Is a Ward-Roethlisberger Divide Causing Steelers’ Downfall?

Hines Ward thinks Ben Roethlisberger should play hurt.

 

Roethlisberger isn’t making as demonstrative comments, but is making slight digs at Ward. Earlier this week, when asked if he thought Ward might play tonight at Cleveland with a hamstring injury, he told reporters “Hines will do whatever is best for Hines.”

 

Disagreements between the two aren’t anything new. Following the 2007 season Roethlisberger commented he hoped the Steelers would acquire a tall receiver.

 

Ward, listed at 6-0 but commonly believed to be an inch or two shorter (I have been measured at anywhere from 6-0 to 5-10 ½ tall and when I have stood next to Ward as a credentialed reporter in the Steelers locker room always felt slightly taller), felt slighted by this comment and said so publicly.

 

“We won a Super Bowl, we didn’t have a tall receiver then,” Ward told Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in a Jan. 25, 2008 article. “I don’t see Tom Brady caring about whose tall or not.”

 

The whole Ward-Roethlisberger feud seems petty, but it demands a bit of background.

 

Back in 2003 when I was covering the Steelers for the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat , Ward was often savaged by opposing defenders during an unspectacular 6-10 season.

 

While playing hurt is commonplace in the NFL, Ward was taking a beating that was more and more evident to those around him throughout the season.

 

On one occasion, at his Heinz Field locker following a loss, he was asked how he felt and he told reporters that he was in a daze.

 

Impressed by his ability to handle questions intelligently and with an even temper under such circumstances, I later asked Ward if, since the Steelers were going nowhere and he was a primary component of the team, if he would consider taking himself out of the lineup to heal. No sense in risking a severe injury that could end his career so Pittsburgh could go 6-10 instead of 5-11.

 

Ward would have none of it. The code of being a pro-football player is that if you can, you play. Otherwise, your mettle is questioned by your teammates and your starting position might be in jeopardy.

 

This provides some insight into Ward’s comments to Bob Costas prior to the Steelers’ 20-17 overtime loss at Baltimore Nov. 29.

 

Truthfully, both players are overreacting. Roethlisberger saying he wished he had a receiver he could lob easy touchdown passes to, a la Weegie Thompson. This is not necessarily a slight on Ward, though it is a wish that could hamper the veteran receiver’s statistics.

 

And Ward’s now infamous, “it’s almost like a 50-50 toss-up in the locker room: Should he play? Shouldn’t he play? It’s really hard to say. I’ve been out there dinged up” comment could be attributed to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin’s failure to fully communicate the medical reasoning Roethlisberger did not play against Baltimore to the rest of the team.

 

Or the confusion upon seeing Roethlisberger suit up as the third quarterback rather than being made inactive and Tomlin telling, say Ward, a quarterback in college and high school, he’d be the last resort against the Ravens.

 

But it also shows how the Steelers locker room is split. When Jerome Bettis retired following the 2005 season, he left the question of who the team leader would be.

 

Roethlisberger’s brash and blunt personality certainly helped kick the Steelers in gear during their 15-1 2004 campaign, but it also reportedly rubbed some veterans the wrong way.

 

He was the quarterback, a position that demands leadership by design. But he also was the sort of guy who seemed to be too cocky at times, be it by nearly losing his life by riding a motorcycle without a helmet or telling reporters to their face that “we laugh at you,” for suggesting the Steelers’ offense passed too much.

 

Ward, meanwhile, was the veteran leader; an undersized third-round pick who had beat out players drafted in higher rounds and more physical ability with his work ethic to become not just a starter, but a Hall of Fame candidate. He not only was the sort of player teammates admired, but he often trained in the offseason with them, most notably fellow 1998 draft choice Deshea Townsend.

 

That 50-50 toss up could easily go down the lines of who the Steelers’ feel is their leader.

 

What’s lost in this divide is the cavalier attitude Ward is taking toward head injuries.

 

Just a month after Jeanne Marie Laskas wrote in GQ how former Steelers Mike Webster, Terry Long, and Justin Strzelczyk died young with dementia, following brain injuries suffered by playing football, Ward reportedly theorizes his quarterback should play concussion or not, because, after all, I’ve played “dinged up!”

 

It’s an attitude prevalent in NFL locker rooms that needs to be retired.

 

I don’t necessarily look to Ward as the bad guy in this divide. He is, after all, only giving the Steelers the total loyalty the NFL demands from their players having risked his own health for the sake of the team.

 

And there is no evidence that Roethlisberger would not do the same, rightly or wrongly. He has often played hurt, even when, in hindsight, he probably shouldn’t have.

 

But in trying to figure out why the Steelers are on the longest losing streak a defending Super Bowl champion has ever had, save for the 1987 New York Giants, who lost three of five with a replacement team during a players strike; the question must be asked:

 

Could it have something to do with a locker room divide?

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Ben Roethlisberger: Charges Threaten to Destroy Steelers’ Image

Two things are for sure regarding the sexual assault allegations placed upon Ben Roethlisberger.

 

I don’t know what happened in that Reno hotel room.

 

You don’t know, either.

 

Pittsburgh Steelers fans are worried their star quarterback will be distracted or miss time in 2009, almost assuredly eliminating the chances of a repeat Super Bowl championship. Some have responded with insults to the accuser, a regrettably predictable response.

 

Women’s groups have not, as of yet, attempted to demonize Roethlisberger to great extent. Roethlisberger’s Friday press conference was not met with protesters outside the UPMC Training Facility the way Clarence Thomas’ detractors rallied in support of Anita Hill, for instance.

 

Good. Perhaps there are some of us left who believe “innocent until proven guilty.”

 

Still, what is most distressing about Roethlisberger’s public statement regarding the charges he faces is how he said he “would never force himself on a woman.”

 

If this is the case, then Roethlisberger must explain the photograph accompanying this article, taken from www.deadspin.com from Jan. 31, 2006.

 

True, pouring whiskey down a supposedly willing woman’s throat at a party does not make Roethlisberger a rapist, and this photographed action does not in itself make him guilty of the current charges he faces.

 

But it speaks of irresponsibility. It speaks of, if not “forcing” himself, taking advantage of a woman.

 

It gives Roethlisberger a track record the Rooney family cannot be happy with.

 

Historically, the Steelers pride themselves on their character. True, Ernie Holmes once fired shots at helicopters and steroid allegations have haunted the franchise, but during the franchise’s 1970s heydays the Steelers seemed to have a signature that stood apart from the Oakland Raiders, who prided themselves on being bad guys, or the Dallas Cowboys, who wrapped themselves in Texas arrogance.

 

And was Holmes not suffering from a nervous breakdown during his incident? Does anyone believe the Steelers were the only team with players using steroids? Did Pittsburgh not rid themselves of integral stars such as Eric Green and Bam Morris due to drugs, perhaps preventing their mid-‘90s teams of their full potential, while Dallas players rented out the infamous “White House?”

 

What makes Roethlisberger such an effective quarterback is not so much his physical abilities but his leadership ability.

 

Tommy Maddox, for instance, may have been a better passer, and Kordell Stewart may have been a better all-around athlete, but neither former Pittsburgh quarterback possessed the personality to arrogantly tell his teammates “DO THIS!”

 

This is the ability that helped turn a team filled with many complacent veterans that finished 6-10 in 2003 to 15-1 in 2004 and a Super Bowl championship in 2005.

 

This is the carefree, risk taking demeanor that enabled Roethlisberger to engineer a 78-yard touchdown drive with 2:37 remaining in the Super Bowl on the field, that had him openly defy Andrea Kramer’s questioning following Pittsburgh’s 10-6 victory against Cleveland after a game last season, and to nearly die off the field by not wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle three years ago.

 

And this arrogance also threatens to ruin his football career.

 

If Roethlisberger is found guilty, or even if he settles out of court, and he continues to be employed as the Steelers’ starting quarterback, what message does this send from a franchise that prides itself on sending out positive off the field images?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Handicapping the NFC: Brett Favre Is Still the Key

In my previous article for Bleacher Report, I came across an interesting streak concerning teams that have won the Super Bowl.

 

Almost every team that won the Super Bowl since the American-National Football League merger had made the playoffs the season before.

 

The exceptions to this rule could be broken into two categories-

 

A-    Teams that employed a new starting quarterback from the previous season for the majority of the campaign (the 1980 Oakland Raiders, the 1999 St. Louis Rams, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, and the 2001 New England Patriots).

B-    Teams that finished strong in the prior season (the 2003 Patriots, the 1982 Washington Redskins, the 1981 San Francisco 49ers, and the 1969 Baltimore Colts).

 

Therefore, while handicapping the American Football Conference, it was easy to toss out Buffalo and Jacksonville as true contenders for the 2009 season.

 

But who will the suitors be for the National Football Conference in 2009?

 

Let’s toss out the Detroit Lions, who may be getting a promising new quarterback in Matthew Stafford, but have a long way to go otherwise.

 

Also throw out the Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Rams, and Washington Redskins. Aside from the Redskins’ highly rated defense in 2008, there’s little to believe any of these teams are truly Super Bowl contenders; their hopes are mainly for improvement from 2008.

 

And also, let’s throw out the Dallas Cowboys.

 

This would not likely be a shocking statement if not for Dallas’ reputation as the NFL’s most popular team.

 

But the questions regarding the Cowboys still stand, even without clubhouse lawyer Terrell Owens. Their rushing attack is still suspect. They made defensive coordinator Brian Stewart the scapegoat for not making the playoffs in 2008 despite finishing third in the conference in pass defense and sixth in rushing defense.

 

He’s been replaced by head coach Wade Phillips, proving downsizing is everywhere.

 

Meanwhile, Tony Romo is still a small college, undrafted quarterback who spent three years on the bench before being placed in the limelight in 2006 out of desperation.

 

That 4,000 yard season he had in 2007? Scott Mitchell had one once, too.

 

Playoffs in Dallas? Perhaps. Nobody rushes the passer like DeMarcus Ware, and the pickup of inside linebacker Keith Brooking from Atlanta will help.

 

Super Bowl? Out of the question.

 

This leaves five non-playoff teams from 2008 to analyze; Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, Seattle and Tampa Bay.

 

The Buccaneers are in rebuilding mode after losing their last four games of 2008 and drafting quarterback Josh Freeman in the first round. But in looking at their free agent signings and departures; are replacing Jeff Garcia with Byron Leftwich, Warrick Dunn with Derrick Ward, and wide receiver Joey Galloway with tight end Kellen Winslow really good short-term moves?

 

And for that matter, will Raheem Morris have the career Jon Gruden has had?

 

Youth may be served in Tampa Bay, but is talent?

 

Seattle returns several players from injury, most notably quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and the entire offensive line, and signed wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

 

But the Seahawks won as many games without Hasselbeck as they did with him. The depleted offensive line allowed only 36 sacks, and Seahawks rushers still gained 4.2 yards per carry during the season, but the team still went 4-12.

 

New head coach Jim Mora Jr. underwhelmed in Atlanta, where he once had to use a cell phone during overtime to figure out playoff possibilities and then played for a tie in a game the Falcons would eventually lose. There’s little reason to believe this team will be a championship contender.

 

The Chicago Bears, not to mention head coach Lovie Smith, are predicating their entire success on the acquisition of quarterback Jay Cutler.

 

It’s not a poor strategy. They’ve given him a running back, Matt Forte, who rushed for 1,238 yards as a rookie in 2007. They drafted a wide receiver, Juaquin Iglesias, to throw to. They even signed three offensive linemen, including left tackle Orlando Pace, so Cutler will have the time to throw and find pass catchers among his less-than-impressive receiving corps.

 

The problem is the defense had only 28 sacks last season and the Bears didn’t address this deficiency during the off-season.

 

Defense was also the problem in New Orleans last season. The Saints brought back memories of the San Diego Chargers of the early ‘80s with a top-ranked offense but a porous defense.

 

Quarterback Drew Brees probably won’t throw for more than 5,000 yards this season, only because head coach Sean Payton naturally will want to shift some of the offensive load to running back Reggie Bush, who replaces the released Deuce McAllister for good.

 

But the Saints will assuredly continue to score, and the defense will improve with a new defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams, four free agent signings, and even the top three picks in the draft devoted to stopping the opponents.

 

The question is how much? The above formula for picking Super Bowl champs only fits the 2009 Saints if their 4-3 finish in an 8-8 2008 season qualifies as “finishing strong.”

 

It probably doesn’t. The Saints are an improving team, but the defense needs a year to come together before truly becoming an elite team.

 

San Francisco is showing certain signs of breaking out of their six year losing streak. They won five of their last seven games in a 7-9 2008 season. Shaun Hill had a respectable first season as a starting quarterback, and if Alex Smith can’t come back from a shoulder injury, could mix well with running back Frank Gore, who ran for more than 1,000 yards last season. The 49ers signed right tackle Marvel Smith after their offensive line allowed 55 sacks, and drafted potential star Michael Crabtree to catch passes.

 

So IF Gore, injury prone throughout his career, stays healthy, and IF Crabtree allows Smith to reach the potential he had when he was the first overall pick in the 2005 Draft, and IF the offensive line allows fewer than 40 sacks, and IF former first round pick Manny Lawson becomes the pass rusher the 49ers thought he’d be when they drafted him in the first round in 2006, San Francisco will win their weak division.

 

But face it—that’s a lot of ifs.

 

It’s more likely Arizona will repeat as the division champion. But this is still a 9-7 team in 2008 and they appear vulnerable in 2009.

 

True, Kurt Warner-to-Larry Fitzgerald is the hottest passing attack in the NFL and almost single-handedly overthrew the top defense in the league in the Super Bowl, but the rest of the team ranked from mediocre to lousy statistically.

 

The Cardinals were only 19th in the NFL in total defense last season. They finished dead last in the NFL in rushing.

 

To rectify this, the Cardinals drafted running back Beanie Wells in the first round and signed cornerback Bryant McFadden away from the Steelers.

 

But can a glorified high second round draft choice be a 1,000-yard rusher in his rookie season? How will a defensive back that played in only 10 games last season improve a pedestrian pass rush that sacked only 31 quarterbacks last season?

 

Arizona likely wouldn’t have made the playoffs had they not played in the weakest division in the NFL. Thankfully, they have Matt Leinart in reserve, because by the time the rest of the team catches up to Warner-to-Fitzgerald, Warner may be 40.

 

So don’t expect a repeat appearance in the Super Bowl from Arizona.

 

One of the reasons Arizona went to the Super Bowl in the first place was because Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme threw five interceptions in the playoffs against them.

 

What makes the Panthers a less-than-appealing pick to win the NFC is their defense. Carolina allowed 30 or more points in six of their final eight games and more than 21 in all of them.

 

Moreover, to sign big-name free agents like Delhomme and defensive end Julius Peppers, the Panthers lost many of their role players, such as fullback Nick Goings and kick returner Mark Jones.

 

Carolina is still a good team, but is not an improved one.

 

Neither are the New York Giants, who collapsed down the stretch in 2008 without Plaxico Burress. They drafted wide receiver Hakeem Nicks in the first round, but to ask him to fill the shoes of Burress or fellow departed receiver Amani Toomer is asking a bit much.

 

Add in the loss of 1,000-yard rusher Derrick Ward to the Bucs, and the Giants don’t figure to win as many as 12 games again.

 

It would therefore appear the NFC Championship Game could be a rematch of 2004 with the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles.

 

The Eagles had the top-ranked defense in the NFC last year and finished in the top 10 in the league in total offense. Donovan McNabb has shed his initial desires to be a running quarterback, and is now a winning quarterback who thinks pass first. The past five seasons have had McNabb post the top four passer ratings of his career.

 

The Eagles even gave McNabb new weapons to work with in the draft with wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and running back Shady McCoy.

 

McCoy figures to spell Michael Westbrook, who is recovering from a knee injury in 2008.

 

The defense did lose free agent safety Brian Dawkins to Denver, but he is now 35.

 

What the Eagles lose in leadership they hope to gain with the continued maturity of run-stuffing middle linebacker Stewart Bradley and a promising cornerback duo of Asante Samuel and ex-Patriot Ellis Hobbs.

 

Atlanta didn’t have the defense of Philadelphia, and lost Brooking and strong safety Lawyer Milloy to free agency.

 

But after allowing nearly five yards per rush in 2008, the idea is to allow second round pick William Moore to replace Milloy, first round draft choice Peria Jerry to plug the middle on the defensive line, and to hope veteran free agent Mike Peterson exceeds the results Brooking put up at middle linebacker.

 

Seven of the Falcons’ eight draft picks went to defense, and tight end Tony Gonzalez was added to give second-year quarterback Matt Ryan yet another weapon to go along with 1,699-yard rusher Michael Turner and Pro Bowl receiver Roddy White.

 

Atlanta’s defense is a cinch to improve, thus making them one of the two best teams in the conference.

 

Unless…

 

Unless the Minnesota Vikings sign Brett Favre to be their quarterback.

 

Current projected starter Sage Rosenfels is not the quarterback one employs to sell tickets or win championships. He’s a career backup and has thrown 22 interceptions during the last two seasons despite making only 10 starts. That’s hardly the sort of efficiency one wants out of a quarterback whose main offensive focus is giving the ball to running back Adrian Peterson.

 

Favre threw as many interceptions, 22, as he did touchdowns for the New York Jets last season, but also took them from 4-12 in 2007 to the cusp of a division title at 10-6. His stature was such that long-time underachiever Thomas Jones became the AFC’s leading rusher in 2008 as defenses had to prepare for gunslinging first and ground control second.

 

If Brett Favre can turn Jones into a 1,300-yard rusher, what will his presence, even at 40, do for Peterson?

 

Now give Favre Bernard Berrian, who averaged more than 20 yards on 48 catches in 2008. Draft another wide receiver, Percy Harvin, in the first round to complement him, and a 6’8″, 332-pound right tackle, the appropriately named Phil Loadholt, to protect the veteran gunslinger after Minnesota allowed 43 sacks in 2008.

 

Throw in a defense with three Pro Bowl-caliber players on the defensive line: Kevin Williams, Pat Williams, and Jared Allen. The Vikings had the best defense against the run in the NFL in 2009, and though they were a middle-of-the pack team against the pass, veteran cornerback Antoine Winfield seemed to be everywhere last season. The other projected starters are either in, or coming in to, their prime, while Allen led a pass rush that collected 45 sacks.  

 

Minnesota allowed an NFL-record seven touchdowns on kick returns in 2008, a number that certainly will go down and add another victory to the Vikings’ record.

 

And the schedule is rather easy, with a 5-0 start a realistic possibility.

 

With Favre, the Vikings could easily get home field advantage in the playoffs.

 

It has been said Favre wants to play for the Vikings in order to show Green Bay, personally, that they should have welcomed him back after 16 years of loyal service in 2008.

 

What he may wind up doing is exacting revenge on McNabb for 4th and 26.

 

The picks-

 

WITH FAVRE IN MINNESOTA

 

1. Minnesota (12-4) Vikes first Big Dance in 33 years if Favre avoids turnovers
2. Philadelphia (11-5) Perhaps the best team overall
3. Atlanta (10-6) Dark horse contender
4. Arizona (10-6) Should get five victories, minimum, out of their own division
5. Dallas (10-6) The best pass rush in the NFC, but QB-RB combo isn’t there.
6. New Orleans (9-7) Brees + Bush = Big Future

 

WITHOUT FAVRE IN MINNESOTA

 

1. Philadelphia (11-5) The top seed
2. Atlanta (10-6) But something tells me the Falcons would win a title game
3. Chicago (10-6) Cutler vs. Rosenfels goes in favor of the Bears
4. Arizona (10-6) Only because 49ers schedule is much tougher
5. Minnesota (10-6) Favre completes them, but doesn’t make them.  
6. Dallas (10-6) If they do win the Super Bowl, 4-3 in their last seven games of 2008 qualifies as a “strong finish.”

 

The 40-year-old Favre is a question mark, but surely more of an exclamation point than Rosenfels. If he signs with Minnesota, the pick is the Vikings.

 

If he doesn’t, go with Atlanta.

Handicapping the AFC from a Steelers’ Perspective

In analyzing the 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers for Bleacher Report, I am inclined to believe they will be an improved team for the following reasons:

 

A.) They suffered no key losses and will benefit from the gains received in the draft and by having running backs Rashard Mendehall and Willie Parker return from injury.

B.) The schedule will be easier.

C.) The offensive line simply cannot be any worse than it was last year.

 

Assuredly, the Steelers won’t be the only improved team in the American Football Conference.

 

Tom Brady returns from injury, San Diego figures to be better than .500, and there is always a surprise team, such as the Miami Dolphins last season.

 

So, who will be the contenders for the Steelers’ crown? And who will be the surprise teams of 2009?

 

In researching former Super Bowl winners, there is a pattern dating back to 1983 (the season of Super Bowl XVIII, when the Los Angeles Raiders beat Washington in 38-9):

 

A.) Almost every Super Bowl winner made the playoffs the season before.

B.) The exceptions to this rule, the 2001 Patriots, 2000 Ravens, 1999 Rams, and 2003 Patriots, can be broken down into two categories:

1. Teams employing a new starting quarterback for the majority of their Super Bowl winning season (Tom Brady, Trent Dilfer, Kurt Warner).

2.  Teams showing improvement during the previous season. In the case of the 2003 Patriots, New England’s strong, 6-3 finish in 2002 after a 3-4 start spoke of better times ahead. This also was the pattern of the 1982 Washington Redskins, who retained Joe Theismann as their quarterback from 1981 but also finished that season 8-3 after an 0-5 start, and the 1981 San Francisco 49ers, who retained Joe Montana from 1980 and finished 3-2 in a 6-10 season after a woeful 2-14 1979 season.

 

This formula doesn’t eliminate a whole lot of AFC teams from contending in 2009, but it does throw out the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars.

 

Perhaps Terrell Owens will be the addition needed for Buffalo to make the playoffs in 2009, and maybe David Garrard can regain his 2007 form, but it’s safe to say both of these teams are more than a season away from joining the elite of the National Football League and overthrowing the Steelers.

 

Realistically, let’s throw out the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos as well. The Chiefs have added quarterback Matt Cassel, but one gets the feeling it’s going to take more than him for the Chiefs to go from 2-14 to their first conference/league championship in 40 years, and few would argue Kyle Orton or Chris Simms are improvements from Jay Cutler at quarterback for the Broncos, losers of their final three games in 2008.

 

Cleveland doesn’t have the look of a champion, either. They lost their last six games in 2008, all by scoring 10 points or less. Running back Jamal Lewis enters his 10th year in the NFL; he failed to rush for 100 yards in any game last season.

 

Their defense ranked just 13th in the conference, and to repair this, new head coach Eric Mangini brought five players from the Jets with him. The Jets finished ninth in the conference in defense.

 

Even if quarterback Brady Quinn beats out Derek Anderson and becomes an All-Pro, how much can Cleveland realistically expect to improve from 4-12?

 

The New York Jets will have a new quarterback. First-round draft choice Mark Sanchez may be a future star, but no rookie quarterback has ever taken his team to the Super Bowl, and the other signal caller, Kellen Clemens, doesn’t seem to be a likely candidate to go there, either.

 

The Jets drafted well, have a solid offensive line, feature two Pro Bowlers on defense in cornerback Darrelle Revis and nose tackle Kris Jenkins, and they would seem to be a dark horse contender, if they just didn’t have to go against history and a brutal schedule to win the AFC title. Wait until 2010.

 

The three most likely candidates to “rise from the ashes” of the AFC are the Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, and Oakland Raiders, who finished their 2008 seasons with 3-0, 5-1, and 2-0 records, respectively. Ironically, the Texans’ sole loss during this time was to the Raiders.

 

For all the talk of Al Davis going against the grain, Oakland has a promising quarterback-running back duo with JaMarcus Russell and Darren McFadden. They have quality reserves with newcomer Jeff Garcia and Justin Fargas.

 

The Raiders even signed three new offensive linemen to protect their quarterback, as the Raiders were 1-7 when allowing more than one sack last season.

 

While Oakland is a budding power on offense, Houston IS a power, finishing third in the NFL in total yards. Quarterback Matt Schaub threw for more than 3,000 yards despite playing in just 11 games, and though the knee injury he suffered mid-season spoke of the Texans’ historical failures to protect the passer, Houston allowed only 32 sacks in 2008.

 

Schaub has weapons. Andre Johnson was the leading receiver in the NFL. Kevin Walter and Owen Daniels both finished with just less than 900 receiving yards. Steve Slaton finished 30 yards short of the conference rushing lead in his rookie season.

 

The problem is both of these teams struggled defensively. The Raiders have passable talent, with cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha leading a pass defense that allowed fewer yards through the air than any other non-playoff team in the AFC.

 

However, Oakland was 31st in the NFL against the rush in 2008 and didn’t make any significant upgrades on defense. An improvement from 5-11 is likely, especially without the coaching chaos that ruined the Raiders’ 2008 season.

 

If second-round pick Michael Mitchell and oft-injured Tyvon Branch have monster seasons at safety, the Raiders could contend for a division championship, but a conference title seems out of reach.

 

Houston is different. First-round draft choice Brian Cushing promises to be a star at middle linebacker. Dunta Robinson is a shutdown corner who has received criticism for missing some offseason workouts, butPlaxico Burress once did that and the Steelers went 15-1.

 

The Raiders hope to improve defensively; the Texans, 8-8 last season, most assuredly will.

 

And while the Bengals seemed to fall back to their laughingstock ways last season, they were with Carson Palmer for only four games. Seventeen players finished on injured reserve.

 

Despite a 4-11-1 record, the Bengals had the sixth best defense in the AFC in 2008—tops among teams with losing records. The signings of strong safety Roy Williams and defensive tackle Tank Johnson, along with the arrival of linebacker Rey Maualuga, will only make it better.

 

Less than three years ago, Sports Illustrated called the Steelers-Bengals rivalry the nastiest in the NFL. The Bengals lack the running game to make the playoffs, but they might restore the “nasty” in the rivalry.

 

Moving to the playoff teams of a year ago, while the Steelers did not suffer any key losses, the Tennessee Titans lost Pro Bowl defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to free agency and the Indianapolis Colts let Marvin Harrison go. It’s hard to fathom either of these teams improving in 2009 as a result.

 

In trying to match these teams up against the Steelers for AFC supremacy, while both teams have better offensive lines than Pittsburgh, they have few other advantages.

 

For instance, even if one was to say Peyton Manning was a better quarterback than Ben Roethlisberger, the Colts lack the receiving talent the Steelers have with Santonio Holmes, Hines Ward, and Heath Miller, and it seems to be a stretch to say running back Donald Brown will become a more productive player in his rookie season than Willie Parker will.

 

And will new head coach Jim Caldwell be a George Seifert or a Ray Handley?

 

The Titans’ passing attack is unspectacular, to the point that Nate Washington, the Steelers’ third receiver in 2008, may start for the Titans this year. One wonders if running back Chris Johnson will be able to carry the load for a second straight season.

 

Defensively, the Steelers had the top defense in the NFL last season and suffered no key losses. Unless Pittsburgh’s defensive players get old in a hurry or suffer mass injuries, it would seem this would be a huge advantage for the Steelers over the Titans and Colts.

 

Bottom line, look for the Colts and Titans to be looking over their shoulder at the improving Texans more than winning one of the two byes in the AFC playoffs.

 

San Diego will improve. If, for instance, the Chargers beat every team that didn’t make the playoffs in 2008 on their schedule and lose to every one that did, they’ll still finish 10-6.

 

That still won’t be enough to compete with the elite of the AFC. Though Pro Bowl linebacker Shawne Merriman returns, San Diego finished dead last in the AFC in pass defense, yet they did not draft anyone for the secondary until the fifth round and signed no impact free agents.

 

This leaves four teams to challenge the Steelers; the aforementioned upstart Texans, a long-shot pick, and Baltimore, Miami, and New England. 

 

What the Ravens figure to do better than the Steelers in 2009 is protect the passer, as Baltimore allowed 16 fewer sacks in 2008 than Pittsburgh and drafted tackle Michael Oher in the first round.

 

They’ll also rush for more yards. Pittsburgh has a talented trio of running backs in Parker, Mendenhall, and rookie Frank Summers, but so does Baltimore with Willis McGahee, Le’Ron McClain, and Ray Rice.

 

There’s just something about Ray Rice not being able to crack the Ravens’ starting lineup that makes the trio stand out a bit more than the Steelers’.  

 

But Pittsburgh will likely have a superior passing attack. Joe Flacco is good, but he doesn’t have the receivers Roethlisberger does.

 

It is hard to decipher any really big advantage either defense has when compared to the other. Pittsburgh was ranked at the top of the NFL last season and has a superior pass rush, but Baltimore hasn’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in more than two seasons.

 

Both teams will be trying out new cornerbacks. Baltimore does lose inside linebacker Bart Scott, who went with former defensive coordinator Rex Ryan to the Jets, but it appears the primary question in assessing these two teams is if the Steelers can improve their pass protection and if the Ravens can develop a receiver to compliment Derrick Mason.

 

There’s a lot to like about Miami—a great ground game, led by Ronnie Brown.

 

Former West Virginia quarterback Pat White should add new dimensions to the Wildcat formation with a run/pass option Brown does not posess, linebacker Joey Porter, who accumulated 17 ½ sacks last season, is still in his prime at 32, and Chad Pennington is the Dolphins’ best quarterback since Dan Marino.

 

What makes the Dolphins so intriguing is they addressed so many of their needs through free agency and the draft. Miami had the worst pass defense of any team in the AFC with a winning record, so they brought in free safety Gibril Wilson from Oakland and cornerback Eric Green from Arizona while drafting cornerbacks Vontae Davis in the first round and 6’3” Sean Smith in the third.

 

Those who say the Dolphins’ 11-6 record was buoyed by a last-place schedule should acknowledge Miami did not lose a single game to a team with a losing record in 2008.

 

That leaves the New England Patriots, and, despite not making the playoffs, they finished 4-0 and will be replacing Cassel with Brady. They fit the formula.

 

There is the school of thought that the 32-year-old Brady might not be the same quarterback he was before his injury. Remember Terry Bradshaw’s elbow?

 

Then again, 33-year-old Dan Marino returned from a season-ending ankle injury in 1993 to throw for more than 4,400 yards in 1994.

 

If you had to bet on Brady slumping or excelling upon his return, which way would you bet?

 

The Patriots made some nice veteran additions, including running back Fred Taylor, wide receiver Joey Galloway, and cornerback Shawn Springs.

 

New England doesn’t seem to have a real weakness, but they did have a mediocre run defense in 2008. Only one AFC team with a winning record, Indianapolis, had a worse defense against the run than the Patriots did. New England drafted nose tackle Ron Brace in the second round to address this need.

 

In comparing the Patriots with the Steelers, it could be said that while the Steelers struggled with offensive rankings in 2008, the Patriots struggled with defensive rankings.

 

What the Steelers may have on the Patriots is the presence of legitimate defensive stars. No Patriot defenders were named to the Pro Bowl last season for the first time since 2000.

 

Miami’s old “No Name” defense of the ‘70s was a misnomer, because the Dolphins DID have stars; Nick Buoniconti, Jake Scott, Manny Fernandez.

 

But Pittsburgh’s “Steel Curtain” had more, which helped them overtake the Dolphins in that era.

 

If the Steelers and Patriots meet in the playoffs, Pittsburgh would have to utilize this advantage with an influential turnover or other big defensive stand to win.

 

That said, here are my predictions for the AFC Playoffs, with five of the teams capable of ending their season in Miami. 

 

1. Pittsburgh (13-3)—Have more stars than any other team in the conference.
2. New England (12-4)—Perhaps the most complete team in the AFC. They’ll visit Heinz Field for the Super Bowl again.
3. Houston (11-5)—This will be their breakout season. But can they win a divisional playoff game on the road?
4. Oakland (10-6)—Another surprise, but one-and-done in the postseason.
5. Baltimore (12-4)—Consistent, but Flacco needs better receivers.
6. Miami (11-5)—Don’t dismiss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pittsburgh Steelers: Nitpicking the Champs

Nitpicking.

 

An activity where being perfect means only breaking even.

 

A process where the slightest error is overrated.

 

Nobody likes a nitpicker. He’s the guy who thinks he did you a favor by not setting you up with Cindy Crawford because of the mole on her face.

 

Yet when a team wins the Super Bowl and looks to repeat, nitpicking can be a healthy process to figure out how to stay on top, or the process that identifies how a team won’t.

 

As such, in the case of the Pittsburgh Steelers, while their lines and secondary may have been good enough to win the Super Bowl last season, any one of these units might be the Achilles heel of the team in 2009.

 

For instance, the entire starting defensive line will be 31-years-old or more on Sept. 19, the birthday of 30-year-old Brett Keisel.

 

Concern for injury and age? Perhaps, but even with Aaron Smith (33) and Casey Hampton (32), calling any member of the unit past their prime would seem to be premature.

 

Besides, there’s enough depth with Travis Kirschke, Chris Hoke, and first-round draft choice Ziggy Hood that the defensive line doesn’t figure to be a weakness in 2009.

 

Three years from now? Maybe.

 

But not now.

 

Secondary? The main concern seems to be if William Gay can replace Bryant McFadden as the Steelers’ starting corner.

 

Why wouldn’t he be? Gay had as many tackles as a reserve (4) as McFadden did as a starter, a role he filled only eight times in 2008. If he can’t, Deshea Townsend, whose game-winning interception against Dallas propelled the Steelers to their championship run, is in reserve.

 

Throw in draft choices Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett, and an answer at right cornerback figures to be found.

 

No, the primary weakness of the 2009 Steelers figures to be what it was in 2008: the offensive line.

 

A strong argument can be made that despite winning the Super Bowl, or quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s praise of the line’s play in lieu of answering Andrea Kremer’s questions following Pittsburgh’s 10-6 victory at Cleveland Sept. 14, the Steelers had their worst offensive line since the mid-60s, when the Steelers allowed more than 60 sacks in both the 1965 and 1966 seasons.

 

Last season the Steelers allowed 49 sacks, the highest since the 1989 Steelers allowed 51.

 

But the ’89 Steelers had future Hall-of-Famer Dermotti Dawson at center and Pro-Bowl selection Tunch Ilkin at right tackle.

 

That team allowed the rather pedestrian Tim Worley to average 3.9 yards per carry, while this team could only get burner Willie Parker to average 3.8.

 

And that team didn’t see their running backs consistently suffer injuries throughout the season.

 

In an interview I conducted with Ilkin for Bleacher Report on June 2, he spoke of how the Steelers reduced their sacks allowed total from 51 in 1989 to 33 in 1990.

 

“The thing about it is if everyone got a little better, the cumulative effect of everyone getting just a little bit better will have a profound effect on how much time the quarterback has,” Ilkin said.

 

A clichéd answer, perhaps, but not without truth. The hope with Pittsburgh’s offensive line is that none of the unit’s members have started at their position for the Steelers for as many as three years, so with experience they will jell.

 

In 1990, the reduction of sacks came with experience. Left tackle John Jackson, a 10th-round draft choice in 1988 from a Division I-AA college, became a full-time starter for the first time in 1989. Wobbly at first (he started his first game as a rookie in the 1988 preseason against New Orleans and allowed five sacks lining up against Pat Swilling), by 1990 he was hailed as one of the Steelers’ top linemen, as Pittsburgh went from allowing nearly three to less than two sacks a game.

 

So perhaps signing Max Starks to his four-year, $26.3 million contract on June 23 made sense; not only because the contract comes with a $10 million signing bonus that will free salary cap room, but because Starks figures to improve in his second year at left tackle after switching from the right side last season.

 

After starting 34 straight games, Willie Colon enters his prime at right tackle. Veteran Justin Hartwig will likely make better calls in his second year as the starting center, and Chris Kemoeatu and Darnell Stapleton will be in their second year as starters at left and right guard, respectively—unless second-round pick and former Rimington Award finalist Kraig Urbik starts in place of Stapleton.

 

Then again, Colon and Starks have been oft-criticized by Steelers fans, Hartwig nearly cost the Steelers the Super Bowl with his holding penalty that turned a first down reception by Santonio Holmes into an Arizona safety, and, with the exception of tight end Heath Miller, the line will have no starters who were drafted in the first two rounds of an NFL draft.

 

And, just like New England last year, the Steelers are likely doomed if Roethlisberger goes down, while projected third receiver Limas Sweed still hasn’t shown he has hands.

 

But that’s nitpicking.

The Ballad of Jason Capizzi

My hero, Myron Cope, often admitted he had a weakness for poetry.

 

Once, after calling the Steelers post-game show in 1989, he gave me “10 merits and 27 gold stars” for a poem I read on the air (from a pay phone), celebrating the Steelers’ 27-14 victory against Minnesota that turned the season around.

 

Of course, who could forget how the Terrible Towel’s presence was cemented by a listener’s poem, or Cope’s famous ode to a couple of Pittsburgh Maulers’ wide receivers— “Butts and Potts!”

 

But the presence on the Steelers’ roster of Gibsonia native Jason Capizzi, not to mention an offensive line in need of restructuring, has, yes, inspired me to verse!

 

So, in the hopes of a new local star being produced, I give you “The Ballad of Jason Capizzi.”

 

 

Who to replace Smith and Simmons on the Steelers offensive line?

Will it be Starks? Stapleton? Someone new this time?

How ‘bout someone to appease those with dirty minds?

Jason Capizzi—he’s 6 foot 9!

 

Ahead of him on the roster are Essex and Hills        

They have the rings; they make opponents write wills

But there’s gotta be a place for the transfer from Pitt

Cause I think 6 foot 9 can pick up the blitz!

 

Oh, at IUP he was all honey and milkin!

He only gave up one sack—a stat worthy of Tunch Ilkin!

Is there any way to have three tackles on the line?

We want Capizzi at 6″9′!

 

They laughed when Gene Upshaw moved from tackle to guard

Blocking and trapping—can it really be that hard?

I just want Big Ben to have plenty of time

AND HE’LL GET IT—FROM CAPIZZI—AT 6 FOOT 9!

2009 Steelers – Super Bowl Or Bust

“Supper Bowl. Write it down.”

 

The above malapropism was supposedly written on a blackboard at Steelers training camp approximately 20 years ago by quarterback Bubby Brister. Brister was never known for his intellect, but in hindsight if we can understand his writing we can see he was predicting the beginning of an era of Steelers football that has suffered through only four losing records in the last 20 seasons.

 

But this year is different. This isn’t 1989, where Steelers fans were just elated to be in the playoffs after a five-year hiatus, or 1992, when Pittsburgh won their first division title in eight years, or even 2001 and 2004, when despite playing poorly in the AFC Championship game the Steelers’ respective 13 and 15 victory seasons out of nowhere could hardly be called disappointments.

 

This is a season where the Pittsburgh Steelers should be improved from last year’s World Championship season. Where the key returning players are all in their prime, the schedule is easier, and with Rashard Mendenhall coming back from injury it could be argued Pittsburgh will reap the benefits of having two new first-round draft choices contribute this season.

 

Super Bowl. Write it down.

 

True, the New England Patriots have been installed as the Vegas favorite to win Super Bowl XLIV.

 

But the demands of Pittsburgh Steelers fans will not allow them to call another division title with home field advantage a successful season should the Patriots beat them in the playoffs for the third time this decade and fourth time in five postseason meetings dating to 1996.  That would allow the Patriots to officially clinch the title of “Team of the Decade,” if they haven’t already.

 

More importantly, should New England go on to win their fourth Super Bowl this season, it would allow this era’s Patriots to be favorably compared head-to-head with the Steelers of the Seventies. And with five conference titles in a decade compared to the four Pittsburgh won from 1974-79, one can argue the Steelers’ championships were more concentrated, but . . .

 

Fear not, fellow Yinzers! The Steelers will again win the Super Bowl because –

 

• There are no key roster losses. Offensive tackle Marvell Smith? He only played in five games last season and the team won the Super Bowl. Bryan McFadden? He only played in 10. Nate Washington and Byron Leftwich? They didn’t even start. And while inside linebacker Larry Foote has left for Detroit, do you honestly think when Foote recorded 63 tackles as a starter and heir apparent Lawrence Timmons collected 65 as a backup it is a regression?
• There are plenty of roster gains. Maybe the draft did underwhelm, but didn’t the selection of a defensive lineman and right guard seem wise on a team where all the starting defensive linemen are more than 30 years old and the team allowed 49 regular season sacks? What can’t be denied is the return of Rashard Mendenhall to run between the tackles, Daniel Sepulveda to punt instead of Mitch Berger or Paul Ernster, or the fact defensive backs Keiwan Ratliff, Keenan Lewis, and Joe Burnett figure to combat the loss of McFadden, who was hardly the sole reason the defense finished at the top of the league’s statistical rankings last year.
• The schedule has to be easier. While it’s true what was billed as “the league’s toughest schedule” referred to the opponents’ 2007 records and not 2008, the strength of the Steelers schedule still was the second toughest ever for a Super Bowl champion and seventh overall in the league. Pittsburgh played seven games against playoff teams in the regular season, posting a less-than-impressive 3-4 mark, though it should be mentioned Baltimore was 2-5 against foes that made the playoffs and Arizona 1-4 during the 2008 regular season. What’s more impressive is that outside the division Pittsburgh played only one team with a losing record (Jacksonville) and indirectly kept Dallas and New England out of the playoffs, while preventing both Houston and Washington from having winning seasons. This year’s slate features eight games against opponents with losing records in 2008. Finish 7-1 against them and the Steelers need only play .500 against the big boys to finish 11-5.
• The best players are all in their prime. Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker, Santonio Holmes, Heath Miller, and Troy Polamalu are all veterans and are all younger than 30. Tell me these aren’t five of the Steelers’ six best players.
• The offensive line can’t be any worse than it was last year. Can it?

 

If you’re dead set on playing the pessimism game, yes, James Farrior will be 35 by the time the playoffs roll around. Hines Ward and Aaron Smith are 33. Deshea Townsend will be 34.

 

But have any of their performances shown significant signs of a future rapid decline? One might argue Ward, who caught only two passes in the Super Bowl, but he caught nine passes during the postseason, second only to Holmes’ 13 on the team, and averaged 18.7 yards on them despite a knee injury.

 

And, yes, if the offensive line continues to allow more than three sacks a game and Roethlisberger is lost for the season, it will be difficult for the Steelers to repeat, just as it would be difficult for any team to overcome the loss of their starting quarterback.

 

But all things considered, the 2009 Steelers figure to be better than the 2008 squad.

 

Of course, so do the 2009 Patriots with Tom Brady. That’s why a Super Bowl championship is the only way the 2009 Steelers can be called successful by their demanding fans.

 

The franchise’s legacy depends on it.

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