“Who Stole Hines Ward’s Smile?”

By Jeffrey Burton

There are a number of things missing from the Steelers this season. The first one I noticed from game one was Hines Ward’s smile. He was on the field before the game, no smile. He made a catch, no smile. All game, all the time, no smile. The next game, no smile. All game, all the time no smile.

Yesterday in a losing effort against the Bengals, a slight smile when he passed the 10,000 yard mark. A small ordinary human smile, not a Hines Ward, light up the world, endorphin releasing smile that you can’t help but smile in return when you see it. If I was Mike Tomlin I would hire a hundred Private Investigators, the FBI and the National Guard to find Hines’ smile. We will not be able to win without it.

Also missing is Santonio Holmes’ hands. The most sure-handed widereceiver in the league for my money is looking like Limas Sweed, who after today, I’m ready to give up on. I hope he hasn’t returned to Ricky Williamsland. I don’t think the Steelers would give even him a second chance.

Also MIA is Harrison and Woodley’s domination on the edge. Harrison had a good rush today and Woodley had a good one against the Bears, but by and large they are not factors in the games we’ve played so far.

Rashard Mendenhall, MIA, is he already perceived as a bust by the Steelers?

This is a bigger problem because the Steelers seem stuck on only using the same 13 or 14 people on offense. They are not shifting personnel in and out to give different options and skill sets to Big Ben. Why do they insist on trying to use Willie Parker as an every down back? He is not built for it and though he had a good day against the Bengals, he will break down like he always does. He is a feature back, use him like that, please.

Mewelde Moore, mostly MIA. I don’t understand why he doesn’t get more touches. All he ever does is make positive yardage and plays when he is in.

That is a good thing, isn’t it?

Why don’t we ever see Shaun McDonald? He was very good possession receiver in preseason and for the Lions. Shouldn’t we be getting these types of guys in for a couple downs a game, if not to see what they can do at least to give them a little playing time if they’re needed later in the season?

One of the biggest mysteries to me is why Issac “Redzone” Redman isn’t on the roster. I can’t believe he cleared waivers. If I was a NFL Head Coach I would have had his number on speed dial. Has Frank Summer’s lack of blocking ability and obviously being in way over his head, become such a source of amusement to the Coaching Staff that they can’t demote him to the Practice Squad and bring Redman up? I liked what I saw in Frank in college and had him in my Mock Draft. I think he will eventually develop, but he is not there yet. I think that keeping him on the Roster is actually hurting him at this point.

Please, let him develop at his own pace Steelers Staff.

In spite of a good effort today, the Non-Offensive Line is missing as usual. They are not a starting NFL O-line. I would welcome them as the second string with the exception of Justin Hartwig, who I think has been a great upgrade at Center and Willie Colon who would be a fine Right Guard, but is a bad Right Tackle. I don’t know why the Staff can’t see it. And as I said in my previous Blog “Steelers Offensive Line is the New Kordell?” enabling is bad.

Of course the biggest MIA is the easiest to understand, after burning it up for his entire effort in the season opener, Troy Polamalu went down with a knee injury.

Tyrone Carter’s hard and gutsy play is about as good a replacement you could get, but Troy’s Super-Human presence is badly missed.

There have been some good things. I almost like Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians’ play calling. He’s not yet the Three Rivers River Boat Gambler that Whisenhunt and Gailey embodied, but he’s now calling to win the game rather than to not lose his job. Hey, Chan Gailey is no longer employed as an Offensive Coordinator, maybe that is motivating Bruce.

Mike Wallace rocks, but another mystery is here. Ben, why do you always throw your passes to Wallace one inch above the turf? Isn’t the whole point of having a guy with blazing speed to let him run and hit him in stride? You know, like the ones you hit Limas Sweed with that he drops? We got a glimpse of that today and I hope we see it more. To Wallace’s credit he has shown exceptional hands and very good route running, things that most of the scouts thought he would have to develop.

Stefan Logan looks like the Brother from Another Mother to Darren Sprolles. Get him in the game! Get him the ball in space let him run! Line him up as a running back in play action! Screw with Defensive Coordinator’s heads! Let Stefan run! Run Stefan Run!

And finally, one thing that is very much not missing is Casey Hampton’s gut. It is so huge he actually waddles. He has gotten to the Quarterback twice this year and would have got to them more if they couldn’t walk away while he was running after them. This super-sized Casey’s gut is so big it looks like he’s ready to give birth to a normal sized Casey Hampton and maybe that would be a good thing. I’m pretty sure that the NFL has no rules about having one guy giving birth to another version of himself and having both play on the field at the same time. Maybe that is what we need until Troy gets back.

Well as you can tell, these mysteries are beyond me and since Barack Obama came out that he was pulling for the Steelers in the Super Bowl and has appointed Mr. Rooney as Ambassador to Ireland, the FBI and National Guard involvement in the ‘Hines Ward Missing Smile Case’ seems a very reasonable thing to ask. The Steelers Coaching staff needs to foot the hundred Private Eyes bills.

Go Stillers!

Logan has arrived?

Pittsburgh Steelers

It appears return specialist Stefan Logan, who played in the CFL last season, will make the 53-man roster and give the team its most dangerous kick and punt returner since Antwaan Randle El.

Logan has been a standout returning kickoffs in preseason and likely will handle both duties in the regular season. Logan (5-6, 180) is fast, shifty and explosive, but it is unclear if he will count as one of the five wide receivers the team is expected to keep on the roster or simply as a specialist. Logan played little at that position in preseason, and the fifth spot likely will go to veteran Shaun McDonald.

Coach Mike Tomlin, though, has a history of keeping a return specialist, something he did his first season when Allen Rossum was signed a week before the season opener. Rossum was a cornerback but never played the position in a game.

— Gerry Dulac

Preseason week 2 observations

Week 2 of the NFL preseason has come and gone for the Pittsburgh Steelers as they traveled to Washington to play the Redskins. Just one week ago the Skins got dominated by the Ravens and many thought the Steelers would do the same. That was not the case though as the Skins would win a close one 17-13.

As equally as I was impressed by the Steelers and guys like Redman and Burnett in the opener I was unimpressed with the team as a whole in this game. If I was to guess my opinion would be the Steelers just plain had no passion for this game. A few players stood out, such as S. Logan and K. Fox, but for the most part the entire team seemed flat.

The offensiveline got manhandled and the run game was abandoned. As if that was not enough, the defense seemed to be on vacation. I realize it is only preseason and these games mean nothing, but I would like to see some passion from the defending champs even when it does not count.

This game reminded me of last years second preseason flop verse the Packers. No passion, no urgency not a care in the world. I expect that from the vets, they just want the season to start and the games to have meaning already. The back ups and the guys on the cusp of a meeting with “the Turk” those are the guys I wanted to see more from.

So far I have been unimpressed with both the offensiveline and our running game. Other then Redmen in the opener and Willy showing he still has some speed left in those wheels, the run game has been a joke. Mendenhall has looked weak and unsure of his role, Moore has not seen much of any action and Frank “the Tank” Summers is looking more and more like a dud then the short yardage savior us fans hoped he would be.

The passing game has been ok at best but lacks time to set much up as the OL is still looking down right crappy. The brite spots have been the receivers. Wallace, Sweed and McDonald all have looked like quality slot guys and have made the battle interesting. Wallace’s speed is amazing, to bad the QB’s have not been able to find him deep yet. Sweed has made some great grabs but also has dropped a few easy ones. McDonald has played mostly verse the scrubs but has been consistant and looks to be able to contribute from any position on the field.

As for the QB’s, Ben did not play this week but looked fine in the opener. He needs more time in a game though to develope the timing with his receivers though. Batch looks old and frail. He has made a few decent plays but seems a bit rusty and reluctant. Denis Dixon has had some flashes as well but also looks like he could use some more seasoning. He has shown me enough to warrent him winning the #2 job. I say let him be the #2 on game days and if Ben gets hurt and needs to miss a few games then let Batch start.

The defense has been just ok. Granted Dickie never shows much in the preseason and things are very simple, so I am not too worried. The glowing spot would have to be the play of Ziggy Hood, two sacks in two games not bad for a rookie. The question is can he do it verse the starters? Sunny Harris has looked good as well. So has some of our new DB’s, Ratliff, Burnett and K. Lewis. I have to say I am disapointed in the play at safety though. Not in our starters but theose fighting to be the back ups. R. Mundy nor Roy Lewis has shown much if anything to warrent the aging vet, T. Carter, a visit from the turk.

Overall an unimpressive performance in a meaningless game. Just like every team in the league at this point of the season, the Steelers need to improve. The good news is we know they can do it. They are the defending Champs and I have full faith Mike Tomlin will get them motivated for when the games count. Next up for the Steelers TO and the Buffalo Bills. Untill then let us know what you think of the Steelers thus far in the preseason and beyond.

Position Breakdown the Receivers

It is well known that Bruce Arians and the Pittsburgh Steelers like to utilize 3 and 4 wide receiver sets to create mismatches with the defense.  To be successful doing so, the WR units will need to be deep with talent. The starters are Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes behind them though; the 3-5 spots are unsettled as of now.  Leading one to speculate concern, being the reason they have so many currently on the roster?  Typically, you would expect 5 WR’s to make the 53-man roster, but this year 6 may not be of the question.

The Steelers regime is also fond of the two and sometimes three TE sets as well. Normally a team would retain three on the roster but with so many multiple TE sets, it is possible they hold four this season.

Steelers Position Breakdown of the Receivers

The Starters:

Santonio Holmes – After a great play-off performance last season, Holmes gave the team an encore in the Super Bowl with his heroics on the final drive that earned him MVP honors, after scoring the game winning touchdown for the Steelers in their victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

While statistically he didn’t have the breakout season many expected in his 3rd year, he came on strong down the stretch making big plays in every play-off contest that included a punt return for a touchdown and his game clinching catch in the Super Bowl. 

This being Holmes’ fourth year, more will be expected of him as he should become the go-to guy and playmaker for the offense.  He has the tools and talent to do it, just as long as he doesn’t ‘toke’ his way to a league suspension and into the Steelers dog house again.  To his credit, despite some off-field problems, he has been nothing but a pro once the cleats are tied and we do not see that changing anytime soon.

Hines Ward – What more needs to be said about Hines that hasn’t already been said.  He is the heart and soul of the offense and plays the position the way it should be, with a ton of passion and a touch of a mean streak. The best way to describe Ward would be to call him the linebacker of the WR corps.

Ward holds most of the all time Steelers records for a WR yet some insiders have whispered that he has lost a step. Don’t let the rumors fool you though, as his numbers may not be the best of his career, he is still the leader of this group and Big Bens safety blanket. His off field contributions are just as important as the ones on the field and he is a great mentor to the young guys and a leader, who does so by example.

With a new contract in toe and the knowledge he will be able to retire as in Pittsburgh, Ward should return to form and have another solid year for the Steelers. Even with the newly dubbed “Hines Ward’ rule in effect, look for Ward to continue catching everything that comes his way and welcoming rookies to the league with broken jaws, while blocking for his teammates.

Key Role Players:

Limas Sweed – Plaxico Sweed, Limas Burress, the comparisons tell the tale of his rookie season. Both where big targets with tons of promise but struggled to make much of an impact for the team. To his credit, the average young wide receiver usually takes 2-3 years to develop but much more will be expected of him in his second season.

With Nate Washington now a turn-coat and defecting to the powder puff, towel stomping, Tennessee Tits via free agency, Sweed may not have the luxury of another down year as he will be leaned on to fill the 3rd wide out spot for the team. With all that talent and promise coming out of college and his rookie jitters behind him, only Sweed can hold himself back.

Look for Limas to put up solid, if not impressive numbers and give the Steelers another option spreading the field and a big red-zone target for Ben to play pitch and catch with. Sweed should only get better as the season goes on though and could be one to watch down the stretch. If he can remain as focused as he was during mini-camps, we should see some good things from Sweed this season.

Shaun McDonald – As a member of the Detroit Lions 0-16 team in 2008, McDonald had some decent numbers and showed allot of promise. He signed with Pittsburgh right before mini-camp and could be the veteran insurance policy they were looking for via free agency.

McDonald has also played for the St. Louis Rams and could be a wild card for the Steelers this season. Though he is not very big he reminds many fans of Cedric Wilson or Courtney Hawkins. If Sweed stumbles, McDonald could be the answer to the #3 wide out position for the team.

McDonald could also be a viable starting option as well if the injury-bug where to bite Ward or Holmes in the ass. He should also get some looks at the punt returner position but is not well known for that aspect of his game. A nice depth chart addition but we see his role as the #4 and insurance WR on the team, nothing more.

Mike Wallace – We like Mike, just this Mike was not the one many Steelers fans expected to be drafted by the team. Expectations are not always for the better though as this kid has mad skills and should bring some excitement to the team via his return and run after catch abilities.

Wallace was clocked in the 4.3 range at the NFL combine and was the second fastest WR to run in the time honored hazing of potential NFL draftees. With his blazing speed, he could be called on to fill Washington’s role as a deep threat, during his rookie year.

As of now Wallace is the favorite to earn the kick return job and he could be their first true home run threat at the position since Randle El was deported to Washington a few years back. Wallace is full of promise but we don’t anticipate him making a huge splash in the passing game as a rookie. His progression will be interesting to watch over the summer and as the season progress’ though.

Practice Dummies:

Dallas Baker – A former 7th round pick who has made his living as a Steelers practice dummy. Baker has all the physical tools to be a solid NFL wide out, but has yet to show it on game day. He is said to have had a solid mini-camp though and the coaching staff seems very high on him.

Thus far, Baker’s NFL career has only reinforced the stereotype that Florida WRs don’t translate to the NFL very well. He has the tools, but he is not a KR/PR type, which will work against his odds of making the team this year.  Thus this will likely be the make-or-break year for him.

With the addition of Shaun McDonald and Mike Wallace to the group, Barker will not have an easy road to finding a niche on the team and could be a casualty once the team is forced to cut down to the 53 man roster. Look for him to be waived altogether this time though as a third season as a practice dummy won’t be in his tarot card reading this time around.

Martin Nance – Another practice dummy with a catch as he has a connection to Big Ben from his Miami (OH) days.  He has size an advantage over the rookies in that he is familiar with Ben, but the key to him making the team will be his play on the special teams unit. Like Baker, he is not a return guy, so he will have to impress on coverage teams as well as his route running and catching.

Nance has all the tangibles to be a solid NFL wide out but he is probably to low on the totem pole to find his way to the active roster. Look for him to spend another season on the Steelers practice squad then fade into obscurity in a year or two.

Hope you got a day job list:

Jayson Foster – The practice dummy theme continues with Foster, as he has an on and off love affair with the Steelers practice squad, being resigned to a second stint this year, in time for mini-camp.  He is a versatile player who can do a few different slash-like things, and can return punts / kicks.

Foster is kind of a smurf though and will have to find his niche on the team as a returner. Which won’t be as easy as it sounds with Mike Wallace and Joe Burnett recently drafted with those skills as well. Look for Foster to be let loose too ride off into the sunset, during the early rounds of roster cut downs.

Brandon Williams – He was signed in offseason to compete for KR/PR job, and would likely need to win one of those to make the roster.  Williams is a former 3rd rd pick of the 49ers but doesn’t have an NFL catch and didn’t make a team last year. He is the odds on favorite to be the first cut from the team on this list though.

Cedric Goodman – A track star from Georgia who didn’t make a lot of catches in his collegiate career.  It will be interesting to see if the team gives him a try at returner or just strictly as a WR.  More than likely Goodman is nothing more than training camp fodder but he might be a nice ‘project player’ on the practice squad.

Steven Black - A big target who started at Memphis.  Didn’t put up impressive numbers but he does have good size for an NFL wide receiver. Black will have to earn his way on STs to make the squad but the odds and numbers are stacked against him. Don’t bother adding Black to your MySpace friends list though as he won’t be in a Steelers uniform very long.

Tyler Grisham – Isn’t very big, not a return guy, and does not have the best hands but is an interesting prospect because he is known for his downfield blocking. Great he will get flagged 10 times for violating the new ‘Hines Ward’ rule, just what the Steelers need. Can you say “Mr. Grisham please step into coaches office, he has something pink to give ya”.

Training Camp Battles:

Limas Sweed verse Shaun McDonald – The only significant training camp battles for the wide receivers we anticipate will be for the 3rd down wide out duties. Due to Sweed being a high draft pick, he should already be penciled into this spot on the roster card. McDonald was signed as insurance though and will get a chance to impress the coaching staff.

Look for it to be a close battle but in the end, Sweed’s size, speed, potential and red zone abilities should win out. McDonald won’t collect a ton of fairy bench dust though as he has too much talent for the team not to utilize his abilities. He should see plenty of action spelling the top three and in the Steelers 4-5 receiver sets.

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

*Check back soon for the 4th edition of this 9 part series. Next up will be the Tight Ends.

Steelers sign McDonald, 3 Others

The Steelers signed a few veteran free agents today, most notably WR Shaun McDonald. Originally a fourth-round pick by the Rams in 2003, McDonald spent the last two seasons with Detroit, following former coach Mike Martz to the Motor City. In 2008, McDonald had 35 catches for 332 yards and one touchdown in 12 games. Hoping this will put the Ashley Lelie rumors to bed.

The team also picked up punter Dirk Johnson, who originally entered the league in 1998 as an undrafted free agent out of Northern Colorado. He’s bounced around the league since then, suiting up for Seattle, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Chicago, Arizona, and most recently Washington. He became available after the Skins signed Hunter Smith earlier this month. Johnson has a career average of 41.7, with 35.9 net. In case you were wondering, Daniel Sepulveda’s numbers from 2007 were 42.4 and 37.9.

In other news, the Steelers also formally announced the Keiwan Ratliff signing, and also picked up kicker Piotr Czech to give Jeff  Reed some competition in camp.

Finally, long snapper Jared Retkofsky was released. He was signed last year when Greg Warren was knocked out for the season and spot replacement James Harrison proved he should stick to playing linebacker. The Steelers signed Pitt long snapper Mark Estermeyer as an undrafted free agent this week.