Why The Steelers Will Be An Excellent Test For The Falcons

by Dave Choate on Aug 25, 2011 2:02 PM EDT in Falcons News

Anyone who saw last year's gruesome Falcons-Steelers game probably knows where this is heading.

The Steelers are a tough team. Their offense can be ungainly at times—Ben Roethlisberger fumbles quite a bit and looks like an oaf—but they have a dangerous deep attack with budding star Mike Wallace at wide receiver. Rashard Mendenhall is super effective and is just now turning 24. And that defense is one of the best in the league.

If that sounds like going overboard on praise, it really isn't. The Steelers are a damn good football team. They're also the best challenge the Falcons could hope for in the pre-season, when the team is trying to tune up for a tough regular season.

Of course, the Falcons are no slouches, either. They took the Steelers to the wire in Week 1 of 2010, losing on (what else?) some very poor tackling that resulted in Mendenhall rumbling for a 50 yard touchdown.

The Falcons are taking the opportunity to test their players seriously, and plan to play their starters for at least the first half. The Steelers will undoubtedly respond in kind, which means we should have at least half of a great game. This is the first pre-season game, in my mind, where the team's performance genuinely matters.

We'll get into specific matchups and players to watch Saturday, but for the moment, tell me who and what you'll be looking for in the Falcons-Steelers game.

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Srsly. Preseason...

and…really, after watching what the Skins did to the steelers D?

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by Max Strauss on Aug 25, 2011 2:03 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah, it's pre-season

But it’s the third game, the starters are getting run and both teams could use the tune-up. It should be interesting, at least.

by Dave Choate on Aug 25, 2011 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Time for them to step up a bit

I think the players have pride, and don’t want to go 0-3, even if it is preseason. They also likely got roasted in practice a bit this week for their sloppy play in game 2. I expect them to come out popping, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the tandem of Abraham and Edwards can do. I’m also going to be looking hard at the Oline to see if they can gel and block better. Other than that, it’s our receivers against their secondary, and our secondary against their passing game.

by randomaxe on Aug 25, 2011 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions

I will be watching Spoon a lot.

And our blitzing. The Steelers line isn’t all-world, so I am hoping for a few effective blitzes.

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by Duff_Man on Aug 25, 2011 2:39 PM EDT reply actions

I'm with you

Falcons have made no bones about the fact that they want to put QBs on the turf more. If they can’t get Roethlisberger on the turf – with their suspect OLine – I’ll be somewhat worried about how the defense is progressing. At this point, the Defense should be clicking – especially since we have most starters playing and returning from last season.

As for offense, I won’t hit the panic alarm if we don’t light up Pitt. Truth is, it takes much longer to install an offensive system, and with several new players on the O, it’s highly likely there will be a struggle in the first part of the season.

by The DW on Aug 25, 2011 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree

And I won’t be alarmed if we don’t light them up because they still have a helluva defense. Funny how that always seems to be the hallmark of a Steelers team. This is going to be that classic matchup (at least for the first half) of the offensive juggernaut against the defensive rock (and vice versa). It should be fun, especially because is doesn’t count (those games are just too stressful).

by randomaxe on Aug 25, 2011 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Spoon is a man to watch for certain

He’s likely going to be matched up with RBs out of the backfield (Mendenhall, Redman, and Moore) and Heath Miller who can be a little crafty. Spoon has done good work this season, especially in the redzone. I’d like to see that continue.

I really would like to see The Police get a chance to blitz up the middle more, and not always be back up. This might be a good game to showcase some of his blitzes.

by KMarch on Aug 25, 2011 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Definitely agree

I want to see QBs asses on the ground this year and not able to get rid of the ball or escape the tackle.

by introvertedGSUfan on Aug 25, 2011 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions

What I want to see

Is in a few years the Falcons to be the gold standard of the NFL, like the Steelers are now. For us to be the team you want to play in a preseason game to get the tuneup.

by Mosugo on Aug 25, 2011 3:14 PM EDT reply actions

Rec*

We are in the early stages of the golden age of our Falcons…
It’s never been better to be a Falcons fan…
What I’m going to be looking for is whether our tackling is better this game and how the offensive protection is for Matt.

by Gjmoody on Aug 25, 2011 3:49 PM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions

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by Gjmoody on Aug 25, 2011 3:51 PM EDT via iPhone app reply actions

I want to see a complete game by starters on offense,Defense and Special Teams.

I don’t want to see any Injuries, It will be a Physical foot ball game when playing a team like Pittsburgh. It doesn’t matter much if they lose or win the game as long as there are no bang bang plays.

It's all about Process...

by Vishnu_falcon on Aug 25, 2011 4:33 PM EDT reply actions

I DON'T want to see Big Ben escaping the clutches of multiple Falcons on one scramble

Take the guy down…I don’t want to see anything but TWO arms on the QB. Ok?!?! Now hit the showers.

by aces666high on Aug 25, 2011 5:21 PM EDT reply actions

This^

I think that the steelers will be a great test for the ability of our team to wrap someone up and bring them down. Roethlisberger is awesome at extending plays by dodging tackles and finding an open receiver. Ill be watching for us to stop that stuff before it happens.

by FalconfanPhil on Aug 25, 2011 5:55 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions