It Is Time To Realize These Aren’t Your Parents’ Pittsburgh Steelers

Being born in Pittsburgh, I was also born into Steeler Nation. As I grew up, I watched Chuck Noll as he produced the finest dynasty ever in the NFL. He did so, but stacking a defense with power hitters, smart players, and physical specimens that battered people because they enjoyed it.

Adding to the punishing defense, there was the pounding running game. Franco Harris and Rocky Blier would amaze fans with the ability to run around people, or through them if need be.

As time went on, and the NFL rules changed, Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann, and John Stallworth also took time in the lime light, but make no mistake about it, the Pittsburgh Steelers were going to run the ball and pound you with defense.

It was the blueprint for the dynasty, and it was the way the Steelers were.

But, as life changes, so does the NFL. No longer can a team win, with only being able to dominate on defense (OK, the 2000 Ravens were the exception to the rule), and no longer can a team run the ball over and over and over, and expect to be successful.

Some teams don’t even need to have a running game to be successful. Look at the Greatest show on turf of the late 90’s, and the Arizona Cardinals from last year.

It has been a slow transition for the Steelers, but the days of Chuck Noll are fading from the rear view mirror, and the days of Mike Tomlin are officially here.

One thing that Mike Tomlin and Chuck Noll have in common, is the devastating defense. The 2008 Steelers are the first team to remind me of the original Steel Curtain. Ranking first overall, first against the pass, second against the run, first in points against, and leading almost every other category that is important That remains the staple of the Steelers.

But, you can not leave a defense on the field for 60 minutes.

In their opening game against the Tennessee Titans, the Steelers rushing game was non existent. The Steelers rushed for 36 yards on 23 carries, for an average of 1.6 yard per carry.

If this was a one game situation, you could chalk it up to a great defensive effort by the Titans (which, not to take away from the Titans, it was.). But the Steelers finished the 2008 season ranked 23rd in the NFL.

The Steelers are no longer the power running team they used to be. In the days of Jerome Bettis, Barry Foster, Bam Morris, and Franco Harris, Pittsburgh rushed to set up the pass.

Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall are never going to be in the class of the above mentioned men. They just don’t have what it takes to play “Steeler football.”

Thursday night against the Titans, it was Ben Roethlisberger that led the team to victory, and it was on the strength of his arm and the accuracy of his passes.

Over the course of the offseason, there were many debates about who the best quarterback in the NFL was. After Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, who deservedly were one and two on every list, there were many people that put Roethlisberger anywhere from 10-18.

It is because the Steelers have always relied on the running game, and always neglected the pass.

Lets look at Bens stat line for the game against the Titans.

33 of 43, 363 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT (One was a Hail Mary at the end of the first half).

This is the kind of numbers Kurt Warner and Peyton Manning put up. If Ben Roethlisberger is able to perform like this, then the Steelers need to stop living in the past, and move into the future.

Ben Roethlisberger, at 27-years old, has the ability to do what Tom Brady has done. Ben Roethlisberger, like on the final drive of Super Bowl XLIII, put the Steelers on his back, and won the game for them twice tonight (twice because the Hines Ward fumble would have been the first).

The offensive line that so many people were up in arms about, did a fantastic job for most of the night protecting Ben on pass plays. You can not fault the line when the running backs do not pick up the blitz, or Ben scrambles 19 yards backwards.

I watched the NFL Networks presentation of America’s Game, the 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers, and in it, Mike Tomlin calls Ben Roethlisberger a gunslinger. Some times he gets shot. And that is true.

Roethlisberger takes more sacks than anyone in football. Watching the game tonight, I noticed that every time someone was near Kerry Collins, he launched the ball to the equipment manager, for either team. I even saw that Dennis Dixon caught one of his passes.

Ben Roethlisberger is not that way. He fights for everything he can get. Does he take sacks because of it, absolutely. But how many times does he make plays that end up being big for the Steelers? More often than not.

Steeler Nation, it is time to stop wishing for the past to again be the present. It is time for the Steelers to evolve into the dynasty they could be. That will not happen with Willie Parker leading the charge, and it certainly will not happen with Rashard Mendenhall.

The man to lead the Steelers to the promised land again, is Big Ben Roethlisberger.

Does anyone wonder why the Steelers struggle so bad until they go to the no huddle offense? Then whey they go to the no huddle they are so successful?

Because in the no huddle, Roethlisberger is the man that calls the plays. The reason the no huddle works is because Roethlisberger understands his team, and the players, and the defense.

The fact is, everyone reading this is in one of two camps. They will either insist that the Steelers run the ball until it is successful, or the ones that realize that what the Steelers have in Roethlisberger is some thing special. Something that does not happen very often in the NFL.

We can either evolve or stay the same. Evolving means putting Ben in the position to get the stats he is capable of getting, or hand cuff him and expect miracles every time. We all need to remember, this Steelers team could be special, and long as we don’t expect them to be our parents Steelers.

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Pittsburgh Steelers Ground Game Faces Uphill Climb After Win Against Titans

The biggest weakness of the Pittsburgh Steelers entering the 2008 offseason was believed to be the offensive line. After the Steelers management made no real effort to improve the unit, many believed the Steelers were in for a long year.

It is debatable that the reason for the Steelers rushing game finishing 23rd, was that the offensive line was just not able to do their job.  Starting out the 2009 season, the real culprit reared it head, and the true identity of the weakness is no longer a secret.

The running game of the Pittsburgh Steelers, if you want to call it that, was non existent in the season opening game Thursday on NBC. Starter Willie Parker carried the ball 13 times for 19 yards. To make matters worse, one of those carries was for eight yards. His average minus his long run was less than one yard per carry.

Former first round pick Rashard Mendenhall had four carries for six yards, with a long of three, meaning other than his long, he averaged one yard per carry as well.

In the fourth quarter of the game, when the Steelers went to the “Lightning” package (no huddle offense), Mewelde Moore was the only running back on the field, and he managed eight yards on five carries. After his long of four yards, he also averaged one yard per carry.

Frank Summers started his first game at full back, and to say he did not play well, would be a compliment. On two separate third and one situations, the Tank plowed over nothing but himself, missing two critical blocks, that cost the Steelers two first downs.

A cold hard reality now face the Steelers, what happens next?

“Fast” Willie Parker looked anything but fast. Every time he touched the ball, he seemed to run directly into the defense of the Titans.

Not taking anything away from the Titans, their defense played a fantastic game, but “Fast” Willie did not look very fast. Nearing the dreaded age of 30, Willie Parker can no longer rely on his speed to just out run everyone on the field.

Playing in his contract year, Parker needs to show that he still has what it takes to be the feature back in the NFL. If tonight is any indication of how the year will go, Parker could be in his last year in the NFL.

Rashard Mendenhall, who was the Steelers 2008 first round pick, has done less than Parker. A players first year with the Steelers, they normally do not get a lot of quality playing time. Mendenhall was lost for the season five games into his rookie year.

In the preseason, while Parker was nursing injuries, Mendenhall got the start, and his chance to show that he was ready to take over the featured back role. What he showed, was he was afraid of getting injured again.

Every time Mendenhall was about to get hit, he seemed to duck, or fall, or run out of bounds. That is not what Steelers running back do.

The Steelers have a long history of having punishing running backs. From Franco Harris, Barry Foster, Bam Morris, and Jerome Bettis, the Steelers have big backs to pound of defenses, to wear them out, and win at the end.

Rashard Mendenhall is not the typical Steelers big back.

Mewelde Moore was brought to Pittsburgh to be a third down back. That is his role, that is his job. Catching passes out of the back field is where Moore excels, and when he is asked to do that, and only that, he does it well.

But, Moore is not a starter. He is not a runner that scares defensive coordinators, at least not rushing the ball.

If Moore is asked to carry the ball, he will never last an entire season, and the Steelers ground game will get no better.

Where do we go from here?

The Steelers next game is in Chicago, against the Bears. The Bears are another team that prides themselves on punishing people with their defense, as were the Titans.

So, what does Pittsburgh do about their ground game? Simple, start from scratch.

The Steelers identity is no longer the power running game, and punishing defense. The defense is still punishing, but the ground game is just not there.

It is time to cut the trends, realize that these Steelers are not your parents Steelers, and start from scratch.

Right now, there is a man that played with the Steelers this preseason, his name is Isaac Redman, and he is currently on the practice squad. He needs to be signed to the active roster immediately.

Is he the next Jerome Bettis? Doubtful. Could he do worse than Parker and Mendenhall? How much worse than one yard per carry could he be?

Redman was signed this offseason as an undrafted free agent. During the preseason, he carried the ball 37 times for 145 yards (3.9 per carry), and three touch downs. What was most impressive, his touch down run against the Carolina Panthers came with the Steelers second team in the game, and the Panthers first team defense.

On the run, Redman piled into the Panthers secondary, broke four tackles, and plowed his way into the end zone. One of those broken tackles was Julius Peppers.

Redman also scored in practice three times out of six, during the Steelers goal line drill, pitting first team offense against first team defense. If he can pound it in the end zone against the Steelers defense, then he can do it against anyone.

Justin Vincent is in his second go around with the Steelers, and like Redman, is also on the practice squad. Vincent did no where near as well in the preseason as Redman did, but the heart and determination he displayed, should at least get him a shot. Vincent could spell Redman, or play if Redman is injured.

I will be the first person to tell you that I am not sold on starting a rookie, and having even one in the back field makes me nervous. But at this point, what do the Steelers have to lose?

As long as the only options the Steelers have are “Slow” Willie Parker, and Rashard “Don’t hit me” Mendenhall, I will take a running back that is not afraid to stick his neck out, and get the job done. Even if he is a rookie.

There is an old saying, those that do not learn from their mistakes, are bound to repeat them. The mistake the Steelers made this off season (and it is the only one I have noticed), was not bringing in someone that could push Mendenhall and Parker for playing time.

Keeping them could be a mistake that eventually costs the Steelers, Lombardi number seven.

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Week 1 NFL Forcast: Who Wins, Who Loses, and Who Covers

Thursday night, the Tennessee Titans travel to Pittsburgh to play the defending Super Bowl Champion Steelers. That’s right, the 2009 season is set to begin.

Each week, I will bring you my predictions on who will win, who will lose, and how I think each game will go against the point spread.

Tennessee at Pittsburgh (-6).

Tennessee will look for redemption from being the top seed in the AFC last year, and being knocked out of the playoffs, while the Steelers who lost to Tennessee in week 15 went on to win the Super Bowl.

The Titans strength is their running game, while the Steelers strenght is their defense. Ben Roethlisberger will expose the weakness in the Titans secondary, while the Titans will not rush for over 100 yards.

Steelers win and cover 27-14.

Miami at Atlanta (-4)

The two Cinderellas of the 2008 season meet to kick off 2009.  The Falcons acquisition of Tony Gonzalez from the Kansas City Chiefs will help the maturation process of Matt Ryan.

Falcons win but do not cover 24-21.

Philadelphia (-1.5) at Carolina

Philadelphia comes into Carolina without their biggest acquisition of the off season Mike Vick.  What they do bring to town is one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.

The Panthers were not able to improve their roster much with almost $17 million dollars committed to DE Julius Peppers.

I am not sure how Vegas only has the Eagles favored to win by 1.5 points, but I think it is going to be a lot worse than that.

Eagles win and cover 31-10.

Denver at Cincinnati(-4.5)

The Hard Knocks Cincinnati Bengals return Carson Palmer to an offense that will once again be one of the most potent in the AFC.  With the 12th ranked defense in 2008, Cincinnati looks to make a push into the playoffs.

The Denver Broncos who were one win from the playoffs in 2008, fired their coach, traded their quarterback, and their top receiver does not want to play for them. Plus the defense is one of the weakest in football, this is not going to be a pretty game.

Cincinnati wins and covers 27-3

Minnesota (-4) at Cleveland

The Minnesota Vikings are a popular pick now that they have a quarterback that can actually throw accurate passes. They have one of the most dominant defenses in the NFL, and one of the best running games to go along with it.

Eric Mangini has not even announced who the starting quarterback is going to be Sunday. The defense is a long way from average, and even though the Browns offensive line is improving, the rest of the team has a long way to go.

Minnesota wins and covers 34-13

New York Jets at Houston (-4.5)

Mark Sanchez gets his first professional start against one of the most up and coming defenses in the NFL.

The Jets still need some help at the receiver position, but the running game should keep the game close.

Daunta Robinson returns to a defense that is ready to become one the best in the AFC. Mario Williams will make Mark Sanchez have a bad day, but Matt Schaub still has work to do if he is going to lead the Texans to the playoffs.

Texans win but do not cover, 20-17.

Jacksonville at Indianapolis (-7)

As long as Peyton Manning is your quarterback, your team is going to put points on the board. Bob Sanders is off the PUP list, and should start the season somewhat healthy.

Jack Del Rio is in the hot seat, and Maurice Jones-Drew is bangged up.

Indy wins big and covers 31-7.

Detroit at New Orleans (-13)

Matthew Stafford will get his first start against one of the worst defenses in football.  I look for Stafford to start strong, but trying to out pace Drew Brees is an exercise in futility.

The Lions defense is not know to be a strong unit, so expect the Saints offense to put up a lot of yards, and points.

Saints win and cover 37-17.

Kansas City at Baltimore (-13)

The Chiefs take the field without the possibility of having their $60 million dollar quarterback under center.

Joe Flacco and the Ravens are going to keep the Chiefs from scoring a lot of points, but don’t look for the Ravens to light up the scoreboard.

Ravens win but do not cover 21-10.

Dallas (-6) at Tampa Bay

Tony Romo has to start the season strong after Jerry Jones released Terrel Owens in the off season so that Romo could become the leader.

The Buccaneers start Byron Leftwich, who did great as a back up to the Steelers last year. Tampa has no where near the weapons the Steelers did last year, so don’t expect tons of points from the Bucs.

Dallas wins and covers 24-10

San Francisco at Arizona (-6.5)

Though the 49ers defense has gotten better, Mike Singletary is not a miracle worker. There is still no one to throw the ball, and with rookie Michael Crabtree still not under contract, no one to throw the ball to.

The Cardinals defense has gotten better, but their strenght is still Kurt Warner passing the ball to Fitzgerald and Bolden.

Arizona wins and covers 27-10.

Washington at New York Giants (-6.5)

Eli Manning will get to show everyone that last years end of season let down was not the result of Plaxico Burris shooting himself in the leg. After signing a contract that makes him the highest paid player in the NFL, he has to show he is worth the money.

Washington lost out on the Jay Cutler sweepstakes, and Jason Campbell is in his contract year. The biggest weakness of the Redskins was their defensive line, but Albert Haynesworth and first round pick Brian Orakpo were brought in to make it better.

Washington wins 24-20.

Chicago at Green Bay (-3.5)

The oldest rivalry in the NFL starts with week one.

The Packers are transitioning to the base 3-4 defense, so it may take some time before they are effecient at running it.

Jay Cutler whined his way out of Denver, and leads the Bears as the first “franchise” quarterback since Jim McMahon.

Chicago wins 21-17.

Monday Night Doubleheader

Buffalo at New England (-11)

Tom Brady returns with a chip on his shoulder. After being knocked out of the 2008 season less than one half into it, Brady wants to continue where he left off in 2007.

Rodney Harrison, Richard Seymour and Teddy Bruschi are all gone, so the question is, who will step up and be the leader of this defense?

Will the TO experience work for the Bills?  Will Trent Edwards finally be the QB that TO was always looking for? Will Dick Juron keep his job?

I doubt it.

Patriots win and cover 37-10.

San Diego (-9.5) at Oakland

After winning the AFC West in 2008, with an 8-8 record, the Chargers believe that now Jay Cutler is gone from the Chargers, the West is theirs for the taking. Now that Shawne Merriman could be in trouble with the league, the problems have already started for the Bolts.

The Raiders are looking to turn the franchises fortunes around, and they need to start the season off in 2009 against the Chargers as they ended the 2008 season against the Tampa Buccaneers.  They have the weapons, but will Tom Cable be able to bring the team together?

Oakland beats the Chargers 17-14.

All point spreads are as of Tuesday, Midnight from Vegas.com.  I am not saying anyone should bet on any of these games, and if you use my picks and lose money, it is not my fault. 

Of course, if you win, remember, it is always nice to share!

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Has LenDale White Completly Lost His Mind?

During the 2008 season, the Tennessee Titans defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers to secure the top seed in the AFC Playoffs, and homefield advantage.

At the conclusion of the game, there were numerous players on the Titans that were stomping on Terrible Towels.

After the game, most of the men that were being disrespectful had remorse.  Keith Bullock, Javon Kearse, and even Jeff Fisher apologized for the actions of the Titans that day.  Everyone except LenDale White.

As the top two seeds in the AFC, most people believed it would be just a matter of time before the Steelers and Titans played again, for the AFC Championship.  It was not to happen, as the Titans lost to the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Mike Tomlin and the Steelers have put last year, and their sixth Super Bowl victory, behind them and are focusing on the 2009 season.

Someone needs to tell Mr. White he really should let sleeping dogs lie.

In an article on profootballtalk.com, LenDale White states that he is once again going to stomp on another Terrible Towl.

“If it happens to be there, I’m gonna stomp all over that,” White said Sunday, according to Terry McCormick of the Nashville City Paper.  “If there is a towel in the stands, I will stomp on it.  I don’t care who gets mad…If they throw a towel at me, I’m going to kick it and stomp on it.  If you don’t want your towels [stomped], keep them out of my face.”

White later says that the Steelers wanted to draft him at running back. 

Actually, Pittsburgh had the chance to draft White. Instead, they traded up in the first round (only the second time in Steelers history they traded up in round one) to select Santonio Holmes, who won the Super Bowl MVP last year.

White did not get selected until the 13th pick in the second round.

I think this means that LenDale White is delusional. As if Steeler Nation did not have enough reason to hate him, LenDale White has placed a target on his back and newspaper clippings on the Steelers wall.

Do yourself a favor Mr. White, fake an injury and don’t come to Pittsburgh. If Ryan Clark gets the chance, he may just Welker you.

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2009 AFC Predictions.

The 2009 NFL season is set to begin Thursday night, when the defending Super Bowl-Champion Pittsburgh Steelers host the AFC South-Champion Tennessee Titans.

With the top two seeds from the 2008 AFC Playoffs set to start the regular season, it is time for our preview of how the 2009 season will unfold. I am going to do a weekly preview of the upcoming week, winners and losers, every Friday.

But, this is my opinion of what every team’s record is going to be at the conclusion of the season, and who is going to make the playoffs once the regular season is over.

 

Pittsburgh Steelers, 13-3, No. 1 seed.

Pittsburgh is set to defend their Super Bowl Championship with basically the same team that won it last year. The preseason showed that the Steelers have a strong first unit and capable back ups.

With the return of Daniel Sepulveda and the addition of Stefan Logan, the weakest part of the Steelers, special teams, has received an infusion of talent.

With a weaker schedule than 2008, the Steelers will be the top seed in the AFC this year.

 

New England Patriots, 12-4, No. 2 seed.

With Tom Brady returning from season-ending knee surgery, the New England Patriots are favored to return to the top of the AFC East, stealing the crown from the Miami Dolphins.

With all the weapons the Patriots have on offense, they will be able to win shootouts with just about any team in football.

The only concern is the knee of Tom Brady. Matt Cassel is gone, and the only other Quarterback on the Patriots’ roster is undrafted free-agent Bryan Hoyer out of Michigan State.

No matter how good Randy Moss, Wes Welker and company may be, with an undrafted rookie under center, the Patriots will finish the season closer to 4-12, than 12-4.

 

Tennessee Titans, 10-6, No. 3 seed.

After a dominant season last year, the Titans suffered the loss of Albert Haynesworth to the Washington Redskins moments after the free-agent period began (can anyone say tampering?).

Making no big splash in free agency, the Titans are set to begin the season as they ended last season, (regular season). Run the ball, control the clock, and win the games playing smart.

Provided the defense can continue to stop teams from putting 20+ points on the board, the Titans are going to be a team to be reckoned with.

 

San Diego Chargers, 9-7, No. 4 seed.

With the return of Shawne Merriman, the Chargers defense will be stronger than they were last year. Philip Rivers will again lead the charge with a strong running game with LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles.

With Jay Cutler no longer in Denver, there is really no one to challenge the Bolts in the AFC West.

 

Baltimore Ravens, 11-5, No. 5 seed.

With a strong running game and a smash mouth defensive unit, the Ravens are going to win with clock management and by pounding the football.

Joe Flacco is going to have more of an opportunity to put the ball in the air, but with very limited options as receiving threats, no one can expect him to put up Pro-Bowl numbers.

 

Miami Dolphins, 10-6, No. 6 seed.

The only change to the Dolphins from last year is a tougher schedule.

Chad Pennington is one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. As long as he can stay healthy, the ‘Fins will be able to keep pace with the Patriots for most of the season.

With Bill Parcells running the show in Miami, the Dolphins organization feels they are stepping in the right direction.

 

Indianapolis Colts, 9-7.

Peyton Manning’s streak of 10+ victories per year will come to an end this season. The offensive line is not what it used to be, and the defense is still not that good.

With the AFC South getting stronger and the changes to the coaching staff, the Colts are going to take a step back this year.

 

Houston Texans, 9-7.

The Texans will post their first season with a winning record, but still come short of the playoffs.

With Mario Williams finally getting some defensive help and an offense that features Andre Johnson, the Texans are improving, but are still a year away from the playoffs.

 

Cincinnati Bengals, 8-8.

With a healthy Carson Palmer and an improving defense, the Bengals will be competing for a playoff spot until late in the season.

Though they are almost there, there are still too many questions concerning the offensive line and running game for me to think they will be any better than 8-8.

 

New York Jets, 8-8.

Rex Ryan is going to be a great coach, but the Jets, starting a rookie at quarterback, are not going to push the Dolphins or Patriots just yet.

If they trade for Brandon Marshall and Marshall can behave himself, the Jets could push the Dolphins, but that is probably not going to happen.

 

Kansas City Chiefs, 6-10.

In his first year in charge, Scott Pioli has made some good long-term moves for the Chiefs, but they still have a way to go before they are competing for the playoffs.

 

Jacksonville Jaguars, 6-10.

It was only two years ago that Jacksonville was in the playoffs, but the gamble that Jack Del Rio took letting Byron Leftwich go and keeping David Gerrard now seems to be a mistake that could eventually cost him his job.

 

Oakland Raiders, 5-11.

The dysfunction in Oakland is not going to end until Al Davis decides to put someone in charge that can run the team the way it is supposed to be run.

Tom Cable is not Bill Belichick, but thinks he is. There are a lot of weapons in Oakland, there just has to be someone that can put the pieces together and have them work as a team.

 

Buffalo Bills, 5-11.

The Terrell Owens experiment is going to blow up in the face of Dick Juron. For Owens to have been successful, he needed to go to a strong team, with good team leaders, a strong ownership, and a stable fan base.

He got none of those in Buffalo, and by the time the whether turns cold, so will his relationship with the team.

Poor Trent Edwards.

 

Cleveland Browns, 4-12.

Those that thought the Browns would turn things around under Eric Mangini are going to have to wait for that to happen.

After playing neither Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson in the Browns preseason finale, he still has not named his starting quarterback for the week-one game.

If Mangini or Browns fans believe that he is the next Belichick, they are going to be in for some serious heartache.

 

Denver Broncos, 2-14.

The only reason that the Broncos finished 8-8 and one game out of the playoffs in 2008 was because they could score points at will.

With Jay Cutler now in Chicago and Brandon Marshall suspended and possibly going to be traded, there is no offensive fire power in Denver.

Lucky for the Broncos they get to play the Chiefs and Raiders twice each, which should account for their two wins.

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Predicting the Pittsburgh Steelers 53 Man Roster

For those of you that do not know, the man in the picture is Kevin Colbert. As much as people like to think Mike Tomlin is the final decision maker for the Steelers, Colbert has the final say.

Sure, he takes the things that Tomlin has to say into consideration, but the way the Steelers are run, the “buck” stops at Colbert.

The Black and Gold win and lose with the decisions Kevin Colbert makes, and in the last four years, there are two more Lombardis in the trophy case because this man knows what he is doing.

With that being said, the next day or so, is going to be the busiest time of the year for Mr. Colbert, shaping the 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers to make another run at another Lombardi trophy, and expanding the one trophy lead on the Cowboys and Redskins.

Here are my predictions of how the 53 man roster will play out, with 45 players on the active roster, and with eight men on the practice squad.

Quarterback

Ben Roethlisberger.  This is the easiest offensive position to fill. There is no question that Big Ben is the man for the Steelers, and that the Steelers will go as far as Roethlisberger will take them.

Charlie Batch. One of the best back up QB’s in the NFL. Batch could start on some teams, but chooses to be the back up / mentor on the Steelers side lines.

Dennis Dixon. Dixon will enter his second season as the number three man on the depth chart. There is no chance that the Steelers would even consider placing him on the practice squad, because another team would take him on day one. He would not even clear the waver wire.

Running Back

One of the hardest positions to predict on the offense because of the glut of talent on the team right now.

Willie Parker. Entering the final year of his contract, Parker is probably going to be the starter on opening day against the Titans. Parker has shown in his limited time in the preseason that he still has the blazing speed that he had as a rookie.

Rashard Mendenhall. In his second season after being the Steelers top selection in the 2008 draft, Mendenhall is getting another chance to prove himself after an average at best preseason. Unless he can learn to hit the holes harder than he has, he could be in his final year as a Steeler.

Isaac Redman. As surprise number one, Redman makes the roster based on his amazing goal line plowing ability. Pittsburgh has shown that they are willing to take a chance on an undrafted player (Willie Parker, James Harrison) and the risk has payed off greatly. Redman will one day be the featured back in Pittsburgh, as long as he gets the time to develop.

Mewelde Moore. In my opinion, one of the best third down backs in the NFL. Decent speed, better than average hands, and a knack for finding the first down marker when needed.

Practice Squad – Frank Summers. A hamstring injury limited Summers chances during the preseason, but there is potential for Summers to eventually turn into a decent running back.

Fullback

Carey Davis. Davis has earned the right to be the lead blocker for whoever is running behind him. He can also carry the ball and has decent hands out of the back field.

Wide Receiver.

Hines Ward. Without question, Ward is again going to be a threat on the field, catching or blocking. Ward is a one of a kind player, and will once again be leading the Steelers WR corp.

Santonio Holmes. The 2008 Super Bowl MVP may take over the number one WR position from Ward this year. Holmes did not play a lot in the final preseason games, but was it really necessary for him to?  Mike Tomlin had to see what the young guys could do, so he gave Holmes some much needed rest.

Limas Sweed. Other than a few drops that should have been catches, Sweed has started to show some flashes of greatness. In the games against the Bills and Redskins, Sweed made some very tough catches, in traffic.  When Holmes was not playing, Sweed got the start in his place, assuring that he is the Steelers number three.

Mike Wallace. This kid is FAST. Being able to learn from the above mentioned players (Hines Ward especially), Wallace can develop into a future super star, like Ward did. He is learning to block like Ward, and is playing with intensity. Is he ready to go against the number one corners in the league? Not yet, but in the four wide sets, Wallace will be matched up against the dime back, which is normally a back up safety.

Stefan Logan. (Surprise No. 2). After again showing his amazing ability in the return game, there is no question that Logan is going to be on the active roster come week one. There is really no room at running back, but in the game against the Carolina Panthers, Logan took some reps at WR.

He had a reverse, and almost had another catch. Again, the Steelers do not use a five-wide set very often, but when they do, Logan can more than fill the position.

Tight End

Heath Miller. Miller just resigned with the Steelers, and it was one of the best moves the Steelers made this off season. Miller is Ben Roethlisbergers safety valve. He can catch, he can block, and he can run with the ball. If given more of an opportunity, Miller could be the best tight end in the NFL.

Sean McHugh. McHugh will be placed on IR, ending his season, while keeping him on the roster (this is speculation. There is no fact to this, and it is simply my opinion that this is what is going to happen).

Matt Spaeth. Spaeth is spared by the decision to put McHugh on IR. Spaeth will have one more season to prove he is worthy to be the top back up to Miller.

David Johnson. In his rookie preseason, Johnson showed that he can play tight end and full back, which is why he will be kept on the roster.

Practice squad – Dezmond Sherrod. Shows potential, but not enough to make the roster yet. Sherrod and Johnson could swap places on roster and practice squad.

Tackle

Max Starks. After signing a five year contract extension in the off season, there is no question that Starks is going to be the starter against the Titans.

Willie Colon. Although he still needs work, Colon will get the start opposite of Starks.

Tony Hills. Not because of how great he played, but because no one else stepped up to take the position away from him.

Guard

Chris Kemoeatu. The other offensive linemen that was resigned the offseason by the Steelers. Kemoeatu will again start next to Max Starks to protect Big Bens blind side.

Trai Essex. With the loss of Darnell Stapleton, Essex is going to have a chance to start at guard. If he struggles early, don’t be shocked to see rookie Kraig Urbik moved into the line up.

Kraig Urbik. As a third round pick, the Steelers would like to give Urbik the chance to learn from the sidelines for a year. With the offensive line not being the strongest unit on the team, Urbik will be forced to learn on the job if there are any injuries or players that struggle.

Practice squad – Jeremy Parquet. As with Tony Hills, he will make the team due to lack of quality depth.

Center

Justin Hartwig. Semi reliable center. With his only real competition being a seventh round rookie, he has time to improve or he will eventually lose his job.

Practice squad – A.Q. Shipley. Played a lot better than most thought he would in preseason. With some experience, he could develop into a solid starter.

Nose Guard

Casey Hampton. Entering the final year of his contract, Hampton is the anchor of the Steelers 3-4 defense.

Chris Hoke. A very reliable back up to Hampton. Also plays very well in the nickle and dime packages.

Defensive End

Aaron Smith. The definition of what a Steelers defensive lineman is. Hard nosed, but clean player. Does exactly what the Steelers need him to do, tie up blockers, so the line backers can make the plays.

Brett Keisel. After signing a four year contract extension, Keisel, who many, me included, thought would be in his last year as a Steeler, will help ease the transition for rookie first round pick, Ziggy Hood.

Ziggy Hood. Played well for a rookie in the preseason. As a first round pick, there is no chance he will not be on the team.

Travis Kirschke. A valuable back up, will have to hold off Ziggy Hood for playing time in the Steelers defensive line rotation.

Practice Squad – Ra’Shon Harris. Showed flashes of ability in the preseason, but not ready to take playing time away from the vets. Will have a chance to move up to the team if there are any injuries.

Linebackers

James Harrison. The reigning Defensive MVP of the NFL. With a new contract in tow, Harrison is going to be a beast again this year.

LaMarr Woodley. Plays his best in the big games. In his second year as a starter, will improve from last year, which could make him one of the best OLB’s in the NFL.

James Farrior. The captain of the defense, Farrior is getting older, but still has a ton of ability.

Lawrence Timmons. Takes over for Larry Foote. Bigger, faster, and stronger, he is an upgrade at the position.

Keyaron Fox. Has earned the role of top ILB back up. Fox had a monster preseason, and is proving he is able to become the Steelers next great LB no one has ever heard of.

Patrick Bailey. After becoming the Steelers rookie of the year in 2008, Bailey earns himself a roster spot. Played well enough in the preseason that he will not only contribute on special teams, but could earn some playing time on regular downs.

Practice squad – Donovan Woods. Very little playing time in 2008 due to a position change coming out of college. Seems to have picked up the system, and is starting to understand what it is like to be a Steelers Linebacker.

Practice squad – Arnold Harrison. Tons of potential, but not ready to take over a roster spot.

Corner

Ike Taylor. One of the best shut down corners in the NFL. Gets no where near the credit he deserves because he can not catch the ball. Takes the other teams best WR out of the game most of the time.

William Gay. Enters his first year as a starter, taking over for Bryant McFadden. Will draw the number two receiver, and will do a good job against him.

Keiwan Ratliff. Fantastic nickle back, that can play safety if necessary. Takes over position many thought would go to Deshea Townsend.

Keenan Lewis. Though he will need more time before becoming a starter, can handle nickle and dime duties if necessary. The Steelers will not put him on the practice squad, because he would be immediately taken by another team.

Practice squad – Joe Burnett. Has shown he can become a player in the NFL, just not ready to do it yet. Will have a year on the practice squad to develop into a possible contributor.

Safety

Troy Polamalu. Without question, one of the premier players in the NFL. Polamalu is not really a safety, but there is not a specific title that fits the skill set that Polamalu has. Blitz, cover, tackle, rush, what ever it is the Steelers ask him to do, he does it well. That is what makes him the best in the game.

Ryan Clark. Entering his last year of his contract, Clark is trying to earn an extension. If he can keep from injuring himself while trying to kill opposing receivers, he very well may retire with the Steelers.

Ryan Mundy. The local boy earns a spot on the Steelers roster. Mundy has shown he has learned the system, and is becoming a solid player. If Mundy can find his way on to the field for some playing time, the Steelers may not even consider keeping Clark next off season.

Punter

Daniel Sepulveda. With many booming punts this preseason, Sepulveda will make the Steelers special teams a strength instead of a weakness.

Kicker

Jeff Reed. Mr. Automatic as Hines Ward calls him, will enter the 2009 season trying to earn a contract extension. As hard as it is to kick in Heinz Field, Reed has shown he has the ability to do so.

Long Snapper

Greg Warren. Against the Giants in 2008, the real value of the long snapper was realized by the Steelers. Warren will get the nod in 2009.

How Do You Balance Cheering for Fantasy and Real Football?

I have never really been someone that is big into fantasy football. I am in one league this year with some other Bleacher writers, but that is it.

I have not even made any trades, or accepted any of them. It is not that I am not into it, there is just a core problem I have in building my team.

As most of you know, I am a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. They are my team, there is no one that is a close second.

There are plenty of team I hate. The Ravens, Browns, and Bengals are the obvious ones, but there are others.

I hate the Cowboys because they are the polar opposite of my Steelers. I hate the Patriots because of their dynasty in the early part of the decade, not to mention spygate.

There are other teams that I don’t hate, but yet, have a hard time cheering for. The Tennessee Titans were not on this list until the stomping of the Terrible Towel last year.

My point is, there are many teams that I do not want to see good.  Here is where the two worlds collide.

If I want to win in fantasy football, I have to pick some players on the teams that I do not care for.

Would taking Randy Moss or Tom Brady be a bad idea? How about the Ravens defense? All good people to have on your fantasy team. But how can you cheer for someone on a team you want to lose.

If the Steelers are playing the Ravens, and I have the Ravens D, do I get excited when the Steelers score? Or, do I get upset that my fantasy team is losing?

If the Steelers are competing with the Patriots for home field advantage in the playoffs, how can I cheer when Brady throws a score to Moss, if they are on my team?

Millions of people play fantasy football every year, and I would like to hear from all of you.

Where does your allegiance lie? How do you cheer for people that are not on your real life team? How do you keep them separate?

Bills vs. Steelers: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

The third preseason game is what is considered the most important of the preseason. That is when the starters play the most, usually the first half. It is also the only game that the coaches game plan for the opponent.

Here is this weeks version of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

The Good

Defense:

The Steelers defense look as if they are ready to pick up where they left off last year. The defense dominated the Buffalo starters from the opening drive.

James Farrior returned an interception for a touchdown, single handily outscoring the entire Bills team.

Limas Sweed:

For the first time in his young career, Limas Sweed played as if he knew exactly what he was doing. Sweed finished the game with four receptions for 34 yards. What stood out was the only incomplete thrown to Sweed on a pass where Sweed was pushed out of bounds.

Rashard Mendenhall:

After a slow start, Mendenhall recorded his first touchdown of the preseason on the Steelers final drive of the first half.

Stefan Logan:

If this man does not make the team for his special teams ability, I have to question the decision that the front office is making. Logan was stellar for the second week in a row.

Ben Roethlisberger:

Roethlisberger was 15-19 for 168 yards, picking apart the Buffalo secondary at will.

Joe Burnett:

As the Bills tried to avoid the shutout at the end of the game by kicking a field goal, speedy Joe Burnett ran around the outside to block the kick, and preserve the shut out.

The Bad

Offensive line:

On the Steelers first drive, the offensive line played like they played last year. After the first drive, they seemed to come together.

Rashard Mendenhall:

On the Steelers opening drive, Mendenhall fumbled in Buffalo territory, to end a drive where the Steelers were already in field goal range.

The Ugly

There were a total of three injuries to the Steelers.

Carey Davis injured an ankle early in the game, though he would later return.

On the Bills opening drive of the second half, Mike Tomlin decided to keep the starters in for one more drive, to build on the first half momentum. On that defensive stand, starting ILB Lawrence Timmons injured his ankle. Details are not year known.

Instead of taking a knee for the last play of the game, Tomlin ran off tackle, and Isaac Redman was injured on the play.

Mike Tomlin’s decision to play the defensive starters in the beginning of the second half resulted in the Timmons injury, and his decision not to take a knee resulted in Redmans. Everyone loves Mike Tomlin, but these are decisions that need to be made better.

 

Frank “The Tank” Summers Interview

My first of hopefully many interviews came with Frank Summers. I had the chance to speak with Mr. Summers about his status with the Steelers and his future in the NFL.

Question 1 – What is your role with the Steelers?

Summers– I am not going to say that I am the guy or not the guy. I think part of the Steelers bringing me in was to help the organization as far as me being a complete football player. That’s fullback, running back, and special teams, so, all I know, I’m just trying to work my butt off, and do anything the coaching staff asks of me.

If they ask me to run down and cover kicks, I’m doing it; blocks, I’m doing it; if they ask me to carry the ball in certain situations, I’ll do it. Anything the coaching staff asks of me, I’m more than willing to do.

Question 2– How do you feel about being compared to Jerome Bettis?

Summers– We get a lot of comparisons, but Jerome Bettis is a great player, and in my mind, someday a Hall of Famer, so I can’t compare to come close to that right now. I don’t have a regular season game in the NFL. So, as of right now, I’m just working hard and using this whole process as a learning experience to help me out for the future.

Question 3 – What was the atmosphere like for your first preseason game in the NFL when the Arizona Cardinals came to Heinz Field?

Summers – Oh, it was very nice. I would say a blessing and a dream. Just to be able to take an NFL field. To come here, to the Super Bowl winners of last year, and such a great organization as the Steelers.

When I walked out of the tunnel, and seen the stadium with the fans, everybody had their Terrible Towels. It was, I just need to take this in and realize, and really give thanks for me being in this position and being here, It was very much a dream come true, and I am really looking forward to taking the field there a lot more.

Question 4 – The Steelers had the No. 1 ranked defense in the NFL last year, and return almost every starter. Who is the hardest hitter on the Steelers defense?

Summers– Oh man, it’s crazy. This whole defense could be Pro Bowl. They should just put this defense in the Pro Bowl. But they’re great guys. Obviously, we have the Defensive MVP in James Harrison, we got Troy Polamalu, we got Lawrence Timmons, a first round pick a couple years back—he’s an athlete. We got Ryan Clark at safety. It’s just crazy.

The talent they have here on this defense, I would, shoot man, practicing against this defense more than prepares you to go into a game. The game kind of slows down when you’ve seen this defense flying at you from every which way in practice. It truly is a blessing going up against a defense such as good as this one, day in and day out.

Question 5 – You said in an interview on Steelers.com that you play with the intensity of a defensive player. If you were to play defense, what position would you play?

Summers – Probably defensive end. Defensive end or linebacker.

Question 6 – In the NFL, what do you think your niche is going to be?

Summers – I don’t know. As of right now, I am trying to make it on special teams. Like I said before, wherever the coaches feel I could help the team out, I am going to accept it and embrace it with open arms and I am more than willing to go do it.

Question 7 – Because of your size, do most people doubt your speed?

Summers – Yeah, I think so. In this league, there are a lot of guys that are big, strong, and fast, but I am a blue collar worker, I’m going to keep working and try to do what I do.

Question 8 – When you signed your rookie contract, your signing bonus was $115,000. What is the first thing you bought?

Summers – After taxes, it was about 70 grand. I had some bills that I needed to pay off. Really, the rest of it, I just put it up. I put it into CD accounts. I have a car already, I am not going to be buying a house or anything. I just put the rest up.

Question 9 – Have you checked out Madden 10 yet?

Summers – Actually, I am not really a big gamer. I’ve seen it, I’ve seen one game. I haven’t checked it out myself personally.

Question 10 – Have you gone through any rookie hazing yet?

Summers – Just a little bit. I had to sing a couple of songs, but nothing over the top.

Question 11 – Who are some of the guys that you are closest with on the team?

Summers – This is a great group of guys, all of them. They help me a lot, so I hang with all of them. I hang with all the running backs, but the rookies are always together though.

Question 12 – Why didn’t you play in the second preseason game, against the Redskins?

Summers – My hamstring got a little tight on the last Thursday, right before the game. I thought it was pretty good, but they wanted to hold me out of this last game.

Stefan Logan May Have Earned His Roster Spot Against Redskins.

One of the biggest areas of concern in the Steelers’ 2008 season were special teams. In the 2008 training camp, Daniel Sepulveda was lost for the season with a torn ACL.

The Steelers’ worst area, including the offensive line, was the punt unit. With Sepulveda back, the Steelers punt game, as Sepulveda has shown, is already better than it was last year.

In the divisional round of the playoffs, against the chargers, Mike Tomlin inserted Santonio Holmes for a spark. Holmes returned the punt for a touchdown, but that was one of the few times that the punt return team shined.

There are not many teams in football that want their most productive receiver returning punts for fear of injury anyway.

Enter Stefan Logan.

As the smallest member of the Steelers, Logan is only 5’7″, and weighs 180 pounds. What Logan does posses is amazing skills returning kicks and punts.

As a member of the CFL’s, British Columbia Lions, Logan averaged over seven yards per rush.

Logan was not originally signed to be a running back for the Steelers; he was signed to compete for kickoff return duties.

After watching him against the Redskins, there is not much of a competition.

Logan had four returns for a total of 157 yards.  That is just three yards shy of a 40- yard average.

I have said numerous times that preseason is not where you judge how good a player can be. But when it comes to special teams, most of the time, the normal special teams contributors are in the game.

What is more impressive is that Logan’s long return was that every one of his returns was for over 20 yards, and that two of them were over 40.

To clear the way for Logan to earn the job, rookie Joe Burnett was supposed to compete with Logan for the position. In his two preseason games, Burnett has two fumbles, one in each game.

The fumble against the Redskins put them inside the red zone, and they scored a touchdown on the next play, costing the Steelers the lead and the game.

The last Steeler to dominate the return game was Antwaan Randle El. Since Randle El left the Steelers for the Redskins, there has never been a threat to break one at any time.

Twice against the Redskins, Logan outran his own legs, and almost had two touchdowns.

Stefan Logan has an amazing ability at returning kicks, and that is something that the NFL recognizes. Every year, one player for both the AFC and NFC is selected to the Pro Bowl based on special teams ability.

If the Steelers keep Logan, he very well could win that award this year.

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