Sunday, December 20, 2015

Looking Ahead: Week 16

Like the team itself, Steelers fans will probably enjoy the win over Denver for about 12-24 hours before turning their collective attention to next weekend.

The Steelers travel to Baltimore for a 1:00PM matchup with the shell of what was formerly the Ravens.  Will the Steelers take care of business and pound what is now an undermanned team?  Or will the cumulative effects of playing four emotional games (okay, the blow-up over Indianapolis might not have been that emotionally taut) catch-up to the Steelers?

Meanwhile, in New Jersey, the Patriots will head to the Meadowlands looking to solidify their position as the #1 seed in the AFC, thereby assuring a bye week.  The other team ahead of the Steelers in the playoff race, Kansas City, hosts Cleveland.

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Monday, November 26, 2012

Steelers @ Cleveland: The actuals

The guess here is that things will get worse before they get better. Ben Roethlisberger will be fortunate to return to play before Christmas (the game on December 16th is our guess for his earliest possible return), and the offensive ineptitude is sure to continue until then.

Without further adieu, here are the actuals for week 12:

Cleveland Offense v. Steelers Defense
Actual total yards: Cleveland offense 238 (311.9) v. Steelers defense, (259.1)

Actual net rushing yards: Cleveland offense, 108 (92.2) v. Steelers defense, (89.8)

Actual net passing yards: Cleveland offense, 130 (219.7) v. Steelers defense, (169.3)

Actual points per game: Cleveland offense, 20 (18.9) v. Steelers defense, (19.0)

Steelers Offense v. Cleveland Defense
Actual total yards: Steelers offense, 242 (349.8) v. Cleveland defense, (374.1)

Actual net rushing yards: Steelers offense, 49 (106.8) v. Cleveland defense, (125.3)

Actual net passing yards per game: Steelers offense, 193 (243.0) v. Cleveland defense, (248.8)

Actual points per game: Steelers offense: 14, (21.7) v. Cleveland defense, (23.4)

Special Teams
Actual yards per punt return: Cleveland, 10.75 (14.2) v. Steelers, 1.67 (8.4)

Actual yards per kick return: Cleveland, 5 (26.0) v. Steelers, 18.75 (27.0)

Net yardage punting: Cleveland, 37.8 (36.9) v. Steelers, 38.7 (38.9)

Miscellaneous
Turnover differential: Cleveland, +7 (+1) v. Steelers, -7 (-3)

Time of possession: Cleveland, 33:30 (26:43) v. Steelers, 26:30 (34:08)

Red Zone touchdown efficiency (touchdowns): Cleveland, 50.0% (36.4%) v. Steelers, 100.0% (48.6%)

Sacks allowed: Cleveland, 4 (16) v. Steelers, 1 (22)

Some Individual Numbers
AFC Passer rating: Brandon Weeden, 78.7 QB rating, 65.4% Comp. pct., 1 TD, 1 INT (70.3 QB rating, 205 Comp., 55.3% Comp. pct., 11TDs, 12 INTs) v. Charlie Batch, 38.7 QB Rating, 58.8% Comp. pct., 0 TD, 3 INTs (Career: 77.8 QB rating, Comp., 56.3% Comp. pct., 60 TDs, 48 INTs)

AFC Leading rushers: Trent Richardson, 85 yards, 2.9 yards per carry, 1 TD (670 yards, 3.7 yards per carry, 5 touchdowns) v. Jonathan Dwyer, 19 yards, 2.1 yards per carry, 0 TD (410 yards, 4.6 yards per carry, 0 touchdowns)

AFC Leading receiver: Trent Richardson, 4 catches, 27 yards, 6.8 yards per catch, 0 TD (37 catches, 289 yards, 7.8 per catch, 1 touchdowns) v. Mike Wallace 1 catch, 9 yards, 9.0 yards per catch, 0 TD (46 catches, 565 yards, 12.3 yards per catch, 6 touchdowns)

AFC Sack Leaders: D'Qwell Jackson, 0 (3.0) v. LaMarr Woodley, 0 (4.0)

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Sunday, November 25, 2012

Breaking News: Steelers nearly make history

While the Steelers had 8 fumbles on the day, the hapless Browns could only recover five of them leaving the Steelers two shy of tying the franchise record for fumbles lost in a game.

The Steelers' team record for fumbles lost, which looked to be at risk for much of the afternoon, was set October 14, 1979 in Ohio, but against the Bengals.

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Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Steelers @ Cleveland: The matchups

For at least the fourth time this season the Steelers face-off against a team that is genuinely terrible, but the fact that they are 1-2 in the previous three matchups should give us all pause.

As for Cleveland, the fact that Trent Richardson is both the leading rusher and receiver for the Browns is all one needs to know about their offense. However, the Cleveland punt return unit is statistically superior to Baltimore's (third in the conference versus twelfth), so there's that.

Cleveland Offense v. Steelers Defense
Average total yards per game: Cleveland offense 27th (311.9) v. Steelers defense 1st (259.1)

Average net rushing yards per game: Cleveland offense 27th (92.2) v. Steelers defense 4th (89.8)

Average net passing yards per game: Cleveland offense 19th (219.7) v. Steelers defense 1st (169.3)

Average points per game: Cleveland offense 25th (18.9) v. Steelers defense 5th (19.0)

Steelers Offense v. Cleveland Defense
Average total yards per game: Steelers offense 17th (349.8) v. Cleveland defense 23rd (374.1)

Average net rushing yards per game: Steelers offense 17th (106.8) v. Cleveland defense 24th (125.3)

Average net passing yards per game: Steelers offense 13th (243.0) v. Cleveland defense 22nd (248.8)

Average points per game: Steelers offense: 19th (21.7) v. Cleveland defense 18th (23.4)

Special Teams
Average yards per punt return: Cleveland 3rd (14.2) v. Steelers 18th (8.4)

Average yards allowed per punt return: Cleveland 31st (13.8) v. Steelers 23rd (10.9)

Average yards per kick return: Cleveland 9th (26.0) v. Steelers 6th (27.0)

Average yards allowed per kick return: Cleveland 3rd (20.4) v. Steelers 24th (25.8)

Net yardage punting average: Cleveland 27th (36.9) v. Steelers 27th (38.9)

Opponent net yardage punting average: Cleveland 5th (37.3) v. Steelers 18th (39.7)

Miscellaneous
Turnover differential: Cleveland 13th (+1) v. Steelers 20th (-3)

Time of possession: Cleveland 31st (26:43) v. Steelers 2nd (34:08)

Red Zone touchdown efficiency (touchdowns): Cleveland 31st (36.4%) v. Steelers 20th (48.6%)

Red Zone defense (touchdowns): Cleveland 13th (51.4%) v. Steelers 14th (51.7%)

Sacks allowed: Cleveland 6th (16) v. Steelers 15th (22)

Some Individual Numbers
AFC Passer rating: Brandon Weeden, 15 (70.3 QB rating, 205 Comp., 55.3% Comp. pct., 11TDs, 12 INTs) v. Charlie Batch, unranked (Career: 77.8 QB rating, Comp., 56.3% Comp. pct., 60 TDs, 48 INTs)

AFC Leading rushers: Trent Richardson, 8th (670 yards, 3.7 yards per carry, 5 touchdowns) v. Jonathan Dwyer, 15th (410 yards, 4.6 yards per carry, 0 touchdowns)

AFC Leading receiver: Trent Richardson, 28th (37 catches, 289 yards, 7.8 per catch, 1 touchdowns) v. Mike Wallace 14th (46 catches, 565 yards, 12.3 yards per catch, 6 touchdowns)

AFC Sack Leaders: D'Qwell Jackson, 25th (3.0) v. LaMarr Woodley, 20th (4.0)

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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Steelers @ Cleveland: The Matchups

Cleveland Offense v. Steelers Defense
Average total yards per game: Cleveland offense 29th (292.1) v. Steelers defense 1st (273.9)

Average net rushing yards per game: Cleveland offense 28th (97.3) v. Steelers defense 9th (101.7)

Average net passing yards per game: Cleveland offense 23rd (194.8) v. Steelers defense 1st (172.2)

Average points per game: Cleveland offense 30th (13.9) v. Steelers defense 2nd (14.5)

Steelers Offense v. Cleveland Defense
Average total yards per game: Steelers offense 11th (373.1) v. Cleveland defense 10th (330.5)

Average net rushing yards per game: Steelers offense 16th (116.1) v. Cleveland defense 30th (146.5)

Average net passing yards per game: Steelers offense 9th (257.0) v. Cleveland defense 2nd (184.0)

Average points per game: Steelers offense: 20th (20.8) v. Cleveland defense 6th (19.6)

Special Teams
Average yards per punt return: Cleveland 9th (11.5) v. Steelers 13th (10.5)

Average yards allowed per punt return: Cleveland 22nd (11.7) v. Steelers 12th (8.6)

Average yards per kick return: Cleveland 10th (24.2) v. Steelers 8th (24.5)

Average yards allowed per kick return: Cleveland 10th (24.3) v. Steelers 18th (22.4)

Net yardage punting average: Cleveland 28th (36.3) v. Steelers 21st (38.6)

Opponent net yardage punting average: Cleveland 12th (37.8) v. Steelers 22nd (39.1)

Miscellaneous
Turnover differential: Cleveland 17th (+0) v. Steelers 29th (-12)

Time of possession: Cleveland 21st (29:37) v. Steelers 3rd (32:46)

Red Zone touchdown efficiency (touchdowns): Cleveland 27th (45.8%) v. Steelers 12th (53.7%)

Red Zone defense (touchdowns): Cleveland 3rd (40.5%) v. Steelers 22nd (62.5%)

Sacks allowed: Cleveland 19th (37) v. Steelers 23rd (40)

Some Individual Numbers
AFC Passer rating: Seneca Wallace, Unranked (79.7) v. Ben Roethlisberger, 3rd (91.5)

AFC Leading rushers: Peyton Hillis, 19th (557 yards, 3.7 yards per carry, 3 touchdowns) v. Rashard Mendenhall, 12th (890 yards, 4.0 yards per carry, 9 touchdowns)

AFC Leading receiver: Greg Little, 15th (61 catches, 709 yards, 11.6 per catch, 2 touchdowns) v. Mike Wallace 8th (71 catches, 1,182 yards, 16.8 yards per catch, 8 touchdowns)

AFC Sack Leaders: Jabaal Sheard, 14th (7.5) v. LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison 9th (9.0)

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Wednesday, December 07, 2011

Cleveland vs. Steelers: The Matchups

As has been the case so often recently, it's easy to get complacent about this game.  But if there has ever been a team that plays to the level of its competition it is the Steelers, and that is certainly cause for concern.  After all, the last time these two teams played on a Thursday night the Steelers stunk.

Also, Cleveland's red zone defense has been outstanding, which means that it may be tough for Pittsburgh to pull away.

Cleveland Offense v. Steelers Defense
Average total yards per game: Cleveland offense 30th (290.7) v. Steelers defense 1st (273.8)

Average net rushing yards per game: Cleveland offense 30th (93.7) v. Steelers defense 7th (96.9)

Average net passing yards per game: Cleveland offense 31st (197.0) v. Steelers defense 2nd (176.8)

Average points per game: Cleveland offense 28th (14.6) v. Steelers defense 4th (16.3)

Steelers Offense v. Cleveland Defense
Average total yards per game: Steelers offense 11th (367.9) v. Cleveland defense 8th (324.6)

Average net rushing yards per game: Steelers offense 17th (111.8) v. Cleveland defense 31st (151.3)

Average net passing yards per game: Steelers offense 9th (256.1) v. Cleveland defense 1st (173.3)

Average points per game: Steelers offense: 18th (22.3) v. Cleveland defense 8th (20.0)

Special Teams
Average yards per punt return: Cleveland 21st (8.9) v. Steelers 8th (11.7)

Average yards allowed per punt return: Cleveland 26th (12.9) v. Steelers 9th (8.2)

Average yards per kick return: Cleveland 13th (24.3) v. Steelers 12th (24.6)

Average yards allowed per kick return: Cleveland 9th (22.3) v. Steelers 22nd (25.1)

Net yardage punting average: Cleveland 29th (36.2) v. Steelers 19th (38.8)

Opponent net yardage punting average: Cleveland 19th (39.2) v. Steelers 14th (38.6)

Miscellaneous
Turnover differential: Cleveland 19th (-1) v. Steelers 27th (-6)

Time of possession: Cleveland 20th (29:37) v. Steelers 2nd (32:46)

Red Zone touchdown efficiency (touchdowns): Cleveland 24th (45.8%) v. Steelers 12th (53.7%)

Red Zone defense (touchdowns): Cleveland 6th (40.5%) v. Steelers 27th (62.5%)

Sacks allowed: Cleveland 22nd (30) v. Steelers 27th (35)

Some Individual Numbers
AFC Passer rating: Colt McCoy, 12th (76.9) v. Ben Roethlisberger, 3rd (93.6)

AFC Leading rushers: Peyton Hillis, 24th (321 yards, 3.8 yards per carry, 2 touchdowns) v. Rashard Mendenhall, 13th (634 yards, 3.8 yards per carry, 8 touchdowns)

AFC Leading receiver: Greg Little, 15th (50 catches, 513 yards, 10.3 per catch, 1 touchdown) v. Mike Wallace (58 catches, 977 yards, 16.8 yards per catch, 8 touchdowns)

AFC Sack Leaders: Jabaal Sheard, 20th (5.5) v. LaMarr Woodley, 4th (9.0)

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Thursday, December 10, 2009

Live Blogging: Steelers @ Cleveland

Fourth Quarter
That's the ball game ~ when did we become the Detroit Lions, and what happened to the team that won the Super Bowl nine months ago?

1:48: One timeout left and 40+ yards from the end zone ~ looks promising.

My bad ~ that was the eighth sack of the game.

The Steelers are now on the verge of losing five consecutive games for the first time since 1999 ~ a season in which they lost six consecutive games. In that stretch ten seasons ago the Steelers lost to Cleveland, Cincinnati, Baltimore, and Kansas City amongst others.

Brady Quinn is horrible, which begs the question why doesn't the Steelers' defense have nine defenders in the box on every play? Wildcat or no wildcat, you have to challenge Cleveland.

8:05: Joshua Cribbs runs for a first down, and to quote Tunch Ilkin "How [does the Steelers' defense] not make that play?"

Can the Steelers actually score a touchdown?

Third Quarter
0:12: And the drive falls apart.

0:55: Hey Ben, throw the **** ball!

As the third quarter draws to a close, I have just one question: Where's the no-huddle?

2:15: A Steelers' running back catches a pass!

At this point it seems germane to mention that the Steelers record for most sacks allowed in a game is 12, versus Dallas, on November 20, 1966.

5:45: And it is sack #8.

6:44: On replay it looked like Rashard Mendenhall missed a hole made by Chris Kemoeatu.

7:08: Can't anyone in the Steelers secondary catch the football?

10:10: Chris Jennings, who had 29 yards rushing in the first half gets 15 on his first carry of the second; and Ike Taylor is blocked out of the play by a wide receiver.

10:37: A poor throw, and no help from Santonio. The Steelers are 1-for-8 on third downs. Ben had better try getting some other wideouts involved in the passing game.

12:37: A spectacular catch by Santonio Holmes!!

13:09: Steelers convert their first third down.

An impressive start to the second half.

Second Quarter
0:41: Though they are down by 13 points the Steelers may still come back to win this game. However, I do not care what anyone says ~ this Steelers team has quit. The first half has been an embarrassment.

There is losing, and then there is ~ if Mike Tomlin does not follow through on his threat to change personnel then he is not the coach I thought him to be.

7:24: Ike Taylor surrenders a field goal.

8:36: Someone please explain what Ike Taylor was doing on that play.

9:25: The Outside Linebackers are beginning to warm up.

10:26: Oh my, the offense is dreadful. 0-for-5 on third down.

The highlight of the night (so far): The E*Trade "Shankapotamus" commercial ~ I never get tired of that one.

12:04: A great series for LaMarr Woodley!

13:16: A sack ~ beautiful!

Ben is sacked for the third time ~ at what point do I turn on "The Office"?

First Quarter
0:00: Thus concludes the most boring quarter of Steelers regular season football in a very long time.

1:55: Everyone holds their breath as Ben takes off running.

2:58: I smell desperation in the air.

2:58: The Steelers cannot convert on third down ~ pathetic.

Is it me, or is this the least dynamic game environment for a Steelers contest . . . ever?

3:36: David Johnson drops a pass ~ nothing good has happened yet when the Steelers have thrown the ball.

3:51: Special teams surrender three points.

3:55: LaMarr Woodley misses an opportunity at a turnover.

5:01: Daniel Sepulveda is the only member of the special teams who can tackle.

5:49: What in the world is with the play calling?

7:17: Lawrence Timmons off to a rocky start ~ whiff on the blitz.

7:20: Joe Burnett with one pass defended.

8:35: The Browns are already 2-for-3 on third down ~ Lawrence Timmons has to be aware of the ball and the receiver when he is in coverage.

Third-and-one, and Bruce Arians calls a pass play? Who has a phone number for Charlie Weis?

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Sunday, October 18, 2009

Cleveland v. Steelers: The Numbers Never Lie

Each week (or nearly so) I bring you a statistical comparison of the Steelers and their opponent. Now I've decided to give you a look at the actual numbers. What follows is in the same format of the weekly statistics, only now you'll see the actual numbers. Where applicable the season average(s) is included in parentheses.

For this week the only question is why was the game so close?

Cleveland Offense v. Steelers Defense
Total yards: Cleveland offense actual, 197 (248.4) v. Steelers defense average 290.8

Net rushing yards: Cleveland offense actual, 91 (106.2) v. Steelers defense average, 71.2

Net passing yards: Cleveland offense actual, 106 (142.2) v. Steelers defense average, 219.6

Total points: Cleveland offense actual, 14 (11.0) v. Steelers defense average, 19.6

Steelers Offense v. Cleveland Defense
Total yards: Steelers offense actual, 543 (375.8) v. Cleveland defense average, 380.2

Net rushing yards: Steelers offense actual, 140 (100.4) v. Cleveland defense average, 170.4

Net passing yards: Steelers offense actual, 403 (275.4) v. Cleveland defense average, 209.8

Total points: Steelers offense actual, 27 (22.6) v. Cleveland defense average, 24.2

Special Teams
Punt return yardage: Cleveland 1 return, 26 yards (16.3) v. Steelers 1 return, 1 yard (6.8)

Average yards allowed per punt return: Cleveland 19th (8.3) v. Steelers 6th (6.0)

Kick return yardage: Cleveland 5 returns, 153 yards, 30.6 yards per kick (23.4) v. Steelers 2 returns, 55 yards, 27.5 yards per kick (23.7)

Season average yards allowed per kick return: Cleveland 16th (22.8) v. Steelers 10th (21.2)

Net yardage punting: Cleveland 38.8 yards (38.8) v. Steelers 22.5 yards (42.2)

Opponent net yardage punting season average: Cleveland 3rd (34.5) v. Steelers 24th (40.9)

Miscellaneous
Turnover differential actual: Cleveland 0 (-5) v. Steelers 0 (-5)

Time of possession actual: Cleveland 23:14 (28:26) v. Steelers 36:46 (33:18)

Red Zone touchdown efficiency actual (touchdowns): Cleveland 50.0% (27.3%) v. Steelers 50.0% (68.8%)

Red Zone defense season average (touchdowns): Cleveland 13th (47.6%) v. Steelers 23rd (60.0%)

Sacks allowed actual: Cleveland 2 (2.8 average per game) v. Steelers 3 (2.6 average per game)

Some Individual Numbers
Passer rating actual: Derek Anderson, 51.0 (39.0) v. Ben Roethlisberger, 113.6 (102.6)

Leading rushers actual: Joshua Cribbs, 45 yards v. Rashard Mendenhall, 62 yards

Leading receiver actual: M. Massaquoi (5 catches, 83 yards, 16.6 yards per catch, 0 touchdowns) v. Hines Ward, 8 catches, 159 yards, 19.9 yards per catch, 1 touchdown

Sack Leaders actual: David Bowen & Brandon McDonald 1.0 each v. Lawrence Timmons, 2.0

Interception Leaders actual: Brodney Pool, 1 v. Troy Polamalu & Ryan Clark 1 each

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Friday, January 02, 2009

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

What with a bye week for the Steelers, and the New Year's holiday converging we decided to take our sweet time in putting together a post, vis-a-vis the game last Sunday, but you can be absolutely certain that it will have been worth the wait.

The Good
  1. As it turns out, Ben Roethlisberger was just fine. The moment that scared us the most was when the Steelers' medical group removed Mr. Roethlisberger's face mask while he laid on the field ~ typically that is a sign of something quite serious. However, media reports on Monday indicated that he was wandering the halls of the hospital while he was there, and he wasn't there for nearly as long as many of us thought he would be. Questions do linger as to how much practice time he will see this week, but there seems little doubt (at least at this time) that Mr. Roethlisberger will be ready to play on January 11th.

  2. Though the Pittsburgh ground game has been MIA for much of this season, there is nothing that will cure those ills like going up against a team that is (barely) playing out the string for a coach who had been packing up his office for weeks; and the 176 yards rushing for the Steelers was their best performance since the week one total gained against Houston (183 yards). Additionally, the second half performance of the Pittsburgh ground attack (i.e. 97 yards rushing) gave us hope for the playoffs despite the fact that we should know better.

  3. There is nothing better than be able to relax during the first weekend of playoff football thanks to a bye week!
The Bad
  1. Ben Roethlisberger has to quit turning the ball over inside the red zone ~ in the Steelers' three most recent games Mr. Roethlisberger has turned over the football inside the opponents 25 yard line three times (12/14/08: a fumble at the Baltimore 24, 12/21/08: a fumble at the Tennessee 7, and 12/28/08: an interception at the Cleveland 23). Also, while we are talking about turnovers, Mr. Roethlisberger's ratio of touchdowns (17) to interceptions (15) would seem to cry out for a renewed emphasis on successfully running the football.

  2. The struggles of the defense to stop opponents from running the football continued. Cleveland's 106 net yards on the ground marked the third consecutive game in which the Steelers' opponent has crested the century mark. Moreover, after having given up 732 rushing yards in their first eleven games combined (a per game average of 66.55 yards), they have given up 552 yards in their last five games (a per game average of 110.4 yards).
The Ugly
  1. Another concussion for Ben Roethlisberger? He may be fine to play on January 11th, however we are becoming concerned about the long-term impact on his health and well-being. The issue of traumatic brain injury is one that we have looked at a few times, and this injury has much of the mainstream media ~ including New York Times ~ asking "[w]hat are the long-term implications for him? It’s not just the rush to get him back for the playoffs. There are great concerns about these things."

    Additionally, from a purely football perspective, the Steelers have a great deal of money tied up in the young quarterback, and one can only wonder what the cumulative effect of so many brain injuries (we believe that this is concussion number three for Mr. Roethlisberger) will be.

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Friday, December 26, 2008

Cleveland v. Steelers: The Friday Injury Report

If practice makes perfect then the Steelers have this week's game in the bag ~ the big revelation for us was that the Browns did not have practice on Thursday, while the Steelers (under the "bah humbug" regime of Mike Tomlin) had, at a minimum, had an abbreviated session on Christmas Day.

Here is the full, and complete report from the NFL:

CLEVELAND BROWNS

Status Report

DOUBTFUL
TE Kellen Winslow (ankle)

QUESTIONABLE
TE Darnell Dinkins (ribs)
LB Leon Williams (knee)
P Dave Zastudil (right knee)

PROBABLE
WR Joshua Cribbs (ankle)
DT Shaun Rogers (ankle)
WR Donte’ Stallworth (neck)
G Eric Steinbach (back)
RB Lawrence Vickers (back)

Practice Report (The Browns did not practice on Thursday. The Thursday practice participation designations are an estimation.)

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
TE Darnell Dinkins (ribs)
QB Ken Dorsey (concussion)
G Eric Steinbach (back)
LB Leon Williams (knee)
TE Kellen Winslow (ankle)
P Dave Zastudil (knee)

Thursday
TE Darnell Dinkins (ribs)
G Eric Steinbach (back)
LB Leon Williams (knee)
TE Kellen Winslow (ankle)
P Dave Zastudil (right knee)

Friday
TE Darnell Dinkins (ribs)
TE Kellen Winslow (ankle)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
RB Charles Ali (not injury related)
WR Joshua Cribbs (ankle)
DT Shaun Rogers (ankle)
RB Lawrence Vickers (back)

Thursday
WR Joshua Cribbs (ankle)
DT Shaun Rogers (ankle)
RB Lawrence Vickers (back)

Friday
LB Leon Williams (knee)
P Dave Zastudil (right knee)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
WR Donte' Stallworth (neck)

Thursday
WR Donte’ Stallworth (neck)

Friday
WR Joshua Cribbs (ankle)
DT Shaun Rogers (ankle)
WR Donte’ Stallworth (neck)
G Eric Steinbach (back)
RB Lawrence Vickers (back)


PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Status Report

OUT
S Ryan Clark (shoulder)

QUESTIONABLE
LB James Harrison (hip)

PROBABLE
QB Ben Roethlisberger (ankle)

Practice Report

OUT (DEFINITELY WILL NOT PLAY)
Wednesday
S Ryan Clark (shoulder)

Thursday
S Ryan Clark (shoulder)

Friday
S Ryan Clark (shoulder)

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
LB James Harrison (hip)
RB Willie Parker (not injury related)
DE Aaron Smith (not injury related)
CB Deshea Townsend (not injury related)
WR Hines Ward (not injury related)

Thursday
LB James Harrison (hip)

Friday
LB James Harrison (hip)

FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
QB Ben Roethlisberger (ankle)

Thursday
QB Ben Roethlisberger (ankle)

Friday
QB Ben Roethlisberger (ankle)
"

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Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Cleveland v. Steelers: The Matchups

It is easy to be lulled into the belief that the Steelers are headed into a game that should be a walkover; however given the struggles that both the offense and defense had last week, the hope here is that the team comes out focused, and playing as though playoffs were beginning this Sunday rather than in two weeks.

With visions of a Steelers victory dancing in our heads, we give you this week's numbers.

Cleveland Offense v. Steelers Defense
Average total yards per game: Cleveland offense 31st (257.3) v. Steelers defense 1st (244.7)

Average net rushing yards per game: Cleveland offense 25th (99.7) v. Steelers defense 2nd (78.5)

Average net passing yards per game: Cleveland offense 30th (157.6) v. Steelers defense 1st (166.1)

Average points per game: Cleveland offense 29th (15.5) v. Steelers defense 2nd (14.9)

Steelers Offense v. Cleveland Defense
Average total yards per game: Steelers offense 23rd (308.1) v. Cleveland defense 26th (355.7)

Average net rushing yards per game: Steelers offense 24th (100.8) v. Cleveland defense 29th (150.3)

Average net passing yards per game: Steelers offense 16th (207.3) v. Cleveland defense 12th (205.3)

Average points per game: Steelers offense: 22nd (21.1) v. Cleveland defense 14th (21.3)

Special Teams
Average yards per punt return: Cleveland 21st (8.4) v. Steelers 31st (6.2)

Average yards allowed per punt return: Cleveland 10th (7.8) v. Steelers 4th (6.0)

Average yards per kick return: Cleveland 14th (23.2) v. Steelers 29th (20.2)

Average yards allowed per kick return: Cleveland 18th (23.2) v. Steelers 1st (19.3)

Net yardage punting average: Cleveland 8th (38.8) v. Steelers 24th (35.8)

Opponent net yardage punting average: Cleveland 3rd (34.1) v. Steelers 19th (38.0)

Miscellaneous
Turnover differential: Cleveland 6th (+6) v. Steelers 12th (+3)

Time of possession: Cleveland 30th (27:36) v. Steelers 9th (31:23)

Red Zone touchdown efficiency (touchdowns): Cleveland 30th (36.8%) v. Steelers 13th (54.3%)

Red Zone defense (touchdowns): Cleveland 11th (49.0%) v. Steelers 1st (33.3%)

Sacks allowed: Cleveland 7th (21) v. Steelers 30th (49)

Some Individual Numbers
AFC Passer rating: Ken Dorsey, Not Ranked (26.5) v. Ben Roethlisberger, 10th (80.8)

AFC Leading rushers: Jamal Lewis, 6th (908 yards) v. Willie Parker, 13th (673 yards)

AFC Leading receiver: Braylon Edwards, 26th (54 catches, 872 yards, 16.1 per catch, 3 touchdowns) v. Hines Ward, 9th (75 catches, 973 yards, 12.97 yards per catch, 7 touchdowns)

AFC Passes Dropped: Braylon Edwards, 1st (16) v. Hines Ward, 6th (7)

AFC Sack Leaders: Shaun Rogers, 28th (4.5) v. James Harrison, 2nd (16.0)

AFC Interception Leaders: Brandon McDonald, 4th (5, 1 touchdown) v. Troy Polamalu, 1t (7. 0 touchdowns)

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Friday, November 21, 2008

2008 Schedule: Looking Forward

If anyone doubts that the game versus Cincinnati was of the "must win" variety, they need only look at how the Steelers have fared against their next five opponents (including playoffs):
  1. New England:
    • 13-11 all-time
    • 3-3 at New England
    • Most recent road win was December 13, 1997 (24-21 in OT)
    • 1-6 in their last seven meetings overall

  2. Dallas:
    • 14-15 all-time
    • 7-6 in Pittsburgh
    • Most recent win in Pittsburgh was September 4, 1988 (24-21)
    • 1-4 in their last five games overall

  3. Baltimore:
    • 15-10 all-time
    • 6-6 at Baltimore
    • 0-5 at Baltimore in their last five games

  4. Tennessee:
    • Including games versus the Houston Oilers, the Steelers are 41-29 all-time
    • Including games versus the Houston Oilers, the Steelers are 17-19 on the road against this franchise
    • Since the Oilers moved to Tennessee (1997) the Steelers are 1-7 in the last eight games
    • Their most recent road win versus the Titans was November 25, 2001 (34-24).

  5. Cleveland:
    • 58-55 all-time
    • 36-21 at Pittsburgh
    • 10 straight wins overall
    • 16 wins in their last 17 meetings
    • Most recent loss was at home, October 5, 2003 (13-33).
To say that it is a tough stretch ~ perhaps the toughest of the entire season ~ is something of an understatement. Making it all the more daunting is the comparative ease of Baltimore's schedule. Given that fact, it would seem that the Steelers have to do no worse than 3-2 in their next five to have any chance of making the playoffs (unless of course teams like Indianapolis implode, in which case the Wild Card becomes a possibility for Pittsburgh).

So let's hope the Steelers' players rest well for the next week, because there will be no rest for the weary the remainder of this season.

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Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Steelers @ Cleveland:
The Matchups

Is there any NFL team that has more rivalry games than Pittsburgh? Perhaps it is because of their recent history of excellence, or because of their ardent fans, or some combination of these and other factors but it seems as though two-thirds of the Steelers' games are against someone with a grudge.

Of course the Cleveland game transcends them all. Here's a look at the numbers after week one:

Cleveland Offense v. Steelers Defense
Average total yards per game: Cleveland offense 25th (205.0) v. Steelers defense 6th (234.0)

Average net rushing yards per game: Cleveland offense 19th (91.0) v. Steelers defense 7th (75.0)

Average net passing yards per game: Cleveland offense 27th (114.0) v. Steelers defense 10th (159.0)

Average points per game: Cleveland offense 22nd (10.0) v. Steelers defense 12th (17.0)

Steelers Offense v. Cleveland Defense
Average total yards per game: Steelers offense 15th (305.0) v. Cleveland defense 27th (487.0)

Average net rushing yards per game: Steelers offense 3rd (183.0) v. Cleveland defense 24th (167.0)

Average net passing yards per game: Steelers offense 26th (122.0) v. Cleveland defense 26th (320.0)

Average points per game: Steelers offense: 1st (38.0) v. Cleveland defense 12th (28.0)

Special Teams
Average yards per punt return: Cleveland 9th (11.5) v. Steelers 28th (-3.0)

Average yards allowed per punt return: Cleveland 10th (4.0) v. Steelers 7th (2.5)

Average yards per kick return: Cleveland 17th (18.0) v. Steelers 14th (19.8)

Average yards allowed per kick return: Cleveland 14th (19.5) v. Steelers 13th (18.7)

Net yardage punting average: Cleveland 21st (35.0) v. Steelers 5th (41.3)

Opponent net yardage punting average: Cleveland 12th (37.0) v. Steelers 17th (39.0)

Miscellaneous
Turnover differential: Cleveland 6th (+1) v. Steelers 3rd (+2)

Time of possession: Cleveland 28th (22:31) v. Steelers 9th (31:31)

Red Zone touchdown efficiency (touchdowns): Cleveland 11th (50.0%) v. Steelers 2nd (100.0%)

Red Zone defense (touchdowns): Cleveland 19th (60.0%) v. Steelers 23rd (66.7%)

Sacks allowed: Cleveland 15th (31) v. Steelers 25th (47)

Sacks Allowed: Cleveland: 1 v. Steelers: 2

Some Individual Numbers
AFC Passer rating: Derek Anderson, 9th (74.0) v. Ben Roethlisberger, 1st (147.0)

AFC Leading rushers: Jamal Lewis, 9th (62 yards) v. Willie Parker, 2nd (138 yards)

AFC Leading receiver: Kellen Winslow, 14th (5 catches, 47 yards, 9.4 per catch, 1 touchdowns) v. Hines Ward, 8th (6 catches, 76 yards, 12.7 yards per catch, 2 touchdowns)

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Tuesday, September 09, 2008

News on Upcoming Opponents

We love Pro Football Talk, so it was only a matter of time that we ripped-off emulated their "Morning One-liners" format. So, in an effort to keep you informed on the Steelers' next three opponents we offer up some comments and links.

Cleveland: In the immediate aftermath of their debacle versus the Cowboys, the Browns turned their attention to next Sunday night's visit by the Steelers.

Baltimore: The listless, uninspired performance of the Bengals defense is really the story coming out of last week's game between the Ravens and Bengals; however Joe Flacco is 1-0 as an NFL starter and has some people dreaming of a bright future.

Jacksonville: As if the loss in Tennessee wasn't enough, the Jags are in bad shape along the offensive line. On an entirely different topic, one has to wonder what it will take to get Jags fans excited about their team.

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Monday, December 24, 2007

Steelers Clinch! -- Update

Update: December 24, 2007, 12:35 AM

An article in today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette offers clarification on the Steelers' playoff situation:

"If San Diego (9-5) beats Denver tonight, the Chargers will become the No. 3 seed in the AFC and the Steelers No. 4. San Diego would own the tiebreaker against the Steelers based on a better conference record.

A San Diego victory would send Jacksonville to Heinz Field for the first-round playoff game as the No. 5 seed
."

The Steelers' loss to the Jets may haunt them for quite some time.

Original Posting
Just finished listening to the Bengals' play-by-play announcers -- there's bad football, and then there's Bengals bad -- as the Bengals hang on to defeat Cleveland.

The difference in this game occurred at the end of the first half when, with 0:47 left on the clock and no time outs, Derek Anderson threw an interception (i.e. rather than taking a knee) to Leon Hall. The Bengals managed to put the ball in the end zone, going into the half with a 19-0 lead.

The second half was all Cleveland, but they ran out of time.

The Steelers' game against Baltimore may still have meaning however. The Steelers have a 7-4 record in the AFC whereas San Diego currently has a 7-3 record, with a game against Denver Monday night. So, it would appear that in order for the Steelers to be the #3 seed (thereby facing Cleveland/Tennessee) rather than the #4 seed (thereby facing Jacksonville) they need to win next week and get some help from Denver and/or Oakland (i.e. San Diego's opponent next week).

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Saturday, March 03, 2007

Davenport Remains with Steelers --
And Other Free Agent News

With T.J. Duckett's release from Washington some (including us) thought that the Steelers would go after a BIG running back to complement All-Pro Willie Parker. However, the team instead chose to go with someone they already knew well and signed Najeh Davenport to a two year contract.

Signed after the first game off the 2006 season, Mr. Davenport rushed for 221 yards on 60 carries -- a per rush average higher than Jerome Bettis' in 2005 -- and energized the kickoff return team. In fact he lead all Steelers' kick returners with 448 yards.

Despite the positives the Steelers are putting a great deal of faith in a player who has a significant history of injuries -- both in college and the pros. As Pittsburgh Steelers Fanatic pointed out last October Mr. Davenport missed significant amounts of time in 2003, 2005, and 2005. While it would be great if that extended run of bad luck was firmly in the past, the most important player on the Steelers' roster at the start of the 2007 season may be the third-string running back.

Meanwhile in other news, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel is reporting that the Miami Dolphins are interested in signing former Steelers linebacker Joey Porter.

Of course the "source" for that is Mr. Porter's agent, so one has to wonder. Moreover, the Dolphins have Channing Crowder at the right outside linebacker position (103 tackles, 1 sack) so one has to wonder if Mr. Porter is prepared to move to the left side where, theoretically, he would replace incumbent Donnie Spragan (and would upgrade Dom Capers' defense).

Finally, the Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting that the Browns have thrown some more money at the horror that is their offensive line by signing former Cincinnati Bengal Eric Steinbach. With the injury to LeCharles Bentley -- last offseason's prize acquisition -- looking to be career-ending, it seems as though the Browns believed that they had little choice but to go back into the free agent pool one more time.

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Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Browns v. Steelers: Team Matchups

How much could change in a few weeks? Unfortunately for both of these teams, the answer is not much.

The Browns have improved slightly in their kickoff return average (moving from fourth in the league to third), but their red zone defense (i.e. as it relates to giving up touchdowns) has significantly worsened.

Meanwhile, the Steelers punt coverage has improved while their punter's net average continues to sink, reltive to other punters in the league; and the running game is an embarrasement.

Browns Offense v. Steelers Defense
Average total yards per game: Browns "O", 29th (267.5) v. Steelers "D", 11th (301.4)

Average net rushing yards per game: Browns "O", 30th (85.9) v. Steelers "D", 8th (100.3)

Average net passing yards per game: Browns "O", 24th (181.6), v. Steelers "D", 14th (201.1)

Third down conversions: Browns "O", 21st (35.8%) v. Steelers "D", 21st (40.8%)

Average points per game: Browns "O", 29th (16.75) v. Steelers "D", 20th (21.42)

Steelers Offense v. Browns Defense
Average total yards per game: Steelers "O", 7th (346.5) v. Browns "D", 21st (340.2)

Average net rushing yards per game: Steelers "O", 19th (105.0) v. Browns "D", 24th (132.7)

Average net passing yards per game: Steelers "O", 7th (241.5) v. Browns "D", 16th (207.5)

Third down conversions: Steelers "O", 10th (40.9%) v. Browns "D", 25th (42.4%)

Average points per game: Steelers "O", 11th (21.58) v. Browns "D", 23rd (21.17)

Special Teams
Average yardage per punt return: Browns 5th (11.4), Steelers 30th (6.3)
Average yardage allowed per punt return: Browns 10th (7.5), Steelers 4th (6.8)

Average yardage per kick return: Browns 3rd (25.1), Steelers 12th (23.0)
Average yardage allowed per kick return: Browns 20th (22.6), Steelers 25th (23.9)

Net yardage punting average: Browns 3rd (38.7), Steelers 18th (36.4)
Opponent net yardage punting average: Browns 14th (36.4), Steelers 30th (39.3)

Miscellaneous
Turnovers: Browns 30th (-11), Steelers 29th (-9)

Time of possession: Browns 15th (29:47), Steelers 17th (30:48)

Red Zone Touchdown Efficiency: Browns 18th (50.0%), Steelers 15th (51.2%)
Red Zone (Touchdowns) Defense: Browns 25th (58.8%), Steelers 12th (47.4%)

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Sunday, November 19, 2006

Steelers @ Cleveland: Instant First Half Analysis

Early in the game (specifically the first quarter) this game was reminiscent of last season's first game against Cincinnati (i.e. the Bengals outplayed the Steelers during the first half but found themselves trailing because of missed opportunities). But it wasn't long before this game began to appear frighteningly similar to this season's game versus Oakland.

During the first quarter the Browns outgained the Steelers 81 yards v. 28 yards, had five first downs versus the Steelers one first down, and was 2-for-3 on third down conversions versus the Steelers' 0-for-2. However, a missed field goal by Phil Dawson kept the game scoreless. But then Ben Roethlisberger went to work.

Mr. Roethlisberger's fifteenth interception of the season -- albeit on a tipped pass -- was returned for a touchdown by Daven Holly, the third time that has happened this season. Then, following Sean Morey's 76-yard kick return, Mr. Roethlisberger threw his sixteenth interception of the season.

And just to insure that Pittsburgh Steelers Fanatic is perceived as a equal opportunity critic, the Steelers' defense permitted the Browns to escape bad field position when Ike Taylor failed to adequately cover Braylon Edwards on his 63-yard reception, thereby converting a 3rd-and-13 from their own 18-yard line. Now, to the credit of the defense they stiffened, and forced Cleveland to settle for three points.

Then, to top it all off, Mr. Holly came up with his second interception (Mr. Roethlisberger's seventeenth of the season) and was very nearly the fourth touchdown allowed by the Steelers' offense (i.e. would have been a touchdown if not for the roughing the passer penalty).

Overall the defense is playing well. Cleveland's patchwork offensive line has not demonstrated an ability to consistently hold off the Steelers' pass rush. However, Cleveland quarterback Charlie Frye has done a good job of scrambling away from trouble (5 carries for 27 yards), and throwing the ball away when there wasn't a play to be made. Indeed -- excluding the long pass to Mr. Edwards -- the Steelers limited Cleveland's offense to 40 yards on 20 plays.

Of course the problem for the Steelers in this game is not the defense.

Ben Roethlisberger must pull himself together and stop turning the ball over. His first half statistics (4/11, 36 yards, 3 INTs, 0 TDs, 6.439 QB rating) are horrifying; and though it is unlikely to happen, Charlie Batch seems like a viable option at this point. In fact, Tommy Maddox seems like a viable option at this point.

For the few Steelers fans who still believed that the playoffs were a possibility things must seem bleak indeed.

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Wednesday, November 15, 2006

A Closer Look at Cleveland

One of the very best sources for reliable information about football is available at Football Outsiders.com; and each week the experts at Football Outsiders take a close look at a specific game in an attempt to uncover what really happened (i.e. why the results were what they were).

This week they look at Cleveland's upset of Atlanta last Sunday, and as a bonus there is a short entry on the Steelers' win over New Orleans. Both items are must reads going into this week's game!

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Steelers @ Cleveland: The Team Matchups

Of all the indicators of how badly this season has gone perhaps the most depressing is that this game is now a battle of 3-6 teams. Here's a look at how these NFL juggernauts matchup (the Steelers seem to have an advantage in most areas except special teams).

Browns Offense v. Steelers Defense
Average total yards per game: Browns "O", 29th (251.9) v. Steelers "D", 11th (310.0)

Average net rushing yards per game: Browns "O", 31st (81.8) v. Steelers "D", 10th (98.3)

Average net passing yards per game: Browns "O", 26th (170.1), v. Steelers "D", 5th (211.7)

Third down conversions: Browns "O", 18th (32.3%) v. Steelers "D", 21st (39.8%)

Average points per game: Browns "O", 24th (16.67) v. Steelers "D", 23rd (23.0)

Steelers Offense v. Browns Defense
Average total yards per game: Steelers "O", 5th (375.7) v. Browns "D", 18th (326.6)

Average net rushing yards per game: Steelers "O", 10th (120.7) v. Browns "D", 30th (143.6)

Average net passing yards per game: Steelers "O", 5th (255.0) v. Browns "D", 6th (183.0)

Third down conversions: Steelers "O", 5th (43.8%) v. Browns "D", 18th (38.3%)

Average points per game: Steelers "O", 8th (23.89) v. Browns "D", 17th (20.44)

Special Teams
Average yardage per punt return: Browns 2nd (13.0), Steelers 31st (5.7)
Average yardage allowed per punt return: Browns 10th (7.6), Steelers 19th (8.9)

Average yardage per kick return: Browns 4th (25.1), Steelers 11th (22.7)
Average yardage allowed per kick return: Browns 20th (23.2), Steelers 23rd (23.4)

Net yardage punting average: Browns 5th (38.7), Steelers 15th (36.5)
Opponent net yardage punting average: Browns 14th (36.3), Steelers 31st (40.5)

Miscellaneous
Turnovers: Browns 30th (-8), Steelers 30th (-8) -- a tie!

Time of possession: Browns 15th (30:14), Steelers 12th (30:48)

Red Zone Touchdown Efficiency: Browns 20th (48.1%), Steelers 19th (50.0%)
Red Zone (Touchdowns) Defense: Browns 15th (50.0%), Steelers 17th (53.1%)

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