NFL Playoffs

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Actually, they didn't run that much at all. A look at the official game stats showed they called just 12 rushing plays, versus 43 pass plays.

I think the real reason they found success in the second half was that Pittsburgh switched defenses at the start of the 4th quarter to a "2 deep zone" which sounds suspiously like a code word for the never-to-be-mentioned "prevent defense". That defense by whatever name, failed miserably. The mian point of playing a 2 deep zone or a prevent is to prevent a big play. So the defense failed in stopping the one thing it was designed to stop when it gave up the 64-yard TD pass to Fitzgerald. Although to be fair, that was a short pass - Fitz just plain out-ran the entire Steelers defense.

 

It is legal for a runner to stiff arm the face mask as long as he doesn't grab it, Holmes didn't grab it so it was legal. And the roughing the holder one is a rule from peewee football all the way to the NFL, if he didn't know that was a penalty then I would be amazed.Wilson could have avoided hitting the holder (fall down if nothing else) but made no attempt so IMO he earned the penalty. The holder is completely defenseless in that position, would be amazingly easy to injure somebody like that. Apparently every other team knew it was a penalty since it hadn't been called this season until the superbowl.

 

I never said that the roughing the holder penalty was wrong, I just thought it was hilarious mostly... And to me it appeared Holmes had a minor grip on the facemask, but it could have gone either way.

@Aldeth- A lot of teams use some variation or another of a two-deep zone as their base defense. Usually comes as part of a cover-two with corners laying off to safeties as a WR gets deeper, but some teams do leave the corners in man with safety help overtop. This is especially common against teams with multiple deep threat receivers and Arizona certainly has that (Fitzgerald and Breaston). However, I can agree that it seems to have been a bad decision to switch styles, as their first half defense was doing everything right.

In the first half Arizona did try to establish the run, but in the second it was not just opening up the passing playbook that allowed them to thrive, it was the no-huddle as well. The defense can't switch players as easy to adjust to a fast paced offense, so you're often matched with a tired and un-specialized defensive unit. Throw in the fact that Arizona has been a good no-huddle team and it left Pittsburgh at a disadvantage.

 

I agree that a two deep zone is a variation of the cover 2. The main difference is that the safeties play considerably deeper than they normally would otherwise. If you look at the overhead view on Fitzgerald's 60+ yard TD catch, you'll see both safeties are playing over 20 yards away from the line of scrimmage. My issue was I think they switched to that way too early. I even have my doubts about using it when there was still 3 minutes left, as that seems to be a heck of a long time: 3 minutes is enough time to throw underneath routes and take 5-10 yards at a time.

 

OK, I see it now and I definitely agree. I had noticed that on the Fitzgerald catch, and a few other plays as well, but I didn't think they were staying it in... It's also a major surprise that LeBeau would do it in particular.

 

I hate the Steeler and PATS - and I'm from New England. The refs tend to lean toward these two teams. Watch almost any game of these teams and it seems like the refs will call plays against the other team that should not be called or miss a penalty call that is right in front of the refs face. PATS and Steeler win 1 or 2 more games a year because of how they are called in their favor. Don't believe me... Watch NFL network rewind.

 

The 49ers and Cowboys were getting those calls in the late 80's and early 90's too. But since those franchises have fallen, the new faces of the NFL are the Pats and Steel Curtain. I'm a huge Eagles fan, bleeding green and everything! I really hate the no-calls we get somedays. Especially against the Giants when theya are having a winning season. The Mannings can get the calls as well, just not against the Pats and Steels....

 

While I will readily concede that refs do on occassion screw up and some teams get the calls, it should also be pointed out that instant replay has reduced the incidence of this. (First, for the sake of full disclosure, I'm a Steelers fan.) The Steelers definitely got some calls in the Super Bowl a few years ago against the Seahawks, but I think this past year was pretty legit. The only bad call that went the Steelers way was Big Ben's "touchdown" run, but that was overturned upon review. And if the Pat's have been getting calls, it certainly hasn't resulted in Super Bowl wins in recent seasons.

 

I have not been a big fan of Instant Replay. Many calls are still blown, even with it's use. If we have the tech to use it, why not go full with it? Instead we use it only at crunch time, at the end of each half or for challenges. This seems to make more controversy. I think they should just dump it and let the refs call the game. Like baseball. Of course even they are using it to review HRs now, pathetic... what happened to sports?!