Pheh. Blaeah.

Yeah, that was disappointing. Too many missed chances, obviously.

If there's anybody besides Jeff Reed who feels badly about yesterday's game, it's Tyrone Carter. Every "highlight" featured #23, front and center.

Maybe the Bears aren't as bad as we thought. Then again.

Which is cause for worry. That offensive line. The running game. Ugh.

Google's Blogspot won't even let me load a picture. Which would have been from "Chicago Barbeque Co." Or, of a really hot woman.

Oh, well.

And the Pirates managed to secure their 15th (!) shutout of the season ... which work works out to about one shutout every 10 games.

Paper Bears

The Chicago Bears are Paper Bears.

The more we look at this team, the more vulnerabilities we see.

Let's start with the big one: Quarterback.

Also: Receivers.

Last but not least: Defense.

The Bears are going to have a long year.

Injury Updates, Both Teams

The latest news on the Steelers' injury front is a bit disconcerting.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls weren't really expecting linebacker Lawrence Timmons to play this weekend anyway, but the Post-Gazette reports he tweaked his high ankle sprain in practice yesterday. Backup linebacker and special teams ace Keyaron Fox played well for Timmons against the Tennessee Titans, and we are confident that he will continue to fill in ably. Depth is a bit of a concern, though.

Also worrisome is news that wide receiver Limas Sweed sustained a mid-foot sprain, and those can be very tricky.

We wonder if this inury happened before the season opener, given that rookie Mike Wallace had a more prominent role in the game against the Titans and that Sweed, a second-year player, was pretty much invisible.

This is probably needless fretting -- there's no basis for this -- but we'd hate to think that Sweed might have a lisfranc injury, which could be a season-ending injury. They're serious. The New York Giants were mightily concerned this week that top draft pick Hakeem Nicks, a wide receiver of similar size and speed to Sweed, had sustained a lisfranc injury in the season opener vs. the Redskins.

As reported in the Newark Star-Ledger, "The lisfranc joint is located in the center of the foot and connects the metatarsal bones (those in the toes) to the tarsal bones (those in the arch). ... Lisfranc injuries are notoriously painful and slow healing."

Sweed had been looking decent in training camp, and we were optimistic he'd make the kind of big leap in performance you want to see wide receivers make from their first year in the league to their second. Rookie wide receivers typically struggle and take a full year or two to transition to the speed and nuances of the NFL. Sweed appeared to be making progress, but this injury could be a setback. How major or minor it will be, only time will tell. Again, depth is a concern, although rookie Mike Wallace has looked surprisingly polished.

The Chicago Bears are battling the injury bug, too. Just as the Steelers will miss one of their marquee defensive leaders, Troy Polamulu, the Bears will miss star linebacker Brian Urlacher. Also on the injury list for Chicago, according to the Chicago Tribune, are the following players:

"Linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa said there is no chance he will play in Sunday's game as he recovers from a sprained posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, meaning Nick Roach will start at strong-side linebacker. Tinoisamoa had a sleeve on Wednesday as he sat out practice along with defensive end Mark Anderson (toe), cornerback Trumaine McBride (knee) and nickel back/returner Danieal Manning (back). "

So, let's review: That means Chicago will be starting two backup linebackers (Hunter Hillenmeyer and Nick Roach), and possibly one new cornerback.

That's because, according to the Tribune, there will be a shake-up in Chicago's secondary. Second-year cornerback Zack Bowman apparently will make his first NFL start.

The Bears selected Bowman out of the University of Nebraska with a fifth-round pick in the 2008 draft. The club placed him on the practice squad last year, only to add him to the active squad for game seven against the Minnesota Vikings. Bowman reportedly played well, particularly on special teams, but was hurt in that game and placed on injured reserve for the rest of the season. During this summer's training camp, he battled to overcome a hamstring injury. Bowman tallied nine plays in the season opener at Green Bay.

If the reports are true, Bowman would replace veteran cornerback Nathan Vasher, who got burned on the last-minute, game-winning 50-yard touchdown pas Sunday night in Green Bay -- he slipped while to trying to cover Greg Jennings on a crucial third-and-one play, when he got absolutely no help from the safety who bit hard on Aaron Rodgers' play-action fake.

It seems kind of a risky move, replacing Vasher with a player making his first start in the NFL and coming off a hamsting injury. It makes you wonder if Vasher's completely healthy, although he's not listed on Chicago's injury report.

Photo credit: Dr. Cope, Lexington Veterinary

A Note on the Charlie Brown Pittsburgh Pirates

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls haven't had much to say about the Pirates this season. What's there to say? They have the second-worst record in the major leagues. They have a few bright spots -- Andrew McCutchen, Garrett Jones, Ross Ohlendorf, PNC Park -- and the front office finally seems committed to building the franchise's scouting, development, minor league and international operations.

But, man, the current major league squad is tough to watch. It's painful. They've just worn us out. That's why, unlike the 2008 season, we haven't summoned the energy this year even to express outrage at the various foibles, follies and blunders routinely committed by the Bucs on and off the field. Plus, it's football season now, and there are other things to discuss, and hockey's just around the corner.

We still follow "The Battling Buccos," though. Never mind the 17 consecutive losing seasons, the .382 winning percentage, the 55-89 record, or the fact they're again in last place, 28-1/2 games out of first place. Joey Porter's Pit Bulls still doggedly watch 'em when we can -- we know we'll see at least one major-league team when the Buccos are playing.

Anyway, we missed yesterday afternoon's game in Los Angeles, thankfully. Hearing the post-game wrap-up, we couldn't help but be struck by one salient point: That lineup the jerk Joe Torre put out on the field for yesterday afternoon's game was an insult, a slap in the face. Granted, the Pirates, with a 2009 winning percentage of .382 (!) are in a 2-16 slump (!!), but still, it showed a total lack of respect for the Pirates -- and justifiably so, as it turned out.

It was if Torre was saying, "I know the Pirates won't score more than one run, so I'm going to sit five of my usual starting eight field-position players: Manny Ramirez, Russell Martin, Orlando Hudson, Rafael Furcal and Casey Blake. It won't matter. We'll still win."

And the Dodgers did! Final Score: Dodgers 3, Pirates 1.

As Charlie Brown himself might say, "Sigh."

Unrelated Link to ...

A nice profile of "The Toy Cannon" -- retired outfielder Jimmy Wynn, who had a fine career with the Astros and Dodgers in the '60s and '70s -- in the Los Angeles Times: New Country for Old Man

Some Updates From Chicagoland

In anticipation of Sunday's Steelers-Bears game in Chicago, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls scoured Chicago media and found the following tidbits of interest ...

As shown in the Chicago Tribune photo above, the Bears this week are replacing the turf at Soldier Field. The team waited until the band U2 held back-to-back concerts at the stadium last weekend. Last week, writing on his blog, veteran tight end Desmond Clark had sharp criticism for the field conditions. In a post titled, "Our field is terrible," Clark wrote the following:

"Did you guys take a good look at our field. If you did you had to be disgusted. ... It was not always this way until the last couple of years when they revamped it by adding a synthetic grass that is woven in with the real grass. Some of our opponents comments: "yall play on a cow pasture" "this is the shittiest field in the league" "what the hell is going on with this field". These are a few comments that come to mind. What the hell is the park distict of Chi cgo doing when it comes to taking care of this field. They have to resod the whole field before we play Pittsburgh, which will lead to loose turf. Basically, to some it up in a sentence, we have one of the worst fields in the NFL and there are no excuses why the Chicago Bears, of all teams, should have to play on such a bad surface."

Beautiful. Considering Heinz Field's reputation for having shoddy turf, Soldier Field must be really bad. Let's hope nobody gets hurt because of it.

• Speaking of Clark, he will miss Sunday's game with a cracked rib. Greg Olson is the starter, and he's a good one. For all that, quarterback Jay Cutler targeted Olson six times on Sunday -- but completed only one pass (Olson dropped another).

• In addition to Clark, several other Bears sustained injuries last weekend, most notably linebacker and defensive leader Brian Urlacher, who is out for the season with a broken wrist. The Chicago Tribune reports the following players might miss Sunday's game against the Steelers: starting linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa (knee), backup cornerback Trumaine McBride (knee) and Mark Anderson (toe). Kick returner/defensive back Danieal Manning has been held out of practice with a back injury this week. Also hampered this week are defensive lineman Tommie Harris (knee), Frank Omiyale (ankle) and cornerback Al Afalava (shoulder).

• Jay Cutler's act isn't going over so well, either in Chicago or with observers elsewhere. Former Colts head coach Tony Dungy, a former Steeler and an all-around good guy -- about as gentlemanly a fellow as you'll ever find -- had previously questioned Cutler's leadership abilities. Now, in the wake of Sunday night's debacle in Green Bay, where Cutler threw four interceptions, former NFL head coaches Mike Martz and Jim Mora Sr., both of whom are reputed to be friends of Bears head coach Lovie Smith, criticized Cutler for how he defected blame during the post-game press conference on Sunday. Cutler blamed his four intereceptions (two other potential interceptions were dropped) on "miscommunication," which could be interpreted as meaning, "My wide receivers don't know what they're doing or where they should be."

As reported in the Chicago Tribune, Jim Mora Sr. said, "When I saw that postgame press conference last night, I thought he looked completely immature. He acted like he didn't even care."

Mike Martz is quoted as saying, "He just doesn't get it. He doesn't understand that he represents a great head coach and the rest of those players on that team ... somebody needs to talk to him."

Additionally, this morning on ESPN's "Mike and Mike Show," Mike Golic ripped Cutler, saying Cutler should have showed more accountability.

Like we said earlier this week on this here blog, Jay Cutler's a punk.

--------------------------------------
More Links

Rick Morrissey, Chicago Tribune: Somebody Must Tell Jay Cutler to Wise Up

Dan Pompei, Chicago Tribune: New QB grades out the worst after Bears' opening-night loss

Brad Biggs, Chicago Sun-Times: Could the Bears and Steelers chuck it 80 times on Sunday?

Brad Biggs, Chicago Sun-Times: Cutler in bad QB company with the Bears

Brad Biggs, Chicago Sun-Times: Bears Coping for the best

Photo credit: Chicago Tribune

An Open Letter to Rashard Mendenhall

Note/Callout to Steelers' Running Back Rashard Mendenhall: We're calling you out, Rashard. Time to step up. You're going home next weekend.

So-o-o-o ... Set aside a few hours to watch videotape of Matt Forte, whom the Bears took in the second round with the 44th overall pick in the same 2008 NFL draft in which you were drafted by the Steelers with the 23rd overall pick in the first round.

Rashard, you not only played -- you starred -- at the University of Illinois, where the eyes of Chicago and Illini faithful were upon you. In your final season with the Illini, you rushed for a school-record 1,681 yards and 17 touchdowns. It's time now to show that form in black 'n gold.

Granted, Forte had only 55 yards rushing Sunday night in Green Bay, but as a rookie last season he accumulated 1,238 yards rushing (third-best in the NFL) and 1,715 yards from scrimmage (rushing and receiving). Rashard, you haven't shown anything, nothing, but tentativeness and a lack of confidence, both before and after going on injured reserve last year.

The point is, Forte runs with an authority and deciveness that you, Rashard, that you have not shown in your professional career. Come to think of it, the Steelers' own Isaac Redman, currently on the practice squad as an undrafted, unheralded street free agent, runs with more resolve, authority and decisiveness than you've shown. Time to step up, Rashard.

You're going back to Illinois, and the eyes of Chicago and Illini faithful will be watching with interest next Sunday, as will the critical eyes of Steelers' fans and NFL fans across the nation.

Are you ready to deliver?

Jay Cutler's a Punk

The Chicago Bears, next up on the schedule for the Steelers, have a good team. Sure, they have flaws (wide receiver), but they have a stout defense, polished special teams and a strong running game.

Too bad they still don't have the "Franchise Quarterback" their fine team, great city and fervent fans deserve.

We've all seen franchise quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Ben Rothlisberger, Drew Brees, Dan Marino, Johnny Unitas, etc. They're great. We know 'em when we see 'em.

And Jay Cutler ain't a franchise quarterback. He's a punk.

Last night, on prime-time TV, Cutler threw four (four!) interceptions against division rival Green Bay. For the Packers, Aaron Rogers looks like he could be on the way to becoming a franchise quarterback. Ditto for the Jets, by the way, with Mark Sanchez -- you wanna re-think trading that draft choice, Cleveland, last April? Brady Quinn a franchise quarterback? Eh, not so much.

Anyway, Cutler looked shaky last night, to say the least, and the glare of the spotlight will get only harsher next Sunday when the Steelers visit Chicagoland.

The great city of Chicago deserves better than Cutler. He's a punk. He's a whiner. He's a loser -- career won-lost record at Vanderbilt: 11-34; career won-lost record as a pro: 17-21.

Finally, as the Chicago Sun-Times noted in today's edition...

"So what are we to make of Jay Cutler's four-interception Bears debut Sunday in a 21-15 loss at Green Bay? Well, the picks certainly weren't all his fault. ... A bigger concern in some corners was Cutler's apparent lack of poise. His growing frustration became painfully obvious throughout the night as he ranted at officals and railed at teammates for not running proper pass routes. Does this illustrate a lack of maturity that has been cited by the likes of Tony Dungy and Mike Ditka?"

Probably. Bears' fans deserve better.

Too bad about Brian Urlacher's season-ending injury, too. He's a marquee player, and as Steelers' fans, we would have liked to have seen him on the field next Sunday.

Anyway, as for Cutler, well, as the Chicago Sun-Times's Rick Telander wrote ...

"We're left with the multiple images of Cutler throwing the ball all over the place, flinging it up like a messenger pigeon at times, hoping for something good. Just hoping."

Bad News, Bears.

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


More Links:

Gridiron Godess: The Second Coming of Rex Grossman

ESPN: Long-awaited regiular-season debut of Jay Cutler a flop

Chicago Tribune: Jay Cutler's hot head, cold hand hurt Bears

Chicago Tribune: Jay Cutler's miserable 1st half: You had to see it to believe it

Chicago Sun-Times: Lots of Flings and Misses From Cutler

Pro Football Talk: Bobby Wade says Urlacher thinks Cutler's a "pussy"

K.C. Joyner: Sorry, Bears Fans, Cutler Isn't the Answer

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

And, finally -- just because we can -- Joey Porter's Pit Bulls offer up the following paragraph from yesterday's post that, yes, we wrote before Cutler's debacle last night ...

"Speaking of bears, of particular interest to Steelers' fans will be tonight's Bears-Packers game, since the Steelers play at Chicago next Sunday. We shall see if the much-ballyhooed arrival of wunderkind Jay Cutler will pan out as hoped in Chicagoland. Yeah, we know: Cutler has a big arm. The punk, however, has never won anything. His career record at Vanderbilt and in Denver is well below .500. And Chicago still doesn't have any wide receivers who are accomplished, polished or much of a threat. We shall see."

Photo credit: Chicago Sun-Times

Cincinnati Bungles Another

The accursed Cincinnati Bengals (or, the "Bungles," as the late, great Myron Cope loved to call them) found yet another new way to lose today -- and stunningly, at that.

As the Dayton Daily News reported in an artice headlined, "Snakebit Bungles Lose on Broncos' Miracle" ...

"What appeared to be a one-point Cincinnati victory turned into a heartbreaking, five-point Bengals’ defeat in a matter of seconds ... The Denver Broncos pulled out a 12-7 triumph over the Bengals in the season opener for both teams on a miracle play with 11 seconds ... Kyle Orton’s desperation pass toward Brandon Marshall on the left sideline was tipped into the hands of Brandon Stokley for an 87-yard, game-winning touchdown. "

And, as noted on the Bengals' Web site, in a post titled, "Nightmare at Paul Brown Stadium" ...

"The brilliant defense got absolutely no help from a staggering offense that offered no consistent running game or protection for quarterback Carson Palmer and the boos of 62,831 greeted the third-quarter gun as the Bengals flirted with their first shutout since 2001."

Again, from the Dayton Daily News ...

"This snakebit franchise could overcome neither themselves, the Broncos nor the football gods.

"Among Cincinnati’s mistakes: Brad St. Louis’ high snap that sailed through the hands of holder Kevin Huber on a botched 28-yard field goal attempt at 1:51 of the first quarter; two interceptions thrown by quarterback Carson Palmer; and two dropped passes by Laveranues Coles — my goat of the game.

"Coles never dropped one pass all spring or summer. Clearly, he’s already 'Bengalized.'"

The Bungles stink. Again.

(photo credit: Jeff Swinger, The Cincinnati Enquirer)

The Rest of the NFL Begins Play Today

Fresh on the heels of Thursday night's blockbuster NFL season opener between the Super Bowl Champion Steelers and the Nashville Titans -- which happened to be the highest-rated televised event since the Super Bowl on Feb. 1 -- the rest of the NFL teams kick off their season today. Should be fun.

Actually, the slate really isn't all that compelling. Sure, there may be some good game, along with some match-ups and rookie debuts that will be interesting to watch, but really ... Lions-Saints? Chiefs-Ravens? Vikings-Browns? Rams-Seahawks? Bills-Patriots? Come onnn-n-n.

Those games are likely to be one-sided or just plain drab.

Granted, all eyes will be Brett Favre-Favre-Favre. Brady Quinn? Maybe. And rookie QB sensation Mark Sanchez, sure, as the Jets take on the Texans in Houston. But, still ... puh-lee-e-ease.

Two games, in any case, should draw the attention of Steelers fans.

One is the Broncos-Bengals clash in Cincinnati. The Broncos are of interest because the Steelers play at Denver on Nov. 9, and the Broncos have had arguably the most turbulent off-season of any NFL team, although you could add Tampa Bay, Oakland and Minnesota to that conversation.

Denver's new boy-wonder head coach, Josh McDaniels, is a Bill Bellicheat protege. McDaniels promptly set about to make his mark in the Mile High City by trading the whining, so-called franchise quarterback Jay Cutler to Chicago for a bundle of future draft choices and chronic underachieving drunk QB Kyle Orton. That should go well. Yeah. Oh, and Denver, of course, also has been prominently in the news because of the summer-long antics of petulant prima donna wideout Brandon Marshall, who demanded a re-worked contract and then a trade, and who pouted, sulked and acted out like a pouty enfant terrible all summer. The Broncos finally suspended him, only to lift the suspension last Friday and supposedly offer a lucrative contract
extension to reward, uh, what? We're not really sure. Maybe just to show who's in charge, which of course begs the question, Who is in charge there, anyway? Again, we're not sure.

For all that, the Broncos do have some potent offensive weapons (except at the crucial quarterback position). For all we know, too, McDaniels may be a good Xs-and-Os game manager. And Denver is always tough at home, which is where the Steelers will play them.

As for Cincinnati, the Bengals will be interesting to watch today simply because they are a divisional rival, and we play at Cincinnati in only two weeks.

Every year, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls keep expecting the Bengals to improve significantly. And, every year, the Bungles suck. This year, we expect to see improvements on a defense that ranked No. 12 overall in the NFL last season, believe it or not. And quarterback Carson Palmer, as over-rated as we believe he is, does return (presumably healthy). So, yes, the Bungles once again concern us, and they bear watching, for as long as you can stomach it.

Speaking of bears, of particular interest to Steelers' fans will be tonight's Bears-Packers game, since the Steelers play at Chicago next Sunday. We shall see if the much-ballyhooed arrival of wunderkind Jay Cutler will pan out as hoped in Chicagoland. Yeah, we know: Cutler has a big arm. The punk, however, has never won anything. His career record at Vanderbilt and in Denver is well below .500. And Chicago still doesn't have any wide receivers who are accomplished, polished or much of a threat. We shall see.

Should be fun.

Get Well, Troy

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are cautiously optimistic the Steelers will continue to win without Troy Polamulu, athough the All-World safety took his play to a new, astounding level in the first half of Thursday's season opener against Tennessee. It's a concern, certainly, and we're keeping our fingers crossed for his full and speedy recovery.

Pro Football Weekly aptly summed up the situation of his absence and what it might mean for the Steelers, as things stand today ...

"The Steelers have fared well in Polamalu's absence before. In the eight career games he has missed, Pittsburgh has limited opponents to 10 points or less six times. In another instance, his absence coincided with other starters resting in the meaningless 2007 season finale vs. Baltimore, a game the Ravens won 27-21.

"The other game Polamalu missed came in Week 14 of the 2007 season, when Patriots QB Tom Brady riddled the Pittsburgh secondary in a 34-13 Patriots victory. Surely you recall Steelers FS Anthony Smith's prediction of victory and his inability to back up his words.

"Smith, of course, is no longer a Steeler, but Clark, who missed the New England debacle, too, is playing at a high level. And Carter knows the defense very well.

"This isn't to say that the Steelers won't miss Polamalu if he's not in the lineup when Pittsburgh is slated to face quarterbacks like Jay Cutler, Carson Palmer and Philip Rivers and runners like Adrian Peterson and LaDainian Tomlinson in the weeks to come. But there is more than enough talent to ensure the Pittsburgh defense's play won't regress to the point that it's a weakness."

Sounds about right.

How 'bout ...

How 'bout the Steelers' Mike Wallace (no, not the guy pictured above, from CBS's "60 Minutes") catching the clutch 22-yard pass in overtime to set up the game-winning field goal? And, how 'bout the Steelers trusting and even using him in that situation? Key play.

Big Ben was his usual excellent self. Troy was crazy good -- until he got hurt, and that's a major concern now for the defense. The drop-off was palpable after his injury.

The running game needs to be fixed. So, too, the offensive line. At this pace, Big Ben will get sacked 64 times this season, if he lives that long.

Other than that, this was an excellent win. Tennessee was one of the tougher games on our schedule. Now, that's out of the way.

Time to hit the road.

Oh, and the pre-game show was awesome, especially the moving tribute to the 9/11-Flight 93 passengers & crew, and their families. Great job by the Black-Eyed Peas, Time McGraw and Harry Connick, Jr.

Way to go, Steelers.

We Remember

LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!!!

We're back. Yup. Believe it or not.

Everybody's back. The Steelers are back. Brett Favre's back. Terrell Owens is back. The Black Eyed Peas (above) are back. Tim McGraw's back. Tug McGraw, too, for all we know. The Penguins are back -- on top, where they belong. The Pirates? Well, yeah. They're back, too ... in last place ... where they belong.

Some of the more entertaining Steelers bloggers never left ... Pittsburgh Sports and Mini-Ponies, One for the Other Thumb and most of the others listed in the Steelers/Football Blogroll on this page.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are a little worried about the running game. We're not at all convinced that Rashard Mendenhall will carry the load, even eventually, and a bit concerned about rumors that Fast Willie Parker may be hampered by a balky hamstring.

Other than that, man, this team is stacked. Loaded. The defending-champion Steelers have the best defense, the best head coach and the best defensive coordinator in the NFL. The best team.

This team is going to be lot of fun to watch.

Let's get this party started. Indeed.

Heroes

Congratulations, Penguins:
Stanley Cup Champions.

We're Proud of You.

Here We Go ...

Yesterday was a sucky day in Pittsburgh Sports:

• The Penguins lost to the Washington Capitals, as Sydney Crosby and Alexei Ovechbitch matched impressive hat tricks, while Evgeni Malkin once again displayed why Ovechkin was the consensus No. 1 Overall Pick in the NHL draft four years ago, since Geno once again seems to have more or less "disapeared" as a force in the playoffs. More importantly, the Pens must figure out the Caps' 20-year-old goalie, whatever his name is, or it will be a short playoff season.
• The Pirates once again lost to the Milwaukee Brewers -- 16 in a row to that team! -- which is nice symmetry, considering the Buccos are working on their 16th (17th? ... sorry, lost track, consecutive losing season). No more needs be said about that situation.
  
• The Steelers released Larry Foote, sadly and ostensibly for the always lamentable salary-cap reasons, but there's more to that story, much more ... only we outsiders and simpletons simply do not know the real story.

We're left to speculate. Okay. We can do that.

Larry Foote may want to go home to Detroit for personal reasons. If so, fine, and it was gracious of the Steelers to allow him to do so, as he was under contract for another year at a reported $2.885 million. Fact is, he may get less money to play for the Lions this year ... although he may be able to negotiate what he considers a better long-term contract to supersede the one has. Maybe not.

Okay, so it's over and done, with both parties moving on. Just wondering, though, what kind of pre- and draft-day trade negotiations the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions may have had (or not).

Consider this: Both the Steelers and Lions traded their respective draft day picks at the end of the second round (Steelers, at 2.32, and Lions, at 3.1).

It is inconceivable that the two teams did not discuss dealing with each other -- especially considering the two teams made draft-days deals of adjacent picks.

Larry Foote almost certainly was part of that discussion.

The Steelers, entering the draft, had to know the Lions were interested in Foote (and that Foote wanted to go to Detroit) . The Lions, having read the pre-draft news reports like the rest of us, had to know the Steelers were planning to release Foote (at his request, reportedly).

All we can review at this point are the facts, and our viewpoint of course. This year's draft was considered to be thin at the top but deep into the later rounds. After all, Pittsburgh and Detroit had dramatically different priorities

• The veteran-laden, Super Bowl-winning Steelers had to fill a handful of immediate and longer-term holes to buttress an already stong core. That translates to addressing specific needs on the defensive and line and offensive lines; in the secondary (cornerback, with the departure of Bryant McFadden); the return game (long a need); and short-yardage situations (also long a need); and speed receiver (a newer need with the departure of Nate Washington via free agency).
• The 0-16 Lions have holes everywhere and must rebuild from the ground up, especially on that Biblical-epic bad defense -- particularly at inside linebacker -- which where Larry Foote should have been part of the discussion.

A stare-down Poker Game .... more on this later.

Larry Foote

Just not sure what to think about the Larry Foote situation. When Joey Porter's Pit Bulls first heard the news that the Steelers had "released" him, we were kinda upset. Here was a good, solid player, reliable and sturdy, who has never missed a single start over five years of 16-game seasons. A mainstay.

Sure, he never made a Pro Bowl and, although plenty fans wear No 50 Foote jerseys, he wasn't exactly a household name ... but Foote's been a good player for the Steelers, a standup fellow who seems like a great guy, and it seemed unfair that the team would unceremoniously release him. After all, he's only 28, he just keeps getting better, and he's signed to a relatively reasonable contract.

THEN we heard that he had asked for his release, and that he'd been pushing for it all of last season and ever since. He reportedly said he's unhappy. Why? Seriously, why?

Larry, what have YOU got to be unhappy about? Dude, you're 28, you're making $2.8 million a year, and you own two Super Bowl Rings as a linebacker on the NFL's top-ranked defense -- which just happens to represent, arguably, pro sport's best-run franchise in all the world, literally.

Granted, it's none of our business. Sounds likes a personal issue, and if he wants the Steelers to release him, it appears the team is willing to accommodate his wishes. Reports out of Detroit indicate that Foote may want to play for the Lions, winless last season. Sounds odd -- going from the elite Steelers to the woeful Lions -- but Detroit is Foote's boyhood hometown. Perhaps more to the point, Detroit also is home to the birth-mother of Foote's young son, Trey-veion. According to the nice NYT article linked above, published just before Super Bowl XLV in February 2006, "With the blessing of Trey-veion's mother, Foote gained legal custody of the child, and in the fall of 2004, Trey-veion moved from Detroit to Pittsburgh to live with Foote. He sees his mother regularly, especially during the N.F.L.'s off-season, which Foote spends in Detroit."

It may be that Foote wants to move to Detroit for the sake of his son, and that would be admirable. Without more information, those of us on the outside -- fans and media alike -- are left to speculate. If Foote wants to move to Detroit and (play for the chronic-loser Lions of all franchises) for the sake of his son, that's admirable. Say so. We'd understand.

But if he wants out of Pittsburgh -- with one year left on his current contract, mind you -- only because, on the eve of free agency, he may lose playing time to the younger, up-and-coming Lawrence Timmons, well, that's another story. Be careful what you ask for. You just may get it.

Upon Further Review

Most observers, pundits and would-be draftniks, yours truly included, agreed that this year’s NFL draft class was thin at the top but deep throughout, particularly at several key positions (offensive line, wideout and cornerback in particular).

With that in mind, Joey Porter’s Pit Bulls (among others) figured the Steelers would probably stay put at at the end of the first round but might trade down in subsequent rounds. They did, kinda, with just one move, the trade of their pick at the end of the second round (No. 2.32) and their pick at the end of the fourth round at No. 4.32 (132^nd overall) to Denver, in exchange for a pair of third-round picks, which the Black ‘n Gold braintrust used to pick up a guard/tackle (Kraig Urbik) at No. 3.15 (79^th overall) and a wide receiver/kick returner (Mike Wallace) at No. 3.20 (84^th overall).

Quite a few other franchises also took the trade-down-to-add-value approach, including New England (any surprise there?). Perhaps nobody did so more aggressively than the Cleveland Browns’ new management team, who took the approach to an extreme by trading down three times in the first round to stockpile bodies (not that it will do them much good). In fact, as if anticipating that the Steelers were eyeing Alex Mack, C, California, Cleveland, snatched Mack with what turned out to be their first-round pick, the 21^st overall (1.21) – having forsaken the opportunity to draft a franchise quarterback, Mark Sanchez with Pick No. 1.5, which they traded to the Jets for three fringe players and two draft picks. If Sanchez goes to the Hall of Fame, Cleveland fans will rue the day. Detroit fans, too, for that matter.

On the other hand, there’s always Brady Quinn, right? Right??

By the way, we still haven’t figured out why Sanchez was never in the discussion to go first overall, to Detroit, instead of Matt Stafford. Arm strength? That alone?? Can't help but wonder whether Detroit would have selected Stafford over, say, Joe Montana -- not that Sanchez has done anything to merit comparisons to Joe Montana, but we've all seen plenty of howitzer-armed QBs flame out over the years.

With what had been the Steelers’ 32^nd pick in the second round (64^th overall), the Broncos selected Richard Quinn, TE, North Carolina, whose specialty reportedly is as a blocking tight end. That seems awfully high to take a blocking tight end – another curious move by the Broncos’ new management team, headed by wunderkind rookie head coach Josh McDaniels, the Belichick protégé who made headlines this offseason by clashing with, and then trading, quarterback Jay Cutler, who is a punk, but still. Maybe the eager McDaniels was the perfect guy for the Steelers to do a deal with, and time will tell.

But then, at the very top of the third round, things got more interesting. With the very next pick after Quinn, the Jets selected Shonn Green, RB, Iowa, who wore black and gold for the Hawkeyes and would have looked very good indeed in a Steelers uniform (even though, as the roster is constructed today, there would be no place for him, as he would be behind Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall and Mewelde Moore on the depth chart.

Other intriguing names chosen in the third round, before the Steelers chose Urbik at 3.15 (79^th overall), were Alex Magee, DT, (6‘3”, 298), from Purdue, who went to the Chiefs at 3.3 (67^th overall); YouTube phenom Jarron Gilbert, DE (6’5”, 288), from San Jose State, who went to the Bears via a trade with the Seahawks at 3.4 (68^th overall); and Glenn Coffee, RB, Alabama, a Shonn Green clone (sort of) who went to the 49ers at 3.10 (74^th overall).

Soon thereafter, the Steelers picked Kraig Urbick at 3.15 (79^th overall), with one of the two picks they got from the Broncos. Offensive line coach Larry Zeirlein is on record as saying, flat out, that Urbick will compete for the starting right guard spot manned (fairly capably last year) by Darnell Stapleton. Presumably, Urbick will also see some time at training camp practicing at the right tackle position, as well, although he is not expected to vie for a starting job there.

Interestingly, during a radio interview shortly after Urbick’s selection, Zierlein responded to a question about why the Steelers may have passed over Duke Robinson, another highly rated behemoth guard prospect whom some people had speculated might be of interest to the Black ‘n Gold. “His motor doesn’t run fast enough for us,” said Zierleing of Robinson, the nephew of Motown legend Smokey Robinson.

“This guy’s does,” Zierlein added, referring to Urbik.

Five picks later, the Steelers used the second of the picks they picked up from the Broncos on wide receiver Mike Wallace from Mississippi, he of the reported 4.33 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine -- but an even faster 3.77 (??!!!) time in other workouts on presumably faster tracks. By any measure, he's fast.

Notable receivers selected after Wallace, and before the Steelers’ next selection 12 picks later, included: Ramses Barden, WR, a Plaxico Burress clone at 6’6”, 226, selected by the Giants out of Cal Poly at 3.21 (85^th overall); another big ‘un, Patrick Turner, WR, 6’5, 223”, selected by the Dolphins out of Southern California at 3.23 (87^th overall); and Deon Butler, WR, 5’10” 185, selected by Seattle out of Penn State (3.27 (91^st overall).

So, the Steelers passed on those three receiving prospects in favor of Wallace, and that says something about how highly they regard not just his potential as a wideout, but perhaps more importantly, his skills as a dynamic kick returner.

In any case, it will be interesting to see which of the four receivers (Wallace, Barden, Turner and Butler) has the best career as a pro.

The One That Got Away

Lamentably, the Steelers also passed on Rashad Johnson, S, 5’!!”, 203, selected by Ken Whisenhunt’s Arizona Cardinals out of Alabama at 3.31 (95^th overall).

You can't get 'em all, but Joey Porter’s Pit Bulls see Rashad Johnson as the one who got away – the one player (who was available) we would have loved to see end up in a Steelers uniform. Having listened to a pre-draft radio interview with Johnson, we couldn’t help but think, “This guy has ‘Steeler’ written all over him.” Johnson played at a big-time winning program and, for what it’s worth, even grew up as a Steelers fan who was the son of a Steelers fan. Post-draft, ESPN’s Todd McShay said he expects Johnson to step into a starting position for the Cardinals right away and to be a stalwart there for years to come.

If you saw the Cardinals porous secondary durng the Super Bowl – which collapsed during the game-winning drive -- you’d have to agree: The Cardinals need help at safety. Still, we hated to see Johnson slip through the cracks -- hated it -- but considering that Whisenhunt, the offensive coordinator for the Steelers’ 2005 Super Bowl winner, runs Pittsburgh West, it’s not all that surprising. He’s been adding former Steelers, and players in the Steelers’ mold, since he took the reins in Phoenix.

Now, having said all that, it will be interesting to observe who will be the better pro: Rashad Johnson, or the two players the Steelers selected ahead of Johnson (Urbick and Wallace) … or for that matter, and perhaps more intriguingly, the player the Steelers selected with the very next pick, cornerback Keenan Lewis, CB (6’, 208), out of Oregon State, whom the Cardinals bypassed in favor of Johnson. Granted, you could make the case that Lewis fills a bigger need at cornerback with the departure of Bryant McFadden (to the Cardinals, coincidentally, via free agency).

Admittedly, we know next to nothing about either Johnson or Lewis. We just find their juxtaposition on the draft board an extremely interesting coincidence, and we can’t help but wonder which of the two players the Steelers would have chosen had both been available.

You could also make the case that the Steelers also have a need at safety, although the now-departed (and unlamented) Anthony Smith made nowhere near the contributions that MacFadden made. Of course, if any of the starters (Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark, Ike Taylor, William Gay/DeShea Townsend) go down to injury for any significant amount of time, we will all get a chance to start making the Rashad Johnson vs. Keenan Lewis comparisons earlier than we might have liked.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

All in all, we’re content with this draft. The Steelers addressed some long-overlooked needs for:

1) Youth, depth and potential starters on the defensive and offensive lines (Ziggy Hood and Kraig Urbick, particularly; and, for all we know, later-round picks Sonny Harris and A.Q. Shipley).

2) A fast receiver (Mike Wallace) to fill the fourth wideout position, who can also compete for the speed-receiver position that Nate Washington left vacant through his departure via free agency. If Wallace or Limas Sweed can play as well as Washington did last year, we’ll be happy.

3) A cornerback (Keenan Lewis) to step into the role filled last year by William Gay, who takes over the role played by the now-departed Bryant MacFadden.

4) The short-yardage specialist (Frank Summers) they have lacked – and desperately needed -- since Jerome Bettis retired. This was a glaring need last year, and it’s about time they addressed it.

5) A pair of dynamic kick returners in Mike Wallace (kickoffs) and Joe Burnett (punts). Both of these guys are said to be positively electric return guys.

If these guys work out, this will turn out to be a fine draft. Anything else is gravy.

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

Go, Penguins!

A Leap of Faith

Gotta admit: This is the first time in years that Joey Porter's Pit Bulls have seen not one of the Steelers' draftees play. Not one.

No, on second thought, we'll take that back. We saw most of their teams play, on television at least, except for UNLV and Arkansas State). But we can't say that any of the draftees made an impression -- not one played so spectacularly or with such ferocity that JPPBs bounced up and said, "Damn! Wish the Steelers could get that guy!" (Example: Hines Ward, a full 12 years ago, as a senior at Georgia, when the Bulldogs defeated the Florida Gators in that year's edition of The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.)

Yet we have faith. Why not? The Super Bowl Champion Steelers seem to know what they're doing. As predicted here (and everywhere else), the Steelers drafted pretty much to fill depth and future needs on the defensive line, the offensive line, at wide receiver and at cornerback. We don't know much about these new Steelers, but they look and sound pretty good, which is usually the case the day after draft weekend. Unless it's Jamain Stephens.

Ziggy Hood looks and sounds like a Steeler. So does Kraig Urbik, Sonny Harris and A.Q. Shipley. Mike "60 Minutes" Wallace might be just a guy who can run really, really fast (4.3 40-yard dash) -- we'll see if he can run routes and catch the ball as a receiver. If he contributes as much as Nate Washington did last year, we'll be happy. Joe Burnett looks like a tremendous kick-return guy -- we'll see if he can help out at cornerback.

Frank "The Tank" Summers may be our favorite. Listed at 5'9", 241 pounds, the powerful Summers has been described as The Mini-Bus, after Jerome Bettis. We saw some video highlights (which are selective, of course, and therefore can be deceptive [see: Walter Abercrombie, Greg Hawthorne]), and damn, Summers did look impressive: Powerful, fast, nimble, low center of gravity, soft hands for crucial third-down receptions. Summers could be the short-yardage specialist the Steelers have been seeking since The Bus retired. In uniform, he looks not so much like Bettis, but more like Sidney "The Thundering Bull" Thornton. Let's hope Summers has better hands than Thornton; and, more importantly, a better head than Sidney, also known as "The Blundering Fool," about whom Coach Chuck Noll infamously said, "Sidney has many problems, and they are great."

If Summers is as good as he looks on video, well, Carey Davis, it was nice knowing you, and thanks for your contributions.

Granted, the Steelers admittedly failed to get one of the centers (Eric Wood, Max Unger or Alex Mack) they were targeting, but maybe they got the center they need in Penn State's A.Q. Shipley, a Pittsburgh native and lifelong, passionate Steelers fan. He was tremendous for three years at Penn State, a majorly winning program against big-time competition. Hopefully, he'll be very bit as good against the MUCH bigger nose tackles in the even more competitive AFC North. It's always nice to see a local guy get drafted by his hometown team. In a local (KDKA-TV) television interview last night Shipley -- wearing a Steelers cap and tee-shirt, looked extremely proud and psyched ... he looked every bit as excited as George Costanza did after learning the Yankees had hired him as assistant traveling secretary. "Bustin', Jerry! I'm bustin'!!"

Anyway, if the Steelers are happy with their draft picks, so are Joey Porter's Pit Bulls. And, as always, it will be fun to see who the Steelers bring in as street free agents -- and whether any of those guys emerge and develop as well as, say, Fast Willie Parker or even last year's team Rookie of the Year, Patrick Bailey, linebacker and kick-coverage demon whom the Steelers brought in as an undrafted free agent out of Duke, of all places. Let's hope they do.

We can always have a little faith.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Rd Pick Player Pos College

1 32 Ziggy Hood DE Missouri
3 79 Kraig Urbik OG-OT Wisconsin
3 84 Mike Wallace WR Mississippi
3 96 Keenan Lewis CB Oregon State
5 168 Joe Burnett CB Central Florida
5 169 Frank Summers RB UNLV
6 205 Sonny Harris DT Oregon
7 226 A.Q. Shipley C Penn State
7 241 David Johnson TE Arkansas State

Stirring From Our Long Winter Somnambulance ...

When the NFL Draft has come around each April the past few years, Joey Porter’s Pit Bulls made the case for the Steelers trading down, out of the first round altogether.

Not this year, although perhaps there’s no better time to do so than when you’re coming off a Super Bowl Win.

This year, however, is not the year to trade down. This year, thankfully, the Steelers can sit right where they are, at Pick No. 32, and make a (hopefully) safe pick of a (presumably) quality player who will contribute this year and step in as a valid starter in 2010 and beyond. That’s because this year’s draft is widely considered to be thin at the top of the first round but deep at the bottom, especially at positions of particular interest to the Steelers (offensive line, defensive line, cornerback and wide receiver).

Names that have been bandied about include tackles Eben Britton (Arizona) and William Beatty (Connecticut); centers Doug Mack (California), Eric Wood (Louisville) and Max Unger (Oregon); receivers Hakeem Nicks (North Carolina) and Kenny Britt (Rutgers); defensive ends Jarron Gilbert (San Jose State), Tyson Jackson (LSU) and Evander Hood (Missouri); and corners Sean Smith (Utah), Vontae Davis (Illinois), Louis Delmas (Western Michigan), Alphonso Smith (Wake Forest) and Darius Butler (Connecticut). Some of these players will be off the board before the Steelers’ turn. Some will be better pros than others. One or two may even last until the Steelers pick at the end of the second round.

We've got a feeling the Steelers are eyeballing the cornerback position, but that there will be intense debate invovling several of the names listed above.

In any case, if the Steelers trade down at all this year, they are more likely to do so in later rounds. One potential trading partner would be Jerry Jones, the notoriously itchy-fingered trigger man for the Dallas Cowboys, who dealt away this year’s first-round pick to the Detroit Lions last year, in-season, for wide receiver Roy Williams.

In fact, the Cowboys have only one pick all day Saturday – the 51st overall – but Jones does hold other cards, notably two fourth-round picks and three fifth-round picks.

Pheh, as Myron Cope would say. Still, if the Steelers want to add depth in a draft deep at several positions of need, they may consider dealing with that old traveling carnival-snake-oil- wheeler-dealer-oilfield-gambler Jones, later in the draft.

Or not.

Personally, we’d like to see the Steelers bat their long lashes at Jones and then declaim, abashedly, “Why, Mr. Jones, I do declare, you are so forward!” and walk away. Let him stew.

Anyway, as for whom the Steelers actually may pick in the first round, eh, it’s tough to say – simply because it’s tough to predict who will go in the first 31 picks. Although the Super Bowl-winning offensive line remains nearly intact, it needs help, and depth, and future re-tooling. Same goes for the more polished and productive, but aging, defensive line.

Holes opened this offseason at cornerback and wide receiver, with the departures of free agents Bryant McFadden and Nate Washington, both of whom were valuable contributors and who will become starters for the estimable Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans, respectively. DeShea Townsend at corner isn’t getting any younger, nor is Hines Ward at receiver. Both entered the league together 12 years ago and have been with the Steelers ever since. It’s time to add some (talented) depth to those positions. You can never have too many corners or receivers (good ones, that is).

In any case, we’re optimistic the Steelers will select a good player at good value for Pick No. 32. Let’s hope the Steelers draft at the very end of the first round every year.

For what it’s worth, we felt the much the same uncertainty last year, when first assessing the 2008 draft a full three-and-a-half weeks ahead of the actual event. In fact, Joey Porter’s Pit Bulls were tempted to take the easy way out this week and simply use last year’s initial assessment once again this year, with some minor modifications:

No clue. During our long winter somnambulance, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls like others across Steeler Nation have given plenty of thought to the NFL Draft, April 26-27 25-26. And we still don't have a clue.

The top of the draft appears muddled, with no clear choice for a consensus No. 1 overall pick. This uncertainty produces a ripple effect, of course, on how the next 22 31 picks will shake out, and the Steelers go on the clock at pick number 23 32. We usually have a clearer sense of this, by the way, even allowing for the wildly varying quality of most mock drafts and prognostications.

Most of this year's mock drafts predict the Steelers will pick an offensive lineman in the first round. Sounds eminently reasonable, and a couple of months ago, we would have said two of the first three picks should be offensive linemen.

Maybe. But, uh, maybe not.

A closer look at the offensive linemen likely to be available at 1.23 1.32 raises more questions than answers. The very best tackles (Jake Long, Michigan; Ryan Clady, Boise State; Chris Williams, Vanderbilt; Jeff Otah (?), Pitt) will be gone, and questions remain about the others (Sam Baker, USC; Gosder Cherilus, Boston College; Eric Young, Tennessee).

Best Available?

If you take the Steelers at their word, they will pick the best player available regardless of position (except for quarterback and tight end).

But still … the offensive line was putrid last year and should have been addressed either in last year's draft or during the off-season in free agency. We can't say with any confidence that Justin Hartwig or Darnell Stapleton (or Kendall Simmons or Woody Allen for that matter) will be an upgrade at center over the overmatched Sean Mahan, who got thrown around, consistently, like a rag doll last year.

Besides offensive line, what other positions do the Steelers need to fill, and who might be available? This is so hard to read, this year, partly because the Steelers have problems, they are many, and they are great (to paraphrase Chuck Noll's famous statement about running back Sidney "The Bull" Thornton).

Again, if you take the Steelers at their word, they need to shore up all positions except quarterback and tight end. Presumably running back would be a lower priority, although you would like to see a solid fullback added to the roster. West Virginia's Owen Schmitt would look good in black and gold, assuming you could get him, say, when the Steelers pick in the third round (not likely, from what we're reading).

On defense, the defensive line is showing age, and inside linebackers James Farrior and Larry Foote aren't getting younger, either.

Nor can you ever have too many corners (good ones, that is). Might cornerback Antoine Cason from the University of Arizona be a possibility in the first round? There are other corners being discussed as first-round material include … but we like what we've read about Cason.

On the other hand ... we're leery of Cherilus and Baker at that point in the first round. A defensive lineman? Ehh, maybe, but probably not this year, not in the first round.

In the end, not knowing whether Ryan Clark would return in good health and good form (which he did, with impact, just ask Baltimore running back ) we “chose” the University of Miami’s Kenny Phillips, a safety, whom the New York Giants selected with – you guessed it -- Pick No. 32 at the end of the first round. Nice symmetry, eh?