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Week 4 in Review

October 01, 2002 by Steel Phantom

Week 1

Week 4 in Review:

 

Long-term Stiller.com fans may remember the stat breakout shown below as similar to those begun last season.The first (3) categories are variants of the traditional �control the tempo� paradigm.Takeaways can be an equalizer.YPA is (yards per passing attempt); TOP is (time of possession).

 

Category

Previous

This week

Year to date

Won this stat but lost the game

Total yards rushing

28-15-1

9-4

37-19-1

New Orleans

Carolina

Minnesota

Cleveland

TOP

29-15

9-4

38-19

Carolina

New England

Tennessee

Minnesota

100 yard rushers

13-6

3-1

16-7

Cleveland

>/= +2 Takeaways

18-2

6-0

24-2

 

YPA

37-6-1

9-4

46-10-1

St. Louis

Carolina

New England

New York Giants

 

Futility Index, per right-most column above:

 

Tennessee was (-3) in takeaways, allowed (2) PR TD and also gave an INT return TD.

 

New Orleans was (-3) in takeaways and suffered a return TD.

 

Minnesota was (-3) in takeaways.

 

Carolina and New England were (-2) in takeaways.

 

The NYG gave two 4th quarter TD; their defense was on the field for +38 minutes.

 

Steelers Index:

 

  1. Last year, the Steelers allowed just 13.3 PPG; that was #1 in the league.This year, they are 22nd at 24.3 PPG.On the bright side, they have allowed just 26 points in the past (6) quarters or 17.33 PPG.Delete Kirby�s KO return and the D-side has given it up at a rate of just 12.66 in those (6) quarters.

 

  1. The Steelers are 24th in YPG against, at 350.66.Pittsburgh has given 1052 yards in (3) games; the Eagles, 3rd in the league, have given 1053 yards in (4) games.

 

  1. The Steelers seem to be getting a grip on defending the pass; Cleveland attempted (32) (including (3) sacks) gaining just 123 yards for a dwarfish 3.81 YPA.With that, the Steeler D-side rose to 10th in YPA against, at 6.14.Last year, that group finished at 6.35 YPA against.

 

  1. Pressure counts; against Cleveland, the Steelers had (3) sacks for (32) passes called or 1 per 10.66.Last year, their rate was 55/580 or 1 per 10.55.In contrast, the Steelers had just (4) PD against Cleveland.That�s 1 per 8; this is better than their previous 1 per 9 in 2002 but far off last season�s mark.(See Week 2).

 

  1. Last year, the Steelers were #1 against the run allowing just 75 yards per game and 3.5 YPC.This year, the Steelers are giving 94 yards per game, not good, not awful.However, they are 27th in YPC against, at a horrendous 4.8.Put it this way; Cleveland passed for 3.81 YPA and ran for 5.1 YPC.��

 

  1. OLB Joey Porter leads the defense in total tackles, solo stops and INT.He is tied for the team lead in sacks and PD.OLB Jason Gildon is T-5th in solo stops and T-4th in stuffs (with 0.5); he is T-3rd in INT with (0), T-7th in PD with (0) and T-6th in sacks with (0).����

 

  1. Last year, the Steelers led the NFL in rushing at 173 yards per game and 4.8 YPC.This year, the Steelers are 30th in YPC, at an abysmal 3.1; the ground game has accomplished 80YPG so far.Here�s a statistical oddity: last year, Jerome Bettis averaged 4.8 YPC, same as the overall team mark; this year at 3.1, Bettis is again identical to the team figure.

 

  1. Overall, the team has passed for a respectable 6.42 YPA.Kordell has achieved 5.80, Maddox 9.38.

 

  1. In 176 minutes or so with Stewart at QB, Terence Mathis caught (4) balls.In 11 minutes or so with Maddox at QB, Terence Mathis caught (3) balls.The Steelers greatest offensive advantage resides with their superiority at #3 and #4 WR.It would be good to get the ball to those men.

 

  1. Minnesota, with no wins, has (18) turnovers in (4) games; that�s 4.5 per game.The Steelers, with one win, have (12) turnovers in (3) games; that�s (4) per game.Last week, the Steelers covered (3) fumbles by their own.Had they not, they�d be looking at 0-3 this week.

 

  1. (11) kicks or punts have been blocked this year; Buffalo and Pittsburgh share the league lead with (2) against.

 

Old friends, upcoming opponents, broad hints:

 

  1. As mentioned, the Steelers are 30th running the ball.The George-led Titans are 31st.So go the aging power backs.

 

  1. With Akili Smith at the controls against the Bucs, the Bengals had less than 3.0 YPA.

 

  1. Last week, rookie Joey Harrington was 20/35/0 for 267 yards and (1) TD against the Saints.The week before Harrington threw (4) picks.Either Joey improved enormously from start one to start two or the Saints don�t defend the pass very well.

 

 

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