The Fall of Troy

By Jeffrey Burton

This was not the season we hoped for our Steelers. There are some good things that happened. We ended on a three game win streak, but this was not been our season of steely resolve. 

Moving forward:

There are many reasons this happened:

Things that could have been avoided:

The Worst Offensive Line in the History of Football

Maybe an exaggeration, but not that much of one.  This line sucked last year and should have been shored up in the off-season. No major moves were made. Offensive Line Coach Larry Zierlien and special team’s coordinator Bob Ligashesky have lost their jobs. I wish I could say I was sorry to hear it.

The lousy Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians, I hear disturbing rumors will be retained, more on him in a second.

The Cleveland Browns one of the worst pass rush teams in the league, ignored our non o-line and delivered 8, count them, eight sacks on Ben. Eight sacks, 8 sacks! Ocho sackos!  Imagine people looking at someone in a bar jumping up and down yelling at the top of their lungs, making Hitler-like gestures, “EIGHT SACKS! 8 M-EFFING SACKS! HOW CAN THAT HAPPEN! Over and over again and them concurring, “Oh yes good sir, how could that M-EFFING happen?”

This has been shear insanity and would be criminal if it happened off the football field. The Coaches, the General Manager, the Rooney’s and the entire Steeler Organization would all be found guilty of criminal conspiracy to commit violent abuse in the real world.

I don’t care if Ben defends his linemen; plenty of abused people defend their abuser. It has affected his play and he has admitted it publicly now.  The Steeler Organization is supposed to help Ben be safe. They have failed beyond any failure I have ever seen in my long relationship with this team.

They actually out did there sack totals of last year with 50. Only Green Bay allowed more with 51. Oh and 77 hits on the QB. Maybe the Steelers accountant should take over the coaching duties; at least he\she would understand the meaning of protecting your investment.

I’m sick of writing about this. Please make it go away.

Non-existent Running Game:

I know that Rashard got to have a 1,000 plus yard season, but we never run when we should and we do not run enough. This terrible pass offensive line is average or a little above average in run blocking. They should have tried to make it work.

Rearranging Deck Chairs:

Arians should have been fired during the 5 game losing streak. He is so predictable it is ridiculous. If he brings in a sub the ball goes to that person on the first play. He has no concept of using someone as a decoy. If it wasn’t for Ben’s incredible play we wouldn’t have done anywhere near to as well as we did. Not that is was all that good.  Firing Zierlien without firing Arians is like returning your soup as the Hindenburgh docks because it’s too cold.

Things that Couldn’t be Avoided.

All of the Injuries on Defense:

I’m quite happy of our beloved Steelers ability to hang together with all the injuries they’ve had on defense. Arron Smith, Travis Kirschke, Lawrence Timmons, Ryan Clark, William Gay (I know Haters, hate away. He’s starting in his second season in an extremely difficult position), and the hugest of the huge, Troy Polamalu. There was no finger pointing for any loses. This is a testament to Defensive Team Captain James Farrior and more importantly Dick LeBeau. If we have all these guys on the field for the season we are most certainly in the playoffs and well seeded.

Jeff Reed is definitely on drugs, probably weed:

When you are all toked up in a game it must be like, “Dude why are these guys running so fast? Where are the HoHo’s? Why do they want me to hit this guy? He didn’t do anything to me other than run my lousy kick-off back for a touchdown. I wonder if RealTurf has RealGrass in it. Hey guys, anyone wanna’ try? What? You want me to kick this thing through those yellow sticks? I’m totally baked man.”

Or maybe he’s on Crack, or Crystal Meth, I don’t know.

We should be looking for another kicker in the off-season. Let him commit totally to the bender that he will wake up from someday and say “WTF?”

I don’t know maybe that one could have been avoided.

The Good Things!

Mike Wallace has made the conversion from incisive TV journalist and interviewer to a NFL Star on Rise. I can’t wait to see where he is at next season.

Rashard Spindenhall has emerged as an incredibly gifted featured back. He has skills on the outside and inside I didn’t know he had and can catch out of the backfield.

Ziggy Hood; His play stepped up as he got more time.

Aaron Smith and Troy will be back and boy do we need them.

Most of our Super Bowl team will be back. Yeah we are getting a little old on defense, but hopefully we get some new blood via free agency and the draft. Our guys still have plenty left in the tank.

Observations and Questions:

Daniel Sepulveda is the best player we have on defensive special teams. He is not only one of the best Punters in the league he is one of the best special team’s tacklers. One of the many differences between Reed and Sepulveda is that Daniel is a football player and not a stoner.

Casey Hampton and Willie Parker are all but gone. Hampton was never a favorite of Tomlin, who dislikes his work ethic. Wait, what work ethic? Willie has had a season to rest and wants to vie for a starting job somewhere. Hey Mister Tomlin, Chester Taylor is a free agent next year couldn’t we use another veteran back that can run between the tackles and catch out of the backfield?

Let’s bring up Isaac “Redzone” Redman. Couldn’t we have used some help in the Redzone this year?

Stefan Logan was responsible for the most yardage on the team for a ground player this year, 1746 total return yards. Could we get him on the field more, please?

I would rather have Big Ben and Heath than any other QB\TE combo. The Pro Bowl voters must be smoking whatever Jeff Reed is.  I voted for them.

2010 Draft Sneak Preview

I can’t spill all of my Little Big Board now; I need something to write about in the off-season. (Or a girlfriend, or both, maybe a Stillers Girl. Did you know the Steelers have the most female fans? Second is the Cowboys, there’s no accounting for taste, but Texas girls are hot. So are Steelers girls, but I now digress.)

Round One – LG Mike Lupati, Idaho, The Samoan American is a dominating LG that is great in pass protection and the pulling and trapping that has been the staple of the Steelers for years. Since Faneca left we haven’t been the same. It is time to return to Steelers Football with a great air game as well.

Round Two – NT Dan Williams, Tennessee, Hampton is gone, Chris Hoke can step in and give time to Williams so he can develop into a starter for his second season.

Round Three – RT Kyle Calloway, Iowa, and this guy could be tremendously athletic at RT and allow Willie Colon to move inside to his natural RG position where his lack of vision would not be so much of a detriment. So this is a two for one pick. Oh, Kyle was pulled over for driving a moped intoxicated. I’m sure this is only against the law in Iowa, along with cow tipping.

Round Four – S Nate Allen, South Florida, I don’t know if he’ll still be available so I have T.J. Ward of Oregon as a back-up pick. I think the Steelers are crazy if they let Ryan Clark walk, but I’ve seen it time after time.

Round Five – DE Alex Carrington, Arkansas State, we need to build on our great but aging line. Alex could be a very good fit for the 3-4.

Round Six – S Kyle McCarthy, Notre Dame or LB Joe Pawelek, Baylor, two classic overachievers that could be good late round finds for the Steelers.

Round Seven – WR\QB\P\H-B\PKH Kerry Meier, Kansas, most of the Mocks have him as undrafted. I say use the last pick on the Jayhawk Slash. We could be adding a guy that would actually know that you shouldn’t throw a long pass across field into double coverage even though the Genius Bruce Arians designed the play for you (Santonio). This guy has a great attitude and hands of Velcro.  And he’s from Pitsburgh. Yeah, I spelled that right, Pitsburgh, Kansas. I think we should give him the opportunity to get the extra ‘T’.

Go Stillers!

So you want to coach the Pittsburgh Steelers? Welcome to hell Mike Tomlin!

Crazy title I know but the meaning reigns true. I have been reading other blogs and Steelers news across the net today and the one theme I am finding after the Pittsburgh Steelers colossal collapes the last four weeks is that Mike Tomlin should be fired, that the team that has been one of the best the last 20 years should just panic and go against what makes them so great. Yup the view of a Pittsburgh Steelers fan.

Don’t get me wrong but I am a diehard myself. I have some crazy views of my own, so when I say what I am about too I mean it with true passion for my team. “Shut the hell up!!!”

I am so tired of Steelers fans who call Ben Roethlisberger the best thing since fried chicken one week then call for Charlie Batch the next. I am tired of my fellow friends in Steelers country calling Mike Tomlin a god after he wins the Super Bowl then turning on him when he has a few bad games. Just in case you don’t know, Players play. Coaches coach. Tomlin can not go out on the field and make a play for the defense when they are choking away the lead late in the game.

So I say blamn the players, blamn the system, blamn the bad bounce but whoever you blamn be sure it is for the right reasons. Mike Tomlin did not allow the Raiders to score 21 points in the 4th quarter, the defense did. Big Ben did not allow it either, the defense did. Want something real to blamn? Then blamn the greed of the players as well.

What do I mean by that, blamn them for needing more money then they can ever spend and forcing the team to allow solid players like Bryant Mcfadden to be let go due to the salary cap crunch. Blamn them for William Gay laying an egg all season long. I can assure you if Tomlin had his way McFadden would still be on the team and our secondary would be much better for it. When you constantly rely on 3rd or 5th rounders to start at cornerback because your paying backups more money then they are worth, then you can’t blamn the coach.

Also those who wish Bill Cohwer was back in the fold, you can blamn him just as much for leaving the team with little to no depth on the defensive side of the ball. Tomlin inherited this team and can not replenish the depth over night. The age of our defenders is too blamn as well. Maybe it is time to spend a couple of bucks in free agency on some young talent as well. I am not saying go for broke, that does not work, but keep the guys you have unless you know you have a solid player to replace them with. I am sure a better DB could have been found via free agency then William Gay as well.

With that said I regress and will list the things I feel are the real cause of the state of the Steelers. Some will agree and some will call me crazy but thats what makes blogging so much fun.

1. Age of the Defense: As much as I love the Steelers and guys like James Farrior, Deshea Townsand, Casey Hampton and others, their age is catching up to them. The result is the fourth quarter let downs as they are tired and worn down by then.

2. Football is a game of inches and the Steelers seem to be one to many inches behind on some plays. The are not getting the luck or bounch of the ball their way. A few examples are Ryan Mundy getting beat for the game winning touchdown. He was just inches from blocking the pass. Joe Bennett dropping the interception that could have ended the drive. Just inches away. Missed sacks as Gradkowski got away one too many times. there is a fine line between winning and losing and this season the Steelers have not got the same breaks they got last year. They have been just inches away from them.

3. Injuries: Troy Polamalu, Aaron Smith, Chris K, etc… The Steelers do not have the depth to overcome some of their best players being hurt. Just like verse the ravens with Dennis Dixon being inches away from the win, he made some mistakes Big Ben may not have made. The loss of Polamalu is huge as well. The entire defensive scheme is wateredown with him out. He is the only playmaker who creates turnovers and that hurts a ton when he is out of the game.

4. Bruce Arians: As much as he and Ben get along it won’t be easy to replace him. Ben’s 100 million dollar contract gives him some pull I am sure. Though keeping Arians is a mistake. He is too simple of a play caller and has zero creativity. Every run he calls the entire world screams run and I am sure the defense does too. His passes are the same routes over and over. The same formations, nothing changes week to week. He is also too aggressive sometimes calling bombs when he only needs 5 yards to move the chains, etc…

I will use two plays as examples of the faults of BA. Against the Chiefs in OT on 3rd and 5 BA calls a toss run play to Mewelde Moore. It gets stuffed for a loss. I understand Batch was hurt and at the time the fans did not know this, but Willie Parker should get the outside, speed type runs, not Moore. Why not if you know batch is hurt and can’t throw, why not put in Dixon, let him run the toss? I garuntee he had a better chance of getting it then Moore. That theme can be talked about all day so lets move on.

The next play I will use as an example of Arian’s stupidity is in the Ravens game, again 3rd and 5 on the 50 yard line in OT. You have a 3rd string QB in the game who has next to no game experience. You know the Ravens are running zone to confuse him and you call a slant? The worst possible play verse a zone defense. On top of that your QB has 4.5 speed and already had a 24 yard touchdown run and a 31 yard scamper called back on a hold and the best play you can come up with is a slant?

Why not call a bootleg, roll him out with Heath Miller and Hines Ward out front. (I have seen such plays ran by Big Ben so don’t tell me they don’t have it in the playbook.) Give Dixon the option to pass or run. Use his strengths not set him up for failure with a play call a vetern would have trouble running. I could go on all day but you guys are smart and get the point.

5. Hunger: I don’t care who you are you are not as hungery after a big meal as you are first thing in the morning and the Steelers need to win is not as much as it was before winning the Super Bowl. This leads to players taking plays off and not having a sense of urgency in games. Thus leading to fourth quarter meltdowns.

Ok enough of listing the problems, lets move on to how to fix the problems. Be warned though, I do not feel these problems can or will be fixed overnight. So going into panic mode will not help nor is it gonna get the Steelers into the play offs. Below is my list of fixes so to say and almost everyone will have to wait until the off season.

1. Eveluate the entire team and decide who needs benched. Start with William Gay. It worked with Mendenhall and will show the team nobody is untouchable and everyone is accountable. If your not producing then you don’t play. That simple. Give the young guys a head start on next season and who knows maybe one will suprise, step up and make that play we have been missing late in games. Let Joe Bennett start at CB oppisite of Ike Taylor. He can’t do any worse then Gay has. He showed great instincts in the few plays he did get on the field after Gay got hurt. Maybe a few young guys is what the defense needs to create a spark.

2. Fire Bruce Arians. Then find a solid OC that is both creative and fits the Steelers talents. Bring back Gailey or Malurky if thats what it takes. This will have to wait until the off season but it is something that MUST be done if the Steelers are to return to form next season.

3. Smack Big Ben around until he learns to throw the ball away or check down to the safety valve. I love Ben and feel he is one of the best in the league so a few treaks in his game can only make him better. Too many times have I noticed a HB wide open that could have gained yards when Ben decides to throw it long and it does not connect. I love Bens killer instinct but checking down now and then will lead to more substained drives and keep the defense off the field and rested for when we really need them late in the game.

4. It is time to draft a true number 1 cornerback. The Steelers made the move to get Troy Polamalu and they need to do it again to get a real shutdown CB, one that can create turnovers. They could of had D. Revis with a trade or two a few years back and it is time to do what it takes in the next draft to get our own Revis. My number one priority in the draft is cornerback. Depending on 5th rounders does not cut it any more.

5. Find James Farriors future replacement in this years draft. They missed their chance last year when they passed on Rey Maualuga for Ziggy Hood, a mistake in my opinion as I am still not sold on Hood. I am Farriors biggest fan, I love the guy but he only has a year or two left and already is showing signs he can no longer cover TE’s  and HB’s in the passing game.

6. Fire the offensive line and special teams coaches. We have some solid talent on the OL but too many times they have been confused with who to block and that goes back to coaching more then lack of talent. Same goes with special teams. Where is the wedge? Where is the creativity?

7. Sign Ryan Clark and Casey Hampton. I love Hoke but he is no Hampton, if you can’t sign Big Snack then franchise him and trade his ass for a solid draft pick. No use letting his talents get away for free. After you handle those two, hand Jeff Reed his walking papers. He is a decent FG kicker but his kick offs are way too short and he is a pussy when it comes to making tackles. If you keep him then let the punter kick off. He would get better distance and not be afraid to get dirty making a tackle.

8. John Stallworth is now part owner of the team so use his talents to help Limas Sweed get to were his talents should be. Sweed has too much talent to allow it to be wasted. Find a way to get him were he needs to be. I love Holmes and Wallace, but we need another big redzone target and Ward will not play forever. So instead of just cutting your loses and wasting another much needed draft pick on yet another big WR that don’t make the cut, do what is needed to get Sweed on the field and making plays next year.

Well thats all I can think of right now guys. I hope you enjoyed this post and will take the time to post your comments. Tell us what you think the Steelers need to do to get back on track. Tell us we are a bunch of idiots, its ok we can take it. Tell us anything you wish but don’t give up hope. The season is not over yet and anything is possible. The road won’t be easy but it is not completly blocked. Thanks again for reading this guys.

Injuries catch up to Steelers in loss to the Ravens

Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Aaron Smith, Chris Kemoeatu, four starters out. Not to mention Charlie “Ouch” Batch injured again. What does that leave? Third String quarterback Dennis Dixon leading the charge and a few other backups doing what they can to help versus one of the leagues best defense’s.

Granted the team played well, but moral victories do not get you into the play-offs. They only create controversy, such as Hines Ward questioning Big Ben’s manhood. Not cool by the way.

Dixon played well the first half of the game, he did everything that was asked of him and did not make any key mistakes. The problem was his inexperience in the second half was not hidden by Bruce Arians play calling. The calls in OT were not ones to help Dixon succeed. They were ones that set him up for failure.

What I mean by that is Dixon had trouble reading zones, thats to be expected in your first NFL start, but Arians did not call plays to offset those issues or use Dixon’s strengths to the teams advantage. In the first half wide reciever screens, worked well. So did play action. The second half, specially in OT we saw neither. Even on 3rd and shorts. Why not is the question? Also why not more bootlegs, roll him out with the option to run?

Bruce Arians just does not get it. His play calling is not helping the team, nor will it ever. He called the same exact run 15-20 times. I mean Ward spent so much time in motion just to tip off the Ravens that it was a run, then he did running pass routes. No wonder he looked pissed late in the game. When you take away Wards smile, you take away victories as well.

The defense played great for most of the game, but James Farrior, as good as he is, hurt them when covering the HB in the passing game. Maybe it is time to let Lawrence Timmons handle that aspect. He is younger and faster. Let Farrior do what he does best, stop the run and clog up run lanes. Willie Gay did not help much either. Nor did Ike Taylor’s penalties.

I realize the draft is a long ways away but it is time to start scouting cornerbacks, safeties and a future replacement for Farrior at MLB. Not to mention decide weither to sign Casey Hampton and Ryan Clark. I say sign them both, the team has too many other needs to add those to the list. Maybe it is time to add some talent via free agency as well. I am not saying break the bank, but a decent body or two would offset what you can’t get in the draft.

With the loss many fans have already jumped the gun and are in panic mode but remember 2005 and have faith is my motto. It is never too late to put together a great late season run that sets you up for a play-off run. The time to start is now though, a loss to the Raiders next week and the season is over.

I predict the Steelers turn it around though. Both Ben and Troy should return next week, that will help a ton.  A late season run is on the horizon and the Steelers should be able to run the table and get into the play-offs as the 5 seed, maybe 4, if the Bungals faulter. They have the Chargers and Vikings still.

I also see potential in Dennis Dixon, maybe not as a Steeler but he will start for someone down the road. If he can continue to grow he will make some nice trade bait near the end of his contract. Why not franny tag Willie Parkers and trade him as well? I don’t care if you only get a 4th rounder out of him. It is better then getting nothing.

The season is not over. Sure the road ahead is not an easy one, but also not one we have not traveled before. Here we go Pittsburgh. Get r’ done.

Polamalu ready to practice

By Teresa Varley
Steelers.com 

Mendenhall arrives in time to save Steelers season.

Never have so many Steelers fans been forced to eat crow then after the performance that Rashard Mendenhall served up in his first extended action, since being selected number one over all by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2008 NFL draft. Just one week after Mendenhall found out what it ment to piss of coach Mike Tomlin and his being benched, everything would change in a blink of an eye.

A new lead blocker and a second chance was all that Mendy could ask for and is exactly what he got. With Willie Parker out with a turf toe injury and Frank Summers on injured reserve, the Steelers would resign Carey Davis and immediatly hand him back his old starting fullback job as Mendenhall would get his second NFL start. The first one ended just four carries into the game as a hit by Ray Lewis would sideline him for the remainder of the 2008 season with a broken collar bone.

After he was given a second chance the Steelers gave him the football, and not just once or twice in a game already decided. They gave it to him when it was scoreless, and when they had a big lead. They gave it to him near the goal line, and in long-yardage situations. They gave him a chance to shine and Mendenhall ran over the San Diego Chargers for 165 yards and two touchdowns during the Steelers’ 38-28 victory on Sunday night.

Just like that Rashard Mendenhall went from the coaches goat to a fan favorite as he got the “bust monkey” off his back and finally showed why he was drafted so high and why the team had such high hopes for him.

He didn’t just successfully replace the injured Willie Parker, he made a big push to keep the job when Parker recovers from his left big toe injury. Mendenhall gave the Steelers (2-2) the goal-line back they’ve been looking for – he scored from the 1- and the 2-yard line – and ran for 70 yards during the fourth quarter alone.

“I was able to be me and be comfortable,” Mendenhall said. “All I wanted was a chance to be out there and to play and for people to be able to see me and who I am, because people haven’t seen me play too much to this point.”

He came, he played, he kicked ass. He reminded me of a young Ladanian Tomlinson. Mendenhall showed power, speed and heart. He also showed vision and the ability to cut back and find the open spaces and the ability to pick up yards after the first hit. On top of everything else he showed the ability to be an everydown back as he turned a couple of screen passes into nice gains and had a block that would make even Hines Ward proud, while picking up the blitz.

Mendenhall might have grown up in one night, and perhaps the Steelers’ offense did, too, as Ben Roethlisberger threw for 333 yards and two scores, Hines Ward had eight catches for 113 yards and tight end Heath Miller made eight for 70 yards. The Steelers outgained the Chargers 497-251.

Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians also lined up 330-pound lineman Doug Legursky – whose new nickname is Bronko, as in Hall of Famer Bronko Nagurski – as Mendenhall’s lead blocker near the goal line.

“We drafted Rashard in the first round and he showcased tonight what he can do. Once Willie gets back, we’ve got a great 1-2 punch,” Ward said. “We showed a lot of teams in the NFL that if we continue to stay on the ground, we have a nice offense.”

Mendenhall heard himself being called a wasted draft pick, and a soft runner whose personality didn’t fit that of the team he played for. What apparently got to him was the message sent by his coach.

“A lot of people have been down on him, so he definitely had something to prove,” Parker said. “He had a good week of practice, when it was all about him. He definitely paid attention to all the little details, he took it to the practice field and he came out and played like he practiced.”

With Parker still recovering, Mendenhall is expected to remain the starter Sunday at Detroit. Before Parker was hurt, Parker played two series for every one that Mendenhall got, but that could change, too.

“Wanting to be great and to produce at this level, that’s something I’ve been working toward since I’ve been here,” Mendenhall said.

In other news:

On Monday, the Steelers released running back Isaac Redman, the former Bowie State player who had a standout training camp, and brought back defensive end Nick Eason. I guess Mendy showed the Steelers and their fans that they already had a “Redzone” and no longer need to hold onto the hopes of another undrafted FA running back sneaking up on the NFL.

Mike Tomlin and the Fear of the Lord

 By Jeffrey Burton

Last week my blog was a mystery entitled “Who stole Hines Ward’s Smile?” That mystery may never be solved, but Hines Ward’s galaxy class smile is back and looks like it could be here to stay. All of the things that seemed to be mysteriously stolen from the Steelers were back Sunday night.

Santonio Holmes hands; check. He had only one forgivable drop. That was it. Otherwise he was the same Santonio we know and love. The star receiver tonight though was Hines, blowing people up on blocks, running as Chris Collinsworth said, like a Fullback, and making every key catch as Ben’s prime receiver. Heath Miller, the Best Tightend in the NFL (we saw a great one tonight in Antonio Gates, but sorry you give me the choice, it is nothing but “Heeeaaatttthhh!”, say it at home, say it loud and say it proud,) was spectacular.

Mewelde Moore, was in the game for a receiving touchdown AND a passing touchdown. The Un-Dirty-Word, Believable, Big Check.

This game felt like Christmas to me given all the things I had on my wish list last Sunday.

I’d like to welcome some people back to the Steelers:

Bruce Arians – There has obviously been some imposter using Bruce Arians name, masquerading as the Steelers Offensive Coordinator. Double reverses, running backs throwing passes? Then Santonio Holmes almost throwing a pass as Doug Legursky played some Full Back/H-Back? Incredible trap blocking and pulling block plays? I thought his only trick was the Bunch Formation called by some the Banana Bunch and I wish that when he uses it at home they should play the theme from the Banana Splits. Check Youtube or Goggle you’ll see what I mean.

Rashard Mendenhall – This is where the fear of the Lord comes in. Tomlin seems to be able to summon that at will. He put in Santonio last season. He put it in Rashard last week and he has no doubt put in Limas Sweed this week. We can only hope that Limas responds like Mendenhall. This was the first round draft pick we had been missing, slashing, spinning, powering through, popping outside, exploding through the line and protecting the ball. His blow up block got a collective “Oh yeah!” out of the home crowd. As a long time resident I would like to welcome you to Steeler Country Mr. Mendenhall.

Isaac Redman – I thought you should have been on the roster from the beginning. I hope you will get some touches next week. Go Red zone!

The Offensive Line – They were a bit skittish in the beginning and a lot of plays seemed to be getting done in spite of them, not because of them. Then they settled in. Yeah, it’s a Charger Defense that is missing some starters, but we are missing Troy, which is like missing two to three starters. They were blowing big holes on run blocking and doing a good job on pass blocking Chris Kemeotou had a great game, minus the one holding call.

Mr. James Harrison and Mr. Lamar Woodley – They got consistent pressure on the extremely cagey Phillip Rivers, though they did not sack him much they consistently broke up his rhythm. Harrison’s strip at the end was classic Harrison.

Some things that need work:

Ben, please no longer one inch above the turf passes to Mike Wallace.

Get Stefan Logan on the field more please. Despite of the stand-up fumble that Collinsworth dwelled on, Stefan is an explosive offensive presence. Get him on the field, get him the ball and let him run.

My plea from last season is the same as it’s been from the beginning of my 36 year affair with the Steelers. Could you just play one regular un-dramatic game?

How do you let a team that was in the bag, score 21 points in one quarter?

I think that Mike Tomlin will hit the entire Defense with that this week. One thing I believe now is that when Tomlin summons the Fear of the Lord the players feel it. You get that into our defense and even without Troy next week the opposition will feel it as well.

Go Stillers!

Steelers Offensive Line is the New Kordell?

By Jeffrey Burton (the artist formerly know as J.B. Steel)

The Steelers have a long history of enabling. Just as all people that have substance control problems know it always helps to have someone who is always there to lend support, tell you everything is OK and no matter how bad it gets they will always be there. This is a form of delusion that is destructive not only to the people that are screwed up, but the people that enable. There is always a lot of collateral damage as well.

Chuck Noll came to Pittsburgh with a hard-nosed attitude, telling most of the current players they would not be there next year. He then went on to ignore the fact that Joe Gilliam and Terry Hanratty would never be NFL Quarterbacks and benched Terry Bradshaw, who despite the fact he sucked at first, was clearly the Quarterback of the future. Eventually Bradshaw exploded as a great future Hall of Famer with 4 Super Bowl rings and is for my money the greatest Quarterback Ever to Play the Game. Yes, I said it. Screw Montana, Peyton and even the great Johnny Unitas, well maybe not Johnny , Tom Brady does not even factor in here. Not only is he not close to being the greatest Quarterback of all time, he is not the best Quarterback currently playing, but I digress.

Noll fought with Bradshaw his entire career. Noll actually said, when he was asked toward the end of Bradshaw’s career if he was concerned about the future. “The Quarterback is one 11^th of the offense.” Was his reply. He then went on to prove it by starting the worst Quarterbacks in recent Steeler history

Cliff Stoudt. A cold chill should be running through any Steeler fan old enough to remember that name. That is a horror show that deserves a rating, which prohibits it from this forum. Suffice it to say when I moved down to Florida, I was watching a Dolphins game and saw him in Dolphin sweats on the sideline, I went ‘Ayah!” and jumped out of my chair. I hadn’t even had a good look at him. I just knew it was him. The horror…The horror… Enabling project.

Mark Malone or Magnum P.U. as he was known in some circles due to his resemblance to Tom Selleck, was an incredible athlete. He could play wide receiver, run back kicks, do anything. He could throw the ball as well. He was the original Slash. What he wasn’t, was a NFL Quarterback and he loved taking his helmet off while he was running off the field so the women could bask in his beauty. Enabling project.

The years went by and David Woodley (talented but concussed), the spastic Bubby Brister and his mother and I don’t know who else made it clear that the quarterback was one eleventh of the Steelers offense or less.

Bill Cowher came in as Head Coach and Neil O’Donnell seemed to be the Steelers future, but he sentenced himself to Pallookaville after choking in the Super Bowl against the Cowgirls and going free agent to the place NFL player’s careers go to die, the Big Apple.

Then came Kordell Stewart, one of the most talented athletes ever to play professional football. This was a guy, that if he had remained Slash would have been the first person to get into the Hall of Fame playing multiple positions since I don’t know, Bronco Nagurski, Slingin’ Sammy Baugh and whoever else you can think of as a leather head. He insisted on being a quarterback and Cowher, enabled him. He was horrendous, and Cowher backed him year after year as all the fans and media shouted and waved their hands in slow motion Nooo! Nooooo!

So this leads to the latest Steelers enabling project, of our Non-Offensive line. If you’re offensive you need to be offensive, spit on the sidewalk, pinch a baby, be sarcastic to your sainted grandmother and BLOCK for your extremely tolerant 100 million dollar Quarterback. The fault is not entirely with their obvious lack of talent. It is the fact that Mike Tomlin, who I respect, Non-Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians who I don’t, and Line Coach and Vietnam Vet Larry Zierline who I like, but think is the wrong guy at the wrong time, won’t face facts. This group does not have sufficient talent to be a starting NFL Offensive Line. Utilizing numbers from Frank Trusic, “Is Bruce Arians using Fuzzy Math?” at SteelCityInsider.com that he gleaned from Jay Cooper at Fanhouse.com and Stats LLC I will interpret how the sacks are credited.

The sacks attributed to the Steelers line due to getting physically beaten or missing an assignment:

Left Tackle – 7 sacks – Max Starks is the most intimidating one on one player of this group. He is a mountain with tree trunk legs. He gets control of his guy and can usually engage him or drive him to the ground. He surrendered 4 sacks and almost all of them were for lack of getting so much as a hand on an OLB or DB rushing the edge while he was engaged with his primary blocking assignment. The former starter, talented Marvel Smith’s career with the Steelers has come to an end due to back injuries. He surrendered 3 sacks while he was starting.

Left Guard – 7 sacks – Chris Kemoeatu, the teams best run blocker has a glaring flaw. In run blocking he explodes against his assignment, is great using his arms and body to knock his guy off the line and then down the field. The problem is he blocks this way when he’s pass blocking. He does not displace and defend and watch that nobody runs the gap as you are supposed to. This is an easy thing for Defensive Coordinators to spot and I can only think there was no coaching done to address it or Chris gets too caught up in what he’s doing and forgets.

Center – 5 sacks – Justin Hartwig, the line’s play caller has been a huge improvement over the hapless Sean Mahan. Early on there were some badly missed assignment call-outs that he should have caught, but the other linemen should have seen them as well. Justin will be a solid veteran center until the Steelers have his successor. He would probably make a good backup for a couple years after that provided he doesn’t drop an anvil on his toe. The Steelers think they’ve found their guy of the future with draft choice A. Q. Shipley and I hope he gets a chance to prove it in the preseason.

Right Guard – 4 sacks – Darnell Stapelton, was really bad in place of the solid Kendell Simmons whose career is probably over due to a torn Achilles tendon. Hopefully Kraig Urbik the 3^rd round draft choice this year can win the starting position and begin the revolution that has to happen on the Steelers offensive line.

Right Tackle – 6 sacks – Willie Colon, to return to a theme, I’m sure has spit on the sidewalk and pinched a baby. I’m staying way clear of the rest of my earlier comment because I fear him and know nothing of his family. If I did know I wouldn’t say anything for the same reason. Willie’s problem is he’s playing out of position. He doesn’t make adjustments well and causes one of my favorite Steelers, the most underrated Tight End in the NFL and should be Pro Bowl player, come on say it at home, Heattthhhh(!) stay at home to help way too much. Willie needs to move inside where if he can’t start, would be an outstanding back-up.

So this leaves us with 29 sacks attributed to the offense line either getting beaten physically or due to assignment. Now here’s the rub. There are another 13 sacks attributed to assignment once again or Ben holding on to the ball too long. I dismiss the Ben thing out of hand because as he’s matured, he usually makes a play or throws the ball out of bounds, so that puts it back on the O-Line and the Coaches.

There’s another 7 sacks attributed to the Running Backs, but that happens and it usually means someone on the front line got beat or the opposition was blitzing. This brings us up to a whopping 49 sacks. Yep that’s right 49 divided by 16 is 3 sacks a game. 3 times a game your 100 million dollar Quarterback is getting driven to the ground. This is acceptable for a Super Bowl quality team? Although to be fair, against the Eagles he was sacked 9 times. I remember yelling out load as time after time rushers lined up in the gap between our linemen wearing a cloak of invisibility as the Steelers O-line and Coaches seemed blind to their existence.

Now the downward end of our journey is not yet here. On top of the 49 sacks we have an inexcusable and staggering 89 hits Big Ben took. That is 138 contacts, 9 times a game if you average up your franchise is getting smacked, knocked down or slammed.  There is no accounting for the remaining QB hurries. It is simply impossible.

We are not done yet. This is the crux of this article. Arians actually had the brass to say words to the effect that they didn’t care how many times Ben got hit. They only cared if he got injured. If this is not the most classic example of enabling of abuse I don’t know what is. Arians and the other Coaches if they agree are enabling serial abuse of their franchise Quarterback. Enabling encourages abuse and it’s not only the Coaches that are at fault it is also Ben who is obviously suffering from Stockholm Syndrome and should be asking for a new O-line.

He has had multiple injuries as a result and was taken off the field with the back board and golf cart and the Thumps Up to prove he wasn’t paralyzed, in Mummy-Rap last season.

Effing Mummy-Rap.

Now the coaching of the O-line is very suspect. Most of the season I couldn’t tell you if they were in a zone or man to man blocking scheme. I don’t think they knew half the time or if they did whatever they were trying devolved so quickly they were operating out of desperation. This didn’t seem to confuse the defenses who exploited their incompetence all season long. Slight improvements happened in the second half of the season, but that’s like being a hundred miles from shore and saying ‘Hey, the boat’s not sinking as fast as before’‘

Okay, so I think I’ve beaten the problem enough. How about some solutions?

I had three picks in my Mock Draft little Big Board last year going to the line, 1^st Round Max Unger C\OG\OT, 2^nd Round OT’s William Beatty, Eben Britton or Jamon Meredith and in later rounds Robert Brewster. There were free agents available the Steelers could have gone after. They added no free agents to compete on the Line with the exception of the undrafted OT Ramon Foster. They added Kraig Urbik RG\RT and A. Q. Shipley C, who I hope will pan out.

Next season I have three O-line picks again for the Draft (Yes, I’m so pathetic, I’ve already done a Mock for 2010, but cut me some slack, I’m getting the ricky-ticky’s from lack of football and have resorted to having the NFL Network on all the time. It’s sort of like Methadone for NFL junkies.) If the coaching staff think their starters are so good they should make them prove it with some competition. I think they will find that this ‘starting line’ is actually a bunch of good reserve linemen and have been all along.

The Steelers have been famous for the anonymity of the Offensive Line. The only players that were ever pointed out were the standouts, Mike Webster, Dermonti Dawson, Alan Faneca, Jeff Hartings. The rest did their job and nobody knew who they were. We now have a line that is mostly I’m sorry to say, infamous. We need that hard-nosed Chuck Noll attitude that I’ll paraphrase, I’ve looked at the film. I’ve seen you play. The problem is not that you have a bad attitude or don’t have a good work ethic. You are simply not good enough and a lot of you won’t be back here next year.”

This should have been addressed this year in the off-season in a major way. It wasn’t. If it continues this year Noll’s message from the past should extend not only to the Offensive Line, but to the Coaches as well.

Go Stillers!

Position Breakdown the Offensive Line

So far we have covered the quarter backs, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends, now it is time to turn our attention to the most criticized position, the Offensive Line.  It’s hard to believe a defending Super Bowl champion with so many starters returning could have any weaknesses, but the Pittsburgh Steelers do. Without a question, the Steelers had the worst offensive line of any Super Bowl champion in history. Don’t believe us? Check out the stats.

Marvel Smith and Kendall Simmons were let go, and not one lineman was signed in free agency. The draft produced just two picks, Wisconsin guard, Kraig Urbik, was tabbed in the third round and Penn State center A.Q. Shipley was a seventh round selection. Only Urbik has a shot to earn a starting position as Shipley will need time to develop.

The line has size, center Justin Hartwig (6-4, 312), LG Chris Kemoeatu (6-3, 344), RG Darnell Stapleton (6-5, 305), LT Max Starks (6-8, 345), and RT Willie Colon (6-3, 315) all are 300-plus pounders who, at times, can be dominant run blockers. The problem they had was athleticism and pass protection.

Steelers Position Breakdown of the Offensive Line

The Starters:

LT – Max Starks – Starks is among the tallest NFL players, standing at 6′8″ and 340 pounds. He is probably never going to be a tackle in the image of Tunch Illkin or Leon Searcy, but he is a solid, versatile starter. Starks has bounced in and out of the starting line up the last few seasons but played well enough in 2008 to earn the franchise tag a second year in a row.

At the very least, Starks will give their line some stability and franchising him buys Pittsburgh time to draft and develop other offensive lineman or to work out a long term contract with him. Starks is penciled in as the starting LT but will need to play well in camp to fend of Tony Hills and keep the job.

LG – Chris Kemoeatu – Chris Kemoeatu joined the Steelers in 2005 as a sixth round pick out of Utah. Listed at 6’3” and 344 pounds. Since being drafted he has captivated the imaginations of Steelers fans who are devotees of the team’s Smash Mouth identity. Though has yet to live up to the hype.

It’s unfair to single out Kemoeatu for blame, but the Steelers had a lot of difficulty punching at the goal line in the latter half of the year, and much of that difficulty was due to the run blocking from the interior lineman. While the Steelers definitely could do worse than Kemoeatu at guard, he is certainly not a player you break the bank for.

Center – Justin Hartwig - Signed to sure up the center position at the start of the 2008 season, Hartwig easily earned the starting job and allowed the Steelers to trade the undersized Sean Mahan to free up needed cap space. His play at the position was an upgrade but still not up to Steelers standards.

Hartwig enters the final season of his contract in 2009 and with Darnell Stapleton and the rookie A.Q. Shipley on the roster
will need to improve to get resigned by Pittsburgh. At 6′4 and 312 lbs., Hartwig has the size to play the position and hold up against the Sean Rogers of the NFL, but will need to improve his run blocking to earn his keep in 2009 or beyond.

RG – Darnell Stapleton - Originally was signed as an un-drafted free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers prior to the 2007 season. After the trade of Sean Mahan, Darnell became the backup center for the 2008 season. Due to necessity, after starting guard Kendall Simmons was placed on Injured Reserve after a Monday Night game against the Baltimore Ravens, he became the starter for the rest of the 2008 season.

As a starter for the 2008 AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, Darnell joins teammates Willie Parker and James Harrison on the list of impact non-drafted players in the Kevin Colbert era.

Our personally opinion here at Pittsburgh Blitz is that Darnell was an upgrade to Simmons and his play, though not perfect, helped to shore up the OL down the stretch and into the play-offs and Super Bowl. We are eager to see how he improves his second year as a starter. That is if he can hold off Kraig Urbik for the job this summer.

RT – Willie Colon -  Was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round (131st overall) in the 2006 NFL Draft. He started the first two games of his career in Weeks 16 and 17 of the 2006 season, replacing an injured Max Starks, and in early 2007 team activities has replaced Starks as the 1st-team right tackle for the team.

There has been rumors the past few years that Willie Colon should move to guard as another tackle, such as Max Starks or Trai Essex could play right tackle. The rumors were founded mainly because of Colon’s unspectacular pass protection, as well as his size – 6′3″ is an ideal guard size, not a tackle size. However, Mike Tomlin and other members of the Steelers organization have often dispelled such rumors.

Technically the teams only offensive linemen listed on the roster at RT, Colon could get challenged for the job by Tony Hills this summer. We look for this to be one of the more interesting camp battles, as here at Pittsburgh Blitz we are not big Willie Colon fans, at least not with him at RT. A move to RG or LG would suit him better in our opinion.

Key Role Players:

LT – Jason Capizzi - At 6-9, 315 pounds, Jason Capizzi looks big, even by NFL standards, as he walks around the locker room of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has the size and pedigree to play a key back up role for the Steelers in 2009. Capizzi signed with the Steelers as an un-drafted free agent from IUP. The Gibsonia native, who started his college career at Pitt, has spent time last season on practice squad and was elevated to the 53 man roster when Marvel Smith was put on IR.

Here at Pittsburgh Blitz we like Capizzi’s potential and feel he could be a surprise for the team this year once camp opens. He already has the eye of the coaches but lacks the experience needed to crack the starting line-up. That won’t stop him from making the final cut and getting a job as a key back up for the Steelers though.

LT – Tony Hills - Fundamentally sound left tackle who is at his best as a pass-protector. Blocks with good pad level, sets with a wide base, and makes outstanding use of body positioning as well as blocking angles. Slides out off the edge, stays square, and nicely works his hands throughout the play. Shows the ability to adjust and jolts defenders with good hand-punch. Fights hard until the whistle blows.

Hills has one negative though, his history of staying healthy is not the best. Suffering numerous injuries in both high school and college. Once considered a potential first rounder, Hills slipped to the Fourth round and the Pittsburgh Steelers due to those set backs. His slide in the draft could be a blessing in disguise though as he has the potential to grow into a quality starter at LT or RT for the team and could be a dark horse in the camp battles this season.

RG – Kraig Urbik - Selected in the third round of the 2009 NFL draft, Urbik will get a chance to compete for Darnell Stapleton’s starting job at right guard. If he does not start, Urbik should become the top backup guard and dress for games along with Trai Essex as the two backup linemen on Sundays.

RG – Trai Essex - During the off-season Essex visited the Tennessee Titans but came back home to sign a 2-year deal worth $2 million. The fifth-year veteran out of Northwestern was given a signing bonus of $500,000 by the team. He can play four different positions and will likely start camp as the No. 2 left tackle behind Max Starks but could be involved in a camp battle with Kraig Urbik for that role on the team.

Practice Dummies:

A.Q. Shipley - A Penn State center who grew up in Moon Township, was one of their two seventh-round picks selected by the Steelers in the 2009 NFL draft. Shipley is a solid center, but has short arms, which may limit him from playing guard in the NFL. The Steelers staff seem very high on Shipley and he has the perfect attitude for the team. Look for Shipley to land on the practice squad for a year then crack the 53 man roster in 2010.

Jeremy Parquet – At 6-6, 321 lbs., Parquet has the tangibles to play in the NFL. Thus far in his career Jeremy has been nothing more then A practice squad member of the Chiefs, Rams and now the Steelers. We do not anticipate that changing this season and look for Parquet to continue to be a practice dummy in 2010.

Hope you got a day job list:

Doug Legursky – Signed as a rookie free agent by the Steelers on April 28, 2007 and made the practice squad that season. He has remained at that status since but could be cut this time around with the addition of A.Q. Shipley to the team. We so no need for two centers to be on the practice squad this season and neither will the Steelers.

Ramon Foster – Signed by the Steelers as an un-drafted free agent on April 27, 2008. Foster was a three-year starter who earned Freshman All-SEC honors in 2005 after stepping in at left guard and right tackle due to injuries. Primarily started at right tackle the past three seasons for Tennessee and was named to the ESPN Mark May’s 2007 “MayDay Team” after playing with a broken thumb throughout most of his junior season. Foster played in a career total of 44 games and was four-year letterman in college.

Foster has plenty of potential, but may be out in the cold due to the numbers game and lack of NFL experience. He could be a surprise and make the practice dummies, and here at Pittsburgh blitz we are rooting for him to due just that. Not sure it will happen though.

Training Camp Battles:

Starting Right Guard: Darnell Stapleton vs Kraig Urbik

Darnell Stapleton was the starter this previous season, but with issues consistently surrounding the Steelers offensive line he shouldn’t feel too comfortable. Urbik is a highly touted rookie who could very well end up winning this job.

Urbik was a tackle at Wisconsin, but he struggles in space so will get bumped inside. His size and the ability to be a mauler in the running game fits the mentality of the Steelers organization perfectly.

Many fans are already on Urbik’s side in this battle and as long as he continues to show the work ethic and intelligence that he had while he was a Badger, he should get the edge entering the season.

Look for a heated battle for this position but in the end, Stapleton will prove to be a NFL worthy guard and win the starter role for the Steelers.

Well that’s the lowdown on the offensive line, thanks for reading and your comments are always welcome. Let us know what you think.

*Check back soon for the 6th edition of this 9 part series. Next up we will begin the defensive breakdown and the Cornerbacks.

Achilles Heel Remains Intact

After the draft and much of free-agency, we now have a very good idea of what the Steelers’ offensive line will look like in 2009.  And it will be close to exactly how it looked in 2008. 

The good news: That line was good enough to win the Super Bowl. 

The bad news: That line was the clear Achilles heel of the team.

The team won their sixth Lombardi Trophy in spite of their offensive line rather than because of it.  Not many quarterbacks could have had success playing behind that line last year, let alone survived.

I was surprised that the Steelers were able to keep their starting offensive line together.  It seemed like an unlikely scenario heading into the offseason—considering how many of them were free agents.  

I figured Chris Kemoeatu was surely gone and Max Starks would likely be switching teams.  They’ve secured both of those players with Kemoeatu likely taking slightly less to return to the Steelers than he could have secured somewhere else. 

I wasn’t a big fan of placing the franchise tag on Starks, but it certainly buys the team some time to develop some other options.  Willie Colon will also return. 

Gone are former stalwarts Marvel Smith and Kendall Simmons.  Both of these moves made sense due to injury and health problems.  It is highly doubtful that either player will return to anywhere close to their top form. 

Added to the line is Wisconsin mauler Kraig Urbik, selected in the third round.  Urbik should push Darnell Stapleton and, perhaps, Justin Hartwig, during training camp.  I would not be surprised if he earns a starting job by the end of the season. 

He will also serve to provide essential depth across the interior offensive line.  Tony Hills, a fourth-round draft pick from last season, may also enter the discussion in terms of providing depth. 

Behind that, the team remains somewhat thin across the line.  Considering how often I was frustrated by the O-line this past season, I’m a little surprised to be somewhat relieved that last year’s group is coming back together. 

The O-line at the beginning of last year bordered on terrible.  Their performance in the Eagles game was easily the worst I’ve ever seen out of a Steelers’ line.  The miracle in that game is that Ben kept getting behind center and snapping the ball without demanding additional hazard pay. 

But, the oft-vilified line clearly improved by the end of the season.  They weren’t a great offensive line—they still didn’t get enough surge in the run game, were prone to too many mistakes, and allowed speed rushers to beat them. 

But, they were far better by the end of the season than in the season’s first half.  They played three solid games in the playoffs, including holding up against one of the league’s premier pass rushing teams in the Ravens.  

It is likely that this group will continue to improve next year while becoming more in-sync with one another.  Darnell Stapleton played admirably in his first year starting and will likely continue to improve, as will the other players on the line. 

Good offensive lines don’t just spontaneously come into existence.  They take time to develop.  More so than other positions, playing together as a unit has a big impact on their overall development. 

That should continue to be the case with this group. 

If the Steelers fall short this year, the offensive line will likely be the culprit.  But, with the unit showing steady improvement last year, they have shown they are good enough to win a Super Bowl together

Fox, Steelers agree to 2-year deal

The Steelers re-signed another one of their free-agent linebackers Monday, but it wasn’t James Harrison.

Veteran linebacker Keyaron Fox, a special teams standout last season, agreed to a two-year, $1.8 million contract.

The Steelers have re-signed two of their own linebackers, Fox and Andre Frazier, whose main contributions are on special teams.

Harrison, a two-time Pro Bowler and reigning NFL defensive player of the year, has yet to agree with the Steelers on a contract extension. He is signed through the 2009 season.

Other free agents to re-sign with the Steelers are starting guard Chris Kemoeatu, reserve guard Trai Essex and reserve cornerback Fernando Bryant.

Fox, 27, made $650,000 last season.

Three prospects visit

The Steelers entertained three college prospects yesterday who play at positions the Steelers are considering with their early draft selections: California center Alex Mack, LSU guard Herman Johnson and Southern Cal defensive lineman Fili Moala.

Mack is considered the top center available in the draft and a potential first-round selection. Johnson (6-foot-71/8, 356 pounds) is the largest player in the draft.

The Steelers have hosted 10 draft-eligible prospects.