Pre-Ravens Observations

Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil vs. Marcus Gilbert and Kelvin Beachum: What could possibly go wrong?  

Everything should be fine.  Then there's Haoti Ngata, Chris Canty and Co., but so what?

The Ravens are an unimpressive 3-3 and showing symptoms of a Super Bowl hangover.

They must be looking forward to taking on an even less-impressive 1-4 Steelers squad on Sunday, but this is a winnable game for the Steelers. Did we really just say that?

What Rivalry?
Yes. On the other hand, as much as we'd like to assume this will be another classic Steelers-Ravens slugfest ... we don't know what to expect.

The impulse is to say the Ravens and Steelers know each other so-o-o well, but they don't.

Both teams have many new faces. The Steelers now have -- we've lost count -- but the Steelers now have something like 25 players who weren't even on the roster at the beginning of last season.

Many of the players apparently have no idea what it means to be a Steeler, and some no doubt have zero comprehension of the longtime, built-up virulent enmity between the Ravens and Steelers.

Do you think Felix Jones has any idea?  Vince Williams?  Le'Veon Bell?

Speaking of whom, the somersault antics of clueless Emmanuel Sanders last Sunday bring to mind the backflip into the end zone Bell executed on his first NFL touchdown a few weeks ago in London.

After the game, Bell said he "tweaked" his foot (Lisfranc injury) during the game. That little comment went overlooked, but Joey Porter's Pit Bulls' ears perked up when he said it because, if you look at the video of his backflip, he came up on his foot hard and seemed to jam it.  He hasn't shown much burst since.

Just an observation.

Congrats and Thanks, Pirates, on a Fine Turnaround Season

There's no shame in three tough losses in a five-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals. Let's look at the big picture. This season helped us close the book on the past 20 years and start a new book. Onward and upward from here.

Go Buccos!

Sending good wishes the Pirates' way. Good vibes are all around this team and, surely, they have "Angels in the Outfield."

Click here to read a remarkable article about Clint Hurdle "making a difference daily with words of inspiration," a fine piece written by Tom Friend at ESPN. Highly recommended.

Hurdle, one of the good guys, is the perfect manager for this Pirates team and this city at this time. "Beat 'em, Bucs!" 

A Waste of Space

Taking a flyer on Levi Turnstile Brown

No, the title of this post, "A Waste of Space," does not necessarily refer to Levi Brown, the left tackle acquired by the Steelers in a trade for a late-round draft choice to be determined.

We're inclined to give Bad, Bad Levi Brown a chance* to prove himself, despite having already had six years and 78 NFL starts worth of chances.

For us, for now, he gets a pass, despite the vivid reports out of Arizona, the "good riddance" comments from fans there, and the very pointed comments of Cardinals general manager Steve Keim and head coach Bruce Arians.

They couldn't wait to get rid of Brown, a high-first round draft choice (fifth overall) who was selected in the 2007 draft ahead of Adrian Peterson (seventh overall), Patrick Willis (12th), Darelle Revis (14th) and, yes, Lawrence Timmons (15th overall).

No soup for you!
For us, Levi Brown gets a free pass, for now, but you know who doesn't get a free pass?

• The Steelers' management team who handed Mike Adams the left tackle job. What has Mike Adams done to merit being named a starter at left tackle in the NFL?  Last year, his rookie season, he did okay in run-blocking for about three starts, but he struggled badly in pass protection and then got hurt. 

• Even last year, it was clear Adams is too slow on his feet.  He struggles vs. speed rushers (as does Brown, as it turns out).  On the left side, Adams's problems against good pass rushers became starkly transparent in his struggles vs. Cincinnati's Michael Johnson, Chicago's Julius Peppers and Minnesota's Jared Allen. Honestly, the Steelers see Adams every day in practice -- what did they expect?

• No free pass for Todd Haley, too, who coached Levi Brown in Arizona and who must have lobbied to bring him to Pittsburgh. 

• And Mike Adams himself, no free pass for him.

EZ Pass Adams and Turnstile Brown.

EZ-Pass Adams, after all, is the guy who was so contrite after failing a drug test at the NFL combine (sheesh) that he practically begged the Steelers to draft him.

It wasn't long before Adams rewarded their show of faith by getting in a jackpot once again this past June, with his 3 a.m. antics when he got stabbed on the South Side.

He wasn't out partying and putting himself in a bad spot? An innocent bystander?  A victim?  Tell it to somebody else. Off the field, Adams apparently did not take his responsibilities seriously; on the field, he has been abysmal.

The word from Arizona:  "Turnstile"
Apparently Levi Brown may not be a much better tackle than Mike Adams, if at all.  A sampling of comments, including these choice barbs from Arizona general manager Steve Keim, as reported by ESPN:

“I don’t think it comes as any surprise that Levi Brown was not living up to our expectations on the field,” Keim said. “At the end of the day we just felt like it was in the organization’s best decision and best interest to move on from Levi. When the opportunity arose with Pittsburgh to make a trade, we jumped at the opportunity.”

In other words, Keim and Arians couldn't believe their good luck when the Steelers approached them about actually sending Arizona a conditional draft pick for Brown, who was about to be released anyway.

More from the ESPN report: 

• "Brown allowed four sacks in four games this season, with three coming in the opener against St. Louis. His vulnerability was defending the speed rush, which exposed Brown’s lack of lateral movement." 

Steelers fans, we ask you: does that sound familiar (Mike Adams)?

• "Brown's inconsistent play ultimately cost him his job, Keim said, which will go to second-year left tackle Bradley Sowell, who was claimed off waivers on Sept. 1. Arians and Keim both felt he was simply their best option at left tackle." 

Ouch.  But wait, there's more -- 

• “I don’t think there’s any risk because the problems that we’ve incurred, I don’t think would get any worse,” Arians said.

Think about that for a second.  They put a scrap-heap cast-off at left tackle because "it couldn't get any worse."  Maybe they haven't seen Mike Adams.  Last but not least, the kill-shot comment, courtesy of Steve Keim, general manager:

• “I think Bruce and I both agree that, at the end of the day ... it was just in the best interest of the organization to move on,” Keim said. “And move on as quickly as possible.”

IN OTHER WORDS, THE CARDINALS COULDN'T WAIT TO GET RID OF HIM!

Finally, one more, from Ron Jaworski, former NFL quarterback and ESPN NFL analyst, who said: 

"Levi Brown is unfixable.  It seemed whenever there was a critical play in the game, it was Levi getting beat. ... I don't know how you make a person's feet get quicker at this point in their career. When you become a turnstile and everyone is looking at that tape right now, saying, 'Man, I can't wait until we play the Arizona Cardinals,'" Jaworski said. "Guys are salivating to get to that side on the defensive end position or the linebacker position because they know they're going to make All-Pro in these few games."

Yikes! 

Where does that leave us?  

• With Levi "Turnstile" Brown on one side and Mike "EZ-Pass" Adams possibly on the other, with Guy Whimper lurking in the shadows, what could possibly go wrong?  

• Ben Roethlisberger gets decapitated? Nah, that won't happen. Will it?

Back to the title of this post: What, exactly, is a waste of space, if not for Levi Brown and Mike Adams? This entire post, that's what.  Don't say you weren't warned.

We shouldn't have even bothered with this entry.  These guys will either prove themselves to be decent players, or they won't.  Time will tell, and it won't be long.

Recent history, however, says they've already had significant chances, and it says past is prelude. If so, it could be a long 12 games. 

*"Give Brown a chance" doesn't exactly have the ring of "Give Peace a Chance," does it?

Take down the Cardinals, please

On a day when one Cardinal (Arizona Cardinal left tackle Levi Brown) gets jettisoned by his team and sent to Pittsburgh, the more noteworthy Pittsburgh Pirates travel to St. Louis to take on the formidable St. Louis Cardinals.

More on the Steelers' puzzling acquisition of Bad, Bad Levi Brown later, for as much as it's worth wasting a few pixels on that shuffling-deck-chairs on the Titanic move.

Back to the fun stuff: True to Clint Hurdle's word, the Pirates won their 95th game of 2013 last night. Now it's on to the real playoffs.

In what seemed like an extension of the three-game season ending series in Cincinnati, which the Pirates swept, it was fitting the Pirates drove the nail in the coffin of the blustering, bullying, braying, whining, hubristic Reds. Aroldis Chapman never even got to aim one of his 100-mph fastballs at an opposing player's temple.

More significantly, last night's game served as a coming-out party for the city and its long-suffering fans. PNC Park was electric; the Roberto Clemente Bridge was pulsing; the Rubber Ducky was glowing; and, somewhere, Roberto Clemente nodded approvingly.

The fans partied on the bridge; on the sidewalks; atop the rotunda at PNC Park; and anywhere a Jolly Roger flag could be hoisted.

In the spotlight, the Pirates did not disappoint. Although Reds starter Johnny Cueto had enjoyed previous success against Pirate teams of the past, he wasn't facing those line-ups. Relative newcomers Marlon Byrd and Russell Martin rocked Cueto with home runs in the second inning, fellow newcomer Justin Morneau contributed a couple of hits, a walk and solid defense, and the only Bucco position player to go hitless was Pedro Alvarez, who produced a run-scoring sacrifice fly.

“(The Pirates) played with some swag,’’ said Brandon Phillips, Reds' second baseman. “When the lights come on, the stars come out. You become a team, you get energy. That’s what they did. It was very obvious. You’ve got to be hungry to get the next level.’’

Somebody should tell the Steelers.

Now it's on to St. Louis, the perennial contenders who won the World Series as recently as the year before last. No doubt, it's a quality team marked by organizational excellence, knowledgeable fans, blah, blah, blah. Enough of the Cardinals. Enough. Everybody knows they're good. So are the Pirates.

Yet while the Pirates edged the Cardinals (10 wins to nine) in the season series between the two clubs, you always get the sense the Cardinals don't take the Pirates seriously. The Cardinals, after all, won the division with their typical late-season run. Baseball is a funny game, though. Are the Cardinals complacent? Do they and their fans take winning for granted? We're just asking.

Nah, the St. Louis Cardinals are too "professional" for that, right? Surely they know complacency can be a killer, right? Right?

We like the Pirates' chances.

Raise the Jolly Roger; take down the Cardinals.

True to manager Clint Hurdle's word, the Pirates won their 95th game of the 2013 season last night, never mind that it was technically the post-season.

Now, let the real playoffs begin.

Take down the Cardinals.

R.I.P. L.C Greenwood

On a day the Steelers lost merely a game, Steeler Nation lost something much more treasured: a beloved family member.

L.C. Greenwood was one of a kind. He was, and always shall be, a core Steeler spirit.

L.C. Greenwood

Greenwood died yesterday of natural causes.

Hollywood Bags carried with him a presence, an aura and a majesty befitting his stature as an original Steel Curtain Legend. He had style, and he let the world know it, and not only with those gold-toned high-topped shoes.

Why the nickname? Wikipedia's L.C. Greenwood page says, "Greenwood was called “Hollywood Bags” because he claimed he kept his bags packed and ready so he could leave for Hollywood at a moment's notice"

More importantly, without L.C. Greenwood, there would have been no Steeler Dynasty.

Even before the Steelers started winning Super Bowls, Greenwood established himself as a fixture and inspirational leader on those upstart teams of the 1970s.  Playing alongside Joe Greene, Ernie Holmes and Dwight White, Greenwood bookended the Steel Curtain's front line of defense.

At 6'6" and a lean 245 pounds, Greenwood was imposing, fierce, quick, mobile, agile and hostile. He was what an NFL defensive end was supposed to be.

L.C. Greenwood vs. Minnesota in Super Bowl IX

More than that, Greenwood was an inspiring, relentless force, and he always showed up in the biggest games. Just ask Fran Tarkenton and Roger Staubach, the Hall of Fame quarterbacks whom Greenwood tortured during legendary performances in Super Bowls IX and X, Pittsburgh's first two Super Bowl triumphs.

Greenwood could have been named MVP of either game.  He sacked Minnesota's Tarkenton twice, including for a safety, knocked down three of his passes and chased him ceaselessly. The following year, Hollywood Bags sacked Dallas's Staubach four times.

Those were just two highlights of countless sterling performances during his long career. Off the field, Greenwood exemplified Steeler pride. He was a character -- during his playing days, and afterwards, when he was an Ambassador for the Steeler Nation and a go-to guy for quotes, remembrances and just to have his presence at Steeler reunion games and other major events.    

Now, only Joe Greene remains from the original front line of the Steel Curtain. Dwight White, Ernie "Fats" Holmes, Steve Furness and now, L.C. Greenwood -- all gone to that gentle home in the sky.

Heaven has a special place for those high-topped gold-tone shoes.  Rest in peace, L.C. Henderson Greenwood.

Mike "EZ-Pass" Adams, Lousy Tackling, Mistakes and Missed Opportunities Lead to 0-4 Record

"The Steelers are doing everything they can to give this game away," said Steelers' radio announcer Tunch Ilkin as the third quarter clock wound down with Pittsburgh trailing Minnesota, 34-17. "The missed tackles, the turnovers, the missed opportunities, and that last penalty -- they keep putting themselves in a big hole."

Jared Allen sacks Ben Roethlisberger (again)
(Photo Credit: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Ilkin might have also noted the dropped interceptions by Ike Taylor and, especially, the sacks allowed by Mike "EZ-Pass" Adams. Similar to what's happened the past two weeks, vs. Cincinnati's Michael Johnson and Chicago's Julius Peppers, Adams got schooled by All-Pro defense end Jared Allen.

Adams may be getting schooled, but is he learning any lessons?  To the layman observer, Adams doesn't seem to be improving, and maybe he's just too slow on his feet to keep from being over-matched by the NFL's better defensive ends.

For at least two of the sacks, Adams just looked lost, as if he wasn't paying attention (which is a little hard to believe). At halftime, CBS's Bill Cowher said Adams "looked like he was tying his shoes on that last sack" by Allen late in the second quarter.

Positives: Le'Veon Bell, Antonio Brown (12 catches), Markus Wheaton and Heath Miller. Emmanuel Sanders made some big plays, too. It wasn't enough. Final score: Minnesota 34-Pittsburgh 27.

This is the Steelers' first 0-4 start since 1968 and, by all indications, their worst team since 1968. They weren't very good that year, either.

Next game: Sunday, Oct.13, at the New York Jets. 

Hopefully, the Pirates will still be playing, on the 53rd anniversary of Bill Mazeroski's 1960 World Series winning home run. 

Game 4: Vikings In London

 A Pennsyltucky Yankee in King Arthur's Court.

Never mind that the NFL is to the UK what MLS is to America.

The Steelers and Vikings square off today at Wembley Stadium, and the game will be broadcast on CBS at 1 p.m. as if it's just another road match game for both teams -- with the poor Minnesotans designated as the "home" team in the NFL's blatant attempt to strong-arm the people (legislators) of Minnesota into building a new taxpayer-funded stadium.

On the pitch gridiron itself, the Steelers should win this game, despite a problematic offense and a defense that seemingly cannot intercept the ball or cause fumbles.

Minnesota has Adrian Peterson, the best running back in the game, but the Vikings also have: 1) Matt Cassell at quarterback; and 2) a defense that surrendered an average of 32 points a game over the first three games of the season.

So, while the name "Vikings" may send shudders down the spines of Englishmen who conjure visions of real-life Vikings arriving in long ships, screaming "Valhalla," and swarming northeastern English shores circa 867-950 A.D., today's NFL Vikings are somewhat less formidable.

The Steelers should win this game. If they don't, look out below.

Enjoy the game.  Tally-ho and cheerio.

Note: The photo accompanying this post is courtesy of Gordon Dedman's British blog, SteelersUK. Thanks, Gordon, and cheers.

First visit to England?

Remember what we wrote here about travel generally being good for expanding your horizons? About how this trip to London specifically should be good for the Steelers -- how it should help them get outside their comfort zone and enjoy some new experiences?

Well, rookie linebacker Vince Williams, seems to get it, if the following Tweet from London is any indication:

Black chicks with these English accents... My Lord.
— Vince Williams (@JohnnyBrovo11) September 28, 2013

Getting outside your own zip code

Travel is tremendous. Getting outside your own zip code disrupts your routine and forces you to get outside your head.

Just what the Steelers need.

As much as they would like to say, "It's all about us," it's not.

The only reason the NFL scheduled the Vikings for this game is to pressure the Twin Cities and state of Minnesota into building a new stadium for the Vikings. It's the same reason the Jacksonville Jaguars are scheduled to play in London on Oct. 27th.

And it's the reason Minnesota is designated as the "home" team for Sunday's game at Wembley Stadium -- the NFL in effect took a home game away from Vikings' season ticket-holders.

As ridiculous as it sounds, the NFL is holding the Damocles Sword threat of moving a franchise to London (never mind Los Angeles or Toronto) as a way to pressure the taxpayers of Minnesota and/or Jacksonville to ante up for new stadiums. It may be a bluff, but Roger Goodell and the NFL apparently are at least exploring the possibility that London and its 12 million people may be a legitimate potential market.

In any case, this weekend's game in London, one of the world's truly great cities, at least forces the Steelers to trod different soil, use a different currency, taste different food, and, yes, even hear a different language, never mind that it may be "English."

This trip should be good for them -- if they get outside themselves for a change and realize they are not all that, after all.

Maybe they'll learn something. They won't do it, of course, but it would be cool if some of the coaches and players paid a visit to one of the big football clubs in the area, Chelsea or Arsenal or West Ham perhaps, and see how they do things. Those clubs are just as big-time as the Steelers, if not more so.

Minnesota Vikings cheerleaders in London

Other Observations
Over the first three games of the season, Minnesota gave up an average of 32 points a game.

The Vikings went to England on Tuesday.

The AP's Paul Logothetis wrote, "Minnesota is staying at a rural hotel outside of London where England's national soccer team usually trains before international matches. A golf course surrounds the grounds. Apart from using the pools and baths, Vikings players have gotten into nightly games of bocci. Coach Leslie Frazier thinks the formula could work."

Sure, go all the way to London, hole up in a secluded training facility, and look at each other.  That should work.

"I watched a couple of soccer matches, and those people get (into) it," defensive end Jared Allen said. "Just don't storm the field and we'll be good."

Uh-huh. Allen probably doesn't have to worry too much about hooliganism. Sunday's game might be a fun diversion for American expatriates, but the English really don't care about NFL football.  Believe it or not, there are other things to do in London.

Take Heart, Steelers' Fans

The Steelers just may be the best 0-3 team in the NFL!  Woo-hoo!!

Better than this week's opponent? The Minnesota Vikings? You betcha -- Minnesota's quarterback is Christian Stinkin' Ponder.

Jacksonville? QB: Blaine Gabbert. 'Nuff said. Tampa Bay? QB: Josh Freeman. Check and double-check.

The New York Giants? They just got shut out, 38-0, for cryin' out loud, by the also-lousy Carolina Panthers. Yeah, although the Giants did beat the Steelers in pre-season, not that those glorified scrimmages mean anything.

The Washington Redskins? The Washskin Redfaces also beat the Steelers in pre-season, but in a real game, with a knee-injury diminished Robert Griffin III at quarterback? Yeah, the Steelers just might be better than the 'Skins, and it's really about time ownership there changes the name of that franchise.

So there you have it. The Steelers are the best 0-3 team in the NFL.  This just might be the worst Steelers' team since 1968, but at least we're (probably) better than four other squads currently in the NFL.

Another reason to live!

"Abso-BUCCIN-lutely!"

Raise the Jolly Roger

Last night was the first time champagne broke out in the Pirate locker room since Sept. 27, 2002, when Lloyd McClendon uncorked 12 bottles of the bubbly to celebrate avoiding a 90-loss season. 

You read that correctly.

There's so much irony here. The Pirates won their 90th last night in that same Wrigley Field locker room and the same place where the Pirates lost their 100th game in 2001, but on that night eleven Septembers ago, McClendon said, "Certainly, we've had some hard times. But we can start to see light at the end of the tunnel. I just thought they deserved it. I'm proud of them. I told them the next time we pop the champagne, it'll be for real."

Little did McClendon know it would take another 11 years for champagne to appear again in a Pirates' room.  It's their first playoff appearance in 21 years. Arriba!

Congratulations, Clint Hurdle and all Pirate Nation. Hurdle celebrated with wink and a clever "Abso-Buccin-lutely!" as his answer to a question in the post-game press conference. Root Sports bleeped it, but Hurdle has coined a new catch-phrase that go into the Bucco lexicon forever.

It's been a long, hard ride.

Last night was their 90th win -- and few people thought that was possible when Hurdle predicted 95 wins in the off-season. Good for Clint, one of the all-time good people.

To gauge how far the Pirates have come, see the Rum Bunter's excellent recap of a "Decade of Decadence."  And that was only one of the two decades!

Congratulations, Pirates. That's a good first step -- a big one. Now you can relax and play -- go get a championship.

Enjoy more excellent Buccos' Bloggers' coverage by the many terrific and passionate bloggers in our Pirates' section of the blogroll over on the right-side navigation column. There are some good ones there.

Image courtesy of Rum Bunter

"The Steelers are who we thought they were."

"The physicality is no longer there. The Steelers are the nail, and no longer the hammer."

-- Deion Sanders

Ouch.

"The Bears are who we thought they were," former Arizona Cardinals coach Denny Green said in an infamous post-game rant following a loss to Chicago in 2006.

Today, unfortunately, so are the Steelers. They are who we thought they might be: a team deservedly winless after three games, including two home losses; a team that can't take the ball away on defense, is in disarray on offense, and has no identity.

As the NFL Network's Deion Sanders said last night, "The physicality is no longer there. The Steelers are the nail and no longer the hammer."

Last night at Heinz Field, the 3-0 Bears were what we suspected they might be: well-coached, opportunistic and disciplined.  The 0-3 Steelers, unfortunately, displayed the traits characteristic of their play over the past 10 regular season games -- and why, in that span, they are 2-8.

Turnover differential highlights one key difference between the Bears and Steelers:

• Over the last 19 games, including Sunday night, the Bears have 55 takeaways (first in the NFL). In the same span, the Steelers have come up with 20 and are still looking for their first takeaway in 2013. 

• In their first three games in 2013, the Steelers have a minus-9 turnover differential. 

In their 40-23 loss to Chicago last night, the Steelers' defense didn't take the ball away -- again -- and couldn't get off the field in crucial third-down situations -- again.

Meanwhile, the Steelers' offense gave the ball away five times, with Ben Roethlisberger being the major culprit, throwing two interceptions (including a pick-six) and coughing up three fumbles, two of which were lost and one of which was returned for a touchdown.

Changes Coming?
Something has to change, and quickly, but the Steelers appear to lack the talent they need to win more than three to five games this year.

Although the Steelers put up 459 net yards on offense, nobody would say the offense is working. NFL network analyst Marshall Faulk observed, "The disconnect between Roethlisberger and Haley is blatant. Roethlisberger doesn't want to throw timing routes, and Haley doesn't want to let Roethlisberger do his thing."

Deion Sanders added, "The rift between Haley and Roethlisberger is imminent. It's going to blow up, any minute. You can see it coming."

Then there's the offensive line: This is not news to anyone, but the offensive line is awful. The Bears got a strong pass rush up the middle, and the tackles are terrible. Right tackle Marcus Gilbert was pulled from the game for a while, and left tackle Mike Adams is too slow on his feet to handle NFL pass rushers. Just like Cincinnati's Michael Johnson last week, Chicago's Julius Peppers schooled Adams all night.

And, behind that awful offensive line, Ben Roethlisberger simply is not playing well except in occasional flashes. He seems to have lost his mojo, and he hasn't had it for quite a while.

There is no solution in sight.

Dissa and Data

• For the third consecutive game, the Steelers came up short on Time of Possession: Chicago had the ball for 31:36; the Steelers for 28:24. This, despite the Steelers having more offensive plays (65) than the Bears (60).

• Last night, the Steelers' offense was 3-11 on third-down conversions, and 0-1 on a fourth down attempt.  For the season, the Steelers' offense is just 10-for-36 on third down.

• The Steelers committed 6 penalties for 59 yards.

• The Steelers dropped four fumbles (three lost), with Roethlisberger losing the ball twice and Felix Jones the other.

Next up:  In London, vs. the Minnesota Vikings.  Surely, the NFL didn't envision "showcasing" two 0-3 teams for its annual game overseas.

The Chicago Bears are Coached by the Dos Equis Guy

Chicago Bears head coach Marc Trestman

It’s too soon to write off the Steelers, but nobody in Pittsburgh should underestimate the Chicago Bears. These are not Lovie Smith's Bears. 

This will be a tough game for the Black ‘n Gold. Remember how Mike Tomlin used to describe the upcoming collision of opponents as "two trains on one track"?  Sunday's contest is not that.

This appears to a matchup of one team, the Bears, coming together and on the upswing – and another, the Steelers, that appears to be falling apart and was described mid-week as being in “panic mode.”

Marc Trestman's alter-ego and doppelganger

The Chicago Bears have quietly – if that’s possible in a metro area the size and prominence of Chicago – the Bears have quietly become one of the most interesting franchises in the National Football League. And it’s happened quickly, too, behind the leadership of new head coach Marc Trestman, a Renaissance Man of sorts who is kind of the NFL's equivalent of the Dos Equis guy in the TV commercials -- "The most interesting man in the NFL."

Let’s take a closer look.

Click "Read More" below to read about the Bears and their new head coach Marc Trestman, whose fascinating backstory describes the circuitous path he's taken to become a first-time head coach in the NFL at the age of 57. Read the story after the "Read More" jump/break below. 

Looking Forward

"It’s a frustrating thing but frustration is a very normal emotion. We can’t let that frustration prevent us from moving forward and getting ready to attack this week’s challenge.”

-- Mike Tomlin

Okay, then, let's look forward to this week's challenge: The Chicago Bears.

Devin Hester

In their first two games, both wins, the Bears have played two of the most exciting, rocking, fast-paced, rollicking, back-and-forth barn-burning contests of the young NFL season.

Led by new head coach and Canadian Football League expatriate Marc Trestman, the Bears edged the Bengals, 24-21, and the Vikings, 31-30. Both games were decided late in the fourth quarter.

On Sunday, the Bears' kick-returner extraordinaire Devin Hester did his thing. With kick returns of 76 and 80 yards, Hester broke his own Bears single-game record with 249 kickoff return yards. He is the NFL's all-time record-holder for kick returns for touchdowns (17, including 12 punt returns for touchdowns), so the Steelers' special teams had better be ready. Hester is a potential game-changer; an all-time great kick returner.

Marc Trestman

The Bears' resurgence this year comes as a bit of a surprise. Trestman, formerly an offensive coordinator with the 49ers, Browns, Raiders and Cardinals, has always seemed a wonky, geeky sort of guy, too smart for his own good. He seems to have learned a few tricks during his five years in Canada, however, and he's brought a steadying hand to a Bears' team that had seemed to drift away from former longtime coach Lovie Smith.

Defensive Takeaways
One trait the Bears' defense carries over from last year, though, is an ability to take the ball away. The Bears have three takeaways in each of the first two games. The Steelers have none. It's something the Bears do well, and the Steelers don't do at all.

The Bears' corners, Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings, are extremely aggressive and opportunistic. They have a knack for stripping the ball from ball-carriers, and they make interceptions, as in actually catching the ball, which is something the Steelers' corners have trouble doing.

On Sunday, vs. the Vikings, the Bears had two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown and one picked off in their own end zone to prevent a touchdown. Then again, it was against Minnesota quarterback Christian Ponder, who may be one of the five worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL.

Still, the Bears are playing energetic football. Their season-opening win against the Bengals may have been the most exciting game of Week One, and Sunday's game vs. the Vikings also went back forth, as summarized by blogger Eric Golub:

"This pinball machine was a thriller. Cordarelle Patterson returned the opening kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown for the Vikings. Devon Hester returned the ensuing kickoff 76 yards and returned another 80 yards. Defensive end Brian Robison returned a fumble 61 yards for a Minnesota touchdown, while Chicago scored on defense with a 44-yard interception return of a Christian Ponder pass. Leading 27-24 with 1st and goal at the Chicago six yard line with 3:30 to play, the Vikings settled for a field goal. That left Jay Cutler enough time to hit Martellus  Bennett with a 16-yard touchdown pass with only ten seconds left for the epic win. 31-30 Bears"

Return From Exile
Having spent the past five years exiled in Canada as head coach of the Montreal Alouettes, Marc Trestman was a surprise choice to take over Chicago's coaching duties this year.  Still, he has 17 years experience coaching in the NFL, and he knows as well as anybody how tough it is to win in the NFL, as reported on the Bears' website:

"In the National Football League, it's very thin," Trestman said this week. "You can see it. We're two or three plays away from sitting here on the opposite side of both games, no doubt about it. You've got to play them all for 60 minutes and if you keep playing you hope good things can happen." 

Despite the 2-0 record, Trestman realizes that the Bears must get better in several critical areas and hopes to see those improvements beginning Sunday night at Heinz Field.  

"The best way to approach it is just take what you've learned, positively and negatively, from the games you've played and try to decipher what you need to get better through both," Trestman said. "I think we've shown to be a resilient football team for two weeks. We've been fortunate to be able to work through adversity.
"Our guys are playing smart, they're playing disciplined, and they're giving themselves a chance to win games in the fourth quarter. That's all you really want to do in the National Football League. You're seldom going to blow anybody out. You're going to have to play four quarters, and every minute counts. If you stay disciplined and stay poised and take care of the ball, you've got a chance."

Something to think about.

In Shambles

Tyler Eiffert

"If we don't shore things up, we won't win a game. Simple as that. It's not mystical."
-- Steeler safety Ryan Clark, following Monday night's loss to the Bengals

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls don't know what's worse, watching the Steelers disintegrate into the worst Pittsburgh team since, when? 1968? ... or watching the likes of Warren Sapp, Ray Lewis and Michael Irvin gloating, gleefully, over the Steelers' demise.

We wouldn't care about the latter, if there was something that could be done about the former.

Unfortunately, this year's edition of the Steelers is not talented enough, and there are no quick fixes in sight.

Time of possession, which the Steelers used to own, is one indicator of how bad things have gotten: The Bengals had the ball for more than 35 minutes. Last week, the Titans had the ball for 34 minutes. If that trend continues, and there is no sign that it won't, it will be a very long season.

The running game: bottled up

The Steelers' offense stinks out loud. 
For the second consecutive game, the Steelers mustered just 14 first downs and managed to convert just three of 12 third-down opportunities. The running game produced just 44 yards (a 2.8 yard average).

Over the first 23 minutes of the second half, the offense mustered all of minus-two yards. The offensive line allowed only two sacks, but opened no lanes for the running backs.

Cincinnati defensive end Michael Johnson owned left tackle Mike Adams.  Jericho Cotchery had a bad game, and that's being kind. And David Paulson looked like a good high-school tight end, specifically on the fumble he didn't bother to cover after his biggest catch of the night.

And, frankly, Ben Roethlsberger looked ordinary, at best. Again.

The Steelers' defense isn't getting it done, either
The defense surrendered 407 yards and, once again, the Steelers forced zero turnovers and had zero sacks. It had trouble getting off the field on third down.  Again.  And the defense had no answer for tight ends Tyler Eiffert and Jermaine Gresham, who racked up 130 yards receiving.

Not enough talent
There's no explanation for the lack of plays by the defense, other than a lack of talent, specifically playmakers, which is the point that Ryan Clark seemed to be making after the game:

"It’s not a lack of focus. It’s not a lack of studying. It’s not a lack of anything to do with preparation. It’s a lack of getting on the field and doing your job. ... Someone has to make a play. You have to do something. ... I think we heard a lot of let’s go make a play, when it used to be ‘Let’s go play’.”

Tyler Eiffert being chased by Ike Taylor

Speaking of talent, Cincinnati's rookies Tyler Eiffert and Giovanni Bernard have it. Eiffert looks like he will be a thorn in the Steelers' side for years, and Bernard looks like the running back the Steelers hoped they were getting last year in Chris Rainey.  On his 27-yard catch-and-run, Bernard simply out-ran the angle held by Ryan Clark and Jarvis Jones.

Until Heath Miller returns, the Steelers have no viable tight ends. Last night, the Steelers had David Paulson and David Johnson at tight end. The Bengals had Tyler Eiffert and Jermaine Gresham.

On the plus side 
Rookie linebacker Jarvis Jones showed some life and certainly looks like he should get more playing time. It's time to finally end the Jason Worilds experiment. Center Fernando Velasco played okay.  Rookie receiver Derrick Moye made a nice catch on the fade throw in the end zone. Ike Taylor more or less contained A.J. Green but was constantly forced to tackle the catch. Antonio Brown averaged 18.5 yards on two punt returns. And, yes, we're reaching here, but Zoltan Mesko averaged 46.6 yards on seven punts for an average net of 42.7 yards.

Whoopee.

One last point
Andy Dalton is a better quarterback than Tennessee's Jake Locker, but Chicago's Jay Cutler is a much better quarterback than Andy Dalton. And that brings us to ...

Next game: Another prime-time match-up, Sunday night, vs. the Chicago Bears, at Heinz Field.

Game 2 Game Day: At Cincinnati

Jack Lambert

"If I could start my life all over again, I would be a professional football player, and you damn well better believe I would be a Pittsburgh Steeler."

-- Jack Lambert

It should be interesting to see how many Steeler fans will be at Paul Brown Stadium tonight. Typically we can count on about 30-40 percent of the crowd in Black 'n Gold.

And that reminds us what Steeler Nation is all about. We're all in this together. Time to regroup.

Tonight's matchup features enough X's and O's angles, interesting storylines* and potential scenarios to make your head spin.

The one thing Joey Porter's Pit Bulls will be watching out for is this: Is this year's Steelers team tough enough?

They may not have the talent some other teams have, but the Steelers need to regroup after last week's debacle and ask themselves the following questions: What kind of impression do I want to make? What kind of impression do I want to leave?  They're on national TV, but that shouldn't matter. They must look in the mirror, come up with some answers and realize who they are: The Pittsburgh Steelers.

In the big picture, then, to borrow the three points from the inspiring pep talk from actor Terence Howard's coach character in the movie Pride, tonight we'd love to see the Steelers win, of course, and do so by exemplifying the following traits:

• Pride -- The pride of wearing the Black 'n Gold, of being the Pittsburgh Steelers
• Resilience -- From game to game, from play to play, and from moment to moment, nothing is more important that resilience
• Determination -- The determination to constantly challenge defeat

On that note, we close this post with another quote from Jack Lambert:

"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play" 
-- Jack Lambert 

  * * *   

*Storylines:  James Harrison; the Steelers' lousy offense; game plans; injuries; the Steelers' secondary vs. a Bengals receiving corps featuring A.J. Green, Jermaine Gresham and Tyler Eiffert (whom the Steelers had a chance to draft No. 1 but passed on him in favor of linebacker Jarvis Jones, who may have to match up on occasion with Eiffert), Dick LeBeau's defensive schemes; and Ben Roethlisberger, of course, as always, etcetera, etc.

Yeah, lots of angles and storylines to watch tonight.

Fernando Velasco: At the center of it all

The offensive line needs
all the help it can get.

Fernando Velasco may well be the most popular Steeler since Zoltan Mesko.

Who?

Fernando Velasco, the Steelers' new starting center, that's who. 

By all accounts, the Tennessee Titans released Velasco, who was their starting center for all 16 games last year, not because of performance but because of the salary he was schedule to make this year. His release occurred just two weeks ago today.

By releasing him, Tennessee was able to sign a decent free agent center (Rob Porter) who would be “good enough” at a salary low enough to free up cap room. Velasco wasn't making that much money, but Tennessee needed all the cap room it could get to sign key free agents like guard Andy Veltre, tight end Delanie Walker and safeties Bernard Pollard and George Wilson, all of whom are considered keys to their rebuilding (as we saw last Sunday vs. the Steelers).

Dermontti Dawson, Hall of Famer

A different type of center

Joey Porter’s Pit Bulls take with a grain of salt the Pro Football Focus player rankings, but there is something to them -- they do have some merit.  Pro Football Focus rated Fernando Velasco the 11th-best center in 2012 and Pouncey No. 25. That’s a big difference and, while it may not be entirely accurate, it suggests the anticipated drop-off from Pouncey to Velasco may not be so bad. Actually, that ranking suggests Velasco is the better center, but we in Steeler Nation don't believe that could be possible, do we? Eh? Do we?

The fact that Velasco is going to start just six days after being signed points to just how dire the situation might be if he weren’t here. And, in fact, he may be pretty good.

What becomes of the zone-blocking scheme?

The big question will be the effect on the new zone-blocking scheme. Steel City Blitz makes an interesting point that Velasco is more of a stay-at-home center than the mobile type usually associated with the zone-blocking scheme.

The Steelers counted on Pouncey to move laterally, but apparently Velasco is a conventional type whose strength is controlling up-the-middle bull rushers like Baltimore's Haloti Ngata. And that’s not a bad thing, not at all, if he's any good at it.

Mike Webster,
Hall of Famer

If Velasco is a less-mobile center than the Steelers were planning to have (i.e., Pouncey), presumably he is not going to be able to move as much laterally on pulls and swing passes, etc.  Does that mean the new zone-blocking scheme will not work as planned?  Will Todd Haley and Jack Bicknell have to scale back or mix up their schemes?

One thing for sure: The running backs just have to perform better (and that includes their blocking). Right now, believe it or not, Felix Jones may be the best fit for the zone-blocking scheme, and that makes you wonder why the Steelers implemented a scheme that may not be suited to the skills of at least half their RB personnel (Isaac Redman and [help us] Jonathan Dwyer). We shall see.

A stabilizing force -- just what they need?

For all that, Fernando Velasco may be just what the doctor ordered, especially considering the types of  nose tackles and defensive fronts that have given the Steelers trouble the past few years, including Haloti Ngata and Cincinnati's relentless Geno Atkins and Domata Peko,  the tandem we will see on Monday night and who are no vacation, by any measure.

Ray Mansfield (left), The Ol' Ranger

No doubt, the Steelers got a bad break losing Pouncey, although the quality of his play over the past two seasons remains up for debate. They got lucky, however, when Velasco was still available.

Right now, following the loss of Pouncey, he appears to be just what they need at the center position. Unfortunately, they still need a lot more help along the offensive line, especially at both tackle positions. Over at Steelers Depot Jeremy Hritz discusses the woes of the offensive line in this piece, and fellow writer Matthew Marczi offers his take here.

Velasco alone won't solve the Steeler’s offensive line problems, but he should stabilize the middle of the pocket and protect Ben.

Good pickup. Fernando Velasco just might become the linchpin of the Pittsburgh offensive line. That statement was inconceivable just one week ago, considering most Steeler fans had never heard of the guy.

Yet here we are.

"Obviously"

To use Mike Tomlin's latest favorite word -- "Obviously" -- the Steelers head coach obviously wasn't watching the same game the rest of us saw on Sunday.

The statements Tomlin made at his news conference today are alarming. He's either deluding himself or trying to bullshit the rest of us.

Tomlin said the Steelers' loss was "not all bad," but he couldn't possibly believe that. There was nothing good that came out of that game. Nothing. It was all bad.

"An explosive play or two" away from being in the game was how Tomlin described it. Yeah, and Tennessee was an explosive play or two away from making the game a complete rout.

The fact is, the Steelers got outplayed and outcoached in every facet of the game, any way you look at it.

And Tomlin's claim that the Steelers were "fortunate" no other team signed Jonathan Dwyer after Pittsburgh cut him? Hey, coach? There's a reason for that. Dwyer is unreliable, soft, and simply doesn't have what it takes to be consistently successful in the NFL. Nobody else -- not even the Browns, Jaguars or Jets -- wanted him. He stinks. That's why no other team picked him up. Obviously.

Instead of signing Dwyer, the Steelers would have been better off adding a clock-management expert to the payroll because Tomlin's in-game clock management has proven to be questionable, at best. "Lousy" would be another word for it.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls like Mike Tomlin, but this is ridiculous. Don't piss down our backs and try to tell us it's raining.

Still Not Good Enough

Jack Splat wouldn't stand for this.

To all those people who say the Steelers' defense didn't lose the game on Sunday, here are two points for your consideration:

1. The defense may not have lost the game, but the defense didn't win the game, either. No takeaways. Again. Not enough of a pass rush. Again. Failure to get off the field on third down in crucial situations. Just like last year. Allowing a torturous 12-play scoring drive just before halftime -- a drive marked by 11 running plays. During that drive, for the most part, the Titans rammed the ball between the tackles and right up the heart of the Steelers' defense. That sort of thing cannot be allowed to continue.
2. Consider the quality of the opposing quarterback (Jake Locker). The Steelers will see better quarterbacks, and better receivers, starting next Monday night in Cincinnati. Whether Andy Dalton is better than Jake Locker may be debatable, but there is no doubt that Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green is much better than Kenny Britt, Nate Washington and Kendall Wright (who was not 100 percent vs. the Steelers in any case). Joe Flacco and Aaron Rodgers are also on the Steelers' schedule this year, and one thing's for sure: They're way, way better than Jake Locker. 

The defense has to do more.

Links Worth a Look:

• Behind the Steel Curtain:  Are we witnessing the fall of the House of Colbert?
• Steel City Blitz: Did the Direction of the Steelers Turn on One Awful Night?
• Steel Curtain Rising: Steelers Roll Snake Eyes
• That's Church: What They're Really Thinking: Burst Bubble Edition
• Steelers Depot: Steelers Defense Still Lacks Splash
• Bob Labriola: Labriola on Loss to the Titans
• Steel City Blitz: Stop with the Bring Back Cowher Nonsense

"Inexcusable. Not good enough. Unacceptable."

Isaac Redman fumbles.  Photo courtesy of Titansonline.com

A safety to open the game.

That was pretty much the highlight of the Steelers' season opener, and it was achieved by virtue of nothing they did.

By the late fourth quarter, with about five minutes left, CBS announcer Ian Eagle pronounced, "This has been a nightmare for the Steelers: injuries, poor execution, lack of execution, no running game."

That sums it up pretty well.  After the game, head coach Mike Tomlin said, "Inexcusable. Not good enough. Unacceptable."

Emmanuel Sanders lets the first pass of the season
go through his hands.
Photo  credit: Titansonline.com

On the first offensive play following that gift safety for a two-nothing lead, Ben Roethlisberger launched a perfectly thrown long pass that sailed right through Emmanuel Sanders's hands. Remind us, please, just why did the Steelers match the $2.5 million offer sheet New England offered Sanders? ... who was covered tightly all day and failed to catch another well-thrown long pass later in the game?

After that, Todd Haley's "offense" scored no points in the first half. And no points in the second half until the final two minutes, by which the time the game was lost.

Blame it on the catastrophic knee injury to center Maurkice Pouncey? Maybe, some, but just in part. Pouncey's injury didn't help, that's for sure. About David Decastro's cutblock on Pouncey --why? Pouncey had his man contained. Decastro went to Stanford --he should be smarter than that. It appears both Pouncey and linebacker Larry Foote (biceps) are done for the season. Not good.

DT Jurell Casey tortured Ben Roethlisberger all day.

Not surprisingly, following Pouncey's departure, the offensive line looked disjointed. The Titans mounted solid, steady pressure up the middle, with defensive tackle Sammie Hill hitting Ben Roethlisberger as he released the ball on the second-quarter interception.  Hill and fellow defensive tackles Jurell Casey and Mike Martin tortured Roethlisberger all day and allowed him little time to set up. Kelvin Beachum, Ramon Foster and DeCastro looked overmatched most of the day.

Isaac Redman, bottled up.
Photo courtesy of Titansonline.com

No Running Game
Pouncey's departure also presumably hampered the Steelers' running game, as well. Eye-catching stat: eight rushing yards halfway through the second quarter, with Redman laying the ball on the ground twice (one lost). Eleven carries for 13 yards in the first half.

On the other side of the ball, the run defense didn't look so good on Tennessee's scoring drive of 12 plays (11 runs) for 49 yards over seven minutes just before halftime. For a mere 49-yard drive, that's a lot of plays taking a lot of time off the clock. That sort of drive used to be Pittsburgh Steeler football.

On the plus side, Lamarr Woodley had a good-looking sack, and rookie linebacker Jarvis Jones announced his presence in a big way with a huge hit on Chris Johnson. Whoopee.

From a fan's perspective, this game was torture to watch.

Next game: At Cincinnati on Monday night, Sept. 16th.

Links Worth a Read:

Steel City Blitz: Tomlin Must Address a Plethora of Issues

Steelers Depot: Pouncey & Foote Injuries

Behind the Steel Curtain:  Maybe the 2013 Steelers are Who We Feared They Might Be

Gene Collier: No Excuse for This Awful Performance