What do we know about the Kansas City Chiefs?

They stink. That's what we know about the Chiefs. Let's bury this team and move on.

Then again, the Tennessee Titans and Oakland Raiders stink, too, and they beat the Steelers just a few weeks ago.  And last year, the Chiefs almost beat the Steelers in Kansas City, with Tyler Palko at quarterback and Todd Haley as head coach.

Keenan Lewis's interception: the last play of note in last year's game.

That phugly 13-9 win in Kansas City on Sunday night, Nov. 27, 2011 was a very close call for the Steelers, but a lot has changed since then. The Chiefs fired Haley with three games remaining in the 2011 season, and now he's the Steelers' offensive coordinator, and doing quite well, thank you.

Although the Chiefs finished the 2011 season with two wins, including a shocking upset over the then-unbeaten Green Bay Packers, this year the 1-7 Chiefs are a steaming mess and among the NFL's worst teams.  They haven't been competitive.  Led by coach Romeo Crennel and embattled general manager Scott Pioli, Kansas City has led one game this year, and that was at the end of their overtime 27-24 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 3, Sept. 23.

Lots of Issues and LOTS of Turnovers
The Chiefs have a lot of issues this year.  They're -20 (minus-twenty) in turnover ratio. By comparison, the Steelers are +0 in that category, which isn't great (or even plus/minus), but it's a lot better than minus-20.

General manager Scott Pioli has been in his job long enough to embarrass himself with a reputation for being a paranoid, controlling, small-minded, petty, abrasive, micro-managing jerk who is a lousy judge of people in general and football talent in particular.  Pioli's hand-picked head coach, Romeo Crennel  failed in a previous head coaching stint in Cleveland and appears to be in over his head once again. Crennel even announced a week or so ago that he'd fired himself as defensive coordinator. Hardly anybody noticed.

Nobody's paying attention to Kansas City, and that's one of the worst things that can happen in the entertainment business.  Which, let's face it, the NFL is.

Todd Haley is smiling now.

Just Win, Baby
The interesting angle to this game, of course, is whether Todd Haley would like to stick it to the Chiefs. Of course he would.  Pioli undermined Haley in Kansas City, made life absolutely miserable for him and attempted to destroy his reputation. Approaching this game, Haley is taking the high road, predictably, but he has plenty of motivation.

Interestingly, so do some of the Steelers' players, for entirely different reasons, at least based on what safety Ryan Clark said this week on his radio show.  Clark said it so casually, it was easy to overlook, but he did say that the defensive players have been talking about some of the cheap shots (trash-talk verbal as well as physical cheap shots) taken by some of the Chiefs last year.

We miss you, Troy.

Clark said the Steelers' veterans remember all that, and, yes, he said, there is a little extra juice in the Steelers' prep this week.  It's worth noting (or not) that on a routine play, Troy Polamalu suffered a concussion in that game in Kansas City last year and, arguably, hasn't been the same player since.

So, even though the Chiefs come into town with a 1-7 record and appear to be in near-complete disarray, we expect the Steelers to be ready.  Good.  That's how it should be.  Let's bury their heart at Wounded Knee by the Three Rivers. Hoka hey for them.

Much to Feel Good About

For a 5-3 team that's lost to wretched Tennessee and Oakland teams, plus Denver, the Steelers are finding their stride.

There's a lot to look forward to:  First, Kansas City at Heinz Field on Monday Night.  Then, Baltimore twice in three weeks, sandwiched around a tough game at Cleveland, never mind the 2-7 record.

Let the season begin.

Encouraging signs for the Steelers are many and good.  It all starts up front.  It's like the coaching staff told the offensive line, "Hey, it's okay to be physical."

As a unit, the entire offensive line is jelling and finding its identity.  It is spearheading a multifaceted attack has rediscovered its running game.  Guards Ramon Foster and Willie Colon seem to be playing with a new confidence, and the running backs are following right behind.  There's newfound energy.  All of a sudden, the offensive line is a force.

The offensive line has gone old-school.

Give credit to offensive coordinator Todd Haley. He has devised schemes that (1) play to the team's strengths; (2) protect Ben Roethlisberger's health by keeping him upright; and (3) dominate time of possession.  That last point is absolutely crucial because it keeps the defense off the field and keeps the other team's offense on the sideline.

Also give credit to defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau for once again masterfully devising schemes that expose other team's weaknesses while masking his own unit's shortcomings.

The secondary has improved dramatically the past few weeks -- coincidentally, perhaps, since third-string safety Will Allen started getting more playing time.  Ryan Clark has been rock-steady, Keenan Lewis and Ike Taylor have really stepped up their game, and Cortez Allen has the look of a future starter and a good one.

This team's going to be okay.  Football is fun again.

Back in Business

A great team win for the Steelers on Sunday.  In New Jersey.  Over the reigning Super Bowl champion New York Giants. Who blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead.  The Steelers are back in the playoff race.

Stellar individual performances, too many to enumerate, led the way: Isaac Redman, Emmanuel Sanders, Ben Roethlisberger, Keenan Lewis, Ryan Clark, Ike Taylor, Brett Keisel, the offensive line and the entire defense.

Photo credit: Getty Images, via Newsday

The defense allowed just 182 net yards.  The secondary was terrific, and the front seven held the Giants to just 68 net yards rushing.  The Steelers also limited the Giants to just two third-down conversions (of 10 attempts).  Eli Manning's quarterback rating was just 41.1, for what that's worth -- 10 for 24 passing, 125 yards, one interception and no touchdowns.

On offense, the O-line played extremely well against an exceptionally good Giants defensive line. The guards, Ramon Foster and Willie Colon, were mobile, fierce and physical, especially in run-blocking.  Max Starks was solid as ever, and although rookie Mike Adams had his hands full with Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Co., he did okay, all things considered.

Controlling the Clock
Another encouraging trend continued on Sunday: The Steelers controlled time of possession by more than 11 minutes (35:15 to 24:44 for the Giants).  And when the offense needed a lightning strike, Mike Wallace bolted 51 yards for the touchdown that put the Steelers right back in the game.

The Steelers overcame worrisome in-game injuries (Antonio Brown and Chris Rainey) and flagrantly wrong penalties called on Keenan Lewis (phantom 41-yard pass interference), Ryan Clark (phantom head-to-head contact) and non-calls on Big Ben's fumble and the block in the back on the return.

Photo credit: Getty Images, via Newsday

All in all, a great team win on the road, and Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are glad they played the game after all.  Our misgivings were misplaced.  We were wrong.  The stadium appeared full, and everybody seemed happy to be there.

Maybe the Steelers ought to fly in the day of the game for road trips from now on.

Next up: The Kansas City Chiefs at Heinz Field, 8:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 12.

Travel Day & Game Day in East Rutherford, N.J.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Clark's Tweet @RealRClark25

It's not only Game Day, it's Travel Day for the Steelers, whose plane touched down this morning at Newark.  Ryan Clark Tweeted this morning that he and Troy Polamalu were already at MetLife Stadium: "Chilling in the Locker room with my brother @tpolamalu!! Long time to chill but it will be worth the wait!"

Clark explained on his radio show earlier this week that he and Polamalus like to go to the stadium early, with the team trainers, ahead of the team bus.  It gives them time to relax, get organized and get acclimated.  Seems like a good idea.

Jersey Shore: The real reality show.

Later, it should be quite a scene at the stadium and an emotion-filled day for fans and players.  Some of the Giants' players and their families displaced by Hurricane Sandy had to stay at teammates' homes during the week.

As for the game itself, it's the marquee game of the day, of course, with the spotlight on franchise quarterbacks Eli Manning vs. Ben Roethlisberger.  The quarterbacks alone make this game worth watching, but there's much more.

We keep thinking how Dallas's excelllent tight end Jason Whitten caught 18 passes last Sunday for 158 yards. Eighteen!  It should be interesting to see how the Giants try to defend Heath Miller today.

We worry a bit about the Steelers' special teams (as always); the possible effectiveness of the running game with a not-100 percent Isaac Redman and Rashard Mendenhall; and an exceptional front four on the Giants' defense that has 21 sacks and 16 interceptions.  The Steelers' takeaways on defense pale by comparison.

Other than that, the Steelers have a lot going for them today. Seriously.  The Giants' defense has surrendered a ton of big plays; the Steelers have shown all season that they can carry time-of-possession; and Mike Wallace is due for a big day.  We're cautiously optimistic, despite the home field advantage for the Giants and the inevitable wave of emotion and intensity given what happened in their backyard during the past seven days. It should be interesting.

Gameday Links to Read This Afternoon

• In New Jersey, The Star-Ledger's Jorge Castillo highlights three key matchups from the Giants' point of view   The No. 1 concern is stopping Heath Miller. 

• Behind the Steel Curtain offers its usual excellent preview.

• The venerable Sean's Ramblings offers NFL picks.

• The Post-Gazette's Blog 'n Gold presents its lively Game Chat.

• Nice Pick Cowher covers all the angles.

• Steelers Depot is all over it, with a prediction and seven keys to the game.

Wake of the Flood

Subway platform in Lower Manhattan

Steelers vs. Giants:  Game on. Kickoff at 4:25 p.m. Sunday.  It seems ill-advised; it seems wrong; but it's on, whether it makes sense or not.

It doesn't make sense.  They shouldn't play this game tomorrow.  Postpone it.  Make it an emergency bye week for both teams.  Something.  Anything.

Vast areas of New Jersey and New York --hundreds of thousands of people -- may not have electricity, heat or clean water.  The trains and subways may not be running, gasoline may not be available for cars and generators, and even emergency personnel may not be able to get to the stadium, let alone ticket-holders.  Yet the game is on.

Maybe watching the game on TV will be good for the people of New Jersey and New York -- those who have electricity and can watch the game, and don't have anything else to worry about.  Hundreds of thousands of people won't be watching TV, whether they want to or not.  They won't have electricity.

At this point, it seems almost superficial to consider the Xs and Os of the game -- how the Giants and Steelers match up.  We should be psyched about this game, but ... it's tough.  Looting continues.  Funeral arrangements are still being made for storm victims who perished just a few days ago.

 What's wrong with this picture? Something's out of place.

As for what's going to happen on the field: This should be a uniquely interesting game to watch.  Historically interesting.  It's reasonable to expect the Giants will enter this game intense, sky-high, on a mission to absolutely dominate, impose their will and achieve total victory.  The Giants have already had a general -- the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, no less -- give them a pep talk.

Will the Steelers match that intensity?  Would they be better to keep cool and focus on the little things: blocking technique, wrapping up tackles, coverage schemes, kickoff lanes, etc.?  Yeah, probably.  We shall watch with interest, but ....

Somehow, we suspect the people in New York and New Jersey have other things on their minds.

The NFL?  What's the NFL thinking?  Its lawyers, advertisers and risk analysts have made up their minds, as has Gov. Chris Christie.  What's he thinking?  What's his motivation?  It's a fair question.

As Mike Freeman at CBS Sportsline rightly notes:

"Imagine a stadium lit up with electricity just a few miles from millions of people still huddling in the dark. Isn't that just as arrogant as the marathon organizers?  Tens of thousands using gas that remains a precious resource?  Chris Christie, the heroic governor of New Jersey, reassured NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell that no resources would be used for the game that would be used for ordinary citizens. That's just nonsense. That's impossible."

Still the game is on.  Somehow, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls can't help but think of the old adage ... 
"When they say it's not about the money, it's about the money."

Blogging is so-o-o 2006: On this date in blog history ....

Happy Birthday!

Six years ago today, in a feckless fit of picaresque jocularity, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls debuted with this inaugural entry on Nov. 3, 2006.

The  flippant, devil-may-care insouciance of that first posting in a land so far away and long ago did anything but foreshadow any sort of longevity.  Six years it's been, however; 2,192 days ... one blundering foot in front of the other.

"Such is life," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said just this week.  Every second is a blessing*, and we're grateful to be here and for everything that's happened.

Six years is longer than many jobs, significant relationships and some lives.  A lot has changed.  Six years?  A lot has changed in the past six days.  Just look at our friends in New York, New Jersey and anybody else affected by Hurricane Sandy or, for that matter, by death and life, by all manner of  loss and gain, rebirth and hope.

Does anybody even blog anymore?  Of course they do, and many do it better than Joey Porter's Pit Bulls.  It takes time and effort, and stubborn, dogged persistence -- and we don't do it full-time or try to make money from it.  It's a hobby; it's a goof; it's fun.

For most people, Twitter, texting and Facebook are easier and more immediate.
  
Well, to quote the character Raylan Givens in our favorite TV show, Justified:  "It ain't easier I'm after."

---  ---  ---  ---  ---  ---
*Click below ("Read More") for the jump to the full quote from the late Jessica Redfield. -- it's worth reading ...

All Souls Day: Day of the Dead

Dancing with the dead.

It's All Souls Day, also known as "The Day of the Dead" or Dia de Los Muertos.

Today we honor those loved ones who gone before us, and those spirits who travel with us, in us, around us, every day -- the spirits, angels and saints, whom we also honored yesterday, All Saints Day.

As noted by Tom Waits, "They say that life itself is really just the dead on vacation."

And somebody named Pierre de Chardin is quoted by Oprah (yeah, really) as saying, "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience."

Cut us a break, it's a good quote.  Or, as the late, great Myron Cope would say, "Mazel tov! Yoi!"

Which brings us to New York.  Or New Jersey, which is where the Steelers play on Sunday.  May the souls of the people who perished in the storms and flooding and fires of the past week or so find some sort of peaceful repose.

Hey, souls of the departed, here's something: Consider yourselves invited, and welcome, to join Joey Porter's Pit Bulls as we watch the game on Sunday.  Come over on Saturday, for that matter: You can help us hand out treats on Saturday evening to the storm-delayed Halloween trick 'or treaters.

Mayor Bloomberg: What took so long?  Really.  What took so long to make the right decision to cancel the New York City Marathon?

For that matter, we're surprised the Steelers-Giants game is still on.  It seems to be.  As much as we love football, we're not entirely convinced this game should be played on Sunday.  In fact, we're not at all convinced.  No.  Not at all.  It doesn't seem right.  Maybe it will do some good, somehow.  But, still.

For what it's worth, the celebration of Hallowed Eve dates more than 2,000 years to ancient Ireland and Scotland. The Celts believed their departed family and friends returned home during harvest time to eat and drink before going to heaven. Being harvest time, food was more plentiful, and some was left out in the evening for the souls of The Departed.

Being who they are, the Irish and Scots viewed it as cause for celebration. Thus, it was in Ireland,  Scotland and England that All Hallow’s Eve (Halloween) became a combination of merriment and prayer; prayer and merriment.

Following the break with the Holy See, however, England’s Queen Elizabeth forbade all observances connected with All Souls' Day. Tight-ass, no-fun prude, she was, and probably not a Steelers' fan..

Eventually, kids started dressing like ghosts, goblins, witches, etc, to have fun and play along with the notion of the dead returning to their homes. The pranksters would demand treats of neighbors … or, you guessed it, threaten to play some sort mischievous "trick" on them.  Which is what we all try to avoid.

Soul, soul, an apple or two,
If you haven't an apple, a pear will do,

One for Peter, two for Paul,
Three for the Man Who made us all.

Enjoy It While We Can

Next up: A visit to the New York Giants (4:25 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 4).  Should be a good game.  And Mike Tomlin's weekly news conference on Tuesday should be entertaining.

Fullback Will Johnson's first NFL touchdown. 
Photo credit: Andrew Harnik, Washington Times

We take back everything we said about the 1934 bumblebee convict uniforms.  They're beautiful.  The Steelers may have been 2-10 in those uniforms in 1934, but they're 1-0 in those uniforms in 2012.  A win is a win, and it's a beautiful thing.

The most encouraging thing about Sunday's 27-12 win over Washington was the Steelers' "swarming" defense against the Redskins' top-rated  running game featuring Alfred Morris and the dynamic Robert Griffin III.  Although Morris averaged 4.5 yards per carry for 59 yards, the defense contained the running game and kept Griffin in the pocket -- six running attempts for just eight yards.

Good job, defense.  Major kudos to Dick LeBeau, Larry Foote, Ike Taylor, Keenan Lewis, et al., but a few things to keep in mind ...

• Ryan Clark sustained a concussion.  Clark is invaluable in the Steelers' secondary, and he may be their defensive MVP.  Troy Polamalu may well return to action next Sunday, but if Clark misses the game vs. the Giants' Eli Manning, Victor Cruz, and Co., look out. 

• Lamarr Woodley's recurring hamstring problem remains worrisome.

• The Redskins receivers had 10 drops.  Ten!  Is that a record?  And just about every pass was right on target and eminently catchable.  The game might have played out much differently had the Redskins made, say, seven of those 10 catches.  If so, Griffin's 16 completions in 34 attempts become 23-34 passing for something more than the 177 yards he gained in the air.  It's worth mentioning, if only because the Giants will not drop 10 passes.

Griffin is terrific, and he's only going to get better.  What an impressive young man.  He's a treat to watch, and he makes the NFL a better place.

Pope Leo (Leonard Pope) scores.
Photo credit: Don Wright, AP./Washington Post

On the other hand, by contrast, how embarrassing to the Redskins is cornerback DeAngelo Hall?  He's never been very good;  he's always been over-rated.  He's just a loudmouth, bullying punk, and today he got punk'd by the diminutive Emmanuel Sanders, of all people.  Good for Young Money (Sanders).

Looking Forward
The New York Giants blew a 23-0 lead in Dallas, but they won.  The Giants are the reigning Super Bowl Champions and find a way to win more often than not.  The Steelers, having squandered opportunities in Denver, Oakland and Tennessee, now enter the tough part of their schedule.  The Giants don't make many mistakes, surrender many sacks or commit many penalties.  Even so, they nearly lost yesterday's game in Dallas -- and the Cowboys turned the ball over six times.

One other thing to keep in mind:  Dallas tight end Jason Witten had 17 (!) catches for 158 yards vs. the Giants on Sunday.  Heath Miller fans, take note.

Ill-advised and Beyond Awful

The Bumblebee Convict uniforms.  Yeah.  Hideous, foolish, laughable costumes just in time for Halloween.
   

This photo looks like it was taken in the yard under Cell Block D.

Heinz Field will look like the movie set of The Longest Yard on Sunday, when the Steelers don their hideous 1934 "throwback" uniforms -- ostensibly to honor their 80 years of tradition and to evoke an earlier era, but really, let's be honest, to coax marketing dollars out of Nike jersey sales, and to provoke "lively" discussion.  Trouble is, the law of unintended consequences being what it is, the discussion may turn unpleasant, embarrassing and uncomfortable for the Rooneys and the Steelers.

Oakland Alameda: Looking at Real Stripes
After all, how long will it be until some "wag" suggests the appalling 1934 "throwback" uniforms evoke prison stripes and, worse, call to mind any number of Steelers-related legal transgressions, allegations, accusations and all manner of malfeasance, real or perceived, imagined or extrapolated -- all to the laughs and hooting derision of followers of the Ravens, Browns, Eagles, Cowboys, Patriots, Redskins and, yes, even the Bengals and Raiders.  Even the Bengals and Raiders, for crying out loud.

Let's see, where do we start?  How about the most recent alleged law-breaker, Alameda Ta'amu, currently suspended and so recently in the news, facing five felony charges and 10 misdemeanor counts.  He comes to mind immediately, but it is inevitable that some snarky, self-righteous know-it-all will cite all the various sundry, unsavory and unpalatable accusations, transgressions and all manner of other trouble including Steelers past and present, and, yes, you know who they are.  Past and present, even if the accusations have been quieted, charges dropped and lawsuits settled.

The Wild Bunch: Your 2012 Pittsburgh Steelers. 

She's Going to Say It: "Does this make me look fat?"
How utterly stupid.  Whose brilliant idea was this?  And just how foolish did they want to make Steeler Nation?  This is our team.  With those uniforms, we're inviting derision.  And who among the citizenry is actually going to buy these sartorial atrocities, let alone wear them?  Who wants to be a laughingstock?  No self-respecting guy would wear one.  Have you seen anybody on the street wearing one? Chicks?  Knowing women as we do, horizontal stripes ain't gonna cut it.  We can hear her now:  "Does this make me look fat?"

Bring Back the Block Numerals
If the Steelers were looking to honor their proud history, they could have made better choices.  Even the 1960s "Batman" style would have been better, as awful as that uniform looked.  If "the standard is the standard," however, let's get real: The Standard was set by the 1970s Steelers, and that high bar remains The Standard.

The Rooneys should never have acceeded to the smarmy, glib, snake-oil marketing con-men of the 1990s who rounded off the block numerals to make the Steelers classic uniforms of the 1970s emulate the uniforms of the Chicago Bears.  Who in the name of Reebok thought that change would be for the better?

Those rounded numbers suck, and they wimpified the classic Black 'n Gold uniforms worn so proudly by Mean Joe, Jack Splat, Fats Holmes, Hollywood Bags, Pine Edwards,  Blount, Shell, Hammer, Moon, Frenchy, Webby, Rocky, et al.  Bring back those uniforms, once and for all, and ditch the rest.  Funny, but unless we're missing something, we don't recall other classic, time-tested and field-proven styles being tampered with too much.  Have the Green Bay Packers changed their classic look?  The Raiders?  The Yankees?

Finally, we have to ask, not to be nit-picky:  Why 1934?  Wasn't the team founded in 1933?  And, weren't the 1934 Steelers Pirates 2-10?  A fine tradition (ahem).  It took 40 years to shake off the dreaded "Same Old Steelers."  Why on earth did they want to risk bringing it back?  Throw 'em back.

The Electric Robert Griffin III

Welcome to Pittsburgh

Washington Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III has competed more than 70 percent of his pass attempts this year.

Darting and juking like Electric Jello in shoes, Griffin is quick, elusive and routinely flashes legitimate high-end track sprinter's speed.

He can throw the deep ball accurately.  He doesn't throw many interceptions.  He is poised, calm, passionate, exciting, humble, personable, likeable.  He provides a beacon of hope for Washington Redskins fans.

The Blast Furnace

Not this Sunday! 
Not on the slow quagmire of  Heinz Field.  Not in his second consecutive road game, which, for some reason typically takes a toll on young teams just finding their way.  And not against Dick LeBeau's defensive schemes, whatever they may be on Sunday.

To be fair, Griffin has a pretty fair coach on his side in Mike Shanahan, and he has a strong running game behind him, too.  Shanahan has always been the master of zone blocking schemes that turned obscure late-round running backs into stars, and this year is no different with rookie Alfred Morris, a sixth-rounder out of Florida Atlantic University.  And Shanahan has resurrected old-school, 1950s-style option offensive schemes designed to give Griffin room to run, improvise and flourish.  Call it the Run 'n Fun.

Unleash the Dogs of Black 'n Gold

The Redskins have a good team this year, even though their record is only 3-4.  They could win the game on Sunday vs. the Steelers.  Joey Porter's Pit Bulls says they won't.

The Steelers have looked eminently beatable this year, but this is the kind of game the Steelers win.  This is the time of year the Steelers forge their identity.  Their find their resolve.  The game on Sunday could turn into a shootout, or it could be ground 'n pound.  Either way, it should be fun, and full of surprises. 

On a Less Sanguine Note ...

The Honorable Presiding Judge Donna Jo McDaniel was scheduled to preside over the preliminary hearing for Steelers nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu on Tuesday -- just the first step in a long, arduous legal process wherein he faces five felony charges and 10 misdemeanor counts stemming from his alleged actions at about 2:30 a.m., Sunday,  Oct. 14.

It takes a "Plam" reader to know what might happen next.

Ta'amu remains suspended from the team for about another week, which gives the Steelers time to figure out their next step.  We didn't learn anything of consequence from Coach Mike Tomlin's weekly news conference today, but last Tuesday, he said "there are other ramifications" that he is "not at liberty to discuss."  Whatever that means.

Maybe Ta'amu serves the two-game suspension and ... what? Returns to practice? Will he really contribute to the team?   Does anybody really think Ta'amu's mind will be on football X's and O's anytime soon? Is he going to immerse himself in film study and learning the playbook?

It's impossible to predict, but we wouldn't be surprised if the team extends the suspension, based on the outcome of today's legal proceedings.  We have to wait and see.

All's Well That Ends Well: The Steelers Win in Bungle Land

Divine intervention is needed, and always welcome.

Somehow, some way, the Steelers prevailed. With their 24-17 win over the Bengals, the Black 'n Gold are now 10-1 in their past 11 games in Cincinnati.

As much as Joey Porter's Pit Bulls prefer to accentuate the positives, let's start with the negatives because that's how the Steelers started.  In the first half Sunday night in Cincinnati, the Steelers dug a hole that looked like a grave they wouldn't escape.  They started early, and they kept after it with mistake after mistake.

What was more maddening?

• Mike Wallace's first drop that would have secured a first down but instead squelched a TD drive?  
• Mike Wallace's second drop?   His third drop, which would have been a touchdown? 
• Larry Foote's dropped interception on the Bengals' second offensive play?  
• Baron Batch's embarrassing scissors-hand drop of a sure touchdown via Antonio Brown's near-perfect pass off an end-around?
• Roethlisberger's slightly overthrown interception of Heath Miller, who was quadruple-covered because everyone in the stadium knew Roethlisberger goes to him the red zone?  
• Roethlisberger's fumble in the very next possession?
• The special teams penalties by Stevenson Sylvester, DeMarcus Van Dyke, Baron Batch and Ike Taylor?
• The ever-smarmy and smirking Cris Collinsworth, an ex-Bengal, as the color announcer on NBC?  

Despite the win, we're worried, too, Sister.

Or, how about this:  The near-complete ineffectiveness of the defensive line on the Bengals' first drive, as manifested early on by Cincy's running game incessantly pounding Ziggy Hood's side of the line. To be fair, the Zigster later batted down a pass and seemed to play better as the game wore on.

And how about Wallace's drops?  Wallace was targeted 15 times and had eight catches (for a mere 52 yards), but four drops.  If Wallace is playing for a contract, and he is, he didn't do himself any favors last night.

Nevertheless, the Steelers managed a 14-14 tie at halftime, somehow, miraculously, and we're all thinking, "How did they end up tied?"  The second half continued to produce hilarity, hijinks, shenanigans, and tomfoolery -- yet, somehow, by the end of the game, the Steelers had a 24-17 win.

Looking at the Positives
Antonio Brown played sparklingly well, all night long.  Lamarr Woodley had a first-half interception that reversed the tide.  Heath Miller was clutch, as always, and the player of the game.  Jonathan Dwyer ran hard for 122 yards.  The patchwork offensive line did a generally good job.  Ike Taylor and company limited A.J. Green to just one catch for six yards, Andrew Hawkins to just two catches for 17 yards, and Jermaine Grisham to just three catches for 19 yards.  Ben Roethlisberger kept his cool, staying sharp and accurate despite the dropped catches. Finally, the Steelers had a significant time-of-possession advantage: 37:30 to 22:30 for the Bengals, who have lost three games in a row now and are in third place, behind the Steelers.

The Steelers will need to play better next week at Heinz Field vs. an up-and-coming Washington Redskins team led by the electric Robert Griffin III. 

Sunday Game Night in Cincinnati: Home, home on the Road

Antonio Brown returned a punt for a TD last Nov. 13 at Paul Brown Stadium

According to WLWT-TV News 5 in Cincinnati, Steelers fans began streaming into parking lots at Paul Brown Stadium and tailgating early this morning.  They should be in fine shape by this evening's kickoff at 8:20 p.m.   

For many Steelers fans, the trip to Cincinnati has become an annual pilgrimage -- and a source of profound embarrassment for the Cincinnati Bengals, their players and fans, and the Brown family ownership and management team.

Hordes of Black 'n Gold-clad fans take over Paul Brown Stadium every year -- to the point that Cincinnati TV stations make it a news story and local newspaper columnists decry the annual invasion of Pittsburgh faithful.  Well, to that, we say, "It's not our fault the Bengals can't sell out their own stadium."  

Can you imagine Pittsburgh television stations making a news story out of the descent of hordes of fans from a visiting team?  No.

Home Field Advantage for the Steelers?
For all that, we wonder:  Will it matter on Sunday night that the Steelers are 9-1 in Cincinnati over the past 10 years?  The Steelers have lost all three games on the road this season, and they were shaky on the road last season, too, even when they won.

A.J. Green's TD catch last year in Cincinnati.

The Steelers' last visit to Cincinnati, Nov. 13, 2011, produced a narrow, last-minute win. William Gay was the defensive star of the game. Not only did he break up four passes, including one deflection that went to Lawrence Timmons for an interception, but Gay's interception late in the fourth quarter stopped a Bengals drive deep in Steelers territory and sealed the win.

Remember that game?  Not to pick on Troy Polamalu, of all people, but he had a tough day. He looked lost on A.J. Green's leaping touchdown catch in the first quarter. Bengals' receiver Andrew Hawkins was a handful, and at one point, Polamaul reportedly told his coaches to change the defensive schemes to give him something he could sit on.  And Polamalu won't even play tonight. Look out.

Expect to see beaucoup throws in the direction of A.J. Green, Andrew Hawkins and Jermaine Grisham.   The Bengals' running game has been ineffective all season, and the Steelers' defense has struggled to mount a much of a pass rush, defend the pass or, you know, actually make an interception.

Defeat Cin
Having said all that, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls remain optimistic the Steelers will prevail.

If we're not mistaken, no Steelers' team under head coach Mike Tomlin has gone two games under .500.  That's not going to happen tonight.  The Steelers will not slip to 2-4.  After all, these are the Bungles.  And the Steelers have home-field advantage.

What do we know about the Bengals?

What are we to make of the 2012 Cincinnati Bengals?

Sunday night's nationally televised game at home vs. the Steelers is a must-win game for Cincinnati (funny, it's also a must-win game for the Steelers, although nobody associated with the Steelers will say that).   

With a 3-3 record, the Bengals have lost their past two games (vs. Cleveland and Miami) and already have two losses in the AFC North  Division (vs. Baltimore and Cleveland). 

Andy Dalton is Tony Romo Lite
Quarterback Andy Dalton has been up-and-down, on and off.  He's completed 66.2% of his passes, but ... Under his leadership, the Bengals rank dead-last in the NFL in converting third-down opportunities, with just 26.7% converted.  Worse, Dalton has thrown nine interceptions (nine!).  Worse yet, he's tossed costly interceptions at key points -- including a pick-six that led directly to Cincinnati's loss in Cleveland last Sunday.  Dalton has lost two fumbles this season and been sacked 17 times.

This season, Dalton has been Tony Romo Lite. When he's good, he's pretty darn good.  He makes glaring mistakes at inopportune times, however, and when he plays poorly, he's very bad indeed.

Triple Trouble at Receiver

Troy Polamalu had trouble with Andrew Hawkins last year.

A.J. Green is about as good a receiver as there is in the NFL right now.  He's trouble.  Andrew Hawkins (who could have been a Steeler) is a fast, slippery and dangerous receiver out of the slot.  Jermaine Grisham is a big, fast tight end who is going to be a handful for whomever matches up against him (Lawrence Timmons?).

The Bengals don't have much of a running game this year.  Two backups who have hurt the Steelers in years past, Bernard Scott and Brian Leonard, are injured and will miss Sunday's game.  Starter BenJarvus Green-Ellis ("The La Firm") who was signed as a free agent from the Patriots during the off-season, has been largely ineffective. He has fumbled three times (losing two of them), after having never fumbled in four previous seasons in the NFL.

On Defense, Lots of Talent but Spotty Results
The Bengals's defense ranks just 22nd in the NFL in points allowed but have several players who could start for the Steelers right now.

Big Ben, getting sacked last Nov. 13 

Defensive tackle Geno Atkins (6'1, 300), a third-year pro out of Georgia, is a force in the middle and, with six sacks this year, is playing at a Pro Bowl level.  He provides a consistent push up the middle that the Steelers' nose tackles haven't shown much this year.

Fellow tackle Domata Peko (6'3", 322), a favorite of Joey Porter's Pit Bulls, is mobile, fierce and relentless.  The Bengals defensive ends, Michael Johnson (6'7, 270) and Carlos Dunlap (6'6", 280), are more-than-capable pass rushers.

Their linebackers are so-so, but ...

Seven (!) First-round Picks in the Secondary
Cincinnati's secondary has a lot of veteran talent and is loaded with first-round draft picks -- seven first-rounders, including all of their cornerbacks.  Their pedigree, however, doesn't guarantee they always play well.  Notables include:

1. First-round safety Reggie Nelson (a six-year veteran who can really hit) 
2. First-round corner Leon Hall (a six-year veteran back from the torn Achilles that ended his 2011 season and put him on injured reserve last Nov. 13 vs. the Steelers)
3. First-round corner Nate Clements (a 12-year veteran who started the first two games at corner and the last two games at strong safety)
4. First-round corner Terence Newman (a 10-year veteran who played with the Cowboys until this year)
5. First-round corner Dre Kirkpatrick (this year's first-round draft pick who may make his rookie debut after being sidelined with a knee injury and tendinitis since training camp)
6. First-round corner and notorious trouble-maker Adam "PacMan" Jones (now a backup and occasional punt returner)
7. First-round corner Jason Allen (a seven-year veteran out of Tennessee)
8. Second-round pick Taylor Mays (a third-year veteran out of Southern Cal)
9. Safety Chris Crocker (a 10-year veteran who knows what he's doing).

That's pretty much what we know about the Bengals.  That, and we know longtime head coach Marvin Lewis pretty well. Oh, and we're happy to report that former Ben-Gals cheerleader Sarah Jones "adores her teen boyfriend."

A Lot Can Happen in Two Weeks

The Steelers' two-week suspension of Alameda Ta'amu buys time for the Steelers to decide what to do next.  The two-week window spans the next date on the court calendar for Mr. Ta'amu: Tuesday, Oct. 23 -- his preliminary hearing before The Honorable Presiding Judge Donna Jo McDaniel -- just the first step in a long, arduous legal process.

Indeed, head coach Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday that "there are other ramifications" that he is "not at liberty to discuss."

Whatever happens next, with five felony charges and 10 misdemeanor counts hanging over his head, does anybody really think Ta'amu's mind will be on football X's and O's anytime soon?  Is he going to immerse himself in film study and learning the playbook?  No doubt, he wishes that's what he'd been doing last Saturday night.

Ta'amu's prospects for a bright, promising, productive fun and lucrative NFL career are now secondary to his considerable legal troubles -- by a long measure.  He's in BIG trouble.

Maybe the Steelers should bring in Gabe Rivera to speak to the players every training camp.  Rivera was the defensive tackle the Steelers drafted in the first round instead of Dan Marino.  His rookie year, Rivera was paralyzed in a DUI crash.  He's in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

A Slap on the Wrist?
Maybe the Steelers are in wait-and-see mode on Ta'amu. Maybe not.  Maybe he serves the two-game suspension and ... what?  Returns to practice?  Will he really contribute to the team?

All we can do is wait and see what happens after next Tuesday's preliminary hearing.  The Steelers could extend the extension or cut him.  Neither seems likely.  At this point, we have to take the Steelers' two-game suspension at face value.  If he returns to the team, however, more than a few people won't be happy.

Beaver County Times columnist Mike Bires is one of them, as noted in this column.

The 2012 defense? Shades of Keith Gary, Delton Hall, etc.

Mean Joe Greene wouldn't put up with this nonsense.

If there's anything that disturbs Joey Porter's Pit Bulls about this edition of the Steelers, it's the defense. 

What's more distressing, dismaying, digusting? 

The defensive line getting pushed around?

The lackluster play of the linebackers?

The secondary's inability to hold onto interceptions?

Nothing like Mean Joe and Jack Splat
All of the above evoke memories of the mid-1980s edition featuring the likes of  Keith Gary and Darryl Sims at defensive end (Ziggy Hood and Cameron Heyward); Delton Hall at cornerback (Keenan Lewis), and Eric Williams at safety (Ryan Mundy).  That mid-1980s defense got labeled "soft" at one point, and that's not a label any defense wants to have.


Jack Lambert can't be happy.

On Thursday night in Tennessee the defensive line got pushed around on running plays.  It happened in the Jets game, too, and it is a pattern.  Getting pushed back three and four yards -- across the entire line -- is even more disturbing than lack of a consistent pass rush. 

Ziggy Hood and Cameron Heyward have been nearly invisible, although (like Keith Gary and Darryl Sims), they were first-round draft choices.  We need more from them.

Joe Starkey from 93.7 The Fan wrote on Friday:

""Zero" Hood -- or is it "Zip-py" Hood -- had as many tackles as you, me and Sally Wiggin last night.

"That's right, Hood played the majority of the game and not only recorded ZERO tackles but had ZERO assists. That's hard to do. Don't you have to at least fall on top of a pile? Al Woods had an assist, for goodness sake. Chris Rainey had an assist on a special teams tackle. The only notable thing Hood did all night was stage ridiculous flop, trying for a call, after Larry Foote forced a fumble. I wonder if Kevin Colbert and Co. would like to have that first-round pick back."

 

Dale Lolley of the Observer-Reporter, wrote:

 

"The Steelers actually found a way to make Chris Johnson look like something other than a Milli Vanilli castoff.
 

"Johnson averaged 4.8 yards per carry against this once-vaunted defense, with a long run of 13 yards.  That tells you exactly how effective Johnson was.  He was consistently banging out five or so yards every carry."

 

Yeah.  Exactly.  Keith Gary and Darryl Sims might have done about as well.  That's the point.

Do you think this Steelers team can go 8-3 the rest of the way?

It's a fair question. The Steelers need to win eight of the remaining 11 games to finish with a record of 10-6, which may or may not get them into the playoffs.  Considering their play last night in Tennessee, winning eight of 11 games seems unlikely.  Ergo, the playoffs seem a remote possibility.  They already have three losses in the conference.  They haven't won a road game. 

At this point, 8-3 is a steep hill to climb, with a lot of injuries to overcome, and the Steelers haven't even played a divisional game against the Browns, Bengals and Ravens.  This could be a long, dry season.


The second-quarter blocked punt led to a touchdown.

Blunders, Turnovers, Injuries, Penalties and Plays Not Made

Before the game, we thought there was only one combination of factors that would cause the Steelers to lose this game:  Special teams blunders (such as a blocked punt) and turnovers (like a key interception leading to points just before the half).  Both happened. 

Yet, perhaps most crucially, the biggest reason for this loss was the defense failing to make plays when needed.  Non-play of the game, perhaps, occurred when Keenan Lewis flubbed a gift-wrapped interception by scissor-handing a softly thrown Matt Hasselbeck pass that hit him right between the numbers in the fourth quarter.  Clang.

That misplay kept alive an 80-yard touchdown drive by the Titans.  And the Titans ended the game with a slight time-of-possession advantage, which means the Steelers' defense couldn't get off the field when needed.  They simply didn't make enough plays; i.e., key stops and forced turnovers.

Question:  On the blocked punt, did Ryan Mundy, the personal protector lined up between the center and the punter, miss a block on the guy coming right up the middle? 

Maybe it wasn't Mundy's man to block, but we're getting tired of seeing Ryan Mundy miss tackles, chase receivers into the end zone and, now, possibly, miss a key block on special teams.  No doubt, the blocked punt was critical. It kept the Titans in the game, gave them a spark and led to seven points in a game decided by three.

Where are the Plays on Defense?
Just a side note here, but this is leading to a more relevant point about the Steelers' defense: Titans' defensive tackle Mike Martin was a guy who caught our eye at the NFL Combine, and Joey Porter's Pit Bulls wanted the Steelers to draft him.  To our untrained eye, he looked like a viable option in the second round.  Martin went to the Titans in the third round.   Not to say Mike Adams was a bad choice (although he whiffed on a Derrick Morgan sack), but Martin was a handful in this game.

Which is more than we can say about the Steelers defensive line, which was getting pushed back three and four yards on running plays. The whole line!  Watch the tape. 

 

It's never a good thing when your line gets pushed back repeatedly. This entire push of the defensive line has happened before this season, even in the Jets game, which was a win.  That's a trend, and it is a major area of concern.   What do you think is going to happen when we play Baltimore? 

We need more from Ziggy Hood, Cameron Heyward and Casey Hampton/Steve McClendon, as well as the linebackers, especially Jason Worilds. They're not the factor they need to be. They're not making plays; not enough plays, anyway.

Friday Morning Quarterback Second-Guessing

Why did the coaches "defer" on the opening kickoff?  You don't defer on the road. Not to a bad team with a horrible defense.  You take the kickoff, drive down the field, grab an early lead, and take the crowd out of it.

 

Coach Tomlin is being second-guessed for his decision to let Shaun Suisham attempt a 54-yard-field goal.  Fair enough, and not because Suisham's career-best long field goal was only 52 yards, but because it gave veteran QB Matt Hasselbeck a short field.  You know what happened next.  The Titans won the game.

 

Yet Another Question
Did anybody notice that Jonathan Dwyer was a healthy scratch for the second straight game?  Talk about getting marginalized.  Baron Batch looked good in limited play, though, and that is encouraging.  He protects the ball when he carries it (high up under his shoulder pads), and in the limited number of plays we saw Thursday night, he seems to have a knack for finding narrow creases, which he did on the touchdown.

Two more prime time (night) games to go, one against Baltimore at Heinz Field on Nov. 18, when the Steelers will wear their dreaded "Bumblebee Convict" throwback uniforms.  Ugh.  Something to look forward to.

Too many injuries: Maurkice Pouncey, Marcus Gilbert, Ramon Foster, Isaac Redman (knee), Rashard Mendenhall (achilles), Chris Carter and others.

We wonder what Beano Cook would have to say about this debacle. "It's a travesty."  Rest in peace, Beano.

Game Night in Nashville

Jimmie Rodgers: Maybe he can help the Titans on defense?

For the Steelers tonight, it will be just like going to the Grand Ole Opry.

Maybe not, aside from the notion of playing on the  proverbial "Big Stage" -- in this case, a nationally televised game in the NFL's maladjusted accommodation to a TV schedule designed to squeeze every possible dollar out of advertising revenue, audience demographics and data analytics.

Not much to get excited about tonight.

To say the Titans have struggled this season is an understatement: They won one game, surrendering 41 points to Detroit in the process, but their four losses have been lopsided losses -- by 21 points, 27 points, 24 points and 23 points.  Their defense has been shredded.

Yes, she's a Tennessee Titans cheerleader.

The Titans' offense hasn't been much better.  In Sunday's game vs. Minnesota, their star player, running back Chris Johnson, gained just 24 yards on 15 carries.  The Titans enter tonight's game with a backup quarterback, veteran Matt Hasselback, who may or may not have any game left.  We shall see. 

At least their special teams are good.  They have a nice stadium.  And nice-looking cheerleaders.

There's nothing special about this game.  Let's hope the Steelers get through this with a win and without injuries.

Troy Polamalu won't play, and Lamarr Woodley shouldn't play. You never know about road games on national television, however.  Maybe the Titans will somehow conjure up some sort of way to beat the Steelers.  It's not likely, but they have some good players, and ... and ... nah, it ain't gonna happen.

TV Prime Time?
Thanks in part to the TV Monster, the game's not the thing anymore; it's a contrived spectacle.  A Thursday night game is a weekly affair now in the NFL, so this game doesn't feel like a "special" event.

Nate Washington in Game 5, 2011, at Heinz Field.

The NFL "experience" has become diluted. This week's game has come up on us suddenly, with no time to digest Sunday's win over the Eagles. Tonight's game is simply a road game in a short week that, for the Steelers, happens to follow a bye week, with the next game not until the back end of the schedule a week from this Sunday -- making that one a Sunday night game, on the road, at Cincinnati.

It will be Week 8 before the Steelers have just their second 1 p.m. Sunday game of the season.  Week Eight.  Sunday games at one o'clock used to be the norm, something you could count on and look forward to. Now, they're the anomaly.

Well, let's just enjoy the game tonight, though it is a work night, a school night.  Come home with a win, Steelers.