A Tipping Point

The Steelers vs. Cowboys: "Two trains on a track," as Mike Tomlin would say.

As the Steelers prepare to trudge into Cowboys Stadium on Sunday, it's almost easy to overlook the fact that this is a match-up of two 7-6 teams.  All season, most Steelers' fans looking at the schedule pointed to this as a winnable game, just as Denver, Tennessee, Oakland, Cleveland and San Diego also appeared to be winnable games.

From the Dallas viewpoint, though, the Steelers must look eminently beatable ("defeat-capable" as Mike Tomlin might say). At this point of the schedule, Tony Romo & Co. must be licking their proverbial chops at the prospect of facing a reeling Steelers team with an injury-depleted secondary and leaky offensive line coming into Jerry Jones's Megaplexopalos, the DFW Metroplex's video-screen-dominated monstrosity sports-and-entertainment palace.

No doubt, the Cowboys and their fans see this as "a winnable game" for Dallas.

The Cowboys always seem to be loaded with talent, but they chronically under-achieve. Head coach Jason Garrett's career record is just 20-17 in this, his third season, with no playoff appearances. By comparison, Mike Tomlin, now in his sixth season, has won exactly twice as many regular-season games as he's lost, 62-31, for a career winning percentage of .667.

By the way, it's worth noting that Tomlin's career regular-season winning percentage is the highest among active NFL coaches who have coached at least 80 games, ahead of Mike McCarthy (.661 with Green Bay), Bill Belichick (.649 at Cleveland and New England) and Andy Reid (.591 in Philadelphia).

So, with both teams at 7-6, Sunday's game represents a tipping point of sorts for the Steelers and Cowboys. The winning team makes a statement abut the direction it's taking, catapults itself to an 8-6 record, and maintains peripheral relevance in the continuing discussion of potential playoff scenarios. The losing squad goes home to regroup and answer more questions about what went wrong.

One presumes the Cowboys want this win very badly.  The question is, "Do the Steelers?"

It's a fair question in light of their performance vs. San Diego last Sunday.

This Week's Money Quote From Mike Tomlin's News Conference

"We live in our hopes, not our fears, with eyes forward."

That's the money quote, as far as we're concerned, from Mike Tomlin's press conference yesterday. Every week, Tomlin  delivers some pithy aphorism than can be entertaining (at the very least); mystifying (occasionally) and even inspiring (sometimes).

Usually, there are a couple such quotes, and we are grateful that he routinely provides so much fodder for frothy discussion. "if you will."  His news conferences are much more entertaining than the ones delivered by most other NFL coaches, including his predecessor.

On Tuesday, Tomlin described the Dallas Cowboys' secondary as "zone-corner capable" and "salty," and we've come to expect such descriptions from him on a regular basis. If anything, we wish he would scale back the effusive praise he lavishes on each week's upcoming opponent. It must be inspiring and motivational for a member of the sucky defensive corps of the Raiders, say, or the Titans, Chiefs, Eagles or Cowboys to get such praise. You can just see some of these guys singled out by Tomlin saying to themselves, "Hey, maybe I'm not such a lousy, underachieving slug, after all. From what Tomlin says, I am salty, grimy and 'coverage-tackle capable.'"

After all, "There is a fine line in this league between squashing grapes and drinking fine wine," as Tomlin famously said last year.  Let's hope the Steelers are done being grape-squashers and, for that matter, getting squashed like over-ripe grapes.

Opportunity Lost

Another galling thing about the Steelers' loss to San Diego on Sunday is that the Ravens and Bengals also lost. The Ravens are reeling and, conceivably, coming back to the pack. In fact, the Ravens not only lost on Sunday, they panicked and fired embattled offensive coordinator Cam Cameron on Monday -- with three games left in the season! A first-place team with a 9-4 record!

Obviously, there is discord in Baltimore, and people there have been concerned about the Ravens' offense for quite a while. In fact, just after Charlie Batch led the Steelers to that improbable win in Baltimore on Dec. 2, at least one writer in Baltimore pointed out the very real concern that the Ravens could easily lose to the Redskins, Giants and Bengals -- three of their last four games.  And, if that were to happen, the Steelers could actually beat them out for the division crown -- if the Steelers won out.  That's not going to happen, of course.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda.

Ye-eccchh!

Once again the Steelers played down to their competition.  A 10-point loss at home in December to a 5-8 team with a lame-duck coach is not a good thing,  The Steelers were outcoached and outplayed from the coin toss. They came out flat and went down from there. The Chargers dominated, and the game wasn't nearly as close as the 10-point margin might suggest.

Ben Roethlisberger looked off, never mind the final stats. He was awful. This was the wrong week to start him. It looked like he wasn't ready, his timing was off, and the entire team seem to lack focus to the point of distraction.  Roethlisberger looked tentative and hesitant in the pocket; his interception was abhorrent; and the hideous pass that bounced off the back of David Paulsen was even worse.

The coaches should have known better. Roethlisberger said he was ready, and the doctors cleared him to play; but he wasn't ready, and neither was the team.

It was not Mike Tomlin's best day, to say the least. Tomlin's decision to go for a first down on fourth and one late in the first half was a mistake, as was the failure to attempt a two-point conversion later in the game. The running game was abysmal, and the offensive line was no help at all. And the special teams once again got burned, this time on a fake punt.

Although the Chargers started a patchwork offensive line, the Steelers front seven couldn't capitalize. San Diego was 12 for 22 on converting third downs. And a 17-play drive covering nine-and-a-half minutes to start the second half?  Puh-leaze.

Another ugly loss in an upsie-downsie season.  This team has given us no reason to feel confident they can beat Dallas, Cincinnati and Cleveland, let alone do anything meaningful in the post-season, if they make it.

Back in Business!

Charlie Batch led the Steelers to victory on Sunday in Baltimore.  That's right, Charlie Batch led the Steelers to a crucial win that made a statement to Baltimore and the rest of the NFL that the Steelers are not done yet.

Good for Charlie.  He would have had more than 300 yards passing if not for a couple of drops by Emmanuel Sanders, but those didn't matter in the end. Good time Charlie. If Ben Roethlisberger needs more time, let him take it. Believe it or not, the Steelers can win with Charlie Batch.

Sticking to their pattern for most of the season, the Steelers controlled time of possession (34:21 to 25:39), which was crucial, with the difference being the Steelers' ability to run out the clock on the final drive. The Baltimore run defense has been uncharacteristically slack all season and, while it surrendered only 96 yards rushing, the Steelers got tough yards when it mattered most, and Batch kept the Ravens off-balance enough.

In a game that felt like it would come down to the last possession, with the Ravens holding home-field advantage, the Steelers controlled the final 6:41 of clock and drove to Shaun Suisham's game-winning field goal.

The Steelers were buttressed by a defense that once again stymied Joe Flacco (for the second time in three weeks), holding him to just 16-34 passing for only 168 yards and a mere 5.5 yards per completion.  Major credit goes to the Steelers secondary, notably the young corners, Keenan Lewis, Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown (with Ike Taylor missing nearly the entire game with an ankle injury).  Kudos also to safeties Ryan Clark, Will Allen and Troy Polamalu whose return to action can only help.

That'll teach Ray Rice not to mess with the towel/.

No less importantly, the Steelers contained Ray Rice (for the second time in three weeks),holding him to just one reception for five yards and 78 yards rushing. Also, crucially, the Steelers didn't allow Jacoby Jones to return any punts, and the Steelers kickoff-coverage units limited Jones to 24.7 yards on three returns, while Pittsburgh's Chris Rainey averaged 30.5 yards on his two returns.

Beginning with the Steelers' first possession, it was evident they came to play. They hung tough, overcame a seven-point fourth-quarter deficit and stymied Baltimore at every turn when it mattered most.  The Steelers proved they can beat Baltimore on the road, and that is a very good sign for the post-season, assuming the Steelers make it.

Now, let's hope they keep it up. The Steelers have had an annoying tendency to play down to their competition all season. Next up: San Diego at Heinz Field.

A Statement Game, One Way or the Other

We've only just begun to fight.

The hobbled Steelers prepare to limp into MT Stadium on Sunday to face a cocky Baltimore Ravens squad confident they will clinch the AFC North Division title and, in the process, bury the Steelers, once and for all, emphatically.

No doubt, the Ravens would love to make this a statement game, with that statement being that the torch has passed, that the Baltimore Ravens own the AFC North. Just like they did last year, with wins in both Pittsburgh and Baltimore, and the Baltimoreans would love to assert that this is the way it's going to be for a while. The Ravens rang up 55 points on Oakland a few weeks ago. Obviously, they'd love to do the same, and worse, to the Steelers on Sunday in Baltimore.

Not so fast. Granted, on the surface, the Steelers are ripe for the picking. The patchwork offensive line is in disarray. The receivers and running backs are hobbled, although you won't hear that from coach Mike Tomlin. When asked this week about Chris Rainey's cracked ribs and apparent ankle/knee injury at the end of the loss in Cleveland, Tomlin said, abruptly and dismissively,"He was seeking comfort."  That's the same Chris Rainey who's been saying, basically, that he knows what the NFL is all about because he played in the SEC. Well. Think again.

Welcome to the NFL, Chris Rainey.  

After all, according to Tomlin, "Excuses are the tools of the incompetent," and the Steelers should have no excuses. And, really, they don't.

Time to go old-school.

There are no excuses for losses to losses to horrendous teams in Oakland, Tennessee and Cleveland.  Even in wins, the Steelers struggled and squeaked by with close victories over bad teams such as the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chefs. They looked deceptively good against a lousy Jets team in disarray; against a Redskins team that dropped 11 passes; and against a Giants team shaken and ill-prepared in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

The Steelers played the Ravens tough at Heinz Field on Nov. 18, but Jacoby Jones's punt return for a touchdown killed them, and Byron Leftwich played hurt and woefully bad.

The defense played well, however, and has been very good in recent weeks. Several players have stepped up their game, including Keenan Lewis, Will Allen, Steve McClendon and even, just this past Sunday, Jason Worilds.  Others have played to their traditional standard of excellence: Ike Taylor, Brett Keisel, and, of course, Ryan Clark (the defensive MVP).

In any case, against Baltimore, the defense absolutely must get takeaways; the unit simply hasn't  much of that for the past two seasons. On the other side of the ball, it's worth noting, the Ravens haven't turned the ball over much this year (just nine times).

Lots of "ifs" for the Steelers this weekend.  If the Steelers win this game, it will definitely announce to the league they're not done yet. And, yes, this is the sort of game, historically, the Steelers find the wherewithal to win. The proud Steelers, the tough Steelers, the resourceful, determined and plucky Steelers, the Steelers who won't back down from anybody or any challenge. This will be a defining game.  One way or the other. No excuses.

Links 'n at

• Make sure to check out Steel Reign and the other fine writers at Pittsburgh Sports Forum. Good stuff on the Steelers, Pirates, Penguins and other fun goings-on.
• As always, Nice Pick Cowher offers lots of trenchant, interesting observations on the state of the Steelers.
• Over at Behind the Steel Curtain, Neal Coolong presents a typically cogent analysis, including a look at Baltimore's edge on special teams.
• Dave Bryan at Steelers Depot details one of the key match-ups, which is the seeming mismatch between the Ravens' Paul Kruger (and, at times, Terrell Suggs) vs. Pittsburgh's new right tackle, Kelvin Beachum, the rookie out of SMU, who was the fourth of the Steelers' four seventh-round draft picks this year.

Observations from the Rear View Mirror

Evander Hood was on the field for 53 snaps vs. the Cleveland Browns, and was credited with just one assist on a tackle. This is a first-round draft choice?

Kelvin Beachum at right tackle vs. the Ravens' Paul Kruger? The same Paul Kruger who schooled Mike Adams two weeks ago? The same Kelvin Beachum whose holding penalty on his first play vs. the Browns nullified a 33-yard gain by Heath Miller? Good luck. It's a good thing that right guard Ramon Foster is "tackle-capable," as Mike Tomlin called him today. And that David DeCastro is practicing this week.

Tomlin couched a lot of his statements in his weekly press conference today. One thing was clear, though: He is not happy with either Mike Wallace or Rashard Mendenhall.

“Mike was frustrated on Sunday and rightfully so,” said Tomlin. “He is not producing in the manner he would like to or we would like him to. It’s a function of a lot of things. He is going to be committed to continuing to work and we are committed to that as well.”

To say Wallace is "not producing in the manner we would like him to" is an unusually blunt statement for Tomlin. That's about as close as he is likely to come to calling out a player in a public forum.

After starting but fumbling the ball twice in Cleveland, Rashard Mendenhall has been relegated to third on the depth chart. We may not see him take another handoff in a Steelers uniform.

Will we see Troy Polamalu?  Maybe. And the plan, according to Tomlin, is to start Charlie Batch. Plans can change.

Season Over

Pee-yoo!  What a stinker.  Embarrassing and utterly inept.

"Ugly" doesn't even begin to describe the crapfest the Steelers displayed on Sunday in Cleveland. Eight turnovers, including five fumbles lost (eight fumbles altogether), three horrific interceptions, penalties, dropped passes, off-target throws, 20 rushes for 49 yards, and one-for-nine on third down?  Yecch.

Charlie Batch was awful. Ditto Mike Wallace. Rashard Mendehall. Jonathan Dwyer. Isaac Redman. For that matter, Cleveland's Brandon Weeden was awful.  Charlie Batch was awful. Oh, we said that already? Well, then, Charlie Batch's 38.7 passer rating was awful. Awful, awful and awful.

And that final interception late in the fourth quarter, with 3:09 remaining? The one on first-and-10 from the Steelers' 42? Whose bright idea was it to have Batch heave a long downfield bomb into the wind and, of course, intercepted?

Willie Colon didn't play, and injuries to Lamarr Woodley, Mike Adams and Chris Rainey didn't help.

Oh, and to add insult to injury, immediately after the game ended, fans watching on TV had to endure watching one of the Steelers' offensive linemen jocularly smiling and laughing with one of the Browns' players. It was at that point the TV went out the window. The fans take these losses harder than the players.

The Steelers may not win another game, not if they play even half as bad as they did in Cleveland.

Good luck in Baltimore next week. The Ravens found a way to win in San Diego, converting a crucial 4th and 29 late in the fourth quarter on a game-tying drive. Fourth and 29.

Cleheaveland Game Day Notes & Tidbits

Nothing Beats the Terrible Towel
Today, the Browns will be doing something positively Piratesesque: Handing out white flags for fans to wave during the game. Unbelievable.

Apparently, the morons who came up with this horrendous idea never heard the phrase "Waving the white flag," which indicates surrender and has been used as a practical application through centuries of military history. And, apparently, the simpletons behind this gimmick (no doubt sponsored) ... apparently these geniuses not only fail to appreciate this rich symbolism, but they also seem to be totally oblivious to the fact that the 2-8 Browns have lost 16 of 17 games to the Steelers.  If you're trying to rally the troops, there's one thing you don't want your fans to do in this situation, and that is to wave the white flag.

Myron Cope

"I'm not a fan of the white flags. I'm not a fan of it whatsoever. It's just not a message I like," said Cleveland linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, and who can blame him?  Couldn't the Browns have come up with little brown-and-orange pieces of cloth?  Honestly, since the late, great Myron Cope conjured the Terrible Towel, many franchises have tried to simulate its magic. All have failed. There is only Terrible Towel, and it reigns supreme.

Dick LeBeau's Still Got It, and Always Has
Some people have questioned whether Dick LeBeau, the Steelers' 75-year-old defensive coordinator, has lost his fastball, so to speak.

Dick LeBeau in his playing days

Despite injuries and average talent at some positions, the defense remains strong, although, of course, everybody would like to see it produce more turnovers and sacks. For all that, the defense played exceptionally well last Sunday against a Baltimore team that notched 55 points the previous week and is rated highly in various statistical categories..

Looking at the long view, consider this:  Since 2007, the Steelers' defense has allowed fewer points than any other team, and it's not even close. The Steelers have allowed 1,465 points since the 2007.  The next-closest team, Baltimore, has allowed 1,631 points.

A Curious Quote
Here's a quote this week from Cleveland's rookie running back Trent Richardson:

"Whatever they need me to do, whether it’s blocking, running or catching, I am trying to make up for Brandon Weeden so he isn’t put in a tough position, as far as being a quarterback," Richardson said.

Trying to make up for quarterback Brandon Weeden?  What is that?  Not exactly a ringing endorsement, that's for sure.

Special Teams Conundrum and a Few Words on Baron Batch
Today's test: Josh Cribbs, returner extraordinaire. Cribbs has burned Pittsburgh, badly, in past years, and this year's Steelers' team has allowed two punt returns for touchdowns.

Allegheny Valley School kids.

Ever since Mike Tomlin abruptly fired special teams coach Al Everest shortly before the season began, we've kept a wary eye on the play of the various special teams units. Their performance has been episodic, sporadic and spasmodic: up, down and in between.

The team's units played well vs. Cincinnati and Washington, but numerous gaffes have hurt badly throughout the season.  Penalties nullified several long returns by Antonio Brown and dogged the Steelers all year. Rookie Drew Butler had a punt blocked by Tennessee, after a missed block by Baron Batch, who had been named special teams captain earlier that week.

Maybe worst of all, this year's Steelers team has allowed two punt returns for touchdowns. Jacoby Jones's TD return last Sunday won the game for Baltimore. A few days later, the Steelers released Batch but then apparently signed him to the team's practice squad, a definite demotion. Maybe he will return to the active roster at some point.

Maybe Batch's release had something to do with the performance of the special teams. Or, considering the Steelers' injuries and need to sign a receiver (Plaxico Burress) and backup quarterback (Brian Hoyer), maybe Batch's release was simply a factor of roster numbers.

We've been rooting for Batch to succeed even before he joined the Steelers, ever since we discovered his blog, which we stumbled upon before he was even drafted. He seems to be an easy guy to root for, despite having gotten himself into some nasty, acrimonious, rude and totally unnecessary snit-exchanges with some of his fans and followers on Twitter, which is stupid and petty in any case.  When will athletes ever learn?

Again, though, we wish Baron Batch all future success and hope it's with the Steelers -- never mind, the blocked punt, the missed holes on a few run opportunities, and the spectacularly dropped catch of a nearly perfectly thrown would-be touchdown pass from Antonio Brown, of all people, on national television, in Cincinnati on Oct. 21.  We're still rooting for you, Baron Batch.

It's Brown Friday!

Forget Black Friday. It's Brown Friday, the Friday before the Steelers-Browns game.

Don't let the Browns' 2-8 record fool you. They are fully capable of beating the Steelers on Sunday in Cleveland.

They are "victory-capable," as Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin might say. And they feature a star running back who has "a downhill run demeanor," as Tomlin actually did say during his press conference on Tuesday.

That running back would be Trent Richardson, the stud rookie selected third overall in last April's NFL draft, who is "as advertised," Tomlin said. Richardson has been nicked up by injuries throughout the season, however, and is averaging just 3.7 yards per carry, which is Rashard Mendenhallesque.  Still, however, Richardson  displays attitude, explosion and power, and he's done most of his damage as a check-down outlet receiver for rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden, the Browns' other first-round draft choice this year (22nd overall).

Brandon Weeden

We have to talk about Weeden, the 28-year-old rookie out of Oklahoma State. While Richardson is the linchpin of the Browns' offense, Weeden is the quarterback. After an unfortunate four-interception debut in the season opener vs. Philadelphia, the Browns have stayed with him, and he's done better as the season has progressed.  Despite showing flashes, however, Weeden often plays like the rookie he is, albeit an unusually old rookie.

Whether by improvisation or by the design by Browns' offensive coordinator Ray Childress, the Browns have pretty much limited Weeden's downfield throws. “I think he’s really decisive and getting more so,” Childress said. “I don’t see him back there, nursing the ball at all. He gets the ball out."

Because Weeden gets rid of the ball so quickly, he doesn't take may sacks (16 in 10 games). It's hard to say how well the offensive line has performed, though, considering Cleveland's so-so running game. What we do know is that Cleveland's offensive line has two stellar players: Center Alex Mack (who, some argue, is better than the Steelers' Maurkice Pouncey); and five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas, who may be the best offensive tackle in the NFL. He will square up against Brett Keisel and James Harrison much of the day.

Childress has always run a wimpy horizontal, sideline-to-sideline offense, and Weeden has shown a tendency to immediately dump the ball to the running backs. That means a lot of check-down outlet passes to Richardson, who leads the team with 37 receptions for a 7.8 yard average.

Long-suffering Browns' fans

It doesn't help that Cleveland's receivers are less than average. Rookie Josh Gordon has shown flashes and can get deep (an impressive 19.6 yard average on 24 catches), but the other starter, Greg Little, wouldn't even be on the Steelers' roster, as injury-ravaged as it is. Yes, we are saying the Steelers would keep undrafted rookie David Gilreath over Little.

Cleveland just doesn't have enough play makers on offense, and the coaches have relegated the dangerous "gadget-capable" Joshua Cribbs so far down on the depth chart, he may as well sit in the Dawg Pound, he is that deep into the doghouse. Cribbs has gone out of his way to mouth off about his lack of playing time, and the more he bitches, the more he sits. Tomlin made a point this week to mention rookie receiver Travis Benjamin a 5'10" 165-lb. rookie from the University of Miami and a native of Belle Glade, Fla., which means he's fast. Tomlin really did describe him as "gadget-capable" and an "understudy" of Cribbs.

It's worth noting that Cribbs remains exceptionally dangerous on punt returns (13.6 yard average, which is excellent) and kickoff returns (28.4 yards per return, also very good).  He could take it to the house on any return, and he's done it before vs. the Steelers.  This season, the Steelers have surrendered two punt returns for touchdowns.

The Browns are physical on both offense and defense, we'll give them that. With a 4-3 defensive front, they mount a better pass rush than the Steelers. Tru dat. Spearheaded by former Pitt Panther defensive end, Jabaal Sheard, the Browns racked up seven sacks last week in Dallas, the Browns have tallied 27 sacks this year.

Back to the offense for a second.  The perception is they are a weak offense, and that's probably true. But consider this: Although the Browns have scored only 19 touchdowns in their 10 games this season, that number is just three fewer than the Steelers' 22 touchdowns. When it comes to scoring points, Pittsburgh's offense hasn't been that much better than Cleveland's.

Make no mistake: This will be a tough game.  It is Cleveland-Pittsburgh. But they are the Browns. Last Sunday they would have defeated the Cowboys -- but they committed 12 penalties for 129 yards, and a stunning seven of those penalties were called on the secondary.  The Browns have a tendency to shoot themselves in the foot -- no Plaxico Burress jokes, please.

This year's Cleveland Browns are physically tough, very talented at certain positions, very good on special teams play and are capable of beating the Steelers.  They won't.  At least we'd like to think they won't.  If they do, season over.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Helping out at Lamarr Woodley's Turkey Giveaway

Happy Thanksgiving to all.  Today, we're grateful and humble, as always. Only more so.

Enjoy your turkey, your fixings, your turkey bowl, your football, all of it. The entire day is a feast.  Appreciate, enjoy, express gratitude, and, if possible, give somebody a helping hand.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls gotta send a shout-out to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Animal Rescue League of Western Pennsylvania, Animal Friends, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the list goes on and on.  Lots of ways to help.

And, in the spirit of this holiday, because the following is so much better than anything we can write, here is the classic Big Daddy Drew’s Thanksgiving Itinerary, posted Thanksgiving Eve 2006, on Kissing Suzy Kolber.

Not a particularly comPlex situation

Coming back to the Burgh.

No way the Steelers plaxed themselves by signing Plaxico Burress.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls have no plex with Plex.  He can only help a depleted receiving corps that desperately misses team MVP Antonio Brown and steady Jericho Cotchery.

How much Burress will contribute on the field remains to be seen. With 550 career catches, Plex brings a "pedigree, if you will," as head coach Mike Tomlin would say.  If not baggage.  If nothng else, Plex is "entertainment-capable," as Tomlin might say.

Curiously enough, for a guy who is 6'5", Plex has never been much for out-leaping people. He's also never been a speed burner, the type who will flat-out sprint past defenders, a la Mike Wallace.

Burress gets somewhat mistakenly characterized as a red-zone receiver.  Granted, he did have eight touchdowns last year for the New York Jets (with an average-at-best quarterback throwing the ball), but his last play of consequence as a Steeler was a non-catch in the end zone at Heinz Field in the AFC Championship Game the Steelers lost to the Patriots in 2004.  Ancient history.

At this point of his career, Plex is primarily a possession receiver, much like Cotchery, only with more flair and, possibly, more big-play capability.  He is a welcome addition.

Welcome back, Plaxico Burress.

It will be interesting to see how Burress contributes.  One thing, though, and it's just our opinion::  The two-year prison sentence Burress got for shooting himself always seemed more than excessive.  But that's the law, and it is what it is, as the kids say these days. He paid a heavy price for a stupid mistake and now seems to be at peace with himself.  We have a feeling he's got something left in the proverbial tank and that he will contribute.

A Word About Antonio Brown 
Let's reiterate the obvious: The Steelers desperately miss Antonio Brown.  He was their team MVP last year.  Unlike somebody with the initials MW, Brown catches pretty much everything and blocks willingly.  Nobody on the roster separates off the line of scrimmage like Brown, although Emmanuel Sanders is pretty good, too: a nifty, slippery and polished receiver (ideal for the slot, much like Antwaan Randle-El used to be).

Still, Brown gets separation from defenders like no other receiver on the Steelers' roster.  He is sorely missed.

Byron Leftwich should have been out of Sunday's game, early.

Footnote:  Since we're talking about receivers, is it possible Byron Leftwich's long windup led to his receivers getting walloped on Sunday?

Most notably Jericho Cotchery, who sustained broken ribs when he got blasted by Ravens safety Bernard Pollard as the ball arrived.   Heath Miller also took a heavy hit late in the fourth quarter.

Such collisons happen all the time in football, of course, but we're still cranky about Sunday's loss.  Our feeling is that Leftwich shouldn't have even been in the game at that point. He was doing nobody any favors, least of all his receivers.  The coaches should have pulled him.  It's still a mystery why they didn't.

Excuse me?

What is this?  Jonathan Dwyer took himself out of the game on at least one occasion? Because he was winded? How else are we to interpret the following nugget about from Ed Bouchette's article in today's Post-Gazette?

A couple of times, Dwyer signaled to the sideline for another back. One of those times came in the third quarter after he touched the ball on three consecutive plays -- a 15-yard screen pass followed by runs of 7 and 11 yards. 

"That was the whole idea," Dwyer said about taking himself out. "If you needed a blow, come out and someone would go in. That was the mentality."

Seriously?  Jonathan Dwyer is only good for three plays at a time?  Is that what he's telling us?  Not even an established player would do this -- an established player like, say, oh, let's sat an asthma-inflicted Jerome Bettis, who carved his Hall of Fame-caliber reputation by running hard, over and over again, in the fourth quarter.  Jonathan Dwyer is no Jerome Bettis.

Unbelievable.  Jonathan Dwyer has a lot to prove in this league.

Mike Wallace is leaving a lot of cash on the table.

Speaking of a somebody showing signs of a non-Steeler mentality, Mike Wallace is playing as if he is out to validate the concerns expressed about his focus, grit and ability to make clutch plays.  He will still get a big contract as a free agent in the off season -- but not the big contract he wants, not if he continues playing the way he has so far this season.  He's not helping his his team much, or himself.

What's Next?

A tough game at Cleveland is next.  And then Baltimore.  Again.

In the immediate aftermath of last night's 13-10 loss to the Ravens, Steelers' fans and observers everywhere this morning have many more questions than answers.  Many more.

Kudos to the Steelers' defense for a strong performance last night, but where are the takeaways?  A few more sacks would help, too, although nobody could point fingers at a defense that allowed no touchdowns and only two field goals (after Steeler turnovers) to a Baltimore offense that scored 55 points the previous week.  

Baltimore's lone touchdown came on a Jacoby Jones punt return -- the second kick return for a TD against the Steelers this season, so the next question is, What is up with the special teams, and why (again) was special teams coach Al Everest fired immediately before the season began?   How did that improve the special teams?

Questions:  What's up with Byron Leftwich getting hurt on his spectacular 31-yard first quarter touchdown run, where he stumbled over the goal line, fell and popped up pointing at his throwing shoulder?  He seemed to be in pain, obviously, and didn't look comfortable the rest of the game.  Next question:  If anybody watching television could see that Leftwich was obviously playing hurt, why did the trainers and coaches leave him alone?  Isn't it clear that Leftwich is injury-prone?  Will he be ready for Cleveland?  Was Charlie Batch ready?

Many more questions revolve around the offense.  What was up with the play-calling against a Baltimore run defense rated 27th against the run?  Not that Rashard Mendenhall and Jonathan Dwyer did much.  What's up with Mike Wallace?  His early fumble was lethal, and he left plays on the field.  Where are the clutch plays by Wallace?  Another Willie Colon holding call (on a running play!)?  Really?  Can Mike Adams pass-block?  Questionable clock management,  questionable play-calling in the red zone, etc.  More questions than answers.  Mike Tomlin's weekly news conference tomorrow should be interesting.  He's not the type of guy who makes excuses.  After all, "Excuses are the tools of the incompetent."

"Excuses are the Tools of the Incompetent"

Number 9 by Jackson Pollock.  There's hope.  That we have.

What?  Oh, you thought that headline refers to Joey Porter's Pit Bulls, and why, oh why, aren't we posting every day with all that's going on?  Work.

Dem bones.  'Nuff o'that.

"Excuses are the tools of the incompetent," said Steelers coach Mike Tomlin this week, and you know what?  He's right.  This is no time to tarry, or dally, or derry, or lally. It's Ravens Week.

So.  No Ben Roethlisberger.  So what?

"Bahdjes?  We don' need no steenking bahdjes!"

Let's not make the Ravens into the '78 Steelers.  The Ravens have flaws, just like these Steelers have flaws.   They have injuries, just like the Steelers have injuries.

The Ravens' once-vaunted defense is a degenerate.mess. More so. Than the Steelers.  And, tru dat, the Steelers have holes on defense. If the Ravens have the balls and patience enough to do it, they would run right at Ziggy Hood's side of the line every down.  But they don't and they won't.

Which leaves us, where?

Joe Flacco's a good quarterback, better than most people give him credit for being.  Torrey Smith is Baltimore's answer to Mike Wallace.  Ray Rice is as good a running back as there is in the NFL. And just this past Sunday, the Ravens rang up a 55-20 win over an Oakland team that beat the Steelers.

Is there hope for a Roethlisberger-less Steelers team that also is missing Antonio Brown?

Consider This
The Ravens' defense is ranked 26th in the NFL.  During Baltimore's 31-29 win over Dallas on Oct. 14, the Cowboys controlled the ball for more than 40 minutes, ran the ball for 227 yards and trashed the Ravens for 481 yards.  

That's all.

A costly, ugly, sloppy win

Lawrence Timmons' game-winning interception in overtime.
Photo credit: Sam Eulitt

That's entertainment?

Sloppy and ugly is too generous.  Watching the football on Monday night was almost as bad as watching the endless TV commercials.

The Baltimore Ravens must be giddy.

No doubt, the Steelers were fortunate to escape with their fourth consecutive win.  The big news, of course, it that Ben Roethlisberger is out with some kind of shoulder injury, and it doesn't look like he'll be back soon.  Ryan Clark sustained his second concussion in three games.

Also very worrisome: The run defense -- specifically Ziggy Hood's left side of the front seven -- was attacked early and often (just like it was in Cincinnati).  The Steelers had better get that vulnerability shored up pronto, or Ray Rice and the Ravens will run all over them.  They must be salivating.

Just how good are the Steelers?  That's a question they must step up and answer on Sunday against the Ravens; and the following Sunday at Cleveland; and the week after that against Baltimore again.  And so on.  One thing's for sure:  The Steelers are not so good that they can play a good team and get away with the mistakes they made against a bad Kansas City team on Monday night.

The Steelers almost gave the game away.  The Chiefs, however, wouldn't take it.

The Kansas City Star's Sam Mellinger wrote, "... the Chiefs found new ways to embarrass themselves ... but an unforgettably creative one came in the third quarter when the Chiefs did the Chiefs-est thing of the season: a “group celebration” penalty for a touchdown that didn’t count on their way to 1-8.  A missed field goal, a kickoff out of bounds, a kick return fumbled and picked up twice, continued problems covering the tight end, a hole at left guard, more dropped passes, the knucklehead star receiver taunting Pittsburgh’s defense on a touchdown that got called back, and this list could keep going."

The Steelers also were the beneficiaries of some, ahem, questionable calls.  Quite a few.

This kind of performance isn't going to cut it against Baltimore, Cleveland and Baltimore the next three weeks.  And if they don't have  a healthy Ben Roethlisberger and/or Ryan Clark?  Well, as they say, next man up.  Which isn't reassuring at all.  Let's hope for the best.

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."