The Philthadelphia Story; Also, More Nyjer Morgan

The Steelers have had their troubles lately, Pitt continues to struggle and Lord knows long-suffering Pirates fans have had their fill of woe, but this morning we can all be thankphul we're not Philadelphians. 

Phillies fans watched in agonizing slow-motion horror Friday night, as their high-payroll team suffered a crushing defeat to get bounced out of the playoffs by the underdog St. Louis Cardinals. Adding insult to injury -- or more accurately, injury to insult -- they also witnessed star slugger Ryan Howard crumple to the ground in excruciating agony with a torn Achilles tendon -- suffered when he grounded out to end the series. Howard faces a long, painful and uncertain recovery that will extend at  least a couple months into the 2012 season. The Phillies also stand to lose key players to free agency, including Jimmy Rollins, Raul Ibanez and Brad Lidge. 

On top of all that there are the Eagles, with the maladroit Michael Vick at the helm. If the Eagles lose to the Bills today, look out. As Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Bob Ford wrote, "And so begins a nuclear winter of discontent and one -- just guessing here -- that doesn't seem likely to be enlivened by the Eagles."

How depressing for the already surly fan base. The City That Booed Santa Claus at Halftime of an Eagles Game could get really ugly, very soon.
 
It's Nyjer Morgan's World. We Only Live In It.

• MLB.com: "T.Plush Taking Baseball by Storm in Playoffs"
• Bruce Jenkins, San Francisco Chronicle: "Show goes On for Brewers, Tony Plush"
• USA Today: "Nyjer Morgan, Tony Plush Revel in Post-Season"

End of an Era: Al Davis is Dead

  

Oakland Al is dead, according to Raiders.com. Darth Raider himself. He was 82. End of an era.

As much as Al Davis became a caricature of himself later in life, he was a pioneer who was instrumental in advancing the American Football League to prominence and legitimacy in the 1960s. He demanded a "Commitment to Excellence."

Al Davis was many things: audacious, visionary, paranoid, brilliant, cantankerous, iconoclastic, iconic, quirky, truculent, enigmatic, driven, egotistical, eccentric, bold, accusatory, vindictive, sly, crusty, bizarre, fierce, stubborn, irascible, intractable, vitriolic, tenacious, myopic, micromanager, rigid, pioneering, selfish, feisty, ingenious, draconian, troubled, temperamental, rebellious, outspoken, football strategist, business tycoon and empire builder. All of that, and more.

One thing for sure: He was one of a kind. A character.

    

Davis saw himself as a maverick and set the impassioned "Pride and Poise" identity of the Raiders, although the team often lacked poise, if not pride, through the years, as one of the perennially most penalized and mistake-prone teams in the NFL.

    

The late, great Hunter S. Thompson wrote often and at length about Oakland Al, and it is all worth reading. As HST noted, Al Davis was the persona and identity of the Raiders and everything that went with the team's mystique:

"Every game was a terrifying adventure, win or lose, and the Raiders of the '70s usually won -- except in Pittsburgh, where cruel things happened and many dreams died horribly. You could see the early beginnings of what would evolve into the massive Raider Nation, which is beyond doubt the sleaziest and rudest and most sinister mob of thugs and whackos ever assembled in such numbers under a single "roof," so to speak, anywhere in the English-speaking world. No doubt there are other profoundly disagreeable cults that meet from time to time in most of the 50 states."

Indeed, for a few years, the 1970s Raiders-Steelers rivalry was as bitter, vicious and intense as any rivalry, though it didn't have the longevity of the Steelers-Browns or the Bears-Packers.

It will be interesting to see what becomes of the Raiders now. For that matter, it should be interesting to see how the Raiders play the Texans in Houston tomorrow. Davis would surely say, "Just win, baby."

First Steve Jobs, then Al Davis. Truly, the end of an era. Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would say,"Rest in Peace," but we're pretty sure Davis wouldn't want to hear it. We're pretty sure he didn't go quietly. 
Oh, and we still have the Oakland Raiders Christmas card that Al Davis once sent our way. He was full of surprises.

Other Views:

• Doug Farrar at Shutdown Corner
• Greg Rosenthal at ProFootballTalk
• Will Brinson at CBS Sportsline
• San Francisco Chronicle
• Gary Peterson: "Al Davis did It His Way"
• Oakland Tribune: "The Al Davis Legacy: Innovator, Fighter, Maverick"
• Gwenn Knapp: "Hard to believe that stubborn Davis is really gone"
• San Francisco Chronicle Editorial: "Al Davis, an original"

Saturday Morning Miscellany

Heinz Field is 10 years old already?  

The Post-Gazette's Blog 'n Gold offers an awesome compendium of 10 years of highlights at Heinz Field, and they have been mostly great years. Kudos to online sports editor Dan Gigler at the Post-Gazette. 

• Get to "Know Thy Enemy" with Nice Pick, Cowher providing perspective from Nashville.
• Also, from Nashville, The Music City Miracles blog has a nice report on the Titans at the season's quarter pole.
• Did you know the Titans have a rookie defensive back who played for the Aliquippa Quips, Pitt Panthers, Edinboro and California University of Pennsylvania? That's not all. Tommie Campbell also worked as a janitor cleaning toilets at Greater Pittsburgh International Airport. The Tennessean tells his story, which is about redemption and making the most of one last chance. It's a good one.
• Lest we overlook baseball, Bob Smizik offers his report card on Pirates' hitters.
• Speaking of baseball, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls (that's us) offers a tip 'o the hat to former former Pirates Nyjer Morgan, Don Kelly and Jim Leyland.
• You might also want to glance at a study in contrasts -- an examination of the relative stability of the offensive lines of the Tennesssee Titans and the Steelers.

No Big Snack? No Big Juicy? What's Going On Here?

Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith are out.

It definitely would be tough to play nose tackle with a bum shoulder, so-o-o-o ... Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton, also known as "Big Snack," will miss tomorrow's game vs. the Tennessee Titans. As reported on ProFootballTalk, Hampton is one of six injured Steelers ruled out of the game. Hampton has a shoulder injury sustained last Sunday in Houston. Both Chris Hoke and Steve McLendon will play in Hampton's place.

Also missing from the defense will be Aaron Smith, James Harrison and Jason Worilds. And, as if the offensive line didn't have enough discontinuity, it will be without starting left guard Chris Kemoeatu (also known as "Big Juicy"). Also missing the game will be running back Mewelde Moore. With starter Rashard Mendenhall still listed as questionable, Isaac Redman will get most of the carries.

We Can Be Heroes: Jim Leyland, Don Kelly, Nyjer Morgan, Tony Plush and Tony Gumbo

Former Pirates in both leagues played pivotal roles advancing their teams to the World Series. Good for them!

Nyjer Morgan was the hero of the Brewers' NLCS walk-off win in Milwaukee Friday night. With teammate Carlos Gomez on at second in the bottom of the tenth, Morgan and his alter ego personalities Tony Plush and Tony Gumbo swatted a single up the middle to drive in the winning run to send the Brewers to the National League Championship Series (NLCS) vs. the St. Louis Cardinals.

Nyjer Morgan, or is it Tony Plush? Tony Gumbo?

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls hated to see the Pirates trade Morgan (to Washington in 2009, with Sean Burnett for Lastings Milledge and Joel Hanrahan), and not just because Morgan was our favorite Pirate at the time -- and no doubt, the Pirates became much more boring and vanilla after he was traded, and the Brewers became much more interesting and fun after he joined them.

Morgan's antics overshadow the fact he is a good player. He provides leadership on the field and in the clubhouse. He's a catalyst. He brings energy and personality(ies) to his team. 

The dismissive, know-it-all Sabremetricians will snicker smugly and point knowingly to Morgan's baseball shortcomings, so we'll turn to the guys on the MLB Network panel after the game last night, who were saying things like:  "This guy's a good ballplayer, fundamentally sound." ..."What a difference Nyjer Morgan has made in Milwaukee." ..."He's always in the middle of the action." ... "A good hitter and a good defender." ..."You need unique people on a team." ..."He brings an energy to the team."

With his bubbly presence, Morgan was (and is) an exciting player and an effusive fan favorite. Oh, so you think "effusive fan favorite" doesn't matter to fans and even management in Milwaukee, or that it shouldn't matter in Pittsburgh? Here's how tone-deaf the Pirates' management is: Guess which player on the Brewers, who have not just one but two legitimate MVP candidates in Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, guess which player's shirt has the most sales in the Brewer's Clubhouse Store? Nyjer Morgan's. Pirates owner Bob Nutting must rue the lost nickels and dimes. 

Nyjer Morgan, the former hockey player, wasn't good enough for the Pirates, but now he's a beloved hero in Milwaukee. He's fun. Good for him.

Don Kelly: Home Run Hero. 

Don Kelly was deemed not good enough to stick as a utility player with the Pirates, but now he's a hero in Detroit. What a story for Kelly, who has overcome long odds with the dogged determination of a pit-terrier mix. Thursday night, he cemented his place in Detroit baseball lore by hitting the first-inning home run that silenced Yankee Stadium and seemed to guarantee the Tigers' ALDS victory.

Kelly, who played high school ball at Mt. Lebanon High School and in college for Point Park, is easy to root for. His is a really, really great feel-good story, not to be redundant.

Jim Leyland gave Kelly the chance Pirates wouldn't, and Kelly made Leyland look like a genius. The former Pirates manager once again displayed uncanny intuition Thursday night when he penciled Kelly's name into the line-up at third base and No. 2 in the batting order. Kelly validated Leyland's belief in him with that crucial home run that ESPN showed again and again and again.

Tammy Faye Baker

For a man who cries more than Tammy Faye Baker in her heyday, Leyland provided a remarkably steady hand at the helm of the Detroit Tigers this season. Still, after his Tigers dismissed the New York Yankees Thursday night, Leyland almost cried on national television when he talked about Don Kelly.

"He deserves to be in there," Leyland said. "You don't get sentimental at this time of year. He's been swinging the bat very well. He's got a lot of big hits. I think that's a guy that's a great story. Here's a guy that's the 25th guy on the team, I guess, but I wouldn't rather have another 25th guy. It's kind of a nice story. Good for Don Kelly."

Good for Don Kelly. Good for Jim Leyland. Good for Nyjer Morgan. Congratulations to all.

A Study in Contrasts: The Offensive Lines

The Tennessee Titans' starting five on the offensive line has played together for five consecutive years.  Five years. 
  
By contrast, the Steelers' offensive line has been together for maybe five minutes. It's in shambles.

Across the line, from left tackle to right tackle, Tennessee's offensive line has combined for 344 straight starts. That is consistency and continuity personified.

Maybe that's one reason why the Titans have allowed just four sacks over four games. The Steelers allowed five sacks last Sunday and 14 this season.

Compounding the Steelers' woes, Ben Roethlisberger is hobbling around with by an injured foot that required a walking boot this week. We probably shouldn't anticipate many rollouts or "boot"legs on Sunday.

Maybe, just maybe, the Steelers will go back to the running game, and it looks like Isaac Redman will get most of the carries vs. the Titans. No definitive word yet on the availability of either Rashard Mendenhall (hamstring) or Mewelde Moore (sprained ankle), but neither practiced on Thursday. Jonathan Dwyer is the other running back.

“You can’t do too much dancing in the backfield,” said Redman on Steelers.com. “That is how we lose yards. I would rather have a zero yard run than a loss. Our line is beat up, there is some inexperience. We have to establish the run. We need it. We need to shut people up. We have Max Starks back. Hopefully he can add some spark to the offensive line and we can get some movement.”

For the record,Tennessee's starters are:

• Left Tackle Michael Roos, a seven-year veteran
• Left guard Leroy Harris, a five-year veteran
• Center Eugene Amano, an eight-year veteran
• Right guard Jake Scott, an eight-year veteran
• Right tackle David Stewart, a seven-year veteran

In terms of year's experience across the line, that's 7, 5, 8, 8, 7.

The Steelers show 5, 7, 2, 3, 1

That's according to today's depth chart on Steelers.com, which shows 5, 7, 2, 3, 1 years of experience for Jonathan Scott, Chris Kemoeautu, Maurkice Pouncey, Doug Legursky and Marcus Gilbert across the line from left to right. Max Starks is in his eighth year -- but still in his first few days with this group. There's a chance he will start on Sunday.

Anybody "Chris Johnson-Like" Out There?

At his Tuesday news conference this week, Mike Tomlin said, “For practice purposes we are going to look to at least bring in someone who is capable of being Chris Johnson-like in preparation this week.”

Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans

Apparently the Steelers have been unable to find anybody “Chris Johnson-like.” What a surprise. Guess what? There is nobody like Chris Johnson on the street, on the waiver wire or in the Arena Football League. If there were somebody else like that, he’d not only be on an NFL roster, he’d be starting. Certainly the highest-paid running back and probably the fastest, only Chris Johnson is “Chris Johnson-like.” 

Still, it would be interesting to know who the Steelers might have been considering. They already have John Clay, the big rookie (6'1", 248) from Wisconsin, on the practice squad. Clay is more a between-the-tackles power back, however, than a speed back like Johnson, who had 2,006 yards in 2009.

"He has unbelievable speed," cornerback Ike Taylor said of Johnson. "With him a play is never over because of what he can do. With him you have to be on key at all times."

If the Steelers are looking for a speed back, they could do worse than looking at Ian Johnson, a running back from Boise State currently on the 49ers’ practice squad, which is his fourth practice squad since 2009. 

Ian Johnson

Granted, Ian Johnson is no Chris Johnson, but of all the running backs at the 2009 NFL Combine, he ran the fastest 40-yard dash time (4.46). And he shares the same last name as Chris Johnson, so he's got that going to make him -- "Chris Johnson-like."

The Steelers, however, are not about to sign a player off some other team's practice squad for just a few hours of practice. That player would have to be added to the Steelers' active roster.

And, although Mewelde Moore will miss Sunday's game, he will return soon, and Rashard Mendenhall might play this weekend. It was just a thought.

Feel free to leave a comment, below left.

"T" for Texas, "T" for Tennessee

From one "T" to another. The Steelers move on from their loss in Texas last Sunday to host Tennessee this Sunday. That would be the Tennessee Titans, not the Tennessee Volunteers, who produced Tee Martin, the quarterback former Steelers coach Bill Cowher somehow decided would be a better pro than Tom Brady.*

On to the matter at hand: The Tennessee Titans, nee the Houston Oilers. Led by new coach Mike Munchak, a longtime Oilers guard now in the NFL Hall of Fame, the Titans sport a gaudy and surprising 3-1 record. The team that somehow lost to Jacksonville in the season opener turned around to dominate the Baltimore Ravens the following week before also defeating the Broncos and Browns. It's tough to say just how good they are. 

Apparently, the Titans have a very good defense, which has allowed just 14 points per game and is being discussed as among the league's best. Their secondary is excellent, and their defensive line is large, mobile and likely to give the Steelers' struggling offensive line a multitude of problems.

On offense, the Titans are benefiting from surprisingly good play from quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who signed with Tennessee this year as a free agent out of Seattle. Along with New Orleans' Darren Sproules and Houston's Jonathan Joseph, Hasselbeck is proving to be one of the best "value" free agent signings this year. ESPN talking heads have even bandied about** Hasselbeck's name as an early MVP candidate.

** What does "bandied about" mean, anyway? Whatever it is, ESPN blabbermouths are good at it.   

CJ2K, Chris Johnson

Ready to Run Wild?

More worrisome, perhaps, is the prospect of Chris Johnson (CJ2K) running wild. Johnson hasn't really hit his stride, but he must be relishing the opportunity to run against the Steelers, who allowed Houston's Arian Foster to rack up 155 of the Texans' 180 yards on the ground. The Steelers' run defense, uncharacteristically, is 22nd in the NFL (119.5 yards per game). Johnson's backup is Javon Ringer, who played his college ball at Michigan State. He's  good, too.  He has a black belt in karate and a running style reminiscent of former Iowa running back Shonn Greene, now with the New York Jets.

The top receiver for Tennessee is former Steeler Nate Washington, who leads the Titans with 23 receptions for 323 yards.

“Nate loves to play football, he has a can-do attitude, he is a bringer as opposed to an energy drainer, and he loves to work," coach Mike Tomlin said. "He was a good teammate for those reasons and others while he was here and it’s good to see that a young man like him is continuing to prosper.”

*About That 2000 Draft
We're having trouble letting it go. The Steelers, you will recall with rue, drafted Tee Martin with the second of two fifth-round choices in the 2000 draft. The Patriots, of course, drafted Tom Brady in the sixth round. Martin hung on for four undistinguished seasons in the NFL and now is the receivers coach at the University of Kentucky. Brady has won three Super Bowls, is in the discussion as the greatest quarterback in NFL history and is still going strong 11 years after the Steelers passed on him to draft Tee Martin. Not to be bitter.

To be fair to Martin -- who draws attention for the purpose of this discussion simply because he played the quarterback position, and it turned out there was at least one better option (Brady) available -- not only did the Steelers draft Martin ahead of Brady that year, they also drafted other "notables" like Hank Poteat, Danny Farmer and Chris Combs, a defensive end out of Duke whom they took in the sixth round with the 173rd pick overall.  Again, the Patriots drafted Brady in the sixth round with the 199th pick overall.

For the record, the Steelers' picks that year were Plaxico Burress (Rd. 1, eighth overall, just ahead of Brian Urlacher); Marvel Smith (Rd. 2); Hank Poteat (Rd. 3); Danny Farmer (Rd. 4); Clark Haggans (Rd. 5); Tee Martin (also Rd. 5); and Chris Combs (Rd. 6.).  That's it, Fort Pitt.

Welcome Back, Max Starks

Max Starks is back to lend a helping hand.

For those of you wondering why the Steelers kept second-year tackle Chris Scott, welcome to the club. We're still wondering.

It's a moot point now, however, as the Steelers replaced Chris Scott (not to be confused with starting left tackle Jonathan Scott) on the roster today with eight-year veteran veteran tackle Max Starks (6'8", and at least 345).

Starks is a sight for sore quarterbacks. It remains to be seen how much playing time he will get, but it is reassuring to know the reliable, affable and massive Starks is back with the Steelers.

A sign, perhaps, of how little the Steelers thought of Chris Scott is that the team cut him instead of tackle Jamon Meredith (6'5, 304), a third-year player now with his fourth team. The Steelers signed Meredith just after the season-opener to replace Willie Colon, now on injured reserve. The team's depth chart lists Meredith as the third option at left tackle behind starter Jonathan Scott and newly signed Max Starks.

Curiously, the depth chart lists no backup to Marcus Gilbert at right tackle, but with "position flexibility" on the line, somebody (Trai Essex, Ramon Foster, Starks or Meredith) surely would step in at right tackle, if needed.

Practice Makes Perfect, Hopefully

In case you were wondering, the Steelers have two rookie offensive linemen on their practice squad: 24-year-old Trevis Turner (6'7", 330), an undrafted tackle out of Texas Abilene; and 23-year-old John Malecki, (6'2", 298) an undrafted guard out of Pitt.

The Silverback is Out

James Harrison, aka "Silverback"

In news that might make Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing happy, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin announced today that James Harrison will miss several weeks with a broken right orbital bone.

Just how scary tough is James Harrison, anyway? The man fractured his face, the orbital bone around the socket of his right eye, and he not only came back in the game, he played the entire second half. Good heavens. That's a ba-a-d dude.

Let the Scrutiny Begin

Mike Tomlin's weekly news conference today (noon, ET) should be interesting.  He's got some "'splainin' to do," as Ricky Ricardo would say to Lucy, and we might get some talk of the "fine line between drinking wine and squashing grapes."

Or getting squashed, as was undeniably the case Sunday in Houston.

We'll get an injury update.  And probably some predictable coach-speak: "We'll take a look at the situation.  We're sticking with what we've got. We have to get back to basics, blah, blah, blah."

Steeler fans, however, would like to know where the defense has gone, how it surrendered 180 yards rushing and what will be done to fix the offensive line, pass protection, the running game and play-calling.

Vince Wilfork

It's probably too much to expect to expect an explanation of all that.  Maybe, however, we'll learn why New England defensive lineman Vince Wilfork has more interceptions (two) than the Steelers' defense (one). 

In other realms, the composition of the roster itself is being second-guessed. 

Over at Nice Pick, Cowher, blogger Dom di Tolla offers a seriously in-depth analysis on what he calls "The Pittsburgh Steelers' $61.5 Million Mistake," which would be the contract given to Lamarr Woodley.  Mr. di Tolla explains why he believes Woodley's game is flawed, why Woodley is replaceable, and how the Steelers could have applied that money elsewhere, particularly on the offensive line.

Merrill Hoge, former Steeler and current ESPN analyst, also is dumbfounded at the play of offensive line and the defensive front seven.

Aaron Smith, carted off the field in Houston

"The offensive line is getting beat on individual match-ups and vanilla schemes," Hoge said. 

"And it's almost mind-boggling how the defensive line is getting mauled. Used to be, the front three were bedrock, you couldn't move them. Now they're getting pushed back three and four yards."

As for Arian Foster's clinching 42-yard touchdown run that Woodley first over-ran and then recovered just enough to miss a tackle, Hoge said, "You'd be hard-pressed to watch game tape for five years and see a back side collapse that bad."

True dat.

Comments are welcome, below left.

No Country for Old, Slow Men

You just know Warren Sapp is going to accuse the Steelers, once again, of being "old and slow" following Sunday's loss in Houston.

Maybe some of 'em.  Whatever. The Steelers failed to stop the run, as Houston's Arian Foster averaged 5.2 yards per carry while racking up 155 yards on 30 carries. Houston totaled 180 yards rushing. That's the main reason for this loss, and failing to stop the run is suddenly becoming a disturbing pattern.

The Texans set the tone for the game with their opening drive, a 19-play, 95-yard drive that went nearly 11 minutes.  Nineteen plays?  That's not exactly a case of the "defense getting off the field."

As the game wore on, the Steelers turned the ball over, failed to take that ball away, took five sacks, had zero sacks, committed stupid penalties, took wasteful time-outs, had a field goal blocked, were victimized once again at key times by a good tight end (Own Daniels) and lost the game.  

The offensive line is a shambles, but we knew that already. The lopsided turnover-ratio, however, is getting tiresome, and then some.  

What's more, the injuries are getting worrisome, to say the least.  After the game, Ben Roethlisberger had X-rays on his foot and left the locker room in a walking boot, as did Aaron Smith.  Rashard Mendehall has a bad hamstring, Casey Hampton left the game late, James Harrison still doesn't look right, and neither does Maurkice Pouncey.

Meantime, Houston's J.J. Watt, the big rookie out of Wisconsin, looked like a young clone of Aaron Smith in his prime.

Our vaunted linebackers seemed to be AWOL for vast stretches. Did Lamarr Woodley even play?  James Harrison still looks hurt. Lawrence Timmons went missing for much of the game.  James Farrior and Larry Foote did, in fact, look old and slow, once again.

At 2-2, the Steelers' record feels like 1-3 or even worse, if that's possible.  

Next up: A surprisingly upstart Tennessee Titans team at Heinz Field.
 

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Let's hope it's not the heart of darkness instead of the heart of Texas.  This is going to be a tough game for the Steelers.

The offensive line, which was shaky anyway, looks even more so today with the announcement that starting right guard Doug Legursky and starting left tackle Jonathan Scott have been ruled out of the game in Houston, as has defensive end Brett Keisel.  Yikes.

That means three-fifths of the offensive line that started the season will miss Sunday's game in Houston.  Ramon Foster will replace Legursky, and Trai Essex will step in at left tackle for Scott.  Rookie Marcus Gilbert will start once again at right tackle in place of Willie Colon, who started the first game but was placed on injured reserve following the opener at Baltimore.  Ziggy Hood will play instead of Keisel.

Worrisome, too, will be the status of star receiver Mike Wallace, who is nursing sore ribs sustained in the Colts game Sunday night. Maybe the sore ribs are why, after having a huge first quarter, Wallace seemed to disappear from the game plan.  Let's hope he's okay.  If not, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown will have to step up.

If the Texans make this game a shootout, look out.

Not particularly optimistic, but ...

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls don't feel particularly optimistic about the Steelers' game vs. the Houston Texans on Sunday, but ... this is the kind of game the Steelers win.

It's tough to feel all too good about this game, however, as the Texans view this is as a Statement Game at home. It seems every Steelers' opponent views their match-up with Pittsburgh that way, as a Statement Game, to prove they are just as physically rough-and-tumble as the Steelers. 

The trouble is, some of them (Baltimore anyway) are proving to be right. And, as much as Houston's identity on offense is as a high-flying aerial show (they lead the NFL with pass completions of more than 20 yards), their attack is basically ground-based and a successful one at that, averaging 138 yards a game and more than four yards per rushing attempt.

The Steelers must stop the run.  It's as simple as that. Last year, stopping the run wasn't even really a question, at an NFL-record 62 yards per game. This year, pheh, stopping the run appears to have become a bit more of a challenge. The Texans have one of the NFL's best offensive lines clearing lanes for a powerful one-two punch in Arian Foster, last year's NFL rushing leader, and Ben Tate, who is averaging 4.6 yards per carry this year. 

It would be nice, too, if the Steelers established their own running game with authority. Y'know, pound the rock, control the clock, keep Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson off the field. Oh, and lest it not be overlooked, running the ball effectively just might help protect the health of our $102 million quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger.

Since 2006, after all, Roethlisberger has taken the most sacks -- by far -- in the NFL.  Roethlisberger has taken a whopping 230 sacks since 2006. Donovon McNabb is a distant second with 168 sacks taken -- a disparity of 62 sacks between the two.  It's not even close.  Running the ball successfully should reduce some of those hits on Big Ben.

Oh, and by the way, Defense, would it be too much to ask for a turnover or three? 

That's all for now.  We'll have to discuss the Pirates' just-concluded season at some point, but for now, the Steelers take priority.  Having said that, some fans surely are relishing a measure of Schadenfreude in the historic freefall of both the Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves.  Do their respective collapses make us Pirates' fans feel somehow better to be merely irrelevant, with yet another 90-loss season?  Hmmm, not so sure about that.

Comments are welcome, below left.

Gonna Have to Do Better Against the Texans

Too old and slow?  That question -- yes, that question -- is being revisited already by the talking heads on the NFL Network after the Steelers' disjointed, breathe-a-sigh-of-relief win last night in Indianapolis.

One thing for sure:  There's room for improvement.  And the Steelers will need to play better, much better, next Sunday vs. the high-scoring Houston Texans than they did last night vs. the debilitated Indianapolis Colts.

Curtis Freaking Painter
As Mike Freeman, a blogger at CBSsports.com wrote, "The Steelers were headed towards one of the more humiliating regular season losses in recent franchise history. They were about to lose to the two-headed monster of Kerry Collins and Curtis Freaking Painter. Think about that for a second."

Granted, Mike Wallace, Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, Mewlede Moore and Ben Roethlisberger all had splash plays vs. the Colts.  As a team, however, the Steelers seemed out of sorts most of the night.  The rushing game put up just 67 yards, the defense tallied just one sack, and the offensive line and the secondary both looked shaky much of the night. Very shaky.  Plus, the offensive line sustained several injuries, the nature of which remain largely undefined -- more cause for concern, especially with the Texans' Mario Williams looming.

One ugly stretch during the first half set the tone.  Soon after the Steelers jumped to what seemed like a comfortable 10-0 lead, Ben Roethlisberger fumbled twice and tossed an ugly interception.  Next thing you knew, the Colts were up, 13-10, by halftime.

Curtis Painter, of Dutch Boy Paints

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls speculated last week we might see third-string quarterback Curtis Painter last night, and sure enough we did.  And it turned out be a good thing, more or less.

On his first series, Painter, who entered the evening with a career QB rating of  9.8 (nine. point. eight), overthrew a wide-open Pierre Garcon for what should have been a 74-yard touchdown strike (where was the coverage?).  On his second series, Painter's fumble after a hit by James Harrison was returned by Troy Polamalu for a Steelers' touchdown.  Painter rebounded, however, to engineer a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to tie the score at 20-20 with just 2:08 left in the fourth quarter.  Et tu, defense? Chinks in the armor?

This is not reassuring, but rest assured: Houston quarterback Matt Schaub is light-years better than Curtis Painter.  And Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson, who may be the best in the game, is way better than anybody the Colts have.  And Mario Williams is a beast.

Unless the Steelers get better, fast, their record will be 2-2 next Monday.  And the "old and slow" talk will continue.

That's all for now.  More, later.

Just one other thing ... 
Michael Vick should just shut up.  

"I just want to know why I don't get the 15-yard flags like everybody else do," Vick said yesterday after his Eagles lost to the New York Giants.  "I'm not going to complain about it.

Oh, yeah?  No complaints?  What's all this, then??  What?  Why he isn't getting 15-yard flags "like "everybody else do"?

Who?  Ben Roethlisberger?  Kerry Collins, who sustained a concussion last night but drew no flag?  No flag.  Matt Ryan last Sunday?  No flag. Drew Brees and Matt Cassell yesterday?  No flags.  Jay Cutler all season?

Really, just what, really, is Vick trying to say?  What is he implying?  Is there an undercurrent of insinuation in his remarks?  And just what is he insinuating?  What?

That slimeball has nothing to complain about.

Leave a comment (lower left), if you are so inclined.

A Bills-Lions Super Bowl?

Both the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions are 3-0 for the first time since Dwight Eisenhower was president.  Well, for the first time in a long time, anyway.  Good for them and their long-suffering fans.

The Bills intercepted Tom Brady four times rallied from a 21-point deficit to beat the New England Patriots for the first time in 16 meetings. This just so happened on the Sunday following the week that the NFL Network repeatedly and lovingly tortured us with aired "A Coach's Life," the two-part paean slobbering over honoring profiling New England Patriots punjab Bill Belichick.  You think Belichick isn't frettng a bit this morning -- "Distractions!"

The Bills are back.  For what it's worth, they are the first NFL team since Harry Truman (for real; literally) was president to win games in successive weeks after coming back from 18-point deficits in those games.  Just a footnote here, but remember guard Kraig Urbik (6'5", 329) a Steelers third-round draft choice (in 2009, from Wisconsin) who was cut before the 2010 season opener?  Urbik is starting at right guard for the Bills.

Oh, and by the way, the Bills' defensive coordinator is Dave Wannstedt, last seen in The Capital of Appalachia as head coach of the Pitt Panthers. 

Oh, and by the other way, the NFL Network will re-broadcast the Bills-Patriots game tonight (Monday) at 8 p.m. ET ... but if you miss that replay, you'll also be able to watch yet another replay of "A Coach's Life" later this week.

The Detroit Lions look legit, too, as they continue to impress in every phase of the game (offense, defense, special teams, coaching).  Yesterday, 72-year-old Jason Hanson, who has been in the NFL since 1992, kicked four field goals, including the game-winner in overtime, to help the Lions overcome a 20-point deficit to defeat the Vikings in Minnesota for the first time since 1997.

The Lions are 3-0 for the first time since 1980 (Jimmy Carter was president).

Detroit now has a division-champion baseball team (the Tigers) and an upstart NFL team.  Good for them and their own long-suffering fans, who haven't had an NFL championship team since Dwight Eisenhower was president (truly; you can look it up).

Fans in Buffalo and Detroit -- two downtrodden Rust Belt cities -- finally have a glimmer of hope and something to cheer.  Maybe there is yet hope for Pirates' fans!  Nah.

Steelers vs. Colts Tonight! ... Prime Time

Never mind Peyton Manning.  

What is interesting to Joey Porter's Pit Bulls is the fact that the Colts have been struggling for a while now: Dating back to last year's Nov. 7 loss at Philadelphia and including their playoff loss to the New York Jets, the Colts are 5-7 in their last 12 games.

So ... Joey Porter's Pit Bulls know the Steelers should beat the Manning-less Colts tonight in Indianapolis.  Yet the Colts could win this game.  They should be motivated:  On prime-time television at home in their noisy dome, they are hosting a prime-time game they absolutely must win to salvage any hope of making the playoffs.

More to the point:  Even without Manning, the Colts have a ton of veteran talent -- even if much of that talent is hurting.  Big-name players who missed practice time this past week include tight end Dallas Clark (foot), middle linebacker Gary Brackett, defensive end Dwight Freeney (abdominal) and defensive end Robert Mathis (chest).  

Even considering their injury list, the Colts could pose considerable problems for the Steelers, especially with their receivers (Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie and Dallas Clark) and pass rushers (Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, who are always trouble).

The Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac today offers a nice analysis of key Steelers-Colts match-ups.  Schematically, he says, the Colts operate the type of spread offense that gives the Steelers problems.  

The scheme will mean little, however, if the quarterback stinks.  Backup Kerry Collins has been awful so far this season.  After two games, the Colts' offense ranks at No. 29 in the NFL in scoring, yards per game and red-zone efficiency.  Collins is No. 28 in quarterback rating, and he missed practice time this week with a sore shoulder.

For all that, as Post-Gazette columnist Gene Collier points out, Collins has won three of the four games he's started against the Steelers:

"Collins, you should recall, always performs well against the Steelers. In four career starts, he is 3-1 because he has completed 63 percent of his passes with five touchdowns and but a single pick; that is a career passer rating against Pittsburgh of 92.6, better than Ben Roethlisberger's career passer rating against the entire NFL.  But Collins retired the first week of July, and try as I might, nowhere in the Steelers 552-page media guide can I locate the club's all-time record against retired quarterbacks.  Kerry only joined Jim Caldwell's mind-bending offense exactly a month ago today, post-retirement, and it still looks a ton more challenging than sitting on the porch."

Yes, it's obvious:  Kerry Collins is not Peyton Manning.  Never mind that.  It bears repeating that the Colts have been struggling for a while now:  The Colts are 5-7 in the last 12 games.

The Steelers can't possibly lose this game.  Can they?

Dissa 'n Datta ... Pirates, Ravens vs. Rams, Tebow to Baltimore?

Having won last night's game vs. Cincinnati, the Pirates must win three of their final five games to avoid 90 losses this season. The Bucs have two more games at home vs. the Reds and three games on the road vs. the Brewers, who clinched the NL Central last night.  Congrats to them, especially former Pirate Nyjer Morgan, a/k/a "Tony Plush."

Adding to the Pirates' late-season "drama," both the Bucs and Chicago Cubs share identical 70-87 records -- so the two now are in a "race" for fourth place in the NL Central.  Such drama!

If the Pirates avoid 90 losses and salvage sole possession of fourth place, it would do a bit (but not much) to help fans feel better about our team's free fall since late July, when they (we?) were in first place. 

This sounds a bit convoluted, but here goes: Of any any team that was in first place after 100 games, apparently the Pirates have managed to post the worst record, following those 100 games, of any team in major league history.  

For the Pirates, then, it's been a tale of two seasons. Which team are they?  The scrappy, spunky, plucky team of overachievers who clawed their way to first place and held onto the division lead after 100 games?  Or, the pitching and hitting-challenged crew that played so abysmally the rest of the season?

Baltimore Bounceback?

Speaking of "A Tale of Two Teams," which Baltimore Ravens team will show up tomorrow to play the St. Louis Rams?  The Ravens team that dominated the Steelers in Week One?  Or, the Baltimore crew that looked lost vs. the Tennessee Titans in Week Two?  Our guess is this is an extremely bad match-up for the Rams.

Are the Ravens Interested in Trading for Tim Tebow?

In the Unfounded Internet Rumors Department, speculation has it that the Broncos and Ravens are discussing a trade of Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow to Baltimore.  This seems unlikely, but stranger things have happened.  With raw rookie Tyrod Taylor as their No. 2 quarterback, the Ravens lack an experienced backup to starter Joe Flacco.  Tebow, however, hardly counts as "experienced."  In just his second year, Tebow has only a handful of NFL starts under his belt and currently sits at No. 3 on the Broncos depth chart, behind starter Kyle Orton and backup Brady Quinn.  Why would the Ravens want him?  Potential?  We shall see.

Flopping, Faking Injuries?

Anybody who has watched any sort of NFL news this week knows a big topic of discussion has been the embarrassingly blatant "Flopping" of two New York Giants defensive players who clearly obviously apparently almost certainly faked injures to stall for time during last Monday night's game vs. the Rams.

Having seen the video, one thing is obvious: Deon Grant and Jacquian Williams, need some acting lessons.  Their flopping so flagrant and obvious, it's embarrassing, not only for the Giants and the two players involved, but for the NFL in general.

It's going to be tough for the league to crack down on this, however, as making on-the-spot injury diagnoses can be a slippery slope.  How are on-field officials supposed to figure out when a player is really hurt?  

In any case, it's too bad that players fake injuries -- it's bad for the fans; bad business all around.  Not that it's going to stop.