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11/29/2010
Week 12: Steelers 19, Bills 16 (OT)
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| Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall is now 37 yards from another 1,000 yard season. |
The Steelers took a trip to beautiful upstate New York this past weekend, and came within inches of leaving with a huge loss to a terrible Buffalo Bills team. Nobody could have seen this performance coming after the whooping the Steelers put on the Raiders last weekend, but now the team heads into the biggest game of the 2010 season with many questions.
The Steelers seemed to have this game under wraps by halftime, but in keeping with recent tradition, they allowed an inferior team to hang around. By the end of regulation, Buffalo PK Ryan Lindell was booting the game tying FG and the Steelers were a coin toss away from a tough road loss. That coin flip went the way of the Buffalo, but the Bills couldn't finish the job. Pittsburgh eventually got their act together in time to salvage a 19-16 victory, and remain within one prime-time road victory next weekend in Baltimore of another AFC North title. Of course, if the Steelers play like they did in Week 12 next week, they will be watching the Wild Card race very carefully through the Holidays.
The penaltyfest that has been 2010 continued in Buffalo. The patchwork offensive line accounted for numerous painful flags, and it was obvious that Chris Kemoeatu and Ramon Foster were totally overmatched all day. This glaring issue will be even more obvious against the powerful Ravens. CB Ike Taylor followed up one of the best games of his career against Oakland with possibly his worst in Buffalo, and if WR Steve Johnson hadn't pulled a "Limas" on the game winning bread basket pass from QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, the entire Steeler Nation would be calling for Ike's head this week.
Injuries have ravaged this team, and young players such as CB Keenan Lewis are now seeing the field more often. Facing another pass happy offense, Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau began employing a full time nickel and even a dime defense on every down. Watching CB Anthony Madison - a virtual Pro Bowl special teams player - try to play Cover 2? Ouch. The offseason decision to not re-sign CB Deshea Townsend is looking bad right now. Injuries are a part of the NFL, but in Week 13 - vs. their biggest rival in what essentially boils down to a Playoff game - the Steelers could very well have a starting DE spot filled by practice squad player Steve McClendon. Let that news sink in real fast, then go pray to the Black and Gold football Gods that Brett Kiesel is back to 100%.
The Buffalo Bills showed this week that the NFL really does mean "Not For Long" if the league gets a sniff of your weaknesses. Drew Brees, Tom Brady, and now Ryan Fitzpatrick have officially broken the door down on how to push this defense to the brink. Fast 3 step drops, short passes......all Kryptonite to this team. You can bet that QB Joe Flacco will be under strict orders to not hold the ball on passing downs. With the NFL creating new anti-Steelers rules each week, the pass rushing skills of James Harrison have been negated. When teams employ the 3 step drop strategy, the Steelers have been dropping the LB group into coverage. This is not good.
The Steelers have one more week to hit that high note. If they come out flat on Sunday Night Football, the Ravens will bury them. This team - injuries or not - has the experience and skill to make one more Super Bowl run if they can overcome the odds and take a win from Baltimore. The schedule shines on Pittsburgh over the last month of the season. The Steelers play 3 straight games at Heinz Field starting in Week 14, with only a game against the upstart New York Jets as a battle of winning records. Home games against the 2 win Bengals and 1 win Panthers round out the home schedule, while another potential trap game looms at Cleveland in Week 17. If the Steelers can top the Ravens this week, they have a legit shot at winning 13 games and still will be well within striking distance of home field advantage in the AFC playoffs. The Ravens finish out 2010 with a slate that includes a Monday Night road game at Houston and a home game against the defending Super Bowl champion Saints. Needless to say, this week will be the biggest of the season.
11/16/2010
State of the Nation: Where do we go from here?
Heading into their Week 9 prime-time battle with New England, the Steelers had spent time at the top of just about every "Power Ranking" out there. Once again, Pittsburgh was the center of the NFL media world.
Its safe to say that after Sunday night, it will be some time before they reach that level again.
The Steelers were outplayed from whistle to whistle. They were outhustled in their house, outcoached by a mortal enemy of Steeler Nation, torn apart on defense by another. The last time this team was outplayed so soundly was Week 16 in 2008 - a season that ended in Tampa with a sixth Super Bowl championship. That week, the Steelers traveled to Tennessee, and proceeded to get beat in every phase of the game by a Titans team that would be the top seed in the AFC. That game was on the road in a tough environment, and will forever be remembered as the day Lendale White trounced a mock Terrible Towel on the sideline.
You have to go back to 2006 to find this team outplayed at home in this fashion. Week 16 of that Super Bowl XL hangover season, the Steelers still had playoff life when they played host to the hated Baltimore Ravens in what ended up being the final home game in the long career of head coach Bill Cowher. On that fateful day, the Steelers got hammered 31-7 by their rivals. In the history of Heinz Field, the team had rarely had such an off day.....until this past week.
The New England Patriots have long understood what 30 other NFL teams have never been able to figure out. They hold the patent for the blueprint on beating the Steelers. Unfortunately for the 64,000 fans in Heinz Field Sunday night, Tom Brady has memorized that blueprint. Brady tormented the Steelers with 3 step drops and quick underneath passes throughout the 1st half. By the time the defense caught onto what was happening, they were looking up the ass end of a 2 score deficit. Once the Steelers got it within a TD at Halftime, the game was already in the books. The pass rush had been nullified, the secondary exposed. The Patriots came out after half and systematically rammed the ball down the throats of everyone in that stadium.
Game. Set. Match.
So what went wrong? Why did the Steelers no-show a prime time game at home for the first time since Monica Lewinsky was a household name? It would be easy to blame Jeff Reed, whose missed 26-yard FG in the 3rd Quarter essentially ended his star-crossed Steelers career. It would be even easier to blame injuries. A team playing without DE Aaron Smith and Brett Kiesel isn't going to get a push on a hardened O-Line like New England. A team playing without WR Hines Ward isn't going to be able to find that key 3rd down catch. A team playing without half its starting Offensive Line isn't going to be able to hold off the pass rush long enough to allow its QB to go through his progressions, or give a talented RB a chance to build on his successful season. Of course we can blame injuries, or Skippy, or even CB William Gay - thats the guy wearing #22 and running 5 yards behind every Patriots player with the ball in the red-zone. Sure, we could blame all of them.
Or we could cast blame on Mike Tomlin, who obviously did not have this team prepared for a game of this magnitude. Hell, we could even blame the Heinz Field Jumbotron team. The new videos were lame, and seemed to never end. Stick with "Renegade" guys, everything else is fail city.
Bottom line, this team just isn't who we though they were. The next 7 days will determine whether or not the Steelers are a true force in the AFC. The Oakland Raiders are coming to town, and they mean business. If the Steelers are not ready for this game, it could be 2009 all over again.
I'm betting that this team will not have 2 bad outings in a row. If anything, we can be hopeful for a renewed commitment to the elements that brought us here.
And maybe - if we are lucky - we may see a kickoff or two into the endzone for the first time in 9 years.
Go Steelers!
Its safe to say that after Sunday night, it will be some time before they reach that level again.
The Steelers were outplayed from whistle to whistle. They were outhustled in their house, outcoached by a mortal enemy of Steeler Nation, torn apart on defense by another. The last time this team was outplayed so soundly was Week 16 in 2008 - a season that ended in Tampa with a sixth Super Bowl championship. That week, the Steelers traveled to Tennessee, and proceeded to get beat in every phase of the game by a Titans team that would be the top seed in the AFC. That game was on the road in a tough environment, and will forever be remembered as the day Lendale White trounced a mock Terrible Towel on the sideline.
You have to go back to 2006 to find this team outplayed at home in this fashion. Week 16 of that Super Bowl XL hangover season, the Steelers still had playoff life when they played host to the hated Baltimore Ravens in what ended up being the final home game in the long career of head coach Bill Cowher. On that fateful day, the Steelers got hammered 31-7 by their rivals. In the history of Heinz Field, the team had rarely had such an off day.....until this past week.
The New England Patriots have long understood what 30 other NFL teams have never been able to figure out. They hold the patent for the blueprint on beating the Steelers. Unfortunately for the 64,000 fans in Heinz Field Sunday night, Tom Brady has memorized that blueprint. Brady tormented the Steelers with 3 step drops and quick underneath passes throughout the 1st half. By the time the defense caught onto what was happening, they were looking up the ass end of a 2 score deficit. Once the Steelers got it within a TD at Halftime, the game was already in the books. The pass rush had been nullified, the secondary exposed. The Patriots came out after half and systematically rammed the ball down the throats of everyone in that stadium.
Game. Set. Match.
So what went wrong? Why did the Steelers no-show a prime time game at home for the first time since Monica Lewinsky was a household name? It would be easy to blame Jeff Reed, whose missed 26-yard FG in the 3rd Quarter essentially ended his star-crossed Steelers career. It would be even easier to blame injuries. A team playing without DE Aaron Smith and Brett Kiesel isn't going to get a push on a hardened O-Line like New England. A team playing without WR Hines Ward isn't going to be able to find that key 3rd down catch. A team playing without half its starting Offensive Line isn't going to be able to hold off the pass rush long enough to allow its QB to go through his progressions, or give a talented RB a chance to build on his successful season. Of course we can blame injuries, or Skippy, or even CB William Gay - thats the guy wearing #22 and running 5 yards behind every Patriots player with the ball in the red-zone. Sure, we could blame all of them.
Or we could cast blame on Mike Tomlin, who obviously did not have this team prepared for a game of this magnitude. Hell, we could even blame the Heinz Field Jumbotron team. The new videos were lame, and seemed to never end. Stick with "Renegade" guys, everything else is fail city.
Bottom line, this team just isn't who we though they were. The next 7 days will determine whether or not the Steelers are a true force in the AFC. The Oakland Raiders are coming to town, and they mean business. If the Steelers are not ready for this game, it could be 2009 all over again.
I'm betting that this team will not have 2 bad outings in a row. If anything, we can be hopeful for a renewed commitment to the elements that brought us here.
And maybe - if we are lucky - we may see a kickoff or two into the endzone for the first time in 9 years.
Go Steelers!
11/06/2010
Week 9 Steelers @ Bengals - Monday Night Football
The Steelers/Bengals rivalry has seen its share of brutal battles over the past decades. The Bengals have tamed the Steelers Defense more times than any other team in the NFL, and have parlayed that into a season sweep in 2009. Go back farther, and you will find memories of Boomer Esiason, Ickey Woods, James Brooks, and a virtual potpourri of average players who turned into superstars for one or two games in this rivalry. The Bengals had a few nice years in the 1980's, only to find Joe Montana and the dynasty 49ers waiting behind the door on both occasions. The Steelers have spent the better part of the last 30 years using the Bengals as a steppingstone to 6 Super Bowl Championships. During Jerome Bettis' tenure with the Steelers, he routinely used Cincinnati as practice dummies. The Steelers have had some slips however, the aforementioned sweep in 2009, the Ricardo Colclough game at Heinz Field a few years back, and a very poorly played game vs. a bad Bengals team in 2002.
The Steelers used the Bengals to open Heinz Field, taking home the victory on that somber September 2001 day. Years - heck, decades - of two teams who simply do not like each other. With the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers have an opponent they truly hate - but respect. The Bengals do not have that respect. The trash talk gets brutal in game weeks, and loudmouth Bengals players seem to keep the fire fueled all season long.
This Monday night, the Steelers will take their 3 week road show to the Riverfront city and Paul Brown Stadium. Its a foregone conclusion the stadium will be close to 50/50 in terms of fan support, as hard as the Bengals try....they just can't get past Steeler Nation. We will be there, as always.
The Bengals will try to throw the ball 40-50 times Monday night, QB Carson Palmer will attempt to get out of his season-long fog against the Steelers dynamic pass rush. WR Terrell Owens and Chad OchoCinco will try to live up to their trash talk and take a few deep balls to the house. The onus is on Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden, Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark to keep that from happening.
The Steelers will try to hammer the ball with the Rashard Mendenhall show. OLB LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison will be ready to pounce, and the returning DE Brett Kiesel will keep the lanes open for those blitzes. QB Ben Roethlisberger will do his part to find WR Hines Ward (who has OWNED the Bungles in his career), utilize the deep threat that is WR Mike Wallace, and use the short middle to get TE Heath Miller involved in enough big plays to forget his fumble in New Orleans last week.
The Steelers will own this game from start to finish. They will win going away, possibly to the point that we will see the "Other" Palmer Bros. - Jordan - taking snaps for the Bengals in the 4th Quarter.
The 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers have a gear that the NFL has not seen yet,. and this is the week they crank it up a notch, hit that gear, and show the entire National TV audience that they are the favorite to take Lombardi #7 home to its rightful spot at the South Side Complex.
Steelers 37, Bengals 10
The Steelers used the Bengals to open Heinz Field, taking home the victory on that somber September 2001 day. Years - heck, decades - of two teams who simply do not like each other. With the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers have an opponent they truly hate - but respect. The Bengals do not have that respect. The trash talk gets brutal in game weeks, and loudmouth Bengals players seem to keep the fire fueled all season long.
This Monday night, the Steelers will take their 3 week road show to the Riverfront city and Paul Brown Stadium. Its a foregone conclusion the stadium will be close to 50/50 in terms of fan support, as hard as the Bengals try....they just can't get past Steeler Nation. We will be there, as always.
The Bengals will try to throw the ball 40-50 times Monday night, QB Carson Palmer will attempt to get out of his season-long fog against the Steelers dynamic pass rush. WR Terrell Owens and Chad OchoCinco will try to live up to their trash talk and take a few deep balls to the house. The onus is on Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden, Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark to keep that from happening.
The Steelers will try to hammer the ball with the Rashard Mendenhall show. OLB LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison will be ready to pounce, and the returning DE Brett Kiesel will keep the lanes open for those blitzes. QB Ben Roethlisberger will do his part to find WR Hines Ward (who has OWNED the Bungles in his career), utilize the deep threat that is WR Mike Wallace, and use the short middle to get TE Heath Miller involved in enough big plays to forget his fumble in New Orleans last week.
The Steelers will own this game from start to finish. They will win going away, possibly to the point that we will see the "Other" Palmer Bros. - Jordan - taking snaps for the Bengals in the 4th Quarter.
The 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers have a gear that the NFL has not seen yet,. and this is the week they crank it up a notch, hit that gear, and show the entire National TV audience that they are the favorite to take Lombardi #7 home to its rightful spot at the South Side Complex.
Steelers 37, Bengals 10
11/01/2010
Week 8 Review - Saints 20, Steelers 10
Goal line problems.
Key 3rd Down defensive failures.
A horrendous turnover that essentially handed the game to the opponent.
One look at the calender shows that this is 2010, but anyone who watched the entire Sunday Night Football showdown between the Steelers and the Saints may have thought it was 2009 all over again.
In the end, even with managing to get stuffed on an entire series from the 6-inch line, allowing New Orleans and their Pro Bowl QB to endlessly convert 3rd Down after 3rd Down, and looking like a team that was a shade slower all night long.......the game was there for the taking.
The end came when TE Heath Miller - one of the most dependable players for this franchise during their two Super Bowl runs - fumbled a huge pass from QB Ben Roethlisberger that would have put the Steelers in line for a game tying field goal or go ahead TD. The momentum that had built up for the team was gone at that point, and the Saints easily put the game away. Watching from the sideline, Miller looked like a kid who had lost his puppy. While everyone watching the game knew that Darren Sharper - a Pro Bowl defender - had simply made a Pro Bowl play, the Steelers TE simply couldn't believe his misfortune.
So in the end, the Steelers visited Louisiana and came back with an L that could have easily been a W, and the Steeler Nation is left wondering whether or not this team has the extra gear it is going to need to win a tough AFC North.
So let us take inventory from Week 8 of the 2010 Steelers season:
Positives
1. DE Ziggy Hood - In his first NFL start, Ziggy Hood showed the promise that made him a 1st Round Draft Pick. The return of DE Brett Keisel in Week 9 should only make him that much better. While the absence of Aaron Smith could be sensed by the lack of aggressive blitz packages on early downs, Hood showed the power and speed needed to handle the double teams he will have to take on as the season progresses.
2. Woodley's Hammy - The hamstring injury of OLB LaMarr Woodley was overlooked during the week leading up to this game, overshadowed by the possible season-ending injury to Smith. For a player like Woodley, speed is a key factor to his effectiveness. Seeing him get around the end last night was a good sign.
3. CB's Ike Taylor and Bryant McFadden - Both starting CB's have stepped their game up this season. McFadden seems to have gotten better in his one year vacation in Glendale. Ike has actually been "Swaggin" this year, making big open field tackles and getting his butterfingers around an INT last night.
4. When a Loss isn't really a Loss - Yes, the Steelers now have 2 losses. Yes, the confidence of this team may be a bit shaken by the way the 4th Quarter played out. The positive? This wasn't a Conference or Divisional game. If a loss was going to happen during this road trip, THIS was the game for it to occur.
Negatives
1. Goal Line issues return - an old friend returned last night.....isn't this why RB Issac Redman is on the roster?
2. CB William Gay - even playing in the Nickel, the shortcomings of Gay are exploited. He misses assignments, misses tackles, and flat out looks like he has no business on the field. If the Steelers have one defensive weakness, it's pass defense on 3rd downs. The Nickel CB is a prime candidate to be picked on every week, so Gay needs to pick up his game - pronto Tonto.
3. Lack of timing/communication on pass routes - The potential TD that WR Emmanuel Sanders stole from Hines Ward was only the tip of the iceberg for the Steelers. The timing of the passing game was seriously disrupted by an average pass rushing team, and the results were a terrible 1st half by Ben. The running game has managed to break off a few big TD's this year, but until the passing game gets on track (which could take weeks considering the amount of time Ben was away from this team), the Steelers are going to have problems.
The biggest negative for the week? How about the loss of OLB Thaddeus Gibson to San Fransisco on waivers today. For a team that relies on always having a LB ready to step in and play, the loss of Gibson now puts the team in the position of being one big injury away from having to tap a weak free agency pool for a backup.
The team now heads to Cincinnati with a chop-licking game against a struggling Bengals squad. No matter the outcome, its safe to say that we will know alot more about where the Steelers are heading after this game.
Key 3rd Down defensive failures.
A horrendous turnover that essentially handed the game to the opponent.
One look at the calender shows that this is 2010, but anyone who watched the entire Sunday Night Football showdown between the Steelers and the Saints may have thought it was 2009 all over again.
In the end, even with managing to get stuffed on an entire series from the 6-inch line, allowing New Orleans and their Pro Bowl QB to endlessly convert 3rd Down after 3rd Down, and looking like a team that was a shade slower all night long.......the game was there for the taking.
The end came when TE Heath Miller - one of the most dependable players for this franchise during their two Super Bowl runs - fumbled a huge pass from QB Ben Roethlisberger that would have put the Steelers in line for a game tying field goal or go ahead TD. The momentum that had built up for the team was gone at that point, and the Saints easily put the game away. Watching from the sideline, Miller looked like a kid who had lost his puppy. While everyone watching the game knew that Darren Sharper - a Pro Bowl defender - had simply made a Pro Bowl play, the Steelers TE simply couldn't believe his misfortune.
So in the end, the Steelers visited Louisiana and came back with an L that could have easily been a W, and the Steeler Nation is left wondering whether or not this team has the extra gear it is going to need to win a tough AFC North.
So let us take inventory from Week 8 of the 2010 Steelers season:
Positives
1. DE Ziggy Hood - In his first NFL start, Ziggy Hood showed the promise that made him a 1st Round Draft Pick. The return of DE Brett Keisel in Week 9 should only make him that much better. While the absence of Aaron Smith could be sensed by the lack of aggressive blitz packages on early downs, Hood showed the power and speed needed to handle the double teams he will have to take on as the season progresses.
2. Woodley's Hammy - The hamstring injury of OLB LaMarr Woodley was overlooked during the week leading up to this game, overshadowed by the possible season-ending injury to Smith. For a player like Woodley, speed is a key factor to his effectiveness. Seeing him get around the end last night was a good sign.
3. CB's Ike Taylor and Bryant McFadden - Both starting CB's have stepped their game up this season. McFadden seems to have gotten better in his one year vacation in Glendale. Ike has actually been "Swaggin" this year, making big open field tackles and getting his butterfingers around an INT last night.
4. When a Loss isn't really a Loss - Yes, the Steelers now have 2 losses. Yes, the confidence of this team may be a bit shaken by the way the 4th Quarter played out. The positive? This wasn't a Conference or Divisional game. If a loss was going to happen during this road trip, THIS was the game for it to occur.
Negatives
1. Goal Line issues return - an old friend returned last night.....isn't this why RB Issac Redman is on the roster?
2. CB William Gay - even playing in the Nickel, the shortcomings of Gay are exploited. He misses assignments, misses tackles, and flat out looks like he has no business on the field. If the Steelers have one defensive weakness, it's pass defense on 3rd downs. The Nickel CB is a prime candidate to be picked on every week, so Gay needs to pick up his game - pronto Tonto.
3. Lack of timing/communication on pass routes - The potential TD that WR Emmanuel Sanders stole from Hines Ward was only the tip of the iceberg for the Steelers. The timing of the passing game was seriously disrupted by an average pass rushing team, and the results were a terrible 1st half by Ben. The running game has managed to break off a few big TD's this year, but until the passing game gets on track (which could take weeks considering the amount of time Ben was away from this team), the Steelers are going to have problems.
The biggest negative for the week? How about the loss of OLB Thaddeus Gibson to San Fransisco on waivers today. For a team that relies on always having a LB ready to step in and play, the loss of Gibson now puts the team in the position of being one big injury away from having to tap a weak free agency pool for a backup.
The team now heads to Cincinnati with a chop-licking game against a struggling Bengals squad. No matter the outcome, its safe to say that we will know alot more about where the Steelers are heading after this game.
10/30/2010
Pittsburgh Steelers Twitter List
The Steelers are represented well in the Twitter world. In case you don't yet follow these feeds, do yourself a favor and start following them today!
@LamarrWoodley
@tpolamalu
@lawrencetimmons
@mvp86hinesward
@RyanClark25
@RMundy29
@steelers
@LamarrWoodley
@tpolamalu
@lawrencetimmons
@mvp86hinesward
@RyanClark25
@RMundy29
@steelers
Steelers @ New Orleans Saints, Sunday Night Football - Week 8 Preview
On Sunday night, the game that many pegged as the true test of the 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers mettle will kickoff on NBC Sunday Night Football. The New Orleans Saints are the defending Super Bowl Champions, but alot has changed since that fateful February day that Drew Brees held up the Lombardi Trophy and extinguished the demons that had haunted the Louisiana Superdome. The Saints were one of the NFL's perennial doormats, an also-ran franchise whose claims to fame included fans wearing bags over their heads, a roster that usually read like an Arena Football League team, and more empty seats than attendees at their home games.
Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers took the Super Bowl hangover to a new level, getting railed by a group of sub .500 teams in games that made Mark Malone shiver with shame. The Steelers had held up Lombardi #6 just a year earlier, and now they sat at a crossroads.
Then came Milledgeville.
The Steelers looked to be on the way to a rebuilding (or possibly reloading) stage, while New Orleans seemed to be set up for a long run as an NFL top gun.
So far in 2010, the Steelers and Saints have reversed fortunes. While the Steelers played the first 4 games without All-Pro, future Hall of Fame QB Ben Roethlisberger, they rallied behind their tenacious Defense and after beating both Cleveland and Miami, they sit at 5-1. The Saints haven't fared so well, as the injuries of RB tandem Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas have left them a one dimensional team, now faced with a 4-3 record in a newly minted tough NFC South.
The Steelers are coming off a tough road win against a Miami Dolphins team that nearly pulled off a big upset. The Saints spent last Sunday getting kicked around the Superdome by a vastly undermatched Cleveland Browns team. Both teams come into Week 8 with something to prove.
Things to Watch - Week 8
3. Steelers Secondary vs. Saints Passing Offense - While the Steelers only rank #24 in Total Pass Defense this season, it is safe to say that the Secondary has played better than they did in 2009. The return of SS Troy Polamalu has energized the pass defense, and CB Bryant McFadden has proved to be a great asset in his comeback to the Black and Gold. With McFadden returning, CB William Gay has been able to reaffirm his spot on the squad with great play out of the Nickel - the very spot that springboarded him to his short-lived starting CB stint last season. The Steelers have given up several "garbage time" passing TD's this season, and even when a QB has managed to have a decent game - Colt McCoy for instance - the stats have come in meaningless situations.
Drew Brees can take over a game faster than any QB in the NFL, and the WR tandem of Lance Moore and Robert Meachem can stretch any defense. WR Marques Colston is a big-time TD target who can get on a roll when he is up against smaller defenders. If Brees can get time to throw, the Saints could carve up the Steelers secondary. This is the first big test for this Steelers defense in 2010.
2. DE Ziggy Hood gets his shot - At some point, the Steelers need to learn to live without Aaron Smith. At 34, Smith is nearing the end of his remarkable career. The injuries are starting to mount, and while Smith has looked great this season, Father Time will always win this battle. This team would not have won 2 Super Bowls without their best DE, and he has played his entire career with the respect of his teammates, the coaches, and the Steeler Nation. Ziggy Hood was a DOMINATING college player. He has the full confidence of this team and Mike Tomlin. Now is his time to prove his worth to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and this game is a prime moment in his budding career. National TV, biggest game of the weekend, hostile environment.....all factors to consider in a players 1st career start. Will Ziggy show up?
1. The Crowd - We have all experienced the Steeler Nation effect on road games. The Superdome has gained a reputation as one of the toughest venues in the NFL, and the Saints thrive off the noise and atmosphere created by that crowd. The Steelers can expect to see many friendly faces in the stands, but it will be nowhere near what they are used to. New Orleans fans have rode the bandwagon into Year 2 of the rebirth of their team. If the Saints get an early lead, expect the crowd to play a major part in the outcome of the contest. The onus falls on RB Rashard Mendenhall to take the crowd out early, and if the Steelers can jump in front of a few Drew Brees passes, the Steelers can easily quiet the Cajun-flavored crowd.
In just over 3 months, the NFL will turn its eyes on the massive Cowboys Stadium for Super Bowl XLV. It is very possible that a re-match of this game could be on the docket that day. If that comes to pass, this Week 8 game will be prodded and picked apart by football experts around the Country. If the Steelers can pull out a big road win here, the ripple effect will be huge.
Prediction: Steelers 28, Saints 24
Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers took the Super Bowl hangover to a new level, getting railed by a group of sub .500 teams in games that made Mark Malone shiver with shame. The Steelers had held up Lombardi #6 just a year earlier, and now they sat at a crossroads.
Then came Milledgeville.
The Steelers looked to be on the way to a rebuilding (or possibly reloading) stage, while New Orleans seemed to be set up for a long run as an NFL top gun.
So far in 2010, the Steelers and Saints have reversed fortunes. While the Steelers played the first 4 games without All-Pro, future Hall of Fame QB Ben Roethlisberger, they rallied behind their tenacious Defense and after beating both Cleveland and Miami, they sit at 5-1. The Saints haven't fared so well, as the injuries of RB tandem Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas have left them a one dimensional team, now faced with a 4-3 record in a newly minted tough NFC South.
The Steelers are coming off a tough road win against a Miami Dolphins team that nearly pulled off a big upset. The Saints spent last Sunday getting kicked around the Superdome by a vastly undermatched Cleveland Browns team. Both teams come into Week 8 with something to prove.
Things to Watch - Week 8
3. Steelers Secondary vs. Saints Passing Offense - While the Steelers only rank #24 in Total Pass Defense this season, it is safe to say that the Secondary has played better than they did in 2009. The return of SS Troy Polamalu has energized the pass defense, and CB Bryant McFadden has proved to be a great asset in his comeback to the Black and Gold. With McFadden returning, CB William Gay has been able to reaffirm his spot on the squad with great play out of the Nickel - the very spot that springboarded him to his short-lived starting CB stint last season. The Steelers have given up several "garbage time" passing TD's this season, and even when a QB has managed to have a decent game - Colt McCoy for instance - the stats have come in meaningless situations.
Drew Brees can take over a game faster than any QB in the NFL, and the WR tandem of Lance Moore and Robert Meachem can stretch any defense. WR Marques Colston is a big-time TD target who can get on a roll when he is up against smaller defenders. If Brees can get time to throw, the Saints could carve up the Steelers secondary. This is the first big test for this Steelers defense in 2010.
2. DE Ziggy Hood gets his shot - At some point, the Steelers need to learn to live without Aaron Smith. At 34, Smith is nearing the end of his remarkable career. The injuries are starting to mount, and while Smith has looked great this season, Father Time will always win this battle. This team would not have won 2 Super Bowls without their best DE, and he has played his entire career with the respect of his teammates, the coaches, and the Steeler Nation. Ziggy Hood was a DOMINATING college player. He has the full confidence of this team and Mike Tomlin. Now is his time to prove his worth to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and this game is a prime moment in his budding career. National TV, biggest game of the weekend, hostile environment.....all factors to consider in a players 1st career start. Will Ziggy show up?
1. The Crowd - We have all experienced the Steeler Nation effect on road games. The Superdome has gained a reputation as one of the toughest venues in the NFL, and the Saints thrive off the noise and atmosphere created by that crowd. The Steelers can expect to see many friendly faces in the stands, but it will be nowhere near what they are used to. New Orleans fans have rode the bandwagon into Year 2 of the rebirth of their team. If the Saints get an early lead, expect the crowd to play a major part in the outcome of the contest. The onus falls on RB Rashard Mendenhall to take the crowd out early, and if the Steelers can jump in front of a few Drew Brees passes, the Steelers can easily quiet the Cajun-flavored crowd.
In just over 3 months, the NFL will turn its eyes on the massive Cowboys Stadium for Super Bowl XLV. It is very possible that a re-match of this game could be on the docket that day. If that comes to pass, this Week 8 game will be prodded and picked apart by football experts around the Country. If the Steelers can pull out a big road win here, the ripple effect will be huge.
Prediction: Steelers 28, Saints 24
8/23/2010
Quick Hits from Steelers vs. G-Men Pre-Season Game #2
- Guys whose starting jobs are in jeopardy for 2010: Justin Hartwig, Bryant McFadden, Stefan Logan.
- Maurkice Pouncey becomes the best Center in the AFC the MINUTE he starts his first NFL game. The guy is as good as anyone in the league.
- Yes, Stefan Logan was technically the best KR/PR in Steelers history last year, but did he really do anything worthy of a roster spot? The Steelers will have some tough decisions to make on the last 4-5 roster spaces, and Logan is a "luxury" player. WR Antonio Brown can take over these duties and the team would have one more opportunity to not try to pass a Thaddeus Gibson or Stevenson Sylvester through waivers. Neither would get back to them, and both have legit NFL skills. Cut Logan, save the roster spot, and allow one of these young defensive players a chance to make this squad.
- Justin Hartwig needs to prove he can still play Guard ASAP. His starting Center job is gone. Pouncey is the present and future there, but Hartwig is a guy who can still be as valuable as his contract says he is. He is a true leader, started on a Super Bowl Championship team, and if he finds versatility on the O-Line, he becomes a nice insurance policy to injuries or a player falling out of favor with the fickle Mike Tomlin.
- How nice was it to see Troy Polamalu out there running around like it was 2008? Troy is a no-doubt All-Pro when healthy, and he is the literal heart of this defense. His presence for 16 games will be a bigger factor than who the QB is to start the season.
- The Steelers are secretly putting together a "Wild Duck" offensive package for QB Dennis Dixon. It won't be shown in the preseason, but trust this Steeler fan, its happening. The Atlanta Falcons better start planning for it, or they are in trouble Week 1.
- WR Hines Ward has now played in 40 NFL stadiums, including Toronto SkyDome during the preseason vs. Buffalo in 2008. Another milestone for a sure-fire Hall of Famer.
Next game is Sunday Night Football @ Denver. S Ryan Clark will not dress, and I don't blame him. Expect to see Ben play at least a half, and Leftwich for probably the rest of the game. Its also time to give Rashard Mendenhall 20 carries.
- Maurkice Pouncey becomes the best Center in the AFC the MINUTE he starts his first NFL game. The guy is as good as anyone in the league.
- Yes, Stefan Logan was technically the best KR/PR in Steelers history last year, but did he really do anything worthy of a roster spot? The Steelers will have some tough decisions to make on the last 4-5 roster spaces, and Logan is a "luxury" player. WR Antonio Brown can take over these duties and the team would have one more opportunity to not try to pass a Thaddeus Gibson or Stevenson Sylvester through waivers. Neither would get back to them, and both have legit NFL skills. Cut Logan, save the roster spot, and allow one of these young defensive players a chance to make this squad.
- Justin Hartwig needs to prove he can still play Guard ASAP. His starting Center job is gone. Pouncey is the present and future there, but Hartwig is a guy who can still be as valuable as his contract says he is. He is a true leader, started on a Super Bowl Championship team, and if he finds versatility on the O-Line, he becomes a nice insurance policy to injuries or a player falling out of favor with the fickle Mike Tomlin.
- How nice was it to see Troy Polamalu out there running around like it was 2008? Troy is a no-doubt All-Pro when healthy, and he is the literal heart of this defense. His presence for 16 games will be a bigger factor than who the QB is to start the season.
- The Steelers are secretly putting together a "Wild Duck" offensive package for QB Dennis Dixon. It won't be shown in the preseason, but trust this Steeler fan, its happening. The Atlanta Falcons better start planning for it, or they are in trouble Week 1.
- WR Hines Ward has now played in 40 NFL stadiums, including Toronto SkyDome during the preseason vs. Buffalo in 2008. Another milestone for a sure-fire Hall of Famer.
Next game is Sunday Night Football @ Denver. S Ryan Clark will not dress, and I don't blame him. Expect to see Ben play at least a half, and Leftwich for probably the rest of the game. Its also time to give Rashard Mendenhall 20 carries.
8/18/2010
Its the most wonderful time of the year!!
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| Steelers Season Tickets....the best UPS Package anyone can get! |
8/17/2010
Preseason Game #1: Steelers 23, Lions 7 - what did we learn?
So the first game of what we all hope is the season we win our record 7th Lombardi has begun with a 23-7 preseason victory.....and the controversy that comes with it.
- The big talk across the land is of course the play of Steelers QB Dennis Dixon, who looked very "Kordellesque" wearing #10 in the Black and Gold. Dixon played well, made things happen with his legs, and hit rookie WR Antonio Brown with the big hammer in the form of a 68 yard TD on a catch and run crossing pattern that was perfectly executed against the 3rd string defensive backfield of the DETROIT LIONS. Lets not go crazy here. Dixon looked great, and he is obviously growing into a player, but once September 12 comes, he needs to be holding a clipboard while Byron Leftwich runs the Steelers offense in lieu of Big Ben. Dixon will end up with a "Slash" package, an interesting option on a team with WR Antwaan Randle-El, WR Hines Ward and a nice mix of speed and power. The NFL is a copy cat league, and the "Wildcat" has been dusted off by numerous teams since the Miami Dolphins brought it back in 2008. The Steelers "Wild Duck" (Mr. Dixon is a former Oregon Duck...quack....quack....) could be a nice wrinkle in Bruce Arians bag o'tricks. We will need to do whatever is needed to at least hit the 2-2 mark prior to the arrival of #7 in Game 5.
- The other big story this week is the amazing growth of 1st Round pick C Maurkice Pouncey since he arrived in Latrobe. Pouncey is a man beast, and the dominant Center the Steelers have lacked since Jeff Hartings retired. Justin Hartwig was the starting Center on a Super Bowl championship team, and he has experience on his side. His job is in question though, simply because Pouncey is a MONSTER. With the running game becoming the focal point once again, and new OL Coach Sean Kugler planning to utilize both zone and man blocking schemes in 2010, a solid Center is a must have commodity for this team. If Justin Hartwig is providing depth at Center and Guard, we are in better shape that most teams. The guy is a true professional, and he deserves a spot on this roster regardless of starting or not.
- The WR core looks to be a major strength. We all know that future Hall of Famer WR Hines Ward is the leader, and that WR Mike Wallace will attempt to take over Santonio Holmes slot. Both of those guys will get the job done on Sundays, from there.....???? Its a nice problem to have though. WR Antwaan Randle-El and WR Arnez Battle bring experience. Rookies WR Emmanuel Sanders and WR Antonio Brown bring SPEED and fantastic college resumes. Will this team carry 6 Wideouts? When you add in TE Heath "Big Money" Miller, the Steelers potentially have a mixture that could dominate in the AFC North.
- The RB situation is muddled beyond starting RB Rashard "Cannonball" Mendenhall. Mewelde Moore brings team experience and special teams talent, and he will almost surely be the #2 guy. RB Issac Redman is having his second big camp in a row, and looked good in his playing time against the Lions. Could this be the year he breaks out and makes the roster? What of Frank "The Tank" Summers? He looks the part, and his soft hands could be an asset both in passing downs and on the goal line. Jonathan Dwyer is a scary proposition, as he looks fat and seems to get hurt all the time. Its starting to become easy to see why a guy with his resume dropped all the way down the draft board. The only thing we know for sure is that the Steelers will not miss Fast Willie, not in the least.
- Where will DE/DT Ziggy Hood fit in? He has taken it to the next level this year, and at this point looks like a future star. With DT Casey Hampton back, and DE Aaron Smith 100%, does Ziggy get playing time on 3rd downs? ILB Larry Foote seems to be re-energized after his 1 year field trip to Motown. The young CB package of Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett seem to have made major strides in the past year. Even Special Teams madman CB Anthony Madison is making a case to be used on nickel and dime packages. The defense is DEEP, and once again should be a top unit.
The next preseason game is this weekend in NY vs. The G-Men. Will Big Ben play? I think so. Will we see more from Dixon/Redman/Summers/Brown/Sanders/etc.? We can only hope alot more.
Its getting closer folks, leaves are starting to fall from the trees, high school teams are practicing, and kids are preparing pencils, books and dirty looks. Football is coming......THANK GOD!
- The big talk across the land is of course the play of Steelers QB Dennis Dixon, who looked very "Kordellesque" wearing #10 in the Black and Gold. Dixon played well, made things happen with his legs, and hit rookie WR Antonio Brown with the big hammer in the form of a 68 yard TD on a catch and run crossing pattern that was perfectly executed against the 3rd string defensive backfield of the DETROIT LIONS. Lets not go crazy here. Dixon looked great, and he is obviously growing into a player, but once September 12 comes, he needs to be holding a clipboard while Byron Leftwich runs the Steelers offense in lieu of Big Ben. Dixon will end up with a "Slash" package, an interesting option on a team with WR Antwaan Randle-El, WR Hines Ward and a nice mix of speed and power. The NFL is a copy cat league, and the "Wildcat" has been dusted off by numerous teams since the Miami Dolphins brought it back in 2008. The Steelers "Wild Duck" (Mr. Dixon is a former Oregon Duck...quack....quack....) could be a nice wrinkle in Bruce Arians bag o'tricks. We will need to do whatever is needed to at least hit the 2-2 mark prior to the arrival of #7 in Game 5.
- The other big story this week is the amazing growth of 1st Round pick C Maurkice Pouncey since he arrived in Latrobe. Pouncey is a man beast, and the dominant Center the Steelers have lacked since Jeff Hartings retired. Justin Hartwig was the starting Center on a Super Bowl championship team, and he has experience on his side. His job is in question though, simply because Pouncey is a MONSTER. With the running game becoming the focal point once again, and new OL Coach Sean Kugler planning to utilize both zone and man blocking schemes in 2010, a solid Center is a must have commodity for this team. If Justin Hartwig is providing depth at Center and Guard, we are in better shape that most teams. The guy is a true professional, and he deserves a spot on this roster regardless of starting or not.
- The WR core looks to be a major strength. We all know that future Hall of Famer WR Hines Ward is the leader, and that WR Mike Wallace will attempt to take over Santonio Holmes slot. Both of those guys will get the job done on Sundays, from there.....???? Its a nice problem to have though. WR Antwaan Randle-El and WR Arnez Battle bring experience. Rookies WR Emmanuel Sanders and WR Antonio Brown bring SPEED and fantastic college resumes. Will this team carry 6 Wideouts? When you add in TE Heath "Big Money" Miller, the Steelers potentially have a mixture that could dominate in the AFC North.
- The RB situation is muddled beyond starting RB Rashard "Cannonball" Mendenhall. Mewelde Moore brings team experience and special teams talent, and he will almost surely be the #2 guy. RB Issac Redman is having his second big camp in a row, and looked good in his playing time against the Lions. Could this be the year he breaks out and makes the roster? What of Frank "The Tank" Summers? He looks the part, and his soft hands could be an asset both in passing downs and on the goal line. Jonathan Dwyer is a scary proposition, as he looks fat and seems to get hurt all the time. Its starting to become easy to see why a guy with his resume dropped all the way down the draft board. The only thing we know for sure is that the Steelers will not miss Fast Willie, not in the least.
- Where will DE/DT Ziggy Hood fit in? He has taken it to the next level this year, and at this point looks like a future star. With DT Casey Hampton back, and DE Aaron Smith 100%, does Ziggy get playing time on 3rd downs? ILB Larry Foote seems to be re-energized after his 1 year field trip to Motown. The young CB package of Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett seem to have made major strides in the past year. Even Special Teams madman CB Anthony Madison is making a case to be used on nickel and dime packages. The defense is DEEP, and once again should be a top unit.
The next preseason game is this weekend in NY vs. The G-Men. Will Big Ben play? I think so. Will we see more from Dixon/Redman/Summers/Brown/Sanders/etc.? We can only hope alot more.
Its getting closer folks, leaves are starting to fall from the trees, high school teams are practicing, and kids are preparing pencils, books and dirty looks. Football is coming......THANK GOD!
8/09/2010
Follow Jeff Snedden on Twitter
Just a heads up, if you enjoy the content I'm providing here, I also write a Pittsburgh Pirates MLB blog at:
1992 to Life: A Pirates Fan Blog
I always post updates to my Twitter:
http://twitter.com/jeffsnedden
Thanks for reading,
The Mayor
1992 to Life: A Pirates Fan Blog
I always post updates to my Twitter:
http://twitter.com/jeffsnedden
Thanks for reading,
The Mayor
2011 NFL Hall of Fame will be a Steeler Nation Special
Now that the 2010 NFL Hall of Fame ceremonies are over, Steeler Nation has returned home. Dick LeBeau may have been inducted based on his Detroit Lions CB career, but his induction was surely a Steelers affair. It was fantastic to see "Coach Dad" give his heartfelt speech, and his emotional dedication to the players he has coached in Pittsburgh brought a huge response from the Nation throng that traveled deep into enemy territory (Ohio) to see inducted. It is AWESOME to see the NFL giving props to its early players, and LeBeau was one of the best defensive backs to ever suit up. It was even more awesome to see the current players and Coach Tomlin waving those Terrible Towels during the speech.
The 2011 NFL Hall of Fame Induction will be another Steeler Nation field trip, as RB Jerome Bettis takes his rightful spot in Canton. Bettis has some tough competition for induction, but his rushing stats and legacy as the Steelers greatest RB of all time seals the deal. It wouldn't be a shock to see "The Bus" line up with both Marshall Faulk and Curtis Martin (another Pittsburgh special, so bring out the City league crowd) on the steps of the Hall in 2011. The Steelers could be represented by more than Bettis though, as C Dermonti "Dirt" Dawson and OLB Kevin Greene could both see their busts being bronzed up for the Hall next summer. If the NFL is smart (and last I heard, they were), they will capitalize on this opportunity to bring out even the most novice fans of the greatest franchise in the NFL by inducting all 3 of these greats. Greene would be going in as a member of the Rams more than likely, but he has always maintained his allegiance to the Steelers by participating in both Training Camp and various Super Bowl functions at XL and XLIII. Dawson is a true Black and Gold legend, and one of the top 10 Centers of all time. His induction should be academic, but it would be sweet to see him and "The Bus" sitting up there together. "Dirt" played on some of the most unheralded Steelers teams in their history, including the Super Bowl XXX team, the 1997 team that lost to the John Elway Broncos, and the first 6 Bill Cowher-led playoff teams. Dawson was the starting Center that sprung big seasons from Barry Foster, Bam Morris and Jerome Bettis. He protected the interior line during QB Kordell Stewart's near MVP season in 1997. When the time came that he could no longer be the player he was, he stepped away like the true professional.
The combination of these players in Canton in 2011 would create a virtual frenzy among the Nation. Wouldn't it be amazing if the NFL went one step further and put the Steelers in the Hall of Fame game? How about a Steelers vs. Rams matchup? A little tribute to Jerome Bettis and Marshall Faulk, two of the most celebrated players on stage that weekend would be truly special.
Get your hotel reservations and travel plans in order, next summer should sizzle with Black and Gold.
A little treat to get the juices flowing for 2010.....The "Renegade" story from ESPN.
The Story of "Renegade"
The 2011 NFL Hall of Fame Induction will be another Steeler Nation field trip, as RB Jerome Bettis takes his rightful spot in Canton. Bettis has some tough competition for induction, but his rushing stats and legacy as the Steelers greatest RB of all time seals the deal. It wouldn't be a shock to see "The Bus" line up with both Marshall Faulk and Curtis Martin (another Pittsburgh special, so bring out the City league crowd) on the steps of the Hall in 2011. The Steelers could be represented by more than Bettis though, as C Dermonti "Dirt" Dawson and OLB Kevin Greene could both see their busts being bronzed up for the Hall next summer. If the NFL is smart (and last I heard, they were), they will capitalize on this opportunity to bring out even the most novice fans of the greatest franchise in the NFL by inducting all 3 of these greats. Greene would be going in as a member of the Rams more than likely, but he has always maintained his allegiance to the Steelers by participating in both Training Camp and various Super Bowl functions at XL and XLIII. Dawson is a true Black and Gold legend, and one of the top 10 Centers of all time. His induction should be academic, but it would be sweet to see him and "The Bus" sitting up there together. "Dirt" played on some of the most unheralded Steelers teams in their history, including the Super Bowl XXX team, the 1997 team that lost to the John Elway Broncos, and the first 6 Bill Cowher-led playoff teams. Dawson was the starting Center that sprung big seasons from Barry Foster, Bam Morris and Jerome Bettis. He protected the interior line during QB Kordell Stewart's near MVP season in 1997. When the time came that he could no longer be the player he was, he stepped away like the true professional.
The combination of these players in Canton in 2011 would create a virtual frenzy among the Nation. Wouldn't it be amazing if the NFL went one step further and put the Steelers in the Hall of Fame game? How about a Steelers vs. Rams matchup? A little tribute to Jerome Bettis and Marshall Faulk, two of the most celebrated players on stage that weekend would be truly special.
Get your hotel reservations and travel plans in order, next summer should sizzle with Black and Gold.
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| "The Bus" high steps into Heinz Field paydirt. |
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| "Dirt" snaps to Kordell in 1997. |
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| Kevin Greene kills Stan Humphries. |
A little treat to get the juices flowing for 2010.....The "Renegade" story from ESPN.
The Story of "Renegade"
8/03/2010
Get to know WR Emmanuel Sanders
When the NFL Pre-Season begins on August 14 for the Pittsburgh Steelers, fans will notice a couple new numbers running routes in Bruce Arians pass-happy offense. One of those players will be rookie WR Emmanuel Sanders, formerly of June Jones equally pass happy shotgun offense at SMU. Sanders holds essentially every receiving record in the books for Southern Methodist, a school that many younger fans would consider to be "below" the standard bearer BCS programs. What these young-ens do not understand is that SMU was once (around the time when "E.T." and "Return of the Jedi" were thrilling movie-goers) a prolific NCAA football power that routinely recruited Top 10 players from around the Country. SMU was shortly thereafter hit with the NCAA "Death Penalty", killing their program dead for almost 2 decades. Sanders was a major piece of the class that has put SMU back on the map, leading them to a Bowl berth in 2009.
The Steelers newest #88, Sanders should be able to step into the role that WR Mike Wallace excelled at in 2009. Wallace, of course, is the new starting WR opposite future NFL Hall of Famer Hines Ward. The team brought back WR Antwaan Randle-El to compete for receptions in the slot, but make no mistake - Emmanuel Sanders was drafted with the intention that he will be a huge piece of the Steelers offense for the next decade.
Sanders is a dynamic receiver who stands at 5-10 and runs a 4.41 40-yard dash. In 2009, he accounted for 98 catches for 1,339 yards and 7 TDs. He also returned kickoffs and punts for SMU, a long standing weakness for the Steelers. In the 2009 Hawaii Bowl, he led the Mustangs to a 45-10 upset win over favored Nevada with 7-124 and a TD. He had 5 100-yard receiving games in 2009, including an amazing 18-178 vs. Washington State. Sanders was not a 1-year wonder, as he accounted for 600 yards worth of catches in all 4 of his years at SMU, never catching less than 7 TDs in a season.
WR Emmanuel Sanders Highlight Video
The Steelers newest #88, Sanders should be able to step into the role that WR Mike Wallace excelled at in 2009. Wallace, of course, is the new starting WR opposite future NFL Hall of Famer Hines Ward. The team brought back WR Antwaan Randle-El to compete for receptions in the slot, but make no mistake - Emmanuel Sanders was drafted with the intention that he will be a huge piece of the Steelers offense for the next decade.
Sanders is a dynamic receiver who stands at 5-10 and runs a 4.41 40-yard dash. In 2009, he accounted for 98 catches for 1,339 yards and 7 TDs. He also returned kickoffs and punts for SMU, a long standing weakness for the Steelers. In the 2009 Hawaii Bowl, he led the Mustangs to a 45-10 upset win over favored Nevada with 7-124 and a TD. He had 5 100-yard receiving games in 2009, including an amazing 18-178 vs. Washington State. Sanders was not a 1-year wonder, as he accounted for 600 yards worth of catches in all 4 of his years at SMU, never catching less than 7 TDs in a season.
WR Emmanuel Sanders Highlight Video
8/02/2010
A new FB, Lamar Woodley needs PAID, and Skippy is still CRAZY
Notes from Day #4 of Camp Tomlin 2010:
- The Steelers acquired a real FB today, claiming former Eagles FB Dwayne Wright off waivers. This spells the end of the Demetrius Taylor experiment, as the former Virginia Tech DE was released. This is a good thing for both Rashard Mendenhall and fans of the Steelers running game. Wright is 100x better than Carey Davis, and although I don't know Mr. Taylor, I would imagine a guy who has played FB at D1 Fresno State and 3 seasons in the NFL would be a better use of roster space.
- Lamar Woodley is getting jobbed right now by Steelers management. The guy has been phenomenal at OLB since he was drafted, and made the transition from DE to OLB in less time than anyone the team has brought in over the past 20 years. Woodley is as natural an athlete as there is in the NFL, and he is going to get better each year. The time has come to pay the man. History would argue that Kendrell Bell was as much a "sure thing" as anyone in team history, but Woodley is a different player at the Steelers most important defensive position. With DE Aaron Smith and ILB James Farrior approaching the end of their great careers, and Troy Polamalu a long term injury risk, Woodley has an inside shot at being the next Steelers defensive Captain.
- Jeff Reed is a solid NFL placekicker, and he has 2 Super Bowl rings. He is making $2.8m in 2010, which is good coin for a guy who can't kickoff into the end zone. Besides being a loud mouth all of a sudden, "Skippy" has been less than a model citizen. Kickers rarely get long term deals in the NFL, and even the best ones bounce around to different teams (Morten Anderson, Gary Anderson, Jason Elam, etc.). The last thing the Steelers need is more negative media attention, and Reed should know that as a 5+ year veteran. The time has come to bid "adieu" to Jeff Reed and begin the search for the next Steelers kicker.
- The Steelers acquired a real FB today, claiming former Eagles FB Dwayne Wright off waivers. This spells the end of the Demetrius Taylor experiment, as the former Virginia Tech DE was released. This is a good thing for both Rashard Mendenhall and fans of the Steelers running game. Wright is 100x better than Carey Davis, and although I don't know Mr. Taylor, I would imagine a guy who has played FB at D1 Fresno State and 3 seasons in the NFL would be a better use of roster space.
- Lamar Woodley is getting jobbed right now by Steelers management. The guy has been phenomenal at OLB since he was drafted, and made the transition from DE to OLB in less time than anyone the team has brought in over the past 20 years. Woodley is as natural an athlete as there is in the NFL, and he is going to get better each year. The time has come to pay the man. History would argue that Kendrell Bell was as much a "sure thing" as anyone in team history, but Woodley is a different player at the Steelers most important defensive position. With DE Aaron Smith and ILB James Farrior approaching the end of their great careers, and Troy Polamalu a long term injury risk, Woodley has an inside shot at being the next Steelers defensive Captain.
- Jeff Reed is a solid NFL placekicker, and he has 2 Super Bowl rings. He is making $2.8m in 2010, which is good coin for a guy who can't kickoff into the end zone. Besides being a loud mouth all of a sudden, "Skippy" has been less than a model citizen. Kickers rarely get long term deals in the NFL, and even the best ones bounce around to different teams (Morten Anderson, Gary Anderson, Jason Elam, etc.). The last thing the Steelers need is more negative media attention, and Reed should know that as a 5+ year veteran. The time has come to bid "adieu" to Jeff Reed and begin the search for the next Steelers kicker.
Welcome to the Steel World Order - A Steelers Blog
As we approach the 2010 NFL Season, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Steeler Nation have descended on Saint Vincent College in little Latrobe, PA for Camp Tomlin 2010. The Steelers enter the season with more controversy and debate than any year in memory. All-Pro QB Ben Roethlisberger, the unquestioned leader and Captain of the 6-Time Super Bowl Champions, will miss at least the first 4 games of the season after being accused of sexual misconduct. Super Bowl XLIII MVP WR Santonio Holmes, owner of the greatest catch in NFL history, has been traded to the New York Jets after numerous violations of the NFL Personal Conduct policy. The team allowed RB Willie Parker to leave via free agency, which places Rashard Mendenhall in the spotlight as the unquestioned starting RB. In the meantime, the team reached into the Free Agency pool to reunite Steeler Nation with 3 of its favorite sons - WR Antwaan Randle-El, CB Bryant McFadden, and ILB Larry Foote. The 2010 NFL Draft brought OL Maurkice Pouncey, OLB Jason Worilds, WR Emmanuel Sanders, WR Antonio Brown, DE Thaddeus Gibson, OG Chris Scott, CB Crezdon Butler, ILB Stevenson Sylvester, DE Doug Worthington, and possibly the biggest steal of the Draft, prolific Georgia Tech RB Jonathan Dwyer.
The Steelers lost OT Willie Colon to a season-ending injury in minicamp, and probably saw the end of the Limas Sweed experiment when he was injured and placed on IR.
The Steeler Nation will do what we always do - pack every stadium the Black and Gold come into, and support our team with 110% effort. We will support our QB, who was never permitted by the league to give his side of the story and continues to be guilty until proved innocent. We will support our amazing Head Coach, who has accomplished more at age 38 than any Head Coach in NFL History. We will make Heinz Field a house of horrors for any team who challenges us.
We will win Lombardi Trophy #7 in 2010.
The Steelers lost OT Willie Colon to a season-ending injury in minicamp, and probably saw the end of the Limas Sweed experiment when he was injured and placed on IR.
The Steeler Nation will do what we always do - pack every stadium the Black and Gold come into, and support our team with 110% effort. We will support our QB, who was never permitted by the league to give his side of the story and continues to be guilty until proved innocent. We will support our amazing Head Coach, who has accomplished more at age 38 than any Head Coach in NFL History. We will make Heinz Field a house of horrors for any team who challenges us.
We will win Lombardi Trophy #7 in 2010.
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