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STEELERS: LET'S RE-EVALUATE
Sunday, October 2, 2011
by Chris Mack
Ben Roethlisberger, James Harrison, Aaron Smith, Jason Worilds, and Rashard Mendenhall all were injured at some point in the Steelers' loss to the Houston Texans. They'll all, more than likely, be re-evaluated tomorrow.
While we're re-evaluating things though, how about our expectations for a team with just 2 1/2 NFL caliber starting offensive linemen, a running back who looks like he's auditioning to be the next Steeler on "Dancing With the Stars" the way he cha-chas at the line of scrimmage and a defense that looks not only "old, slow, & over" (Yes, Warren Sapp, it appears we all owe you a bit of an apology.), but unforgivably undisciplined in the arts of getting off the block, tackling, and pursuit.
That's a lot to fix, especially if you're trying to fix it without your franchise QB. Until we know otherwise though, let's assume Roethlisberger will be ok to play Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. What kind of protection will he get?
Maurkice Pouncey can be stellar at times, and Marcus Gilbert will be as well someday. Chris Kemoeatu is a beast of a run blocker - when healthy - but has some of the slowest feet in the league when pass blocking. Doug Legursky, out with an injury, is serviceable.
Ramon Foster, Trai Essex, and Jonathan Scott aren't NFL-level starters and barely capable as reserves. This is a Super Bowl team whose hopes for bolstering their O-line rest on either Flozell Adams, Max Starks, or some other street free agent. And therein lays this organization's two biggest problems: A trip to the Super Bowl, and their quarterback's history of success outside the pocket, have instilled the false belief that they don't need to drastically improve their offensive line. So they'll refuse to do so. And their QB may have some shredded knee ligaments to thank for it.
If they had a running back willing to try and take advantage of what few, tiny holes he has to run through rather than tiptoeing around, it may take some pressure off of Roethlisberger. When Isaac Redman, a straight line runner, got time against Houston he did just that. Rashard Mendenhall has looked tentative again this season.
And on the defensive side of the ball, as I said last week, it's time to start refreshing.
Keenan Lewis has looked pretty good in the time he's seen with Bryant McFadden out. It's time to stop kidding ourselves into believing William Gay can play anything other than nickelback. Cameron Heyward needs to get more time. Now. Despite who is or isn't healthy. The same goes for Ziggy Hood. Perhaps if a few veterans lost some playing time, LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons wouldn't feel so secure as they spend Sundays sleeping on their piles of contract extension money.
This team has a lot of problems. Most of them stem from something that can leave you in the dust if you don't adapt: Stubborness. This coaching staff and front office has been so successful the past four years (Tomlin still hasn't had a season without a winning record, and has missed the playoffs just once) that they're absolutely CERTAIN they know what they're doing, and that it's the right way. From not adding any new wrinkles to D!ck LeBeau's Hall of Fame defense to keeping a few players around a year or two too long to refusing to make the personnel moves necessary to keep their QB from getting smeared.
Stubbornness does not win championships. Refreshing, innovating, and evolving wins championships. There's plenty of football left in the 2011 NFL season, and plenty of opportunities for Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin, & the Steelers to turn things around, at which point they'll feel validated about their approach and the criticisms will die down.
I'm hear to tell you though, in the long term, to keep this franchise from having to go through any kind of rebuilding, it's time to re-evaluate.
[url="http://www.thechrismack.com/2011/10/steelers-lets-re-evaluate.html"]http://www.thechrismack.com/2011/10/ste ... luate.html[/url]
Sunday, October 2, 2011
by Chris Mack
Ben Roethlisberger, James Harrison, Aaron Smith, Jason Worilds, and Rashard Mendenhall all were injured at some point in the Steelers' loss to the Houston Texans. They'll all, more than likely, be re-evaluated tomorrow.
While we're re-evaluating things though, how about our expectations for a team with just 2 1/2 NFL caliber starting offensive linemen, a running back who looks like he's auditioning to be the next Steeler on "Dancing With the Stars" the way he cha-chas at the line of scrimmage and a defense that looks not only "old, slow, & over" (Yes, Warren Sapp, it appears we all owe you a bit of an apology.), but unforgivably undisciplined in the arts of getting off the block, tackling, and pursuit.
That's a lot to fix, especially if you're trying to fix it without your franchise QB. Until we know otherwise though, let's assume Roethlisberger will be ok to play Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. What kind of protection will he get?
Maurkice Pouncey can be stellar at times, and Marcus Gilbert will be as well someday. Chris Kemoeatu is a beast of a run blocker - when healthy - but has some of the slowest feet in the league when pass blocking. Doug Legursky, out with an injury, is serviceable.
Ramon Foster, Trai Essex, and Jonathan Scott aren't NFL-level starters and barely capable as reserves. This is a Super Bowl team whose hopes for bolstering their O-line rest on either Flozell Adams, Max Starks, or some other street free agent. And therein lays this organization's two biggest problems: A trip to the Super Bowl, and their quarterback's history of success outside the pocket, have instilled the false belief that they don't need to drastically improve their offensive line. So they'll refuse to do so. And their QB may have some shredded knee ligaments to thank for it.
If they had a running back willing to try and take advantage of what few, tiny holes he has to run through rather than tiptoeing around, it may take some pressure off of Roethlisberger. When Isaac Redman, a straight line runner, got time against Houston he did just that. Rashard Mendenhall has looked tentative again this season.
And on the defensive side of the ball, as I said last week, it's time to start refreshing.
Keenan Lewis has looked pretty good in the time he's seen with Bryant McFadden out. It's time to stop kidding ourselves into believing William Gay can play anything other than nickelback. Cameron Heyward needs to get more time. Now. Despite who is or isn't healthy. The same goes for Ziggy Hood. Perhaps if a few veterans lost some playing time, LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons wouldn't feel so secure as they spend Sundays sleeping on their piles of contract extension money.
This team has a lot of problems. Most of them stem from something that can leave you in the dust if you don't adapt: Stubborness. This coaching staff and front office has been so successful the past four years (Tomlin still hasn't had a season without a winning record, and has missed the playoffs just once) that they're absolutely CERTAIN they know what they're doing, and that it's the right way. From not adding any new wrinkles to D!ck LeBeau's Hall of Fame defense to keeping a few players around a year or two too long to refusing to make the personnel moves necessary to keep their QB from getting smeared.
Stubbornness does not win championships. Refreshing, innovating, and evolving wins championships. There's plenty of football left in the 2011 NFL season, and plenty of opportunities for Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin, & the Steelers to turn things around, at which point they'll feel validated about their approach and the criticisms will die down.
I'm hear to tell you though, in the long term, to keep this franchise from having to go through any kind of rebuilding, it's time to re-evaluate.
[url="http://www.thechrismack.com/2011/10/steelers-lets-re-evaluate.html"]http://www.thechrismack.com/2011/10/ste ... luate.html[/url]
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