Should The Pats and Colts Break The Bank For Brady and Manning?

When speaking of the greatest players in the NFL today, there is no way either Tom Brady or Peyton Manning can be left out of the conversation. Love them, or hate them, no one can argue they are future first ballot Hall of Fame entrants.

Peyton Manning is on pace to earn most of the individual records for quarterbacks, while Tom Brady is compared to Joe Montana as the best ever.

Both Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have one year remaining on their current contract, meaning after NEXT season, if they are not resigned by the Colts and Patriots, respectfully, they will become unrestricted free agents.

There is no way that is going to happen.

Both Brady and Manning are going to be their teams top priority this off season. With the large contracts being handed out to the class of 2004, Adam Schefter reports that both Manning and Brady are set to sign contracts in excess of $16.25 million per year.

The question is not, “are they worth the money?” My question is how long will they be worth the money?

Peyton Manning was born on Mar. 4, 1976, which means he will be 35 when his contract is set to expire in 2012.

Tom Brady was born on Aug. 3, 1977, which means he will be 34 when his contract expires.

Should either of these two men demand a contract that lasts six years, it will run until after they turn 40.

I know the largest argument will be: Look at Brett Favre.

Do either Colts or Patriots fans believe that their guy will be playing at the level of Favre when they turn 40? Manning and Brady are not the kind of player that Favre is.

Not that they are less good—in their prime years, I would take Manning and Brady over Favre, but they are not the gun slinger that Favre is, and their game relies strictly on the strength of their arms, and their ability to read the defenses.

Once their arm strength begins to diminish, which normally starts to happen around 34-35, they are not going to have the scrambling ability that Favre does have.

For argument sake, lets say that each of them has two years of playing at their current level on their new contract (that means for three more years).

What happens then? You are still on the hook for four more years, at over $16 million dollars per, which translates to $65 million dollars less to spend on other players.

The reality is, to keep these players once they are past their prime, could seriously hinder the chances of success of their current teams, neither of which has had a “bad” season since they have been members of their teams.

So, my question to Colts and Pats fans, what do you want to do with your QB?

Keep them until they are no longer any good, and hurts your teams cap and your teams performance, or let them walk away for a first-round pick after next year?

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Are the 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers Better Than the 2008 Champions?

Prior to the start of the 2008 season, no one was talking about the Pittsburgh Steelers. At least not in a good way. ESPN had the Steelers ranked at No. 7.

All the talk was about how the New England Patriots coming off a perfect regular season, and the talk was about the Patriots being able to repeat that feat. Who could blame them? The Patriots sported the easiest schedule in the NFL.

The Steelers, on the other hand, had the hardest schedule. Not just of the year, but the hardest schedule in nearly 30 years. There is no way the Steelers would be good enough to make it to Tampa Bay for Super Bowl XLIII.

After the first weekend of the NFL season, all of the talk started to change. Tom Brady went down to a torn ACL, and the race to Tampa was on for the rest of the teams in the NFL.

But still, the schedule was so hard, the Steelers would need a minor miracle to make it to the Super Bowl.

Maybe God is a Steelers fan, maybe the stars were aligned just right, or maybe, just maybe, the 2008 Steelers were destined.

The Steelers defense went on to be one of the most dominant defenses in recent history. All of those teams that made up the hardest schedule in 30 years, started falling. The Chargers, then the Cowboys, the Ravens…TWICE.

The Steelers pound their way through the playoffs. The Chargers again, and the Ravens for the third time.

After defeating the Arizona Cardinals, the Steelers were again Super Bowl Champions.

There is no goal to achieve in the NFL better than winning the Super Bowl, none. Dan Marino said he would trade every record he had to win just one Super Bowl.

So, at 6-2, with a game against the Bengals Sunday, how can I talk about this team being better?  Simple, they are!

Comparing the defense to last years, is the hardest to do. Last year’s Steelers were so dominant, people compared it to the Steelers of the 70’s. And THAT was an amazing defense.

The 2008 Steelers finished the season with the top overall ranked defense, allowing only 3,795 yards, 382 yards less than the second place Ravens. They allowed 157 passing yards per game, and only 80 rushing yards per game.

This year, the defense is allowing 214 passing yards per game, and 70 rushing yards per game. The 2009 Steelers are allowing more yards per game, but four of those games were played without Troy Polamalu. And if you don’t think that counts, look at the yardage in the games he missed.

Chicago – 275 yards, 231 passing.

Cincinnati – 273 yards, 173 passing.

San Diego – 497 yards, 320 passing.

Other than the Bengals, the Steelers gave up WAY more passing yards, in those games, way over their average. The Steelers rushing yards against didn’t change, but the passing yards were up.

The biggest difference is the offense. The 2008 version was the 22nd-ranked offense in the league. They were ranked 17th passing with 3,301 yards, and rushed for 1,690 yards, which was good enough for 23rd.

This year’s Steelers are ranked seventh overall, with 2,134 passing yards which is ranked seventh, and 922 yards rushing, which is ranked 15th.

At their current pace, the Steelers will pass for 4,264 yards, which is 963 yards more through the air, and 1,844 rushing yards, which is 154 more rushing yards than last year. This is not only an improvement of 1,107, it is dominating on the other side of the ball.

Last year, there were many games that the Steelers won that were attributed directly to the defense, and the defense deserved it. But no longer does the defense have to do it alone.

Ben Roethlisberger has improved his completion percentage from 59.9%, to 70.6%, and his QB rating from 80.1, to 104.1.

Rashard Mendenhall is averaging 5.7 yards per carry this year, to Willie Parker’s 3.8 of last year.

And as for points, the 2008 team scored 347 points while this years team has scored 195, and is on pace to score 390. That is averaging over four points a game.

So, though the defense may not be as great as the defense of 2008, the offense is considerably better, in all phases of the game.

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Why The Bengals Will Not Beat the Steelers On Sunday

There was a question posted by B. Clifton Burke, asking, “Why Not “, about the chances of the Bengals winning in Pittsburgh this Sunday, for sole position of first place in the AFC North.

Instead of simply commenting to him, which I started, but it was WAY too long, I decided to write my reply in an article.

And I promise not to use,  a) because they’re the Bengals, b) because it’s the Steelers, or c) because it’s a big game on the road.

This Sunday, when the Bengals travel to Heinz Field, they will not be playing the same team they played in week three.

When the Steelers have the ball:

The Steelers offense is no longer the one dimensional running game, where they run on first and second down, and hope to convert throwing on third. The offensive weapons start with Ben Roethlisberger.

Big Ben has a passer rating of 103.3, and has completed 70.6 percent of his passes (the same percentage as Peyton Manning—Tied for best in the NFL). The weapons he has at his disposal are unlike any QB that has suited up for the Steelers since the dynasty days of the 1970’s.

Split out wide, there are two, count them, TWO Super Bowl MVP’s to catch passes, and force the safety to play honest, and not stack the box to prevent the run. In addition, rookie Mike Wallace, who had 102 receiving yards the last time these two teams met up, and Heath Miller who has 43 receptions for 371 yards and four scores.

Add to that, last years first round draft pick, Rashard Mendenhall is now playing like a first round pick should, rushing for over five yards per carry, unlike when Slow Willie Parker was in the game the first time these two teams met.

With the losses of Antwan Odom, Keith Rivers, and Roy Williams, who had a total of 17 tackles in the first game, those players, who are a big reason for the Bengals success so far, are going to have to be made up by someone.

They are going to HAVE to stop the Steelers running game, and have to do so without committing extra pressure with their secondary. If the Bengals are to stop the high powered Steelers offense, they are going to have to do it head up.

When the Bengals have the ball:

The success the Bengals have on offense is going to rely on the running game, and Cedric Benson specifically. Benson is second in the NFL, with only Titans RB Chris Johnson ahead of him. Benson showed up the Ravens in both of their meetings, by not only rushing for over 100 yards in each game, but being the only player in over 40 games to achieve that status.

IF, and it is a big IF, Benson can find success in their ground game, that will force the Steelers to commit either Ryan Clark and/or Troy Polamalu to stopping the run, which will leave either Chad Ochocinco or Laverneous Coles in man to man coverage, and Carson Palmer has the ability to get them the ball.

The Steelers defensive line, though old and banged up, has done an amazing job, leading the Steelers to the fourth ranked defense in the NFL, and first against the run.(Yes, the Bengals are second against the rush, but the Steelers lead them by 108 yards.)

When looking at the first time these two played in Cincinnati, the one key person from the Steelers that was missing was Troy Polamalu. When Carson Palmer hit Andre Caldwell for the winning score, there was no Troy Polamalu in the game. The pass that Caldwell caught was in the zone that Polamalu would have been playing.

The fact is, this Steelers team is playing as good, if not better than the unit that won the Super Bowl last year, and nothing like the unit that the Bengals beat earlier this year. With Polamalu back, there have been no fourth quarter let down, where teams (like the Bengals) have come back and won at the end.

Dick LeBeau has opened up the defensive play book, and offensive teams with plenty of weapons, (Vikings, Broncos) have gotten knocked down to Earth, as will the Bengals on Sunday.

I said prior to the season that the Bengals were going to be a surprise team this season, and I even said they had a chance to make the playoffs. I did say the Ravens would be better than them, but the Bengals have proven they are superior to the Ravens.

If the Bengals can some how beat the Steelers this Sunday in Pittsburgh, they will have the inside track to winning the AFC North, forcing the Steelers to compete for a Wild Card playoff birth. If the Bengals lose, then Pittsburgh will again be atop of the AFC North, and the Bengals will be forced to look at themselves in the mirror, and wonder if they are as good as they thought they were.

My prediction? Big Ben will throw for over 300 yards, and Rashard Mendenhall will rush for 125. Carson Palmer will pass for 225 yards, and Cedric Benson will rush for 75. Pittsburgh wins 34-21.

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Why The Pittsburgh Steelers Need to Sign Larry Johnson.

I read an article today from one of my favorite writers, TJ Jenkins (by the way, GLAD your back TJ), talking about Larry Johnson wanting to play for the Steelers. Read his before you read this. Go ahead.

It seems to me that there are a lot of Steelers fans that don’t think this is a good idea. As a matter of fact, Timothy Kessler said it so eloquently—

The first thing that came to my mind when i read the title to your article was, yeah…and people in hell want ice water.

NOT going to happen .

I commented, giving 10 reasons why the Steelers should take a chance on Johnson, but I would like to go into more detail.

1 – We have a strong enough locker room to control him. If he got out of line, imagine the offensive line moving out of the way and the defense getting a clean shot.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a “Band of Brothers”, as my McDonalds DVD tells me. They have team unity. An amazing defense, with some of the hardest hitters in the NFL. I dare anyone to say that there is a safety that hits like Troy Polamalu, or an OLB that is tougher than James Harrison.

The offense features a Pro Bowl quarterback that has also won two Super Bowls, and is 27. They have two, count them, two receivers that are Super Bowl MVP’s, and a starting running back that is in his second year.

If that is not a strong locker room, then I don’t know what is.

2 – He is a Pittsburgh guy. His dad cried at the draft when the Steelers didn’t draft him. (They took Polamalu instead – GREAT call).

First off, everyone that knows me knows that I think Troy Polamalu is the best player in the NFL. Had Troy not gotten injured, and played against the Bengals the first time and the Bears, the Steelers would be undefeated today.

Prior to the 2003 NFL Draft, Larry Johnson was open and honest about who he wanted to draft him. He grew up in Pittsburgh, went to Penn State and always wanted to be a Steeler. His Dad was wearing a Steeler hat prior to the draft, and cried when the Steelers did not draft his son.

3 – Parker is washed up. If anyone says they are the same age, there is a difference between a speed back at 30 and a power back at 30.

Yes, the magic number for running backs to decline is 30. Yes Parker and Johnson are both hitting that magic number. Parker has always been a player that relied on his speed. Johnson was never that fast in the first place.

4 – Mendenhall is the guy, but we still need that short yardage back, and LJ fits the mold to a T.

I love what Rashard Mendenhall brings to the Steelers. He has come a long way, and I believe he is the future at the RB position. There is one thing that bothers me: He almost acts like he is afraid of contact.

Have you noticed since becoming a starter, Mendenhall will run out of bounds instead of running over a DB? He has done it numerous times, and at least twice against the Broncos. That is all LJ knows. On the short yardage plays, I want someone that is going to put his head down and sprint into the pile.

5 – Considering he is already being paid around $5 million this year, we would probably get him for league minimum.

In his 6th year, Johnson is a fully tenured player. That means when he was on the opening day roster, his yearly salary became fully guaranteed. He is going to pocket near $5 million dollars for the rest of the year. If you could play for the Steelers, would you play for league minimum?  I would!

6 – The reason he got killed so bad the last couple years in KC was because with no passing game, teams focused solely on him.

As I noted above, the Steelers have TONS of weapons. Teams would not be able to focus on LJ, or they would get killed by everyone else. There are not too many teams that have the weapons the Steelers have, so LJ would be just one of the bunch.

7 – Tomlin could coach him.

Tomlin benched Rashard Mendenhall earlier this year because he did not feel like he practiced hard enough. Tomlin takes no junk, and Johnson would be on a short leash.

8 – Remember Bettis at the goal line? LJ would be the same way.

4th and goal from the one, would you rather see the Steelers run or pass? Every one of you that said run, you lie!  The Steelers short yardage game is a joke on third and fourth and short. We all get nervous every time, and LJ would hit the pile like Bettis used to.

Remember Jeromes last couple of years? The only time he would get in is if we needed 3 yards or less. That is the role of LJ.

9 – As a Steeler fan, do you really think he would not behave on the team he grew up rooting for?

Steeler Nation, we are different than every other team in the NFL. The fans are the most loyal, and we love the team like we are a part of it. LJ would not do anything that would give the Steelers a reason to want him gone.

10 – For the man to say he wants to play for the Steelers, he knows what will be expected, and knows that he would have to be on his best behavior.

With LJ not being on the opening day roster, he only gets paid for the games he plays. If LJ were to have ONE issue, then the Steelers could just cut him. LJ would know that. IF he were to act up, there is no other team in the NFL that would even look at him. They would all say, he hand picked the Steelers and could not even behave for them?

In my personal opinion, the Steelers are even better than they were last year. The Vikings and Broncos, who have three loses between them, each have one loss against the Steelers.

To me, anything short of another Super Bowl is a bad year. The Steelers have almost no weak spot. I see LJ as an insurance policy. What happens in Mendenhall gets injured? Why take the chance that the Super Bowl run could be cut short, when we could have an insurance policy that has rushed for over 1,700 yards is a season?

 

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Chad Ochocinco Forbidden to Send Gifts to Steelers Secondary.

Steeler Nation, don’t get me wrong, but I find Chad Ochocinco absolutely hilarious! Known for his theatrics as much as for his play on the field any more, Ochocinco is at it again.

Last week, Ocho sent the Baltimore Ravens deodorant, because they “would work up a sweat trying to cover him”. Turns out, he was right!  Ocho didn’t exactly light up the Ravens, catching five passes for 66 yards.

This week, via his Twitter account, Ocho said he has something to send the Steelers secondary.

“I got a nice present for the Steelers—sending them some mustard since they’ll never ketchup when we play Sunday,”

Most people would say this is bulletin board material. This would certainly fire the Steelers up, right?

“He’d better send us something,” safety Ryan Clark said Wednesday in Pittsburgh. “He sent something to the Ravens, so that shows he respects them. So he’d better send something to us.

Sorry about your luck Ryan, no mustard is going to be sent this week. Marvin Lewis has put an end to Ochos actions, forbidding him to.

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to send anything this week, thanks to Marvin Lewis,” Ochocinco said. “That’s the way to spoil the fun, boss man. I guess I have to talk trash to motivate myself this week.”

Come Sunday, Ocho better be motivated. Playing for sole position of first place in the AFC North, Ocho is going to have to have his best game of the year is Cincinnati is going to come out on top.

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Pittsburgh Steelers Bye Week: The Bye Week Blues!

I woke up this morning like every other Sunday morning. I came down stairs, had breakfast, grabbed the newspaper (sports page and comics; they are all that matter), and headed down to the man cave to watch the NFL pregame.

I signed in to my Bleacher Fantasy Football league, and reality set in. The Steelers are not playing today.

I knew the Steelers are on their bye week. Every team needs one, and with the injuries to the team, Timmons and Polamalu needing another week to recover, the Steelers’ bye week is coming at a perfect time.

This still sucks!

So, I turned on Sunday NFL Countdown on ESPN, and there are a lot of good games on tap for today.

Vikings vs. Packers to start should be fun to watch. If nothing else, to see the crowd reaction when Brett Favre takes the field for the first time.

Broncos vs. Ravens is an interesting matchup. I never root for the Ravens, but as a Steelers fan, part of me needs the Broncos to lose a game or two other than against us for playoff seeding. Still, I don’t think I have it in me to cheer for Baltimore.

The guy I am playing in my fantasy league has both Kyle Orton, Brandon Marshall and the Broncos defense, so I guess I have to pull for the Ravens.

This sucks!

49ers vs. Colts. I like Mike Singletary, and love what he has done with the Niners. He is a great coach, and his defense is playing great. I would love to see the Colts crushed.

Giants vs Eagles is going to be fun. New York and Philadelphia fans are in the second civil war today, having to play against each other not only for the lead in the NFC East, but in the World Series as well. I know Philly fans and New York fans, and the battle is very fun to watch.

It is a great day for NFL football, and lots of fun in the man cave, but without my Steelers playing, it just isn’t the same.

Things will be better next week—oh wait, we play on Monday night next week. 

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Hot Seat Getting Hotter in Many NFL Cities.

There are an average six coaching changes every year in the NFL.

Sometimes it is because of retirement, but most of the time it is because of the short comings of the team.

Here is a list of the potential coaches to be replaced, and who will replace them.

 

Already looking elsewhere

I say this not because the coaches are already looking for a new job, but their fate is already sealed, and they will be fired before the first playoff game starts.

 

Jim Zorn—Washington Redskins

If Jim Zorn makes it through the year, it will be a minor miracle. The Redskins have gone from bad to worse, with no signs of improving any time this year. Zorn has already had his play calling duties taken away from him, and the only reason he has not been fired yet is no one is going to take his place this year.

Most likely replacement—Mike Shanahan

Mike Shannahan has the ability to build a team, like he did for years in Denver. Redskins owner Daniel Snyder is already speaking with him, and it is just a matter of interviewing a minority coach (Rooney Rule).

 

John Fox—Carolina Panthers

John Fox made the mistake of re-signing Jake Delhomme in the off season with WAY too much guaranteed money. Not only that, Julius Peppers is again set to be a free agent, and franchise tagging him will cost the team nearly $22 million.

Most likely replacement—Bill Cowher.

Bill Cowher retired after finally winning the Super Bowl in his 15th year. Cowher has turned down numerous chances to return to the sideline, so why would he come back to coach the Panthers?

Cowher lives in North Carolina, and met his wife while they were in college at North Carolina State University. Cowher would have some serious decisions to make, but would eventually lead the Panthers to respectability.

Tom Cable—Oakland Raiders

The only thing Al Davis cares about is winning, and Tom Cable is not doing it. Some say Cable is a good coach, but we are talking about Al Davis, who has to be growing tired of losing.

Most likely replacement—I have no clue

If Davis wants to win, he is going to have to hand control of the team to a GM that knows what he is doing, and I don’t think Davis is ready for that.

 

Possibly on the Hot Seat

These coaches aren’t being run out of town just yet, but should not get too comfortable.

 

Jeff Fisher—Tennessee Titans

Hard to believe that a team can go from top seed in the playoffs to 0-6, but that is exactly what is happening in Tennessee. Owner Bud Adams has said that he wants Vince Young as the starter, and comments made by Jeff Fisher shows he wants to keep Collins as the starter.

 

Eric Mangini—Cleveland Browns

Eric Mangini has only made the Browns go from bad to worse, as they are considered one of the worst teams in the NFL. They have a quarterback controversy where neither will earn the job as the starter, a defense that can’t stop anyone, and an offense that can’t score.

 

Norv Turner—San Diego Chargers

The Chargers have been underachievers since Norv Turner took over. They have the talent on offense and defense, but can not seem to win in the playoffs. If the Chargers don’t turn things around, and win at least one playoff game, Turner could be gone.

 

Wade Phillips—Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are another let-down team. They have a TON of talent, but when the season grows cold, the Boys forget how to play. Tony Romo is famous for his late season melt downs, and if he has another one this year, Jerry Jones will not stand for another season of losing.

 

And remember, Mike Holmgren and Jon Gruden are both waiting in the wings, and if Fisher is fired, then he joins the list as another candidate to fill any of these spots. Look for the pink slips to be flying come the end of the regular season.

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My Solution to the Cleveland Browns’ Problems

They say hindsight is 20/20, and Browns fans every where are starting to see the error of owner Randy Lerner’s ways.

After a brief courting of former Steelers coach Bill Cowher, Lerner was quick to get into a bidding war, with himself, for the services of Eric Mangini. Mangini is bound and determined to do things his way in Cleveland, regardless of the outcome.

Prior to the start of the season, I predicted that Mangini would start quarterback Brady Quinn for a few games, before turning the reigns over to Derek Anderson, who would not do much better.

Since Anderson took over for Quinn, the Browns have won one game, where he completed two of 17 passes in a 9-6 win against the Bills.

Quinn was playing better than Anderson is, but that does not matter to Mangini. He is sticking with Anderson, even though Quinn may give the Browns their best chance for success.

It has gotten so bad in Cleveland, that the Browns fans are trying to put together a protest by not being in their seats for the opening kick off of the Monday night game against the Ravens in three weeks.

The Browns are currently on the same path as the Raiders and Redskins. Both teams have owners that would rather have “YES men” running their team, than someone that is going to put the owner in his place when needed.

By all appearances, that is what Lerner is becoming: a poor mans Daniel Snyder, Al Davis, and Jerry Jones.

Jones is the perfect example. When he first purchased the Cowboys in the ’80s, he hired Jimmy Johnson to run the team. Johnson turned the 1-15 Cowboys into Super Bowl champs. After Johnson left, and Jerry brought in his “YES man”, Berry Switzer, the Cowboys have not won (other than the one year Switzer won with Johnson’s team).

Lerner needs to either hire someone that can run a team, or sell it to someone who will. Browns fans and the NFL deserve much better than what the Browns’ ownership is giving.

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Is the Ravens’ Game Against the Broncos a Must-Win?

What a difference a month makes!

Four weeks ago, the Ravens were 3-0, sitting atop of the AFC North, ahead of the upstart Bengals and the hated Steelers. There was talk about dynasty , and how the Ravens were the front runners for the AFC North.

One month later, the Ravens trail the Bengals and Steelers, by 1.5 games, and a loss Sunday against the Broncos would put them two games back of both teams.

Even though they are now in third place in the division, the Ravens still have a chance to catch the Bengals and Steelers, but they are going to have to play their best football from here on out.

Of the three teams, the Ravens have the hardest schedule remaining. Even though their offense has improved dramatically, their defense is no longer what it once was, now regularly getting torched in the passing game.

But the real concern for the Ravens would come should they lose to the Broncos. If the Ravens lose Sunday, they are going to be playing the rest of the season for a wild-card playoff birth. If they win, they are back in the running for the division crown.

There is no question that the Ravens are a quality team, and that they have talent on their squad, but would it be enough to overcome a two game deficit with eight to play? And if it is not, would they be able to secure a wild card birth?

Only time will tell, but the defensive problems the Ravens have had shows they are no longer the team that won the Super Bowl with one of the worst offenses in history. And unless the offense can dominate like the defense did in 2000, the chances of the Ravens hoisting the Lombardi are slim and none.

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Is the Curse Broken? LenDale White and Keith Bulluck Try to Make Amends

December 21, 2008: After defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers for the top seed in the 2009 AFC Playoffs, LenDale White and Keith Bulluck disrespected the Steelers’ signature Terrible Towel. Since that fateful day (including the last game of the 2008 regular season, one playoff game, and six games so far this year), the Titans have come apart, not winning a single game. 

Three weeks ago, I wrote an article stating that the reason the Titans have yet to win a game this year was because of the curse of the Terrible Towel . Turns out, the Titans may be realizing the error of their ways.

According to WTAE-TV , the ABC affiliate in Pittsburgh, LenDale White and Keith Bulluck have decided to make amends with not only Steeler fans, but with the man that most believe hold the power of the curse, Myron Cope.

White and Bulluck have sent one of the beloved Terrible Towels to the Allegheny Valley School, the school for handicapped children that owns the patent to the Terrible Towel, autographed by both men, with a note asking to have the curse released.

White made sure to say “This is not an apology,” and added that he would not apologize unless he played for the Steelers. “I’ll probably never apologize unless I’m playing with the Steelers one day…”

The Towel is going to be auctioned off for the school.

Two key points in this are, was this enough to satisfy the curse and will the Titans losing ways now stop?

And why would White mention one day playing with the Steelers? There was speculation that the Steelers were going to draft White in the 2006 NFL Draft. Instead, they traded up in round one to take Santonio Holmes, only the second time in Steelers history they traded up in the first round to take a player (Troy Polamalu-2003).

White lasted until the 13th pick of the second round, when he was selected by the Tennessee Titans.

The Steelers have since drafted a running back in the first round, 2007 – Rashard Mendenhall, so there may not be a need for White, but could White be interested in joining the Steelers? It certainly seems so, but at this point, would Steeler Nation welcome him?

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