Steelers Also Exposed Bucs’ Lack Of Maturity
October 3rd, 2010
No, the Steelers didn’t manhandle and push the Bucs’ defense around the field. It was the Bucs defense that fell apart mentally and was out of position trying to make plays.
That’s how Barrett Ruud described what went wrong last Sunday. Ruud revealed this during an interview on WDAE-AM 620 last week.
“I think we kinda panicked a little bit, too. I think we tried to do too much. Tried too hard to make plays, when a team like that, they’re not going to make mistakes. You gotta just play. Do your job. Do what we’ve done all week in practice and slowly chip away. Unfortunately, we couldn’t do that,” Ruud said.
“Overall, literally 95 percent of the plays that were made by them, it was something that we did to give it up. It wasn’t getting manhandled. It wasn’t getting blown back. …It was guys getting out of whack. … It was us not making the plays compared to Pittsburgh making the plays.
Ruud went on to say he played a “good” game but would like to have a few plays back. “There wasn’t a whole lot of opportunities [for me] to make big plays,” Ruud said.
Well, giving up 200 yards on the ground sure seems like getting manhandled to Joe.
That said, Joe’s not surprised the Bucs would show the mental weakness Ruud illustrates. The team is so young, it’s bound to fall apart in a big way at times. The Steelers scored three offensive touchdowns last week on just 10 plays — 10 plays!
Joe’s looking for Raheem Morris to correct those prolonged breakdowns through his leadership, and by sucking more leadership out of guys like Ruud, who called the Steelers game “great learning tape” for the defensive line. It’s not going to magically fix itself on its own — not this year.
October 3rd, 2010 at 10:19 am
In that interview; Ruud was asked what about that touchdown in the back of the endzone. His response was oh yeah that is one of the plays I’d like to have back. Why not just man up and say I really screwed the pouch on that one instead of waiting to see if you’re called out on it. He should be most critical of himself since he is calling those defensive play calls as well as putting players in position. The mental weakness starts with him since he is one of the team captains & supposed leaders right.
October 3rd, 2010 at 11:26 am
I was at Tampa Stadium for the game, and that’s not what I saw. They were dominating us quite a bit, like Alabama was doing to Florida yesterday. One tends to fall apart mentally when getting physically manhandled. Batch had all day to throw, he even ran all over us, a 35 year old man! Little pass rush and beaten safetys equals loss, especially with 200 yards rushing to boot. The Steelers imposed their will on Tampa. Some fellow season tickets holders got the feeling it could have been even worse had Tomlin and Raheem not been such good friends. I did not honestly expect us to win, but I really wanted us to. I was thinking like 14 to 3 for the Steelers, not a total blowout like this.
October 3rd, 2010 at 11:30 am
The 200 yards didn’t look like getting manhandled to me. It looked like guys not sticking to their gaps and an intelligent running back punishing us for our poor gap integrity. How many times did he hit the linebacker level and there wasn’t even a Buc being blocked in the area? Those are mental errors.
Is that any less excusable? No. In fact, it’s less excusable because mental errors are easily correctable. How many times over the last year have we heard that Geno Hayes leaves his gap to try to make a big play? How many times have we heard about safeties taking poor angles to the ball? How many times has Steve White blasted a lineman for leaving the gap? Unfortunately, this all leads back to poor discipline/coaching. I’m not a Raheem-basher and this stuff happens, but it also seems like some things are slow to be corrected.
October 3rd, 2010 at 11:42 am
“There wasn’t a whole lot of opportunities [for me] to make big plays,” Ruud said.
This guy really doesn’t get it
October 3rd, 2010 at 11:44 am
All true but I believe after finally watching them play, that the Steelers may be the class of the AFC. I’m curious to see what kind of havoc they wreak on Flacco. I like Pouncy at center. It was a great pick and he is a bruiser.
Did anyone see Michael Williams TE for Bama last night. He looks to be another good MW and we need a TE who can block. It would be nice to see 2 Mike Williams on the team next year.
I think the Bucs will bounce back strong next week.
October 3rd, 2010 at 12:13 pm
Yet another reason Tampa will be selecting a linebacker with a high pick in the draft next year.
October 3rd, 2010 at 4:20 pm
So much for being the “Elite team of the NFL” ? The Steelers just got beat at home by the Ravens. Wallace of the Steelers is very dangerous, but Ravens handled him. Good old Charlie Batch delivered up an interception to Ray Lewis of all people, the way only Charlie can, IF and when he is pressured. I was glad to see the Steelers lose, for what they did to us at home last week. I hope we beat the Bengals, I just don’t see it. We have gotten better, but it is going to take time.
October 3rd, 2010 at 4:40 pm
I can see the Bucs winning next week, I can also see them losing. just because the Steelers lost to the Ravens does not mean anything for next weeks game against the bangels. If the Bucs can get the running game going, they will have a pretty good shot at winning the game. Grimm will be fine, he really did not have as bad of a game as some posters may like to state. They will need to bring the heat and hit the QB to pull it off on defense.
Man I was rooting for the Panthers today. I thought they were going to pull it off. ATL almost dropped one too.
October 3rd, 2010 at 5:58 pm
All the Steelers loss says is that the Ravens have a wicked defense too. And we have to play against them as well. The toughest games we’ll have will be against the Ravens, the Saints (twice) and Falcons (twice). That’s not saying we can’t come away from any of those games with a win, just that they’ll be the most difficult. Cinci is looking bad. Palmer looks about 50 years old when he’s getting hit, we need to put pressure on him. That said, they’re still a dangerous team.
October 3rd, 2010 at 6:39 pm
McBuc, LOL. Good Call. We were totally rooting on the Panthers too. I felt like a complete traitor. New O was so lucky to win that game, and they are not near as good this year. I was surprised at the Steelers but the Ravens are good too. We play a lot of mediocre teams this year, and a few real good, but I like our chances, especially against the Saints. They took a bit of pounding from Carolina.
October 3rd, 2010 at 6:49 pm
i really dont worry about that steelers game when was the last time tampa looked good against steelers?not even our dominating years .they called us paper champions and beat us like we were,and we dominatinated alot of other teams that year,love our chaces against saints we beat them when they played alot better last year,
October 4th, 2010 at 8:43 am
I was rooting for the Panthers and San Fran, and Cleveland beat Cincy! I agree that if Tampa gets our running game going, we have a shot.
October 4th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Ruud has been avoiding contact all season. He needs to have a bunch of plays back.
October 4th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
I’d bet the spread will be over 7 1/2 on game day. That Cincy team has to be pissed. And I know Ocho Cinco & Owens are. So going into their house with them pissed doesn’t bode well for the Defensive Genius this week.