Not to quibble, but ...

It may appear unseemly to take issue with just about any aspect of the Steelers’ thorough beat-down of the Seattle Seahawks ... but that won’t stop Joey Porter’s Pit Bulls!

Following the Special Teams debacle against the Arizona Cardinals, we hoped to see marked improvement on Special Teams play.

And we did.

First, Jeff Reed’s only kickoff of the day, to start the game, produced a touchback, which is the best possible outcome short of a fumble recovery. Plus, the tackling of the coverage units seemed better, as the Steelers did not allow a return touchdown, so we made progress there.

In the first quarter, however, for what it’s worth (seven points), it took a flying tackle by punter Daniel Sepulveda to bring down the speedy Nate Burleson, who otherwise almost certainly would have scored a touchdown if not for Sepulveda’s effort. Because of Sepulveda’s heroics and willingness to actually, you know, tackle, Burleson’s return was “limited” to 22 yards.

Can you imagine Chris Gardocki making that tackle? Didn’t think so.

What really bothers us is this: The Steelers committed two more penalties on Special Teams. Granted, this is a big improvement over the six in Arizona the previous week, but still …

In the first quarter, Willie Reid was flagged for an illegal block above the waist on a punt by Sepulveda. In the third quarter, Ike Taylor incurred the same penalty, only to outdone when Allen Rossum muffed the punt. He recovered the ball, but that didn't stop him from fumbling later, after a seven-yard punt return in the fourth qurter. Arnold Harrison recovered the fumble, so all is forgiven.

But not forgotten.

Those kinds of mistakes tend to get swept under the rug following a win, but they are there nonetheless. They need fixed.

We’re not suggesting there are endemic problems on the Steelers’s Special Teams …but there are too many penalties, long returns by opponents and near-misses to suggest that there isn't ample room for tightening up the play of the Special Teams units – especially for cutting down the number of penalties.

Bob Ligashesky, are you listening?

Dissa ‘n Datta

As for other penalties on Sunday, sheesh, three holding penalties on one drive, and the Steelers’s still managed to overcome them by converting third-and-long situations and scoring a touchdown. Very impressive, but three holding penalties on one drive – at home – is inexcusable. Holding calls at home are frowned upon, to say the least.

At one point, too, Cedric Wilson was lucky he didn’t get flagged for taunting, just as Nate Washington was lucky he didn’t get flagged for clipping on Najeh Davenport’s 45-yard run in the first quarter. Plus, Anthony Smith is lucky he wasn’t thrown out of the game for flying at Matt Hasselbeck’s knees in the second quarter, when Smith was flagged for a late hit.

We're almost surprised Mike Holmgren and Seahawks' fans aren't whining about the officiating.

In any case, we expect Coach Mike Tomlin covered all these penalties and near-misses in “The News.”