Too many flags

The Steelers committed way too many penalties during yesterday’s desultory, lackluster performance at Jimmy Hoffa Stadium – eight penalties in all, for 100 yards. Here they are:

• PENALTY on PIT-I.Taylor, Defensive Pass Interference, 41 yards, enforced at NYJ 24
• PENALTY on PIT- S.Mahan, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at NYJ 33 –
• PENALTY on PIT-M.Starks, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at PIT 34
• PENALTY on PIT-C.Haggans, Defensive Holding, 1 yard, enforced at PIT 2
• PENALTY on PIT-Aa.Smith, Roughing the Passer, 15 yards, enforced at NYJ 23
• PENALTY on PIT-W.Colon, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at NYJ 43
• PENALTY on PIT-G.Warren, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at PIT 45
• PENALTY on PIT-B.McFadden, Defensive Pass Interference, 8 yards, enforced at NYJ 47
  

Joey Porter’s Pit Bulls can forgive the first-quarter pass interference penalty on Ike Taylor. You could argue that while it did lead to a field goal and accounted for the most yards of any of the eight penalties, it was not the costliest penalty. Other candidates for the costliest penalty would be:

• The offensive holding call on Max Starks, who was in the game as an extra tight end, for crying out loud. Inexcusable. The loss of 10 yards put the Steelers in a third-and-19 situation, where Jets safety Kerry Rhodes intercepted a deep pass intended for Nate Washington. (Rhodes can sky, by the way; he showed serious springs in making a spectacular play).

• The indefensible defensive holding call on Clark Haggans on the ensuing possession late in the first half. The call nullified a change of possession when Jets quarterback Kellen Clemens fumbled the ball out of the end zone. The Haggans penalty also enabled the Jets to salvage a field goal at the end of the half (and, of course, three points turned out to be the margin of victory).

• Roughing the passer, by Aaron Smith, who was flagged for a late hit on Clemens after he threw an incomplete pass on third and 15 with 6:36 left in the third quarter. It did not look like an egregiously flagrant hit. Although the Jets did not score, however, the penalty extended their drive and gave the Jets life at a point when the Steelers had seized momentum.

• Similarly, the illegal procedure call on Willy Colon, with 6:28 left in the fourth quarter, disrupted a Steelers drive that ended when Ben Roethlisberger was sacked and fumbled for a change of possession that once again put the Black 'n Gold defense on the field.

For all that, somehow the Steelers managed nearly a seven-minute advantage in time of possession (35:52). Just goes to show how badly penalties can hurt a team.

Way too many mistakes.

• If there’s any consolation (there’s not) from yesterday’s slate of games, at least we can take satisfaction in the miserable performances by the Ravens and Bengals. Baltimore’s Brian Billick once again outcoached himself as the Ravens lost to Cleveland. In Cincinnati, overhyped quarterback Carson Palmer threw four interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. His QB rating for the day was a wretched 68.5. The Bengals stink out loud. Still.
  

Like the Steelers, the Bengals committed way too many penalties and mistakes. Unlike the Bengals, the Steelers are likeable. So, we’ve got that going for us, anyway.

Exposed

At least Steelers fans showed up yesterday at the Meadowlands. Too bad the team didn’t.

After tallying just nine sacks in their first nine games, the New York Jets racked up seven sacks against the Steelers yesterday. That pretty much tells you all you need to know.

Oh, and the special teams still suck. But you knew that already.

The receivers struggle, too often, to get separation. The defense isn’t putting enough pressure on the opposing quarterback. Questionable play-calling. Costly penalties. Spotty tackling.

Did we mention the special teams? The special teams, yeah, they suck. Still. Especially the kick coverage … which was not helped by that lame punt at the end.

The 2007 draft class, “led by” first-round choice Lawrence Timmons, has been less than impressive. And that’s being kind. Timmons can't even make a tackle.

Well, at least the fans showed up, again, as they always do, on the road.

As the New York Daily News reported:

The Steelers' fans crashed the party, turning the stadium into the Meadowlands on the Monongahela.

"That kind of ticked us off a little bit," safety Kerry Rhodes said, referring to Black-and-Gold, Terrible-Towel-waving fans who appeared to outnumber the Jets' faithful. "I thought we were at a neutral site, somewhere between New York and Pittsburgh."

The Jets were angry, almost embarrassed by the lack of support, but they overcame that - along with a season of ineptitude - to shock the Steelers in overtime, 19-16, yesterday. In what several players mockingly called a "road victory," the Jets beat the Steelers at their own game.

According to the New York Post:

"You had no choice but to notice," Jets tight end Chris Baker said of Giants Stadium absolutely taken over by black-and-gold-clad, "Terrible Towel"-waving Steelers fans who bought all the tickets from the apathetic Jets fans who opted not to show up.

"When I came out for warm-ups, I was like, 'Wow, I've never seen this before.' I was definitely shocked, because I've been here for six years and we've had ups and downs, but I've never seen our stadium with more visiting fans than home fans.

"It was motivation for me, because it was irritating to see that many fans for another team in our stadium. That's why I gave them a wave after the game and said, 'Thanks for coming.' "

Safety Kerry Rhodes said, it "ticked us off a little bit," but he added, "their fans made it fun for us."

"It [ticked] us off," defensive end Shaun Ellis said. "It was weird. It felt like an away game. It felt good to get a road win."

Linebacker Matt Chatham called the fan issue "a touchy subject," adding, "you don't have to guess how it made us feel about it. We're grateful for the [Jets] fans who were there."

And, as Newsday reported:

The Steelers' fans were so loud that the Jets had to use a silent count at times, according to Clemens.

"It was extremely bizarre," Baker said. "I haven't seen that in six years. It was a little disappointing."

Guard Brandon Moore said it felt like Heinz Field, and wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery added, "It wasn't really a good feeling, being in your own stadium and seeing all those towels."

Said Coles: "It was a nice away game. This is the first time I played a home game and felt like the road team."

It doesn’t matter how many Steelers fans will show up in Foxborough, Mass., on Dec. 9. The matchup that day against the New England Patriots looks more and more like a mismatch.

At The Center Of It All

How the Steelers have handled the center position since the end of last season has been puzzling, to say the least.

During training camp, Sean Mahan, Chukky Okobi, Marvin Phillip, Darnell Stapleton, Kendall Simmons and others took snaps at the position (not counting long-snapper Greg Warren). The Steelers opened the season with Mahan and Stapleton. Now, they’ve promoted Marvin Phillip from the practice squad.

As noted over at Blitzburgh Report, it’s puzzling that the Steelers once again are carrying three centers on the active roster (and only two tight ends, by the way, unless you count Max Starks).

More Questions Than Answers
Why are the Steelers carrying three centers? How does Phillip fit in this equation? Where does he fit on the depth chart? What happens to Darnell Stapleton? Does Phillip’s promotion portend a position shift for starting center Sean Mahan? If so, would he move to guard? Does this foreshadow the departure of Alan Faneca? Are we asking too many questions? Do we over-think stuff like this? Do we need to get a life? Never mind those last few questions (we know the answers).

Anyway, it’s safe to assume the Steelers decades-long legacy of stability at the center position is over. Since Buzz Nutter* (pictured above) manned the position in 1964, the Steelers’ centers have been Ray Mansfield (The Ranger), Mike Webster (Hall of Famer), Dermontti Dawson (future Hall of Famer) and Jeff Hartings (Pro Bowler). That’s it.

*It’s worth noting that the Steelers once had Buzz Nutter snapping the ball to quarterback Dick Shiner.

• Too bad about Jerame Tuman and Ryan Clark, by the way. Both have been good players for the Steelers, and both seem like genuinely good guys. Tuman has given the Steelers many good years, and he may be at the end of the line. His season seems to have been finished by injury. Clark’s season, on the other hand, seems to have been cut short by illness (reportedly sickle cell), a medical condition that is much more scary than an injury. Clark was quoted as saying,

“I’m just in pain. You know they told me it was going to be painful situation… …You feel it in whatever you do, take a step, or try to lay down, sit down. You know, I feel a pain.”

Sickle cell is bad, bad shit — serious stuff, and we wish Ryan Clark all the best for a speedy return to full good health.

• As noted over at One for the Other Thumb: Has anybody seen Cedric Wilson lately?

• We can assume newly promoted cornerback Grant Mason will be on kick coverage. Unless you’re at the game, it’s hard to tell who is on kick coverage units, so can anybody tell us … does Darnell Stapleton cover kicks?

• How long will Allen Rossum remain the kick returner?

• We’re wondering what’s up with running back Gary Russell. He was reportedly held out of practice yesterday. Is he healthy? He’s been on the inactive list for every game this season. Last Sunday, the reason noted was “personal reasons.”

• Nice observation the other day by The Black ‘n Gold blog:

“I think the final score of Sunday's Steelers game is taking away from what really happened on the field. That of course being, the Browns offense went nearly three full quarters without a first down.

Second quarter: one first down
Third quarter: zero first downs
Fourth quarter: zero first downs until the final drive with two minutes remaining in the game.

“Joshua Cribbs kept them in the game and almost won it by himself.”

• One For The Other Thumb has a funny poll about where we might find Jeff Reed hanging out this weekend. Also, some nice props for Willie Parker’s visit to the local hospital for children:

“I was very glad to hear and see that Fast Willie Parker's visit to the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh (just so you know, that's not correct English...) was a thrilling experience for the kids …Here are a couple photos from Willie's visit, sent over by the good people at FedEx (they really are very nice by the way, I’m not being sarcastic...hard to tell sometimes, I know)"

Turf Wars

The disgraceful playing surface at Heinz Field has been an issue ever since the place was built.

And it’s about to get worse.

Although both the Steelers and Pitt Panthers will play in North Jersey this weekend, the WPIAL playoffs at Heinz Field begin at 10:30 a.m. next Friday, Nov. 23 (day after Thanksgiving). On Saturday, Nov. 24, Pitt hosts South Florida at Heinz Field.

Then, on Monday night, Nov. 26, the Steelers stage a homecoming of sorts for Joey Porter and Woodland Hills High School’s Jason Taylor in a slugfest with the Miami Dolphins.

So, Heinz Field will have an action-packed schedule over Thanksgiving weekend, including the WPIAL football championships, with all their marching bands, to be followed by Pitt and Steelers games. The field should in great shape by Monday night.

This is a real concern.

Last February, the Post-Gazette’s Ed Bouchette reported results of a poll of 1,498 players who rated Heinz Field as the worst playing field in the National Football League.

Last season, it was an issue, too.

As the estimable Christmas Ape notes over at the excellent D.C. Steelers Nation:

“This is all to say nothing of Willie Parker having to miss a practice the last two weeks, including today, because of an inflamed knee. Willie has proved that he can last the rigors of a full season, but any problems with a knee are a huge red flag. Parker rushed fine on Sunday, but I can't imagine having to cut on the divotastic turf of Heinz Field was helping matters much.”

Joey Porter’s Pit Bulls can’t help but wonder how many injuries the Heinz Field turf has caused, or at least aggravated. As Mike Tomlin says, football is “a game of attrition” — just ask Dwight Freeney and the Indianapolis Colts — and now, the Steelers list Andre Frazier and Lamarr Woodley, both of whom are backup linebackers who play on special teams, as doubtful for Sunday’s game with the Jets because of hamstring and groin ailments.

Watching them slip and slide last Sunday in futile pursuit of Cleveland Josh Cribbs makes us wonder if they sustained those injuries because of the playing surface at Heinz Field.

Just sayin'.

Get Ready

Can you imagine the meetings at the Steelers’ practice facility yesterday?

Bob Ligashesky, the Steelers’ beleaguered special teams coach, must have been sweating under the bright lights.

Because … on Sunday, it doesn’t get any easier.

It’s not that the Jets are a better team than the Browns. But their return specialist, Leon Washington, just might be even better than the mercurial Joshua Cribbs, who tallied 90- and 100-yard kickoff returns this past Sunday and almost single-handedly catapulted the Browns into a first-place tie with the Steelers in the AFC North.

Already this season, Washington has scored on returns of 86, 98 and 98 yards, and he’s averaging 33.5 yards per return.

Familiar Faces

• The Jets must like cornerbacks from Pitt: Hank Poteat (!) starts on one side, and rookie Darrelle Revis on the other. Revis, whom the Jets selected with the 14^th overall pick in the first round of April’s draft, was taken with the choice immediately preceding the Steelers pick, which was spent on Lawrence Timmons (which now seems kind of pointless). In addition to playing corner, Revis may return some punts, although Washington seems entrenched there.

• The Jets will honor Curtis Martin (all-around good guy, surefire Hall of Famer and Pittsburgh native who attended Taylor-Allderdice High and the University of Pittsburgh).
  

• With the Browns’ resurgence, head coach Romeo Crennel probably has saved his job, even with Bill Cowher lurking in the shadows. Of course, if Bill Cowher had been coaching the Browns on Sunday, he would have had Ricardo Colclough returning punts and kickoffs instead of Josh Cribbs.

More on Sunday’s game with the Jets later.

“Paging Bob Ligashesky …”

“One thing is for certain: We stink as a kickoff coverage unit.”

— MikeTomlin, Steelers Head Coach

You know those Southwest Airlines commercials with the “Looking for a place to hide” themeline?

Well, that’s Bob Ligashesky today. Ligashesky, the Steelers’ beleaguered special teams coach, must wish he were relaxing on a remote island somewhere. Instead, he is in “The News” and feeling the harsh glare of the spotlight because there is no place for him to hide. As Gerry Dulac noted in today’s edition of The Pittbsurgh Post-Gazette:

“In the past three games, the Steelers have allowed seven kick returns of 33 yards or longer – four of 42 yards or longer. For the season, they have allowed six returns of 42 yards or longer, including four of 52 yards or longer.”

There is no excuse for the way the Steelers’ kick coverage units have performed all season – and especially yesterday. No excuse – not even the sloppy, dreadful Heinz Field turf, which is a disgrace, as referenced by Cleveland’s veteran kicker Phil Dawson, who calls it the worst in the NFL.

No, the Browns’ Josh Cribbs somehow found sufficient footing as he danced down the sideline on his buzz-killing 100-yard kickoff return in the fourth-quarter, even as Steelers slipped and slid in their vain efforts to tackle him. And, just an aside here, but what the hell was Bryant McFadden doing, as he sauntered down the sideline in tandem with Cribbs? How about fighting through the blocker, Bryant, and at least trying to force something there?

And speaking of “what the hell,” just what the hell was Alan Rossum, the Steelers’ punt return man, thinking when he neglected to field the Browns’ last punt late in the fourth quarter? By allowing the ball to land, he let it roll an extra 20 yards … which put the Steelers way back in their own territory. Which, in turn, gave the Browns excellent field position after the Steelers punted … field position which was negated in part only because of a (borderline) holding penalty called on the Browns’ Darnell Dinkins (a Pittsburgh native, by the way, who played at Schenley High School).

Anyway, as Gerry Dulac wrote in this morning’s edition of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

It might not be possible for a National Football League team to spend more time working on special teams than the Steelers, who employ two full-time assistant coaches(*) to handle special teams.

“Just imagine what it would look like had we not done that?” Tomlin said.

There were other problems as well. The Steelers had only 10 players on the field when the Browns quickly punted late in the fourth quarter,(*) forcing Harrison to run on the field at the last minute. That caused Rossum, who said he was counting players, to refuse a fair catch and let the ball roll to the Steelers' 11.

But that is minor compared to the troubles the Steelers have had with their kick coverage.

*Bold-face emphasis, Joey Porter’s Pit Bulls

As it turns out, Rossum’s gaffe didn’t totally backfire, as it should have, because the Steelers were bailed out when the Browns’ Darnell Dinkins was flagged for holding on the Sepulveda punt that should have been spotted at least 10 yards further upfield. That may have been the tipping point late in the game, as Romeo Crennel noted when he answered the following question in his post-game news conference:

Reporter: “The penalty on Dinkins after the final punt, how big a momentum swing was that?”

Crennel: “It was tremendous, because we would’ve made that field goal if we’d had that yardage.”

That’s probably true, and as Dinkins himself noted:

“At a vital time in the game I blew a guy off the ball and the referee decides to say that I was holding and it costs us the game today. It took us out of field goal position. This game was a matter of inches. Phil (Dawson) missed the field goal by a couple of inches and we would have already been up there if it wasn’t for my penalty.”

So, the Steelers aren’t the only team that makes mistakes on special teams. That’s still no excuse. They got lucky the ref flagged Dinkins on a call that just as easily might not have been made.

Cribbs finished with more yards on kickoff returns (204) than the Browns offense had total yards (163). Jamal Lewis had only 35 yards on 16 carries (2.2 yards per carry), although the Browns wanted to run time off the clock in the second half.

Fortunately, for the Steelers, their big-time players made big-time plays when needed most. On offense, Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward and Heath Miller all were clutch. On defense, James Harrison, the Silverback, once again asserted his monstrosity by forcing two fumbles. He’s turning forced fumbles into an art form and making them a weekly habit.

Another thing about Harrison, who is the special teams captain: He once again demonstrated leadership by not only volunteering to go on punt coverage at the end of the game, but by tackling Cribbs following Rossum’s gaffe. According to Dulac’s column in the Post-Gazette:

“It was so bad Harrison, a special-teams co-captain, volunteered to play on the kick-coverage team after the Steelers took the lead with 3:13 remaining. Sure enough, Harrison, who has played sparingly on the coverage units the past two weeks, tripped up Cribbs and held him to six yards on the final return.”

Harrison isn’t the only veteran recognizing that the young guys aren’t getting it done on special teams (Lawrence Timmons, we’re calling you out). According to Dulac, Brett Keisel, James Farrior and Clark Haggans all said they are ready, if needed, to play on the coverage units again.

Evidently, they’re needed.

Look Out Cleveland

(Chorus):

Look Out, Cleveland, the storm is comin' through,
And it's runnin' right up on you.
Look out, Cleveland, there'll be thunder on the hill;
Bye-bye, baby, don't cha lie so still.

Was Wedn'sday evenin' when first we heard the word,
It did not come by train nor bird.
T'was when Big Ben stepped down to say,
"This old town's gonna blow away."

Chain lightnin', frightnin' as it may seem,
Must not be mistaken for just another dream.
Justice of peace don't know his own fate,
But he'll go down in the shelter late.

(Chorus):
Look Out, Cleveland, the storm is comin' through,
And it's runnin' right up on you.
Look out, Cleveland, there'll be thunder on the hill;
Bye-bye, baby, don't cha lie so still.

Hidin' your money won't do no good,
Build a big wall, you know you would if you could, yeah!
When clouds of warnin' come into view,
It'll get the ol' woman right outta her shoe.

-- Song: "Look Out Cleveland"
by The Band

Beware the Silverback

Tweedle-dee Ed Reed … calling Ed Reed … Ed Reed, is there anybody in there?

The echoes in Ed Reed’s cranial cavity this morning, courtesy of ding-dong pancake hits from James Harrison and Hines Ward, are likely the loudest noise out of Baltimore’s locker room today. Other than the usual finger-pointing and complaining, presumably there won’t be much bluster or braggadocio today from Bal’more linebacker Ray “Scissorhands” Lewis or the rest of the Cleveland Browns of Baltimore, as The Christmas Ape over at D.C. Steeler Nation calls them.

No, not when the quiet and menacing James Harrison — Silverback — did his best impersonation of a Ray Lewis at his best, or in his best dreams, without a knife. If anything, Harrison’s performance suggested the best of a morphed, hybrid combination of Joey Porter and Ray Lewis in their respective heydays.

“It's a little more satisfying because it's Baltimore.” Harrison said afterwards of his monster game against the team that cut him before the 2004 season. (Actually, that would be one of the teams that cut him, as the Steelers’ Bill Cowher also cut him — twice! Nice talent evaluation there, Bill).

The Silverback set the tone early and wreaked mayhem all night: Nine tackles, 3.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, one recovered fumble, one interception, one pass defensed and six quarterback hurries, one of which produced an intentional grounding penalty on the Ravens’ Steve McNair, who looks even more shot than he did at the beginning of the season.

About Harrison, linebacker Clark Haggans said,"They should have put him in on offense and let him run the ball or throw a touchdown."

"I want to know what he ate,” said linebacker James Farrior. “I want to know what he had for breakfast. I want the same thing. He had all of them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, everything. That was one of the most amazing performances I’ve seen out of a linebacker, probably ever.”

Tweet-tweet
Harrison added one extremely emphatic flattening of Reed on a punt return that produced a Pop-Tart fumble recovered by Lawrence Timmons. Later, Hines Ward knocked Reed flat with a devastating block, which forced Reed to the sidelines with parakeets chirping in his head.

Reed, whom Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians called the best safety in the NFL (no disrespect to Troy Polamalu), is a great player. Why was he returning punts?

Genius head coach Brian Billick put Reed on punt-return duty because the Ravines’ regular return specialist, Yamon Figurs has three fumbles already this season. You’d think Billick could have put somebody else back there, say, a backup wide receiver or anybody else. No, Billick had to put Reed, arguably their best player, back to return punts, in the rain, on a slick field. The Baltimore coaching staff sure outsmarted the Steelers on that one, didn’t they?

Nearly Perfect
Billick and his staff also had no answers for Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who had his own monster game. Roethlisberger completed 13-of-16 passes for five (!) touchdowns, 209 yards and a perfect passer rating of 158.3. For all the pregame talk from Arians that the Steelers planned to run the ball, the Ravens’ depleted secondary, playing without starting cornerbacks Chris McAllister and Samari Rolle, proved too tempting a target for Roethliberger. The aggressive and opportunistic Roethlisberger converted each of the Ravens’ four first-half turnovers into touchdown to bury the Ravens long before the halftime ceremony honoring the Steelers’ 75th anniversary team.

Three of those touchdowns might not have happened, though, if not for Harrison’s role in forcing the turnovers that preceded each. For all of Roethlisberger’s heroics, Harrison put on a show that should shut up, once and for all, anybody who doubted whether he would be a suitable replacement for the now-departed Joey Porter.

Of his performance last night, Harrison said, “I would hope it's just a start.” If so, look out, NFL.

Next victim: The franchise currently known as the Cleveland Browns of Cleveland.

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Dissa ‘n Datta

• Roethlisberger’s five touchdown passes obscured the fact that the Steelers did in fact run the ball. Not very effectively, but they did run the ball for 90 yards on 39 rushing plays for a mere 2.3 yards per carry. Well, at least they tried.

• Still, they dominated time of possession (more than 36 minutes), as the Steelers defense limited the Ravines to 104 net yards for an average gain of two yards per offensive play. Let that sink in for a second: The Ravines' inept offense, masterminded by the genius Brian Billick, averaged 2.0 yards per offensive play. That ain't good. Can we anticipate even more finger-pointing in Baltimore?
  

• Steve McNair had the fewest yards passing in NFL history (63) by a quarterback who completed at least 13 passes.

• The Ravines tied a team record for the fewest first downs in team history with five, and they set a record for the fewest net yards in team history with 104.

• As noted over at Pittsburgh Sports & Mini Ponies, "San Antonio" had more receiving yards (110) than Baltimore had total yards (104).
  

• Curiously, the Ravines last night racked up a mere 45 yards on a whopping 11 penalties.

• Ben Roethlisberger is nominated for the "FedEx Air Player of the Week." FedEx awards a $5,000 check to the local children's hospital in the winning player's city. Click on the link below to vote for Ben and maybe score some dough for the local pediatric hospital:
  http://www.nfl.com/partner?partnerType=players-air-and-ground
  

• Not to look past Cleveland or anybody else on the schedule, but over at MSNBC.com. there’s a nice column by Mike Celzic, who says the Steelers are the best hope — no, the only hope — to topple The Evil Empire that is the New England Patriots:
  

“It’s a tall order. Pittsburgh looked terrific against the Ravens. But stopping Baltimore’s offense was as hard as stopping a runaway tricycle, and the Ravens’ depleted defense could no more stop Roethlisberger than a cocker spaniel can solve quadratic equations. In other words, beating the Ravens isn’t what it used to be.”

“And as good as the Steelers looked, it’s impossible to forget that the two games they’ve lost have been to the Broncos and the Cardinals, two teams whose combined record after Week 9 is 6-10. And their wins have been against these powerhouses: the Browns, Bills, 49ers, Seahawks and Bungles. Of that list of opponents, only Cleveland has a winning record. So it’s not as if they’ve been tested by whatever passes for the NFL’s best this season.”

“But the Steelers are all there is standing between New England and perfection. Like Obi-Wan Kenobi was to the rebels, they’re our only hope of stopping the NFL’s Evil Empire.”

“The game will be in New England, which will make it even more daunting for the Steelers. But, if there’s any team you’d want to stop the Patriots’ assault on perfection, who better than Pittsburgh?”

“It should be the Dolphins’ job to stop teams who would join the 1972 Fish as the league’s only undefeated team. They’re so protective of the record, let them stop the Patriots. But Miami is so bad, it might have trouble beating Notre Dame.”

“So it falls by default to the Steelers, and Roethlisberger is the key.”

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Afternoon Addition:

• Here’s what MJD, over at AOL Fanhouse, had to say about James Harrison’s performance last night:

“That was as good of a one-man-wrecking-crew performance as you'll ever see. ... If the Ravens offense played him 11-on-1 last night, I'm guessing the final score would've been about 38-12, Steelers. He was just like Joey Porter in his prime for Pittsburgh ... except 735 times better.

"In fact, if Joey Porter was watching that game last night, I bet even he was sitting there thinking, "Wow, they made a good decision to get rid of me."

Steel Thyselves

"We're going to run the ball," Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said last week, in response to a reporter's question about the game plan for tonight's game against the Baltimore Ravens.

"You mean you're going to try and run the ball," the reporter asked.

"No, we will run the ball," Arians responded, emphtically.

Well, that makes sense, if they can do it. Might as well try early and often, and may as well keep at it. After all, their "pass-first" approach in the two games against Bal'more last year didn't work out so well and, in fact, nearly got quarterback Ben Roethlisberger killed.

So, run the ball. Dammit.

Oh, by the way, Cincinnati stinks out loud. Still.

Bob Sanders? ... or Ricardo Colclough?? Hmm ... tough decision.

Admittedly, it’s easy to look back, second-guess draft picks in the NFL and take potshots at decisions made that in retrospect appear downright boneheaded. So, let’s get right to it and not waste any more time!

Let’s revisit the Steelers’ 2004 draft. It’s timely because, after all, conventional wisdom says it takes probably three years to evaluate draft picks. And it’s especially timely this week, as we consider today's subject: Ricardo Colclough, whose lamentable three-year career in Pittsburgh ended on Tuesday when the Steelers finally cut him after he once again failed to properly maintain lane responsibilities in kick return coverage.

In retrospect, it seems unbelievable that … “With the 38^th pick of the 2004 NFL draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select Ricardo Coclough, defensive back, Tusculum.”

With those words, then-commissioner Paul Tagilabue foreshadowed days of fumbled punts, missed assignments and botched coverages. Never mind that “Tusculum” sounds like some kind of intrusive gynecological implement. Colclough simply couldn’t play. Still can’t, as his new team, the Cleveland Browns, will soon discover.

Just think about that for a second. The 38^th pick of the draft! … the sixth pick of the second round ... AND the Steelers traded up to get him. If you’re a Steelers’ fan, be prepared to get a little sick, if you choose to continue reading.

Are you ready?
Six picks later, with the 44^th overall pick in the draft, Tagliabue announced, “With the 44^th pick of the 2004 NFL draft, the Indianapolis Colts select Bob Sanders, strong safety, University of Iowa.”

You threw up in your mouth a little bit there, too, eh?

Today, the tough, savvy Sanders is a play-making Pro Bowler who is the heart and soul of the Super Bowl champions’ defense. If you’re a Steelers fan, that’s bad enough.

What makes it even harder to take is that the Colts selected Sanders with, yup, you guessed it, the pick they received from the Steelers when the Steelers traded up to select Colclough. With the other pick the Steelers surrendered (a fourth-rounder), the Colts took an outside linebacker from Florida State, Kendyll Pope, who appears to have faded into oblivion. (Makes you wonder about outside linebackers from Florida State, not that we're referring to Alonzo Jackson or Lawrence Timmons).

Anyway, as you watch Sunday’s matchup between the Colts and Patriots, keep in mind that the ball-hawking, sure-tackling Bob Sanders could just as easily have been in a Steelers uniform as Ricardo Colclough … even if that thought does make you a little nauseous. The coincedental fact that Sanders wears number 21, same as Colclough, is no comfort.

All right, all right, we’ll let it go. After all, maybe it’s a little unfair to compare Colclough and Sanders, who play (slightly) different positions.

A more equitable comparison might be, well, in Round 4, with the 110^th pick of the draft, the Chicago Bears selected Nathan Vasher, cornerback, University of Texas: Pro Bowler. Aaaargh. Oh, and for what it’s worth, fifth round: RB Michael Turner, Northern Illinois: Pick No. 154 to the San Diego Chargers

But that’s piling on at this point.

Can You Imagine What This Team Would Look Like Today, if ... ???
Thankfully, April 24, 2004, will be remembered as the day the Steelers brought quarterback Ben Roethlisberger into the fold.

Remember how that scenario played out? Pre-draft speculation had Bill Cowher absolutely in love with quarterback Philip Rivers, who hailed from Cowher’s alma mater, North Carolina State. As the draft approached, however, it became clear that Rivers would be selected well ahead of Pittsburgh’s first choice, which was No. 11 overall. Sure enough, he went to San Diego with the fourth pick as part of the trade that sent Eli Manning to the New York Giants number one overall.

When it became clear that Rivers would not be available, pre-draft media reports shifted focus elsewhere, reporting that Cowher had locked in on guard Shawn Andrews out of Arkansas. In fact, that Saturday’s morning edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette displayed a huge photo of Andrews accompanied by a big headline heralding him as the player the Steelers’ would choose with their first-round pick. Ed Bouchette said so, citing concerns about the level of competition Roethlisberger faced at Miami of Ohio.

As it turned out, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger fell to the Steelers at number 11, and the Steelers had the good sense to take him.

There have been reports since then that Cowher pushed hard, adamantly and vehemently, for the Steelers to take the guard, Andrews, with the team’s first pick (Andrews went to Philadelphia at number 16 overall). Cowher was known to have the last word on draft picks – but team owner Dan Rooney supposedly stepped in and over-ruled him, exerting a rare show of authority (as is his prerogative) in player personnel decisions of that magnitude. Rooney has always rued the day the Steelers passed on Dan Marino, and supposedly, he was determined not to allow the team to miss on the opportunity to draft another franchise quarterback.

We suppose we’ll never know for sure whose decision it was to draft Roethlisberger — but we sure as hell know whose decision it was to bring in Colclough, and who insisted on sticking with him through botched coverages, muffed punts and missed assignments: Cowher.

Spiderman Is Catching On
Speaking of Cowher … speaking of his questionable draft-day decisions, pet projects and problematic talent evaluation acumen … Steelers Digest editor Bob Labriola made an interesting point on the radio last evening: Remember Willie Reid? Yeah, another draft-day reach, in April 2006, and another of Cowher’s pet projects. Labriola said that there were strong opinions in the Steelers’ draft room about taking one particular wide receiver over another. Labriola brought this up because the “other” wide receiver in that discussion will be playing for Baltimore on Monday night. That would be Demetrious Williams, whom the Ravens drafted in the fourth round (111 overall) of the same 2006 draft that saw the Steelers take Reid in the third round (95^th overall).

Initially projected by many as a second round pick, Williams was no secret coming out of the University of Oregon. Tall, rangy and with sprinter's speed, Williams was one of the best receivers in Oregon history, with 162 career receptions and 2,660 yards. Williams' 11 games with 100 or more yards receiving remains an Oregon record, and his 20 career TD catches rate fourth all time. Williams’ nickname is “Spider Man,” for his sticky hands and fluid moves on the field.

Last evening, Labriola made the point that Williams is emerging as the Ravens’ deep threat. Last year, his rookie season, Williams averaged a whopping 18.0 yards per catch and had two touchdowns, including a 77-yard TD against Cleveland. Tellingly, he also converted 18 catches into first downs, including 11 on third down.

This year, Williams picked up where he left off: 19 receptions, 285 yards, a 15.0 yards per catch average, and an eye-popping 15 first downs. Face me Ike?

By comparison, Reid has three catches for 48 yards and one first down this season.

Looking back, Looking Forward
NFL draft-day maneuvers inevitably have a ripple effect. If the Steelers had drafted Bob Sanders instead of Ricardo Colclough, they probably wouldn’t have then drafted Anthony Smith, who looks like a fine player, in the same 2006 draft-day trade with Minnesota that also brought Willie Reid to the Black ‘n Gold. For what it’s worth, Minnesota used the pick they received from the Steelers, the last pick of the second round, to draft quarterback Tarvaris Jackson. That deal’s not working out so well for the Vikings.

Anyway, it will be interesting to watch how the respective careers of Bob Sanders, Anthony Smith, Willie Reid and Demetrious Williams play out.

Ricardo Colclough? We think we know already.

Et tu, Lawrence Timmons? We shall see.

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Footnotes

Ladies and Gentlemen, the 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Class:

1. 11^th pick of Round 1 (11^th overall): Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Miami of Ohio.
2. 6^th pick of Round 2 (38^th overall): Ricardo Colclough, CB, Tusculum
3. 12^th pick of Round 3 (75^th overall): Max Starks, G, Florida
4. 13^th pick of Round 5 (145^th overall): Nathaniel Adibi, DE, Virginia Tech
5. 12^th pick of Round 6 (177^th overall): Bo Lacy, T, Arkansaa
6. 29^th pick of Round 6 (194^th overall): Matt Kranchick, TE, Penn State
7. 32^nd pick of Round 6, (197th overall): Drew Caylor, C, Stanford
8. 11^th pick of Round 7 (212^th pick overall): Eric Taylor, DT, Memphis

Of those eight selections, only Roethlisberger and Starks are with the Steelers today, just three years later, and Starks won’t be here next year.

Article Link

“Big Ben’s Long Wait” - From Sports Illustrated, Sunday, April 25, 2004:

Big John Baker Did This

Former Steelers defensive end Big John Baker died yesterday. He was a fierce competitor and a stalwart on Pittsburgh’s defensive line in the 1960s. When his linemate Lloyd Voss died on March 1, Joey Porter’s Pit Bulls described the foursome as:

“…an extremely nasty, vicious and brutal front four that was the immediate predecessor of the Steel Curtain. Although the team's record in Voss's era was abysmal, nobody savored facing that violent defensive front. Voss's linemates were fellow defensive tackle Chuck Hinton (#64) and defensive ends Ben McGee (#63) and Big John Baker (#68 and size 16 shoes).”

Rough hombres, all four of them, in the Steelers defensive tradition carried on to this day.

Baker’s style of play may have been captured best in the famous photo (above) depicting Y.A. Tittle, the New York Giants’ Hall of Fame quarterback, kneeling in the end zone at Pitt Stadium bloodied, dazed and bowed, immediately following a ferocius hit by Baker.

The following descrption is from Baker’s obituary in today’s edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

“It was Sept. 20, 1964, at Pitt Stadium when Mr. Baker rushed through the New York Giants line and got to Mr. Tittle in the end zone just as the quarterback was passing.

“Fellow lineman Chuck Hinton intercepted the ball and returned it eight yards for the winning touchdown. Mr. Tittle, suffering from a concussion and bruised ribs, knelt in the end zone, helmet-less and groggy, when Post-Gazette photographer Morris Berman captured the image. The photo didn't run in the newspaper at the time, but later won a national award, a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and consideration as a seminal piece of American sports photography.”

“That became Mr. Tittle's last game, too, as he soon retired.”

The above photo never appeared in the newspaper?? How is that even possible??? How does that photo, which has to be one of the greatest sports photos of all time, not make it to the next day’s newspaper?

Here is John Baker’s obituary in today's Post-Gazette.

Willie Colon, the spotlight is on YOU!

After defeating the Steelers by a score of 31-7 on Christmas Eve 2006, the Baltimore Ravens were feeling full of themselves, even more so than usual. And why not?

The Ravens abused, humiliated and traumatized the Steelers for the second time in 2006, as Bill Cowher watched with seeming disinterest, if not abject impassiveness, in his last home game as Steelers head coach.

In that game, Pittsburgh’s offensive line again struggled badly for the second time against the Ravens. The line couldn’t open running lanes for Willie Parker (29 carries on only 13 rushes) and couldn’t protect quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (two interceptions). The Steelers converted only two of 14 third downs, with both conversions coming on penalties.

The team’s embarrassing performance paralleled its first game against the Ravens on Nov. 26, when Parker gained a mere 22 yards on only 10 carries in the Ravens' 27-0 rout in Baltimore. In the two losses to the Ravens in 2006, the Steelers were outgained 634-423 yards and outscored 58-7.

In both games, the Ravens absolutely manhandled the Steelers offensive line and brutalized Roethlisberger. The Steelers couldn’t run the ball and couldn’t protect the passer.

The first game, on Nov. 26 in Baltimore, no doubt haunts Roethlisberger to this day. The Ravens racked up nine (!) sacks, including a brutal helmet-to-sternum flattening by Bart Scott that left Roethlisberger dazed and writhing in pain. Roethlisberger described it as “probably the hardest I've ever been hit in my life.”

It was that “jacked up!” video-highlight hit that symbolized the Steelers’ frustrating 2006 season as much as anything – and may be why Steelers right tackle Max Starks lost his starting job this year to second-year tackle, Willie Colon.

All during the 2006 season, particularly in games against the Raiders, Falcons and Ravens, Starks seemed a step slow in pass protection and was overmatched by speed rushers like Oakland’s Derrick Burgess and the Ravens’ tandem of Terrell Suggs and Bart Scott, who switch from side-to-side in Baltimore’s 3-4 defensive alignment. The Ravens exploited Starks to the point that the right tackle position had to be addressed by new head coach Mike Tomlin. Very early in training camp, Tomlin made it clear that the right tackle job was up for grabs. In retrospect, it was clear that the starting job was Colon’s to lose.

Colon supposedly is quicker on his feet than Starks.

For Roethlisberger’s sake, he’d better be.

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Other notes & links ‘n ‘at ...

• Joey Porter’s Pit Bulls presume former head coach Bill Cowher will watch Monday night’s game on television with a bit more interest than he displayed on the sidelines in the games against Baltimore last year. At least the Steelers will have one thing going for them: A head coach, Mike Tomlin, who will be actively involved and engaged in the proceedings on the field. More cerebral, too.

• Addendum: The Post-Gazette's Bob Smizik says Tomlin was "Born to Coach."

• Rest in Peace, John Baker, former tough-guy Steelers’ defensive end, known as Bigfoot, who played as a stalwart on a very rough ‘n tough front four that immediately preceded The Steel Curtain.

• On Sunday in Indianapolis, it’s Good vs. Evil. Like many other people outside of New England, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are rooting for Tony Dungy over Bill Belicheat and, frankly, we believe the Colts have a better shot at winning this game than most people are giving them credit for. The Colts are at home. They've won their past three games against the Patriots, and 12 in a row dating to last season. They are the first team in NFL history to win seven games in a row to open a season three years in a row. Their defense is even better than last year's edition. And they are the reigning Super Bowl champs. Plus, the Patriots have invoked some very bad karma this year. Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but we believe theColts actually should win this game.

• One for the Other Thumb believe there is proof-positive that God has a sense of humor, as the Cleveland Browns have claimed Ricardo Coclough after he was waived on Tuesday by the Steelers.

• For old times sake, SteelerTribute displays the mug shot of Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, whose current situation is discussed in some detail over at Die Hard Steel.

• Of course, we all know that Ray Lewis is not a murdering thug, right? We must remember the murder charges against Ray Lewis were dropped in June 2000. No, Ray Lewis did not kill those men (Jacinth Baker and Richard Lollar), according to the law. Neither did his two friends, according to the law. They were acquitted, even after prosecutors talked Lewis into taking the stand against them. So, as Lewis was alleged to have said, “Just keep your mouth shut and don’t say nothing.”

• On a more upbeat note, the Pittsburgh Pirates reportedly plan to interview White Sox bench coach Joey Cora, who supposedly has been very highly regarded at every stop throughout his coaching, managing and playing careeer. Just a hunch, but Cora might be an excellent choice as the Pirates’ next manager. Lord knows they need help.
  

It’s Hallowed Eve: Buenos Dia de Los Muertos

I went down to the St James Infirmary,
Saw my baby there,
Stretched out on a long white table,
So sweet ... so cold ... so fair.

Let her go ... let her go ... God bless her,
Wherever she may be,
She can look this wide world over,
But she’ll never find a sweet man like me.

When I die want you to dress me in straight lace shoes.
I wanna a boxback coat and a Stetson hat,
Put a $20 gold piece on my watch chain,
So the boys’ll know that I’ll be back.

– Louis Armstrong, “St. James Infirmary”

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

It’s Hallowed Eve, also know as All Hallow’s Eve, or Halloween, the eve of All Saints Day … or The Feast in Celebration of the Day of the Dead … or, Dia de Los Muertos, as it is known in Mexico, where skulls are considered a symbol of life and regeneration.

• This celebration of Hallow’ed Eve is rooted in Christianity, since it is on the eve of All Saints Day (Nov. 1), which honors those who have made it to heaven and “attained the beatific vision,” which Joey Porter’s Pit Bulls would like to see some day.

• The subsequent All Souls Day (Nov. 2) commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been made it to heaven ‘cause they ain’t yet purified and sanctified, ‘n ‘at.

• Got it? Saints first, Souls to follow. "We ain’t jaggin’ around."

• Anyway, 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.

• Beer and booze, however, got drunk – no way was that being left out. No dummies, those Irish and Scots.

• So, in this way, it was in Ireland and Scotland and England that All Hallow’s Eve 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.

• Still, kids eventually 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.

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.

Trick or Treat!

Halloween is a day for malign computer tricks, too, particularly related to the dissemination of computer viruses. E-mails with subject lines such as "Happy Halloween" and "Dancing Bones" often contain malware with links to Web sites offering users a “fun” executable called, for instance, "halloween.exe," which promises dancing skeletons. How fun! (NOT).

The executable file typically is, a Trojan that will worm its way into your computer, steal your files and steal your face, as The Grateful Dead would have said. Anyway, the best option is to not even open e-mails from sources you don’t know, and avoid launching executables, even if they’re from a friend or relative (who may not know any better).

Just sayin’.

Here come the felons, er, Ravens

For the second time in three weeks, the Steelers on Sunday will be facing a team coming off a bye week. Like their Sunday night game in Denver on Oct 19, this game, too, will be in prime time, on Monday night vs. the Baltimore Ravens. This time, however, the Steelers play at home, for what that’s worth (Heinz Field doesn’t seem to be one of the more daunting places for a road team to play).

Like the Broncos before them, who were coming off an embarrassing beatdown to the San Diego Chargers, the Ravens emerge from their bye week coming off a bad loss, to the Buffalo Bills. Immediately after that loss, the Ravens started sniping, woofing, complaining and finger-pointing – specifically, linebacker Ray “Scissorshands” Lewis complaining about the Ravens’ insufferably smarmy, egotistical head coach, Brian Billick, as well as the offensive play-calling and the lack of production on offense.

Lewis’s remarks prompted this observation by columnist Mike Rutsey:

“Ray Lewis is just about the last player in the NFL to be ripping anybody, considering the baggage he drags along, one that includes dead people.

“But there he was last week on his radio show throwing his coach, Brian Billick, under the bus for the plays he called in the final minutes of Baltimore's 19-14 loss to the Bills in Buffalo. With the Ravens facing second-and-one at the Bills' 49 with less than two minutes to play, Billick had Kyle Boller throw on each of the next three plays -- and all were incompletions. There were enough folks critical of Billick's choice. Lewis, though, shouldn't have been one of them.”

Others were also critical of Billick, according to the Baltimore Sun:

“Lewis' comments were inevitable … Even before Billick had a tough talk with his team immediately after the loss at Buffalo, there were quite a few Ravens second-guessing him.”

Hmmm ... players criticizing their coach? Finger-pointing and dissension?

Sounds like Cincinnati.

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

Links ‘n at ...

• Over at SI/CNN’s FanNation blog, Andrew Perloff says,

“Everyone seems to think a New England-Indy AFC Championship Game is a forgone conclusion,” but, he advises, “Don’t overlook the Steelers.”

• If you plan to drive down the road transporting human heads in plastic bags, it’s probably a good idea to carry documentation. “And, perhaps, consider specifying that you don't want your head in a plastic bag in the back of a truck.”
• We knew this already, but Alex Rodriguez is a narcissistic weasel and his agent, Scott Boras, is a boorish cretin.

Going to That Big Rubber Room in the Sky

Rest In Peace, Porter Wagoner

Some folks drift along through life and never thrill
To the feeling that a good deed brings until
It's too late and they are ready to lie down
There beneath the leaves that scattered on the ground …

To your grave there's no use taking any gold
You cannot use it when it's time for hands to fold
When you leave this earth for a better home someday
The only thing you'll take is what you gave away

– "Fallen Leaves," by Porter Wagoner

Porter Wagoner, not to be confused with Joey Porter, died the other day at the age of 80. Porter Wagoner quit school in the seventh grade to later become a best-selling country crooner and TV star known for songs of heartbreak, an impressive pompadour and outrageous rhinestone suits.

He also was famous for collaborations with stars as diverse as Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and James Brown. According to the The New York Times,

“Wagoner had 81 singles on the country charts, including 29 Top 10 records. His hits included “Dark End of the Street,” “Green, Green Grass of Home,” “Skid Row Joe” and “The Cold Hard Facts of Life.” He was famous for capturing straight up the raw emotions of people living tough lives, sometimes using his speaking voice in an old-time country technique called recitation.”

Also according to the Times,

“Wagoner recorded some of country music’s earliest “concept albums,” in which individual tracks combine in a thematic whole.”

“The lyrics in at least two of his songs came from spending time in a Nashville mental hospital. One, “Committed to Parkview,” was written by Johnny Cash about a Nashville institution in which both men had stayed. The song is part of an album Mr. Wagoner released last year, “The Rubber Room: The Haunting Poetic Songs of Porter Wagoner, 1966-1977.”

Courtesy of The Aquarium Drunkard, here’s a review of “The Rubber Room.”

Over the course of his career, Wagoner’s songs covered varied thematic concepts, including temptation, infidelity, redemption, living as a prisoner (metaphorically and literally), and other thematic touchstones. He recorded gospel as well as country.

As a Grand Ole Opry fixture and its unofficial spokesman for more than 50 years, Wagoner invited James Brown to perform on the Opry in 1979. In addition to covering the country standards, “Your Cheatin’ Heart” and “Tennessee Waltz,” James Brown performed his own “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag.”

Apparently it didn’t go over well – Brown’s appearance generated hate mail.