Heart is Still Ticking! Big Ben Pulls Out a Thriller Against the Packers

Today’s Steelers-Packers game will forever rank as one of the best regular season games I have ever seen. Ben Roethlisberger , with 503 passing yards and one buzzer beating touchdown pass to Mike Wallace , led the Pittsburgh Steelers to a thrilling, come-from-behind victory against the Green Bay Packers 37-36.

With the Jacksonville Jaguars ‘ loss to the undefeated Indianapolis Colts on Thursday, the Denver Broncos ‘ shocking home loss to the Charlie Frye -led Oakland Raiders and the field goal misadventures of the New York Jets against the Atlanta Falcons , the Steelers’ play-off hopes went from improbable to feasible.

Of course the Steelers still need a lot of help besides win the final two games against Baltimore and Miami, but after today’s thriller, it does not seem as impossible as it did last night.

Some observations and critiques

1. I completely understand why Mike Tomlin went for the onside kick. The Steelers lost games at the last second to the Raiders, the Chicago Bears , and the Cincinnati Bengals because the defense could not make stops when they needed one.

First off, if Ike Taylor does not touch the ball too early like he did and recover the ball after 10 yards, then Tomlin is perceived as a gambling genius. However, the onside kick failed and the Packers got the ball in prime field position so Tomlin looked like a fool. However, it was not foolish, it was great coaching and gamesmanship.

By doing the onside kick, Tomlin did two things. One, he challenged his much-maligned defense to step up and make a stop. Two, if the defense did not make the stop, then the offense would get a reasonable amount of time to win the game. In the games against the Raiders, Bears, and Bengals, the Steeler offense got less than 30 seconds to try to win the game. Today, Roethlisberger was given two minutes and six seconds, which of course proved to be plenty of time.

2. Steeler Nation should not be blinded by this win. Bruce Arians still needs to go. While Roethlisberger had his best passing day as a pro, it still boggles my mind that Rashard Mendenhall only got 11 carries. Willie Parker , who looked fast for the first time in a long time, only got six. The Steelers did play against one of the best defenses in the league but 19 rushing attempts on 70 total plays in absurd. 

Yes, Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Santonio Holmes , and Mike Wallace (more on him later) all had great games. Although the playcalling was more imaginative today than any other time of the season, 19 rushes when you led most of the game is akin to playing with fire. Luckily the Steelers pulled it out and saved their season for at least one more week but no matter what happens this season, play-offs or not, Arians must go.

3. William Gay: the worst cornerback in the league? I can’t argue with that. Gay once again was picked on often. Tyrone Carter also had some costly lapses in the secondary, as did Ryan Clark , and Ike Taylor.

Rookie Joe Burnett was given a lot of playing time today and he did not impress, which begs the question, is Keenan Lewis that bad in practice?  I will go ahead and say it: without Troy Polamalu , the Steelers have the worst secondary in the league. Whether the Steelers are in the hunt or out of it, Dick LeBeau should bench William Gay before further damage can be done.

4. Mike Wallace has arrived. Few months ago, I touted Wallace as a serious Rookie of the Year candidate. Of course two months ago, he and Rookie of the Year favorite Percy Harvin had the similar receiving numbers. Wallace since then done very little while Harvin has become one of the most exciting game breakers.

Today, Wallace flashed his deep speed on the Steelers’ very first offensive play of the game and showed amazing footwork, balance, hands, and concentration on the last offensive play of the game. The common ground on those two plays?

Both went for touchdowns, including the game-winner. Wallace’s performance through most of the season and today pretty much has to mean that Limas Sweed will likely not be on the team next season. If you lose a gameday spot to Tyler Gresham , that pretty much means you are finished.

 Now where do the Steelers go from here? As I mentioned before, the Steelers’ play-off hopes went from improbable to feasible (if that is the correct word to use here). Of course had Baltimore dropped today’s game to Chicago, it would have been better but the Steelers put themselves in this situation. Games like today can propel a team forward. Here is hoping the momentum continues against the Ravens next week.

Next game: Dec. 27 against the Baltimore Ravens @ 1PM ET

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Steelers In Critical Condition After Blowing Game Against The Raiders

The Pittsburgh Steelers lost another tough game, this time against the Bruce Gradkowski-led Oakland Raiders, 27-24. This game reminded me of the Bears-Steelers game in Week Two.

The defense could get no stops in the fourth quarter. They flat out sucked and lost the game. They allowed three touchdown passes in one quarter by the Raiders. This defense is just not good at all, especially in the fourth quarter.

Let’s officially get ready for the inevitable, Steeler Nation. The Steelers are officially done this season. They needed to win this game if they had any playoff aspirations.

With all the teams ahead of them like Denver and Jacksonville winning today, their chances for a wild card berth got slimmer. It will take a miracle to make the playoffs, a miracle that likely won’t come this time around.

To compare this team to the 2005 team would be an insult to the champions.

This team, at least on defense, looks old and plays with no heart.

The defense was horrible today, allowing Bruce Gradkowski to look like Jeff Garcia in his prime, making one play out of the pocket after another. Gradkowski had an amazing day, which might signal the offical end of the JaMarcus Russell era in Oakland.

To make matters worse, the Steelers could not cause a turnover. Rookie Joe Burnett dropped a sure interception that could have ended the game on the Raiders’ game-winning drive. That pretty much sums up the Steelers secondary this season.

What makes this Steeler team so frustrating is that they held second half leads in every single game this season.

Now they are 6-6 and pretty much out of it.

Stefan Logan had his breakout game, Rashard Mendenhall had another 100-yard game, Santonio Holmes had a monster day, the offensive line only gave up one sack, but the defense was just not good at all.

One could say “any given Sunday” all they want but this Steelers team is just not championship material.

If they make the playoffs, they will have a good shot to defend their title. But right now, I would not put it past the Steelers to lose on Thursday night in Cleveland.

Next game: December 10 at Cleveland Browns @ 8:20 pm Eastern

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2009 Steelers: No Closers, Lose Tough One to Ravens

If the season ended today, the 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers could sum up their season in three words: failure to close.

In Glengarry Glen Ross , Alec Baldwin’s character says, “ABC: Always Be Closing.” These Steelers failed to close once again, losing a tough one to the Baltimore Ravens 20-17 in overtime.

For the fourth time this season, the Steelers blew a fourth quarter lead and lost the game. The Steelers, now at 6-5, are pretty much just fighting for a wild card spot which they still could not earn even if they win out and finish 11-5 a la the New England Patriots last season. It is a possibility that the Steelers and Steeler Nation needs to come to grips with quickly.

Some observations from tonight’s game:

 

The Good

1. Dennis Dixon played OK given the situation. Yes he did throw the back-breaking interception to Paul Kruger in overtime and just looked lost in OT period, but you have to give the second-year QB his due. He played within himself. He did not take any sacks, and got rid of the ball quickly whenever he could. He also flashed his quickness and foot speed which made him a Heisman candidate in 2007, scoring on a 24-yard run.

Dixon has shown to be a capable backup, but Steeler Nation will obviously want their franchise QB Ben Roethlisberger to come back as soon as possible, likely next week at home against Oakland. It is good to know what the Steelers have in Dixon. So expect Charlie Batch to be put on injured reserve within few days.

2. Bruce Arians called the best game of the season. Yes, even in a loss, Arians did his job well and should not face too much criticism this week. His play-calling protected Dixon and had 38 run plays to 26 pass plays, a great combination for an inexperienced QB.

Rashard Mendenhall got 24 carries for 95 yards against a tough Ravens defense, and the Steelers as a team rushed for 153, which is admirable even in a loss. Arians should definitely stick with this philosophy even when Roethlisberger comes back. It will protect Roethlisberger from unnecessary contact and help the team control the clock more efficiently.

3. The kickoff coverage was much better Sunday night because, well, they did not give up any returns for touchdowns. All sarcasm aside, the Steeler coverage unit held Ravens return man Ladarius Webb to 21.3 yards per return, which for them is phenomenal. Chris Carr got loose on a punt return once for 34 yards but other than that, the Steelers also did their job efficiently.

 

The Bad

1. The defense was not great tonight. Let’s get one thing clear. This Steelers defense is not the 2008 Steelers defense. Tonight they gave up two long touchdown drives in the first half before finally clamping down on Joe Flacco and the Ravens offense in the third quarter and part of the fourth quarter. The tying FG drive by the Ravens? 10 plays for 84 yards, something that has become usual for these Steelers defenders this year. 

This Steelers defense played their hearts out tonight, but let’s give credit where credit is due. Ray Rice is a star running back and he made the Steelers look silly in the game-tying drive, easily beating James Farrior on the gutsy 4th down catch with 3:31 to go in the game.

In OT, Rice drove the ball all the way down inside the 12 yard line after Kruger’s interception return was stopped at the Steelers’ own 28 yard line. The Steelers knew who was getting the ball but it did not matter. They came into tonight’s game as the best run defense in the league. Tonight that number meant nothing. 132 yards rushing against the No. 1 ranked rush defense is inexcusable no matter who is not playing or who is playing.

2. Cornerbacks Ike Taylor and William Gay were not good tonight. Gay has been picked on by opponents all season and tonight was no different. The real surprise was Taylor, who is usually a very good cover man, getting beaten consistently by Derrick Mason. Tonight Taylor was beaten for a touchdown and was flagged for a pass interference.

Gay, a free agent at the end of this season, will likely just play out his contract with the Steelers and will not be asked to come back for 2010. With Deshea Townsend at age 34, the Steelers will need to draft another cornerback, or groom 2009 draft picks Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett to eventually take over. Given how little Lewis and Burnett have played this season, it remains to be seen if they are the long-term future or if they are just in Steel City for another year.

 

The Verdict

Was this loss a sign of things to come? Now with three losses in a row, the Steelers are in a deep hole in the AFC playoff picture. They might as well forget about playing at Heinz Field in January, because barring a Denver Broncos -like collapse by the the Cincinnati Bengals, the division is lost.

Like 2005, the Steelers need to win out to ensure a playoff berth. The best things about the Steelers right now are these things: One, they have made playoff runs before. Two, wins against the now surging Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, and even the San Diego Chargers will loom large if it comes down to tie-breakers.

But enough of that.

While this Steeler team is no doubt talented, they don’t look like a team trying to attain a common goal like last season. There seems to be no real fire inside this team, almost like they are content with last season and just want to play out the string this season.

I think that the month of December will show how important Mike Tomlin is to this team. For the first time in his three seasons in Pittsburgh, Tomlin is facing the reality of not making the playoffs. Some Steeler fans have questioned Tomlin’s leadership and coaching calls this season.

Bill Cowher cemented his legend in Pittsburgh in December 2005 and January 2006 by leading the Steelers to nine consecutive wins, including four straight wins in the playoffs. Before 2005, Cowher was just a good coach. After 2005, he was a great coach who could go to the Hall of Fame when he officially retires.

While last season Tomlin was the toast of the town, but the NFL is a fickle business. Tomlin can shut up the remaining naysayers if he can lead the Steelers to wins and a deep playoff push this year, especially in the first real moment of crisis in his coaching career.

The Steelers need to take care of their own business and not worry about what the Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, or anyone else is doing. Troy Polamalu will likely not be back this Sunday against the Raiders or next Thursday night against the Cleveland Browns. While he makes the Steelers a better team, one man should not make an entire defense.

The remaining schedule sets up favorably for the Steelers, but this is the same team that could not close out a 10 point lead against the Kansas City Chiefs. Bottom line, the Steelers need to close out games. If they don’t, they will be watching football during the playoffs, not playing in them.

Next game: December 6 vs. Oakland Raiders @ 1 pm Eastern

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Are the 2009 Steelers Overrated? Tough Loss in Kansas City

The 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers have been marked by inconsistency, injuries, and just plain bad kickoff coverage.

They have been finding different ways to lose this year, including games which they held leads in the second half. Today the Steelers made the Kansas City Chiefs’ season when they blew a 10 point lead and lost 27-24 in overtime.

It is time to reevaluate what this year’s Steelers are. They are a careless team that has yet to play a full game from start to finish. To get to the point, these Steelers might be overrated and might have trouble even making the playoffs in a very tough AFC. Here are some reasons.

 

Giveaways and Takeaways

The Steelers have now turned the ball over at least once in every game this season. Today in Kansas City, they turned the ball over three times and the Chiefs scored 10 points off those turnovers.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw a back breaking interception to Andy Studebaker in the end zone, which the KC linebacker returned all the way to the Steeler eight yard line. KC scored a tying field goal off that interception to bring the score to 17-17. If the Steelers had scored a touchdown on that drive, the game most likely would have been over given how well the defense was playing at the time.

Roethlisberger is the most unconventional QB in the league, often hanging onto the ball a bit longer to find the big play downfield. He found Mike Wallace, Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Santonio Holmes, and Rashard Mendenhall after escaping one potential sack after another. However, he did throw an interception that helped to tie the game and swing the momentum to the Chiefs’ side.

You must take the good (three TD passes, nearly 400 yards of passing) with the bad (two INTs). It is what it is, and Roethlisberger will take some chances. Let’s just hope that the turnovers are kept to a minimal for the next six games.

Speaking of turnovers, the Steelers have had trouble taking the ball away while on defense, especially when Troy Polamalu is not in the game. Today the Steelers got a fumble recovery but it was not enough. With Polamalu likely to miss three more games, it will be rough sledding for the Steelers, even against the Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns in early December.

 

Finding Ways To Lose

These Steelers are finding new ways to lose this season. Against the Chicago Bears, it was two missed field goals by the usually reliable Jeff Reed. Against Cincinnati the first time, it was not finishing the game when the team had an 11 point lead in the fourth quarter. Against the Bengals the second time, it was lack of execution on offense and questionable offensive play calling, not to mention a kick return by Bernard Scott.

Today, it was the defense allowing two deep passes to somebody named Lance Long and former Dolphin star Chris Chambers that led to the tying touchdown. In overtime, the Steelers allowed Chambers to get loose and finish them off with a game winning 61-yard catch and run that took the Chiefs inside the Steeler five yard line, essentially winning the game. If the Steelers have any visions of defending the Super Bowl title, this must stop now.

In the recent season’s past, the Steelers would find ways to win, and a double digit lead by the Steelers at ANY POINT in the game would mean a Steelers win. Not this season. This season, even a 28-0 lead does not seem safe (see the San Diego game).

 

Kickoff Coverage

It has been a problem all season. Joshua Cribbs has gone to a Pro Bowl mostly due to his performances against the Steeler special teams, and this season has been no different. Percy Harvin, Bernard Scott, and now Jamaal Charles have all also taken Steeler kickoffs for touchdowns. Last season, the kick coverage was one of the best things about the team, allowing no touchdowns and just 19.1 yards per return. This year, it does not even qualify as a glaring weakness. It is a disaster.

Coach Mike Tomlin tried to make a statement when he waived Arnold Harrison last week and signed Donovan Woods. It did not work this week as Charles took the opening kick for a touchdown. The question for me is, why was Anthony Madison, who along with Patrick Bailey and Andre Frazier  made up one of the best kick coverage units last season, let go for ordinary kickoff man Stefan Logan?

I am not saying that that one man makes an entire unit, but one thing that can be said about Madison is that he is a sure tackler, which the Steelers special teams is missing right now. I only hope that the special teams shapes up fast soon before it costs the Steelers another game.

 

I could go on about the play calling and execution on offense for days, so I will not do it now. All I can say about Bruce Arians is, why a toss sweep to Mewelde Moore on 3rd-and-2 when the run up the middle with Mendenhall has been successful for most of the game? While Mendenhall got more carries today than he did against Cincinnati, it is still not enough. The play calling was better today than last week, but it still needs improvement.

Ben Roethlisberger also took a knee in the head in that overtime, which caused him to leave the game with an apparent concussion. Let’s all hope that he does not try to return too quickly for his own sake like he did in 2006. The offense can be good with Charlie Batch for a few games if need be, so there should not be any pressure on Roethlisberger to hurry back.

Next week’s game in Baltimore will be gut check time. Both teams will be desperate to stay alive in the AFC playoff hunt. Despite its meltdown in the fourth quarter and overtime, the Steeler defense has given up just 11 touchdowns this season. The special teams and offense have given up eight. Are the Steelers overrated or are they just going through a rough patch of the season? There will be no better test than Baltimore next week.

Next game: November 29 in Baltimore @ 8:20 pm Eastern

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It’s Official: Pittsburgh Steelers Offense is Punchless With Bruce Arians

If you are a member of Steeler Nation, the impossible happened today. The Pittsburgh Steelers got swept by the Cincinnati Bengals today 18-12, thus giving the Bengals the inside edge to the AFC North.

However, for people who have been following the Steelers closely since the Mike Tomlin era began in 2007, a game like this was inevitable.

Last season and some games this season, the Steelers overcame bad offensive playcalling by offensive coordinator Bruce Arians . Today, it was not possible.

Four trips to the red zone netted just 12 points for the Steelers offense. Against a solid team like the Bengals, that will never win games.

Today’s game is not about the Bengals taking control of the division and sweeping the Ravens and Steelers for the first time ever.

It was more about how badly Ben Roethlisberger played and how worse than usual the playcalling was today. As bad as this loss was, perhaps there will be a silver lining.

Perhaps the Steelers offensive leaders like Hines Ward and Roethlisberger will finally realize this notion. When Bruce Arians calls the plays, the Steelers have one of the five worst offenses in football.

The question is, when will priority of winning games take over the friendship Roethlisberger has with Arians?

18 runs to 44 pass attempts? Are you kidding me? Rashard Mendenhall only got 13 rushes after a 155-yard game last Monday in Denver. Did he not pay attention to details again this week? That is inexcusable, and it has to fall on Arians.

Now I am not advocating the Steelers go to the no-huddle full time, but it was clear today that the no-huddle (when Arians is not calling the plays) needs to be a bigger part of the offense.

Same goes for the running game with Mendenhall, who never got a chance to get going.

B en Roethlisberger and the receivers deserve some blame too. After all, Roethlisberger played his worst game of the season today and the receivers did not help him out that much.

The Steelers’ biggest play today was a pass-interference penalty for Mike Wallace that could have gone either way. That is just sad.

However, it goes back to play calling. Since he won’t be fired any time soon, he should be “encouraged” to run the ball more.

If this really is Mike Tomlin’s team, then we should see a different and tougher approach on offense next week against the Kansas City Chiefs .

The defense for the most part did their jobs, holding the Bengals running game in check and not allowing Carson Palmer to complete deep passes. After a shaky start, the third down defense got much better.

All in all, the defense played well without Troy Polamalu , holding the Bengals to four field goals. As for Polamalu, let’s all hope that he is OK to go for the stretch run (i.e., both games against the still-tough Baltimore Ravens ).

The special teams is once again atrocious. That kick return by Bernard Scott was so much like Tab Perry ‘s return against the Steelers in 2005. Percy Harvin, Joshua Cribbs , and now Bernard Scott ?

I know one man does not make an entire unit, but given the poor decisions and poor ball security that Stefan Logan has shown through nine games this season (this time bringing the ball out of the end zone after he muffed the kick and only getting to the 15 yard line), Anthony Madison should be signed by Thanksgiving.

The Steelers have seen too many games lost on special teams play and this year, it could happen again.

With Mike Wallace returning one kick today, it might have been a preview for future change in that position.

Logan has not done anything to cement his role as the kick and punt returner so I think if he does nothing again or worse, keep bringing the ball out of the deep end zone like he has done the past few weeks, then cut him loose and sign Madison to bolster the special teams.

The Steelers have the Chiefs next week, which could be a good thing. For one, the Chiefs are not a very good team and it could help to work out all the kinks.

However, if Arians does not change his playcalling philosophy and run a balanced offense, the Steelers could drop one in Kansas City. Let’s all hope some changes come before it’s too late.

Next game: Sunday, Nov. 22, at Kansas City Chiefs @ 1 p.m.

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Looking Super? Steelers Run Over Broncos In Denver, Face Cincy Next

The Pittsburgh Steelers routed the Denver Broncos tonight 28-10, answering a lot of questions.

For example, would hard-hitting safety Ryan Clark risk his life to play? (No) Would the Steelers miss the three starters on defense (Clark, Lawrence Timmons, Aaron Smith’ s replacement Travis Kirschke) against a 6-1 team that has not lost a game at home this year? (Not really) Would the Steelers fourth-quarter defense, outscored 56-23 thus far this season, toughen up and shut down the cardiac Broncos late in the game? (Yes)

While I do have some concerns with the Steelers after this win (more on that later), this was a statement win. Now going on a short week against the Cincinnati Bengals this Sunday, the Steelers have a chance to take control of the AFC North and are primed for another postseason run.

Here are the observations and concerns from tonight’s game:

 

1. Bruce Arians finally got it right … in the second half.

In the first half of this game, the Steelers offense looked lackadaisical, not sharp at all. It could be attributed to the longer than usual bye week (who plays a Monday Night game after a bye week?), it could be attributed to Denver’s defense, or it could have been the chronic issue of offensive coordinator Bruce Arians ‘s average to bad playcalling.

The most telling stat of the game for me was this: Rashard Mendenhall got six carries in the first half. In the second half, he got 16 and went 130 yards just in the second half alone. Mind you the Steelers offense never got going in the first half but Arians finally got it right. A balanced offense leads to Steeler wins. 29 runs and 32 pass plays attest to that.

Ben Roethlisberger was great again tonight but he does not have to do everything by himself. He has a potentially great running back and an offensive line who showed tonight they can run block effectively against a good defense.

Mendenhall has the ability to go to the Pro Bowl this season IF Arians gets him enough carries. Tonight he posted 155 yards in Denver, the fourth highest ever by an opponent in the Mile High City since the 1970 merger.

Mendenhall tonight again showed why he was taken in the first round last season and why Willie Parker’s days as a Steeler are numbered. But to make it to the elite status of AFC running backs, Arians needs to get Mendenhall enough carries. Tonight he did and he should be commended.

 

2. Willie Colon is proving me wrong

I have stated in the past that right tackle Willie Colon , a starter since 2007 season, needed to be benched or be moved to guard where his less than stellar pass blocking ability against speed rushers would not be exposed as much.

Tonight, he set Mendenhall up on most of the big runs in the second half, often just plowing up Denver defenders to the ground. While Colon can improve as a pass blocker at right tackle, there is nothing wrong with his run blocking.

 

3. Mike Wallace … Offensive Rookie of the Year??

Don’t laugh. It is a distinct possibility. The speedster from Ole Miss could unseat Minnesota’s Percy Harvin as the favorite for the Offensive Rookie of the Year, especially if he keeps getting open deep and catching the ball like he did on the 25-yard TD catch that put the Steelers up 21-10.

Wallace is having the best season by a Steeler rookie wide receiver since Louis Lipps in 1984. Not even Hines Ward, Plaxico Burress, Lynn Swann, or John Stallworth have had the rookie campaign that Wallace is having.

I really thought that Wallace would have a great impact as a kick returner only, not as the third receiver. But given the trust that Ben Roethlisberger has in Wallace from the first game of the year coupled with Limas Sweed dropping passes and not doing much else, saying that Wallace has been a pleasant surprise is a gross understatement.

 

4. The defense is getting better and better each week

While the third-down defense in the first half tonight was not good, allowing five conversions in nine attempts, in the second half they locked Denver down. In the second half Denver went 0-for-5 on third downs. The Steelers defense gave up just one field goal and that was it. It was the best defensive effort of the season and a great match before facing the Cincinnati Bengals this weekend.

Tyrone Carter filled in admirably tonight. While it was smart of Ryan Clark to sit out tonight’s game, Carter showed that he is good enough to be a starter in this league, getting two interceptions. Same goes for Keyaron Fox filling in for Lawrence Timmons and Nick Eason filling in for Travis Kirschke.

While the defense collected just two sacks (both by the underrated Brett Keisel), they put enough pressure on Kyle Orton to make him feel uncomfortable. The run defense tonight was stellar, allowing just one yard in the second half and 27 overall.

While Denver came out firing on the opening drive, the Steelers defense toughened up and played like the champions they are. And wait until Ryan Clark and Lawrence Timmons come back. It will only get better. Dick LeBeau should be commended, but this is just another day at the office for the soon to be Hall of Famer.

 

5. OK, enough of Stefan Logan please.

Most of the readers here know I am not a big fan of Stefan Logan, the mighty mite kick returner from the Canadian Football League. I loved his story of coming to the NFL but he should not have made the active roster. Special teams ace and cornerback Anthony Madison deserved that last spot. Alas, Logan made the team and Madison got cut.

While Logan did not fumble the ball on returns like he did against Chicago and San Diego, he did something even worse in my mind. Logan, on three occasions, brought the ball out on kickoffs that sent him back at least five yards deep in the end zone. Only once did he get the ball to the 20 yard line. He did not help with field position at all.

I think Mewelde Moore, given his sure hands and his smarts, should be the full time punt returner and rookie Joe Burnett, activated for the first time this season, should be given another shot at the kick returner job. Logan could have really hurt the Steelers tonight with his decisions to run out of the end zone. The way he is going, it will be a matter of time before one of his mental gaffes or fumbles cost the team a win.

There were so many good stories from this game that I did not even mention Santonio Holmes, who had a great day with nearly 100 yard receiving against Champ Bailey. Or how about Hines Ward with two touchdown catches? But make no bones about it, this was a big win. However, the biggest test of the season is less than six days away.

Cincinnati is for real. Cedric Benson is proving everyone wrong about being finished and is showing why he was a top-five pick just four years ago. Carson Palmer is back to being the Pro Bowl QB. Cincy’s defense is stout and fast. It will not be easy but the Steelers are hitting their stride just in the right time. It will be a great game, no doubt.

Until next time.

Next game: Cincinnati Bengals, November 15 @ 1 p.m. Eastern

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Are these Wins Hiding the Real Issues? Steelers Hang on to Beat Vkings

The Pittsburgh Steelers pulled out a very good win today against the 6-0 Minnesota Vikings 27-17. The Steelers defense in the fourth quarter forced two turnovers, and scored two defensive touchdowns, which sealed the win, now the fourth in a row.

The defense looked sharp for most of the fourth quarter, and made clutch plays against Vikings QB Brett Favre, forcing a fumble which LaMarr Woodley took 77 yards for a touchdown, and then Keyaron Fox caught a bad throw from Favre, and returned it 82 yards for a touchdown with one minute left in the game. However, this win, like all wins in the NFL, hid the issues that has plagued the Steelers all season.

For Steeler Nation and the team itself, the win is very good because it showed that the defense can step up against a good offensive team and win the game. However, several issues need to be addressed during the bye week, and before the next game in Denver on Nov. 9.

Here are some of the observations:

1. Bruce Arians still needs to go.

It is a broken record now, I am not a fan of the Steelers’ offensive coordinator. I have begrudgingly given Arians some respect for the balanced play calling against Cleveland but today, he was stagnant once again. One offensive touchdown today and it was due to the no huddle offense. Today he wasn’t even One Drive Bruce. He was actually worse than that.

It seems that Arians abandons the run faster than Mike Martz used to when Martz was terrorizing his own various teams with his horrid play calling. Rashard Mendenhall started three different drives with 10-plus-yard runs and Mendenhall is only given 10 carries period.

Mind you Mendenhall did fumble again, but why abandon the run? Willie Parker might be done, but Mewelde Moore proved he can carry the ball for stretches. Just 20 rushes today? That is horrible especially since the Steelers averaged over five yards per carry against a very good Minnesota defense.

Mark my words, unlike last season, the Steelers will not win in spite of Arians, they will lose because of him. It should not matter if Arians and Ben Roethlisberger have a great relationship; the best available person should call the plays. Let’s just hope that the Steelers smarten up with Arians soon, because it could cause the Steelers from going on a long playoff run.

 

2. The Steelers kick coverage is horrible and needs serious work .

Last week it was Joshua Cribbs. Today it was Percy Harvin. Yes, much maligned kicker Jeff Reed made an absurd half attempt at pushing Harvin out of bounds, but it should not have come to that. Is it the Heinz Field turf or is it the coverage? I would like to say it is coverage because the Steelers haven’t come close to scoring on a kickoff this season.

Either way, the special teams has to shape up soon, or it could be like the past years when the special teams cost the team a shot at a Super Bowl (see 2001 season).

 

3. The Stefan Logan experiment needs to end now.

Speaking of special teams, most people thought that having the feel-good story of the summer, Stefan Logan making the active roster would boost the Steelers return game. I have not seen any positive impact from Logan at all. Plus, every time he gets held up, Logan is a threat to fumble the ball to the other team, which he has done twice this season.

I loved the Logan story, but not enough to see him on the roster. I am sure that rookie speedster Mike Wallace could do just as a good job on kick returns, and Mewelde Moore is not a liability on punt returns. With Aaron Smith being put on injured reserve, Logan’s spot could go to Ra’Shon Harris, adding more depth to the defensive line on game days.

Wallace is important to the offense but remember this: Nate Washington and Antwaan Randle El also returned kicks while as the third receiver during their early careers with the Steelers. I think Wallace would be an exciting kick returner and his offensive production would be still great.

 

4. The third down defense is atrocious.

Seriously, what in the world is going on with the Steelers on third downs? Not being able to get off the field on third downs cost the Steelers a win in Cincinnati. In Detroit, it was 11-for-18. Today, it was nine-for-18. Not only that, the Vikings completed third-and-longs, including a third-and-18. That is inexcusable, especially for such a very good defense.

I know it is near blasphemy to criticize defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, but one must look at LeBeau first on the third down issues. Though I have to give the Vikings their just due, some of these third downs should have never been converted. We can only hope that these issues get worked out during the bye week.

While I am pleased to see the Steelers win, I only hope that coach Mike Tomlin does not overlook the issues that has plagued the team all season. The fourth quarter defense is getting much better, but it is not a good sign when the offense struggles to score more than one touchdown.

While I hope that Troy Polamalu and everyone else recovers from whatever has ailed them in the first seven weeks during the bye week, I also hope the Steelers will be prepared to take on the Broncos after the bye week. One should definitely be pleased with the 5-2 record, but it will not mean anything if the Steelers don’t fix their problems as they head into the middle part of their schedule.

 

Next week: enjoy the bye week!

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Enough Already: Steelers Still Can’t Put Teams Away In The Fourth Quarter

The Pittsburgh Steelers had another fourth quarter scare today, this time in Detroit.

The Steelers hung on to beat the Lions 28-20 behind three touchdown passes from Ben Roethlisberger and another solid outing from Rashard Mendenhall.

The game should have been over in the third quarter. Instead it came down to the last minute of the game.

For the 2009 Steelers, not finishing the game strongly in the fourth quarter has been a recurring theme. It cost the Steelers wins in Chicago and Cincinnati. It made the games against San Diego and Detroit more exciting than I, or most in Steeler Nation, cared for.

Despite having another great showing, the play calling is still questionable. When Mendenhall showed last week he can be relied upon, why did Bruce Arians only call for 15 carries for the young back?

Several times Arians went with three straight passes, most of them wide receiver screens. The Steelers had trouble running the clock out in the second half and made the game way too interesting when it should have been over by the end of the third quarter.

Why not give the ball to Mendenhall or Mewelde Moore? The Lions showed they could not stop the run but Arians keeps being hardheaded and stubborn, going with the pass. Against better opposition, the Steelers would not be able to hang on like they did today.

On the plus side, Mike Wallace has looked sharp, catching another long pass, this time for his first touchdown of his career. It’s especially refreshing since Wallace atoned for an earlier drop. Expect to see more deep throws to the speedy rookie out of Ole Miss.

Also, with another drop today (though not as critical as the ones in the past), I don’t see Limas Sweed being on the active roster again unless injury occurs. I think Shaun McDonald will become the fourth receiver for good.

It was a welcome sight for the pass rush to finally wake up when Daunte Culpepper tried to lead the Lions back for a potential tying score. LaMarr Woodley finally got on the sack board and had his best game thus far this year as did James Harrison.

However, one number that sticks out is 11 for 18. That was the third down conversation rate for the Lions today. The Steelers had trouble getting off the field on third downs and it has been a recurring theme this season.

Hopefully Dick LeBeau will get this issue solved very soon. Given that All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu will likely return next week against the Cleveland Browns, some of those issues should be fixed.

A win is a win and I will take it.

This record is not what I expected for the Steelers thus far but it is better than being winless. Next week could be the first time this season that the entire projected defense will finally play a game together so there is hope for better football on the horizon.

Next game: home against the Cleveland Browns @ 1 pm Eastern.

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Steel Super? Pittsburgh Steelers Survive San Diego Chargers 38-28

The Pittsburgh Steelers endured a fourth quarter rally against the San Diego Chargers tonight and won 38-28. Several questions still remain but some issues did get answered. Steeler Nation can breathe easy after this win but still has to remain nervous, especially in the fourth quarter. Here is the breakdown:

The Offense: Running back Rashard Mendenhall, who Coach Mike Tomlin benched on offense last week in Cincinnati, showed the country why the Steelers took him in the first round in 2008.

He flashed the power and acceleration that made him a star at Illinois. Mendenhall went for 166 yards and scored the first two touchdowns of his NFL career. 

But more than that, Mendenhall answered the question on short yardage and goal line situations. He powered through the Charger defense and outside of two runs, he fell forward for positive yards. Suddenly third and short is not an improbability for the Steelers anymore, at least it wasn’t tonight.

What more can be said about Ben Roethlisberger? He played with great poise and found seven different receivers to extend drives. Yes, he took three unnecessary sacks but the Steelers (and us in the Steeler Nation) came to grips with this a long time ago.

Speaking of sacks, the Steelers offensive line did a very good job tonight. Chris Kemoeatu played like the runaway freight train that he is, pulling and leading the way for Mendenhall all night.

Willie Colon was not beat off the snap by edge rushers and was stout in the running game. Justin Hartwig also played well, as did Trai Essex against the run. For me, the offensive line deserves the game ball along with Mendenhall and the entire offense.

For at least one week, the much criticized offensive line earned some respect. We can only hope that it continues as the season progresses.

Hines Ward had another 100 yard game and Heath Miller continues his great play as the overlooked tight end that no one outside of Steeler Nation talks about. Mike Wallace and Santonio Holmes also made solid contributions.

At least for one week, I cannot harshly criticize much beleaguered offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. He kept his foot on the pedal all night and his play calling tonight was very good.

The new four receiver on one side formation was brilliant as was the halfback pass by Mewelde Moore. For the first time in a long time, Arians showed creativity and imagination.

The best thing tonight from Arians? Having backup guard Doug Legursky lined up as a fullback in goal line situation. That brought a smile to my face. We can all hope it continues for the rest of the season.

The Defense: At least for the first three quarters of the game, the Steeler defense actually played like the stereotypical Steeler defense; tough, aggressive, and hard hitting.

However, in the fourth quarter, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers and All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates lit up the Steelers like a Christmas tree. Rivers threw for three touchdowns and Gates went over 100 yards and two scores.

While San Diego’s offense is very talented, the game should have never gotten close as it did. Where was the Steeler defense in the fourth quarter? For the third straight week, the game got way too interesting only this time the Steelers held on and won.

The Chargers did not even try to run the ball, only nine attempts for 16 yards. However, the air attack against the secondary in the fourth quarter was just horrible. Rivers led two scoring drives that went under two minutes each.

Here is the obligatory “do the Steelers miss Troy Polamalu” part of the article. Yes, they miss him but his replacement, Tyrone Carter, did not allow all the scores by himself.

The defense struggled to put pressure on Rivers for the most of the night and any QB with Rivers’s talent would carve up any secondary that has to hold their coverage longer than four seconds. But I am happy to hear that Polamalu will probably come back next week.

Reigning Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison got two sacks tonight, including the final one that forced the game ending fumble recovered by James Farrior. So Steeler Nation can breathe easy on the lack of sacks from Harrison. That fumble was the first takeaway the Steelers got since opening day.

LaMarr Woodley is still without a sack but he played pretty well tonight as did most of the defense. However, the defense needs to maintain their intensity for all four quarters, not just the first three.

Special Teams: First allow me to say this: I really liked the Stefan Logan story. I think it is pretty cool that someone so small can make an NFL active roster. However, I did not love his story enough to strongly advocate him making the team out of training camp.

Why? Because Logan made his great plays against a bunch of guys in preseason, bunch of guys who had little chance of making an NFL roster. Logan fumbled again tonight, now the second one in three weeks.

But while the fumble led to a Jacob Hester touchdown, I had more issue with Logan fielding that punt or not calling fair catch. Logan had no room to maneuver and the Steelers offense would have been set up with good field position, around the 35-40 yard line.

Logan has not impressed me much at all and his fumbling I believe will be an issue, not an anomaly. I still believe that Mewelde Moore should be used on all punt returns with Santonio Holmes getting some chances and speed burner Mike Wallace being used as the kick returner.

Logan’s roster spot could be used for a player who does more than just return kicks. It could be used for a defensive lineman for more depth (now needed given Nick Eason‘s release) or someone who can contribute more to the team than Logan has. Right now, I see no real difference in the return game last season and this season, save for the fumbles by Logan.

However, on a great note, Jeff Reed answered a lot of questions tonight with his 46 yard field goal that iced the game. Reed is allowed to have bad days too and how many times is Reed going to kick in Soldier Field? Not often at all.

Conclusion: While I am ecstatic about the win tonight against the Chargers, the fourth quarter meltdown has to worry the Steelers and Steeler Nation. This now makes it the third week in a row in which the fourth quarter defense was non-existent.

I still believe some changes need to be made. One good thing that occurred this week was Frank Summers being put on injured reserve and Carey Davis being signed. I have never been a huge fan of Davis but he is light years better than Summers.

Enjoy the win but I hope the Steelers don’t take next week’s opponent, the  Detroit Lions, lightly. The way the Steelers have played in the fourth quarter thus far this season, nothing should be taken for granted.

Until next time…

Next game: Away against the Detroit Lions, 1 pm Eastern.

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Steelers-Titans Opener: What I Learned

The Pittsburgh Steelers opened the 2009 regular season with a hard hitting 13-10 overtime win over the Tennessee Titans. It was a physical game with a lot of yards but not many points. The defending champions extended their opening game win streak to seven, going back to the 2002 season. However, I have not seen more worrying after a win than last night’s game. Here is what I learned and concluded:

 

1. The Bruce Arians Problem: The Steelers offense struggled mightily when offensive coordinator Bruce Arians called the plays. QB Ben Roethlisberger looked lackadaisical early in the game, missing receivers and throwing interceptions (one of them a Hail Mary to end the half). Even worse, Arians’s play calling is so predictable that I can’t even make jokes about it anymore, mostly because it is a joke in itself.

However, when the Steelers ran the no-huddle and Roethlisberger called the plays, the Steelers looked sharp and scored a touchdown to Santonio Holmes. In the second half, the Steelers also ran the no-huddle on the game tying series only to go back to Arians calling the plays, which led to a field goal, not a touchdown.

If anyone saw the Steelers play last season, they would know how effective Roethlisberger was running the no-huddle. Now what I conclude is not something as drastic as Big Ben and the offense run the no-huddle full time a la Peyton Manning and the Colts but something else.

The Steelers should not have let the shine of the Lombardi Trophy blind them from the truth. Bruce Arians should not have been retained after last season. The Steelers won the title in spite of many things, one of those being the offensive play calling.

Arians should be let go before he costs the team some games like he did last season.  Ken Anderson, who also has a strong relationship with Roethlisberger, should be the offensive coordinator.

I don’t know how Anderson, the former underrated QB for the Bengals, would be as the play-caller but for the last several seasons, Arians has not done anything to convince me that he is worthy of being the play-caller.

2. The Running Game is AWOL: In the past, the Steelers would have lost badly whenever Willie Parker and the running game was as putrid as it was last night. However, Roethlisberger and the receiving corps kept the Steelers in the game and eventually won it in overtime.

Parker, who is in a contract season, looked like he was the undrafted free agent that he was, not the Pro Bowl runner he was in 2007 and 2006. As for Rashard Mendenhall, he did not impress either. With each carry, he looked more and more like a draft bust instead of the stud he was at Illinois.

The best running back last night was Mewelde Moore, who was the unsung hero of the Steelers offense for much of last season and played the role again last night. Parker and Mendenhall got benched for much of the second half and Moore got majority of the snaps.

What I conclude is this. Tomlin made the right move in going with the hot guy, which was Moore last night. However, if Parker can’t get going any time soon, he will not get that big money deal that he so desperately wants. As for Mendenhall, he could be the worst Steelers first round pick since Jamain Stephens. I hope both Parker and Mendenhall prove me wrong real soon.

3. The Offensive Line is Not As Bad As It Looked: The Steelers offensive line gave up four sacks last night but only one I could say was given up by the offensive line. On two occasions Roethlisberger held the ball too long and scrambled into a sack and on another occasion, Roethlisberger did not see Jevon Kearse coming in untouched, thus did not make the hot read.

Now I am not going to anoint the offensive line as the best thing ever, but they did OK and was not horrible, especially in the second half. The run blocking could be much better and I think it will get better. After all, the Titans do have a good defensive line even without Albert Haynesworth and they showed it last night.

While I have advocated for right tackle Willie Colon and right guard Trai Essex to switch positions, they held their own in the second half and overtime. I hope that the line gels as a unit and gets much better before Roethlisberger gets seriously injured. Speaking of Big Ben…..

4. Until Tom Brady Proves His Knee is Good to Go for the Entire 2009 Season, Roethlisberger is the Best QB in the League Right Now: That’s right, as of this moment, matter of fact since last season’s playoff run, Roethlisberger has done nothing but win games with his arm.

Yes, he holds on to the ball too long. Yes, he takes too many sacks. Yes, he does not look smooth as Brady and Peyton Manning in the pocket. Yes, he does not look like a classic QB. So what? All Roethlisberger did last night was throw for 363 yards and win the game in overtime.

Remember all the dissenters who kept saying that whenever Roethlisberger throws the ball more than 30 times a game that the Steelers would lose? I don’t think so. Big Ben has not been a “game manager” for a long time.

This is his team and he showed last night that he can fight the obstacles and win games once again. Last night was his 18th game winning drive in the 4th quarter or overtime in his career.

Since he came into the league in 2004, no QB has led his team to more game winning drives than Roethlisberger. Given that he has two rings and has won over 50 games in just five plus seasons, it is time to put Roethlisberger in the same pedestal as Brady.

5. Santonio Holmes=Superstar: Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes showed that he was more than just deep speed last night. He essentially became Roethlisberger’s number one target when the stakes got higher.

Potential Hall of Fame receiver Hines Ward put up excellent numbers last night, going over 100 yards again, but Holmes is slowly becoming the main man in PIttsburgh. Now entering his fourth season and only 25 years old, Holmes is primed to enter the world that only Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson, and Anquan Boldin live in, the world of young superstar receivers.

6. Troy Polamalu’s MCL: As of this morning, the diagnosis of MCL sprain to Troy Polamalu’s knee is still holding. This means that Polamalu will likely miss 3 to 6 weeks. MCL sprain of course is the same injury that Hines Ward played with in last season’s Super Bowl.

Polamalu looked like the NFL defensive player of the year just in the first half. That interception with rookie Kenny Britt pushing off on him was just amazing but not surprising considering who pulled it off. The tackle for loss on Chris Johnson was so typical Polamalu that no one should be surprised. 

I hope that Tyrone Carter and Ryan Mundy can hold the fort for the next month or so before Polamalu comes back healthy. I hope that the Steelers play this injury very carefully. I have seen Polamalu come back too early from injury and look like a lesser player, not the same old Polamalu (see 2006 season, especially against the Ravens that season).

7. There will be no Super Bowl hangover with this team: In the 2006 season, the Steelers began the year horribly 2-6 before scrambling for a disappointing 8-8 season. That 2006 team was just happy to have won the Super Bowl and they played like it.

They quit against the Jaguars in week two, gave the game away thanks to Ricardo Colclough against the Bengals in week three, and so on. Mike Tomlin will not allow this team to rest on their laurels because Tomlin still coaches like he has something to prove.

This is no knock on Bill Cowher in his final season in Pittsburgh; after all, he did finally win one after years of coming up short. I would be relieved too if I was Cowher. However, this team is much different than the 2006 team in many ways. I only hope that the offense finally smartens up, the offensive line gels, and no one else misses too many games.

Next game: Sept. 20 at Chicago.

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