Re: Nix. I could be wrong about this, but I see our nose tackles lining up at different distances depending on the D-call. Plus, Nix has been incredibly effective at stuffing the interior to my eyes and the entire coaching staff states so too. Nix has been the one CONSTANT positive remarks guy as far as presscons are concerned. I find it rather "twilight zone-ish" to be picking him out of all people.
Concerning the successful Pitt QB sneak. I am not sure that that was even Nix in there on that play at the nose. In fact we did not line up a tackle over center that play, I believe. I'll agree we were in a give-up alignment but it could have been alignment error by the D-Line. On the second QB sneak possibility, when Pitt chose NOT to sneak, but rather run Graham [and we stuffed him wide], we WERE in a nose-to-center alignment and it WAS Nix on the nose. I believe, contrary to this anti-Nix griping [which completely blows my mind] that it was precisely the fact that Big Lou was there that they did not dare running there. [They certainly saw on film the famous Mexican Fire Drill play on the goal-line, where we were rushing all sorts of people in, mainly Big Lou right on the nose --- the one which resulted in the Blanton interception; they didn't dare Nix either; and the one the previous game, I think it was, where Nix stuffed the entire center of the field at the goal line.]
I've been MIGHTILY impressed by Louis Nix. Kelly has been impressed. Diaco has been impressed. Our D-Line coach has been impressed. One of my brothers [who played O-Line for Cincinnati] said "who's that run-stuffer guy you got? you know the guy with the butt two axe-handles wide?".
I don't get this.