Steelers Lose Focus on Big Ben’s Injury

Whatever you might think of Ben Roethlisberger as a quarterback, or a human being, you cannot question or deny his toughness.

I don’t have statistics to back this but I'm fairly sure Ben takes more hits than any quarterback in the NFL today (and maybe ever). He plays through injuries that would keep many players off the field and most human beings in the hospital for months. Broken bones, sprained ankles, concussions, even appendectomies cannot sideline Big Ben for long.

It’s a trait that rightfully earns him admiration and respect from me and throughout the Steeler Nation. Steeler fans like their players tough and nasty. There is a certain perverse pride we take in watching Ben beat down Baltimore, the same night his nose was massacred by Haloti Ngata. That is leadership in its purest form; leaving it all on the field when by all accounts he should be sitting in an ice bath.

Leadership is also knowing when to step aside. And it’s just as clear to me that Ben does not.

I have no issue with Ben’s blind spot; I just assume my star quarterback is a warrior and wants to play whenever it’s remotely possible. That makes it incumbent on those above him to take that decision out of his hands when necessary. For whatever reason, Mike Tomlin elected not to do so in two of the last three games. And the Steelers may ultimately pay for that decision this post season.

I understood, with some degree of reluctance, Tomlin’s decision to play Roethlisberger in San Francisco a few weeks back. The Steelers had a chance to move ahead of Baltimore and put themselves in position for a critical first round bye. Tomlin presumed the best way to accomplish that; against one of the best defenses in football, was with Big Ben behind center. I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on this even though hall of fame quarterback Steve Young clearly did not.

That said, once the Steelers fell behind 20-3 in the 4th quarter, keeping Ben in the game as an immobile human target was simply asinine. I’m a huge Tomlin fan and I can say it was bar none his worst decision as head coach of the Steelers. There was absolutely no conceivable reason for keeping Ben in that game at that point. The decision was a product of typical NFL bravado between coach and quarterback.

Big Ben survived the Monday night beat down, no worse but certainly no better for ware. After that, I genuinely hoped he would not see the field again until the playoffs and maybe not even the second round (presuming they Steelers could overcome the force of will and hope that apparently is Tim Tebow). No games, no practice, no nothing except healing his injury as much as possible. To me this is not even debatable. Not after watching Ben’s inability to walk down steps in week 16 or push off his foot in week 17, when he deemed himself 60% healthy.

This was not about conceding the division title to Baltimore and accepting life as a wild card. The Steelers are and were absolutely capable of beating both St ’Louis and Cleveland with Charlie Batch behind center. Batch is hardly a superstar but he’s an experienced quarterback and solid game manager with a reliable track record. He’s more than good enough to beat two of the worst teams in football. In fact, I think at 100% healthy he is a better option than Roethlisberger at 60%.

In contrast, the Steelers have little or no chance of winning at Baltimore or New England, let alone in the Super Bowl without a reasonably healthy Big Ben.

Given that reality, the entire focus of the organization should have been getting Roethlisberger as healthy as possible for the playoffs. There was no upside to playing Ben last weekend and as we now know, plenty of downside risk.

For whatever reason the Steelers have their own blind spot when it comes to Big Ben. They seem willing to let him play in almost all circumstances. Or perhaps Ben yields too much power over the organization and he ultimately dictates whether or not to play. There is enough historical evidence to make this a reasonable inference.

I was harshly critical of Bill Cowher for starting Roethlisberger twice in 2006 when he had no business being on the field. One could argue that he should have sat out half the season to recuperate from his motorcycle accident. Accepting that he did not, he certainly was nowhere near ready to play in week two against Jacksonville after an emergency appendectomy ten days earlier (on top of everything else). The Steelers were shut out in that game and Ben looked terrible.

A few weeks later Cowher trotted Roethlisberger out against Oakland seven days after his second concussion in five months (and other severe injuries from the crash). Roethlisberger was flat out awful in that game throwing five interceptions. He was the primary reason the Steelers lost to a terrible Raiders team.

Is it a coincidence that two extremely successful, secure, and hard nose coaches have both given in to Ben’s desire to play even when he clearly should not? Or was it ultimately not their decision.

Such considerations are hardly unprecedented in Pittsburgh sports. In 1993 the Penguins skated the best team in their history and quite possibly one of the best of the post expansion era. They were making a mockery of the National Hockey League right up to the day Mario Lemieux was shockingly diagnosed with cancer.

Le Magnifique spent six weeks enduring radiation treatments and heroically returned to the line-up the day of his last session. He and the Pens then went full throttle over the remainder of the season both to set regular season win records and get Lemieux an incomprehensible scoring title. That decision yielded some of the greatest and most exciting hockey any of us have or ever will see. Lemieux blew past Pat Lafontaine to win the scoring title and MVP; one of the most remarkable achievements in NHL history.

Remarkable, misguided, and short sighted.

Lemieux was coming back from CANCER TREATMENTS. His primary focus as an athlete should have been getting healthy for the playoffs. He could not or did not want to accept his limitations in that moment; hardly a shocking revelation given an athlete who often appeared superhuman on the ice. It was up to the Penguins to have a broader perspective.

I believe to this day that Lemieux ran out of gas in those playoffs; a consideration supported by Lemieux barely playing the next two years. The net result was a horrific defeat to a vastly inferior New York Islander squad. It cost the Pens a third straight cup and rightful recognition as a dynasty.

The entire organization, including legendary head coach Scotty Bowman took its eye off the ball. They caved in to Lemieux’s short-term desire to play much as Tomlin and Cowher did with Ben. And let’s not kid ourselves; they did so because Mario Lemieux called the shots at the Igloo long before he became a shareholder of the Pittsburgh Penguins. In that case, it was to the ultimate detriment of his team.

I fear we are reliving that scenario with Ben Roethlisberger. This Steeler team is not, relatively speaking, as good as the ’93 Pens but they are absolutely a Super Bowl contender. A Super Bowl championship should be the unquestioned goal and that is highly unlikely in Roethlisberger’s current state of health.

Look, Ben’s health issues may be inevitable this post season. He suffered a severe ankle sprain which will likely take weeks or longer to heal. There is a better than average chance even under the full rest scenario that he is hampered throughout the playoffs. I get that. And I understand the rust from inactivity argument as well.

And I don’t care.

It was a bad decision plain and simple, by an organization that gets it right far more often than not. It was a loss of focus on the ultimate goal; a loss of focus might very well cost the black and gold a shot at a 7th Lombardi Trophy.

Steelers’ Offense Sticks it to New England, Just as Planned

There truly are not many feelings in sports better than sticking it to the New England Patriots.

There is a smug arrogance about that Pats that defies description.  It permeats virtually every player and coach in the organization.  The trail of arrogance and ego starts with their condescending, know it all head coach and filters down through their condescending pretty boy quarterback. I respect Bill Belichick’s success as a coach. I respect Tom Brady’s brilliance on the field. And I truly cannot stand either one of them.

They don’t inspire quite the visceral hatred of say the Baltimore Ravens, but they’re definitely a close second.

Even as I know that next week’s game with Baltimore is the most important of the season, I’m downright giddy about yesterday’s result. They don’t hand out the Lombardi trophy in late October mind you but understand this; there are moments in sports truly worth savoring that do not involving winning a championship.

Yes it’s childish, yes it’s petty, yes it’s vindictive. So be it. Watching Brady and Belicheat slump off the field in defeat is worth a little premature celebration. Especially knowing how this victory was accomplished.

For the first time in a decade, the Steelers clearly and unequivocally out schemed, out coached, and out played the Patriots with Brady behind center.

The Steelers’ performance was eerily reminiscent of their playoff victory in Indianapolis in January 2006. That was the last time the Black and Gold went so out of character in a victory. It was also the last time they so thoroughly out played and out coached an elite opponent.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are built first and foremost with defense. They hire defensive minded head coaches and focus the greater percentage of their cap space and draft choices on the defensive side of the ball. The defense dictates games and the offense plays an important but often complimentary role. That’s Pittsburgh Steeler football and it has been for four decades.

Well, four decades with a few notable exceptions, such as yesterday.

Yesterday the Pittsburgh Steelers changed their identity, by necessity. It was the offense that dictated and controlled the game. Not only that, they did it almost entirely by throwing the football. The Steelers controlled the entire game with a high percentage passing attack that ground up yards and clock with equal proficiency.

In so doing, they exposed the obvious weakness of the New England defense, its inability to stop the pass. And they took out New England’s greatest strength, Brady’s pinpoint passing. I don’t care how good a QB Giselle’s husband may be, he can’t win football games standing on the sideline.

This is my 32nd year of watching Pittsburgh Steeler football and I cannot ever remember a game plan like this for a full game. Even that famous game in Indy where the Steelers went airborne for 30 minutes and then settled back in to running in the second half. More than that, the Steeler defense that day dictated the game to Peyton Manning. Yesterday’s defensive performance was solid, but very much complimentary.

To be clear, I’m not dismissing the defense in any way. This was bar none the best game plan Dick Lebeau has ever engineered against Brady. The Steelers got in the face of his wide receivers and did not allow Mr. Bundchen the easy completions of prior years. That’s a tribute to Ike Taylor, Troy Polamalu and a secondary that is considerably improved in 2011.

It’s also a credit to the substantially improved defensive line play, a wake up from Lamar Woodley, and a much needed shuffling out of aging players in the last four weeks.

On merit alone, the Steelers finally stopped Brady; finally stopped him from exploiting the obvious mismatch he presents to the typical Lebeau scheme. In so doing they validated a group that has been shockingly steady this season while rarely imposing its will on opponents.

At the same time, I cannot fathom this much success if Brady had the ball for 30 minutes instead of 20, especially given Woodley’s 4th quarter injury. We saw this on New England’s last touchdown drive where Brady went right back to slicing the Steeler D. Ask yourself this question. If Brady gets the ball back with two minutes left and at least one time out, are you confident in a Steeler win?

Simply put, the most effective scheme the Steelers used to stop Brady was to keep him on the sidelines gnashing his teeth. There is nothing wrong with that. As noted above, its brilliant total football strategy and solid execution, lead part and parcel by Ben Roethlisberger.

I continue to fight the dreaded and ignorant “game manager” characterization of Big Ben. I’ve come to resent even more those who say, “It’s not pretty but he finds a way to win.” Both labels unfairly demean the accomplishments of one of the truly great and truly under-appreciated quarterbacks of this generation.

On Sunday, Ben was brilliant and effective, and everything else his critics claim he cannot be. Excepting one truly awful interception, he played a tremendous football game. The Steelers ran a New England offensive game plan against New England. It worked because Big Ben out played Brady and made it work. Somehow I don’t see this game plan with Neil O’Donnell, Kordell Stewart or Phillip Rivers behind center.

He did not do it alone of course. He was helped by and offensive line that has improved ten-fold in the last four games. It’s amazing what a difference Max Starks has made since his return. He was helped by a young core of receivers that has matured brilliantly before our eyes. And let’s not forget Heath Miller whose great start today was reminiscent of that playoff game in Indy. Miller’s best effort of the year, hands down.

At the same time, kudos to Mike Tomlin for clearly out coaching Belicheat. Credit to the far too often maligned Bruce Arians for putting in place a great game plan. It’s not easy for a leopard to change its spots but the Steelers did it with shocking ease on Sunday.

Sadly we get less than a week to savor this victory. As great as this game was, Sunday night’s battle with the Ravens is the game of the season, a true must win. As is so often the case, this game will dictate the Steelers ultimate post season path. A victory makes home field advantage and a first round bye a realistic course. A loss almost certainly requires the arduous wild card route in January.

It seems almost unfair for the Steelers to run this schedule gauntlet; to face their two most hated rivals in back to back games. Not to mention the surprisingly improved Bungles before the bye.

Such is life. If there is one team in sports that can overcome this it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers. The standard is the standard as coach Tomlin says, regardless of the opponent(s). Beyond that, the Steelers should be pretty frosted about their horrific performance on opening day against Baltimore. Avenging that embarrassment should bring added levels of motivation, focus, and determination to a team that does not lack these traits to begin with.

For now, let’s savor a tremendous victory; one that showcased the talent, heart, and brilliance of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Let’s enjoy truly sticking it to Brady and Belicheat for once. The Ravens can wait…at least a few days.

HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO !!!

Going “Big Z” on the Sports Deadzone

We have a saying here in the windy city that a person went “Big Z” on someone. This is in deference to (or fear of) Cubs’ lunatic fringe pitcher Carlos Zambrano and essentially means the person to some degree lost their mind, freaked out, had a meltdown, and possibly beat the crap out somebody. Better stated, they reenacted the last five years of Zambrano in Chicago.

After Big Z’s latest meltdown and childish threat to retire last week it appears the Cubs have FINALLY had enough. I guess $90 Million buys a lot of forgiveness given that the Cubs have repeatedly overlooked (among other things) Zambrano's remarkable inconsistency, beating up his catcher, selling out his teammates, and freaking out at opposing players, coaches, and umpires. Bailing on his teammates in the middle of a game was the final straw. This should not surprise anybody who lived through the tumultuous end of the Sammy Sosa, Flintstones vitamin era in Chicago. The Cubs actually released Zapruder film like coverage of Sosa in the parking lot during his final game in Chicago.

The shame of it is that during those rare times when Zambrano is lucid and focused, he’s an exceptionally good pitcher. He appeared to be on the verge of Cy Young caliber stardom before signing his massive contract and he even after that tossed a no hitter in 2008. Alas, such greatness is far too rare and completely eclipsed by his over the top public meltdowns (and subsequent hollow apologies).

Zambrano is a locker room parasite who feeds on the extremely limited supply of positive energy at Wrigley field. Regardless of whether Cubs fans have any faith in their management team, the reality is that no meaningful rebuilding can occur on the north side until Zambrano is vanquished from the clubhouse. We can’t even guarantee that will occur given that he’s professed his love for Chicago and filed a grievance against the Cubs for suspending him. Unreal.

Jim Hendry has done less with more than virtually any general manager in sports. His record of player procurement is abysmal, especially given the budget he has to work with. Sadly his one area of expertise appears to be moving out malcontents with supposedly untradeable contracts. Here’s hoping the man who found homes for Sosa and Milton Bradley can do the same for Zambrano.

With that, I go Big Z on some other random topics in the heart of the summer sports dead zone:

• Forgive me if I’m not exactly shocked by the Yahoo story detailing rampant corruption at the University of Miami. Gee, the solid citizens of the U were given improper benefits including money, cars, alcohol, strippers, and prostitutes. What next, violence in maximum security prisons? Partisan dysfunction in congress? The Pirates finishing below 500?  Yah, stop the press.

• Sadly, the Miami story is becoming the norm in big time college athletics. Powerhouse programs at USC and Ohio State (not to mention weaklings like North Carolina) are either on probation or facing serious allegations. As I sit here right now I’ll give you 2 to 1 odds that Auburn’s National Championship is vacated within five years. In fact, given the budding scandal at Oregon they might just pretend the whole BCS title game never happened. The unfortunate truth is that big time college football has become a cesspool of corruption. Worse yet, what we do not know is probably a lot worse than what we do.

• I admit I do not have a ready made solution to address corruption in college athletics but it would help if the NCAA stopped enabling egregious violations, let alone actually punishing them. I just read an article that stated the Sugar Bowl folks insisted Terrell Pryor and his accomplices play in their $20 Million New Year’s exhibition in order to, and I love this choice of language, protect the “integrity” of the contest. Sadly it was only slightly worse than Auburn starting their $180,000 amateur quarterback after the NCAA willingly buried its head in the sand. I’m dating myself here but the NCAA compliance officers remind me of the Bartles and James wine cooler guys from those late 80s commercials.

• As much as I believe that it’s long past time for Joe Paterno to retire, I often wonder if Penn State’s recent struggles are more because of JoePa’s age or because we don’t have alumni boosters that chaperone recruits to strip clubs. If it’s the latter, i.e., if Penn State has fallen in stature because they refuse to cheat, it makes it virtually impossible for me to watch college football anymore. Hopefully Pat Fitzgerald can address this after JoePa retires in three to five more years.

• Why do I feel like I’m the only person in the Steeler Nation who is genuinely concerned about the age of the defense? If Aaron Smith is in the line-up on opening day, the team will have eight starters on the plus side of 30. That may be young in public accounting but its ancient in the National Football League. As brilliant as the defense was in 2008 and 2010, there were notable signs of aging, primarily their inability to stop teams in the fourth quarter. I think that’s why Tomlin and Lebeau switched to that horrific prevent in the AFC title game that nearly caused me to Big Z my flat screen.

• Bill Bellicheat is not, as commonly postulated a genius but he is willing to think outside the football box. For years I’ve questioned why teams even attempt to run the football against the Steelers, given the utter futility of the effort. Belicheat to his credit abandoned established football dogma and never did. The Patriots regularly shred the Steelers’ defense with a quick strike passing game while making only token efforts on the ground. Green Bay used this same game plan in the Super Bowl as did Drew Brees and even Mark Sanchez last year.

The good news for the Black and Gold is you need a hall of fame caliber quarterback to execute this strategy. The bad news is that several such quarterbacks potentially stand between the Steelers and another Lombardi Trophy.

• I know the preseason does not mean squat but I could swear I saw Rex Grossman tearing up the Steelers’ defense last Friday night.

• Rick Reilly jumped the shark as a columnist about five years ago but he nailed it this week in ripping the Cincy Bungles and their cheap, curmudgeon owner Mike Brown. What does it tell you that Carson Palmer would forfeit $45 Million rather than play football for the Bungles? Brown has been running a pathetic and cheap organization for decades. He basically told his coach Marvin Lewis to kiss of when Lewis demanded the Bungles spend money and modernize. And this hypocritical oaf has the gall to suggest that Palmer reneged on his commitment to the team? How many players have the Bengals cut while they were under “contractual commitments?”

Even if you 100% agree with Brown and think Palmer is the NFL’s Big Z, riddle me this; would a good owner force a fading star player to retire out of spite or pawn him off for high draft choices to improve the club? Watch Brown do nothing and you’ll have your answer.

• As we sit here today I have no idea whether Sidney Crosby will be in the line-up on opening night. I refuse to make any assumptions based on rampant and irresponsible media speculation. I will say that if he’s not ready to go then he should stay on the sidelines until he is. The Pens made a monumental gaffe in allowing their franchise superstar to play after the Steckel hit. I was convinced he has a concussion when I saw it live and more so when 24/7 replayed it. The only positive here is that the Pens realized their mistake and resisted the temptation to rush him back for the playoffs. Crosby is the franchise and he’s two years away from being a free agent. Given that, I’m okay with exercising a tad more patience than they did with Aaron Asham.

• Sometimes when I need a cheap smile or laugh I remind myself that they worship hockey in Vancouver and Roberto Luongo is under contract until 2047.

• Only 24 days until the Steelers open their season in Baltimore and the sports dead zone mercifully ends. Looking forward to seeing James Harrison and the boys go Big Z on Joe Flacco!

Penguins Making Super Bowl Week Easy

As a sports fan, there is nothing better than having your favorite team in the Super Bowl. It is so to speak, sports nirvana.

Unfortunately, as former Blackhawks owner Bill Wirtz frequently reminded me, you do not get something for nothing in this life. The cost of that Super Bowl glory is the interminable two week wait leading up to it. One minute you are celebrating the thrill of reaching the summit of the sports mountain; the next you are stuck in a two week abyss of no football.

Compounding the misery is the non stop dissection of the event by the various and bloated talking football heads; supplemented by a steady does of rumor, innuendo, and pointless gossip. Everyone and their mother is on TV or the internet with their own useless analysis and meaningless predictions. Let’s face it, the average human being is not equipped to handle 14 days of Deion Sanders, Keyshawn Johnson, and Steve Marriucci.

The oversaturation of pointless news and gossip reached a historic low point today when it was reported as breaking news that Ben Roethlisberger was seen drinking with teammates at a piano bar on Tuesday night. Unless Ben singing under the influence is consider a potential felony this is a total non story. Unless of course its Super Bowl week.

Maybe I’m just spoiled after three Super Bowl trips in six years but I frankly can’t stand it. Fortunately I have the perfect cure. It’s called Pittsburgh Penguins hockey.

The Penguins are doing a phenomenal job keeping my mind of the Super Bowl week abyss. Instead of being immersed in the endless minutia of Super Bowl week, I’m watching perhaps the gutsiest regular season performance in the history of our beloved hockey team. And I’ll be doing so right up through Sunday afternoon. Instead of eight hours of senseless pre game babble, I’ll be watching Disco Dan’s boys taking on the hated Washington Crapital’s in a matinee special.

By all accounts, the Penguins should be in free fall right now. In case you did not get the memo, they have played the last ten games without the world’s best player, a young fellow named Crosby, and the last five games without his superstar sidekick Evgeni Malkin. To up the ante on Tuesday night, Jordan Staal decided to go all Brent Johnson and punch out a Ranger forward, thus earning an early shower.

If I had told you after the winter classic that the Pens would be without Sid for ten games and Geno for five of those games, would you in any way, shape, or form believed they would earn 13 points?

I’m not above admitting that I would not.

With this performance, the current group has redefined the image of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Our boys have always been thought of as a run and gun, offensive skill team. They’ve never been considered a team that wins games with defense, physicality and grit. At least until now.

All of a sudden the Pens are winning games because Max Talbot and Matt Cooke are running guys all over the ice, Zbynek Michalek and Brooks Orpik are dominating the defensive zone, and Brent Johnson is punching out Ricky DiPietro. Okay, the last part is more of a bonus parting gift but you get the point.

And think, some idiot on this blog keeps insisting that this team has too many grinders and not enough scoring wingers. Blasphemy.

Anyway.

Two months ago, I wrote a blog overflowing with praise for the Steelers brilliantly gritty victory in Baltimore. The game was the classic embodiment of Steeler football. The team battling for 60 minutes through a brutally physical encounter and all but willing themselves to victory. It was men pushing themselves beyond the limits of human endurance for nothing more than one regular season victory. I was so fired up afterwards that I could not sleep until 3am.

I had nearly the same feeling after the Penguins gutted out a 4-3 win at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night without their top four centers (including Mark Letestu). Oh and after spotting one of the league’s best goaltenders a 2-0 lead. The Pens just refused to quit, right up to the point where a rookie with less than ten games of experience scored the game winning goal in the shootout. It was quite frankly a “Steeler-like” performance.

I love the Steelers and the Penguins but I sometime marvel at how different they are. Steeler football is so emblematic of Pittsburgh. It’s about brutal physicality (except when it angers Roger Goodell), hard work, and an overwhelming desire and will to win. It’s rarely pretty; a fact we were comfortable with long before Mike Tomlin clarified that style points do not matter.

The Penguins on the other hand have been considered a brilliantly talented, finesse team pretty much from the day they were raised to prominence by a quiet French Canadian simply known as Le Magnifique. Go back and watch Hockey Night in Canada’s coverage of Lemieux’s mind numbing playoff goal against Ray Bourque and Boston in 1992. The announcer sums up the perception of Penguin hockey perfectly when he asks, “Have you ever seen such finesse?”

That’s not to suggest in any way that the Pens are not tough. Ulf Samuelsson was tough. Rich Tocchet was tough. Ryan Malone played a playoff series with a broken nose. We know all about the likes of Cooke, Brooks Orpik and Mike Rupp. Hockey players frequently play through injuries that would keep a good accountant in bed for weeks (hypothetically).

That said, when you think of the Steelers, you think of Jack Lambert or James Harrison, covered in blood and driving some poor running back through the turf. When you think of the Pens, you think of Lemieux’s Jagr, Crosby, and/or Malkin undressing some poor defensemen and humiliating the likes of John Casey, Andy Moog, or whatever AHL caliber goaltender is suiting up for Philadelphia.

Steeler fans prefer a 7-3 victory behind a dominant defense to a 40 point, 400 yard passing explosion. Penguin fans prefer that same 7-3 score, with Crosby and Malkin tallying 5 points each. It’s a shocking dichotomy in our sports preferences.

At least until now.

I pointed out last season that the Pens have become one of the toughest teams to play against in hockey. It’s not just because of Deryk Engelland dropping the gloves two out of three nights. It’s because of fast, physical forwards who pummel defensemen on the forecheck. It’s because of big, strong and mobile defensemen taking out guys in the defensive zone. Heck, even our back-up goaltender is tough.

And did I mention that the Penguins are the top penalty killing team in the NHL? The Pittsburgh Penguins? What next, the New Jersey Devils in last place?

This is not necessarily new, it’s just that nobody noticed until the team’s two offensive superstars went on the shelf. The Penguins are not scoring nearly as much without 87 and 71 but they have not changed their system one bit. They continue to dominate on the forecheck resulting in a huge disparity in zone time. They continue to choke off scoring chances when the puck is in their defensive zone (without trapping by the way). And offensively they are now opportunistic. Not a word frequently used to describe Penguin hockey over the last 25 years.

The result is some of the grittiest hockey in Penguin history. The gold standard to me remains games six and seven of the Stanley Cup finals against Detroit two years ago. That said, this is a close second and it’s being accomplished with $17.5 Million of all world production in the press box. I don’t know that I’ve ever been prouder of our boys.

Dan Bylsma has risen to another level as a coach. And let’s be honest, he set the bar pretty high to begin with. I hate to poach quotes from Mike Tomlin but I can almost picture Bylsma telling his injury riddled team, “the standard is the standard.” Of course it does not hurt that Marc-Andre Fleury is playing perhaps his best hockey ever; and has to just to stay ahead of Johnson.

Let me be clear on this. As impressive as this run is, the Penguins are not going deep in to the post season without a healthy Crosby and Malkin. And I still think the team needs one more offensive winger to win a cup. You need grit in the NHL but you also need guys who can put the puck in the back of the net. Alas, that’s a subject for another day.

For now, I’m just enjoying this remarkable display of Steeler style hockey from the Pens. The fact that it keeps Keyshawn off my television for the better part of the week is just an added bonus.

Steelers Display the Heart of a Champion

There are moments when champions define and separate themselves from their competitors. Sunday night in Baltimore was such a moment for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

On a night when the Steelers had every conceivable excuse to quit, they battled to the very end. With injuries, officials, and their toughest rivals stacked against them, the Steelers refused to succumb to defeat. In the most critical of moments, under the most intense pressure, the Steelers prevailed, against all odds.

I can not possibly overstate the importance of this victory. Physically, emotionally, and in the standings, it was the game of the year. We’ve known that since the hard fought last second loss in Pittsburgh in early October. This was an absolute must win game.

I will never give up the Steelers; I learned that lesson in 2005. At the same time, let’s be honest. Going the wild card route to a Super Bowl is tenuous under the best of circumstances. For a team as beat up as the Steelers, in a year with so much parity in the AFC, a first round bye would be an enormous advantage.

If the Steelers lost tonight, they were stuck going the wild card route. Now the division and a first round bye is a very real expectation.

That’s certainly a critical part of it. The other part was that the Steelers needed to step up with a signature victory in a significant game. To do so with a dramatic late game victory, spurred on by their defense was a potential season changing moment. To do it on the road, against their biggest and most physical rival…well that’s how championship teams come together.

Yes, this was a sloppy, ugly victory. I could write a 5,000 word blog on all the errors, physical and mental, that were made in this game. The Steelers made some ugly mistakes including three different brainless special teams’ gaffes. The offense struggled for 60 minutes to string together successful drives.

In other words, it was just another Steelers/Ravens battle, especially in Baltimore.

Prior to kickoff tonight I reminded Emily of what she already knows; what all Steeler fans know. Steelers/Ravens games are low scoring, incredibly physical affairs that come down to the last moments. It happens every game between these brutally physical rivals. There has not been a more violent and physical rivalry in the NFL since the Steelers and Oakland in the 70s.

And as is so often the case, when it really mattered, the Steelers showed more heart and character than their loud mouthed division rivals to the south.

There are certain things in sports that can not adequately be measured. Heart and character are at the top of that list. The Steelers consistently display championship heart. I will take that in a second over Peyton Manning’s arm or Adrian Peterson’s legs. No team in sports has consistently displayed more heart and character than the black and gold over the last 20 years.

I’m sure the critics will be all over Bruce Arians tomorrow for the offensive struggles. So be it. I’m sure Steeler fans will be up in arms about another 60 minute miscarriage of officiating justice. It is what it is.

Once again the Steelers proved what I always say about great teams in sports. Champions simply find a way to win. I’ve said it in many forms but the quote, “winners win, losers blame the ref” seems especially apropos these days.

The Steelers offensive line, a weak unit to begin with is continually devastated by injuries. They lost their punter. Their quarterback has a broken foot and suffered a broken nose. The officials flat out whiffed on two horrific personal foul calls, one of which cost the Steelers a critical player in Heath Miller. The opponent is the most devastatingly physical and impressive defensive team’s in football, except for the Steelers of course.

And the Steelers won. Champions find a way.

Honestly, this is the most impressed I’ve been with a Pittsburgh team since the Penguins beat Detroit in games 6 and 7 of the Stanley Cup finals. Those were ugly games as well. Like those games, tonight was not about making pretty or stylish plays. It was about the willingness to battle non stop until the final whistle. A willingness to endure pain and injustice for 60 brutal minutes and persevere to victory. A willingness to go beyond the limits of human endurance, simply to win a football game.

It may seem trite to non football fans. To the Steeler Nation, it’s a thing of beauty.

This game was the ultimate embodiment of Pittsburgh Steeler football. A victory only true members of the Steeler nation can understand and enjoy. Let the critics bash the coaches and the refs if they want. Let Trent Dilfer mock the game as a comedy of errors on TMZSPN. Let New England and New Orleans call it ugly football.

I call it Pittsburgh Steeler football, at its best. I call it the heart of a champion. Criticize Mike Tomlin if you want but I continue to believe he is a leader of men. He sets the tone for his team. No excuses, find a way to win. It’s what separates the Steelers from so many other franchises. The goal of every game is to win at all costs, under any circumstances.

I can not overstate my pride in this performance, ugly as it was. When Joe Flacco’s final pass hit the turf, I round myself stomping around my condo, screaming with pride. I have not been this fired up about the Steelers since Santonio’s catch in the end zone in Tampa. All I could think, just as it appears on this paper was, HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO !!!

Kudos to Big Ben. For those who continue to worship one dimensional fantasy football QBs that put up stats when they don’t matter, Ben once again showed what QB play is all about. I don’t care what people think about Ben as a person; on the field he is a leader of men. If a 300 pound man punched me in the face and broke my nose, I would leave work for a week. And of course I would not be there to start with given a broken foot. That we tend to take this for granted shows how spoiled we’ve become by our QB.

Keep in mind that when plays had to be made, Ben made them. And as is so often the case in this rivalry, the overrated Flacco did not. Give me Peyton Manning in the first quarter in October; give me Big Ben in the 4th quarter in December.

Kudos to Issac Redman for not being denied. There are times when the only acceptable result is the end zone. Redman absolutely should have been tacked on the five yard line. He simply wanted it more than the Ravens.

Kudos to the defense. This was the signature performance that was so often missing last season. It was without question their best game since Tennessee. It was a statement performance by a group of men tired of being pushed around by the hypocritical NFL stance on physical football. Kudos to James Harrison for ignoring the six figure hit to his pocketbook and playing dominant physical football. Kudos to Troy Polamalu for once again showing that he is the best game changing defender in the NFL.

Kudos to Shaun Suisham. Instead of a fat tub of goo kicker that whines about his contract and the grass, we now have a man who makes kicks without excuses. Suisham’s job punting tonight should be remembered as one of the critical performances of this season. If not for the two aforementioned brainless plays on special teams, he would have twice pinned the Ravens inside the five. Welcome to the Steeler Nation Shaun.

Most important, kudos to a team that has been persecuted by the league and the officials for weeks, overcoming two horrific officiating mistakes. There is not a sane football fan on earth who can explain the personal foul calls against Harrison the last two weeks and explain missing the helmet to helmet shot on Heath Miller. And if Tom Brady were punched in the face by a 300 pound linemen, the NFL would call in a SWAT team and the Navy Seals.

I’m angry, you’re angry, the entire Steeler Nation is angry. The players and coaches are angry. And behind the leader of men that is Mike Tomlin, they overcome and win. I spent most of the game lamenting key mistakes that should have cost the Steelers the game. In the end, all I can remember is this phenomenal display of the heart of a champion.

I don’t know if the Steelers will win the Super Bowl, but they are champions at heart. Tonight was yet another reminder of why I’m so proud to be a lifelong, card carrying member of the Steeler Nation. There is simply nothing on earth like the black and gold.

Every game against Baltimore is the ultimate battle of attrition. They are games that most players and most teams simply could not handle. Somehow, someway the Steelers find a way, time after time to be the better team. I can’t explain it or quantify it, but I can define it. Simply put, it’s the heart of a champion.

Good Rex, Bad Rex, and Really Bad Shanahan

Every once in awhile I see something in an NFL game that leaves me shaking my head in utter disbelief. It’s something that for the life of me I can not explain or comprehend on any level.

You would think after three decades of watching football I could say I’ve seen it all. Clearly that is not the case based on what occurred last Sunday in Detroit.

The Washington Redskins got the ball back with less than two minutes remaining, trailing the Lions by 6. When you think of great moments in NFL history, you often think of this scenario. Just two years ago, we watched Big Ben take the Steelers to victory in a comparable situation in the Super Bowl. Joe Montana, John Elway, and Dan Marino were famous for winning games on the final drive. It requires a mix of talent, composure and veteran savvy to win in these circumstances. This situation is the reason that a perennially losing team trades for a quarterback like Donovan McNabb.

So you’ll excuse me if I thought I had taken leave of my faculties when I saw Rex Grossman trotting on to the field for Washington. Fortunately, it was not me who had taken leave; it was Skins coach Mike Shanahan.

Let’s forget about the Grossman part for a moment and just consider this. What team would bench its starting QB in the final two minutes of a game down by one score?

We’re not talking about benching him at halftime or even after three quarters. We’re talking about pulling the plug with two minutes left, down by one score…AGAINST DETROIT. It’s akin to the Lakers getting the ball down by two with 20 seconds left and putting Kobe Bryant on the bench, for somebody who had not played the entire regular season…AGAINST THE CLIPPERS.

And that’s before we get to the Grossman part.

About the only thing more baffling than the decision was the explanation offered by Shanahan after the game and then his offensive coordinator (and son) the next day. I’ve heard more coherent and logical explanations from U.S. Congressmen. They vaguely mentioned injuries and something about “cardiovascular fitness” but the one that really got me was this…we thought Rex gave us the better chance to win in that situation.

HUH ?

Look I lived the Grossman experience in Chicago for five years so I can make the following statement without any pause or concern. They have not yet invented a situation in football where Rex Grossman gives you a better chance to win.

At some point in his career, Grossman was a reasonably competent NFL QB, saddled with a Jay Cutler like penchant for throwing the ball to the wrong team. Bear fans pondered weekly whether they would get "Good Rex" or "Bad Rex." That ended right after Super Bowl XLI. Be it due to loss of confidence or the entire NFL simply figuring him out, "Bad Rex" took over and never left. Now, Grossman is one of those guys that exists somewhere between carrying a clipboard and the Canadian Football League.

Maybe if you spend a week devising the right game plan, Grossman can be your starter…for a game or two. The idea that he can drive a team to a game winning touchdown in the final two minutes is ridiculous. The idea that he could do if coming in to a game cold and having not played all season, is incomprehensible. I’m pretty sure that even Lovie Smith would not have done that, though admittedly I’m not positive.

I’ve heard numerous explanations for this over the past few days. The most interesting is that Shanahan is unhappy with McNabb and used this situation to call out his star QB. I have a better explanation, he’s lost his mind.

I give Shanahan credit for how he’s dealt with the Albert Haynesworth debacAL. And I get the Skins are really not that good. I’m also aware that there are mixed feelings about McNabb around the league. There are some who think he’s one of the great QBs of this era. Others think he’s a great athlete who stumbled in to the perfect system in Philly and can’t win the big game. As always, the truth likely lies somewhere in the middle.

That being said, there is absolutely no plausible reason for Shanahan to do what he did on Sunday. What he ultimately did was cost his football team any chance to win the game. As it played out, Grossman did what he usually does. He did not feel the pass rush, took a hard hit and fumbled the game away. Maybe the exact same thing happens with McNabb behind center. We’ll never know.

Let’s get beyond the fact that Shanahan just called out and embarrassed his (supposed) franchise QB on national television. McNabb has demonstrated remarkably thick skin over the years so maybe he can handle this. How do you explain to a locker room full of warriors that you sold out any chance to win the game just to send McNabb a message? And that’s assuming that is really what happened here. It’s far worse to think that maybe they really believed Grossman gave them the best chance to win.

I would not bring Joe Montana off the bench cold with two minutes left in a game. It’s a completely unfair position to put any QB in. That being said, I could possibly understand if the Skins had a stud back-up or maybe if the situation were reversed and McNabb was coming in. The idea of bringing in Grossman, well coaches have been fired for a lot less.

Shanahan is a fascinating fellow. He is universally lauded for being a great coach and yet if you look at his pre and post John Elway resume its not very good. Yes he won two Super Bowls and you can not take that away from anybody. At the same time, Elway retired after the 1998 season. Since that time, Shanahan has coached ten years. In that decade, he made the AFC Championship team once where his team got blasted by the Steelers. And as my old buddy Porky Pig used to lament, that’s all folks.

Many of Shanahan’s teams missed the playoffs. At least two others served as launching pads for Peyton Manning’s most impressive playoff showings. In short, this guy has done nothing in his last ten years accept repeatedly cut 1,000 yard running backs and introduce the football world to Jay Cutler (coaches have been fired for less than that as well).

I was shocked at the indignation that took place when Shanahan was fired in Denver. How many other coaches would survive more than ten years where they did not even sniff a Super Bowl? Unless you’re Barry Trotz, constantly missing or losing in the first round of the playoffs gets you canned.

Even with that, I’m not suggesting Shanahan was a terrible coach, just a tad overrated. Again, the man did win two Super Bowls. I had absolutely no issue with him, until last Sunday. After that, I’m not sure the man is any more qualified to coach in our nation’s capital than Steve Spurrier or Jim Zorn.

Week after week I listen to angry Steeler fans bash Mike Tomlin. I continue to be astounded by this. Not because Tomlin is a perfect coach, he certainly is not. I’m astounded because on the whole, Tomlin has done what was expected in the Burgh. He’s posted a 39-20 record and won a Super Bowl in his first 3 ½ seasons, all before the age of 40. That’s pretty impressive.

And yet I’m told he’s not as good a coach as a guy like Jeff Fisher, who has somehow lasted 15 years in spite making just one Super Bowl, and losing (what is it with Nashville coaches) and now taking on the locker room disaster that is Randy Moss. And I’m pretty sure that most neutral footballs fans would call Shanahan a better coach than Tomlin.

So I ask you this, do you think Tomlin would have pulled Big Ben if the Steelers got the ball down one score with two minutes left…for Byron Leftwich. Keep in mind that Leftwich, along with being just as mediocre as Grossman, has not played all season. The answer is obvious, of course he would not. And if he did, I can’t even fathom the backlash he would face from the Steeler Nation.

Again, I’m not trying to evaluate McNabb or what’s going on in Washington. Maybe the Skins really don’t think he’s the good. That’s their call. I’ll just say this; regardless of what anybody thinks of Donovan McNabb, he’s a heck of a lot better than Grossman. Maybe Shanahan thought there was little chance of winning with McNabb. Whatever it was, it was 100% greater than his chance of winning with Rex; good, bad, or indifferent.

Coaches Coach, Players Play, Fans Complain

Sometimes I wonder who has the tougher job, Barack Obama or Bruce Arians. Yes Obama has to deal with the daily challenges of being leader of the free world. Is that any harder than dealing with the angry Steeler Nation that blames Arians for every play that does not result in a Steeler touchdown?

Okay, that might be a bit over the top but I think the point has been made. I have to go all the way to the White House to find a high ranking executive getting more criticism than Arians. Thankfully there are no midterm elections for NFL assistant coaches.

As I often do, let me clarify a few points here before I go any further.

First, this blog is not and will not be Arians’ personal advocate. My position on him remains that he is neither the best nor the worst offensive coordinator in the NFL. I would not put him in the top ten or the bottom ten. He’s somewhere in that middle 22 of guys that were good enough to earn these rare positions but are effectively interchangeable.

Second, I’m not suggesting Arians is alone in this plight. Quite the contrary. I’m not sure there is a worse job in sports than being an offensive coordinator in the NFL. That includes being a head coach in the NFL (a subject for another blog), although just barely. Take a read through blogs in Chicago, Green Bay, Miami, and Dallas if you don’t believe me. Their OC’s take the same beat down. The only difference of course is that the Steelers tend to win more than those teams.

There are three reasons that plays fail in the NFL; the offense does not execute, the defense flat out stops it, or it was a bad call. I will not attempt to assign arbitrary percentages to this but I’m guessing choice number three is the least frequent reason; and the number one choice of most fans. It’s just so easy to look at any play that fails and say a different call would have worked better.

Keep this in mind. If it were so easy to move the ball in the NFL, they would not give you three plays to go just ten yards. It’s the NFL, not the Arena league.

Here is a question that Bob Smizik often poses in his blog. Why is it that when Dick Lebeau’s Steeler defense smoothers an offense, fans call it great defense, but whenever the Steeler offense scores less than 24 points its because Arians is an idiot?

I don’t agree with every call Arians’ makes. In fact, I disagree with a lot of them. That being said, I try to look at it logically. First, I don’t think I would agree with every call that any offensive coordinator would make. And second, much as I would like to believe otherwise, I doubt I would do any better.

Keep in mind that the Steelers biggest problem offensively is not Arians, it’s a mediocre offensive line. That’s been the problem for the last three years. Football games are won in the trenches and the Steelers are just not good enough in that area. The problem is that it’s hard for fans to see that. Anyone can tell that Arizona’s offense went in the tank after Kurt Warner started his dancing career. Offensive line play is far more subtle, and just as critical.

But I digress.

The age old question in football is what is more important, play calling or execution. Both are important. That being said if you accept the notion that the Steelers’ play calling is at least competent by NFL standards, and I believe it is, then you have to take a look at the players on the field. That’s ultimately what determines the success or failure of an offense no matter how much the arm chair QB nation thinks otherwise.

Let’s take a look at Sunday night’s loss to New Orleans. The Steelers lost and scored less than 24 points so Arian’s is being annihilated by a large contingent of the fan base. Here’s my take on the situation.

1) Failure to score on first and down from the 1 yard line

This is abysmal. The idea that an NFL team can not move the football ½ yard in three plays is unacceptable. In case you have not noticed, this has been going on for three years. I remain amazed that the Steelers won the Super Bowl a few years back in spite of being completely inept in short yardage offense. Say goodbye to four points right there.

This problem is directly attributable to the offensive line. Keep in mind that five plus running backs have struggled in short yardage behind this line. Last year Arians tried to compensate by throwing more in these situations. He got blasted for it by fans, media, and Art Rooney Jr. This year they’ve gone back to trying to run. And again he’s being blasted.

I personally would like to see the Steelers consider a play action pass or QB sneak on at least one play. That being said, there is no guarantee those plays would have succeeded. What is guaranteed is that whatever way the Steelers offense failed in that situation, Arians would get most of the blame. Keep in mind that the Saints also failed in goal line and they did pass on several plays.

2) Jeff Reed Misses a FG

In other news, Tuesday was a bad day for democrats, Jordan Staal is having a rough year and Cookie Monster likes..oh you get it.

Look, I don’t expect Reed to make every kick and 51 yards is a long attempt. In a vacuum, I could handle one miss. The problem is that Reed has been missing from all over the place this year. And this was in a dome.

Mike Tomlin has been criticized a lot this year for trying long kicks with Reed right before half time. The argument is that if (or when) he misses those kicks it puts the defense in a bad position. That’s a loser’s lament. Reed is supposed to be one of the best kickers in football. Not withstanding his warped perspective on his measly $2 Million contract, Reed is paid to make those kicks. It’s not Tomlin’s fault he continues to fail. My guess is that Tomlin is at the end of his rope with Reed which means he may very well start bailing on him beyond 45 yards.

3) Emmanuel Sanders Converts to Defensive Back

I realize the Steelers defensive backs have been shaky the last two years. Maybe Sanders figures he has a better shot to play there than at WR. I’m not sure William Gay has made a defensive play all year as good as the one Sanders made on Heinz Ward on 4th and 4.

Tomlin is taking a lot of abuse for going for it in that situation. Not from me. It’s good aggressive coaching. It’s a coach who believes in his defense and his quarterback and is taking a calculated risk. If you want a coach who never takes chances or always goes by the book, I assure you Dave Wannstedt will be available in a few years.

Is Tomlin at fault for the decision? Is Arians at fault for the call? Or is Sanders at fault for stepping in front of a well thrown ball that Ward probably would have taken for a touchdown? I say the latter and there goes another 3 to 7 points.

4) Heath Miller fumbles

I’m not bagging on Miller who is one of the Steelers most reliable players. That being said, ball security is paramount when you are driving late in the game. I said the same thing about Ben’s fumble in Miami, you just can’t let that happen there. I’m guessing Heath agrees with me since he James Harrisoned himself in the cranium after the play. Notwithstanding all my Reed criticism above, that’s at least 3 and maybe 7 points lost, at a very key time in the game.

If the Steelers execute those four situations above, they likely pick up somewhere between 13 and 21 points...and win the game. All of those plays were there to be made, as were many others the offense failed to execute.

I’m not blindly absolving the Arians and the coaches; they play their part in any loss. Successful teams win because of a combination of three factors; 1) The organization brings in the right personnel 2) The coaches put players in a position to succeed and 3) The players execute properly. Bad teams usually lose for the same three reasons. And while I admit that any one phase if bad enough can destroy the other two, I just don’t see it on a team that’s gone 39 and 20 and won a Super Bowl with this coaching staff.

If you really hate Arian’s, ask yourself who would be better. Bear fans hailed Mike Martz as a genius when he arrived. Instead his offense has proved a poor fit for a team with a bad offensive line and a head case QB. No matter how much Steeler fans don’t want to believe it, Arians’ offense works to the talent of the players we have. Alan Faneca is gone and Jerome Bettis retired.

To repeat, I neither love nor hate Arians. In the long run, I don’t care if he stays or goes. All I know is this, I would not want to be his replacement.

Welcome Back Steelers’ Defense…We Missed You

I’m going to climb way out on a limb here and suggest that maybe, just maybe, the Steeler defense is back.

You remember that defense yes? Two years ago it was so dominant that Mike Tomlin shackled his future hall of fame quarterback; lest the offense sabotage it with even one mistimed turnover. Last year that same defense was so bad in the 4th quarter that Tomlin tried an onside kick…with the lead. The frightening thing is that all things considered, it was the right call.

Wow what a difference a year can make. Or two years in this case.

Let’s start off by acknowledging something that is now impossible to ignore. The loss of Troy Polamalu and Aaron Smith was a devastating blow to last season’s defense. If we were not sure of that before Troy went flying over the Tennessee offensive line to tackle Kerry Collins, we are now.

(Editors note: As required by Pennsylvania state law, I will now acknowledge that the renowned football analyst Christopher Disque has been making that same argument for about 10 months with great vigor. As required by the marital vows I took last May, I will further acknowledge that my wife Emily has been making the same point about Polamalu since the moment he went down last season).

I admit I was hesitant to believe that losing one or two players could decimate a defense that was so dominant the previous season. I’m still not totally sure that was the exclusive issue in the demise. That being said, it’s hard not to notice Polamalu when he makes game changing interceptions in each of the first two weeks. On the other hand, you generally do not notice Aaron Smith until you realize that a record setting NFL running back was completely ineffective yesterday.

So again, just so there is no confusion in my argument, the return of Smith and Polamalu is huge. So was bringing back Bryant McFadden, providing the solid cover corner we lacked last season. That being said, I still say there is more to the story of last season’s collapse.

The Steeler defense in 2008 was the game changing, brutally physical, dominating unit we saw yesterday. They played with a chip on their shoulder about the size of say, Baltimore. That chip was missing last season. I was live on site in Chicago, before Smith went down. They were tentative and a step slow. It was not just an issue of schemes or of being less aggressive without the million dollar hair on the field.

Last week against Atlanta, the Steelers rediscovered that game changing defensive dominance. Yesterday, they rediscovered the nastiness. They chip was back, much to the dismay of Vince Young. Last year the goal was to hold a star running back under 100 yards. Yesterday the goal seemed to be giving Chris Johnson a true, physical, beat down. So much for the guy claiming he was going to run for 2,500 yards this year. That’s the Steeler defense we’ve been accustomed too since the chin showed up in 1992.

For my money, the most improved players this season are James Harrison and Lawrence Timmons.

(Editors note #2, my attorneys have advised me that I can not praise Timmons in writing without acknowledging numerous preseason emails touting his greatness from the aforementioned Christopher Disque. So it shall be written, so it shall be done).

Two years ago, Harrison was more than just a dominant linebacker. He was the baddest man on the planet. I can think of numerous painful medical procedures I would have without anesthetic as opposed to messing with number 92. You don’t win defensive player of the year by being good; you win it by being scary good.

Harrison was a seriously scary guy in 2008. And he’s a seriously scary guy now. He does not want to tackle a ball carrier; he wants to implant him in the turf. For my Penn State friends, think Big Al meets Matthew Rosenberg circa 1992.

Last year, that extra element of nastiness was missing. You can talk Troy until your blue in the face. I focused on Harrison throughout the season and he simply was not the same player. This year, he’s back in a big bad way.

The other colossAL improvement is from Timmons. That smack down he put on Johnson in the first quarter was the point where Johnson seemed to lose his mojo. Timmons was ok last season but this year he’s playing like a dominant inside linebacker and a first round draft pick. I’m not mentioning Lamar Woodley only because he’s the one linebacker I thought played to his full ability last year. Call him a push.

Let’s be honest, the Blitzburgh defense is built around the linebackers. They whole defense funnels through them. More important, those guys set the tone. You got the feeling yesterday they were trying to destroy Young, Johnson and the entire Titan offense; rather than just beat them. Of course it does not hurt that number 43 is running all over the field scaring the you know what out of quarterbacks. Maybe the entire defense, Harrison included, should start using Head and Shoulders!

I still have concerns over the age and durability of the front seven, especially the d-line. That being said, seeing young Ziggy Hood playing so well mitigates some of those fears. And to be clear, my concerns are not performance related. I’m concerned about whether they can continue to carry the team; especially with two brutally physical opponents in their first four games. That combined with the 100 degree heat issues we had yesterday and likely next weekend in Tampa.

I’m not going to spend time harping on the offense. If you take the ESPN view of football, analyzing solely based on highlights and statistics, the offense is awful. If you look at the intelligent coaching view of football, the offense yesterday was brilliant. How do I define brilliant? I define it as doing exactly what is necessary to win. And yesterday the offense did that. In short, they stayed out of the way.

There is nothing and I mean nothing good that can come from Byron Dixonbatch trying to make big plays offensively. The Steelers took one crack at that in the first two games, an open backfield set in the first quarter yesterday. The line could not block it, Dixon held on to the ball too long and worse did not feel the pressure. The result, D.Dix got creamed, Tennessee recovered a fumble and got their only meaningful points of the day. Those three points were strictly on the offense.

That play sent a clear message. When you are playing third and fourth string QBs, behind three back-up offensive linemen, you go very conservative. When you add in a defense that can dictate and win games on its own, you go beyond conservative. You flat out stay out of the way. I watched the Bears win 11 games that way with an overwhelmed rookie Kyle Orton in 2005.

Please don’t waste any time analyzing Bruce Arians’ play calling. The Steeler offense yesterday was playing the 4th line role in hockey. Get the puck in deep, forecheck, don’t make any mistakes that result in points against. In essence, their role was effectively to let the defense rest.

Can they win playing that way all season? Of course not, nor will they have to. When Ben gets back, they will return to having an effective and hopefully balanced offense. I’m not even sure they can win their next two games playing that way. Alas, that’s not the point.

The defense was dictating yesterday’s game in dominant fashion. As long as they defense kept creating turnovers and easy points, there was simply no reason to take any offensive risks. If this was the situation all season, I would have concerns. Knowing that we will add a hall of fame QB in three weeks makes this easier to accept. So does seeing the coaching staff design a brilliant kick return play that resulted in crucial, game changing early points.

(Editors note #3: I was all over Antonio Brown in training camp; he’s Shawn McEachern fast).

For whatever its worth, I would stick with Batch this week. The Steelers need a caretaker at QB the next two weeks and Batch is by far the most comfortable in that role. Regardless of Dixon’s talent, he simply does not seem comfortable the caretaker role. With all that said, I expect Lord Byron will be behind center on another hot day in Tampa.

Give Mike Tomlin huge credit for playing to the strengths of this team. We all thought the Steelers needed to survive the no Ben zone 2-2. Now 3-1 or even 4-0 is possible. If they do that, Tomlin is in line for coach of the year. Much to the chagrin of his persistent and narrow minded critics.

More important, give the defense full credit for not just beating but beating down the Titans. It was classic black and gold defense, Dick Lebeau style. It was the kind of dominating defense we’ve grown accustomed to the last 19 years, but was far too often missing last year, especially in the 4th quarter. Welcome back Steeler D, we missed you !

HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO !

Uncertainty Hangs over Steelers’ Season

Over the past two decades, I’ve developed quite a comfort factor with the Steelers. More often than not, I go in to the season believing they have a pretty good chance to be playing in mid January. Rest assured, this is not the blissfully blind optimism my fellow Chicagoans feel for the Cubs or the delusional belief of Pirate fans. This is the real deal, based on an 18 year run of success.

So like most of the Steeler Nation, I find myself dealing with an unfamiliar emotion on the eve of the 2010 season…uncertainty. I honestly can’t remember this level of uncertainty since the blessedly short lived Tommy Maddox era. For the first time in a long time, the Steelers have a team that could just as easily compete for the Superbowl or a high draft choice.

My gut instinct, not to mention three decades of watching the NFL, tells me that this is a huge red flag. If you think there is a legitimate chance your team could win only 5 games, then they probably are not a Super Bowl team regardless.

If I were truly an impartial observer of the Steelers, I would probably be leaning towards a rough year for the Steeler Nation. Of course I’m about as impartial as Rush Limbaugh or Hockey Night in Canada; which explains why I’m about to fork over another large sum of money to DirecTV to watch Byron Dixonbatch.

Even taking my less than subtle bias out of the equation, I remind everyone of what happened two years ago in Philly. I sat amongst the world’s most pleasant human beings at the Linc and watched the Eagles defense literally trample the Steelers’ offensive line. I walked away that day thoroughly convinced that the Steelers were in no way, shape or form a Super Bowl contender. Given what happened four months later, I think writing off the black and gold before the equinox is a bad idea.

Anyway, back to the uncertainty, the most obvious of which is behind center.

It’s hard to believe this given the two decade quarterback drought we endured pre Big Ben but we’ve become truly spoiled as fans. We are quite comfortable living the life of elite quarterback leisure (at least between September and February). Now we have to go back to living with the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses of Buffalo and Tampa.

The Steelers have to figure out a way to win at least 2 games with either or both of Dennis Dixon or Charlie Batch, at least now that Byron Leftwich has hobbled into the background. Anything less than that and the season could spiral out of control. I just don’t see Ben coming back from his 4 week, unpaid vacation and turning around an 0-4 team.

That’s uncertainty number 1. Well more like 1, 1a, 1b, and 1c through 1q(u). We do not know how good Dixon is. We don’t know if Tomlin is making the right decision. I’m not sure he does either. Is Dixon the next Donovan McNabb or the next Tavaris Jackson? Who knows.

If the Steelers are going to win without Ben, they need to go back to their roots; back to the days when they won in spite of the guy behind center. As much as this might cause a painful, irritating rash, coach Tomlin needs to cue up some old Kordell Stewart game film circa 2001. That was the year that Mike Mularkey earned coach of the millennium honors for finishing one game short of the Superbowl with Slash at QB; two years after the NFL had zeroed in on his multitude of weaknesses.

That Steeler coaching staff did a brilliant job crafting a game plan around a mediocre but extremely athletic quarterback. First, they built the passing game around what Stewart could do while scrapping what he could not (which sadly was a lot). They did not give him the whole playbook. Instead, they used a Paterno like strategy of sticking with five or so passes that he could throw effectively. Are you listening Bruce Arians? Most important, they did not hold Slash in the pocket. He had free reign to take off running when necessary (until 2002 when he decided to be a pocket passer).

It worked until the AFC Championship game when Bill Bellicheat and the Pats game planned against exactly those five passes. Still, it did work for 17 games. Tomlin only needs it for 4 weeks.

Of course the Kordell game plan involves more than just limiting the QB. It also involves running the ball and dominant defense. Which brings more uncertainty in to play.

There are serious questions about the offensive line. That’s not new as I noted above but now Big Ben is not around to bail them out. I question how that offensive line will deal with eight men in the box focused entirely on stopping the run, or how Rashard Mendenhall will deal with being the focus of opposing defenses. My guess is Dixon’s mobility was an overriding factor, given how poor this o-line can be at protecting the passer. That’s without even considering that Batch probably could not make it through three quarters of a flag football game without breaking his collarbone

Even worse, the Steelers go in to 2010 with serious questions on the defensive side of the ball. We have to go back to 2002 to find the last time that was the case.

We all hope that getting Troy and Aaron Smith back will return the defense to elite status. There is no doubt their absences were profoundly felt last year. That being said I can’t get past this nagging feeling there was more to it than that. I guess that happens when you get shredded by the likes of Bruce Gradkowski, Matt Cassel and Tyler Thigpen in the 4th quarter.

The Dick Lebeau defense is built around the front seven and the front seven is getting old fast.
I know the defensive backs got slaughtered last year but I really don’t see them as the issue. When the Steelers generate pressure on the quarterback, those mediocre (we can only hope) cornerbacks suddenly look a lot better. When they do not, we see William Gay getting torched with impunity.

What bothered me last year was not just the results. It was the fact that the defense so clearly tired in the 4th quarter of games and then the 4th quarter of the season. That’s the first sign of aging players and/or a shortage of depth. Sadly, the second sign is guys breaking down (see Parker, Willie F.). The harsh reality here is that Hampton, Smith, Keisel, Farrior, and Foote all have that potential at any moment.

So if we truly believe the Steelers need to play Steeler football its worth asking this question; is the defense really good enough?

Honestly, I don’t know and neither does anybody else. Two years ago they had one of the most dominant defenses in NFL history. Last year it was a bust. Even if the unit is better this year; are they better enough to carry Dixonbatch? Which brings us back to that term “uncertainty” that I’ve splashed throughout this column. And ultimately back to our quarterback saga.

I admit, I was favoring Batch as the best of three mediocre options. If there was no Ben Roethlisberger, I would fully endorse Dixon as the man since long-term development would be the key issue. Alas, assuming Ben put’s to rest his legal problems, he’s the man here for at least another half dozen years. That means this is all about who is the best four game option. My admittedly skittish belief is that is Uncle Charlie.

Dixon may be brilliant but he may also be brilliantly bad. We saw that against Denver. Maybe he learned from that performance or maybe that’s just who he is. We will not know until we see him in games that count. That being said, I acknowledge the obvious. The coaches see these guys every day, I’ve seen them in three meaningless games. So I’ll refrain from bashing the decision until at least 2:30 eastern time this Sunday.

Which brings us back to my comments about the Kordell Stewart game plans above. One of the coaching staff’s most disappointing moments last year, amidst a plethora to choose from, was the Dixon game plan against Baltimore. It triggered painful Dave Wannstedt flashes watching Mendenhall run off tackle 30 times while Dixon was forcibly constrained to the pocket. The coaches played scared and not to lose. Ask Wanny what happens when you do that.

Tomlin and Arians have taken a fair amount of criticism this summer but now is their opportunity to step up. It’s a lot easier to coach an offense with a future hall of famer calling signals. Like Cowher and Mularkey in 2001, they have to take it to another level. Game plan to Dixon’s unique strengths and away from his weaknesses. Don’t give him the whole playbook because at this point he can not handle the whole playbook. Don’t try and make Dixon in to Big Ben or worse yet, Leftwich. Work with what he does well, even if its not traditional NFL stuff.

To that end, Tomlin should channel his inner Forest Gump and scream…”Run Dennis, Run !!!” whenever Dixon is in trouble. Taking is one step further, in the words of Robin Wright Penn, “if you get in trouble, don’t be brave (or throw into double coverage). You just run. You hear me, you just run !” Here’s hoping Tomlin is movie buff.

Honestly, I never thought I would be preaching the benefits of a Kordell Stewart offense. Of course I never thought Big Ben would get grounded for a month by the NFL. I also never thought Bruce Gradkowski would carve up the Black and gold in the two minute drill at Hines Field. I guess that’s what a little uncertainty will do to a guy.

Steelers Need Big Ben in a Big Way

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a serious, short-term quarterback issue. Back to that in a moment.

First, let me say this. I understand why so many Steeler fans were upset with or embarrassed by Ben Roethlisberger’s off the field exploits this post season. His actions challenge your sensibilities as a fan. It makes you question yourself for believing in him and for rooting for him.

No matter how much we claim otherwise, we make our relationships with athletes personal; regardless of the fact that they don’t know or care about us. It’s the bizarre, one sided nature of being a sports fan. I said this when the whole mess started, I don’t want Ben to be found not guilty; I want him to have not done this. I still feel that way.

Nobody wants to think their franchise quarterback is a scumbag; let alone a potential rapist. Even the possibility of this causes me anger and hurt as a fan. I know some Steeler fans felt that anger so profoundly that they wanted to cut ties with Big Ben right then and there. It’s an understandable short-term reaction. In the long-term, it’s the wrong thing to do.

Let me step back and make a critical point here. There are people who will read my support for Ben as selling out my beliefs. I’m so desperate for the Steelers to win that I don’t care how despicable the quarterback is. After all, ESPN reminds us on a daily basis that Ben was twice “accused” or sexual assult.

So here is why I can support Big Ben and still sleep soundly at night.

For all the talk about Ben’s exploits, there remains nothing more than unsubstantiated allegations from highly questionable sources. I’ve covered that at length in past blogs but I’ll reiterate it here; the word “accused” does not make it true. I’ll focus on these comments from the district attorney, “we don’t prosecute morality, we prosecute crimes.” He made it clear that there was not sufficient evidence to suggest a crime had occurred.

Given that, my position remains unchanged. Ben may have acted like an ignorant jerk but he did not break the law. We may expect a higher standard of behavior from him but the reality is that being an idiot or a jerk or both does not disqualify one from being an NFL football player. If it did, they would have to go back to two way players; I don’t think teams could fill a 45 man roster.

So as long as we continue to promote this wacky innocent until proven guilty system around here, I will stand by my stance. If anyone ever comes up with convincing evidence that Ben is guilty of sexual assault, I’ll pay his bus ticket out of town. Until then, I remain convinced that while I would not want him dating my daughter, I’m fine with him as my quarterback.

Actually fine is not the right word. Ecstatic is more like it, at least after watching the Dixon, Leftwich, Batch triumvirate Sunday night. For all of those who suggested that the Steelers are better off without Ben, I would say this; you’re wrong…in a big way. If that was not clear watching the Denver game, I’m not sure how else it could be.

I honestly believe the Steelers are a legitimate Super Bowl contender this year but that belief is predicated on surviving Ben’s league mandated vacation at least 2 and 2. Before last night, I was convinced they could do so. Now, I’m not sure they can win at all until number seven is back behind center. And in the NFL, four games can ruin your season.

Let me take another quick aside and remind everyone that preseason games mean absolutely nothing. They are glorified scrimmages for the benefit of coaches and owners. The simple fact that Joe Buck and Troy Aikman show up for a game does not make it meaningful.

That being said…yikes.

I had really high hopes for Dennis Dixon as a possible X factor in this Steeler mini-drama. We all know what Byron Leftwich is and what he is not. Leftwich is decidedly mediocre. He’s the same QB who could not beat out David Garrard, Joey Harrington, and Josh Freeman. That’s not exactly Joe Montana losing his job to Steve Young. That same goes for Charlie Batch. I actually think Batch is better than Leftwich except for the fact that he can’t take 10 snaps without separating his shoulder. Neither inspires great confidence.

Dixon is clearly the most athletic Steeler QB since Kordell Stewart (and ironically now wearing his number), which could make a huge difference. If you are going to have a mediocre QB behind center, at least have one who can make a difference with his legs. That might be enough to eek out two victories, if he can be a competent quarterback in all other ways. And therein lies the rub. Dixon looked great against third and fourth string players. Given a chance to play with and against starters, the results were decidedly poor.

I can forgive the mental mistakes that resulted in two interceptions. That’s why you play the preseason; to make mistakes and learn. What worries me is that Dixon appears to be a one trick pony. He locks in on his first receiver and either throws that way or takes off running. That’s a recipe for disaster in the NFL, as repeatedly demonstrated by the aforementioned Stewart.

I give Mike Tomlin credit for give Dixon a chance; it was the right thing to do. At the same time, it was hardly a ringing endorsement of Leftwich. If the Steelers had full confidence in Lord Byron, I’m guessing he would have played a lot more this preseason. You know, so that maybe he’s ready for opening day. In the end, I’m less concerned about Leftwich’s uninspiring performance this preseason than I am about his poor play the last five years.

Amazingly, I’m truly beginning to think that Batch is the best option, at least until his next injury. This has nothing to do with his performance Sunday night. He looked good throwing against 3rd stringers and his interception was likely the result of a young receiver running the wrong route. I just think he might be the best of a mediocre lot.

Which frankly is not saying much.

We can debate from now until the winter classic whether the Steelers should run the ball more and get back to traditional Steeler football. As long as Ben is behind center, I think there is valid argument for being more of a passing team. That being said, I will readily concede that without Ben the Steelers need a rewind; back to running the ball, keeping the offense simple and relying on the defense. There is no way this team wins with Byron Dixonbatch chucking 40 balls a game.

Alas such a strategy it is predicated on a few core principles. One is that Rashard Mendenhall is capable of being a 30 carry back; at least for a short time. Another is that the offensive line can be at least a reasonably good run blocking unit. The last is that the defense comes back to being an elite unit with a healthy Polamalu and Aaron Smith. Amazingly, the defense is my biggest concern on that list.

In the end, let’s try and agree on this point. Whether you like Big Ben personally or not, the Steelers need him, desperately. Kudos to Joe Buck for reminding the audience at the end of the 1st Quarter, just how good Ben really is. We are talking about one of the top 5 QBs in the NFL, bar none. Additional kudos to Buck and Aikman for doing a professional broadcast. If that had been ESPN we would have been bombarded with holier than thou Ben bashing, not too mention Ron Jaworski fawning over Tim Tebow for three hours.

I really hope that this spring was a low point for Ben and he’s committed to improving his life. That being said, as long as he stays off the police blotter and does his job, the Steelers will be competitive and we as fans should be content. The fact remains that he was never charged with a crime and he is not angling to be the next pope (nor hopefully Cardinal). For what it’s worth, I remain of the opinion that his 4 to 6 game suspension was excessive but that’s water under the bridge now.

Let’s just hope that somehow, someway the Steelers can survive what figures to be a long first month. Finding a way to win two of those games is critical. If not, we could be getting fired up for hockey season much earlier this year.

A Lifetime of Reasons to Believe in the Steelers

When I was growing up I often considered the possibility that from a sports standpoint, I was born ten years too late. After all, I started watching sports in 1980, one year after Pittsburgh experienced arguably the greatest decade in sports history.

Granted as my personal time clock ticks closer to 40 than 30, I’ve strongly reconsidered that stance. Of course it’s easier to do so after the Steelers double dented a quarter century championship drought and the Penguins have had two decades of unprecedented success.

Still, I remember those painful days in the 80s, desperately waiting for the Steelers to return to prominence. I knew all about the Super Steelers of the 70s but honestly, they were just characters in a movie to me. I never really saw them at their best. My early memories of football involve a washed up Franco Harris, a slowly declining Steel curtain, and Mark Malone chucking balls at everyone except his own teammates (while looking oddly like Magnum PI).

I distinctly remember the final game of the 1986 season; a horrific loss the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants. What I remember most was somebody named Scott Campbell starting at quarterback and the genuine excitement for this in the Burgh. Seriously, we were so burned out from the likes of Malone, David Woodley, and Cliff Stoudt that we were fired up for some 6th round draft choice from Purdue.

To my recollection, Campbell never played another game in the Burgh. Still, that cold Saturday afternoon in Meadowlands always seemed like a low point in Steeler history, at least from the perspective of my time on the planet.

There is a reason that those days seem so far off and distant. The simple fact is that bad Steeler teams have been a true exception in most of our lifetimes. I arrived on this earth just one day before the immaculate reception (and we wonder why I’m such a huge football fan?) which means I’ve lived at least parts of 37 football seasons. During that time the black and gold have made the playoffs 24 times.

Even more amazing, the Steelers have had only 6 losing seasons during Habertime. Do you realize that since Bill Cowher arrived in the Burgh in 1992, the Steelers have finished below 500 just twice? That’s two losing seasons in 18 years. During that period the Pirates have had ZERO WINNING SEASONS.

Honestly, those accomplishments are every bit as impressive as six Super Bowl championships and seven trips to the big game. I’m not sure there has been a consistently better team in North American professional sports in my lifetime. That includes the NY Yankees, in spite of the fact that they can all but purchase a division title in any given year.

Maybe that’s why Steeler fans are so skittish these days. Maybe that’s why one disappointing season, has caused such rampant pessimism in the Burgh. I can’t say this with any scientific accuracy but I get a sense that a lot of Steeler fans see bad things on the horizon. Not just a bad season this year but a mid 80’s style crash back to earth. That seems to be more than some in the Steeler nation can handle.

The black and gold are such an integral part of our personal identities and nobody wants to identify with a loser. One shutters to think at what would happen if the Steelers endured a down streak even as long as the Penguins did earlier this decade. I won’t even ponder Pirate like futility; lest my keyboard spontaneously combust beneath my fingers.

So let’s consider the question; are things really that bad?

Let’s start by throwing out a few obvious points:

1) Our superstar QB is suspended for four games and on thin ice with the organization and the fans. His replacements are, to say the least, less than awe inspiring. Also, our star WR bonged his way out of town…literally.

2) The defense was awful last year; especially in the 4th quarter.

3) The Steelers lost several games to truly awful teams including Oakland, Cleveland, Kansas City, and (Mayor Daley forgive me), the Chicago Bears.

To quote Kevin Bacon in A Few Good Men, “these are the facts, and they are not in dispute.”

Now let’s look at a few counter points.

1) There is nothing we can do about Big Ben but hope he’s ready to play in October and ready to accept a new lease on life. Let’s just hope that Byron Dixonwich can keep the team at 500 until Ben returns. As for Santonio, it’s a tough loss but I’ll take my chances with Mike Wallace and Hines Ward (and mercifully not Limas Sweed).

2) The defense was missing arguably its two most important players in Troy Polamalu and Aaron Smith. When Smith went down in 2007, the Steelers suddenly lost the ability to defend the run (see the Jacksonville playoff game). As for Troy, he played 30 minutes of the opener against Tennessee and I think he made every tackle. I never believed one player, especially a safety, could make that big of a difference. He did.

3) The Steelers were clearly suffering from another Super Bowl hangover. Moreover, I don’t think they were ready to deal with life without a dominant defense until it was too late. See point 2 above.

Which brings us to the ultimate question, how good or how bad do things look going forward?

First, let’s assume that Ben has learned and matured after his offseason escapades. Once we get beyond Ben’s life on campus, we should remember that he’s one of the top 5 quarterbacks in the NFL, no matter how much others try to deny it. I figure Ben has at least five more years before his concussion count pushes him into retirement. That’s five more years the Steelers will put points on the board.

Second, I remain a fan of Mike Tomlin. As with everyone in sports, he has a small number of myopic critics who will never let the facts interfere with good story telling. I remind these folks that Tomlin has only three years of experience and he was the youngest coach in the NFL when hired. He should continue to improve a la Cowher, and he’s already won a Super Bowl. I don’t like how far the Steelers strayed from their identity last year but I do like Tomlin’s ability to adapt to the team’s strengths…and weaknesses.

The bigger concern for me long-term is the defense. The front seven is aging rapidly in front of us. I admit the loss of Smith hurt last year and his return should help. Let’s not forget however that older players tend to get hurt more often. The entire D-Line is over 30 and you have an aging linebacker core with Harrison, Farrior, and the back from the dead (or at least from Detroit), Larry Foote. The one young linebacker to really like is Woodley and he’s dangerously close to being a free agent.

As for Troy, he’s the true engine of the defense and his healthy return should make a huge difference. Still, let’s be honest and realize that it can’t be all Polamalu forever. It’s not a coincidence that players like Polamalu and Bob Sanders are frequently injured; both play too big for their bodies. Eventually all the big hits are going to ware him down and/or he’s going to have to change his style of play.

So in the long-term, I have concerns about the defense. In the short-term, I expect it will be significantly better than last year, which is admittedly not setting the bar all that high. If that happens, the team stays afloat without Ben, and the offense remains productive when he returns, I still think the Steelers are a legitimate contender this year. Beyond that; well who knows if we are even going to have football beyond that.

From a bigger picture standpoint, let’s remember the history I quoted above. The Steelers are not a flash in the pan situation like New Orleans or an organization built ostensibly around one player like Indianapolis. This is a team that has made the playoffs 2 out of 3 years in my lifetime. Even those downtrodden years in the 80s included four post season trips and one AFC Championship game. You don’t maintain that level of success without knowing how to find and develop talent.

I’m no different than any other Steeler fan. I dread the thought of going back to the 80’s; where a 9 and 7 season was cause for celebration. That being said, I’ll keep my faith with the black and gold. Think back to how you felt when guys like Jerome Bettis, Eric Green, Rod Woodson, Greg Lloyd and Chad Brown left town. Somehow the Steelers found a way to replace them. Just as they ultimately replaced the dynasty Steelers of the 70s.

There is a huge difference in the quality of organizations in the NFL. Just as the Steelers are consistently successful; Cleveland, Cincy, Detroit, and Arizona are consistently bad. Just as the Steelers occasionally have a bad year; those teams occasionally have success. Over the long-term; water finds its level.

The Steeler’s organization has been a constant in sports from the day I debuted the planet. I’m a benefit of the doubt guy and the Steelers have earned every bit of it from me (just as I often say the Pirates have earned none of it). Keep in mind that few of us expected a Super Bowl win in either 2005 or 2008.

So to answer my question above, I stand by my premise; if the team survives 2 and 2 without Ben they are a legitimate contender this year. It’s a thin line between success and failure. History suggests that more often than not; the black and gold are on the right side of that line.