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Sunday, October 26, 2008
Thoughts on the Giants
Who would have thought the one player the Steelers seemingly couldn't replace was long-snapper Greg Warren?
It seems amazing to me that the Steelers couldn't have just sent one of their two centers out to snap the ball 10 to 12 yards back to punter Mitch Berger. They could have even lined up and quickly pooched a punt.
But the Steelers were worried about the Giants putting an all-out rush on and blocking the kick.
I would think an NFL team would have a better plan in place than to throw a guy on the field to snap who's never done it in an NFL or college game before.
That was the case with linebacker James Harrison and it showed.
© That play didn't lose this game for the Steelers, but it certainly gave the Giants a boost.
New York had 17 total yards in the third quarter and Eli Manning looked rattled.
© Santonio Holmes would have made a difference in this game. His teammates were saying all the right things about Holmes after the game, but they can't be happy that he got himself arrested for possession of marijuana Thursday.
Head coach Mike Tomlin made the right decision in sitting Holmes down for this one, even if it did help cost the Steelers a win.
You can't let that kind of stuff happen with some form of discipline.
Next thing you know, you've got Plaxico Burress on your hands.
© Giants head coach Tom Coughlin sat Burress in the first quarter of Sunday's game after he skipped a rehab session on his injured shoulder.
Burress, who had already been suspended for a game this season for missing a practice and not calling to tell anyone, wasn't a factor, cathing three passes for 15 yards.
© The Steelers' run defense is the best I've seen in a long time, maybe ever.
Baltimore has had some good run defenses over the years, as has Tennessee. And the Steelers have always been very good against the run in the 16 years I've covered them.
But the Giants were averaging 5.7 yards per carry coming into this one and averaged 2.4 a carry Sunday.
That's outstanding.
© The Steelers' goal-line stand in the second quarter was tremendous if you like smash-mouth football. And who doesn't like smash-mouth football?
© In the grand scheme of things, this loss won't hurt the Steelers all that much.
Heading into this four-game stretch of games against the Giants, Redskins, Colts and Chargers, I figured if the Steelers split them, they'd be OK.
That would put the Steelers at 7-3 with Cincinnati coming to town the following week.
Losing the first game in that stretch makes next week's game at Washington interesting, but the Steelers' three games after that are at Heinz Field and I just don't see them losing any of those three, unless, of course, they lose another long snapper.
Posted by Dale Lolley at 11:14 PM
Thoughts on the Giants
Who would have thought the one player the Steelers seemingly couldn't replace was long-snapper Greg Warren?
It seems amazing to me that the Steelers couldn't have just sent one of their two centers out to snap the ball 10 to 12 yards back to punter Mitch Berger. They could have even lined up and quickly pooched a punt.
But the Steelers were worried about the Giants putting an all-out rush on and blocking the kick.
I would think an NFL team would have a better plan in place than to throw a guy on the field to snap who's never done it in an NFL or college game before.
That was the case with linebacker James Harrison and it showed.
© That play didn't lose this game for the Steelers, but it certainly gave the Giants a boost.
New York had 17 total yards in the third quarter and Eli Manning looked rattled.
© Santonio Holmes would have made a difference in this game. His teammates were saying all the right things about Holmes after the game, but they can't be happy that he got himself arrested for possession of marijuana Thursday.
Head coach Mike Tomlin made the right decision in sitting Holmes down for this one, even if it did help cost the Steelers a win.
You can't let that kind of stuff happen with some form of discipline.
Next thing you know, you've got Plaxico Burress on your hands.
© Giants head coach Tom Coughlin sat Burress in the first quarter of Sunday's game after he skipped a rehab session on his injured shoulder.
Burress, who had already been suspended for a game this season for missing a practice and not calling to tell anyone, wasn't a factor, cathing three passes for 15 yards.
© The Steelers' run defense is the best I've seen in a long time, maybe ever.
Baltimore has had some good run defenses over the years, as has Tennessee. And the Steelers have always been very good against the run in the 16 years I've covered them.
But the Giants were averaging 5.7 yards per carry coming into this one and averaged 2.4 a carry Sunday.
That's outstanding.
© The Steelers' goal-line stand in the second quarter was tremendous if you like smash-mouth football. And who doesn't like smash-mouth football?
© In the grand scheme of things, this loss won't hurt the Steelers all that much.
Heading into this four-game stretch of games against the Giants, Redskins, Colts and Chargers, I figured if the Steelers split them, they'd be OK.
That would put the Steelers at 7-3 with Cincinnati coming to town the following week.
Losing the first game in that stretch makes next week's game at Washington interesting, but the Steelers' three games after that are at Heinz Field and I just don't see them losing any of those three, unless, of course, they lose another long snapper.
Posted by Dale Lolley at 11:14 PM
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