Midweek Malaise

Just think how much more promising interesting the final three games would appear if Antonio Brown had managed to sidestep the sideline and tightrope it the way Baltimore's Jacoby Jones (yeah, that guy) did in the last minute of the Ravens' theatrical win over Minnesota last Sunday.

Instead, this craptastic Steelers season slogs on its futile procession through the final three games: Bangles at Heinz Field; against the Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay; and, finally, the Clowns at Heinz Field.

Mike Tomlin's Tuesday news conference gave us little to chew on that we didn't already know (the defense can't stop anybody and gives up too many big plays), so we turn to other sources.

Gene Collier points out the sequence of questionable play calls ...

" ... with a 28-24 lead in the fourth quarter, on a snow-covered field, the Steelers' play-calls went, pass, pass, pass, pass, run, pass on one possession. Then pass, run, pass, pass, pass on a second. 

"That's against a Miami defense ranked 25th against the run."

Dale Lolley at The Washington Observer-Reporter makes an interesting point about Jason Worilds:

"... there's no way the Steelers can afford to allow Jason Worilds to walk. 

There really isn't a comparison between Worilds and Keenan Lewis. Lewis made some plays last season, but nothing nearly as impactful as the way Worilds has played. Lewis is also 27 this season, while Worilds is 25 and would play an entire 4-year contract extension under the age of 30. 

The Steelers might have tipped their hand with what they're planning with Worilds when they kept him at left outside linebacker and moved LaMarr Woodley to the other side."

If the Steelers are serious about keeping Worilds, they would almost certainly have to move Woodley -- and we don't mean to the other side of the linebacking corps, but rather off the roster, mainly because of his salary cap hit, which will be significant in any case.

Didn't the Steelers used to win this sort of game?

The one that got away: Charles Clay scores the winning TD
after Troy Polamalu and Cortex Allen failed to bring him down. 

Missed tackles. Blah. Blocked punt. Blah. A Ben Roethlsiberger fumble that led to a Miami touchdown. Poor clock management. Nine penalties. Dropped catches, off-target throws, sloppy play all around.

The Steelers' defense surrendered their 11th play of 50 yards or more this season, and it couldn't have come at a worse time: late in the fourth quarter, when running back Daniel Thomas broke a run for 55 yards on the decisive winning drive where Miami drove 80 yards to score with about three minutes left.

This came after another ineffective punt from Mat McBriar, who bounced one into the end zone for a net of 28 yards. That meant the Dolphins started their drive on the 20-yard line instead of backed up against their goal line.

The Steelers have had punting problems all season, and today was no different. In the first half, Miami blocked a McBriar punt and went on to score a touchdown. The Dolphins won by six points.

Center Cody Wallace played reasonably well.

On the plus side, the offensive line played reasonably well, and that includes third-string center Cody Wallace, who made his first start six seasons into his NFL career, and tackle Mike Adams.

Antonio Brown played well, although he had a drop, and almost won the game at the end had his momentum not carried him out of bounds. That would have been a play for the ages. Emmanuel Sanders had a touchdown catch among his four receptions but had a drop, too.

On defense, Jason Worilds and Cameron Heyward played well.  Also on the plus side, Mike Tomlin stayed on the sidelines.

Who's Calling the Plays?
Le'Veon Bell carried the ball only 16 times (for 63 yards), and had just one carry in the second quarter after gaining 36 yards on nine carries in the first quarter. We could ask why the Steelers didn't try to run the ball more in classic wintry conditions, especially in the second half. In fact, the question was asked of a testy Ben Roethlisberger during his post-game meeting with the media, and his response was a terse "No idea. Coach Haley's over there. You can ask him."

It was a legitimate question, though, and we hope somebody asks Haley, or Tomlin, and actually gets a meaningful answer, but that's not going to happen. Roethlisberger's response, though, just invites more speculation that there may be, and probably is, tension between Roethlisberger and Haley and provides more evidence of a disconnect between the two.

Oh, by the way, Mike Wallace caught only two passes for 19 yards and was not much of a factor. We didn't expect him to be.

Game Day 13: Miami Dolphins at Pittsburgh Steelers

Warm-weather team visiting a cold-weather city? Joey Porter's Pit Bulls dismiss that. The Dolphins play road games every year in Buffalo, New England and New York (last Sunday, in fact).

Mike Wallace burning a Steelers secondary that has surrendered an astounding 10 plays of 50 yards or more this season? Maybe. But Miami's offense, which hasn't scored 30 points yet this season, simply hasn't been able to put together a vertical game to take advantage of Wallace's speed. Why? don't know. It could be coaching design, or quarterback Ryan Tannehill's unwillingness or inability to throw deep, or the inability of a patchwork offensive line to protect Tannehill, or the ineffectiveness of Miami's running game to set up play action.

Or it might just be Wallace, and the fact that he is a hit or miss player whose performance can be maddeningly erratic.

This season, as noted by the Miami Herald,

"Wallace has only three touchdowns of any length, only two longer than 30 yards, only one on the kind of “go long” routes that open up defenses for everyone else. As far as yards per catch this season, Wallace’s 13.3 barely beats Brian Hartline’s 13.0 yards per catch."

The article containing that quote was headlined, "Mike Wallace Primed to Lead Miami Dolphins," which prompted the immediate thought, "Mike Wallace has been called a lot of things, but 'leader' isn't one of them."

We're not too concerned about Mike Wallace. We're more concerned about Miami's pass rush and ability to take the ball away (16 interceptions in 12 games).

Maybe The Tomlin Two-Step Will be the Spark the Steelers Need

Maybe the Tomlin two-step will be the spark the Steelers need?

Nah. It's probably just as well, however, that so much attention has been paid to Mike Tomlin's Sideline Shuffle instead of the very real problems the team faces.

The Tomlin two-step has been entertaining, that's for sure. Can you imagine that conversation with the missus? Explaining away $100,000 down the drain? Just before Christmas?  Never mind that for somebody with Tomlin's income (over $5 million annually), a $100,000 hit would be roughly equivalent to maybe $700 for a family making about $40,000 a year. No matter. 100K is 100K. Good luck with making up for that missing Christmas stocking, Mike.

Their Pass Rush vs. Our O-Line 

Olivier Vernon sacks the Jets' Geno Smith

On Sunday, the Steelers face a very fine defensive front seven. The Dolphins' offense has yet to score 30 points in a game this year, but its defense has been good.

Miami has two of the NFL's top pass-rushing threats in fifth-year veteran DE Cameron Wake and second-year DE Olivier Vernon, who was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his three-sack performance last Sunday vs. the Jets. Wake has 6.5 sacks; Vernon has 10.5 sacks this season.

Vernon came into the league last year as an undrafted rookie out of the University of Miami. With 14 sacks in his first 28 NFL games, Vernon is emerging as one of those rare gems -- an undrafted free agent who becomes a star. Shades of James Harrison.

Considering the Steelers' shaky offensive line, the pass-rush match-up would appear to favor the Dolphins. That would have been the case even if Pittsburgh were to have its offensive line at full strength. At this point, however, it appears that right guard David DeCastro and left tackle Kelvin Beachum will be hobbled, at best, if they're able to play at all (and it looks like Beachum will not play, which means a hobbled Mike Adams will play left tackle). Add in new center Cody Wallace, the third stringer making his first NFL start, and that is a situation ripe for the Dolphins to exploit.

Naturally, the best way to offset an aggressive pass rush is with a strong running game. Even if Le'Veon Bell plays, however, and let's keep in mind he hasn't yet had a game with 100 yards rushing, the problem with the Steelers running game all year has been that the offensive line just hasn't gotten any push up front.

Considering the current state of the offensive line, running the ball and protecting Ben Roethlisberger could be problematic on Sunday. If anything happens to any of Pittsburgh's offensive linemen during the game, the "next man up" options are limited. There's Guy Whimper and, and, and ... David Snow???

Brent Grimes after picking off an Oliver Luck pass

One the Back End

On the back end of Miami's defense, their secondary's been outstanding with 16 interceptions in 12 games and 43 passes broken up.

The unit is led by 30-year-old cornerback Brent Grimes, the seventh-year veteran out of eastern Pennsylvania's small-school Shippensburg University. Coming off an Achilles injury sustained last year, Grimes signed just a one-year contract with Miami as a free agent after spending his first six years in Atlanta. He would have been a good signing for the Steelers. He has four interceptions and 14 passes defensed.

For all the Steelers have going against them, or maybe because of it, this is the sort of game the Steelers win, traditionally. Then again, this craptastic Steelers season has been anything but traditional.

The Curious Case of Rashad Butler and Offensive Line Roster Machinations

We're just curious: What in the name of Levi Brown happened with offensive tackle Rashad Butler? Is he a Steeler or not?*

Ray Mansfield: Where's a guy like the
Ol' Ranger when you need him?

You remember Levi Brown, don't you?  The Steelers actually traded for Brown in early October after it had become clear that Mike Adams wasn't up to the job of starting left tackle, never mind that Brown himself was about to be cut by the Arizona Cardinals after having proved that he wasn't up to the job of starting left tackle for the team coached by Bruce Arians, the former Steelers' offensive coordinator who is once again in the running for NFL Coach of the Year, an award he won last year. And how's that for a run-on sentence?

You'll recall that a few days after joining the Steelers, Brown reported triceps discomfort in warm-ups immediately before the Jets game and was subsequently placed on injured reserve -- without having played a snap for the Steelers. Joey Porter's Pit Bulls suspect that Brown was injured before he even arrived in Pittsburgh, and that the team should have never allowed him to pass a physical. We have no way of knowing that, of course; it just seems an eminently possible scenario, and we have a suspicious nature borne of life experience.

Flash forward to the loss in Baltimore on Thanksgiving night, when the team lost half its offensive line to injuries of varying severity. Four of the eight offensive linemen on the active roster went down with injuries that game: tackle Mike Adams (ankle), guard David DeCastro (foot), tackle Kelvin Beachum (sprained knee) and, most seriously, center Fernando Velasco (Achilles), whose season ended.

That left us with Cody Wallace, Guy Whimper, Marcus Gilbert and Ramon Foster as the only "healthy" offensive linemen on the active roster.

Right Tackle Charlie Bradshaw, 1967

In the wake of all that, the Steelers last Saturday signed two players who had been sitting around waiting for calls: Rashad Butler, a journeyman tackle whom the Browns released on Nov. 5, for crying out loud, and Eric Olsen, a center waived by New Orleans at the end of training camp.

Over the weekend, then, Butler showed up (or did he?) and almost immediately left the team "for personal reasons."

In the wake of Butler's departure, the Steelers had to sign another tackle, right? Maybe promote Joe Long from the practice squad?

Apparently not. Despite the injuries to Beachum (in a walking boot and listed as "questionable" for Sunday's game, which means "probably not") and Adams, the Steelers opted to sign yet another center, David Snow, who was cut by the Buffalo Bills at the end of training camp.

Let's see: Cody Wallace is a center. Eric Olsen is a center. David Snow is a center. Do the Steelers have enough centers? Probably not.

Presumably these guys have "positional flexibility." Still, Wallace has been in the NFL for nearly six full seasons and on Sunday will make his first start. Counting his 40 snaps this year with the Steelers, Wallace has been on the field for all of 58 plays. That means, what? ... that Cody Wallace is good enough to make an NFL roster but not good enough to play? That seems to be what his coaches have thought. Or not.

Guard Larry Gagner, 1968

We will find out on Sunday, when Wallace starts in place of the injured Fernando Velasco, who was starting, and playing well, in place of the injured Maurkice Pouncey. Presumably the newly signed Eric Olsen will also suit up on Sunday and David Snow will be on the inactive list. Presumably.

More about David Snow: In 2012, the Bills signed Snow as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Texas. He was on Buffalo's practice squad, promoted to the active roster, and appeared in five games for the Bills during the 2012 season. The Bills let him loose at the end of the 2013 training camp.

Anyway, it appears the Steelers are counting on either (or both) Beachum and Adams to be available to play left tackle.  Otherwise, you would think, the Steelers would have signed somebody with tackle experience to at least be in uniform in case either Beachum or Adams get hurt again on Sunday.

Why not promote the practice squad players?
These roster machinations are always a mystery. Joey Porter's Pit Bulls wish somebody would answer a simple question: With two offensive linemen on the practice squad -- tackle Joe Long and guard Chris Hubbard, why did the Steelers go outside the organization to add guys like Butler, Olsen and Snow? Presumably the answer would be the Steelers believe the newly acquired players are better than the guys on the practice squad and would provide more help immediately. Huh.

Which brings us to our final question of the day: Why does the NFL even require a certain number of game-day inactives?  What purpose does that serve?

*As for Rashad Butler, the Post-Gazette reports he remains under contract but is now on the "exempt" list after the Steelers received a roster exemption. What the real story is, we'll likely never know.

Fine Tomlin, but leave the draft picks alone

Mike Tomlin's sideline shenanigans, hijinks, skullduggery and tomfoolery may cost him a six-figure fine from the NFL, but there is also speculation the NFL may take a draft pick away from the Steelers.

Tomlin should be fined. The NFL simply cannot allow coaches or anybody else on the sidelines to pull such stunts. Would Steelers' fans want John Harbaugh or Marvin Lewis doing that sort of stunt? No.

A hefty fine would be appropriate for Tomlin and a deterrent to other coaches -- $100,000 sounds about right. Too much? Not given the furor this week. We'd be surprised, however, if there's a one-game suspension.

And a draft pick? No. Joey Porter's Pit Bulls take issue with the loss of a draft pick. Penalize the coach, but not the franchise. This was not organizational malfeasance (a la Spygate). A six-figure fine on the guy who did it would make the point.

Here's another point about the draft pick: Tomlin is by no means a lame-duck head coach, but what if some future sideline-stepping scalawag were a lame-duck head coach who already knows he won't be around to pay the price of a lost draft pick and, in fact, wouldn't mind hampering his successor's future success?

Leave the draft picks alone.

So, NFL, go ahead and fine him six figures -- it's not our money. But a draft pick? Nuh-uh.

Fernando Velasco

The Steelers' Thanksgiving loss to the Ravens was costly beyond the won-loss record. On Saturday, the team placed starting center Fernando Velasco on injured reserve with a damaged Achilles tendon, ending his season.

Fernando Velasco

Velasco has been stalwart in the middle of an offensive line that finally began to look reasonably cohesive the past few games. Signed off the street after Maurkice Pouncey went on injured reserve following the season opener, Velasco proved he may be better than Pouncey at aspects of the position. Although not as mobile as Pouncey, Velasco may have been better at handling the big nose tackles (such as Baltimore's Haloti Ngata) now so prevalent in the NFL.

Velasco seems reliable, serious about his job, and a quiet source of inspiration for anybody willing to pay attention. Joe Starkey of 93.7-FM The Fan recently aired a poignant interview with Velasco, which is re-capped here in an excellent write-up by Rebecca Rollett on Behind the Steel Curtain.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are pulling for Velasco to return to the Steelers next season, hopefully as starting center.

"Everybody has a story...Everyone has some obstacles along the way, but what doesn't hurt you makes you stronger...I was blessed to have a grandfather who has helped me along the way. I've seen him go to work every day until he was 80-some years old; the only thing I've seen my whole life [from him] has been hard work...That inspired me to always keep working hard, no matter what the situation is, and just trust in the Lord...You can't use excuses in this life, you just take what you get and keep going." 

-- Fernando Velasco

Came up short on that wishbone

Emmanuel Sanders didn't come up 
clutch in the big moments.
Photo credit: Rob Garrett/Getty Images

We can be thankful that Le'Veon Bell emerged with "only" a concussion. Other than that, eh.

Season over.

The Steelers showed a lot of heart but came up short in Thanksgiving's Steelers-Ravens Turkey Bowl.

One question: Why did the Steelers retain Emmanuel Sanders in the off-season? Why?

Sanders topped his first-quarter drop of a long pass right on the numbers by failing to catch another long pass right on the numbers, with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter and looking stupid doing it. Then, Sanders bungled the two-point conversion that would have tied the game.

The Steelers made enough other mistakes to lose on merit. The botched field-goal. Will Johnson's drop on third-and-goal with just over a minute left. Ike Taylor's interference. Big Ben's missed throws.

But Emmanuel Sanders? Ugh.

If the definition of "clutch" is to thrive and get better in the bigger moments, Sanders ain't clutch.

Other Links Worth Checking:

Gene Collier: Steelers' Offense Missing Deep Concept

Steel City Blitz: Opening Drive Set Poor Tone

Bob Smizik: Playoff Hopes Crumble

Dejean Kovacevic: The Steelers' Longest Half-Yard

SI.com: Did Mike Tomlin Intentionally Interfere with Jacoby Jones's Kickoff Return?

Christmas Ape: The Officials' Review of Le'Veon Bell's Concussion was Disgusting

Associated Press: Le'Veon Bell Suffers Vicious Hit

Thanksgiving Game Day 12: Steelers at Baltimore - It's All About the Quarterbacks

Happy Thanksgiving. Many blessings to yinz 'n your'n.

For a match-up of 5-6 teams, tonight's game between the Steelers and Ravens features has some juice. Never mind that the loser will have no chance at the playoffs.

Tonight's game is all about the two marquee quarterbacks:

• Joe Flacco, the NFL's highest-paid quarterback ($120 million contract), reigning Super Bowl MVP and the focus of much discussion this week because of comments that indicated he was second-guessing his coaching staff 

• Ben Roethlisberger, winner of two Super Bowls and the focus of much discussion just a few weeks ago because of speculation he might be on the way out of Pittsburgh at some point in the semi-near future  

Flacco made headlines this week because of comments expressing that he was dissatisfied with having been used as a decoy receiver in Wildcat formations during last Sunday's win over the Jets.

“I don’t like that stuff,” Flacco said Tuesday. “I think it makes you look like a high school offense.”

That's his opinion, and he's entitled to it. Flacco's observation seems pretty innocuous to Joey Porter's Pit Bulls.

Yet Flacco's comments provoked surprisingly widespread discussion on ESPN, the NFL Network, PFT, on blogs and sports talk shows across the nation. For once, the drama wasn't about Big Ben, and for that, Steelers' fans can be thankful.

The ensuing media firestorm surrounding Flacco's off-the-cuff remarks struck us as a needless tempest in the proverbial teapot. Even so, Flacco was widely viewed as second-guessing his coaches. It's clear the coaches tried the Wildcat for a few plays simply to show a different look and provide a spark to an offense that has struggled all season. No big deal, right?

It became a big, deal, however, and maybe that's because of the way Flacco presents himself. From a distance, observing only his public persona by what we see through the cameras, Flacco is a bit hard to read. Is he charismatic? Not very, or at least he doesn't seem to be.

In fact, he seems aloof and uncomfortable with being in the spotlight ... and, possibly, with his teammates, none of whom backed him, at least in public statements. One thing for sure: This was a distraction the Ravens' coaches did not want or need two days before what amounts to an elimination game against their biggest rivals.

A less-than-mediocre season, at best
Flacco doesn't seem like he's having much fun, that's for sure. Another thing for sure: He's not having a good season.

As noted in by Jeff Zrebiec in The Baltimore Sun:

"The Ravens are no stranger to Flacco speaking his mind on different issues affecting the offense. ... However, the latest comment comes at a time where Flacco is having statistically the worst season of his career. He has already set a career-high with 14 interceptions, the same number of touchdown passes that he has. He ranks fifth in the league in interceptions, 14th in passing yards (2,742), 25th in yards per attempt (6.8), 15th in yards per game (249) and 29th in quarterback rating (76.8)."

That is not what the Ravens envisioned when they awarded Flacco that $120 million contract following the team's Super Bowl victory. It's a mediocre season, at best, for any NFL-caliber quarterback, but that's only part of the story -- albeit a major part.

Flacco's performance this year and particularly his griping this week, have once again raised questions and lingering doubts about him and his leadership capabilities, doubts which never seem to have fully evaporated even in the wake of his Super Bowl victory less than 10 months ago.

Tonight, Flacco has a chance to quell those questions and doubts at least temporarily. And the Steelers have a chance to bury him. 

Enjoy.

• Game footnote, courtesy of the Post-Gazette: "Eight of the past 10 meetings (between the Steelers and Ravens) have been decided by three points. In those eight games, each team has scored a combined 139 points, an average of 17 points per game."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Enjoy your turkey, your fixings, your turkey bowl, your football, all of it. Appreciate, enjoy, express gratitude, and, if possible, give somebody a helping hand.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls gotta send a shout-out to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Animal Rescue League of Western Pennsylvania, Animal Friends, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the list goes on and on.  Lots of ways to help.

And, in the spirit of this holiday, because the following is so much better than anything we can write, here is the classic Big Daddy Drew’s Thanksgiving Itinerary, posted Thanksgiving Eve 2006, on Kissing Suzy Kolber.

Almost Game Day Already

The Steelers have beaten only one good quarterback this season and, on Thanksgiving Day, thank heaven, they get the chance to beat him again.

Joe Flacco, reigning Super Bowl MVP and owner of a $120.6 million contract, hasn't had a great season. He's thrown as many interceptions (14) as touchdowns, plus he's taken 37 sacks and coughed up six fumbles. Flacco's chronic inconsistency has prompted grumbling and second-guessing in Baltimore.

Fingertips: Jacoby Jones's 66-yard TD catch 
vs. Ed Reed and the Jets last Sunday

Still, though, Flacco throws the deep pass as well as any quarterback in the NFL, and his two long touchdown passes on a windy day in Baltimore were picture-perfect, never mind that he was fortunate to have Jacoby Jones and Torrey Smith make excellent finger-tip, over-the-shoulder grabs in extended stride. It's a game of inches, and such are the plays on which games turn.

By the same token, it should be noted, Ben Roethlisberger was fortunate to have Detroit's Rashean Mathis and DeAndre Levy drop possible interceptions a week ago Sunday, just as Ike Taylor dropped two passes from Matt Stafford. That's part of the reason why guys like Mathis and Taylor are defensive players, and guys like Jones, Smith and the Steelers' own Antonio Brown are wide receivers. The receivers actually catch the ball, more often than not, when it hits their hands.

Back to Flacco: As The Baltimore Sun's Mike Preston wrote,

"Flacco has his issues, but he is still in the Top 10 as far as quarterbacks, a notch below Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Tom Brady, but right up there with quarterbacks like Tony Romo, Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers."

Flacco's been up-and-down and off-and-on this season, so nobody can be sure which Joe Flacco will show up on Thursday. For no reason at all, we expect it will be the good Joe Flacco.

While the Steelers this year have beaten only one really good quarterback (Flacco), they've also lost to just one really good quarterback (Tom Brady).

The Steelers have lost to the following quarterbacks this season: Jake Locker (?!), Andy Dalton, Jay Cutler, Matt Cassell (?!!), Terrelle Pryor (?!!!) and Tom Brady.

Hopefully, on Thanksgiving Day, their resurgent defense will make a turkey out of Joe Flacco and the Ravens.

For the record, the motley collection of quarterbacks the Steelers have beaten this year are: rookie Geno Smith, Flacco, rookie E.J. Manuel, Matt Stafford (four more picks last Sunday) and the Browns' grotesque combination of Jason Campbell and Brandon Weeden.

Cleveland QB Brandon Weeden fumbles.

Speaking of which: Cleveland fans must rue the memory of April 24, 2004, when the Browns used the sixth overall pick of the NFL draft to select tight end Kellen Winslow, Jr. instead of Roethlsiberger, whom the Steelers selected with the 11th overall pick.

Roethlisberger is now 16-1 against the Browns and has helped the Steelers win two Super Bowls. Cleveland has not had more than five wins in a season since 2007, Winslow is hanging on with the Jets, and the Browns worked out Caleb Hanie as yet another backup-quarterback candidate off the street.

As Cleveland columnist Chris Fedor observed on Monday, "Yesterday's loss against Pittsburgh seems to have been the breaking point. Any hope that still remained, any excitement that was leftover from the Baltimore win three weeks ago has been zapped away."

All of which makes us thankful this Thanksgiving, once again, that we were born Steelers' fans instead of Browns' fans. 

Nov. 22, 1963: A Tipping Point

Like Dec. 7, 1941 and Sept. 11, 2001,
Nov. 22, 1963 was one of those days.

If you're ever in Dallas, we recommend
that you make time to visit the
Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.

Look out. Cleveland.

Here we go again. Twice a year for the past 50 years or so.

Cleveland. The Browns.

Last Sunday, a Cleveland team that had seemed to be on the rise reverted to being the Browns. Despite cornerback Joe Haden intercepting two Andy Dalton passes and returning one for a touchdown, and despite limiting the Bengals to one third-down conversion in 14 attempts, the Browns still managed to surrender 41 points, including 31 in the second quarter.

You think the Steelers had a bad second quarter when they let the Lions score 27 points? The Browns out-did that, allowing the Bengals to score 31 points vs. zero for the Browns -- despite Cleveland controlling the clock for 11 minutes, 18 seconds to Cincinnati's 3:42.  How does that possibly happen?

Send in the Clowns.

Cleveland had two punts blocked, one returned for a touchdown. The Browns coughed up a fumble, which was returned for a touchdown. And quarterback Jason Campbell was terrible.

Campbell had played well the previous two weeks but was nursing bruised ribs, although he claimed they didn't affect him. Against the Bengals, he tossed three interceptions, had a pass batted down at the line and missed a wide-open Jordan Cameron in the end zone.

On the road in miserable conditions rainy and windy, the Browns coaches for some reason had Campbell throw the ball 56 times. He completed 27 of those 56 attempts (less than 50 percent).

The three picks, combined with the two blocked punts and fumble returned for a touchdown buried the Browns.

On Sunday, the Steelers will be in Cleveland. Wacky things happen in Cleveland.

Buried in Cleveland last Nov. 25th

We all remember last year's Calamity in Cleveland, Nov. 25th, when the Steelers committed eight turnovers, including five fumbles lost (eight fumbles altogether). Charlie Batch threw three horrific interceptions and had more than a few off-target throws. The Steelers committed stupid, ill-timed penalties, dropped passes, managed just 49 yards rushing, and were one-for-nine on third down. It was ugly as ugly gets.

Granted, there's been a lot of roster turnover on both teams since then. The Browns have actually played pretty good defense for most of this season, but their offense has been erratic at best.

With both teams at 4-6, this is a pivotal game for both the Browns and Steelers. There's no predicting this one, except Lake Effect Snow is forecast for Sunday in Cleveland.

It's likely to be messy and ugly. It's Browns-Steelers.

For those of you criticizing Ike Taylor for not tackling Calvin Johnson ...

For those of you criticizing Steeler cornerback Ike Taylor for failing to tackle Detroit wide receiver Calvin Johnson on the 79-yard touchdown in the second quarter of Sunday's 37-27 Steelers win over the Lions, all we have to say is ... 

Look at the man.  You try to tackle him. That guy's gotta be tough to bring down.

Guess which one is Calvin Johnson?

That photo was taken after the game when Johnson and Steeler wide receiver Antonio Brown swapped jerseys in a show of mutual respect and good sportsmanship.

No disrespect to Antonio Brown. We're glad he's a Steeler. And, by all appearances AB is put together; he looks reasonably solid.

But Calvin Johnson? For someone listed as 6'5" and 245 pounds, he sure looks bigger. He stands literally head and shoulders above Brown (no disrespect, AB).

So, for anybody criticizing Ike Taylor, just imagine you're a defensive back; you try to tackle Johnson.

Watching Johnson in person must make Ben Roethlisberger wonder what it would be like to have him as a target -- in addition to Brown, of course. Antonio Brown happens to lead the NFL in number of catches this year. He is a fine receiver, and he had an excellent game on Sunday with seven catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns.

But Johnson? That guy is Megatron: a true No. 1 receiver, and the most imposing receiver in the game.

How the Steelers Won
No turnovers. That's a big part of it.

Plus, Matt Stafford ain't all that. And Jim Schwartz most certainly is no Bill Bellichick.

Note to Jim Schwartz:  Nobody, but nobody, suggested you were "scared."

Stupid, maybe; but not scared.

Steelers Defeat Lions to Improve to 4-6

Antonio Brown on his way to a first-quarter touchdown.
(photo credit: Gene Puskar, AP)

It was a tale of two halves.

After allowing the Detroit Lions 27 points and nearly 400 yards in the first half, the Steelers' defense yielded zero points and only 72 yards throughout the entire second half.

Somebody made adjustments. The offense came to life, too.  In the fourth quarter, Ben Roethlisberger completed 10 of 13 passes, including two touchdowns.

On the day, Roethlisberger was 29-45 for 367 yards passing, four touchdowns and, most crucially no turnovers. No interceptions; no fumbles; just one sack taken. He operated out of the no-huddle much of the day and seemed extremely comfortable doing it. For all we know, he called his own plays all day.

On the other side, Matt Stafford threw an interception, Detroit lost two fumbles, and the Steelers had two sacks (by Jason Worilds and Ziggy Hood).

The Turning Point: "Either a Lot of Faith or No Respect"
Early in the fourth quarter, on 4th and five and with a chance to increase a four-point lead to seven, Detroit head coach Jim Schwartz either showed a lot of faith in his defense or no respect to the Steelers' offense when he called for a fake field goal that ended with the Steelers taking over the ball at their own three-yard line. Sixteen plays, eight minutes and 97 yards later, the Steelers had taken the lead and the momentum.

For the day, the Steelers won time of possession (32:16) and had just four penalties for 23 yards.

Antonio Brown's second TD in the first half.

Although the offensive line had trouble opening holes for the running backs, kudos to them for protecting Roethlisberger.  The Lions took him down for just one sack.

Antonio Brown had seven catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns. Detroit's Calvin Johnson had six catches for 179 yards and two touchdowns.

As for the running game, there is room for improvement. The Steelers managed just four first downs rushing. As a team, the Steelers managed just 1.5 yards per carry (40 yards net rushing) on 27 rushing attempts. Running back Le'Veon Bell had little running room and gained just 36 yards on 18 carries.

For the record, Detroit doesn't play in Pittsburgh very often but still hasn't won in the Steel City since 1955. The so-called Curse of Bobby Layne continues.

All in all, a good day. Next game: At Cleveland.

Game Day 10: Detroit Lions at Pittsburgh Steelers

Detroit DT Ndomukong Suh kicking
 Houston QB Matt Schaub in the groin

Traditionally, this is the kind of game the Steelers win. Traditionally, however, the Steelers aren't 3-6 in mid-November.

Detroit's defense is nasty but mediocre. It has allowed an average of 24 points per game this season and has only 15 sacks, which is one fewer than the Steelers' own defense.

If there was a day for Ben Roethlisberger and Co. to step up their game and put 30+ points on the board, this is it.

It would help if they could ramp up their 27th-ranked running game. It will be going up against a Detroit run defense that has stepped up its game the past three weeks, allowing a total of just five first downs rushing in those three games (three to Dallas, one to Cincinnati and one to Chicago).

"Obviously"
Detroit's offense has the much-ballyhooed trio of QB Matt Stafford, WR Calvin Johnson and RB Reggie Bush, who leads Detroit in all-purpose yards. Last week in Chicago, Bush averaged 7.5 yards-per-carry (14 for 105 yards). The Lions use Bush to exploit space opened by the attention Johnson requires, and Bush is lethal as an open-field runner with ability to maneuver in tight spaces.

Tight end Brandon Pettigrew

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls have had a queasy feeling all week about another guy the Steelers will need to account for, and that is tight end Brandon Pettigrew (6'5, 265). The Lions selected Pettigrew with the second of their two first-round choices in the 2009 draft in which they picked Stafford first overall.  He had seven catches vs. the Bears last week and also has been receiving accolades in Detroit for his fierce blocking.

Even with two rookies (RG Larry Warford and RT LaAdrian Waddle) getting lots of playing time on the right side of the offensive line, Detroit's run the ball well and, just as crucially, has protected Stafford. He's been sacked a league-low 10 times. That's not a good match-up for a Steelers' defense that has only 16 sacks this year.

As noted by Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau in a story by the Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette, sacking the quarterback would go a long way toward stifling Detroit's passing game. "Get the quarterback on the ground before he can throw it," LeBeau said. "That works pretty well against all passes."

Dick LeBeau, Detroit Lions CB

It would be cool if LeBeau could suit up at cornerback today, even at age 76. One of the greatest cornerbacks in Detroit history, LeBeau spent his entire 14-year playing career with the Lions (1959-72). A three-time Pro Bowler and Hall of Famer, LeBeau still holds the NFL record for most consecutive games played at cornerback (171), and is currently tied for eighth all-time with 62 career interceptions. His nine interceptions in 1970 led the NFC, and his 62 career interceptions ranked third in the NFL at the time of his retirement. Dick LeBeau could play.

Well, since LeBeau will be on the sidelines today instead of between the lines, it will be incumbent on the players to do the job.

Let's hope the Steelers win and Ben Roethlisberger survives the inevitable late hits, cheap shots and other calamities that await him.  

A Boy Named Suh

Pros or ... Cons?

The Detroit Lions incurred four personal foul penalties last Sunday in Chicago. 

For all their reputation as late-hitting, eye-gouging, leg-whipping, hand-biting, head-stomping, nutsack-kicking cheap shot artists, Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairly, Willie Johnson and company are fairly talented defensive linemen. If they were in Black 'n Gold, Steeler fans would appreciate their reptilian intensity, even if tends to flicker off-and-on sporadically and backfire at times.

In the last two minutes of the game in Chicago, Fairly and Johnson were flagged for late hits on quarterback Josh McKown. The penalties kept alive a late touchdown drive by the Bears. Both calls may have been ticky-tacky-borderline questionable, but ...

Thanks mostly to Ndomukong Suh's reputation for flagrantly bad behavior on the field (kicking Matt Schaub in the nuts, leg-whipping, late hits, etc.), Detroit's defense will rarely get the proverbial benefit of the doubt. Flags fly during the games; fines are assessed afterward. During this past week, the league office fined Fairly and Johnson $15,750 each for their late hits on McKown.  The NFL has fined Suh $200,000 this year alone -- 10 games into the season.

Even Ben Roethlisberger thought it wise (?) to comment on Detroit's style of play in his session with the media on Wednesday.

Taking aim.
Image from the original 
version of"The Longest Yard"

"Well, yeah, you've got to be careful," Roethlisberger said. "You'll end up dead if you're not careful. This is a great D-line and defense. I tell myself all the time to be alert for those things. But then, when the bullets are flying, who knows what's going to happen?"

Who knows, indeed.

Notwithstanding Roethlisberger's flair for the dramatic ("You'll end up dead"!!!) and penchant for over-stating things ("This is a great D-line and defense"!!!), his point is, what? ... he may end up dead on Sunday?

Hmmmm, that would be something to see. Ben is known to be a drama queen, but dying on the 40-yard line would be taking things to the extreme, wouldn't you say? One can't help but wonder what new rules Roger Goodell would enact.

Back to reality: Detroit's defensive front seven must be licking their chops at the prospect of going up against Pittsburgh's porous offensive line, which has allowed 36 sacks this year and 99 times that many hurries and hits.

That's a rapid pace even for Roethlisberger, who has been sacked more often than any other quarterback over the past five seasons and, since 2001, has taken a whopping 379 sacks, also more than any other QB.

An anxious (Steeler) nation hopes he survives Sunday's joust with the Lions and lives to see another day.

Detroitopia

A moment in a Detroit scene.

Detroit is a great city, but man has it had some tough times. Just like Pittsburgh.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would like to think Detroit and Pittsburgh share brethren spirits.

Musically, if Motown is historically a soul city, "Pittsburgh is a blues city," as keyboardist Mike Finnigan of Bonnie Raitt's band pronounced at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh on Monday night during an astoundingly superb concert performance by Ms. Raitt.*

And, if any city has a bigger inferiority complex than Pittsburgh, it may be Detroit, with its notorious bankruptcy, miles of blight, violent crime, arson contagion, rampant unemployment, corrupt politicians, crumbling infrastructure, and so on.

Just this week, Detroit's perceived inferiority hit the news when Lions players got defensive about verbal jabs from Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who patronizingly described the Lions and the city of Detroit as "Chicago's little brother." Ouch, never mind that the Lions have beaten the Bears twice this season.

Well, even little brothers grow up, as Lions running back Reggie Bush jabbed back, and the Lions are representing the Motor City reasonably well this year. They sit atop an NFC Central Division that features the struggling and injury-decimated Packers, the disappointing Bears and the absolutely dreadful Vikings, who managed to beat the Steelers.

Quarterback Matt Stafford's selection as the No. 1 overall choice in the 2009 NFL draft seemed a stretch at the time, and he has had spotty success throughout his four years. He has a big arm and a smooth throwing motion. The ball just zips out of Stafford's hand, laser-like when he needs it but with an arc and touch when he needs that.

Stafford has limited mobility, though, and he's been a bit injury-prone (what QB isn't injury-prone?).  Still, Stafford's been sacked only 10 times this year. Rookie guard Larry Warford (out of Kentucky) has helped solidify the offensive line; and, by the way, Warford would look good in a Steelers' uniform about now.

Despite throwing for nearly 5,000 yards in 2011, Stafford's name is not one that leaps to mind when discussing the top tier of NFL quarterbacks. This year, he is having possibly his best year, not so much in yardage, but more so in assertion of leadership. The Lions are winning, and he is the quarterback. It's his offense.

This is what Calvin Johnson does, a lot;
the winning TD catch last week at Chicago.

Megatron
This week's game in Pittsburgh should be interesting for Stafford. The Steelers don't sack the quarterback, nor do they take the ball away.

Pittsburgh's secondary has had its issues, to be kind, and the two best corners, Ike Taylor and Cortez Allen, have been dinged with injuries. Do the Steelers really want to match up William Gay vs. Calvin Johnson? No.

Ike Taylor will draw that assignment, assuming he is healthy enough to play, and he will be. Ike will need help, however, and Pittsburgh's safeties have not been especially helpful this year.

Throw out last week's game vs. the Bills and an ineffectual E.J. Manuel, who shouldn't have even started for the Bills. Stafford is a better quarterback, and Buffalo has no wide receiver that remotely compares to Calvin Johnson. No team does.

Johnson, also known as "Megatron," tallied 329 yards receiving vs. Dallas earlier this season. He has 11 touchdowns, including the winning TD catch last Sunday in Chicago.

Johnson won't be the only challenge for Pittsburgh's defense: Reggie Bush as a receiver out of the backfield is a nightmare in the short passing game and as an open-field runner. "He is tough to get on the ground," Ryan Clark said on his radio show on Tuesday.

With that in mind, the defensive game plan should be simple. Stop Stafford, Johnson and Bush.

Easier said than done.

*About that Bonnie Raitt concert:  

Bonnie Raitt at Heinz Hall, Pittsburgh, Nov. 11, 2013
Photo credit: Scott Mervis/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Bonnie Raitt is a living American Treasure. If her current tour comes to your city, go see her. You won't regret it, even if you've never heard one of her songs.

"She is the greatest living American singer," said singer Marc Cohn during his intro set. She is also one of the greatest living guitarists.

Later, when Cohn returned onstage to sing with her during the encore set, he said, "Every night, Bonnie Raitt puts on a master class in soul, style and sexiness."

True dat. Bonnie Raitt is not only an astonishing singer and master guitarist at the top of her game, she is sexy, sassy and stunningly beautiful. Still. Radiant.

Last but not least, she's funny. Her 64th birthday was a few days before the concert in Pittsburgh. "It was so much easier when I was 63," she said. And, at one point after drinking from the water bottle hanging on her mike stand, she said, "I've got to stay hydrated. You never know when you might want to get moist."

Yowza. Really, do yourself a favor and go see Bonnie Raitt on this concert tour, if you possibly can.

Look Out, Ben

On Sunday, the cellar-dwelling Steelers take on the first-place Detroit Lions.

Ugh, that sentence looks so wrong. Has the universe turned on its axis?

Apparently.

The Lions are good this year, although Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are not totally sold on them.

Texas-born Matty Stafford is quasi-Roethlisbergeresque in that he has a big arm, takes a lot of hits and isn't very mobile. He has Calvin Johnson, though, and Reggie Bush, and those are weapons the Steelers cannot match. Whether the Steelers can contain that trio is the question we shall see answered on Sunday.

Taking aim.

Obviously, as Mike Tomlin would say, Johnson ("Megatron") presents match-up problems. As Tomlin noted at Tuesday's news conference, it's tough to prepare for Johnson in practice because the Steelers don't have anybody who remotely resembles him.

"Justin Brown just doesn't cut it," Tomlin said of his own practice squad rookie wideout from Oklahoma. Brown's height (6'5") is the only thing he has in common with Johnson, who is is a category all by himself.  Even Cincinnati's very, very talented A.J. Green (also 6'5") doesn't come close to approximating Johnson, according to Tomlin.

"There is no comparison," Tomlin said.

The Mean Machine
Just as troubling for a Steelers team that has a porous offensive line, the Lions have a large, aggressive an mobile defensive front that Tomlin describes as "a penetrating force," which sounds disturbing on many levels.

Seriously, Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley look and play like backlot cast members of the original version of "The Longest Yard."

They're nasty. Just ask Chicago's Jay Cutler, who endured some knocks from those two last Sunday, as noted on MLive.

"Fairley socked Cutler four times, and sacked him once. Ndamukong Suh had four QB hits and a sack of his own. That's eight QB hits and two sacks just from the starting tackles ... C.J. Mosley, Devin Taylor and Austen Lane added QB hits of their own."

There's also speed-rush rookie defensive end Ezekial Ansah and our old friend nemesis, Rashean Mathis (formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars) at cornerback. Mathis has a well-documented knack for intercepting Ben Roethlsiberger passes and returning them for touchdowns. Why couldn't the Steelers have acquired him during the off-season? After all, the 11-year veteran would fit right in with the Steelers' aging secondary.

Big Ben had better be ready. Let's hope he makes it through this one healthy. The Mean Machine will be gunning for him.

A Snoozefest Win Among Swirling Clouds

The overriding story: It's just more "Ben Drama."

What we learned from Sunday's game: Not much. Buffalo rookie quarterback E.J. Manuel did a lousy impersonation of an NFL quarterback. Manuel's performance gave the Bills no chance to win, and Dick LeBeau's defense was ready. The Black 'n Gold was able to stack the box, stuff the run, and that was it. Manuel looked unprepared, tentative, skittish and scatter-armed.

The game itself, while a relatively non-stressful win for the Steelers, was overshadowed -- of course -- by Ian Rapoport's pre-game report claiming that Ben Roethlisberger let it be known to the Steelers that he would be receptive to the possibility of a trade during the off-season.

Whatever.  Naturally, the denials came swiftly and vehemently from Ben and his "camp."  Who knows? We don't. This is a non-story until it becomes a real story. It's just elevator music, as Mike Tomlin would say. Until the elevator stops.

It's just more Ben drama, and yet another distraction. Where's the Todd Haley angle?