By Sean Geddes
Another great defensive performance has some fans already comparing this team to 2008’s squad.
Right from the opening kickoff, the Steelers delivered haymakers right to the chin of the Titans, in Nashville on a sweltering Sunday afternoon. Mewelde Moore fielded the kick, only to hand it off on a reverse to rookie Antonio Brown, making his first career start. On his first touch in the NFL, the former Central Michigan Chippewa took it the distance, showing the speed that had him playing the role of Chris Johnson in practices leading up to the game.
The ensuing kickoff was another big play, as another rookie, Stevenson Sylvester, also dressing for his first game, forced a fumble that was recovered by special teams captain Keyaron Fox, giving the Steelers the ball back, already up 7-0, just 25 seconds into the game.
The Titans would punch back, both metaphorically and literally, in the next three plays. After two of the “dirtiest players in the NFL” Hines Ward and Cortland Finnegan got into it a bit and after one run by Rashard Mendenhall, the Titans D sacked Dixon on his blindside, forcing and recovering a fumble of their own.
The Titans drove the short field, mostly on the arm of Vince Young, but settled for a field goal as the Steelers relentless defense tightened the clamp in the redzone, making the game 7-3.
After a three and out from Dixon and Company, the Titans again took the ball, looking to close the gap. After a nice drive, the Titans again found themselves in the redzone. Trying score over the middle to Nate Washington, Vince Young stared him down, allowing Troy Polamalu to step in for a touchdown saving interception.
Dixon took the team downfield, but after a fumbled snap and a sack, the Steelers were looking at a third and long from the 25. Seeing no one open enough to pass to, Dixon ran for a short gain, and the Steelers settled for a Jeff Reed field goal from 36 yards out, making the game 10-3 in favor of the Black and Gold. The run on third down would however prove to be costly, as Dixon was injured on the play, and would not return.
After a three and out for Tennessee, and a three and out from the Charlie Batch led Steelers, the Titans again may have had something going. Chris Johnson caught a tough pass, and the Titans crossed the 50 yard line. But on a great call from Coach LeBeau, Woodley faked the blitz, disengaged from the blocker, dropped back, and caught Vince Young off guard, stepping right in front of a short pass intended for Justin Gage and intercepting it. As good as Woodley is at getting after the QB, pass coverage has been somewhat of a weakness for him, so it is good to see him making these kind of plays.
Unfortunately, the Steelers were unable to capitalize, after one first down, Daniel Sepulveda was again called on to punt the ball away. With just over 5 minutes to go in the first half, the Titans would again have a chance to make this a one score game. After a false start penalty, Young handed the ball right to Chris Johnson, who, in a flash, took it 85 yards for a touchdown. This is what Chris Johnson does, he is the single greatest big play threat in the NFL, and it helped him get to 2000 yards rushing and a record for yards from scrimmage the year before. But, there was laundry on the field… yellow laundry. A holding call on center Eugene Amano against Chris Hoke would negate the big play. With Johnson gassed and looking at a long second down, the Titans would turn twice to Javon Ringer, who would gain just one yard on the two touches, giving the Steelers the ball back after a punt.
Another three and out, a reoccurring theme up to that point, would only be split by the two minute warning, and Tennessee would again get the ball. On their first play, Chris Johnson was being brought down, when Lawrence Timmons came in with a jarring hit to force the fumble.
After another three and out, this one containing a penalty negated TD pass to Mike Wallace, the Steelers settled for 3 again, making the score 13-3 at half, on Reed’s 34 yard kick.
The second half started with the Titans and Vince Young in possession. A first down gaining run by Johnson was followed by three more runs; one by Johnson and two by Young, but a similar fate was met, as the Titans punted again.
Along the same lines, another three and out from Pittsburgh, and another by Tennessee. The offenses both looked anemic, and the defenses both looked good. This trend would continue right into the final drive of the quarter, when the Steelers finally got something going.
After a fumble by Young gave the Steelers a short field, a combination of Mendenhall and defensive fouls on the Titans gave the Steelers another field goal, this one from 25 yards out , making the score Pittsburgh 16, Tennessee 3 .
In the most controversial move of the day, at least to the Titans crowd, Young was benched in favor of Kerry Collins. Perhaps seeing that the running game was not getting it done, and with Collins being the better passer, Jeff Fischer thought Collins would give his team the best chance to win. Collins would not fair much better though, as the Titans would go three and out… again.
And the Steelers too, would go three and out… again.
The Titans would fumble on their first play on the next drive, forced by LaMarr Woodley and recovered by Chris Hoke, the Steelers would (surprise surprise) go three and out, and Jeff Reed would kick his fourth and final field goal, making this a 19 to 3 game.
Collins got the short passing game going, and after a good drive, almost solely out of the shotgun, he passed for the only offensive touchdown of the game, a 2 yard TD to Nate Washington. The Titans would not only make the two point conversion try, but recover the onside kick. But it was all for naught, as they couldn’t quite make the plays necessary to win the game in the end.
What a game. Ugly, hard fought and defensive, the Steelers would still somehow find a way to make it a little too close for comfort. Regardless, the final product was still the same… 2 and 0, heading into week three.
Of Special Note: Troy Polamalu and his wife Theodora welcomed their second son, Ephraim, into the world on Thursday September 16. Ephraim’s older brother Paisios will soon turn two in October. Congrats to Troy and Family on their second child, I hope mother and child are both well. I’m sure Steeler Nation is already dreaming about a potential Polamalu and Polamalu secondary in about 22 years.
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