking at him hard because of the pick they hold. I have heard Sergio Kindle & Jerry Hughes names mentioned.

http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index.ssf/2010/03/terry_plutos_talkin_about_a_sa.html

Another darkhorse QB that the Browns' like is Northwestern's Mike Kafka.

I like Kafka a lot.

He's a crafty runner and his passing improved a lot last season. He doesn't have a huge arm but actually could be a good WCO quarterback like Hasselbeck. Accurate within 20 yards.

Non wrote: He doesn't have a huge arm but actually could be a good WCO quarterback like Hasselbeck. Accurate within 20 yards.

And I think that's the type of direction they will go....accurate in that 0-20 yard range. If they were looking "big arm" to groom, I'd be all over Shelton from Fordham. I think he's going to be Flacco-like but it will just take longer.

http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2010/03/27/sports/nh2290635.txt?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ObrNewswire+%28OBR+Newswire%29

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/11022/source-earl-thomas-to-visit-browns?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ObrNewswire+%28OBR+Newswire%29

http://www.cantonrep.com/browns/x1447158999/Around-the-NFL-How-did-2001-draftees-pan-out?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ObrNewswire+%28OBR+Newswire%29

"No. 19, DT Casey Hampton, Steelers. He has been to Pro Bowls, but also he lost most of one season to injury, and has made it through a full season just twice in the last six years."

I don't agree with this from the Canton Repository article.

The guy is trying to say that not many players turn out to be the solution for 10 years.

And here he's saying that Hampton is one of the many who have not been the long-term solution.

That's ridiculous. He only had one season in 2004 where he had an ACL injury and missed the second half and playoffs, every other year he's been healthy and an anchor of the defense. If you have a draft a 320-330-pound nose tackle and he plays for 9-10 years, the defense is consistently ranked at the top of the league, he goes to five Pro Bowls, you win two Super Bowls, I think you made a good pick.

Non wrote: Ed Reed isn't the same as Polamalu or Bob Sanders.

Reed plays more coverage and isn't nearly as physical when playing up near the line of scrimmage, which is why he doesn't get hurt as much.

Reed is an awesome, ballhawking safety, don't get me wrong, but what makes Polamalu unique is he's a strong safety that has great speed and coverage skills. A lot of your best strong safeties are like linebackers and they're lumbering in coverage.

Agreed and I should've clarified myself. I meant Reed is similar in the sense that he flies around and makes plays......but almost solely in the secondary. He doesn't get in there and "get his hands dirty" like Troy and Bob when it comes to run support.

Non wrote: "No. 19, DT Casey Hampton, Steelers. He has been to Pro Bowls, but also he lost most of one season to injury, and has made it through a full season just twice in the last six years."

I don't agree with this from the Canton Repository article.

The guy is trying to say that not many players turn out to be the solution for 10 years.

And here he's saying that Hampton is one of the many who have not been the long-term solution.

That's ridiculous. He only had one season in 2004 where he had an ACL injury and missed the second half and playoffs, every other year he's been healthy and an anchor of the defense. If you have a draft a 320-330-pound nose tackle and he plays for 9-10 years, the defense is consistently ranked at the top of the league, he goes to five Pro Bowls, you win two Super Bowls, I think you made a good pick.

I didn't really take it as a slight. The fact that he said that Hampton has "been to Pro Bowls" was enough for me. Anyone "in the know" knows that Hampton has been a top 3 NT for awhile (although I still think he lost a step last year.) He was well worth the pick for where the Steelers got him and the production he's given them.

He said "he has been to Pro Bowls (but made sure to end with) but he lost most of one season to injury, and has made it through a full season just twice in the last six years."

For one thing, in those recent seasons he played like 15 games and may have missed one because they rested him. That's not very accurate to present the information as if he has been struggling to stay healthy, thinking that nobody would catch it.

There is no way you can review that draft and conclude that Hampton was anything but one of the really good picks in the first round.

I don't think he had a bad year last season. Maybe a couple bad games, like the Cleveland game, but the whole team sucked that game. Overall, Hampton hasn't shown that much decline. The loss of Smith put more strain on everybody on the defensive front.

The Steelers run defense was still No. 3 overall. By their standards they had more bad outings than usual but still it was good compared to the rest of the league.

I think that's true overall of the Steelers defense. They performed below their own standards but it doesn't mean the defense is bad. They were No. 3 in run defense, No. 5 overall (total yards), No. 2 in sacks, tied for 12th in scoring defense. The pass defense, clearly the weakest part, was still middle-of-the-road at No. 16.

If a lot of teams had a season where they went 9-7 and had those rankings, they'd feel good about their defense. But it's just because the Steelers fell back from such a high level in 2008.

http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2010/03/28/sports/doc4baed24431477797209401.txt?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ObrNewswire+%28OBR+Newswire%29

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2010/03/hey_tony_tony_grossi_answers_y_74.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ObrNewswire+%28OBR+Newswire%29

I personally think that it's a huge recognition when a NT goes to a Pro Bowl. Pro Bowl's are popularity contests, and NT's aren't usually the guys that are immediately commended for a great job when the defense plays well, despite being the core part of the 34 defense.

There's no doubt in my mind that Hampton has been a top 3 NT in the last decade along with Jamal Williams and Vince Wilfork.

Was listening to a cleveland radio show earlier tonight. There is already Clown fans calling for Holmgrens head. hahaha. luv it.LOL.

Why do you listen to Cleveland radio?

You'd think you'd be listening to Pittsburgh radio.



And watch how this works.


I was watching Pittsburgh TV and some Squeeler fan was calling for sweeping change among the entire front office and coaching staff HA HA HA luv it LOL!!!!!!1111One!!!!111

HighRoller74 wrote: Why do you listen to Cleveland radio?

You'd think you'd be listening to Pittsburgh radio.



And watch how this works.


I was watching Pittsburgh TV and some Squeeler fan was calling for sweeping change among the entire front office and coaching staff HA HA HA luv it LOL!!!!!!1111One!!!!111

Sorry. Any Pittsburgher knows that's a lie. Go kiss Tressel for me.

Al Capone wrote:

HighRoller74 wrote: Why do you listen to Cleveland radio?

You'd think you'd be listening to Pittsburgh radio.



And watch how this works.


I was watching Pittsburgh TV and some Squeeler fan was calling for sweeping change among the entire front office and coaching staff HA HA HA luv it LOL!!!!!!1111One!!!!111

Sorry. Any Pittsburgher knows that's a lie. Go kiss Tressel for me.

Not a lie. I live just outside of Pitt, and many Steeler fans want the coaching staff fired. This coaching staff has been changing all of the Steeler philosophies, like switching from a runningg offense into a passing offense. And manywant Big Ben gone too...