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Thread: Report Card

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    Report Card

    [url]http://www.cbssports.com/general/blog/nfl-rapidreports/21249647/steelers-report-card-if-roethlisberger-returns-this-could-get-interesting[/url]


    Steelers Report Card: If Ben Roethlisberger returns, this could get interesting
    By Chuck Finder | CBSSports.com

    December 3, 2012




    One week after Charlie Batch and the Backup Brigade laid a moldy performance upon Cleveland Browns Stadium, the Steelers added Pro Bowlers Troy Polamalu and Antonio Brown -- and subtracted two more starters -- en route to what many predicted would be a bashing by Baltimore.

    Silly pundits.

    Tricks can be pulled by old kids like Batch, who turns 38 Wednesday, and new kids like third-string offensive tackle and seventh-round draftee Kelvin Beachum.

    The Steelers prevailed in a playoff-dripping, come-from-behind 23-20 victory over the AFC North runaway leaders, who likely still will win the division despite the loss.

    But spare-parts Pittsburgh, Batch prime among them in what may amount to his final NFL appearance, showed that these Steelers still could have some playoff life in them. With San Diego, at Dallas, plus Cincinnati and Cleveland ending the schedule, a return by QB Ben Roethlisberger from shoulder injury and a suddenly emboldened defense just might make these Steelers a late-comer to the chase.

    Offense: B

    Batch became emotional with Roethlisberger at game's end, for reasons personal and professional, and their hug was fitting after the best game in Batch's decade with his hometown team. Heck, his 279 yards and 25 completions marked his NFL highs since 2001 with Detroit. To think, near the end of the first half, Batch had passed for the sum total of 30 yards and looked much the same as the old guy with three picks in Cleveland in a 20-14 loss a week earlier. He deftly guided the offense twice to 10 unanswered points, after Pittsburgh trailed Baltimore by 13-3 and 20-13. The makeshift line provided considerable protection, with Beachum filling in for Mike Adams -- who filled in for Marcus Gilbert, with Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey making his NFL debut at guard for an ailing Willie Colon, and with Doug Legursky starting at center. Brown returned to make five receptions and show why he, not Mike Wallace, is the true No. 1 receiver on this team. And Emmanuel Sanders, despite hurting a shoulder in the game, likewise caught five passes. (Due to drops and lack of the long ball, Wallace's contract status just might be closer to Edmund Fitzgerald, as in the Wreck of the, than Larry Fitzgerald.) And the rushing game, with a demoted Rashard Mendenhall inactive, got 92 combo yards and zero turnovers from Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman. It all bodes well when their franchise quarterback comes back. Previous game's grade: D-

    Defense: B+

    For the seventh consecutive week, the Pittsburgh defense held a foe to 20 points (average 15 per) or less and 177 net yards passing or less. And all but Sunday's game were without Polamalu, who at long last returned from a nagging calf injury. This isn't merely a statistical anomaly; the Steelers are squelching the likes of the Giants, Bengals, Ravens (twice) and Robert Griffin III's Redskins. Yet, just when Polamalu returned, others departed: Pro Bowl linebacker LaMarr Woodley missed the game due to an ankle injury, and standout cornerback Ike Taylor left early after a foot injury that put him in a protective boot. Second-year cornerbacks Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown ascended from their part-time nickel and dime roles to play so well along with steady Keenan Lewis, while Ravens wideouts Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin combined for eight catches despite being Joe Flacco's targets some 20 times. Previously unheralded, if not unseen, players such as linebacker James Harrison (a team-high seven tackles and a sack) plus defensive end Ziggy Hood (five tackles, two tackles for losses, a sack and a fumble recovery) also stood out. Previous game's grade: A-

    Special teams: C

    Not much bad, not much great. So mediocrity ruled the day ... until Shaun Suisham's eighth game-winning or game-tying field goal of nine career such attempts. The 42-yard winner at the clock also made him 24 of 25 on attempts this season. Yet the rest of the special teams were so-so at best. Rookie Chris Rainey had a 42-yard kickoff return, but Brown mustered nine yards on five punt returns, and rookie punter Drew Butler -- who was sure one of his kicks got blocked -- averaged just 38.5 yards per. This day, it didn't hurt them. Previous game's grade: C+

    Coaching: B

    Is it time to retract all previous criticisms about Dick LeBeau and his defense getting too old? Todd Haley extracted a much better performance from his offense, but after the Cleveland debacle it could only improve -- no matter who was left to start on the offensive line. Overall, Mike Tomlin and his staff did an A-grade job lifting the Steelers from the morass that was the week before along Lake Erie. But we'll hold back on such a grade until Tomlin explains the handshake situation with Baltimore's John Harbaugh chasing him down afterward. Previous game's grade: F

    Molon labe

    People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf. George Orwell

    ?We're not going to apologize for winning.?
    Mike Tomlin

    American metal pimped by asiansteel
    Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you 1. Jesus Christ, 2.The American G.I., One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

  2. #2
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    [url]http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/report-card-steelers-earn-a-a-against-the-ravens-664722/[/url]

    Steelers earn a A+ gainst the RavensDecember 3, 2012











    By Gerry Dulac / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
    QUARTERBACK
    Charlie Batch did everything from pass for 276 yards to use more than six minutes on the winning field-goal drive to even throw the block on Jonathan Dwyer's touchdown run. Batch was 16 of 20 for 219 yards in the second half and brought the team back from a 13-3 deficit. Sure, he missed a great opportunity when he overthrew a wide-open Mike Wallace in the end zone at the end of the first half. But to bounce back from last week's fiasco in Cleveland and win such an important game in Baltimore was remarkable.


    GRADE: A+


    RUNNING BACKS
    Rashard Mendenhall got benched and, at times, so did the running game, which managed 96 yards on 26 carries and averaged just 3.7 yards per carry. But Dwyer made one of the game's big plays when he bounced outside on a 16-yard touchdown run that tied the score and Isaac Redman's 24-yard run that put the Steelers in scoring position was wasted on an interception in the end zone. But the most important statistic for the unit -- zero fumbles.


    GRADE: B-


    WIDE RECEIVERS
    It looked like two big turnovers by Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders that led to both Ravens touchdowns would prove costly. But they each made up with big catches on the final drive. And so did Mike Wallace, who had three of his five catches on the final field-goal drive, including a 15-yarder on third-and-7 from his own 18 that ignited the march. But it was tight end Heath Miller who seemed to make all the big catches, including a 43-yard catch-and-run to set up the first touchdown and a great individual effort on a 7-yard touchdown to tie the game.


    GRADE: B+


    OFFENSIVE LINE
    It was one of the great collective efforts of the season because the line was playing without two starters and center Maurkice Pouncey had to play left guard. Their most important job was to keep the pressure off Batch and they did. He was sacked only twice -- one was a coverage sack -- and a lot of credit goes to Max Starks and rookie right tackle Kelvin Beachum, who was making his first start. The running game wasn't flawless, but the way the line performed on the final drive, giving Batch time, was textbook.


    GRADE: A+


    DEFENSIVE LINE
    The front line did not dominate the line of scrimmage the way they did in the first meeting in Heinz Field when the Ravens had only 43 yards rushing and Ray Rice averaged 2 yards per carry. Rice had 78 yards on 12 carries, including a 34-yard TD when he cut back against the flow and ran untouched off the left side. DE Brett Keisel continues to be disruptive, forcing an interception with one of his two pressures in the first half. And Ziggy Hood recovered the big fumble on James Harrison's strip sack.


    GRADE: B


    LINEBACKERS
    It has been a slow climb back for James Harrison, who made the play that turned the game around with a strip sack on Joe Flacco at the Steelers 27 that led to the tying touchdown. Those are the kinds of plays that have been missing from a defense that had only 10 takeaways in the first 11 games. Harrison led the team with seven tackles. But the Ravens averaged 5.3 yards per rush and had more yards in the first half (57) than they did the entire game at Heinz Field (43).


    GRADE: B


    SECONDARY
    For the second game in a row, the Steelers held Flacco to less than 50 percent completions (16 of 34) and 188 yards passing -- 134 yards fewer than he has averaged at home. Cortez Allen had three passes defended early, but had a tough second quarter with a 30-yard pass interference call that set up a field goal and allowing back-to-back passes of 31 and 28 yards, the latter for a touchdown. Those passes were set up by a costly defensive holding penalty against Keenan Lewis on third down.


    GRADE: B


    SPECIAL TEAMS
    Shaun Suisham has been nothing short of perfect all season, and he did it again, kicking three field goals from beyond 40 yards, including the game-winner as time expired. And the coverage units were outstanding against Jacoby Jones, the only returner in the league with three scoring returns. The longest of his three kickoff returns was 30 yards and punter Drew Butler did a good job to keep the ball away from him in the middle of the field.


    GRADE: A+


    COACHING
    The game spoke volumes about Mike Tomlin and his ability to manipulate his players and get a win that few expected. He said they would shape the plan to Batch's strengths and they surely did.


    GRADE: A+

    Molon labe

    People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf. George Orwell

    ?We're not going to apologize for winning.?
    Mike Tomlin

    American metal pimped by asiansteel
    Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you 1. Jesus Christ, 2.The American G.I., One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

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