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Post-Atlanta thoughts
SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 2011
posted by Dale Lolley
Ben Roethlisberger is 21 of 31 of 361 yards, 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in the preseason.
Most of that has come in the past two weeks against Atlanta and Philadelphia, a pair of NFC playoff teams a year ago.
I don't know what else to say about that other than his passer rating is 146.6 in the preseason.
© OK, here's one more thing to say about that. Mike Wallace has two catches for 9 yards and Roethlisberger has a 146.6 passer rating.
The Steelers' opponents this season should be very, very afraid.
© It's too bad about the broken arm suffered by Byron Leftwich. He's a class act and you hate to see that happen.
But it did make the Steelers' situation at QB much easier to navigate.
Given that Leftwich likely will be out until at least October, it's likely the team will place him on the disabled list and roll with Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch as the backups.
© Both Casey Hampton (arm) and Maurkice Pouncey (ankle) were also injured, but neither is serious.
Keenan Lewis' knee injury also is not considered serious, though Miguel Chavis is done with a torn pectoral muscle.
© Mike Tomlin to Antonio Brown as he entered the locker room , "Don't let it consume you."
Good advice to a player who looks every bit of a superstar in the making.
Tomlin had some choice words for the young man after he drew a taunting penalty at the end of his 77-yard catch and run.
It's unlikely Brown will make that mistake again.
© The Falcons threw the ball 42 times in the first half and dropped back to pass 44 times – two were scrambles.
That resulted in 220 yards passing and 13 points.
That's D!ck LeBeau defense in a nutshell.
Some will argue that it shows the Steelers still can't defend the pass. But remember that Ike Taylor and Bryant McFadden were both out and Keenan Lewis left midway through the first half.
That left William Gay, Crezdon Butler and Donovan Warren covering Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez, a pair of perennial Pro Bowl players, and rookie Julio Jones, whom the Falcons traded the house to move up and get in the draft.
Atlanta's passing offense looks like it will be a good one, but the Steelers defense held their own against it.
You'd like to see some sacks in 42 pass attempts, but the Steelers had pretty good pressure on Ryan throughout the first half.
© Butler made some nice plays, not including his 95-yard interception return for a touchdown, and the Steelers may have to find a way to keep him around another year.
Lewis also had his moments, most notably a nice breakup in the end zone of a pass intended for White – though he did blow a coverage just prior to that.
© Rookie defensive lineman Corbin Bryant also continues to flash some skills. With Steve McLendon continuing to make plays, and first-round pick Cameron Heyward, you wonder if Chris Hoke has to worry about a roster spot.
[url="http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/sidelines/"]http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/sidelines/[/url]
SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 2011
posted by Dale Lolley
Ben Roethlisberger is 21 of 31 of 361 yards, 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in the preseason.
Most of that has come in the past two weeks against Atlanta and Philadelphia, a pair of NFC playoff teams a year ago.
I don't know what else to say about that other than his passer rating is 146.6 in the preseason.
© OK, here's one more thing to say about that. Mike Wallace has two catches for 9 yards and Roethlisberger has a 146.6 passer rating.
The Steelers' opponents this season should be very, very afraid.
© It's too bad about the broken arm suffered by Byron Leftwich. He's a class act and you hate to see that happen.
But it did make the Steelers' situation at QB much easier to navigate.
Given that Leftwich likely will be out until at least October, it's likely the team will place him on the disabled list and roll with Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch as the backups.
© Both Casey Hampton (arm) and Maurkice Pouncey (ankle) were also injured, but neither is serious.
Keenan Lewis' knee injury also is not considered serious, though Miguel Chavis is done with a torn pectoral muscle.
© Mike Tomlin to Antonio Brown as he entered the locker room , "Don't let it consume you."
Good advice to a player who looks every bit of a superstar in the making.
Tomlin had some choice words for the young man after he drew a taunting penalty at the end of his 77-yard catch and run.
It's unlikely Brown will make that mistake again.
© The Falcons threw the ball 42 times in the first half and dropped back to pass 44 times – two were scrambles.
That resulted in 220 yards passing and 13 points.
That's D!ck LeBeau defense in a nutshell.
Some will argue that it shows the Steelers still can't defend the pass. But remember that Ike Taylor and Bryant McFadden were both out and Keenan Lewis left midway through the first half.
That left William Gay, Crezdon Butler and Donovan Warren covering Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez, a pair of perennial Pro Bowl players, and rookie Julio Jones, whom the Falcons traded the house to move up and get in the draft.
Atlanta's passing offense looks like it will be a good one, but the Steelers defense held their own against it.
You'd like to see some sacks in 42 pass attempts, but the Steelers had pretty good pressure on Ryan throughout the first half.
© Butler made some nice plays, not including his 95-yard interception return for a touchdown, and the Steelers may have to find a way to keep him around another year.
Lewis also had his moments, most notably a nice breakup in the end zone of a pass intended for White – though he did blow a coverage just prior to that.
© Rookie defensive lineman Corbin Bryant also continues to flash some skills. With Steve McLendon continuing to make plays, and first-round pick Cameron Heyward, you wonder if Chris Hoke has to worry about a roster spot.
[url="http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/sidelines/"]http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/sidelines/[/url]
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