I flew in from Pittsburgh and usually I like to wait a little longer to digest but have to fly out to Europe on business so here goes:
1. One of the most disappointing games in recent memory. The crappy weather didn't help but fact is the team, coaching staff had a collective brain lock game against a team I can't stand.
2. Let's start with the coaching first. Your in a 7-6 game late in the half in a game that has the hallmark of a defensive battle. You have to kick the fg. I realize there was some issues handling the ball but geez it's basically an extra point you have to assume you can make it. It's basically an extra point. Hopefully go into the lockers with a lead and the team feels good about itself.
3. Speaking of coaching I thought Watson had a very bad game because when the power game was stuffed he had no answers. His play calling at the goal line was really bad and he never attacked the middle of the field . He never gave Picket a moving pocket and the passing plays just took too long to develop. No crossing routes to threaten the middle of the field. Never made their linebackers cover. I just thought the offensive game plan was seriously lacking.
4. I think we can safely say that the OL has a pass blocking problem. One thing I noticed very early in the game is how fast PSU was on defense. Thought our line on passing plays really were outclassed.
5. So the d was given short fields 3 times, came up with two turnovers, stopped on downs on missed fg and made them punt 5 times and held PSU to 4-12 on 3rd down conversions so i would say you had some good but the safeties got toasted and took bad angles, stupid stupid penalties kept drives going and folded in the end. If the offense can do anything after the 4th quarter maybe it's different but alas no
6. while the play call for the only td was a nice run out of a pass formation the call on fourth down was horrible. Jumbo set, power run for three yards from the 4 is just tough, why not play action and roll pickett out and give a run/pass option? Where's the TE deep in the end zone. All in all a not very creative play call.
7. Look i'm not big on these things but Duzz likes to yap and Franklin must have relished running up the score. The calling timeout to question a fumble late is really classy by Franklin. Whatever.
8. I think we can safely say Hendrix is not a factor in the pass rush. Just hasn't produced. In fact I'd say their OL did a much better job against our DL than I anticipated.
9. Since I didn't watch the game on TV, I'm not going to go crazy about the 14 penalties until I see them but I didn't get the sense that we got jobbed our anything. The two Jones penalties were legit.
10. So your safeties have been your weak link, what do you risk by playing Ford late at safety? They aren't taking good angles on running plays and getting burnt in coverage. Wonder what happens next week if changes our made.
11. Funny typically the changes you see from game 1 to 2 are drastic improvements but we went completely the opposite way. I will say this, there's a possibility they were over hyped. Narduzzi puts such a premium on this game that they might have been tight,
12. So let's see, special teams were atrocious, pass blocking not good, WR unable to get open, what's in store for the season. My feeling is your never as bad or as good as you look. We had one really bad half of football. Really bad half. My question is where does this team go from here? Does it shrivel or get angry?
13. What do we have in Pickett? I think it's fair to ask. Yes he made some positives with his legs, but a couple of times he broke out of the pocket probably a little earlier than he should have. The throw on first down that got intercepted at the goal line was just a poor throw. He tried to be too cute, he needs to basically throw it deeper vs trying to drop it in but nevertheless the WR wasn't nearly open. I don't think Watson is doing him any favors. Why is he not isolating this pass catching TE from Arkansas? Why not isolate Davis against some LB's? Zero crossing routes. We were too easy to defend.
14. I thought Pitt's best player aside from Ollison was Wiginis. 9 tackles, a sack, caused a fumble. thought he really showed up.
15. Thought the tailgating was great, didn't see too much nonsense between the fans in fact it was very friendly. It's a shame we just didn't show up in the second half because I thought the fans were dying to get into the game.
16. Just a miserable miserable night. Gt will tell us a lot. I watched a bit of them yesterday against USF. Their D was terrible but their offense well they moved the ball like they always do. Tough to defend as always. 1-2 possible start really would be just a horrible way to go.
Pitt82
1. One of the most disappointing games in recent memory. The crappy weather didn't help but fact is the team, coaching staff had a collective brain lock game against a team I can't stand.
2. Let's start with the coaching first. Your in a 7-6 game late in the half in a game that has the hallmark of a defensive battle. You have to kick the fg. I realize there was some issues handling the ball but geez it's basically an extra point you have to assume you can make it. It's basically an extra point. Hopefully go into the lockers with a lead and the team feels good about itself.
3. Speaking of coaching I thought Watson had a very bad game because when the power game was stuffed he had no answers. His play calling at the goal line was really bad and he never attacked the middle of the field . He never gave Picket a moving pocket and the passing plays just took too long to develop. No crossing routes to threaten the middle of the field. Never made their linebackers cover. I just thought the offensive game plan was seriously lacking.
4. I think we can safely say that the OL has a pass blocking problem. One thing I noticed very early in the game is how fast PSU was on defense. Thought our line on passing plays really were outclassed.
5. So the d was given short fields 3 times, came up with two turnovers, stopped on downs on missed fg and made them punt 5 times and held PSU to 4-12 on 3rd down conversions so i would say you had some good but the safeties got toasted and took bad angles, stupid stupid penalties kept drives going and folded in the end. If the offense can do anything after the 4th quarter maybe it's different but alas no
6. while the play call for the only td was a nice run out of a pass formation the call on fourth down was horrible. Jumbo set, power run for three yards from the 4 is just tough, why not play action and roll pickett out and give a run/pass option? Where's the TE deep in the end zone. All in all a not very creative play call.
7. Look i'm not big on these things but Duzz likes to yap and Franklin must have relished running up the score. The calling timeout to question a fumble late is really classy by Franklin. Whatever.
8. I think we can safely say Hendrix is not a factor in the pass rush. Just hasn't produced. In fact I'd say their OL did a much better job against our DL than I anticipated.
9. Since I didn't watch the game on TV, I'm not going to go crazy about the 14 penalties until I see them but I didn't get the sense that we got jobbed our anything. The two Jones penalties were legit.
10. So your safeties have been your weak link, what do you risk by playing Ford late at safety? They aren't taking good angles on running plays and getting burnt in coverage. Wonder what happens next week if changes our made.
11. Funny typically the changes you see from game 1 to 2 are drastic improvements but we went completely the opposite way. I will say this, there's a possibility they were over hyped. Narduzzi puts such a premium on this game that they might have been tight,
12. So let's see, special teams were atrocious, pass blocking not good, WR unable to get open, what's in store for the season. My feeling is your never as bad or as good as you look. We had one really bad half of football. Really bad half. My question is where does this team go from here? Does it shrivel or get angry?
13. What do we have in Pickett? I think it's fair to ask. Yes he made some positives with his legs, but a couple of times he broke out of the pocket probably a little earlier than he should have. The throw on first down that got intercepted at the goal line was just a poor throw. He tried to be too cute, he needs to basically throw it deeper vs trying to drop it in but nevertheless the WR wasn't nearly open. I don't think Watson is doing him any favors. Why is he not isolating this pass catching TE from Arkansas? Why not isolate Davis against some LB's? Zero crossing routes. We were too easy to defend.
14. I thought Pitt's best player aside from Ollison was Wiginis. 9 tackles, a sack, caused a fumble. thought he really showed up.
15. Thought the tailgating was great, didn't see too much nonsense between the fans in fact it was very friendly. It's a shame we just didn't show up in the second half because I thought the fans were dying to get into the game.
16. Just a miserable miserable night. Gt will tell us a lot. I watched a bit of them yesterday against USF. Their D was terrible but their offense well they moved the ball like they always do. Tough to defend as always. 1-2 possible start really would be just a horrible way to go.
Pitt82
