By Sean Geddes
Tonight we square off with last year’s division champions, the Cincinnati Bengals. What a difference a year can make, as the Bengals team that swept the division last season look like a shell of their former selves, currently sitting at 2-5 on the young season. With a weaker ground game than they boasted last year and an inconsistent passing game, this Bengals team might not seem as intimidating as many analysts thought they might this year, but they’ll be a tough matchup for the Steelers, as they always are.
Who to Keep a Closer Eye On:
Troy Polamalu
The college roommate of Bengals signal caller Carson Palmer, Troy has had success against him in the past, including a great interception and return TD on which he bowled over Palmer en route to the end zone a few years back. Troy, by his own admission hasn’t played up to the level he expects of himself recently, and this just might be the match up he needs to get back to the other worldly level of play that he and fans have come to expect from the great safety.
What is the Key to Victory:
The Offenses Ability to Maintain a Balanced Attack
While the Bengals employ two of the better cover corners in the game in Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall, their pass defense hasn’t been as good as advertised. Currently ranking 18th overall in yards allowed, they have shown weakness that can be taken advantage of. What would really allow us to set the tone in the passing department would be Rashard Mendenhall and the ground game attacking the 22nd ranked rush defense. One sets up the other, and if we can do both effectively, we should win this game.
Where the Best Battles Are:
Our OLB’s Versus Their Game Plan
I’m going to be watching LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison going after RT Andre Smith, LT Andrew Whitworth, and how each of our guys handles TE Jermaine Gresham. Whitworth is the kind of tackle Harrison can really get after. At 6’7” the 6’0” Harrison can get lower and use his strength and leverage to get by the larger Whitworth. Woodley versus Smith is a matchup of two players whose strengths play into each other’s well. Smith is a strength tackle, and Woodley is a bull rusher. I expect a good one there. The wildcard is TE Jermaine Gresham. This will be the Steelers first crack at Gresham, the highly athletic and physically talented rookie TE out of Oklahoma. At 6’5” 260 lbs., Jermaine has the size to try and assist on our OLB’s while having the speed to stretch the field and create a mismatch in the passing game. We’ll be seeing him a lot, and he is still a work in progress for Cincy, but he can test us in a way no other TE in our division can.
When We Need To Be More Successful:
Third Downs
(And late in the game, but I’m not going to beat that poor horse any more right now)
The Steelers were successful on 3 of their 10 third downs last week, and have converted 34% of those opportunities on the year. The Bengals have allowed a conversion on 41% of their attempts to end drives this year. With more success on third downs, perhaps the defense can get a little more rest and be fresher for those drives later in the game (okay, one spur to the side).
Why We Will Win The Game:
Making an Inconsistent Offense One Dimensional, and Limiting Mistakes
The Bengals are 9-1 when Cedric Benson rushes for 100 yards. The Steelers defense hasn’t allowed a RB to reach 100 yards yet this year, and no one has come that close really. The most yards we’ve allowed to one player is the 48 we gave up to Ricky Williams two weeks ago. The Bengals have thrown at a higher rate this year to boot.
Making them one dimensional and forcing Palmer’s hand can be a dual edged sword, as they have solid receivers of which to throw to. TO, Chad Ochocinco (Who I will always refer to as Johnson, and am only placating his attention getting activity for records sake in this situation) and Jordan Shipley have developed into a decent crew, as Shipley’s workload continues to increase and TO is on pace for 1400 yards this year. Chad Johnson has been the man who has been somewhat left out of this. Maybe working with your QB instead of working on your TV shows might make you a better player. Just a thought Chad.
At the same time we cannot continue to make the little mistakes that have cost us in the long term in games this year. Ben Roethlisberger will have to make smart throws, and not allow their defense to cause turnovers that give them more opportunities to score points. Knowing when to tuck it and take the sack, or when to throw it away to avoid the loss. These are two things that Ben has shown the ability to do this year, but are not things Ben does historically. I don’t want to change the way Ben plays, because it’s those extended plays that pay off from time to time, but knowing when the smart play is to lose a few, or lose a down can make the difference on drives. Knowing where you are on the field in relation to this choice is the one area I would like to see Ben improve on as this year goes on.
The Bengals have not had much success getting after the quarterback this year, and giving Ben more time in the pocket should allow him to get through his reads and make good decisions with the ball.
Go back to Steelers Fan Spot
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Steelers Titans Review
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.
http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/
Steelers Season Preview
By Sean Geddes
If you’re a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, this, more than maybe any other time before, is a season of football that is long overdue. The offseason lasted far, far too long. When camp pads started popping in Latrobe, PA just a few short weeks ago a breath of fresh, cool air most likely blew across your face that took you back to a time not so long ago. Better days. Football days. Championship days.
I know I felt it.
After an offseason of turmoil, an offseason of questions no one ever wanted to ask, when we saw our franchise quarterback embroiled in another incident that nobody would ever want to be on either side of, when we saw our budding (in more ways than one) star, a Superbowl MVP wide receiver shipped away for what could be rationalized as pennies in NFL currency, and change over on the coaching staff on all sides of the ball; only one thing could save us from this mess, this malaise, this never ending nightmare of accusations, of allegations, of reaffirmations and (perhaps) some self-contemplations… We, Steelers Nation, needed football back.
And so it’s here.
Don’t let the opening of this fool you. It wasn’t all doom and gloom in the city of bridges this summer. Dick LeBeau got into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after what was in reality, what I felt our offseason was… far, far too long. In typical Coach Dad fashion, he took his moment in the sun to reflect some back on his men. The Steelers defense.
Troy Polamalu and Aaron Smith are back from shoulder and knee injuries respectively, and look to round out a group of both veterans and young players that are always poised for greatness under LeBeau’s tutelage. Casey Hampton returns to anchor the middle of the veteran defensive line bookended by Smith and grizzled (no… literally) veteran Brett Keisel. The “ideal people” for the defensive line, according to LeBeau, will be taking on double teams all season to protect our brigade of ‘backers starting with veteran captain James Farrior, 2009 Defensive League MVP James Harrison and young beasts Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley. One of the smartest players to wear a Steelers uniform, also according to LeBeau, Ryan Clark will look to be the balance to Troy Polamalu at the two safety positions, with Ike Taylor, William Gay, Joe Burnett and Keenan Lewis covering wide receivers. To add to this stout group, the Steelers brought back veteran Steelers Bryant McFadden to help with coverage duties, and Larry Foote to be a leader at linebacker as well.
Not to be outdone, offensively, the team brought back Antwaan Randle El to add to a receiving crew (and maybe even throw one or two too) already featuring all time great Hines Ward, the electrifying Mike Wallace and tight end Heath Miller. Rashard Mendenhall will be the young bell cow of this offense at running back, with reliable veteran Mewelde Moore providing both fresh legs and good hands. An unfortunate injury early in camp to Willie Colon left a challenge for new line coach Sean Kugler who came in from Buffalo, and a hole at right tackle which may have been filled by the late veteran signing of Flozell Adams. Justin Hartwig, Trai Essex, Chris Kemoeatu and Max Starks will still be in charge of protecting our quarterback.
And about that quarterback. Before I start, let me be clear, this is Ben Roethlisberger’s team. After what will hopefully be a four game suspension there is little to no chance anyone else will be taking snaps in a Steelers uniform at the start of that fifth game. But who will be taking all of the snaps in the previous games?
Byron Leftwich was resigned after what he would describe as a disappointing season in Tampa Bay. He has taken a majority of the reps with the first team all camp, and has been given every opportunity to prove this can be his team (for a month or so). Byron played well for us in spot and mop up duties two seasons ago, and his experience and proven talent give him the apparent favor of Coach Tomlin and his staff. But this Dennis Dixon? Well, he provides a sizzle that is hard to deny. Between his speed, and potential for playmaking, he will make a strong push for playing time. Local guy and crafty vet Charlie Batch is in the running as well, but looking at camp reps and preseason playing time, it’s fairly clear this is a two man race. For Leftwich’s sake, I hope an actual two man race isn’t part of the criteria.
Special teams will look to rebound from a forgettable season last year, but not because of kicker Jeff Reed or punter Daniel Sepulveda. Joining them are long snappers (yeah, plural) Greg Warren and Matt Stewart… two will enter, one will leave. New ST Coach Al Everest will be have to repair the gaping hole that was kick return coverage last year, and given his track record he should be up to the job. Giving him some young players to help clog the leak won’t hurt either.
Already mentioned were second year DB’s Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett, 2009 third and fifth rounds respectively. Crezdon Butler (5th round 2010) joined that group of young corners this season. Last year’s first round pick Ziggy Hood (32nd overall) looks to bolster our three man front defensively, along with late round picks Sunny Harris (6th round 2009) and Doug Worthington (7th round 2010). Linebackers Jason Worilds (2nd round 2010), Thaddeus Gibson (4th round 2010) and Stevenson Sylvester (5th round 2010) all will look to continue the legacy of great Steelers linebackers into the future (and our kick coverage current), and all have shown reasons to think the future will be bright.
On the offensive side, second year wide out Mike Wallace (3rd round 2009) will look to take his game to the next level, replacing Santonio Holmes who took his skills elsewhere. He will be joined by rookies Emmanuel Sanders (3rd round) and Antonio Brown (6th round) who have each shown glimpses of flash early on. First round pick out of Florida, Maurkice Pouncey (18th overall) will bring some much needed new life to an offensive line that has struggled in the recent past. They will be looking to make running lanes for Jonathan Dwyer (6th round 2010) and second year player Isaac Redman (undrafted 2009), who has been turning heads for two seasons between both the preseason and practice squad.
This is a year of tempered, in some case non-existent praise from the Media, but as always high expectations from the fans. A year no one thinks we can do it, but a year us fans know, deep down inside, we love. Our players love. Sleep on the Steelers. Because these fans, our owners, our coaches, our team sleeps on no one. We’ll be ready to play, and we’ll be bringing it on every down, on every drive, in every game… all season. This can be a championship year in Pittsburgh. We know it.
http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/
Steelers Recap 2010
When Ben Roethlisberger was given a 6 game suspension for a rape trial that didn’t go to court (overkill much?) no one really gave the Steelers much of a chance. Even when that suspension was kindly cut to 4 games (still overkill) by Roger Goodell, no one gave them a chance at their 7th Super Bowl. However, when they started out 3-0 without Ben Roethlisberger, people started jumping back on this team.
It wasn’t just 3-0, it was an incredibly impressive 3-0. The 3 teams they beat were a combined 6-0 in their other 6 games. They beat the Falcons, the Titans, and the Buccaneers.
Matt Ryan of the Falcons was 27-44 for 252 yards, no touchdowns and a pick against the Steelers, and a combined 40-62 for 453 yards, 5 touchdowns and no picks in the other 2 of his first 3 games. Vince Young of the Titans was 7-10 for 66 yards, no touchdowns, and 2 picks against the Steelers and a combined 23-33 for 272 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no picks in his other 2. Josh Freeman was 20-31 for 184 yards, no touchdowns, and a pick against the Steelers and 29-54 for 360 yards, 4 touchdowns, and a pick in his other two. Combined in those 3 games, the Steelers’ defense gave up a combined 33 points.
They lost their 4th and final game without Big Ben, 17-14 to the Ravens, but their amazing 3-1 start through 4 games, combined with Big Ben’s impending return, and the fact that no team started 4-0, meaning the Steelers had the best record in the league, made the Steelers early favorites. After all, they had been their before.
The Steelers went 9-3 in the 12 games Big Ben played this regular season. He threw for 3200 yards on 240-389 (61.7% and 8.2 YPA), 17 touchdowns and 5 picks. Their defense ranked 1st in fewest points allowed, 1st in fewest passing yards per attempt allowed, 1st in fewest rushing yards per carry allowed, and 2nd in total yards allowed. They beat the Ravens week 13 to steal the division, as Big Ben improved to 5-0 in his career against Joe Flacco (he’d later improve to 6-0 with a win the playoffs).
They had lost fairly badly to the Patriots, 39-26, at home in Pittsburgh and with the Patriots having the AFC’s best record at 14-2, it appeared it would be them and not the Steelers who made the Super Bowl. However, when the Jets defeated the Patriots in Foxboro, the Steelers had a clear path to the Super Bowl, beating the Ravens and the Jets. Both games were ugly and one could argue they only played 2 good halves between the two games, but they were headed back to the Super Bowl.
In the Super Bowl, they outgained the Packers 387-338, but three turnovers, two Ben Roethlisberger picks and a Rashard Mendenhall fumble led directly to 21 points for the Packers (with one of them being a Nick Collins pick six), doomed them as the shorthanded Packers, missing Charles Woodson, Donald Driver, and Sam Shields, in addition to the 16 players already on IR, won by a score of 31-25.
History suggests the Steelers won’t be very good next year. The last two times they made the Super Bowl, they were a combined 17-15 in the next 2 years and didn’t make the playoffs either time. Neither Super Bowl winners nor Super Bowl losers have had any success the following year, as both appear to suffer some sort of hangover. The last time a time that won the Super Bowl won a playoff game the next year was the 2004 Patriots.
Meanwhile, since 1998, only two teams have won a playoff game the year after losing the Super Bowl (2006 Seahawks, 2009 Cardinals. Only four teams have made the playoffs the next year (2000 Titans, 2006 Seahawks, 2009 Cardinals, 2010 Colts). The last time a Super Bowl runner up won multiple playoff games the next year was the 1993 Buffalo Bills. The last time a Super Bowl runner up won the Super Bowl the next year, the 1971 Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl VI.
However, if they can defy history, they’ll be a good team. They have the talent as long as Big Ben stays out of “trouble,” Troy Polamalu stays healthy, and James Harrison stays out of bankruptcy after paying all of the commissioner’s fines for “leading with his helmet.”
Steelers/Ravens Recap
By Sean Geddes
Charlie Batch neither won nor lost us this game, Baltimore is not Tampa Bay.
Rashard Mendenhall ran the ball hard against a tough defensive front, but maybe a few more opportunities receiving could have helped Batch out.
Antwaan Randle El made one heck of a catch, and should be more of a factor with Ben tossing the rock.
Mike Wallace is such a dangerous deep threat, but we couldn’t get him involved at all.
Hines Ward was almost invisible out there in the passing game.
Antonio Brown has the speed to be a real weapon on offense as well as special teams, but I am a little worried about his decision making when fielding kicks.
Heath Miller is too good of a player to only get two catches (again!)
Max Starks played a good game, he was one of only two offensive linemen without a penalty.
Chris Kemoeatu had his hands full all day with the Ravens interior line, but did a good enough job for me.
Maurkice Pouncey battled all day against Ngata in a highly anticipated match up, and fought for and recovered a fumble that really should have been a Ravens TD.
Doug Legursky was also given the responsibility to handle Ngata, which no one could have done; he was also the other linemen who didn’t get a flag thrown his way.
Flozell Adams false started once, but all in all played a pretty good game.
Aaron Smith was in on more than a few tackles and kept his assigned linemen busy all game.
Casey Hampton got a sack and forced a fumble, all while anchoring a line that gave up 70 yards rushing on 20+ carries.
Brett Kiesel was active against the run, and around the ball whenever possible in the passing game.
LaMarr Woodley pushed the pocket as much as possible, but Marshal Yanda did a great job as Gaither’s fill in.
James Farrior missed a couple of tackles in open space, but he wasn’t the only one.
Lawrence Timmons once again led the team in tackles; he has over half of his total from his best career year, and is second in the league in solo tackles.
James Harrison was held to zero sacks, but they’re hard to get when the tackle you’re supposed to beat gets a head start before the snap that often.
Ike Taylor actually caught a ball, but gave up 6 catches on his ten targeted passes.
Bryant McFadden needs some help over the top from time to time… like with less than a minute to go.
William Gay can play a solid nickel, and came up huge on the second to last Ravens possession.
Ryan Clark must really dislike the Ravens, considering he is willing to hurt himself to hurt them.
Troy Polamalu has played better games, especially against the Ravens, but still had a good day (for most players).
Jeff Reed needs to start making some field goals when it matters again.
Daniel Sepulveda has got a strong leg, but some coffin corner punts would be nice too.
The Referees… I will never, ever blame a loss on the refs, and I won’t now, but this wasn’t a very well officiated game for either team.
The Ravens defense showed up as expected Sunday, as did ours. Unfortunately their offense was the ones who were best equipped to take advantage of the opportunities provided to them. The Steelers offense failed to capitalize on the two turnovers in their own territory, and left Jeff Reed with two long (but makeable) kicks which went wide. Some people say kickers should make everything, they have nothing else they have to do, but anything over 45 is no gimme at Heinz Field and a near 50 yarder plunked the upright. Still, Jeff, if you want to get paid like a premier kicker, you need to make one of those two at the very least.
Our defense played a good game against an offense without its most versatile threat (Ray Rice) most of the game. We allowed our first rushing touchdown of the year, on a Willis McGahee run, during which he sidestepped two Steelers on his way to the promise land. As a feared, we allowed a late game touchdown that cost us the W, but all in all, we played a good game against an offense with many weapons to prepare for, even if they haven’t totally gelled as of yet. I have to say though, perhaps a little press coverage when defending a shorter field could have mixed things up enough to throw their quick passing offense. I am positive Coach LeBeau knows what he can do to make an already great defense even better, and doesn’t need some guy with a keyboard telling him (so I’ll just shut up for now0.
Charlie Batch went over an hour (real time) without completing a pass, and missed Mike Wallace on both under and over thrown passes. His interception came very late, and with hopes deflated by Flacco’s (eventual) game winning strike to TJ Houshmanzadeh. All in all, I think I speak for Steeler Nation when I say thank you Charlie for filling in admirably when many of us had absolutely counted you out. You have been a fairly reliable back up for all of your time in Pittsburgh, and your veteran presence has helped us in more ways than just your on field play.
That said… Welcome back Ben! Though our record may not show it, we really missed you these last few weeks.
http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/
Steelers/Ravens
By Sean Geddes
This Sunday the Steelers take on their Rivals from crab country, the Baltimore Ravens. Steelers and Ravens weeks are by far my favorite two weeks of the season. No team tests the mettle of our teams like no one else can. An always imposing defense always brings their A-games for the Men of Steel. And offensively, despite a slow start that may have been sparked last week, they now have weapons that can challenge you on all levels from all over the field.
Who to Keep a Closer Eye On:
Maurkice Pouncey
The rookie center, who early on has been nothing but impressive, gets his biggest test(s) to date… literally. Haloti Ngata is as strong as any player in the whole league and more agile than any man his size anywhere as far as I’m concerned. Second round draft pick Terrence Cody will make his first NFL start, and looked good in his preseason appearances. Pouncey matched up with Cody for a few years in college, both playing in the SEC. The two Ravens combine for 700 pounds of human.
What is The Key to Victory:
The Play of Charlie Batch
He doesn’t have to put up 300 yards passing and three TD’s (but it wouldn’t hurt) he just has to make smart decisions and not turn the ball over. This will most likely be a low scoring game, and we can’t surrender both possessions and possibly field position.
Where The Best Battles Are:
Pretty Much Everywhere, All the time
Admittedly a cop-out, but this game is played with more intensity than any other game in the NFL all year (except maybe the second time they play [or the occasional third]). Both defenses will be flashing all over the field and popping pads in every pile.
When We Need To Be More Successful:
Late in the Game
Part of this can be attributed to either vanilla or prevent defenses, but the Steelers seem to allow teams back into late a little too often. Of course this wasn’t the case, scoring wise, last week. This is a trend that goes back a few seasons.
Why We Will Win:
By Running the Ball, Playing Steeler Defense and Forcing Turnovers
The Steelers defense has been stifling this year. Against the run, we rank third against the run. An expected potent Ravens running attack has been fairly pedestrian, and when you factor in the deep bruise to the dynamic Ray Rice, we should be able to continue stopping the run. Joe Flacco doesn’t appear to be totally on the same page with his receivers as of yet, which should help our seventeenth ranked pass defense.
The Ravens defense has also played well this season, ranking first against the pass, but struggling against the run allowing 127.7 rushing yards a game (23rd in the NFL) and 4.7 yards per attempt (26th in the NFL). We should try and take advantage of that early on if we can.
The clearest difference so far this season between the two defenses has been turnovers. The Steelers have benefited from 5 interceptions, and 7 forced fumbles while recovering a league leading 5 of them. Conversely, the Ravens have yet to make an interception and have forced 2 fumbles recovering only one. Let’s look for this trend to continue on the way to a Black and Gold victory over the Birds of Baltimore in Da Burgh this Sunday.
http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/
Steelers Preview 2011
Of the last 10 Super Bowl runner ups, only 3 have made the playoffs the next season, combining to win 1 playoff game. The last time a team won the Super Bowl after losing it the year before was the early 70s. The Steelers have made the Super Bowl three times in the Big Ben era. The last two times they made the Super Bowl, they missed the playoffs the following season, though both times came as Super Bowl winners.
After each of those seasons, they had a lot of offseason distractions. This offseason was no different. James Harrison got into some hot water about his comments about the commissioner, as well as some of his teammates, as did, to a lesser extent, Ryan Clark. Rashard Mendenhall got into some hot water about his comments about Osama Bin Laden. Hines Ward spent his offseason winning Dancing with the Stars, having surgery, and getting arrested for a DUI. Hell, the only prominent Steeler who didn’t find himself in hot water this offseason, surprisingly, was Ben Roethlisberger. Aside from getting married and getting criticized by his teammate, we didn’t hear too much about him this offseason.
On top of all this, in each of the last 8 seasons, one team has gone from having a first round bye to missing the playoffs. The Steelers seem like a likely candidate to do that. It’s not from a lack of talent, but sometimes it just happens, just like it did for this team in 2009 when they went 9-7 and missed the playoffs. Super Bowl runner ups frequently struggle week 1. The Steelers have to start their season in Baltimore. They could easily lose that game and never regain the division lead.
However, as I said, if they miss the playoffs, it wouldn’t be for lack of talent. Ben Roethlisberger is one of the game’s elite quarterback, especially in close games and the playoffs when it matters. One of his most useful and signature skills is his ability to take a lot of hits and not get shell shocked and also to avoid the pass rush before it gets to him. He’ll need to use those skills a lot this year once again.
2nd year center Maurkice Pouncey is an above average player waiting to become a perennial Pro Bowler at center. They really missed him when he was hurt during the Super Bowl last year. However, other than him, their line is a mess. Max Starks was supposed to be their left tackle. He missed a lot of time last year with injuries and his replacement Jonathan Scott was terrible. However, Starks showed up to camp at 400 pounds and was cut.
Willie Colon is one of the best right tackles in the league, but he’s coming off of a season ending surgery so you never know with him. On top of that, he could play left tackle, a position where he doesn’t fit well. The other tackle is going to be 2nd round pick Marcus Gilbert. Gilbert could be the left tackle, with Colon staying on the right side, but I don’t know if that would be that much better. Gilbert is more of a right tackle as well. At guard, both Chris Kemoeatu and Ramon Foster are both marginal players at best. They combined to give up 13 sacks last year, way more than you want your starting guards to allow.
However, Big Ben manages to find time in the pocket every year when there is none and that allows him to use his strong arm to hit his receivers deep. The best of those receivers is 3rd year player Mike Wallace. Wallace is the fastest player in the league this side of Chris Johnson and DeSean Jackson. He averaged 21 yards per catch last year, no fluke, as he averaged 19.4 yards per catch as a rookie in 2009. He’s now heading into his 3rd year, typically a young receiver’s best year, and with Hines Ward fading, he has a chance to put his name in there with Andre Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, and Calvin Johnson as the top receivers in the league.
Speaking of Ward, the all-time Steeler great is on his last legs. He had offseason surgery on his thumb, spent the majority of his free time on Dancing with the Stars, and got arrested for a DUI. He’s 35 and an even further decline from his worst season since 2000 seems to be on its way. It’s even possible that Ward could get passed up by Emmanuel Sanders in the starting lineup by the end of the season. Sanders surprised as a rookie down the stretch and received almost as many targets as Ward did in the 2nd half of last season. At tight end, Heath Miller is a marginal player who had a fantastic season in 2009, but other than that has never reached 50 catches or 600 yards in a season.
Depending on their blocking, they could be able to run the ball very well this year. Rashard Mendenhall is a very talented running back, but even he couldn’t average more than 3.9 yards per carry thanks to one of the worst run blocking lines in the league. However, Mendenhall has the talent and almost never goes down on first contact. He broke 42 tackles last season, 5th in the league, and had 826 yards after contact, 8th in the league.
However, the Steelers’ defense is what wins them games and Super Bowls. In the past 3 seasons, they’ve been the #1 scoring defense twice, with 2009 being the only exception. In 2009, they ranked 11th. Not coincidentally, that was the year they didn’t make the playoffs. In the other two seasons, they made the Super Bowl. The big difference between 2008/2010 and 2009 was Troy Polamalu, who missed most of 2009 with an injury. In fact, over the past 3 years, the Steelers allow roughly 10 points per game more when Polamalu is not in the lineup. Needless to say, him staying healthy is going to be key for this defense.
This defense does have a lot of aging players. Aaron Smith is 35. Brett Kiesel turns 33 in September. Casey Hampton turns 34 that same month. James Farrior is 36. James Harrison is 33. Ike Taylor, Ryan Clark, and Polamalu are all 30 or older. Luckily, the Steelers use a draft strategy of always building for the future on defense. Aaron Smith has gone down with injury in each of the past two seasons and they’ve had 2009 1st round pick Evander “Ziggy” Hood to step in when necessary. I have a feeling it’ll be necessary again. If their other defensive end, Kiesel, suffers any sort of injury as well, rookie 1st rounder Cameron Heyward would step in. If not, he’d just be a solid rotation player.
If anything happens to Farrior, we’ll get to see what 2nd year player Stevenson Sylvester has. They also have veteran backup Larry Foote. If anything happens to Harrison, 2010 2nd round pick Jason Worilds would step into the lineup. The only aging veteran they don’t have insurance for is Casey Hampton. They better hope he stays healthy once again because they don’t have a proven backup nose tackle on their roster.
Rounding out their front 7 are two younger guys, LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons, both very, very talented players. Woodley received a 6 year 60 million dollar deal in the offseason and deserved every penny of it. With him and Harrison, their pass rush should once again be one of the league’s best.
Their pass coverage, however, is a different story. Teams like the Saints, Patriots, and Packers who were able to spread out the defense, neutralize their pass rush and force the Steelers’ defensive backs to cover were able to get the best of this defense. Not every team can spread like those 3, and the Steelers are fortunate that division rival Baltimore can’t, but what matters is that those 3 teams wrote the book on how to beat the Steelers defense and you can bet offensive coordinators everywhere, with an offseason to prepare, (remember coordinators were never locked out, they still worked this offseason) you can bet that not only have they read the book on how to beat the Steelers, they’ve memorized it.
The Steelers did resign Ike Taylor, but I think they gave him too much money given that Pittsburgh’s pass rush, as well as Troy Polamalu, have made him look better than he is. They also added cornerbacks in the 3rd and 4th round of the draft, Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen respectively, but rookie cornerbacks typically struggle and a lockout didn’t help.
The fact remains that Polamalu is their only above average defensive back. You can make the case for Ryan Clark, an underrated veteran free safety, but Taylor is borderline at best and Bryant McFadden doesn’t seem to be able to find his 2008 form. He went to Arizona in 2009 and struggled and then struggled last year even when he returned to the Steelers’ system.
Overall, the Steelers have a lot working against them. They’re coming off a Super Bowl loss, normally an indicator that a team is not going to make the playoffs. They’re coming off a trip to the Super Bowl, normally an indicator that the Steelers are not going to make the playoffs. They’ve had a distracting offseason. Teams know how to beat their defense and on that defense are many key players at an advanced age (by football standards).
The NFL is a league of parity and a league where the best teams don’t always make the playoffs. Every year, at least one team with a first round bye misses the playoffs the following season. Just as they missed out on the postseason in 2009, I expect them to do so this year, after losing the season opener to a talented Ravens team that won’t look back.
Quarterback: A-
Running backs: B
Receiving corps: B
Offensive line: D
Run defense: A
Pass rush: A
Pass coverage: C
Coaching: A-
Projection: 9-7 3rd in AFC North
Steelers/Patriots
By Sean Geddes
Sunday night the Steelers square off with the New England Patriots, in what I believe is the Steelers toughest test to date. And for the first time all year, I have defensive concerns. The way this Patriots offense matches up with the current Steelers defensive squad will keep me focused on our secondary more than in any other game this season.
Our defensive philosophy for some time now is to not allow the big plays, and limit the opposing offense to short passes. Make the opposing offense dink and dunk, until they make a mistake or we stop them.
Unfortunately their offensive philosophy revolves around short passing plays, timing routes, and receivers making plays with the ball in their hands. Since the Randy Moss trade the Patriots have looked much more like the team that started the 2000’s a perennial Superbowl contender and less like the aerial fireworks show that brought them offensive success but no championships in the last few seasons.
Only emphasizing this is the fact that Tom Brady has been making great decisions, and not making very many mistakes. His interception rate is at 1.4%, which would be his lowest over the course of his hall of fame career. Throwing only four interceptions on 261 attempts, Brady will not give us many opportunities to turn a drive around in our favor. He isn’t even fumbling, which is something that has bothered him from time to time.
Don’t read this the wrong way, there are many ways that this game can easily (okay, relatively easily for professional football) be a win. The Pats’ secondary has been beaten multiple times this year and this Roethlisberger guy is no slouch. Their running defense has been shredded, including just last week by Peyton Hillis and the Browns.
Our offense is capable of winning us this game, especially with the Patriots defensive concerns. As long as our beat up line gives us a chance, we will be in this game.
I think we still win this game, I’m just saying I think this is the toughest matchup we have faced defensively all year; and at the very least this is the game that could further prove that this Steelers team can overcome adversity like no other team in the game today.
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Steelers Needs 2012
Nose Tackle
Casey Hampton turns 35 in September and is going into a contract year. He’s also a candidate to start the year on the PUP with a torn ACL, assuming he isn’t cut first. The Steelers don’t have another nose tackle. If Dontari Poe is available at 24, they pull the trigger in a heartbeat.
Middle Linebacker
James Farrior is another candidate to be released as the Steelers are pressed for cap room and need to resign Mike Wallace. Even if he isn’t released now, he’ll be a 38 year old free agent next offseason and they don’t have a clear long term solution at the position behind him.
Offensive Tackle
Max Starks has a torn ACL. Even though he’s only 30, his career could be over. He didn’t sign with the Steelers until October because he was out of shape and he has a history of weight and injury problems. This could be the last straw for him. He’s also a free agent. The Steelers are expected to move Marcus Gilbert, a rookie right tackle in 2011, to left tackle to replace Starks. That leaves them needing a new right tackle. Willie Colon could be that guy, but he can’t stay healthy. Meanwhile, Jonathan Scott, who always seems to have to play, isn’t very good.
Guard
Chris Kemoeatu was benched last season. He could be a cap casualty. They really need a new left guard regardless.
Cornerback
The Steelers always need help at cornerback. Bryant McFadden is pretty mediocre and could be cut, while Ike Taylor is getting older. They’ve taken some cornerbacks in the mid rounds in the last few years, but if they aren’t impressed with their developmental, they could do so again this year.
Wide Receiver
Hines Ward is expected to have played his last game in a Steeler uniform. Meanwhile, they’ve given Mike Wallace a first round tender. Given their cap situation, they may be unable to match any contract he’s offered so they could just take the first rounder and let him go. That would leave them with just Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders at receiver. Even if Wallace is resigned, they’d have 3 receivers who are deep threats. They need a Hines Ward esque possession guy in the mix.
Safety
The Steelers love building for the future on defense so they could start looking for young safeties behind Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark, two safeties on the wrong side of 30 with a history of injury problems.
Running Back
Rashard Mendenhall is another player who tore his ACL. He might not be able to play at all in 2012. If that’s true, he may have played his last game in a Steeler uniform because he’ll be a free agent after next season and given how bad their cap situation is, they may not shell out the kind of money he wants, especially since he’ll be coming off a major injury. They’re talking up Isaac Redman as a feature back, but they may want one more complimentary guy, depending on what they think of Jonathan Dwyer and John Clay.
Steelers Needs 2011
Free Agency Priorities
Cornerback
They added two young cornerbacks through the draft, but they should resign the veteran Ike Taylor as well. If they don’t, they need to find a veteran replacement or even two while the young cornerbacks develop.
Guard
Right guard was a position that they didn’t address through the draft until late. Maybe they’ll find someone through free agency. They could also resign Willie Colon and move him inside to guard.
Draft Needs
Guard
Big Ben won’t be able to play into his late 30s like Favre did or like Brady and Manning (barring a freak injury) will, if he keeps taking all these hits. Chris Kemoeatu is a keeper, but they need a new right guard.
Drafted Keith Williams (#196)
Offensive Tackle
More offensive line help. Willie Colon is solid, but a free agent. If he’s resigned, he might be best off at guard as a mauling blocker, but that would leave them needing two new tackles for the future. Jonathan Scott sucks and Flozell Adams is in a contract year in 2011 and he turns 36 in May. He’s a stopgap and nothing more.
Drafted Marcus Gilbert (#63)
Cornerback
Bryant McFadden had a good contract year in 2008 with Pittsburgh and landed a nice deal in Arizona. He got to Arizona and sucked. Pittsburgh thought they could revive him in their scheme and traded for him. He still sucked. They need a new starter opposite Ike Taylor.
Drafted Curtis Brown (#95), Drafted Cortez Allen (#128)
3-4 Defensive End
Other than Evander Hood, their top 3 defensive ends are all over 30. They like to build for the future so it might be time to look at future replacements for the soon to be 33 year old Brent Kiesel.
Drafted Cameron Heyward (#31)
Nose Tackle
Still looking towards the future, Casey Hampton turns 34 in September.
Middle Linebacker
Looking towards the future again. James Farrior is 36 while backup Larry Foote turns 31 in June. Foote can start if Farrior retires soon, but they need someone for the future.
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