Ray Fittipaldo Nails It: Lousy Special Teams Cost the Steelers in 2013

Antonio Brown, out of bounds

Fans who watched the Steelers in 2013 remember the frustration and dismay we all felt over continuously poor field position on both sides of the ball.

The Steelers' punters were, for the most part, abysmal. They rarely flipped the field. It seemed the opponents' offense was always starting possessions after punts near mid-field.

Meanwhile, because the Steelers' own kick-return game (on kickoffs and punt alike) was so lousy, the Steelers' offense always seemed to be starting on about their own 20-yard line.

Jacoby Jones

Special teams put the Steelers in a hole all season. Then, for every rare positive big play the Steelers made on special teams, it seemed they would allow a negative one on the other side. The Jacoby Jones kick return in the pivotal loss to Baltimore is Exhibit 1 in that department.

The Post-Gazette's Ray Fittipaldi documents all these woes, and more, in excruciating but compelling detail in an excellent article that you can read here.  The photo accompanying the article shows the infamous "everything-but-the-Stanford band" kickoff return at the end of the Miami loss, when Antonio Brown veered barely out of bounds with the left half of his left foot on the sideline white stripe. If not for that gaffe, the Steelers would have made the playoffs, although it's not likely they would have gone far. The caption for that photo ironically points out that Brown and kicker Shaun Suisham were the two bright spots on special teams.

While both were mostly very good, Fittipaldi notes they also had major flaws. Brown made too many fair catches on returnable punts. Suisham missed two crucial field goals that may have won the Oakland game. Worse, and this has been the big flaw in Suisham's game all along, his kickoffs don't go deep.

If you remember when the Steelers came out of training camp last August-September, they made a series of roster moves that continued through the 0-4 start to the season.  In the week between the final pre-season game and Game 1 of the regular season, the Steelers made five roster moves. This sort of maneuvering continued. Players were waived or added. Others were moved to and from the practice squad. In 2013, the Steelers had a roster of between 20-30 percent new players.  They weren't ready to start the season. And the result was an 0-4 start that buried them.

You'd think Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin would know better. This year, let's hope they give special teams their due. Coaches always blather about the importance of special teams and how they are "one-third of the game," but then special teams get treated as an afterthought. Punters and kickers are disparaged as not being "real" football players.

The reality is, huge chunks of field position can change on any kick or punt.  Kickers and punters are absolutely crucial, as are returners, gunners and other specialty players. For the Steelers, there is ample room for improvement.

One footnote: When the Steelers signed punter Brad Wing early this off-season, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls wrote a lengthy, researched post that got lost in Blogger-space somehow and was never posted. We'll try to recreate it at some point. Wing has an interesting story, and we have cautious, tentative hope that he will seize the job and make a difference. Wing has potential to be the best punter the Steelers have had in a long time.

Bigger picture, there is room for improvement in all phases of the special teams, as Fittipaldi painstaking explains in his excellent article. It's worth reading.

LeGarrette Blount Joins the Steelers

LeGarrete Blount, on his Twitter account,
looking happy after signing
 with the Steelers.  What's up with the hand signs?

The Steelers' signing of LeGarrette Blount can mean only good things for the running game. We hope.

Blount should be a perfect fit in Pittsburgh, the 250-pound sledgehammer that backs up the 244-pound hammer that is Le'Veon Bell.

Steelers' fans: Don't expect Blount to be The Bus. Nobody is. It's been 18 years since a 24-year-old Jerome Bettis joined the Steelers on Draft Day in 1996 and went on to carve out a career that should put him in the Hall of Fame. Many fans have been looking for another Bus ever since Bettis retired after the 2005 season. 

It's unrealistic to expect the 27-year-old Blount, or anybody else, will approximate what Bettis did. Bettis had unusually quick, nimble feet to complement brute force, surprising speed, ruthless power, relentless determination and consistent focus that lasted all the way through his 10 years in Pittsburgh. Those attributes helped him rack up a career total of 13,662 yards rushing. He was The Bus.

The Winnebago

The Steelers become the fourth NFL team for Blount, who at one time was nicknamed The Winnebago. What the 250-pound Blount can do, hopefully, is provide a powerful one-two punch for the Steelers, a reinforcement to Bell, as well as a legitimate force on third down, in the Red Zone and in the fourth quarter. 

Bell seems happy:

 Retweeted by LeGarrette Blount

LeVeon Bell ‏@L_Bell26  9h

RT @Realrclark25: At @L_Bell26 & @LG_Blount !! Whew, the Steelers will be down hill. Put your big boy pads on people!! --ohh yeahh!

Meanwhile, people in Baltimore seem unhappy, or at least concerned, if the following from The Baltimore Sun is any indication, as the Ravens were reportedly interested in signing Blount in the wake of a dreadful running game in 2013 and the subsequent arrest and off-season legal woes of Ray Rice:

"The Ravens had difficulty tackling Blount during a 41-7 loss to the Patriots in December. Blount rushed for 76 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.  The 6-foot, 250-pounder player has a hard-nosed, old-school running style. He rushed for 772 yards and scored seven touchdowns last season for New England. The former Oregon standout gained 189 of those yards in the regular-season finale against the Buffalo Bills.  During a playoff win over the Indianapolis Colts, Blount rushed for 166 yards and four touchdowns."

That is all well and good, and it sounds auspicious for the Steelers and Blount alike. At 27 years of age, Blount should be in the prime of his career. He's had some success in the league, but it's been spotty. It's been an uphill climb. Unlike Bettis, Blount was not a first-round draft choice. He came into the league as an undrafted free agent, signed by the Tennessee Titans. He bounced from Tennessee to Tampa to New England, where, to his credit, he had some late success.

His new two-year contract with Pittsburgh gives him a window -- really, his last, best chance -- to make his mark as an NFL player. Why, you ask, would this be his last, best chance?  By the time this contract runs its course, Blount will be 29.  If you think 29-year-old running backs are still considered prime commodities in this day and age, ask Maurice Jones-Drew. Joey Porter's Pit Bulls don't buy into that sentiment, but that's the way it seems to be in the NFL these days.

If Blount is serious about his career, his life and his legacy, he will make the most of this opportunity with the Steelers. 

Other Perspectives:

LeGarrette Blount on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LG_Blount

Steelers Depot: Blount Still Has Work to Do Despite Improvement

Steelers.com:  Steelers Get Reinforcements at Running Back

Behind the Steel Curtain:  Power and Power Now in the Steelers Backfield

LeBackfield: Steelers add LeGarrette Blount to Le'Veon Bell for best rushing combo in AFC North

Bob Labriola, Steelers Digest:

"A description of Blount’s running style can be found in his kickoff return statistics. Doing it for the first time in the NFL during the 2013 season with the Patriots, Blount averaged 29.1 yards per return with a long of 83 yards. He is a big guy who is quick to speed, and while he cannot be described as nifty, Blount has enough of a speed-power combination to make him dangerous to a defense."

DaBody52

Arthur Moats ‏@dabody52  9h

It's official I'm a Pittsburgh Steeler! Definitely enjoyed my time in Buffalo & all the support that I received from the fans! Thank you!

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For some reason, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls have a good feeling about new signee Arthur Moats ("DaBody52" on Twitter). He should be a welcome addition at linebacker.  Maybe part of the reason the Steelers signed him is for help on special teams, where he was a mainstay for the Bills. Surely, however, the Steelers want to see what he can do at linebacker, where the team needs major help, whether they want to admit it or not.

Moats is not likely to provide major help immediately, but he should help. Reading the tea leaves, it appears he will play inside linebacker, mostly, at the position formerly occupied by Larry Foote, where Moats will compete with Vince Williams for playing time.  The Steelers had considerable trouble stopping the run last year. Not all of that difficulty can be ascribed to the front three; the absence of Foote hurt the run defense. Maybe Moats can help. Somebody needs to help.

Interestingly, Moats has a body type (listed at 6'0", but call it 5'10", and 250) similar to James Harrison, so maybe he plays with leverage. He had success in college as a pass rusher (the Buck Buchanon Award winner) at Division II James Madison University, which is ancient history for the 26-year-old, but still: It is not inconceivable the Steelers might try him at Jarvis Jones's spot, as a backup to Jones.

Then again, it's entirely possible Dick LeBeau will continue to expand the scheme of three safeties on the field at one time, along with two corners and three linebackers (Jones, Timmons and Worilds). The four safeties to get playing time will be Troy Polamalu, Mike Mitchell, Will Allen and Shamarko Thomas.

We expect to see more three-safety sets this year, with Shamarko playing closer to the line of scrimmage and disrupting crossing patterns.

One thing, though: There's not much height back there, or in the linebacking corps. Listed at 6'0", Mitchell's the tallest of the safeties. Who covers the tall tight ends and receivers so prevalent in the league these days?

Weighing in ...

Lance Moore

Once again this year, Steeler Nation has watched NFL free agency come and go (mostly now) with bated breath only to be frustrated by lack of cap space and a series of mostly underwhelming additions and unsurprising subtractions.

Safety Mike Mitchell is the only roster addition we can say with confidence is an upgrade. Mitchell succeeds the inimitable but aging Ryan Clark, who became suddenly slow during a 2013 season in which the defense surrendered a gazillion plays of 20 yards or more.

Jessica Burciaga, who is supposedly
Lance Moore's girlfriend

At wide receiver, Lance Moore replaces Emmanuel Sanders -- not Jericho Cotchery, as most people seem to conclude from the timing of Moore's signing coinciding with Cotchery's lamentable departure. We're not sorry to see Sanders gone; we are sad to see Jericho no longer in Black 'n Gold.

Hampered by injuries last year, Lance Moore had only 37 catches for the Saints, but he tallied an average of 63 catches a year for the previous three seasons. The Steelers hope he regains that form to replace Sanders, who had 67 catches last year for the Steelers (740 yards; 11.0 ypc). Sanders also had more than few drops, and too many of those at crucial times. Sanders came up small in the biggest moments; clutch, not so much. The Steelers should have let Sanders go to New England last off-season, and we said so at the time.

As for the Moore-Sanders comparison: Similar body type; similar physical attributes; similar speed -- the main difference is Moore is three-and-a-half years older than Sanders, and on the north side of 30. Plus, reportedly, he has a stunning girlfriend (and maybe Sanders does, too, for all we know).

If Moore doesn't return to form, and even if he does, the Steelers are looking for 2013 third-rounder Markus Wheaton to step up his game in a big way. We have high hopes for Wheaton, who was injured much of last year and made next to no impact. If neither Moore nor Wheaton pan out this year, the Steelers will be in trouble. There is nobody else, unless 2013 fringe rookies Derek Moye or Justin Brown develop, or somebody out of the blue. Or a draft choice.

As for the other moves, they're underwhelming and appear to be for depth, which is not a bad thing, just not very exciting. Glaring holes remain on defense, especially on the defensive line and at cornerback. There's room for improvement at inside linebacker, too. (C.J. Moseley, anyone?)

Next Up at Running Back: "The Winnebago"?
Running back remains a big concern, and maybe LeGarrette Blount will sign; maybe not. Nicknamed "The Winnebago," Blount's size makes Steeler fans hope for the arrival of the next Jerome Bettis ("The Bus"). More realistically, Blount may be closer to Najeh Davenport ("The Dump Truck"). Like Davenport, Blount has some history he'd no doubt prefer people would forget.

The Draft
Wide receiver and cornerback remain the top two target areas for the draft. We're guessing corner, if either of the top two (Justin Gilbert or Darqueze Dennard) are available.  Wide receiver, otherwise, probably, unless an absolutely can't-miss offensive tackle or impact defensive lineman is available. The needs are many, and they are great.

If North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron is available, we'd consider him in the first round. We don't think the Steelers will, but Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would. The Steelers have four tight ends on the roster and probably figure they're set for the time being. Heath Miller's still very good, but a player like Ebron could be a difference-maker, especially in the Red Zone. At 6'4, 250, Ebron would be a monster slot receiver.

In any case, the Steelers need immediate help at corner, wide receiver, the defensive front seven and running back.  Probably in that order.

Departures: Eve of Free Agency Period

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are sad to see the departure of Larry Foote from the Steelers. Foote may have some football left in him, but he missed pretty much all of last season with a torn triceps. He turns 34 in June, and after 12 steady, rock-solid NFL seasons, mostly with the Steelers, it was not much of a surprise the Steelers were ready to move on. He will be missed, though, especially for his leadership on the field, in the locker room and off the field. We'll miss his highly entertaining appearances on local radio shows, too. Good luck to you, Larry.

More moves are likely to happen before the start of the NFL free agency period on Tuesday. Longtime safety Ryan Clark is likely to be released, and he will be missed, too, although the quality of his play appeared to dip considerably last season. It was as if he suddenly got slow, and he was never the fastest guy to begin with. Big shoes to fill, though. And he's been one of the most entertaining, candid and insightful personalities in the media. He should have success in whatever he chooses to do next. Good luck to you, too.

Speculation has been rampant that Brett Keisel also could be released. To a layman, it appeared he played at a high level last year, and that he still has a lot of good football left in him. We will not be happy if he is let go.

Predictably, the Steelers have made no moves to sign players who came on the open market the past couple weeks. No Red Bryant (Jaguars); no D'Quell Jackson (Colts). Nothing like that was going to happen, and we're used to it.

Typically, the Steelers make no big early splash in free agency. If they can find another Ryan Clark, however, a relatively low-profile free agent who makes an impact, well, there would be be nothing wrong with that.

We shall wait and see.

Lots of Moving Parts

Say this for Jason Worilds: He made the most of the opportunity he got during the final eight games of the 2013 season.

Based on the flashes he displayed throughout that stretch, the Steelers offered the 26-year-old linebacker nearly $10 million to stay in Pittsburgh this year. Because it's a transition tag, there's a chance another team will offer a better deal. Multiple teams with plenty of salary cap space could do that, and we'll learn by this time next week whether that will happen.

Meanwhile, the Steelers' braintrust juggles other roster/salary issues. It's an equation with lots of moving pieces. The big question marks are Lamarr Woodley and Ike Taylor.  And it will be no surprise when some others will be released to pursue other opportunities. Ryan Clark, we'll miss you. Levi Brown, not at all.

It would be fun for us fans if the Steelers would suddenly announce the signing of new free agents such as defensive lineman Red Bryant and linebacker D'Quell Jackson, but that would be a surprise. It would be a nice surprise, but not likely to happen. Darn.

It's easy enough for us to say what the Steelers should do; not so easy to predict what they will do.