The Newest from Everyone's favorite villain, Mark Madden

[Oviedo]

I think we improved with Keenan Lewis. I think we will improve with McClendon if he gets to play. We haven't had the run stopping plays since Aron Smith has been injured and that's a moot point since he is gone. I doubt Ziggy will ever match up to Aron Smith. Ziggy can lift all the weights in the world but he doesn't have the technique as of yet and may never gain it.
I do think our o-line is and will be better. Our receiving core should be better. Our kicker and punter aer below average. Our special teams coverage sucks. Rainey is a improvement for special teams and they should keep him there. He'll get killed if Tomlin wants him to play in the games. Maybe Ben and Haley were saving Heath Miller during the pre-season but if they don't find a way to get him some tosses it will be a waste of talent.
I don't think Foote will be half as affective as old number 51 James farrior and one of my all time Steelers. Harrison is a shadow of what he used to be. Timmons is either hurt playing his position or healthy playing out of his position so, he's a non factor. Troy isn't the spark plug he used to be. Clark isn't the hard hitting guy he used to be. Lebeaus defense in general despite being ranked number one isn't the ex-factor that shuts teams down when needed.
Our divisional opponents are moving up the ladder or have just figured us out. I'm still not sold on the Bengals because everyone wants to hand them the keys to the car. The Ravens have a head hunting coach, a QB that wants to prove himself so badly, a defense that can eat up Ben and an offense that gets around/over on our our defense.
I too picked the Steelers to be 8-8 or at best 9-7 ............... but hey ! ...........I 'm always wrong, just ask mt wife.

And by the way, everyteam gets older has injuries and is missing this or that that makes them the cut above but for some reason, the Steelers never get that favored point of view. As soon as I start showing our Steelers the love, I get the rug pulled right out from under me. I'm sticking with the glass is half empty.

We won't lose games because of opponents beating us with the run. We will lose games because we can't get to the opposing QB. That is how the NFL is today. Unless we figure out how to get pressure on the passer it is going to be hard. You are right Harrison is probably in his last year and will unlikely make it through the season without missing games. Woodely needs to have his best season. However, the rest of the league has the OLB rush figured out. LeBeau needs to use some of his "genius" and really innovate versus pulling out the same template we have seen for the past few years. What happened to the ILB blitz? Safety blitzes? CB blitzes?

Can you really be a dominant 3-4 defense with a LB group as weak as ours is because of the injuries?

[fezziwig]

I agree that getting to the QB is key. Cut off the head and the body goes with it.

[BigRob]

Brother you said it. Brady figured out our scheme along time ago and Lebeau does need to figure out another way to get to the QB's in this league. And also stop the run and to get off the field on third down.

Lebeau seemed to figure him out last season a little. What say you?

[Slapstick]

Timmons is either hurt playing his position or healthy playing out of his position so, he's a non factor.

Timmons has started 44 out of the last 48 games for the Steelers, not counting playoffs...it isn't like he's been hurt a lot over the last few years...

[RuthlessBurgher]

I recall at least a couple of corner blitzes from Cortez Allen and a couple of safety blitzes from Robert Golden in the last 2 preseason games (which typically feature only vanilla defense). Could be a promising sign for the regular season.

[Shoe]

It is typical Madden garbage. His "gimmick" is to be the local sportscaster who criticizes the local teams. For whatever reason it works because there are enough idiots in Pittsburgh listening that they keep him on. The problem with what he says is that he just makes up crap or paraphrases what others say. Any of a dozen posters on this board could provide more informed sports commentary than he does.

Exactly right. The guy is a fat turd, who is long past HIS expriration date.

[fezziwig]

My anxiety level rises when I watch the NFL channel and they're doing segments on the Steelers or they're doing a segemnt on the most famous NFL voices or the best linebacker group etc, etc and they seem to have all these pleasant brodcasters that dress proffesional, speak proffesional, weigh under 1000 lbs and then we have Madden to represent our team, our city. Makes my skin craw seeing that rotted tooth ball of walking talking vomit.

[Notleadpoisoned]

Exactly right. The guy is a fat turd, who is long past HIS expriration date.

[URL]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9j24o_gene-okerlund-vs-mark-madden_sport[/URL]

[RuthlessBurgher]

I can't believe I watched that whole pathetic thing. Just like Madden couldn't believe that a female actually came in contact with his crotch. What a piece of crap.

[DukieBoy]

Mark who ?

[fezziwig]

I can't believe I watched that whole pathetic thing. Just like Madden couldn't believe that a female actually came in contact with his crotch. What a piece of crap.

Someone needs to tell Madden , " when he pays for a female, it doesn't really count like it's a real attraction or a relationship in the real world "

[RuthlessBurgher]

It would be funny to have a looping animated gif of that lady wrestler just repeatedly hitting Madden in the huevos.

[hawaiiansteel]

Mark who ?

James Harrison doesn't know who he is either...

[lloydroid]

Hey makes his living by pizzing off Steeler fans. Why engage that nonsense?

Exactly; he's just a turd who tries to incite anger from Steeler fans. Whoopity dooo, like I give two sh-ts about what that fat @ss has to say.

I believe there are some key areas where we have improved, and others where we have digressed either through injury or age. And while I don't see the Bengals getting any love...they are definately a team on the up. So, saying the Steelers could come in third is not out of the question...while I believe it to be unlikely.

They are still the Bengals, owned and ran by Mike Brown, meaning they will F up more than get better, on average. We will see how good Dalton is as teams now have film on him. He will probably remain solid, but not elite. Ravens have every bit as many questions as do the Steelers. And you want to talk about getting old? Their STAR MLB is 37, their star safety is what? 35? It's funny how all the media pukes keep saying Pgh's D is old, as they did last year, when PS were, what, bottom 1/2 of the league? On the same level as the horrid GB and NE Dees? Oh, no, that's right, Pgh was still the BEST DEFENSE IN THE NFL last year. THIS is the D that is such a concern? No other contender has a D any better.

1) A healthy Ben is HUGE...and he wasn't healthy most of last season. I suspect with Haley...Ben will have the biggest season of his career if he can stay healthy.

I think so. As long as the O line doesn't lose anymore players - maybe we can afford a few lost games here and there, but if the OL is fairly stable, and can actually get a rushing game going, then Ben will have a huge year, with Brown, Wallace, Sanders, Coutcery, Miller, Rainey.....wow.

2) OL...even with the injury to DeCastro...MUCH improved. I believe Colon will be a pro bowl caliber guard. Gilbert will take time to warm up...but I see no reason he should digress this season. Starks being back is HUGE. Pouncey is elite. Foster is the only weak link and I think he is more than serviceable. That certainly beats our patch work line of last season...which will help Ben stay healthy and will break open the running game.

Yep

3) I believe we have the best 4 WRs in the NFL...Wallace, Brown, Sanders, Cotchery...that is tough. Adding Rainey to that mix...is just stupid with talent and speed.

Indeed. (I should have read whole post before responding to each point.)

[hawaiiansteel]

Some teams are old some young.

Ed: Steelers have 8th-Oldest Roster in NFL

WEDNESDAY, 05 SEPTEMBER 2012 WRITTEN BY ED BOUCHETTE

The Steelers have the eighth-oldest roster in the National Football League, according to STATS.

Based on Active Roster (age as of 09/05/2012)

Team Years Days Players

1. Detroit Lions 27 326 53
2. San Diego Chargers 27 292 52
3. Atlanta Falcons 27 183 53
4. Arizona Cardinals 27 141 53
5. San Francisco 49ers 27 121 53
6. Buffalo Bills 27 81 53
7. Chicago Bears 27 67 53
8. Pittsburgh Steelers 27 61 53
9. Baltimore Ravens 27 23 53
10. Oakland Raiders 27 7 53
11. Denver Broncos 26 355 53
12. Washington Redskins 26 333 53
13. New York Giants 26 327 53
14. Houston Texans 26 327 53
15. New Orleans Saints 26 308 53
16. New York Jets 26 248 52
17. Carolina Panthers 26 203 53
18. Jacksonville Jaguars 26 196 54
19. Dallas Cowboys 26 154 53
20. Tennessee Titans 26 145 53
21. Indianapolis Colts 26 138 53
22. Cincinnati Bengals 26 120 53
23. Kansas City Chiefs 26 115 53
24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26 100 53
25. New England Patriots 26 88 53
26. Seattle Seahawks 26 78 53
27. Green Bay Packers 26 73 53
28. Minnesota Vikings 26 54 53
29. Miami Dolphins 26 47 52
30. Philadelphia Eagles 26 19 53
31. Cleveland Browns 26 8 53
32. St. Louis Rams 25 300 53

[URL]http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/117912-ed-steelers-have-8th-oldest-roster-in-nfl[/URL]