Rating the Wide Receivers

During this interminable lull in actual football we look for nearly anything to sink our teeth into; and the good folks at The Sporting News have helped out by coming up with a ranking of NFL wide outs.

Larry Fitzgerald at #1? No big surprise there, but what bothers us is that Hines Ward came in at #18 behind such luminaries Terrell Owens (#6), Braylon Edwards (#7), and Chad Johnson (#16). Potential and physical skills mean only so much in professional sports ~ production is what counts, and Hines Ward is a superior receiver (and team player) to any of those three.

Hines Ward is the Man

A quick note to let all of you know that Sirius NFL Radio is reporting that Hines Ward played Super Bowl XLIII with a tear of the medial collateral ligament in his knee.

The Sirius report is that the injury is a Grade II tear which has been described thusly: "[an] incomplete tears of the MCL. These patients may complain of instability when attempting to cut or pivot. The pain and swelling is more significant, and usually a period of 3-4 weeks of rest is necessary.

Super Bowl Postgame Quotes:Hines Ward

on his feelings) “I can’t even describe it. I can’t even describe it.”



(on his team’s comeback) “It speaks volumes about our team. We never gave up. To come back and win it like that, is just unbelievable”



(on his team’s confidence to win) “We never doubted ourselves, not for a second. We stayed the course. We knew we needed a field goal. Santonio Holmes really made a name for himself today. This is all what we were preaching about today. All in all, we are the Super Bowl champions for the second time in four years.”


(on his health throughout the game) “You know what, there was no tomorrow. I left it all on the line. I am just trying to go out there and feel good about this game.”

Steelers Wednesday's Pool Report

Peter King of Sports Illustrated served as the pool reporter at the Steelers' Wednesday practice. We present the report in its entirety, as provided by the NFL (with small formatting changes):

TAMPA—Hines Ward, the leading receiver in Steelers history, was the only one of the 53 active Pittsburgh players to be limited due to injury as the five-time Super Bowl champions began their practice week for Super Bowl 43 on the two football practice fields at the University of South Florida Wednesday afternoon.

The team worked without pads on a beautiful Florida afternoon—77 degrees, sunny skies, with 15-mph winds from the south—on the USF campus north of downtown Tampa. Second-year coach Mike Tomlin began the one-hour, 58-minute session with a shout of “Let’s go to work, men,’’ and pronounced himself satisfied with the work on what Steeler observers said was the nicest outdoor practice day the team has had since October.

“It was a good start to our week,’’ Tomlin said after practice. “We practiced fas t, and I thought we practiced aggressively. But it’s like I say to the team after every Wednesday practice: It’s a good start, but we’ve got to be better tomorrow.’’

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who has intermittent shoulder problems during the season, looked sharp and threw several tight long spirals, including one bullet to Santonio Holmes through the wind. Running back Willie Parker, after battling shoulder and knee problems during the season, ran fast and confidently. Other than Ward, the 32-year old inspirational lead of the Pittsburgh offense, the Steelers have no health issues on either side of the ball, Tomlin said. But the coach was dismissive when asked if he was concerned about Ward’s status for Sunday’s game. Here’s the evidence that Tomlin is not fretting about Ward: He didn’t watch his star receiver running and cutting on the side field during the hour that Ward worked out away from the team.

Ward is expected to practice with the regular offense more on Thursday.

“Hines is playing,” Tomlin said. “I’m not worried about him.’’

Ward strained a knee ligament in the first quarter of the AFC Championship Game victory over Baltimore 10 days ago. Wearing a small black knee brace this afternoon, Ward walked onto the practice field shortly after 1 p.m. and walked through some plays with the first-team offense just before practice began at 1:30. Then, at the start of practice, he jogged through a few pass-routes with the regular offense before working out on his own for the next 55 minutes. Ward caught balls from the Juggs machine. Then four cones were laid out in a 10-yard square, and Ward ran 10-yard-incut pass-routes at about half-speed and caught passes. Then he ran sideline-to-sideline at slightly better than half-speed before encasing the knee in ice for about a half-hour. From the looks of how he ran Wednesday, Ward won’t be 100 percent Sunday against Arizona, but there’s little doubt he’ll be in the starting lineup.

Tomlin said he was pleased with the condition of the practice fields at USF, though the freshly installed Bermuda sod was damaged by two days of sub-freezing temperatures at night last week. NFL turf guru George Toma, in charge of the Steelers fields, said the turf turned brown due to the frigid weather but three coats of field paint had them looking fresh. “The freeze turned the fields brown,’’ said the 79-year-old Toma, who has worked every Super Bowl. “But it didn’t hurt the fields at all.’’ There were no complaints from the players or Steeler staff about the field, and the players seemed very happy to be working in warm weather on grass that held firm.

“George is awesome,’’ said Tomlin. “We’re not finicky. The fields are fine.’’

The NBC crew televising Sunday’s game was present at practice, as was former Steeler quarterback Mark Malone, part of the national radio crew for the game.

The Steelers will practice on their regular schedule this week, with Thursday and Friday workouts at USF, then a short walk-through practice Saturday.

Steelers Interviews ~ Hines Ward

A number of Pittsburgh Steelers were made available to the media on Friday ~ here is what Hines Ward had to say.

What is it about the Ravens that can bring out the best and worst in the Steelers?

I love purple and black, I love the colors. Any time we get a chance to play them you really want to go out and perform well. Just because of the rivalry its self there is a genuine dislike, but there is a lot of respect. They have great players. Each and every year we play Baltimore, it’s one of those games you circle. Cleveland and Pittsburgh is a rivalry itself, but Baltimore and Pittsburgh rivalry is really heated.

Baltimore fans voted you the most hated Steeler, how does that make you feel?

I guess that’s a big honor. I don’t know why Baltimore dislikes me so much. I love the crab cakes there; I love the view in Baltimore. I don’t know, I’m a likable guy. I don’t know what there is not to like about me. I smile all the time. I give 110% every time I step on the field. I could care less if they dislike me. As long as my teammates and the city of Pittsburgh know what I give each and every Sunday that I step on that field, that’s all that really matters to me.

Do the Ravens pay too much attention to you instead of doing their jobs?

Every now and then you hear the guys (Ravens) say you’re not going to break my jaw. You run around and they look at you. I get a big smile on my face when I hear guys talking about that because they are more worried about me than trying to stop Willie Parker or Heath Miller and those guys. I take pride in trying to get under their skin because I guess they are trying to knock the smile off of my face. To have that impact on the field, they were trying to fight me, literally rather than trying to stop our offense run plays. I just want to do anything to win games.

Have both offenses gotten lost the week because of both defenses?

You have to respect that. To be one and two in the league defensively, you have to respect that aspect of it. Offensively, you look at the playoffs and it really comes down to turnovers. Whatever offense executes their game plan and not turn the ball over usually has a great chance to win ball games. That’s been the case with Baltimore; they are very conscientious of not turning the ball over and letting their defense go out there and forcing their opponents to make mistakes. For us the same way, there isn’t much we have to do offensively because we have a great defense. Not too many teams in this league can take an 80 or 90-yard drive down the field and score touchdowns against our defense and vice versa. This game really comes down to execution of the game plan and not turning the ball over. When you get down to the red zone you have to put up touchdowns and not field goals. That’s usually the winner of the game.

How do you stay hungry when you’ve made it to this point so many times?

I’m always out there to play with a chip on my shoulder. I was one of those guys that wasn’t supposed to play in this league very long. This is my fourth AFC Championship game and unfortunately I am 0-2 at home. That is something in the past that’s all you can remember is the guys celebrating on your home field. That’s something you have to live with, throughout the whole offseason. There is nothing you can really do about that. There would be nothing worse than seeing Baltimore’s players celebrating on our field. For me, I want to make sure that doesn’t happen at all. That’s all the motivation I need to go out there and give it all I’ve got

How do you socialize at Pro Bowls with Ravens players if they don’t like you so much?

Ed Reed and Chris McAllister, I’ve been to Pro Bowls with those guys and they say, ‘Thank God you’re on our side, because we’re not trying to have that out here in Hawaii.’ They know, because when I go across the middle, those guys are going to just play hard. If you hate me for playing hard, I’m sorry. This is a physical sport as it is. When I cross the middle, those guys are itching at the bit to get a good shot on me. But that’s my motto; I’m going to hit you before you hot me. I just have a different approach about it. Each and every time I step on the field, I don’t have the intent to hurt anyone, but at the same time if I have a shot, I’m going to take it.

What’s it like playing for a coach as young as Mike Tomlin?

He understands his players. Last year he had to come in and really come in and set the laws down. A lot of guys were in coach Cower ways. He was very strict on his rules, if he started an 8:00 meeting, he wants you there at 7:58. He doesn’t want you there after 8:00. If you were (late) you were going to get put in his so called “news board” and you would get fined. He had a year under his belt to let guys know this is his team and this is how he wants things run around here. Going into his second year, he understands what players need to be pushed, what players need to take time off to be fresh. He’s done a great job of mixing that in with veteran guys. Veteran guys, we don’t practice on Wednesday. We’ve been in this league long enough and we know we’re not going to win ball games on Wednesday. He wants guys to be as fresh as possible on Sunday. He did a great job of doing that for veteran guys. He’s a true players coach. He’s played the game and he understands. By playing wide receiver not practicing on Wednesday is not going to affect the way I play on Sunday. He’s done a lot for me because I feel a lot fresher on Sundays and been able to go out to do it week in and week out.

Do you want snow and cold Sunday?

It’s not like I want it, but this is Pittsburgh you never know what you’re going to get. For all I know it might turn around and be 60 degrees on Sunday. Whatever the conditions are, we’re the type of team that will be ready for it. Playing in Heinz Field with the field conditions and the weather, we’ve played in every field condition there possibly is. We’re used to it. We worked inside today, but we opened up the garage, because it’s still going to be cold. We tried to get used to it and get acclimated to the weather. Rain, sleet or snow, we’re going to show up and see if we can go to the Super Bowl.”

Have you thought about your legacy and how another Super Bowl would enhance that?

A Super Bowl would be great. When you look at the previous teams here in this organization, the teams in the 70s winning four Super Bowls, when you win Super Bowls you leave your legacy as a winner. That’s what a lot of people like in this league, winners. For me, when I leave this game, all I really want from people is to say Hines is one hell of a football player. I don’t compare myself to anybody, to Randy Moss, (Larry) Fitzgerald, none of those guys. I play the game I want to play. My legacy, I want people to say he played the game the way it’s supposed to be played. If they do that, I am happy. I did my job.

Ravens wide receiver Derrick Mason said, ‘They are going to realize what’s coming quickly, the Ravens are coming, so prepare yourself.’ What do you make of that? Are you prepared?

We are very prepared. That doesn’t scare anybody. That doesn’t scare me. Whatever it takes to motivate yourself to go out. Talk is cheap to me. We line up Sunday, we’re going to go out and play, and the better team is going to win. For what Derrick said, I don’t know if I am supposed to be scared or laugh at that. I really can’t comment on that.

Does any of that bulletin board material even matter?

No. if you need bulletin board material to motivate you in this game you don’t even need to show up. Playing a team for the third time in our division, knowing it’s going to be a physical ball game, there is nothing more Ray Lewis or any of those guys can say. We’ve heard it all. I’ve heard it for 11 years now. You still have to go out there and line up and play. All of the bounty talk was just talk. It was something to write about, stories to create. It was something for the media to talk about. You still have to line up and play football. Two great defenses, it’s going to come down to whatever team executes. Hopefully it will be us on the receiving end to go to the Super Bowl

Would the worst nightmare for both of these teams be watching the other team celebrate getting to go to the Super Bowl?

A couple of guys joked around that the winner of this game, right here, it doesn’t matter what you do in the series after this you are always going to remember this. If we win this game, Baltimore can beat us 10 straight times but they will remember this game and visa-versa. That’s what is at stake. Regardless of what you did in the regular season, the winner of this game is going to stick with you for a very, very long time.

How much easier was this week for preparing with the familiarity of this team?

It really wasn’t that hard. You look back at the past two games, Baltimore gives a lot of different schemes to try and confuse the offensive line, the offense, so they can get a guy come wide open and sack the quarterback. All week the preparation is just trying to give all of the different looks so everybody can see the different styles of blitzes that they run and hopefully we can get them picked up and protected so we can make plays down the field. If we can do that and have all 11 guys on the same page I think we will be fine. Baltimore gives so many different looks that they like to confuse you. That’s why you see one guy coming wide open and getting a sack. For us it’s about getting all 11 guys on one page and really just going out there and executing our plays.

Steelers @ Tennessee: The Good,the Bad, & the Ugly

We have always tried be "half glass full" kinds of observers, but sometimes the Steelers make it very difficult. But in an effort to stay positive we offer up this tidbit: four turnovers and a missed field goal, and Pittsburgh only lost by 10? Good job guys!

However, as we do each time the Steelers lose, we also want to give credit to Tennessee. Accepting the largesse of Ben Roethlisberger (i.e. his turnovers) is one thing, doing something with that generosity is quite another. The Titans used the turnovers to put 21 points on the board, and that is the hallmark of a good team.

A couple of other notes before getting into the meat of things: The Steelers lost their first game of the season in which their opponent scored first, and the Steelers' defense surrendered more than 300 yards of total offense (323 to be exact) for the first time in their last fourteen games.

But those things will seem minor once we have finished with our rant.

The Good

1. The best player in a Steelers uniform on Sunday was Mitch Berger. Yes, that is how bad Sunday's performance was. But we do not want to take anything away from Mr. Berger ~ he had a 44.0 yard gross average on five kicks, a net average of 39.4 yards (by way of comparison, his counterpart on Tennessee ~ Craig Hentrich ~ could only must a net average of 33.7 yards), and his long kick on the day was 50 yards. As a result of his effectiveness, and despite the fumbles and interceptions, Tennessee, on average, began their drives from their own 29 yard line. Well done Mitch!


2. We were not impressed by much else, but the performances by James Farrior, Ryan Clark and Ike Taylor did stand out. Those three combined for more than half of the defense's tackles (i.e. 23 of 44), and nearly half of the assists (i.e. 8 of 20). Additionally, Mr. Clark and Mr. Taylor played reasonably well in pass coverage. On what was arguably the worst day the Steelers' defense has had this season these three players were the closest thing that unit had to a bright spot.


3. For the second consecutive game Hines Ward had a very good game ~ this week it was seven catches for 109 yards and a hard fought touchdown (last week he had eight catches for 107 yards, and no touchdowns). His fumble was recovered by Santonio Holmes, so even his lone miscue did not hurt the team. To reiterate our point from last week, in the four games leading up to the Baltimore game Mr. Ward had 18 receptions (and 11 of those were in the game against San Diego) for 200 yards. Compare that with his two most recent games: 15 catches for 216 yards. Like John Fox said ~ people remember what you do in December. So far, Hines Ward is having a December to remember.

The Bad

1. Dick LeBeau is a defensive football genius, we believe that with every ounce of our being. However, it seems pretty obvious to us that teams have figured out how to shut down James Harrison ~ his sack on Sunday was the result of sheer determination ~ and LaMarr Woodley. Kerry Collins had ridiculous amounts of time to throw the football; and while we acknowledge the great play of Tennessee's offensive line, we also have to tell it like it is ~ Coach LeBeau got schooled by the Titans' offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger.
   
   Also, as if the passing of Kerry Collins was not galling enough, for the fourth consecutive game the Steelers' defense surrendered at least 95 yards rushing (on November 30th the Patriots rushed for 122 yards, on December 7th Dallas rushed for 95 yards, on December 14th the Ravens rushed for 112 yards, and Tennessee rushed for 117 yards, with 80 of those yards coming in the second half). This trend is a eerily reminiscent of last season when the Steelers were #1 in average yards allowed per game and #2 against rush. Then they played Jacksonville in week 15 only to give up 224 yards on the ground (and gave up another 135 yards of rushing against the Jaguars in their Wild Card matchup). Perhaps it was one bad game, but the trend is a concern.


2. We do not know if the blame rests with a single player, but the inability of the Steelers to consistently generate some kind of positive yardage of punt returns is becoming something of a joke. Mr. Holmes managed to gain a grand total of two yards on two punt returns. His longest return was for six yards. The punt return unit has been a disappointment throughout the season, and Sunday was definitely no exception.

The Ugly

1. Jeff Reed's missed 33-yard field goal was, arguably, the key to the whole game. Yes the turnovers were devastating, especially Ben Roethlisberger's first fumble, however if Mr. Reed had made his field goal attempt (and everything else had remained exactly the same) then the Steelers would have had the football, in the fourth quarter, with 2:26 play, looking for a touchdown instead of two scores. Maybe the interception return for a touchdown does not happen. Maybe. But, given the abysmal play of the Steelers on Sunday it probably would not have mattered, but it still would have been interesting to see it play out.


2. In an interview with Jim Rome on Thursday, Ben Roethlisberger indicated that he and his teammates would be able to player "looser" by virtue of having clinched the #2 spot in the AFC with their win against Baltimore the previous Sunday. If by "looser" he meant two interceptions and four fumbles (two of which he lost) then, mission accomplished!


3. Thank goodness Albert Haynesworth did not play on Sunday or else Ben Roethlisberger might have actually been killed. The offensive line of the Pittsburgh Steelers ~ specifically Max Starks and Chris Kemoeatu ~ was overmatched by rooking defensive tackle Jason Jones? Mr. Jones, a rookie, entered the game with 1.5 career sacks and finished the game Sunday with 5.0 sacks and three forced fumbles. Not to mention that the Steelers running backs accumulated a grand total of 57 yards rushing. With the playoffs fast-approaching, the Pittsburgh offensive line is running out of time to elevate their play; and if this is the best the can do against a depleted defensive line then it is hard to envision a playoff scenario in which the Steelers will go very far.

Steelers @ Ravens: The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly

I've made much of Pittsburgh's struggles in Baltimore, and that fact makes Sunday's victory all the more special. Oh, and clinching the AFC North title, and a first round bye in the playoffs, and putting themselves in a position to earn the #1 seed in the AFC (in another locale ~ Tennessee ~ where they have underperformed), all of that is pretty special too.

There are so many things to discuss, but let's begin with some statistical notes:

• The Steelers are now a perfect 6-0 in those games in which their opponent has scored first.


• Ben Roethlisberger recorded his 50th win as a starting quarterback in the NFL.


• According to the Steelers' media department the win versus Baltimore is the 550th of the franchise since the merger of the AFL and NFL, and is the highest win total of any AFC franchise.

Without further adieu, here are some of my thoughts on this week's game:

The Good

1. I try not to get into matters of officiating, but given that John Harbaugh was complaining about the touchdown call in his postgame press conference, we offer up the following quote from the NFL Rule Book: "A touchdown is the situation in which any part of the ball, legally in possession of a player in bounds, is on, above, or behind the opponent's goal line (plane) provided it is not a touchback" (Rule 3, Section 39). Rule 11, section 2, article 1 reinforces this important fact ~ the ball does not have to cross the plane ~ it simply has to touch the line
   ("Rule 11, Scoring, Section 2 Touchdown Article 1 It is a touchdown (3-38):
   (a) the ball is on, above, or behind the plane of the opponent’s goal line and is in possession of a runner who has advanced from the field of play; or
   (b) a ball in possession of an airborne runner is on, above, or behind the plane of the goal line, and some part of the ball was passed over or inside the pylon; or
   (c) a ball in player possession touches the pylon, provided that no part of the player’s body, except his hands or feet, struck the ground before the ball touched the pylon; or
   (d) Any player who is legally inbounds catches or recovers a loose ball (3-2-3) on or behind the opponent’s goal line; or
   (e) The Referee awards a touchdown to a team that has been denied one by a palpably unfair act.")
   
   Given that fact, not surprisingly, the view from here is that the touchdown call was correct, albeit close.
   
   If Ravens fans want something about which they can complain, consider this: Of the Ravens' twelve offensive possessions none began at or inside their own 20 yard line. Eight of those possessions began at or outside their own 35 yard line; and three began on the Steelers' side of the field ~ and they still came away with only nine points. Can't blame the officials for that.


2. Moving on, the offensive line, despite multiple penalties being called against them, was amazing. Indeed, considering the excellence of the defense they were facing, it was arguably their finest performance of the season. Sacked three times and rushed on more than a few occasions, Ben Roethlisberger had still had time to deliver on target passes throughout the contest; and the job that the line did on the final, game winning drive (not to mention the final, scrambling touchdown pass) was as good a job as an offensive line can do. Additionally, the Steelers managed to rush for 91 yards ~ 22 yards better than the first meeting this season between these two teams ~ and 311 total yards of offense ~ 74 yards more than their previous meeting this season; and everyone remembers (I'm sure) that the first meeting went to overtime.
   
   Special recognition goes to the oft maligned Max Starks ~ none of the three sacks on Mr. Roethlisberger came from the blind side (indeed my recollection is that they came from up the middle), meaning that Mr. Starks and those who helped him (i.e. Max Spaeth, Heath Miller, and Mewelde Moore) in pass protection were terrific.


3. Speaking of Ben Roethlisberger, his performance in managing the game was so refreshing. He threw the football away when no receivers were open, he ran the football when there was an opportunity to do so, he moved laterally in order to keep plays alive, and he did not allow himself to become frustrated by the inconsistent play of a couple of his receivers. In other words his performance was a mature one, and he showed the calm of a leader during the winning drive. His statistics are fairly run-of-the-mill (22/40, 246 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions, QB rating 81.9), but he kept his poise under duress and led his team to an important victory.


4. All of this would be pointless if not for the continued excellence of the defense. Yes, James Harrison was largely contained (and continues to make a habit of crashing down the line while a running back carries the ball outside of the spot he just vacated) as was LaMarr Woodley, but there is no doubt that Lawrence Timmons more than picked up the slack ~ delivering a beautiful open field tackle on special teams, a ferocious hit on Derrick Mason, and a sack and strip on Joe Flacco (a huge play in the game) ~ in playing his best game as a Pittsburgh Steeler.
   
   We continue to be concerned about the rushing yardage suddenly being surrendered by the Pittsburgh defense (112 yards this week) but the scoreboard does not lie, and nine points allowed in an NFL game is mind boggling.


5. Hine Ward was criticized here last week, but this week we come to praise him. One clutch catch, often times going over the middle without fear or hesitation, after another literally made up for the inconsistent (i.e. maddening) play of his colleagues at the wide receiver position. Moreover, his eight catches and 107 yards is (in both categories) more than he accumulated in his previous three games combined.
   
   Well done Hines, well done.

The Bad

1. Coming into the game the special teams, specifically the punt coverage and kick coverage teams, were amongst the best in the NFL.
   
   Not on Sunday.
   
   The outstanding field position that the Ravens enjoyed all day was the direct result of the beat down that Baltimore's special teams delivered on Pittsburgh's. The Ravens averaged 18.0 yards per punt return (even if the 46-yard return is excluded they averaged 11.0 yards per return which is still 4.3 yards more per average return) and 22.8 yards per kick return (5.6 yards more than the average allowed coming into the game).
   
   As for the returns teams, the punt return unit gained a grand total of five yards on three punt returns and the kick return unit averaged 17.5 yards per return (the lone bright spot on special teams ~ that is .3 yards more than the average kick return coming into the game).
   
   The abysmal performance of these units should keep Bob Ligashesky working long hours all week in preparation for next week's game.


2. Nate Washington is making me crazy.
   
   Drop one pass, catch one pass.
   
   I believe that he may now have the team lead in that dubious category; and it is only the big plays that he did make that kept him from sinking into the "ugly" section of this posting. Also, I have grown weary of watching him run the football (either on a designed running play of after a reception) only to come to a veritable standstill as he approaches would-be tacklers. Feel free to deliver a hit every now and again, Nate. But only after you start catching those balls that are hitting you in the hands.

The Ugly

1. Santonio Holmes caught the winning touchdown pass ~ and it is a good thing that he did.
   
   The poor punt return totals? That was Santonio Holmes.
   
   Dropped pass on 3rd-and-6 in the first quarter? That was Santonio Holmes.
   
   Two fumbles, including one that gave Baltimore the football at Pittsburgh's 16 yard line? That was also Santonio.
   
   Indeed, until that touchdown catch I have to say that the best thing he did the entire game was to block downfield for his teammates.
   
   On the day when Santonio Holmes scored the winning touchdown he was the one player whose poor play cost the team the most.


2. A personal foul on Jeff Reed? Now that was a bad call.

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

We know we are a little late with our weekly postgame analysis.

The smelling salts just kicked in.

While considering the fact that the Steelers are now enjoying their first four game winning streak since the 2005 season (they actually had two such winning streaks that season), and that Ben Roethlisberger is now 15-4 in his career versus the NFC, we offer up some of our thoughts on what was an unbelievable Steelers win.

The Good

1. How important was this win? Consider this: The Steelers have not won a regular season game in Baltimore since 2002, and their regular season record in Nashville, Tennessee is 1-6. So, a win against Dallas keeps the Steelers competitive for the division and the playoffs ~ a loss would have been an unmitigated disaster.


2. Pittsburgh did not do much that was good enough to qualify for this category, at least until Deshea Townsend took an interception 25 yards for the winning score. But he did do just that, and the best thing that the Steelers did was to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
   
   The defense was good ~ they forced four of the opponent's five turnovers (even Ike Taylor managed to hold onto an interception), they still have not allowed any team to gain 300 yards in a game this season (though just barely ~ Dallas gained 289 net yards), kept the Cowboys to under 100 yards rushing (though just barely ~ Dallas rushed for 95 net yards), and held them more than 11 points below their scoring average (i.e. 13 points in the game versus an average of 24.92) ~ though not as good as they have been of late, but the effort and the results were that of a champion.


3. Patrick Bailey was officially given credit for a single assisted tackle, but his play today on kick coverage was something special. He busted wedges and kept on coming. He was tremendous all afternoon/evening long, as was Keyaron Fox and all the members of that coverage team. To wit, coming into the game the Cowboys had been averaging 22.7 yards per kick return, but on Sunday they were held to 17 yards per return (i.e. 25% lower than average).

The Bad

1. This is a very tough one to write, but James Harrison has to be included amongst the "Bads." His efforts against Flozelle Adams were tremendous ~ the fact that he had a sack, five solo tackles, and three assists is testimony to that. However, there were far too many instances in which Mr. Harrison allowed himself to be sucked inside by misdirection, only to have a running play go outside to the left side. Being aggressive is Mr. Harrison's game, but he would do well to remember that run containment is one of his responsibilities.


2. If an offensive line does not give up a sack in the first half, but then gives up five sacks in the second half are they bad or ugly? This is another close call for us, but we have opted to be charitable. Moreover, watching the offense fail, for at least the third time this season, to get into the end zone from a yard out was painful (and something that has to be laid at the feet of the offensive line). After having improved steadily throughout the season this game was a step backwards.


3. We also were less than pleased with Ben Roethlisberger's propensity for ~ and stop me if you've heard this one before ~ holding on to the ball too long. Yes he managed to escape trouble a number of times during the fourth quarter, and yes those escapes sometimes led to positive plays, but we renew our call for Mr. Roethlisberger to (everyone say it with us) THROW THE BALL, BEN! No fewer than three of the five sacks suffered in the second half could have been avoided by simply throwing the football away. Dallas did a good job of covering receivers, and Mr. Roethlisberger seemingly recognized as much. Holding the ball for an extra second or two, in the hope/belief that someone is eventually going to get open, is a mistake ~ and may get him killed next week in Baltimore.

The Ugly

1. Just one question, why did Bruce Arians abandon the running game? Eleven rushing plays in the entire first half? Ten more in the second? Additionally, why did Mike Tomlin allow him to do so? The one-dimensional nature of the play calling led us to wonder whether Mr. Arians was trying to wear down the Dallas defensive line by forcing them to rush the quarterback all day. Obviously we have no explanation, but we can tell you that the Steelers are well on their way to having their worst rushing season since 2003 ~ a season in which they had ten losses.


2. Hines Ward ~ with a single catch for two yards against Da1las (and seven catches for 76 yards in his three most recent games) ~ was (and has been) a non-factor. Apparently, teams have discovered a method for neutralizing the once dangerous wide out. Considering that in the last meeting with Baltimore he had two catches for 57 yards, it is hard to see that trend changing any time soon.


3. Jeff Reed had an unusually poor game, at least for him. A missed field goal we can forgive, kicking the ball out of bounds? Not so much.


4. Mitch Berger, meet Paul Ernster. If not for a fortuitous bounce into a member of the Dallas return team ~ a "fumble" that was recovered by Lawrence Timmons ~ his 28-yard punt from the Steelers' own five yard line would most certainly have resulted in points for the Cowboys. Here is hoping that Kevin Colbert has some additional names in his rolodex.

On December 7, 1969 the Steelers, playing in Pittsburgh against Dallas, trailed by ten points in the fourth quarter. A touchdown pass from quarterback Dick Shiner to running back Jon Henderson cut the lead to three, but they came up short and lost their 11th straight game of the season.

Now that the '69 team has been avenged ~ and at times the 2008 edition of the Steelers looked eerily similar to Chuck Noll's first team ~ we can only hope that the team's performances in the weeks to come are of a better quality that the one they turned in on Sunday.

San Diego v. Steelers: The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly

We're not certain what is most noteworthy about this game ~ that the Steelers were victorious, they were victorious in the first ever 11-10 game in NFL history (so say CBS, with help from the Elias Sports Bureau we assume), or what we assume were huge sums of money that changed hands when Troy Polamalu scored a touchdown on the final play of the game; only to see all that money handed back over on the basis of an incorrect illegal forward pass call that ended the game. In our effort to decide we look at what went well, what was not so good, and what was downright horrible.

The Good

1. Big Dan the 'Burgh Man sent along a text message during the first half which said "Thank God for Dick LeBeau." Beautiful in its simplicity, yet comprehensive in capturing just how much the Steelers are depending upon their defense this season to be competitive. Philip Rivers' 43.6 passer rating was his worst such number this season (the previous low was 58.8 versus Oakland), and LaDanian Tomlinson's 57 yards rushing was his fourth worst total this season, and the team's 66 net rushing yards was their second lowest this season (the lowest is 60 yards versus Miami). Moreover, their 50 offensive plays was the third lowest total in a game this season, and their 4.3 yards per offensive play was the second lowest total this season (the lowest was 4.1 yards per play versus Miami).
   
   If this was the first time this season the Steelers' defense had done something like this we might only discuss player performance, but the season-long excellence of the defensive unit is certainly the result of leadership from their ageless leader, Dick LeBeau.


2. If James Harrison is not the defensive player of the year we simply do not understand the criteria for the award. Often double-teamed (and occasionally held, despite the lack of a call from the officials) he still managed to collect two tackles and two assists.
   
   And forced a fumble.
   
   And assisted on the tackle that resulted in a safety.
   
   And came up with a key interception that kept the Chargers off the scoreboard late in the first half (and there is no need to ask, given the final score, just how big a play that turned out to be).
   
   The intensity, bordering on rage, that he exhibited early in his career has been harnessed for good (i.e. if you are a fan of the Steelers) and he is following up a very good 2007 season with a Pro Bowl 2008.


3. During our recent visit to Pittsburgh Big Dan the 'Burgh Man and I spent a great deal of time going through the Steelers' media guide, and while doing so we discovered that Jack Lambert, arguably the greatest linebacker to play in the National Football League, waited until the end of his third full season to go to his first Pro Bowl.
   
   We mention this just so that you understand that we understand the full weight of this next statement: Second year linebacker LaMarr Woodley has earned a spot on the AFC Pro Bowl team. Sure, the Steelers' defense played reasonably well last week against Indianapolis (i.e. well enough to win); but as good as they are without him, the defense is even better with him in the lineup. He pressured the quarterback, he was in on the safety with James Harrison, and his ability to drop into coverage (e.g. the deflected pass intended for Vincy Jackson) makes him supremely valuable.


4. The defense was terrific, but there were also some good performances on the offensive side of the ball as well, but we were especially impressed by the hard running (i.e. aggressive, downhill running) of Gary Russell and Willie Parker. Tunch Ilkin mentioned it on the Steelers' radio broadcast ~ the Pittsburgh running attack is just different with a healthy Willie Parker in the lineup. We also thought Mr. Russell's contributions, especially in short yardage situations were very significant (e.g. third quarter, 3-and-1, six yard gain; third quarter, 3-and-1, four yard gain).

The Bad

1. So let's review:
   • 24 first downs
   • 410 net yards
   • 36:31 time of possession
   • +3 in turnovers
   • 8 points ?!?
   
   Five of the Steelers' nine offensive possessions terminated inside San Diego's 35 yard line, but all the offense ended up with was nine points. Execution is obviously a part of the problem, but we also have issues with the play calling.
   
   For example, on the Steelers' first offensive possession they worked their way from their own 41 yard line on a 4-yard run by Willie Parker and a 17-yard pass completion to Hines Ward (that put them at the Chargers' 38 yard line). At that point Bruce Arians called three consecutive pass plays ~ an incompletion, a sack, and a 13-yard completion on 3-and-18. That resulted in an ugly, 51-yard, missed field goal from Jeff Reed.
   
   On their second possession they moved the ball 69 yards, 33 of which was on the ground, but on a critical 2nd-and-4 at the San Diego four yard line a pass play was called and Ben Roethlisberger was sacked.
   
   On their first possession of the third quarter the Steelers moved from their own 23 yard line to the Chargers' 28 yard line (49 net yards), gaining 26 yards on the ground on five carries. Yet, with a 1-and-10 at that point, they called three consecutive passing plays (completing the first one for five yards, and the other two were incomplete) and had to settle for another field goal.
   
   We understand the need for a balanced offense, however we also believe in forcing an opponent to stop you before going to something else. On a day when the running game was closer to being a ground attack it seems that Mr. Arians more interested in balance than simply going with what was working.


2. We sing the praises of the defense often, but allowing San Diego to go 78 yards in the fourth quarter . . . u-n-a-c-c-e-p-t-a-b-l-e.

The Ugly

1. Paul Ernster has to go.
   
   Four kicks, a 31.0 yard average, and a net of 30.8 yards. His average is tied for lowest so far this weekend (with only the Monday evening game remaining), and his net is the second lowest (Indianapolis punter Hunter Smith had a single punt with a net of 16 yards). He has done a good job holding for field goals, but his fourth quarter, 20-yard punt from the Chargers' 38 yard line was horrific.


2. 13 penalties, 115 yards.
   
   Yes, we thought the pass interference call against Ike Taylor (that set up San Diego's touchdown) was ridiculous (if that is pass interference then the rule needs to be changed), and referee Scott Green has already admitted his error on Troy Polamalu's fumble recovery for a touchdown; but our real problem is with the sloppy, sloppy play the Steelers turned in.
   
   Nearly a quarter of the Steelers' penalties were called on wide receivers (three on Hines Ward, one on Santonio Holmes), and two more were called on tight ends (one each on Matt Spaeth and Sean McHugh). In fact, only two penalties were called on offensive linemen (one on Willie Colon and one on Darnell Stapleton) and neither was for holding.
   
   All of this was nearly the undoing of the Steelers, and it is a testament to the good play of the offensive line and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger that they were able to overcome it all.

Hines Ward Needs Surgery

According to a from the WTAE website Steelers' wide receiver is going to have surgery on his knee later this week.

Steelers @ Baltimore: The Matchups

The Steelers go against an inferior opponent this week, one that they should beat handily -- stop us if you've heard this before -- but before anyone dismisses the Ravens as something something akin to a nuisance on the way to the playoffs remember this:

• In the last eleven regular season meetings with the Ravens, the Steelers have a record of 6-5.


• During that same period, on average, the Ravens have scored 19.45 points per game while the Steelers have scored 20.


• The Steelers have not won a game in Baltimore since October 27, 2002; and have not had 100 yards rushing in a game played in Baltimore since that game.


• Since then, in games played in Baltimore, the Steelers have been outscored, on average, 21.5-9 and have averaged 60 yards rushing (including 21 yards in the most recent game in Baltimore -- November 26, 2006)

With all of that in mind, here is a look at his week's matchups:

Baltimore Offense v. Steelers Defense
Average total yards per game: Baltimore offense 23rd (299.9) v. Steelers defense 1st (261.9).

Average net rushing yards per game: Baltimore offense 18th (107.8) v. Steelers defense 3rd (83.9)

Average net passing yards per game: Baltimore offense 22nd (192.1) v. Steelers defense 3rd (178.0)

Average points per game: Baltimore offense 25th (16.53) v. Steelers defense 3rd (16.13)

Steelers Offense v. Baltimore Defense
Average total yards per game: Steelers offense 17th (331.7) v. Baltimore defense 7th (304.1)

Average net rushing yards per game: Steelers offense 3rd (141.2) v. Baltimore defense 2nd (81.5)

Average net passing yards per game: Steelers offense 25th (190.5) v. Baltimore defense 22nd (222.6)

Average points per game: Steelers offense: 8th (24.8) v. Baltimore defense 24th (24.2)

Special Teams
Average yards per punt return: Baltimore 10th (10.0) v. Steelers 30th (6.3)

Average yards allowed per punt return: Baltimore 22nd (10.3) v. Steelers 16th (9.0)

Average yards per kick return: Baltimore 8th (23.8) v. Steelers 20th (22.1)

Average yards allowed per kick return: Baltimore 25th (23.9) v. Steelers 17th (22.9)

Net yardage punting average: Baltimore 27th (35.5) v. Steelers 10th (37.8)

Opponent net yardage punting average: Baltimore 19th (37.3) v. Steelers 26th (38.3)

Miscellaneous
Turnover differential: Baltimore 32nd (-19) v. Steelers 8th (+5)

Time of possession: Baltimore 12th (30:25) v. Steelers 1st (33:58)

Red Zone touchdown efficiency: Baltimore 28th (41.5%) v. Steelers 10th (56.6%)

Red Zone defense (touchdowns): Baltimore 3rd (40.0%) v. Steelers 23rd (55.9%)

Sacks allowed: Baltimore 22nd (37) v. Steelers 28th (47)

Sacks: Baltimore 16th (32) v. Steelers 13th (34)

Some Individual Numbers
Passer rating: Troy Smith 73.6 (5 TDs, 7 INTs) v. Ben Roethlisberger 104.1 (32 TDs, 11 INTs)

Leading rushers: Willis McGahee 1,207 yards (4.1 yards per carry, 7 TDs) v. Willie Parker 1,316 yards (4.1 yards per carry, 2 TDs)
In an unusual development each team's leading rusher -- numbers 5 and 2 respectively in the league -- is out for Sunday's game. The statistics for the projected starters are: Musa Smith 181 yards (3.4 yards per carry, 2 TDs) v. Najeh Davenport 472 yards (5.0 yards per carry, 4 TDs)

Leading receiver: Derrick Mason 97 receptions -- #3 in the NFL -- (1,015 yards, 10.5 yards per catch, 5 TDs) v. Hines Ward 71 receptions (732 yards, 10.3 yards per catch, 7 TDs)

Getting Draft Ready -- Assessing the Wide Receivers

In 2006 the Steelers' passing game grew by nearly 23% over the previous season (2006: 4,026 receiving yards, 2005: 3,104), and for the first time since 2001 the top four pass catchers on the team were all wide receivers. So as is the case with the team's running backs, the wide receiver corp would also appear to be an area of strength for the 2007 Steelers.

Leading the way again next season will be Hines Ward; and though his touchdowns in 2006 were nearly half of his total in 2005 (6 v. 11), has not had a 1,000 yard season receving since 2004, will turn 31-years old early next month, andhis salary cap number will be $5,918,000 (and escalates from there in 2008 and 2009) Mr. Ward is every bit the heart and soul of the Steelers as Jerome Bettis was in their most recent Super Bowl season.

The second leading receiver in 2006 was rookie Santonio Holmes, and the magnitude of that achievement cannot be overstated, especially considering the tempestuous period between his selection by the Steelers in last year's draft and the beginning of training camp. After a slow start (i.e. 5 receptions for 73 yards in the team's first four games) Mr. Holmes came up strong as the season progressed -- his yardage per catch improved by nearly four yards per catch over the final eight games of the season as opposed to the first eight -- becoming the first #2 receiver on the Steelers to accumulate more than 800 yards receiving since Plaxico Burress did so in 2003.

Cedric Wilson was #3 in receiving on the team, after being #4 in 2005. Despite the improvement in standing his receiving yardage increased by only 53 yards (459 v. 504); and the view from here is that his production so far into his tenure with the Steelers does not justify the $2,900,000 salary cap hit that the team will take if he is retained for 2007, especially considering that -- despite his late season foot injury -- Willie Reid is waiting in the wings.

Finally, at the #4 receiving spot was Nate Washington. Considering that Mr. Washington has one career catch coming into 2006 it is dificult to judge 2006 as anything but a success -- 35 catches for 624 yards is a good first season (inconsistent though he may have been). Mr. Washington, who was a bargain last season at $350,000, is a restricted free agent.

Continuity amongst the skill position players is one important factor in offensive success. For example, the more time together a quarterback and his receivers have the more effective the passing game will be. The view here was that some of Ben Roethlisberger's struggles during the first half of the season were the result of miscommunication(s)/misunderstanding(s) between the quarterback and his young receivers (combined with double coverage for Hines Ward). While Cedric Wilson may be vulnerable to being released, as the result of his high cap figure (relative to his performance), it appears that another season with the same group of receivers will certainly serve the Steelers well.

Steelers @ Carolina: The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly

The reality of the Steelers' situation is this: despite having gone 5-1 in their last six games they find themselves in eleventh place in the AFC Conference. Only slightly more galling is the fact that two weeks ago they were in tenth, but remain out of the playoff picture despite their two most recent wins.

But despite this sad fact this is a time for happiness and good cheer, and thanks to a wonderful effort by Pittsburgh the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly will not feature an "Ugly" section. Merry Christmas one and all!

The Good
Fans of the Black & Gold have an embarassment of riches this week.

But let us begin with those most maligned earlier this season -- the offense.

For instance, the offensive line (after some first quarter struggles with pass protection) performed wonderfully, providing Ben Roethlisberger ample time to throw (on those few occasions when he actually did throw) and more importantly opened holes through which Willie Parker ran wild. Indeed the offensive line and Willie Parker have been rounding into form during this six game stretch (i.e. Willie Parker's rushing statistics for the last six games have been: 125 carries, 697 yards, 5.58 yards per carry, and five rushing touchdowns). Larry Johnson and LaDanian Tomlinson are statistically the top running backs in the AFC, but Willie Parker is #3 and, despite the team's disappointing performace this season, deserving of a spot in the Pro Bowl.

Also performing well Sunday were the Steelers' pass throwers -- Ben Roethlisberger, Charlie Batch, and . . . Cedric Wilson?!? His pass was one of the prettiest thrown by a Pittsburgh Steeler all season, and the 21 yard completion matched a Ben Roethlisberger pass of the same length for longest of the day. All told the Roethlisberger, Batch, and Wilson combined to go 13/20, 169 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions, and a 108.1 QB rating.

Moving on, Santonio Holmes has been under the microscope -- thanks to some issues off the field that have since disappeared -- since before the season began, but it also appears that Mr. Holmes is beginning to fulfill the promise that motivated Kevin Colbert and Bill Cowher to move up in the 2006 NFL Draft to get the Ohio State product. In today's game Mr. Holmes had three catches -- more than a quarter of Ben Roethlisberger's completions -- and his third quarter, ten yard reception (on third down and nine yards to go), carrying a defender on his back, showed a strength and determination that is refreshing to see.

However, if plaudits are being passed out to the Steelers' wide receivers then the biggest of them all must go to Hines Ward -- welcome back Super Bowl MVP! Four catches normally isn't much to get excited about, but given the season that Mr. Ward has had (i.e. hamstring injury, smothering double coverage) it was great to see even a glimmer of the 2005 Hines Ward.

Of course the defense also performed wonderfully -- five sacks, two interceptions, limiting Carolina to 43 yards rushing. There were several players who stood out, amongst those:

The defensive line
Brett Keisel, with 1.5 sacks in this game, now has 5.5 for the season to go along with 35 tackles and 15 assists (in 2005 Kimo von Oelhoffen, the man Mr. Keisel has replaced, had 3.5 sacks, 22 tackles, and 13 assists for the entire season). On the other side of the defensive line Aaron Smith -- who should make the Pro Bowl, but probably won't -- had 3 tackles and one sack (for the season Mr. Smith has 39 tackles, 11 assists, and 4.5 sacks. Last season he had no sacks, 29 tackles, and 10 assists). In the 3-4 defense the linemen are normally responsible for keeping blockers off the linebackers who are the real playmakers in this alignment. But with the emergence of Mr. Keisel, the continued development of Aaron Smith, and the continued Pro Bowl play of Casey Hampton this unit is one of the strengths of the team.

The secondary
There is no denying that the last three opponents that the Steelers have faced are not exactly blessed with top-flight quarterbacks. However it is also true that teams do not typically lose the services of a Pro Bowl safety (Troy Polamalu) at the same time their other starting safety is also out because of injury (Ryan Clark), and one of their "starting" cornerbacks is benched (Ike Taylor), and still manage to play at a high level against the pass. Over the last three games opposing quarterbacks have combined to go 65/110, 777 yards, 1 touchdown, six interceptions, and a 61.061 QB rating. In this most recent game the Steelers faced two of the best receivers in the NFL -- Keyshawn Johnson and Steve Smith -- and were more than equal to the task. Anthony Smith, Tyrone Carter, and Bryant McFadden are all playing very well and the result is that the defensive secondary is as strong and as deep as at any time in the team's recent history.

The final shout out this week HAS TO BE FOR SPECIAL TEAMS!! A blocked punt AND a punt return for a touchdown?!? Oh there is a Santa Claus! Even my resident whipping boy, Chris Gardocki, had a very good day with a 40.3 yard net average on three punts. Of course it should be of no surprise to anyone that the kicking game has improved with the return of James Harrison (from an injury) and special teams master Chidi Iwuoma (who NEVER should have been cut -- to think that Duce Staley was kept on the roster at the beginning of the season and Mr. Iwuoma was let go -- HORRIBLE decision-making).

The Bad
I promise to be brief and gentle -- Santonio Holmes cannot go around dropping PUNTS! He's lucky Carolina was flagged for a penalty on the play; and of course the "do over" was terrific (in one of the more prescient moments by any broadcast team the Carolina announcers proclaimed that "bad things happen" when teams are forced to re-kick just before Mr. Holmes broke off his return for a touchdown).

Lastly, Anthony Smith . . . please don't make Dick LeBeau angry any more, ok?

Finally, and perhaps worst of all, was the knee injury (career ending?) suffered by Chad Brown who returned to the Steelers and contributed a great deal earlier in the season.

Epilogue
It's been a nice stretch of games for the Steelers, and now the team is going to be tested. With their final two games of this season against their two biggest rivals the Steelers are going to find out just how much they've improved, if at all.

The Struggle for Answers

The collapse of the 2006 Pittsburgh Steelers is as shocking as is it frustrating. In this piece by Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers' players begin the long, hard search for an explanation (pay special attention to Cedric Wilson's myopic comments).

"Defensive end Aaron Smith, as frustrated as any Steelers fan, groped for a solution Sunday moments after his team slinked to its lowest point of the season at 2-5.

'We have to change something,' he said. 'Something's got to change.'

They will change into their home black uniforms Sunday against Denver; that is a start for a team winless in four games on the road this season. Heinz Field will never look so good to them. But, as they proved in a debacle against Cincinnati in the season's third game, they can throw victories away at home just as easily as they can on the road.

The only change coach Bill Cowher is likely to be interested in is better play from a team that in three of its five games has dominated its foes on offense and defense only to lose because of turnovers or bad special teams performances.

'We play well and we just don't win the game,' said receiver Cedrick Wilson. 'It's real tough. Hopefully, we can get it together. We still have a long season ahead of us. We're not out until they say we are, and they haven't said so.'

Yet the Steelers are on their way to perhaps the biggest Super Bowl hangover yet. Their 2-5 start ties for the second-worst record after seven games by a defending Super Bowl champion in the game's 40 years. Only the 1-6 start by the 1987 New York Giants was worse. Those Giants, though, played in a strike season in which three early games were played by replacement players. The Giants of '87, who finished 6-9, get an asterisk.

If the Steelers don't win soon, they could go down as the biggest loser for a defending Super Bowl champion.

The other Super Bowl teams that started like the Steelers 2-5 finished this way: the '81 Raiders 7-9, the '82 49ers 3-6 (another strike season), and the '99 Broncos 6-10.

At 7-5 last season, the Steelers' playoff hopes were in critical condition. At 2-5, it might not be worth even talking about. They would have to win nine in a row to equal their 11-5 record of 2005, go 8-1 to finish 10-6 and have a reasonable shot at making the playoffs, or 7-2 and hope that 9-7 squeezes them in.

'We just have to get some wins,' said linebacker Clark Haggans. 'We need to get them in a hurry, too.'

The abyss might be too deep already. No team in Steelers history started with as few as two victories in its first seven games and went on to make the playoffs. They were 2-5, then 2-6 in 2003 and finished 6-10. They were 1-6, then 2-10 in 1988 and ended 5-11. They started 1-6 in 1986 and ended 6-10. They were 1-6 and finished 1-13 in 1969.

Including this season, they are the worst seven-game starts under Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher since Noll took over in 1969.

'I never thought we'd be in this position, but it's the position we're in,' said defensive end Brett Keisel. 'What would shock me is if we don't fight our way out of this somehow. That would shock me.

'Everyone needs to look in the mirror and see what they need to do better to help this team win.'

But that has been a standing order for the past month, or ever since they slipped to 1-2 after losing to Cincinnati. They've tried all the psychic gymnastics to pull them out of their dive and yet they keep losing.

'We've been trying a lot of things, you know?' Keisel said. 'It just doesn't seem like the ball is bouncing our way right now. We just have to keep fighting.'

Hines Ward mentioned the bouncing of the ball as well, as if the Steelers are getting paid back this season for what they accomplished over their past two.

'Last year, all the balls were bouncing our way,' Ward said. 'This year we're not getting the same bounces. We have to find a way to adjust and keep fighting and hopefully they will.'

Interceptions, though, don't bounce, and Ben Roethlisberger already has thrown as many in his six games as all of last season -- 11. The team's 18 turnovers in seven games are just three fewer than they had in 16 last season.

Their turnovers are up, their yards on the ground down and their special teams have turned terrible. If the bounces aren't going their way, it might not be the product of luck as it is just plain poor play.

'We're still in our Super Bowl reign,' rookie receiver Santonio Holmes said. 'We can't let down because of our record. We have to keep fighting every week.'

Perhaps he meant Super Bowl pain."