When I think about the greatest wins in recent Steeler history, excluding championships of course, almost every one of them is against the Baltimore Ravens.
There is nothing more fulfilling for a sports fan than a critical victory over a hated rival. Check that…a despised rival. With all due respect (or lack thereof) to New England, Dallas, Cincinnati and Cleveland there is simply no Steelers’ opponent that generates the visceral hatred of the Ravens. And I would have said that before my wife and I endured three horrific hours of emotional debauchery at M&T Stadium last September.
Think about those Steeler victories that make you pound your chest with pride at being part of the Steeler Nation. They are ALMOST ALWAYS against the Rat Birds and frequently in Baltimore. Remember the 92 yard drive and last second Santonio touchdown in 2008? How about the Polamalu strip sack of Flacco in 2010? There are also two recent classics at Heinz Field, the 2008 AFC Championship game and the 2010 divisional playoff comeback victory
“Greatest wins” of course is an extremely subjective measurement. So I use extremely unscientific qualifications for such a designation. How stressed am I during the game? How many times do I throw objects (thank you Limas Sweed) or bang my head off solid objects? How much am I dancing around my condo, pumping my fists and screaming (much to the dismay of Chicago’s West Loop) after the victory?
My wife (and Mike Tomlin) likes to say “a win is a win.” Statistically she is 100% right. And yet there are some wins that are just bigger, that just mean more.
Well we can officially add classic victory in Baltimore to the list.
This one will be remembered as “the Charlie Batch” game. The night the Steelers staggered in to Baltimore and pulled out a phenomenal, season saving victory over the Rat Birds. They did so not only without their star quarterback but with their third stringer as recently as two weeks ago. They did it with a QB who much of Steeler national irrationally and over zealously wrote off after last week’s ugly loss.
The only thing better than this highly improbable victory is the redemption story that came with it. Charlie Batch may never end up in Canton but he’s truly one of the classiest professionals to ever wear the black and gold. The man is the ultimate team player and the prototypical “Pittsburgh guy.” He has not played a lot during his Steeler career but with the notable exception of last weekend has almost always played well when called upon. He deserved MUCH better than to have his Steeler career end on that debacle in Cleveland.
I’m a Steeler fan which means I root for the logo more than I do the names on the back of the jersey. And yet I’ll be the first to admit I’m almost as happy for Batch as I am for the black and gold as a whole.
Let me start off by saying that I don’t think Batch should be the team’s number 3 QB. There is zero doubt in my mind that he gives the Steelers a better chance to win then Byron Leftwich. I made this point repeatedly at Heinz Field two weeks ago as Leftwich limped and gimped through a disappointing loss. I endorsed Batch to be the starter during Ben’s suspension two years ago and have never backed off my contention that he should be the number 2 QB. I simply do not get the coaching staff’s infatuation with Lord Byron whose throwing wind-up is an eerie combination of Major Harris and Bugs Bunny.
That said, Batch was the third quarterback. That means for the better part of eleven weeks he did not take a meaningful snap in practice. In today’s NFL the back-up QB rarely gets practice reps let alone the third QB. So after eleven weeks of inactivity Batch has to start in Cleveland. The Steelers employ a conservative game plan and the team’s running backs respond by fumbling an incredible six time. Let me say that again…six times. On top of which Batch had a 30 plus yard completion to Heath Miller early in the second half of that game that was wiped out by a holding penalty.
I’m not saying Batch played great against the Browns, he clearly did not. At the same time, the overreaction from fans and media was staggering. Batch plays one subpar game, with all the obstacles I noted above and suddenly he is washed up and done? I’m sorry but that’s not a fair evaluation. My honest opinion is that if the Steelers simply hold on to the ball against the Browns they win that game easily and Batch is not being bitch slapped by Rodney Harrison on national TV.
Regardless, it is what it is. The team played awful and Batch was part of it. It was a game they needed very much to win and did not. It was a truly ugly loss in every way.
Of course one of the reasons we considered it a must win game was we all assumed that a victory in Baltimore without Big Ben would be impossible. If the last two weeks, and for that matter this entire bizarre Steeler season has taught us anything it’s that nothing is a given in the NFL. I’ve always thought the “any given Sunday” mantra was a little hokey and overplayed. At the same time I will not deny that at this level, crazy things can and do happen.
I doubt even the most optimistic Steeler fan would have predicted this outcome before kick-off, or even at half-time.
The Steelers simply would not have prevailed without Batch’s strong performance. It was pretty obvious that Baltimore was playing 8 in the box all night to shut down the run. Cleveland did the same thing last week. The Steelers right now do not have elite running backs. Neither Dwyer nor Redman is good enough to succeed consistently driving head on in to eight man fronts.
This game changed when the coaches took the handcuffs of Batch and let him throw the ball. And to their credit they continued to show confidence even when he made a few obviously bad throws. Yes the overthrow of Wallace in the end zone was awful. So were about ten of Drew Brees’ throws on Thursday night in Atlanta. If Ryan Lindley is your third string QB maybe you bail on throwing; with Charlie Batch you let him make plays.
And that’s exactly what he did.
Batch was far from the only reason the Steelers won this game. I could easily devote an entire blog to the brilliant work of the coaching staff and the strong performances of James Harrison, Heath Miller, the offensive line and the defensive backs. Shaun Suisham deserves a major tip of the cap for yet another clutch kicking performance. I could also lament the latest implosion by Emmanuel Sanders and the continued disappointing efforts from Mike Wallace and Drew Butler.
Alas, those are stories for another day or another blog. To me the story of this game first and foremost was Charlie Batch.
This was his defining performance in a Steeler uniform, one we should never forget. It could not have come at a bigger time, could not have happened to a better guy. The victory provided some desperately needed confidence and momentum to a struggling team. And while their playoff hopes likely rest on the Cincinnati rematch, the game provided some critical breathing room.
With father time advancing and Big Ben hopefully returning this very well might be Charlie Batch’s final appearance as a Steeler. If so it was one heck of a curtain call; a deserving swan song for a true class act.
Showing posts with label charlie batch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label charlie batch. Show all posts
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Monday, September 20, 2010
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 !
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 !
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
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.
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.
Monday, August 30, 2010
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.
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.
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.
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