Please tell me you all see Jerry Hughes

[ztboiler]

We don't know that because he hasn't played it. Pagano is probably not ready to change people's roles yet. Right now it's mainly Freeney and Addison playing weak side. Freeney isn't lacking athleticism IMO but power. Hughes depends on his athleticism more than Freeney does, so I don't think that moving Hughes to weak side will be an improvement.

Hughes looks to me like he could play the weakside just fine in a traditional 3-4 OLB role, but I don't see putting his hand down in the hybrid and taking on a tackle like Freeney and Addison have been doing. It is almost the same role, but not quite. He seems like a different player standing up. A very likeable player. It will be very much of interest to see what else they decide to do with him and how a little confidence changes him one way or another.

[krunk]

That's what you say and you have a right to your opinion, but everyone knows hughes has a pretty good background for rushing the passer. Yes it was in college, but the fact still stands that rushing the passer is not foreign to him and plus he's got pretty good size.

Technically no one knows for sure if Freeney can even play the rush linebacker. They are just going off of his background and past successes. Nothing in the pre-season so far has said he could or could not.

[krunk]

Hughes looks to me like he could play the weakside just fine in a traditional 3-4 OLB role, but I don't see putting his hand down in the hybrid and taking on a tackle like Freeney and Addison have been doing. It is almost the same role, but not quite. He seems like a different player standing up. A very likeable player. It will be very much of interest to see what else they decide to do with him and how a little confidence changes him one way or another.

I agree with most of your post, but I think he could bring it with his hand in the dirt as well. That's all he did in college.I think the bigger difference this year is our defensive scheme creates alot of 1 on 1 matchups and mismatches that allow you to take advantage of some things more so than the past, plus the guy is not a rookie

anymore and has learned a lot from Mathis and Freeney.

[ztboiler]

I agree with most of your post, but I think he could bring it with his hand in the dirt as well. That's all he did in college.I think the bigger difference this year is our defensive scheme creates alot of 1 on 1 matchups and mismatches that allow you to take advantage of some things more so than the past, plus the guy is not a rookie

anymore and has learned a lot from Mathis and Freeney.

It becomes a matter of effectiveness, and you are right that all things point to that he should be effective with his hand down....Bill Polian sure thought so. Way more story to write and his hand down could very well be a part of it. My guess is that he becomes the inverse of Freeney. Mostly stands up and the hand down is a wrinkle if at all. Movement is a rhythm and the way he engages a tackle or TE from a standing position looks completely different than the way he has been engulfed by contact from a 3 pt. stance in the past. It could be the year and his overall growth, but the leverage that he is playing with on the edge from a standing position is astonishing....total control. He is shedding engagement, chasing and locating the ball with power, speed and balance. You even see him as a factor in plays coming from backside pursuit.

[deadman]

Hughes played most of the first half against their first string...both he and Addison came in and played 1st team D early on. Freeney went out early again when Mathis did.

Starters for Pittsburgh started coming out early 2nd quarter and that's when I started seeing Hughes make plays.

[oldunclemark]

The 3-4 switch is working in his favor so far. Keep it up.

Yopu've got it right John..

This is his system...

He runs a little wild out there and runs himself out of position but he's making plays now

...It looks like we'll be rotating our OLBs////and he's perfect....to play the wide side of the field.

he's got a chance to be very intimidating

[ztboiler]

Starters for Pittsburgh started coming out early 2nd quarter and that's when I started seeing Hughes make plays.

I don't believe that the starting O-line came out when Roethlesberger sat down....though Mike Adams did come in about that time. I think they stayed with Batch for the rest of the first half, or a mix of 1's and 2's that will make their roster. Someone else would have to verify - I don't have the tape and could be wrong.

[John Waylon]

An interesting season storyline starting to form here... If Hughes keeps up this level of play, it could lead to the departure of Freeney at season's end. If Hughes shows he's ready to start in this defense, I would think we wouldn't offer Freeney a deal to stay around. At least not a deal like he could get elsewhere...