Steelers vs Ravens: 4th quarter rewind

• c has really struggled so far in the 4th quarter
• The Steelers punt coverage unit almost gave up a touchdown.  According to the reply, it looks like several blocks in the back occurred.
• Lawrence Timmons blitzed up the middle and caused a Flacco fumble
• Steelers have very good field position
• Rashard Mendenhall has run very, very hard in this game.  He has shown a great burst of speed, power, and a nice spin move.  Very impressive considering the Ravens run defense.
• With 7 minutes left, Dennis Dixon scores a touchdown on a QB draw.  Dennis Dixon was in the shotgun formation and make a reverse to Mike Wallace.  Dixon ran the ball to the right side and received a very nice block from Mewelde Moore that led him to the end zone.  Very nice call by Bruce Arians.
• Ray Rice called for tripping on 2nd down.  The Steelers accepted and made it 2nd and 19.  The Steelers then held on 3rd down by stopping Ray Rice on a screen pass.
• Ravens just converted a huge 4th down by Ray Rice.  For some reason James Farrior was 1:1 with Ray Rice and it was a complete mismatch.  Ray Rice caught the pass and ran it 60 yards to the Steelers 10 yard line.  Several Steelers missed tackles.  Lawrence Timmons tackled one of his own players who was in great position to make a tackle.
• The Steelers hold on 3^rd and goal.  The Ravens kick a field goal and tie the score 17-17 with 2 minutes left in the 4^th quarter.
• Dennis Dixon almost threw an interception on 2^nd down.  Consequently, the Steelers run the ball on 3^rd down.  A 3 and out for the Steelers
• Steelers punt the ball and the Ravens almost return it for ANOTHER TOUCHDOWN.  Will MIKE TOMLIN OR THE ST COACH EVER FIX THE SPECIAL TEAMS.  This is getting a bit ridiculous.
• A 24-yard pass interference call on Ike Taylor with 1 minute remaining in the game.
• The Steelers caused a last second fumble. The Ravens field goal unit and rushed a last second field goal which comes up about 2 yards short.

Score: 17-17

Steelers vs Ravens: 1st quarter rewind

• William Gay got torched several times on the Ravens’ first drive
• Willis McGahee scored the opening touchdown for the Ravens
• Bruce Arians is being overly conservative with Dennis Dixon
• Timmons caught out of position on a long Ray Rice run
• Ziggy Hood getting a good pass rush
• Steelers having success running the ball with Rashard Mendenhall

Score: Ravens 7 Steelers 0W

Timmons Injured (again)

Last week, Lawrence Timmons suffered his second ankle injury of the year against the Minnesota Vikings.  It is thought that a Steelers defensive lineman rolled up on the back of Timmons’ ankle in an attempt to tackle Adrian Peterson.  Earlier this year, Timmons suffered a nagging high ankle sprain that sidelined him for a couple weeks in which Keyaron Fox replaced him sufficiently.  However, this injury is the opposite ankle of the one he injured earlier this year.

According to Timmons’, the bye week will allow his ankle to heal and he’s expected to play against the currently undefeated Denver Broncos.  However, if Timmons’ can’t play expect Fox to start as his replacement.

Bye Week Boredom

As a die-hard Steelers fan, I must say that bye week is one of the worst weeks of the National Football League (NFL) season.  You get to watch all other games, except your favorite team.   However, for the Steelers this week is much needed before a showdown against the now undefeated Denver Broncos.

Here’s a list of action items that the Steelers should focus on during the bye week:

• Can the Steelers struggling pass defense stop Brandon Marshall and Kyle Orton?
• What should the Steelers do about Jeff Reed (i.e. and his fight with a fan at Heinz Field)
• What are the Steelers alternative approach without Casey Hampton next year (i.e. Hampton mostly likely won’t be signed to an extension)
• Should Ryan Clark play against the Broncos with his medical condition? Should he even travel with the team?
• Is Lawrence Timmons injury prone (i.e. the next Kendrell Bell)? He needs this buy week to heal his sprained ankle that he suffered against the Minnesota Vikings. Timmons’ injury is to his opposite ankle that he already injured (high ankle sprain) earlier in the season
• Should Limas Sweed see more playing time compared to Shaun McDonald?
• Should Mendenhall see more carries than approx. 15/game?

Fantasy Focus: Steelers vs Chargers

This week kicks off another entry of our fantasy football prediction blog.  The Pittsburgh Steelers play at home for the first time since the NFL opener against the Tennessee Titans.  This is a must-win for the Steelers in order to keep up with the division leaders, Baltimore Ravens.  The Ravens are currently up 2 games on a struggling Steelers team and the Steelers are looking to rebound against a very talented San Diego team after losing two close games in which they should have won convincingly.  Here is a list of fantasy football matchups that you may want to consider:

Pittsburgh Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger – Big Ben is going to have to come through against San Diego’s solid defensive front.  Even with the loss of Jamal Williams, the Chargers defense is loaded with playmakers.  However, Ben plays his best against good competition in prime time moments.  I expect more of the same from Big Ben.  Ben will put up 30 points on this

Chargers defense, at home, in primetime and display to the NFL why he is an elite quarterback in this league

Ben Roethlisberger Jersey and other Steelers Apparel

Mike Wallace – Wallace has been the only pleasant surprise for the Steelers this year.  He caught the most passes of any Steelers receiver last week totaling over 100 yards.  Wallace is a mismatch waiting to happen at the #3 spot.  He’s got amazing speed and quickness and hasn’t dropped a pass this season.  During the NFL draft, Wallace’s stock fell because scouts said his hands were suspect at best.  I don’t see that with this young kid, however I can’t say the same for Limas Sweed.

Mike Wallce Jersey and other Steelers Apparel

Heath Miller – Miller is “Mr. Dependable”.  He always seems to do his job and do it well.  He has great hands and is a good blocker.  He “seals the edge” when lined up as a tight end and does surprisingly well when lined up as a fullback.  Last week, he was dominant on the first couple of drives as a receiving tight end.  But for some reason, offensive coordinator, Bruce Arians stopped designing plays to go to Miller.

Arians has been heavily criticized by Steelers fans and rightfully so.  Why would he not get Miller more involved in

this offense?

Heath Miller Jersey and other Steelers Apparel

Rashard Mendenahll – This is a “dark horse” pick.  Per Mike Tomlin, Mendnenall didn’t play one snap last week because he didn’t feel comfortable that Mendenhall knew his assignments (i.e. he failed the weekly written game plan test).  We need Mendenhall to step up now and I think he’ll show-off some of his talent this week (IF HE ACTUALLY RECEIVES PLAYING TIME).

Rashard Mendenhall Jersey and other Steelers Apparel

San Diego Chargers

Philip Rivers – Rivers was expected to be an MVP candidate this year.  He has loads of talent and is surrounded by talent. This could be a shootout-type game resulting in a classic Rivers vs Big Ben show down.  I expect both quarterbacks to put up good numbers this game.  With the Steelers pash rush less than desirable, Rivers could be in for a big game.

Antonio Gates –  Gates is in for a big game against this struggling defense.  With Polamalu out with an injury, the Steelers don’t have a good solution for the All-Pro tight end.  Lawrence Timmons has the speed and athleticism to cover Gates but it will be a challenge as is for any linebacker in the NFL.

Darren Sproles – Sproles is the type of running back the Steelers always have trouble with.  He has great cutback ability (i.e. Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew) and has acceleration through the hole.  He’s also difficult to find behind a massive San Diego offensive line at 5-8 185 pounds.  Sproles might be most dangerous as a kick-off returner.  The Steelers special teams and defense must stay in their lanes and play disciplined football or Sproles could take one to the house on any given play.

Discuss at the Planet Steelers Forum

Move over Timmons, make room for Fox

Well, not permanently.

Lawrence Timmons needs to sit out this week’s game against the Chicago Bears and make room for Keyaron Fox. Timmons suffered a high ankle sprain in the 1st quarter of opening week against the Tennessee Titans. Although Timmons practiced this week, he tweaked his ankle again during the Wednesday practice. High ankle sprains are known to linger through the season if not rested properly. With the “tweak”, Timmons’ suffered during practice this week; it would be recommended to rest the ankle and let it heal properly before the injury gets worse or doesn’t heal completely.

Lawrence Timmons Jerseys for Cheap

With Timmons out with an injury, expect Keyaron Fox to start and fill in admirably. Fox, a special team’s standout is the top backup at both inside linebacker positions. Fox has been known for his devastating hits on special teams and his very strong run defense at the ILB position. While both are solid players, Fox thrives on run defense while Timmons excels in pass defense. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Keyaron Fox play 1st and 2nd downs and have Lawrence Timmons replace him on obvious passing situations much like last year with Larry Foote. Fox is still unproven in pass

defense much like Timmons is unproven in run defense which is why I would leverage both players in this week’s game if Timmons is “ready to play”.

Chicago Bears’ Matt Forte is one of the top running backs in the league and will be a great test for the Steelers early in the season. Similarly, Bears’ athletic tight end, Greg Olsen will test the Steelers in the middle of the field which will prove to be a great test for Timmons or Fox.

If Lawrence Timmons does play, let’s hope he doesn’t aggravate a very nagging high ankle sprain injury. In the meantime, I think we can live without Timmons while he gets healthy, Keyaron Fox has been a pleasant surprise.

STEEL CURTAIN RADIO #28: STEELERS VS TITANS

Steel Curtain Radio hosts another radio talk show featuring the following topics:

Show Topics:

1. Roster Analysis
2. The Sonny Harris Mistake
3. Will Timmons be Back for the Opener?
4. Steelers vs Titans Analysis
5. Pick the 53 Contest Results
6. Why I think the Steelers will Win?

List to the radio show here

Redskins top Steelers in second preseason game

The Pittsburgh Steelers dropped their first preseason game 13-17 of the year last night to the Washington Redskins. The game gave us a good opportunity to see the first team for the first couple of series. However more importantly it gave the youngsters an opportunity to showcase their skills in hopes of making the 53 man roster.

On a side note, starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger did not play due to an injury to his achillies heel from starting left tackle, Max Starks (6-8, 340 pounds) stepping on it. Initial tests confirmed that the injury does not appear to be serious. I really worry about the health of Big Ben this year. He may get sacked 50+ times this year if Max Starks & Co. continue to perform at this level. This offensive line looks to be just as bad as last year if not worse. They’re pass protection was subpar and they have not gotten any push in the run game.

The preseason record does not really matter. It’s the analysis of the players, and the “sharpness” of the game. It was good to see of the rookies such as Ziggy Hood do well. As a team though, the Steelers looked flat. They didn’t seem to have a sense of urgency outside of a few players, and they certainly weren’t “sharp” (13 penalties). Below are some quick notes from what I’ve observed from the game:

Lawrence Timmons - Excels in “search and destroy” mode but I still don’t think he’s strong in the run game. Once these guards get their hands on him, he really struggles to fight through blocks. Everytime the Redskins ran to his side, they gained positive yardage, somtimes in huge chunks too. I do not think I have ever seen Timmons read a run play, fight through a block inside, and stop a running back at or behind the line of scrimmage. It’s obvious to me that 3-4 ILB is not his ideal position during run plays at this point in his career. To be honest, if this becomes a consistent problem, I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing Keyaron Fox on 1st down.

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Limas Sweed – Similar to last game, Sweed dropped a very easy first down catch. However, he made a very nice sliding catch for 17 yards.

Mike Wallace – The “speedster” continues to impress. He has good hands and isn’t afraid to go across the middle.

Rashard Mendenhall – Did not play with the first team offense at all. When given the opportunity, he did well averaging 5.2 yards a carry (5 carries for 26 yards). He looks a little hesitant out there though.

Offensive Line – In defense of the OL, they were down 2 starters if you consider Darnell Stapleton a starter. Overall, they played poorly. On the first play of the game, Max Starks almost got Charlie Batch killed. The DE ran right around Starks like he wasn’t even there. I swear, a lawn chair would have done a better job blocking than Starks did on that particular play. They hardly gave Batch any time to throw and Batch being very immobile doesn’t help matters. Wow, we are very lucky to have Big Ben as our quarterback especially behind this OL. The OL also got very little push in the run game.

Daniel Sepulveda – It’s great to have a solid punter again. He is really going to help out our defense (not like they need much help). Sepulveda had 5 punts averagine 47.8 yards.

Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes – Both had 2 very nice catches for 1st downs. Hines’ was spectacular in a leaping grab on a post pattern with LaRon Landry on the coverage.

Dennis Dixon - 8/16 for 68 yards. He also had a few nice runs. He definitely has his hot and cold streaks. At this moment, I would not feel comfortable with him as our #2 QB.

Joe Burnett - Allowed the ball to be stripped on a punt return. He may have a hard time making the 53 man roster if he doesn’t progress with special teams. He needs to protect the ball better.

Ziggy Hood – Another strong performance for the first rounder with 4 tackles and 2 sacks. I see him getting immediately involved in the rotation to keep our starters fresh. On a side note, he is very quick for a big man.

Ra’Shon Harris – Another rookie with a strong performance. Seems to hold his ground well and gets a little push into the backfield. If Harris can make the 53 man roster, this would be a great injection of youth to the Steelers defensive line. Could he possibly progress to our future NT?

Troy Polamalu – In typical Troy fashion, he looks like he’s in mid season form

William Gay - Looks solid both in coverage and run support. I don’t think we’ll miss McFadden much as a starter. I just hope one of the young guys such as Burnett or Wallace step up to provide added depth to our secondary.

Keyaron Fox – Overall, solid ILB. Last night, he was particularly strong in run defense and led the team with 5 tackles. Very good to have a quality backup at ILB.

Other Backup LB’s – Arnold Harrison and Donovan Woods looked solid. Some of our backups could probably start on other teams which is a good problem to have. I’m also seeing Bruce Davis progress as well.

Stefan Logan – Did very well in both kick and punt returns. Averaged 40 yards a kick return (60 yarder in the 3rd quarter).

Pittsburgh Steelers 2008 Salaries

Steelers 2008 Salaries
Rk	Player	Salary (US$)
1	Ben Roethlisberger	$27,701,920
2	Max Starks	$6,899,800
3	James Farrior	$6,802,400
4	Hines Ward	$5,453,840
5	Ike Taylor	$4,643,360
6	Troy Polamalu	$4,625,000
7	Marvel Smith	$4,551,440
8	Casey Hampton	$4,100,960
9	Brett Keisel	$3,903,840
10	Willie Parker	$3,903,840
11	Kendall Simmons	$3,601,920
12	Aaron Smith	$3,255,760
13	Charlie Batch	$3,036,720
14	Rashard Mendenhall	$2,815,000
15	Larry Foote	$2,542,880
16	Lawrence Timmons	$2,199,760
17	Santonio Holmes	$2,176,920
18	Mewelde Moore	$2,005,760
19	Justin Hartwig	$1,980,760
20	Limas Sweed	$1,861,000
21	James Harrison	$1,806,720
22	Ryan Clark	$1,505,280
23	Deshea Townsend	$1,434,320
24	Jeff Reed	$1,430,280
25	Chris Kemoeatu	$1,423,240
26	Nate Washington	$1,419,880
27	Heath Miller	$1,347,260
28	Travis Kirschke	$1,133,360
29	Chris Hoke	$1,106,240
30	Greg Warren	$1,055,280
31	Tyrone Carter	$1,001,920
32	Trai Essex	$932,280
33	Nick Eason	$874,800
34	Mitch Berger	$870,000
35	Orpheus Roye	$870,000
36	LaMarr Woodley	$839,800
37	Bruce Davis	$800,626
38	Andre Frazier	$765,280
39	Keyaron Fox	$649,800
40	Byron Leftwich	$645,000
41	Bryant McFadden	$623,360
42	Sean McHugh	$605,000
43	Tony Hills	$599,500
44	Willie Colon	$451,720
45	Anthony Madison	$450,760
46	Arnold Harrison	$449,800
47	Anthony Smith	$448,840
48	Dennis Dixon	$425,000
49	Jon Dekker	$376,240
50	Matt Spaeth	$376,240
51	Darnell Stapleton	$376,240
52	Carey Davis	$375,760
53	Daniel Sepulveda	$375,760
54	William Gay	$374,800
55	Gary Russell	$370,000
56	Mike Humpal	$366,575
57	Dallas Baker	$301,720
58	Donovan Woods	$298,500
59	Scott Paxson	$295,000

The Super Six

The Super Six

The Pittsburgh Steelers are Super Bowl XLIII Champions.  How sweet it is to bring back another Vince Lombardi Trophy to the city of Pittsburgh.  It is well deserved.

I had to wait a few days to write this blog to let the victory sink in.  To be honest, I am still in the process of reading every Super Bowl article on the internet still.  You name it, the Post Gazette, Tribune-Review, ESPN, CBS SportsLine, Yahoo! Sports, etc.  I just can’t get enough of this Super Bowl victory.  It was perhaps the most emotional game I have ever watched.  I can honestly say that I thought destiny (and the referees) were against us when I saw Larry Fitzgerald score a touchdown, to take the lead, with just under 3 minutes remaining.  I thought the game was over.

Then, our franchise QB, Ben Roethlisberger marches 88 yards down the field (in spite of a holding call on Darnell Stapleton).  To cap off the drive and the Super Bowl victory, Santonio Holmes made one of the best catches I have ever seen and possibly the best catch in Super Bowl history.  Give huge props to Big Ben Roethlisberger; he put together possibly the best 2-minute drive in Super Bowl history.

I won’t review the game since you all have probably seen all the highlights and read all the analysis you can handle at this point.  However, in a future post, I will add all the Super Bowl XLIII highlights to our Steelers photo and highlight gallery.  What I will review is a few plays and thoughts from the Super Bowl.

James Harrison returns interception for 100-yards
The interception return was easily one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history and is now in the record books as the longest play for a touchdown in Super Bowl history.  I couldn’t believe what I was watching and was going crazy in watching him go yard-by-yard on the way to a pick-six.  I think I was gasping for air just as much as James Harrison was by the time he reached the end zone.  That play was simply unbelievable.  That was most likely, at a minimum, a 10-point swing.

Troy Polamalu lining up face-to-face with Larry Fitzgerald
I personally think this matchup wasn’t talked about nearly enough and should have been one of the post-game story lines.  Larry Fitzgerald, the best athlete on the Arizona Cardinals (and best WR  in the NFL) matched-up with Troy Polamalu whom is equally as athletically gifted.  Polamalu played bump and run with Fitzgerald to try to slow him up a bit and delay him from ‘hitting his routes’.  The media downplayed this matchup.  Most people questioned why Kurt Warner didn’t get the ball in Fitzgerald’s hands earlier but you can’t throw the ball to the guy if he’s double and sometimes triple covered.  Give Ken Whisenhunt credit for moving Fitzgerald around later in the game to get better matchups.  I thought Dick Lebeau and the Steelers D should have started moving Troy Polamalu around to ’spy’ Fitzgerald later in the game.  They didn’t do it and you saw what happened.  Fitzgerald started torching our secondary.

Larry Fitzgerald scoring with just under 3 minutes to play
This was a devastating play and it really showcased why Fitzgerald is the best in the business.  He’s got the intelligence, the speed, leaping ability, and the hands to dominate in this league.  I really thought this was going to end up being the game winning touchdown.  Larry lined up in the slot, beat his man, split the seam and was off to the races.  Troy Polamalu took a gamble and the Steelers defense paid the price.  Polamalu was over aggressive and attacked the out pattern which opened up a huge hole down the middle of the field.

Larry Fitzgerald beating Ike Taylor on the fade route
This is just another showcase of this guys ability.  Also, give props to Ike Taylor because he had absolutely incredible coverage.  It’s just that if Fitzgerald gets his hands on that football in a “jump ball” situation, he almost always comes down with it.

The play of Big Ben
In watching this game, Ben Roethlisberger had an absolutely incredible game and really deserved the MVP award and that’s not taking anything away from Santonio Holmes because he had an amazing game as well.  Ben Roethlisberger made some plays that showcased why he’s an elite quarterback in this league.  His scrambling ability to buy time in the pocket was amazing.  In particular, the throw to Heath Miller in the first quarter while buying time and throwing across his body displayed his underrated athleticism, arm strength and his field vision.  Steve Young said it best (and I’m NOT a Steve Young fan) when he asked Ben, ‘How do you do that’, ‘Do you have eyes in the back of your head’.  It sure seems that way, Young.

The playmaking of Roethlisberger doesn’t stop there either.  His pump fakes caused the Arizona Cardinals cornerbacks major headaches as well as his ability to extend the play in the pocket.  His accuracy was “spot-on” in the biggest game in the world (or maybe I should refer to the Planet hereJ ).  For example, his 1^st down throw to Holmes on the last drive displayed his accuracy and arm strength.  His throw out of the end zone (which resulted in a safety due to the Hartwig bogus holding penalty) was equally impressive.  His 2-minute drive was typical Ben fashion.  Even though I’ll admit that I wasn’t confident at the point, I knew that with Big Ben this game was not over.

The game winning touchdown pass to Holmes in the end zone was perfect.  It couldn’t have been thrown in any other place.  If Ben threw that ball a foot to the left, it’s intercepted.  If Ben throws that ball a foot to the right, it’s out of Holmes’ reach.  Ben was simply incredible on the biggest stage in the world and in my mind, is well on his way to becoming a Hall of Famer.  Did I mention he’s only 26?

Holmes Breakout Party (and a bit on Hines)
The play of Holmes’ was equally as impressive.  He just made play after play after play.  I give him huge credit because I knew that the extra coverage was going to be rolled his way because of the injury to Hines Ward.  I thought the first reception to Hines Ward was instrumental because it scared the Cardinals in thinking that he was healthier than what he really was and opened the door for Holmes.

Hines played more of a decoy role in this game but he’s equally as good.  The guy is a flat out football game that plays the game the way it was meant to be played.  Hines Ward plays tough, healthy/hurt, emotional, physical and great.  He’s the ultimate Steeler and I can’t wait to see him inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

With Ward not being 100%, it was time for Santonio to step up.  And step up he did, by winning himself the Most Valuable Player honors.  The media hype up rookie Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie all week and said he would shut down one of the Steelers receivers.  Well, that was far from the truth.  I think Holmes took a little offense to that as well.  Cromartie was used and abused by Holmes all game.  It was a complete mismatch and the Steelers exploited it.

Other Notes:

Offensive Line – While they played a decent game, especially the tackles (wow, did I really say that?) it just makes me wonder how good Big Ben would be with a solid o-line.  I think we’ll see the offensive line addressed this offseason.  I am predicting that they’ll be one new starter at guard and tackle come next year.  Our offensive line in short yardage situations is a terrible though.  The Steelers failed to score a touchdown on two occasions (1inside the 10 yard line, and 1 on the inch yard line) that could have put this game WAY out of reach, early.

Coaching - Overall, I think the coaching was good.  Both Whisenhunt and Tomlin had their guys prepared to play.  I’m more impressed with Mike Tomlin more than ever now.  I guess a Super Bowl victory in your second season will do that.  Bruce Arians had a better than expected game plan but I would have thought, I’d see more passes to Heath Miller especially with the early success.   Dick Lebeau had a great game plan as well but that is nothing new.  It’s great that he’ll be back next season!

Linebackers – The Steelers ‘backers had an amazing game.  Harrison is simply a beast and must be accounted for on every play.  Woodley is an all-pro type player and we should be lucky to have him and he’s only in his second year!  He dominated Levi Brown all day and clinched the game with the forced fumble.  Foote is still solid and very good against the run.  James Farrior is Mr. dependable and is the leader on defense.  He had a great game and is well deserving of his Pro Bowl status.  Farrior is playing like he’s 24 years old, not 34.  It’s a credit to his preparation.  Lawrence Timmons is a star in the making.  Timmons has his troubles in run defense, but he’s great in pursuit, an explosive hitter, great in coverage, and has speed and burst.