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.

Pittsburgh Steelers path to the AFCN title

It has already begun. The naysayers are all over the Pittsburgh Steelers calling it the end of times, while the cinderella hoppers are predicting the Cincinati Bengals to soon rule the world. One sweep in 10 years and the Bengals are now the team to beat in the AFC. The problem is, they are the Bengals and there is still a bunch of football left to play.

Granted the Bengals are a much improved team and they have swept both the Ratbirds and Steelers in the same season for the first time in team history. They are playing lights out on the defensive side of the ball and very safe when on offense. Change the uni’s and you have the Pittsburgh Steelers. So good for the Bengals and Oucho Stinko, but before we hand them the Lombardi Trophy, they need to prove they can do it when it really counts. In the play-offs!

So with what essentially is a two game lead on the Steelers and only seven games left to play the questions has to be, can the Bengals continue what they started or will the Steelers chase them down for the division crown? To answer that question we will need to analyze the remaining schedule for both teams and find out who has the clearest path to the AFCN title.

Bengals 7-2

Remaining Scedule:

@ Oakland – W

Up next for Cincinnati is a trip to Oakland to face the down trodden Raiders and unless Oakland brings the same passion as they did verse the Eagles earlier in the season this game should be an easy win for the Bengals, even if Cedric Benson is sidelined after being injured in Pittsburgh.

vs. Cleveland – W

Though Cleveland played the Bengals very close earlier in the season they won’t be as competitive this time around. The Browns are in meltdown mode and that won’t change when they see the Bengals in two weeks.

vs. Detriot – W

This game could be a trap for the Bengals. After back to back wins that thier practice squad could have handled they will face yet another team they should beat easily. The problem is the Lions won’t go down without a fight. This game will be closer then many think but in the end the Bengals should win it.

@ Minnesota – L

This is the game that will be the tell tale of the Bengals season. If they can win it, then the division is theirs, if not then they will allow the Steelers to sneak back into the race. Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson verse a stout Bengals defense should be an interesting match up. The problem is the real Bengals will show their ugly face in this one and sell out thier cinderalle status. I look for the Vikings to walk away with an easy win here.

@ San Diego – L

Phillip Rivers verse Carson Palmer, most seasons this game would be an offensive showdown between two of the leagues best gunslingers. The problem is the Bengals will be shell shocked from the loss to the Vikings the week before and will try to let Cedric Benson carry them to victory. That strategy will back fire and they won’t be able to score enough points to keep up with the Chargers as they trade field goals for tuchdowns and lose by 10 or more.

vs. Kansas City – W

Back in the comfort of the jungel the Bengals will face the Chiefs in a must win game if they wish to win the division title. No pressure here, this game is as straight as it gets and their will be no excuss if they blow it, which they wont. Look for the Bengals to win big as the Chiefs have thoughts of the off season in mind.

@ New York Jets – L

Will the real Ravens defense please stand up? Yes, but they are now in New York. The Jets will be chasing a wild card and will need to win this game to get into the play offs. This game may even be called the battle of USC as Palmer faces fellow alumni Matt Sanchez, but the outcome will be determined by the defense and not the one in the stripped uni’s. Look for the Jets to win on a late field goal and make it into the play offs.

Bengals final record 11-5

 

Steelers 6-3

Remaining Scedule:

@ Kansas City – W

The Chiefs record does not show it but they are a better team then many give them credit for. The problem is they will be facing a pissed off Pittsburgh Steelers team that knows they beat themselves the week before. Ben Roethlisberger is not known for back to back bad games and this one will be one of his best on the season. Three to four touchdowns passes on the day won’t be out of the question as the Steelers win this one with ease.

@ Ravens – W

Could this be the revenge game Baltimore is seeking? The Steelers beat them three times last season, including the one that killed their Super Bowl hopes. So the Ratbirds will play with passion as not only will they want some redemption, they will need to win to have a chance to get into the play offs. So much for high hopes and emotion though as the Steelers will find a way to win late and once again prove they are the bullies of the north.

vs. Raiders – W

So easy, like stealing candy from a baby. Thats what most fans will be thinking when this game rolls around. One problem, an even worse version of this team beat the Steelers a few years back for the upset of the season. So nothing is garunteed or should be taken for granted. Another problem, it will be too easy as history won’t repeat itself and the Steelers will dominate on every front while winning this game big.

@ Cleveland – W

The Brownies are the leagues worst team and lack everything it takes to be a quality one. They have no offense, no defense and no respect for their coach. Worst of all, they may have already gave up on the season as the players just look to get it over with. Though the Stains played it close the last time around, that won’t be the case in this one as Rashard Mendenhall will lead the Steelers to an easy win.

vs. Packers – L

I have a bad feeling about this game and it shows in my prediction for the outcome. This is one the Steelers should win but injuries could catch up to them as the Packers offense finds a way to pass on the Steelers and pull out an improbable win.

vs. Ravens – W

Here we go again, I can already hear it as Ray Lewis trys to fire up his team for one last chance at some respect when facing the Steelers. The problem is, the Steelers have lost all respect for this defense and Big Ben will light them up for a ton of yards and a couple TD’s as Pittsburgh sails to an easy win.

@ Miami

Whoot, some fun in the sun. The Steelers will be looking to get sun tans and wins all on the same day. Miami on the other hand will be planning a kitty cat sneak attack. One problem, Pittsburghs defense is too good to get beat by the Wildcat and Chad Henne is not ready to beat them on his own, nor does he have the weapons to help him do so. The Steelers will turn a slow start into a rush to a victory as Mendenhall and company win their final tune up for the play offs.

Steelers final record 12-4 and division champions once again.

So before the NFL media band wagon gets all of the Steelers fans down by talking up the Bengals, remember one thing, cinderalla can have all the attention but in the end, the big bad wolf will get his dinner. What I mean by that is not only will the Steelers win the division they will also be the team to smash the glass slipper as they get their revenge when it counts, in the play offs.

Question of the Week – Fire Arians?

In this edition of question of the week we will look at the Steelers offense and try to make an eductated decision on the future of Bruce Arians as the OC in the Burgh. Is he or is he not the right man for the job?

In our estimation here at Pittsburgh Blitz the Steelers are an offense who has yet to establish their true identity under Arians. They seem to want to be the Patriots and use all the weapons in the passing game but still be able to run the rock in the process. The problem is not in the passing game but when they do run it.

When Arians does call a run play it is predictable or not set up for success from the start. What I mean by that is the lack of blockers on the field, mainly the lack of a fullback leading the way. Several of the Steelers run plays also consist of one key aspect that tips off the defense before they even snap the ball. That aspect is Hines Ward going into motion. Specifically when his motion stops right next to the tight end and he sets up a yard back. When I see that, I scream “It’s a run” and I garuntee the defense does too. The problem is they use that play more often then not when running.

So is it Arians time to go? Is it time to put the FB back into the mix or is it time to add some new plays to the offense that don’t tip the defense off that it is a run before the Steelers even snap the ball?

I would love to hear what everyone else thinks so please leave a comment and tell us what is on your mind concerning the Pittsburgh Steelers and the offense.

Steelers – Bengals Preview

A win over the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this season put the Cincinnati Bengals on the national radar as legitimate playoff contenders. Another victory over the defending Super Bowl champs will put them in the driver’s seat to win the AFC North for the first time in four years.

The Bengals look to sweep the regular-season series over the Steelers for the first time in more than a decade when they visit Heinz Field on Sunday.

Cincinnati has won six of seven, including a 23-20 upset of Pittsburgh on Sept. 27 on a touchdown pass from Carson Palmer to Andre Caldwell with 14 seconds remaining. The Steelers haven’t lost since their visit to Cincinnati, and are tied with the Bengals for the division lead with 6-2 records.

While a Bengals win this weekend would give them a sweep of the season series for the first time since 1998, and put them in control of the North, Palmer tried to keep this matchup in perspective.

“It’s a game,” he said. “We’re not going to look too far ahead of who’s on the schedule, who’s left, worry about playoff implications, worry about home-field advantage. We don’t need to be thinking about any of those things. … They’re in a must-win situation. We feel we’re in a must-win situation.”

Pittsburgh has regrouped by winning five in a row since that loss – aided by the return of Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu, who missed the earlier matchup with the Bengals due to a knee injury. The Steelers are 4-0 this season with Polamalu, including a 28-10 win at Denver on Monday night in which he intercepted his third pass.

“To me he’s one of the best players in the game, and when you add that guy you’re only going to get better,” Palmer said.

Palmer and the Bengals are looking to improve to 5-0 against division rivals after beating Baltimore 17-7 last Sunday. Palmer threw for 224 yards and one touchdown while Cedric Benson recorded his fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season, finishing with 117 yards and a score on 21 carries.

The defense, meanwhile, gave up a season-low 215 yards total offense.

“Today was a statement game,” said receiver Chad Ochocinco, who caught five passes for 66 yards in his fourth straight game with at least five receptions. “I want every game to be a statement game.”

Benson is making a loud statement that he’s become one of the game’s top running backs. After rushing for 747 yards and two touchdowns last season, Benson is one of only two backs – along with Tennessee’s Chris Johnson – to average more than 100 yards per game in 2009. Benson has scored in each of the last four games, averaging 117.5 yards in that span.

“We used to be an air-it-out, explosive offense, and when you play in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Baltimore and Cincinnati, you get to those December games and you can’t throw the ball 40 times,” Palmer said. “You have to be able to run the ball. We are at a good point now.”

Pittsburgh is coming off a short week following the victory in Denver, where the Steelers scored the game’s final 21 points after trailing 10-7 in the third quarter. Ben Roethlisberger threw three TD passes, two of them to Hines Ward.

Strong defense made Roethlisberger’s heroics possible. The Steelers picked off Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton three times – two of the interceptions by safety Tyrone Carter.

“We have guys that are designed to be great,” coach Mike Tomlin said of his defensive unit, which has forced nine turnovers in three games since Polamalu’s return. “They play hard every time they come out, regardless of their opponent or story line if you will. Those guys are committed to being great every time they step in the stadium.”

The Steelers defense will be seeking redemption for its last performance against the Bengals. They failed to record a takeaway in that contest, and allowed 100 rushing yards for one of only two times this season.

Pittsburgh had won the previous five games in the series against Cincinnati, including a 27-10 home victory last season.

Steelers back up Safety, Tyrone Carter, Joins Mile High Club

By Scott Brown, TRIBUNE-REVIEW

DENVER — Not much has come easy for the Steelers during their tour as reigning Super Bowl champions.

They nonetheless arrived at the midway point of the season with a five-game winning streak in tow.

Ben Roethlisberger threw for 233 yards and three touchdowns and the Steelers’ defense scored more TDs than it gave up Monday night in front of an announced crowd of 76,108 at Invesco Field.

As a result, the Steelers won a regular-season game in Denver for the first time since 1990. Their resounding 28-10 victory also set up a showdown with the Bengals on Sunday at Heinz Field with sole possession of first place in the AFC North on the line.

The Steelers (6-2) got to this point in large part because the defense scored the first touchdown of the game and shut down the Broncos in the second half when the outcome still hung in the balance.

Free safety Tyrone Carter returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter to get the Steelers on the scoreboard. Strong safety Troy Polamalu helped put the Broncos (6-2) away by intercepting Kyle Orton deep in Steelers’ territory in the fourth quarter.

That set up Roethlisberger’s 25-yard touchdown pass to rookie wideout Mike Wallace on a third-and-10 play with just over seven minutes left in the game. It allowed the Steelers to open up an 11-point lead.

That touchdown pass proved to be one of the biggest plays in the second half. The Steelers also got several big runs by Rashard Mendenhall, who rushed for 130 of his game-high 155 yards after halftime.

“I think everybody helped contribute, it wasn’t just one guy” said Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, who caught a pair of touchdown passes. “Right now, we’re just playing with a lot of confidence.”

The Broncos outgained the Steelers by more than 100 yards in the first half. Denver, however, trailed at halftime because of Carter’s big play.

Down by four points at the start of the third quarter, the Broncos wasted little time in stopping a promising Steelers drive — and answering Carter’s big defensive play.

Kenny Peterson forced a fumble when he sacked Roethlisberger from the blind side. Robert Ayers scooped up the loose ball and returned it 54 yards for a touchdown.

The Broncos didn’t hold the lead for long, as Roethlisberger needed a little more than two minutes to drive the Steelers 80 yards for a touchdown.

The Steelers were driving for another score near the end of the quarter, but Andre Goodman intercepted Roethlisberger in the end zone.

It was Roethlisberger’s only incompletion in the third quarter.

The Broncos never seriously threatened following the turnover because of the stifling Steelers’ defense, which allowed only one first down in the fourth quarter.

“It’s a good win for us, but I’m not satisfied,” said Roethlisberger, who threw a pair of touchdown passes in the fourth quarter. “I think, offensively, we’ve got a long way to go. We have to keep searching for the ceiling.”

Fantasy Friday – Vikings Week

Welocme to another edition of “Fantasy Friday” your one stop fantasy prediction source for the Pittsburgh Steelers. This week the Steelers will face a big challenge as the 6-0 Vikings are in town.

The offense is all about Adrian Petterson and Brett Farve who compliment a hard hitting, run stopping defense that features the duo of fat bastards, Pat and Kevin Williams in the middle and all world defensive end Jarred Allen, who loves to feast on QB’s, on the edge.

The one plus is the Vikings could be without their best cornerback, Antoine Winfield, who has yet to practice this week after being injured in a win over the Ratbirds last week.

The Steelers will be without their best defensive end, Aaron Smith, who was placed on injury reserve a week ago, so the combonation of Ziggy Hood and others will have to step up big to help slow down Peterson.

Ben Roethlisberger – Big Ben leads the league is several passing catagories and has become the leader of the Steelers offense the team goes as his play does. Ben is a big play QB who steps up in big games and this is a big game.

Look for large Benjamine to air it out early and often as the Steelers will try to take advantage of the depleated Vikings secondary, that should be missing Winfield.

Another 300+ yard day passing and 3 TD’s is our projection for Roethlisberger.

Hines Ward – Old Mcdonald has nothing on this 33 year old wideout. Ward leads the league in receiving and should be the prime target for Ben this week. His great route running skills and nose for the big play could be the difference.

117 yards receiving and a TD is the projection for Ward this week.

Rashard Mendenhall -  This game will go a long way in showing the fans exactly where Mendenhall is at in his progression as a pro. He has looked good filling in for Willie parker the last three games but that was verse the Chargers, Lions and Stains. The Minny Viks defense is for real.

Projection for Mendy is 70-90 yards rushing and a score. Another 20-30 receiving out of the backfield is a possibility as well.

Heath Miller – The leagues best all around TE bar none in our opinion. Miller is finally a big part of the Steelers offense, Roethlisber has adopted him as his safety valve and that won’t change anytime soon. Miller catches everything and has a score in almost every game this year.

Porjection, 75 yards recieving and a pair of TD’s.

Well thats it for Fantasy Friday, good luck to all our readers who take our advice this weekend. Check back next week for another exciting edition.

King Troy returns as Stillers down Stains

The return of Troy Polamalu may have been the cure for what has been ailing the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. Since “King” Troy’s injury week one against the Titans, the defense has suffered an identity crisis. That was not the case week six though as the Cleveland Browns or better known around these parts, the Stains, came to town.

Troy’s return was marred by the news of “All Pro” defensive end, Aaron Smith, being lost for the season but the defense seemed to find themselves even in the wake of Smiths trip to injured reserve, the main reason being the play of Polamalu. Though he did not seem to be 100%, his presence was enough. Add in a drive killing interception deep inside Pittsburgh territory and the “King” is officially back.

Along side the return of Polamalu was the return of the Steelers pressure defense and confidence that if the pressure did not get to the QB, there was back up in the secondary to save the day. No fourth quarter let down, no come from behind drives, no scare for the fans, the Steelers defense finally played 60 minutes and they have Troy Polamalu to thank as he was the missing ingredient.

Though I wish that was the end of the story I am sad to report as well as the defense played the offense was the ones trying to allow a Browns rally. After building up a 17-7 lead the third quarter became a game of ”hot potato” as the Steelers and Browns would trade a flurry of turnovers in a period of 6 minutes.

First Big Ben tossed an interception when he over threw Hines Ward, then Lawrence Timmons would sack Derek Anderson and force a fumble, and right back at ya, Willie Parker coughed up a fumble back to the Stains who said “no you take it” just a play or two later when a second Timmons sack led to yet another Anderson fumble. Whew, what a game, but wait the turnover carousal was not over as Rashard Mendenhall wanted in on the action and fumbled the ball right back to the Stains.

Ryan Clark would put an end to the flurry as an interception on the Steelers 1 sealed the deal and the Stains fate of losing yet another game to the Steelers.

Josh Cribbs was the lone bright star on the day for the Brownies as he was able to gain his team some momentum both via his running in the wildcat and via a kick off return for a touchdown. The problem was he became the first player in league history to run back a kick and throw an interception in the same game since 1950. You guessed it, Polamalu interception came off a Cribbs pass attempt out of the wildcat formation.

To top it all off the Browns are ranked number 32 in rush defense in the league but the Steelers and Big Ben would put on a passing fancy as Roethlisberger and his receivers would make history on the day.

Ben threw for 417 yards (a team record) and a pair of scores while both Ward and Santonio Holmes had over a buck receiving apiece.

“I don’t even think we know how good we can be here,” Roethlisberger said. “Truth be told, I think we have to keep striving for excellence.”

Roethlisberger completed 23 of 35 passes and nine of those catches wound up covering more than 20 yards on the Big-Play Ben afternoon. The Steelers’ 543 yards in total offense were the most in 14 years.

“This is the best I’ve ever seen him play,” tight end Heath Miller said of Roethlisberger.

Hines Ward, challenging for the NFL lead in receiving, caught eight passes for 159 yards — third most in his career — including a 52-yarder for a touchdown. Santonio Holmes caught five for 104 yards and Miller five for 80 yards, including one of 8 yards for a score, his fourth touchdown in the past three games.

It is only the second time the Steelers have had a 400-yard passer and two 100-yard receivers in the same game.

“He’s really good,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of his quarterback. “He’s in total command of the offense. It’s fun to watch at times.”

With the return of “King” Troy and the maturation of the Steelers offense the sky is the limit for this team. The defense seems to be back on track and at 4-2 the Steelers are tied with the Bengals for the division lead.

Agreed this win was one they were supposed to win, even the 27-14 score seemed to be less then it could have been, but at the end of the day the Pittsburgh Steelers seem to be back to themselves and if they continue to play 60 minutes then they could be well on their way to repeating as Super Bowl Champions.

Fantasy Focus: Stillers and Stains

Pittsburgh Blitz is proud to present ‘Fantasy Focus’ a brand new weekly addition to the blog. The focus will be on Steelers players and those they play each week as we give our expert (lol) opinions on what to look for by way of Fantasy factors in the game.

The first question is do the Stains have cheerleaders? Oh wait wrong fantasy. On to the good stuff before I lose my self control….

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers will host those friendly neighborhood losers from the shores of lake Erie week 6, the Cleveland Browns, who are coming off a monumental 6-3 victory over the Buff Billies, and an offensive explosion between two great teams. (I told you this was about fantasies).

The Stains best player, Braylon Edwards, is in New York after getting his way and being traded to the Jets just a few days ago while Troy Polamalu returns for the Stillers after a four week vacation.

This could be a big game with respect to the fantasy football geeks (like me) from around the world but should be very one sided as the Steelers could blow this game open early and never look back until the final whistle sounds.

Rashard Mendenhall / Willie Parker – Fast Willie could be back after two games off nursing  a turf toe injury but Mendenhall may have shown enough in his absense to continue as the feature back for the Steelers. Mendy has gained 230+ yards and three touchdowns during that time.

Look for Mendenhall to carry the load as Parker is eased back into things. With that said, Mendy could be in for a huge game verse a weak defense. Another 100+ yard, multiple touchdown game for him will not be out of the question. If the Steelers commit to the run, Parker might even give his owners some worth as well but don’t count on it.

Ben Roethlisberger – The Stains pass defense has been a joke most of the season, they have a pair of young CB’s who still make mistakes on a consistant basis and safeties that make one ask “Who the blue hell are they?”

Large Benjamin has been nothing less then awsome this year. He leads the league in pass completion percentage and has a canon for an arm that he is not afraid to use. With weapons like Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Santonio Holmes and Mike Wallace on hand, look for Ben to have a big day, about 300+ passing yards and three TD’s sound about right.

Mike Wallace – This rookie is quickly becoming a favorite target for Big Ben, even on the crutial downs. He also is a leading candidate for offensive rookie of the year. he has speed and soft hands and catches almost everything thrown his way. Even a drop of a sure TD last week has not slowed him down.

The one thing lacking in Wallace’s game though is the points to go with the clutch play. Ben has miss fired on more then one bomb aimed his way thus far on the season but sooner or later though, the air assult is going to explode. Why not week 6 verse the Browns?

Look for Wallace to shine with about 75-100 yards receiving and a touchdown via an air strike from Big Ben.

Steelers Defense – Ok so they have not been as dominate thus far on the season as the fans would like but with the return of Troy Polamalu and the Browns crappy offense this could be the game the Steelers finally stick it to a team like we all know they can.

The defense racking up 5-6 sacks, an interception or two and a forced fumble that leads to a touchdown is not out of the question. Look for Ziggy Hood to get one of those sacks in extended playing time with A. Smith on IR.

Well thats how the cookie crumbles, check back next week for another edition of Fantasy Focus and don’t blame us if your team loses because of this post, just throw money our way if they win…..

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.

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