THIS is Why I Love the Football Outsiders

I have heralded the virtues of the Pro Football Outsiders on more than one occasion, but here is another reason to love these guys.

All of you know how I feel about Steelers punter Chris Gardocki, and in his most recent posting on FoxSports.com Aaron Schatz offers this tongue-in-cheek tidbit:

"This might be the last home game ever for Chris Gardocki. I hope we don't have to go through another one of those off-seasons where every day there's another Chris Gardocki story. Will Chris Gardocki retire, will Chris Gardocki come back, do all the young punters idolize Chris Gardocki, etc."

If keeping Bill Cowher as head coach means keeping Chris Gardocki as punter then I say "enjoy North Carolina, coach!"

Cleveland v. Steelers: The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly

Breaking News: The Steelers go to 2-0 on Thursdays!

On a day when two bad teams played for nothing but pride one team exhibited plenty of that while the other played as if the cold weather was just too much to bear.

While many fans can no doubt identify with Cleveland's pain (the weather at kickoff included a temperature of 18 degrees, 10 mile-an-hour winds, and a wind chill factor of 6 degrees), their pathetic performance enabled the Steelers to appear to be world-beaters despite not playing their best -- though they were pretty darn close.

What am I talking about? Let's explore the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Good
Ben Roethlisberger, nice job! The numbers aren't particularly impressive (11/21, 225 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions, a 106.2 passer rating), but for one off the few times this miserable season he looked like the Ben Roethlisberger of old. Specifically, he moved around in the pocket to create time to throw the football. He looked confident and in control, and his 49-yard touchdown pass to Nate Washington was beautiful.

In his post-game comments Bill Cowher discussed his belief that Willie Parker is one of the premier running backs in the NFL, and after an absolutely amazing performance Thursday evening it's hard to argue the point. His numbers from this game have been widely reported (32 carries, 223 yards, 1 touchdown), and for those fortunate enough to see his performance you know that on more than a few occasions he managed to turn nothing into something. It was an amazing individual performance.

However, the real credit -- both for the success of the running game, and to a lesser extent the passing game -- has to go to the Steelers' beleagured offensive line. The Browns clearly missed Orpheus Roye, and the Steelers' offensive line punished the left side of the Browns' defensive line mercilessly. Indeed the Steelers' net rushing yards for the third quarter (109) exceeded their total net rushing in seven of their previous games. And to prove that Willie Parker's performance was no fluke, Najeh Davenport added 62 yards of rushing and Ben Roethlisberger was never sacked.

Also earning plaudits is Santonio Holmes, both for his receiving (4 catches -- one of which was just spectacular -- for 81 yards) and his punt returns (3 for 31 yards -- only the second time this season Pittsburgh punt returners have averaged 10 or more yards per return). Indeed, given the goodwill that a win generates, here's to all the receivers! Nate Washignton, who according to some reports is playing for a spot on the 2007 Steelers, had the play of the night (not the best double-move route one will ever see, but not bad), and there were Sean Morey and Walter Young sightings!

Defensively the team hit hard and often, and a suddenly young secondary (i.e. Anthony Smith, Tyrone Carter, and Bryant McFadden -- along side Deashea Townsend and Ike Taylor) performed capably.

Most impressive on the defensive side of the ball for the Steelers was their defensive line -- Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith are Pro Bowl-caliber, and Brett Keisel has proven a talented replacement for Kimo von Oelhoffen. Last night these three were the main reason that Cleveland never had more than 8 yards rushing in any single quarter. To describe their collective performance as "dominating" is an understatement.

The Bad
Despite how well the defensive front played the overall defensive effort was pretty poor, and if it hadn't been for an absolutely disgraceful performance by the Cleveland receivers (except for Joe Jurevicius -- and if you don't believe me read this piece from the Akron Beacon) -- I counted six dropped passes, many at key moments -- the Browns might well have been able to make more of a game of this contest.

Most frustrating of all was the Steelers' inability to generate any significant pass rush against the Browns' patchwork offensive line -- a line against whom the Steelers managed five sacks in their previous meeting last month. Yes, the Browns went to a "max protect" approach, but the lack of pressure allowed Cleveland quarterback Derek Anderson to look like a seasoned veteran -- and a good one at that.

Of course, no game analysis is complete without calling-out Chris Gardocki. His net average Thursday night? 29.5 yards, and his longest kick was 35 yards. "Pathetic" doesn't even begin to describe that performance. Because of his role as place holder for Jeff Reed it is unlikely that he will be dropped during the season, but there is no reason that Mr. Gardocki should be the Steelers' punter in 2007.

The Ugly
I don't usually spend space discussing opponents, but Kellen Winslow Jr. is a punk, and his cheap shot/late hit on James Farrior should have resulted in an ejection. Of course, it is a measure of the player that he is seemingly incapable of such hits when play is actually underway.

Also ugly was the blocked field goal. The left side of the Steelers' offensive line -- at least on that single play -- caved in like a West Virginia coal mine.

Epilogue
It may not seem like much but the Steelers are 2-0 in December, and are 4-2 in their last six games. Given how far down the playoff ladder they are, it is still highly unlikely that the playoffs are in the team's future (the website Cool Standings calculates that there is a 0.2% chance of a Wild Card berth). However, no one should discount the value of a strong finish this season carrying over into the next. Barring a miracle, that's all we have left to hope for.

Bad News, Steelers Win: The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly

In a season in which more has gone wrong than any of us could have imagined now we have this. Rather than losing, thereby enhancing their draft position, the Steelers pulled out a gutty, hard fought win.

Even if the Steelers win the remainder of their games, ending the season with a 10-6 record, it is unlikely (because they have lost so many conference games, and do not have tie breakers against any of the teams in front of them in the standings) they would make the playoffs.

Will the nightmare never end?

The Good
He has been inaundated with criticism throughout the season, so it is only fair that the first person to be praised is none other than Ben Roethlisberger. His performance was very consistent throughout (first half statistics: 10/16, 149 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 132.6 QB rating. second half statistics: 7/12, 115 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions, 118.4 QB rating.), and his decision making was significantly better than it has been for some time. None of his passes were forced into areas where defensive coverage didn't allow, he took sacks (though only two of them) rather than "chucking and ducking," and appeared to be more relaxed and confident than he has been since the win against Kansas City.

Also performing well, of course, was Willie Parker. His two big runs -- 148 of 213 rushing yards came on those two plays -- were the result of intelligently setting up his blockers (i.e. moving towards the line of scrimmage, drawing the defenders to the line of scrimmage), and then using what must be exceptional speed -- until, as Alan Faneca pointed out after the game, "Fast Willie" gets inside the opponents' five-yard line -- to get around the corner and down the field. Both runs were remarkable, but the second run was one of the plays on which the game turned. Clearly New Orleans knew Mr. Parker was capable of big plays, and it must have been dispiriting to their defensive unit to see him break off another play.

Finally, the best performance by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday occured before the game even started. According to some of the players -- Willie Parker amongst them -- the pregame meeting was emotion-filled with more than a few of the Steelers crying, or on the verge of tears. In the aftermath of Sunday's game it is clear that whatever was said resonated with everyone and, rather than splintering in the face of a frustrating season, the players are pulling together to support one another in the face of difficult times.

The Bad
It may appear that Chris Gardocki has become something of a whipping boy for Pittsburgh Steelers Fanatic, but his continuing struggles are an important part of why the Steelers have been struggling this year and nearly allowed the Saints to score the game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter. Specifically, his 28-yard punt with 4:40 left in the game was horrible, especially considering that this was a situation in which he should have excelled -- i.e. punting on a short field. Instead Mr. Gardocki performed no better than if he had punted the ball into the end zone.

The Ugly
Following a game in which the opposition amassed 517 net yards, 29 first downs, 77 offensive plays, 67% red zone efficiency, and 63% third down efficiency I would be calling out the defense in a big way. However this Steelers team fought and clawed all afternoon -- a day in which the defense was something less than itself absolute best -- and the feeling here is that because of that their efforts are worthy of praise.

Epilogue
Despite the fact that the Steelers hurt themselves in the draft with each win -- and despite the fact that they have very little chance of making the postseason -- the team's performance against New Orleans was as inspiring as it was inspired. The reason Steelers fans love their team so much was on display Sunday. The team never quits, never stops fighting and playing hard. This group dug a mighty hole for itself, but rather than quitting on themselves they appear to be coming together to do whatever they can to improve the situation.

"With the First Pick in the 2007 Draft the Pittsburgh Steelers Select . . ." : The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly

Back in July or August I reviewed the season preview from Yahoo! Sports (I'd love to tell you exactly when it was, but of course I've lost all of the 460 or so postings from the 54 weeks that preceded this posting). In my review I mocked these "experts" who picked Baltimore to finish first in the AFC North! The sheer audacity of such a pick nearly defies description.

As it turns out the real flaw in the Yahoo! preview was in their pick of the Steelers for second place behind the Ravens. Halfway through the season the Steelers have reduced themselves to playing out the string, looking forward to 2007, and the possibility of a fresh start under a new coaching staff.

But before we begin dreaming of a better day we have to continue our Monday tradition that is the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly.

The Good
Never before has there been a Pittsburgh Steelers Fanatic game analysis that didn't offer some positive words about someone on the Steelers' sideline, but they are really making it tough these days. However Aaron Smith certainly is deserving of praise (at least as much as any of the Steelers are) for his fine effort in this game, and his very solid play throughout the season.

In the Steelers' defensive scheme it is the linebackers who are the high visibility players, but Mr. Smith continues to excel. In his previous six full seasons (he played in six games in 1999) Mr. Smith averaged 2.78 tackles per game. So far this season he is averaging 3.5 tackles per game -- an increase of more than 20%. And against Denver he had one of his best games recording four tackles, two assists, the Steelers' only quarterback sack, and even defended a pass. It's a shame, given the team's poor performance, that his efforts will probably go unrecognized on a national scale.

Also doing a good job was the kick coverage team which limited rookie return man Brian Clark to just 17.8 yards per return. And had it not been for Santonio Holmes' fumble of a kickoff the kick return team also could have been applauded -- the Steelers averaged 23.0 yards per kick return in this game.

The Bad
It is a fine line between "bad" and "ugly." At least some of the ugliness that Steelers fans witnessed on Sunday was the result of individual players simply trying to do too much. So in this sense some ugliness is the result of a good thing (effort) gone bad. What do I mean? How about Hines Ward trying to high jump his way into the end zone, only to lose the football? Or Cedric Wilson's fumble inside the Denver 10-yard line as he fought for additional yardage?

Every player on the Steelers' roster is feeling the pressure that arises when a team loses games that they expected to win, and it appears that some key peformers are trying to single-handedly reverse the team's losing ways.

The players on the Steelers' roster are every bit as talented as they were last season, and in some cases the team has actually upgraded its talent over last season's squad. So, the advice here is for all the players to relax, have some fun, and play the game in a more natural manner.

One of the permanent residents of "The Bad" this season has been Chris Gardocki, and this game was no exception. His poor net average (35.0 yards per kick in this game, and 37.0 yards on the season) is adding to the Steelers' woes. Because Mr. Gardocki is unable to kick the ball high enough and/or far off to move opponents back towards their own goal line, combined with the problems the Steelers' offense is having, teams are enjoying a marked field position advantage over Pittsburgh.

To be fair, Mr. Gardocki has never had a net average of more than 39.0 yards in his career and this seasons average is actually higher than last season (34.7). Those types of numbers are fine when your offense can move the football and your punter is being asked to pooch the ball down near the opponents goal line. However, when your offense struggles, and a team needs a big kick to turn the field position around, 37 yards just doesn't get the job done.

And a new entry into "The Bad" is place kicker Jeff Reed. Mr. Reed has enjoyed a fine career in Pittsburgh; and some of this criticism is due to struggles of the offense, but Mr. Reed's margin for error is significantly smaller this season than in seasons past and missing 40-yard field goals just isn't acceptable. Indeed, this season Mr. Reed is 2-of-5 on kicks between 40-49 yards (40%), while coming into the season he was 24-for-36 (67%) from that same part of the field.

Obviously there is much more that could be palced into this category, but then what would we have to talk about as "ugly"?

The Ugly
Oh boy! What a wealth of material to work with! Here is just a portion of the ugliness that abounded in the Sunday's game.

• Turnovers: Those of you who have read Pittsburgh Steelers Fanatic for some time know that I rail against the turnovers. Six times a Steelers' player put the ball on the ground and three times the Steelers lost possession. Combine that with three interceptions and it's a wonder that the game wasn't more of a blowout.
• The Offense & Play Calling: This unit continued its habit of playing reasonably well in the first half, and then imploding in the second half. For example, in the first half of the game Ben Roethlisberger was 19-for-26 in passing attemtps, 206 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, and a respectable 92.8 QB rating. In the second half hei was 19-for-28, 227 yards, 0 touchdowns, 2 interceptions and a 62.6 QB rating. Furthermore, the Steelers completely abandoned the run in the second half. In the first thirty minutes the Steelers had rushed the ball 13 times for 67 yards. In the second half they rushed six times for 29 yards. And for those who would like to believe that the play calling was the product of trailing in the game, please remember that in its first possession of the second half 7 of the Steelers' first 8 plays were passing plays, and the drive ended with Ben Roethlisberger's second interception of the game.
• The Offensive Line: This unit, which excelled in 2005, continues to struggle; and it looks increasinly as though the Steelers should be looking for a left tackle in the draft next April.
• The Defense: Over the previous eight weeks (seven games) it seemed that one phase of the Steelers' game would collapse while others played well. In this game we saw a complete collapse of the Steelers on both sides of the ball. Jake Plummer looked like a world-beater because of Ike Taylor's continuing struggles, and there is no explanation or excuse for Jevon Walker running 72 yards on an end-around.

Epilogue
On December 5, 2005 it looked very much like the Steelers' playoff hopes had been extinguished following a loss at hom to Cincinnati. Of course fans of the Black & Gold found out that such was not the case, and we all celebrated a Super Bowl win. But despite protestations by Ben Roethlisberger and others let me say here what we all know: the Steelers' season is over.

Even if they were to win out the Steelers would end up at 10-6, and unless Baltimore and Cincinnati lose a few more games besides that then the Steelers would still be on then outside of the playoffs looking in, and would end up with a pick at the tail end of the draft. The better scenario is the Steelers lose the rest of their games, get a top five draft pick, draft the best offensive tackle they can find, get a little bit of a break on their 2007 schedule, go back to the playoffs, and win the Super Bowl again.

It's all so simple when you have a plan.