Steelers @ New England:The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly

Based upon information from the Steelers' media relations department we happily provide you with this fun fact: Including the game against the Patriots, Pittsburgh is now 5-0 in games in which the opponent has scored first, and broke an 0-5 streak the Steelers had at Gillette Stadium. More importantly the Steelers are now 8-1 in the conference, and managed to maintain (at least for this week) their one game lead over a very hot Baltimore team.

With that, and so much more, in mind we offer some of our thoughts on the game.

The Good

1. Given the brilliance of the performances in all phases of the game it seems unfair to single at anyone for special attention; however we are going to begin with someone who has felt the sting of our (much deserved) wrath on more than a few occasions.
   
   Bruce Arians, you were magnificent on Sunday.
   
   Mr. Arians found the balance that he seems to always be in search of ~ the Steelers had 34 rushing plays and 34 passing plays ~ but more significant was the rhythm (always a subjective thing) that the offense achieved, especially in the second half. Moreover, during an incredible third quarter, Mr. Arians used his play calling to dictate personnel moves to the Patriots' defense (i.e. the use of the three wide receiver package kept the Patriots in the nickel) thereby opening up the run (the Steelers rushed for 54 yards ~ six more than they had in the entire first half.
   
   On this one day, after so many previous games against this opponent resulted in so much frustration, Bruce Arians outcoached Bill Belichick.
   
   There, we said it.


2. For years the Steelers' special teams were anything but special, and we were pretty critical of Bob Ligashesky's performance last season.
   
   Bob Ligashesky, you were magnificent on Sunday.
   
   Coming into this game the Patriots had been averaging 11.7 yards per punt return. Against the Steelers they averaged zero yards in punt returns.
   
   Coming into this game the Patriots had been averaging 25.1 yards per kick return.
   Against the Steelers they averaged 19.6 yards per return.
   
   Coming into this game the Patriots had given up an average of 12.9 yards per opponent punt return. On Sunday the Steelers averaged 14.5 yards per punt return.
   
   Keyaron Fox is showing the league why the Steelers signed him as a free agent (1 special teams tackle, 1 assist, 1 huge fumble recovery), and Anthony Madison leads the team in special teams tackles (3 versus New England).
   
   Lest we forget, welcome back Mitch Berger!


3. But no group within the Steelers has received as much criticism as the offensive line and their coach, Larry Zierlein.
   
   Larry Zierlein, on Sunday you were magnificent.
   
   For the third consecutive game, and the seventh time this season, the Steelers rushed for more than 100 yards ~ in the case of Sunday's game they rushed for 161 yards, the second highest total of the season (the highest total was 183 yards versus Houston in the opening game of the season), as well as the second highest total surrendered by New England this season (the highest total was 216 yards on September 21 versus Miami) ~ and the 4.7 average yards per carry is tied for second best this season (the highest was an average 5.0 yards per carry versus Jacksonville).
   
   On Sunday Ben Roethlisberger was sacked once, after not having been sacked at all in the previous game versus Cincinnati, for a two game total of one sack allowed ~ the lowest two game total of the entire season.
   
   It's a bit too soon to say that any of this represents a trend, but for one day we can all be encouraged.


4. There are no superlatives left with which to describe the Steelers' defense.
   
   On Sunday, the Steelers forced New England into as many turnovers (4) as the Patriots' had in their previous three games combined.
   
   On Sunday, the Steelers held the Patriots to 1-of-13 (8%) on third down conversions ~ and that came on the final play of the game.
   
   The Patriots' offense gained more than 500 net yards in each of their previous two games. On Sunday they were held to 267 net yards, their third lowest total of the season and their lowest since they gained 215 yards versus Miami on September 21st.
   
   The Patriots' ten points is tied for their lowest total this season; and their scorless second half is the first time all season they have been shutout in two consecutive quarters.
   
   Aaron Smith, James Farrior, James Harrison (we never thought we would see the day when Matt Light was lit up the way Mr. Harrison did), LaMarr Woodley, and Troy Polamalu all deserve your Pro Bowl vote, and Ryan Clark is arguably the most underrated free safety in the NFL (and we respectfully disagree with the personal foul call on his hit of Wes Welker).
   
   (oh, and Anthony Madison is a Pro Bowler at the Special Teams position)

The Bad

1. We are going to go out on a limb and say that the Steelers, as a team, have the worst hands of any team in the NFL. We counted two dropped interceptions (one each by Troy Polamalu and, the serial offender, Ike Taylor), three dropped passes (one each by Santonio Holmes ~ the offense's answer to Ike Taylor ~ Heath Miller, and Willie Parker), one fumbled kickoff (Carey Davis, nice way to begin the game), and one muffed punt (Mewelde Moore). With Pittsburgh in its toughest part of the schedule those kinds of miscues/missed opportunities might come back to haunt them.


2. What was going on with the run defense in the first half? The Patriots had 80 yards on 10 carries in the first thirty minutes of the game, by far the highest total surrendered in the first half of any game this season ~ in fact it is more than the game total that the Steelers defense surrendered in eight of their previous games. While it is unlikely that the Patriots have uncovered a previously unknown weakness in Pittsburgh's defense, with Marion Barber to worry about next week we can only hope this is not the beginning of something ugly.

The Ugly

1. As rare as a day off for the players during the season, on this day we simply did not see anything from the Steelers that we could characterize as ugly. The team's performance against New England was solid throughout, and the third quarter was, to this point at least, the highlight of the season.

Cincinnati v. Steelers:The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

Normally we utilize a very standard template ~ good stuff, bad stuff, ugly stuff ~ but for this game we are turning the whole thing upside down; and would like to begin by highlighting a portion of Mike Tomlin's post game press conference:

The Ugly

1. Question: It seemed like the punting was a problem tonight . . .
   
   Mike Tomlin: It was horrible.
   
   Question: Will you look at that situation?
   
   Mike Tomlin: We'll address it.
   
   Now we would like to repeat a portion of our post game analysis from last week:
   
   "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."
   
   Thursday evening's performance makes that look spectacular:
   
   4 kicks, 28.4 yard average, 28.4 yard net.
   
   We checked the position list for punters at NFL.com, and there are any number of players available, including Zac Atterberry who had a good training camp with Chicago.


2. Having tall receivers may be something that Ben Roethlisberger wanted, but if Limas Sweed cannot ge away from a punted football then please keep him on the bench. Obviously that play could have been disastrous, and would have been if they had been playing a team with a better offense.


3. Ben Roethlisberger completed 17 of his 30 passes, and we believe that receivers dropped fourteen of those incomplete passes. For the second game in-a-row Nate Washington dropped a ball that hit him square in the hands. Santonio Holmes, after having his jersey grabbed by a defender, had the ball hit him in the chest before he dropped the pass. Hines Ward and (the usually reliable) Heath Miller each dropped at least one pass. The next five opponents have a combined record of 32-18 (a winning percentage of .640), and missed opportunities like that simply will not do.

The Bad

1. Why is it that the Steelers' offense will not take a knee when they should? After dodging a bullet following the Limas Sweed miscue Bruce Arians called a pass play? What good could have possibly come from that? Feel free to run out the clock, and head to the locker room next time.


2. Despite a good performance we want to remind Mewelde Moore that, with time running out in the game and the Steelers in possession of the ball, it is preferable that he remains in-bounds. This is not the first time a Pittsburgh running back has done that this season (as we pointed out following the game against Cleveland), and we would like to think that running back coach Kirby Wilson is delivering the same message.


3. We love the defense but Ryan Clark had what (we hope) was his worst game as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Missed tackles, poor coverage ~ he has had a Pro Bowl caliber season until now. We are sure (*fingers crossed*) he will bounce back.

The Good
(This may end up reading like the "All Redemption" team)

1. We have openly questioned Troy Polamalu. His physical ailments, we argued, were talking a toll that few others were willing to acknowledge.
   
   We stand corrected.
   
   Whether defending the run by launching his body like a missile into running backs, or tackling receivers in the open field, or picking off another pass he is back, and a force to be reckoned with.


2. A quick tip of the hat to Aaron Smith for his three deflected passes. Always one of our favorites, he continues to amaze us with his versatility


3. We have been unrelenting in our criticism of the play calling of Bruce Arians, but Thursday evening he showed us how good he can be. Sure we would like to see 100% running, but 37 rushes and 30 passes is a good mix; and more importantly the Steelers seemed more willing to stay with the run when it was working (we recall only one drive in which a relatively effective running play was followed by two unsuccessful passing plays, and a punt). Despite meager first half numbers the Steelers stayed with the run, and wore down the undermanned Bengals defense. Additionally, the short passing plays worked well, which leads us to item #2.


4. He has been roundly criticized, and some called for his benching, but Thursday night Ben Roethlisberger looked very good. With time to throw and receivers getting open he had a passer rating of 94.2 ~ his second highest such rating in his last five games (last Sunday's game was his highest in that stretch ~ 96.4). We especially liked the short passes to receivers in space who were then able to make big plays. We believe that that approach ~ i.e. get the ball to playmakers and turn them loose ~ is what good quarterbacks do. Making perfect, downfield passes should be the exception not the rule. Which leads us to item #3.


5. Yes, we criticized the receivers, but we also recognize that when they were able to hold onto the football (his second quarter catch, a completion that went for 27 yards, in which he grabbed the back end of the football was spectacular) they made things happen.


6. Last, but not least, a big shout out to the offensive line! Yes, the Bengals have a pass rush that is largely ineffectual, and yes the Cincinnati defensive line was horribly depleted, but the Steelers controlled the offensive line throughout. We were especially pleased with a play in the fourth quarter.
   
   Facing 3-and-10, Ben Roethlisberger dropped back to throw and was immediately pressured, and hit by a Bengals' defensive lineman. Mr. Roethlisberger escaped, and as he did Darnell Stapleton was there to drive that defensive lineman to the ground. That play enabled Mr. Roethlisberger to escpae to his left, and throw a 14-yard completion to Limas Sweed.
   
   We loved the determination and the refusal to quit on the play that Mr. Stapleton displayed. It really was indicative of how all the O-linemen performed Thursday; and gives us hope for the remainder of the season.

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

Standing firm in our belief that late is better than never (having a real job can disrupt one's blogging routine enormously), we offer our assessment of the Steelers' victory last Sunday.

The Good

1. There can be no doubt about what the best thing about last Sunday's game was ~ Mewelde Moore. We mentioned after the Jacksonville game that if he could keep up his good play he might be a free agent signing on par with James Farrior and Jeff Hartings. Two consecutive good games does not a career make, but 120 yards on 20 carries, and two touchdowns does a great deal to elevate opinions about your skills.


2. The offensive line did a good job on Sunday ~ Mr. Mewelde's rushing totals are evidence of that, as is the fact that Ben Roethlisberger went an entire game without being sacked (the first time that has happened since December 2, 2007 when the Steelers faced . . . Cincinnati). However our enthusiasm for the performance is tempered somewhat by the fact that Cincinnati's defense has held an opponent to fewer than 100 yards rushing once this season (the Jets gained 86 yards) and has sacked opposition quarterbacks five times. But there's no sense in being negative ~ the Steelers offensive line went against an inferior opponent and managed to perform well enough to win


3. A little shout-out for Darnell Stapleton! We love the smart, physical brand of football he is playing. Time will tell whether or not he can continue to perform at this level (next Sunday versus the Giants defensive front should tell us plenty), but it has been a promising start.

The Bad

1. What happened to the Steelers offense in the second and third quarters? The Steelers offense netted ninety-five yards of total offense on twenty-two plays (an average of 4.32 yards per play) in the middle two stanzas of the game, compared to 300 yards on 37 plays (8.11 yards per play) in quarters one and four. It was during that same stretch ~ i.e. the middle two quarters ~ that the Bengals had their best stretch of play, and made what should have been (and eventually became) a blowout a tightly contested match. More disturbing was that the Pittsburgh offense seemed, during that stretch, to be completely befuddled by Cincinnati's defense ~ a notion seemingly too ridiculous to be believed, but the numbers never lie, right? It can certainly be argued that the Steelers' offense wore down the defense of the Bengals, however more consistent play throughout each game is the hallmark of elite teams.

The Ugly

1. Bryant McFadden out with a broken forearm.
   
   Troy Polamalu with a concussion.
   
   The injury bug continues to bite the Steelers, virtually unabated. With games against the NFC East over the next two weeks the backups are certain to be tested dearly.

Steelers @ Jacksonville: The Good,the Bad Better, & the Ugly Best

Every once-in-awhile a performance comes along that does not fit into an existing framework. Such was Sunday's win by the Steelers. Though far from perfect, the team, considering the quality of the opponent, played its best game of this season. So as we head to the bye week in a celebratory mood, we give you the very first "good, better and best."

To begin, we alerted you to an Xbox 360 simulation that predicted a Steelers' loss; and while it had the final score wrong (thankfully) it was pretty close in some other respects. Here as look at some of the numbers:

	Simulation	Actual	Variance
Total Offense - PIT	409	415	6
Total Offense - JAC	276	213	-63
Rushing Yds - PIT	49	129	80
Rushing Yds - JAC	81	38	43
Pass Yds - PIT	360	286	-74
Pass Yds - JAC	195	175	-20
1st downs - PIT	22	28	6
1st downs - JAC	13	14	1
Points - PIT	17	26	9
Points - JAC	24	21	-3

Basking in the warm afterglow of a what was arguably the Steelers' best performance this season we offer up some of our impressions of just what happened.

The Good

1. Going up against a banged-up offensive line the Steelers defense showed no mercy ~ the Jaguars' dynamic duo of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew was limited to 26 yards on 15 carries. To provide a bit of perspective less than a year ago ~ on December 16, 2007 ~ those same two combined for 247 yards on 37 carries. However the Steelers defense seemed to have learned their lesson because in the two most recent games between these two teams (i.e. 1/5/2008 in the Wild Card game and Sunday evening) they have rushed for only 92 yards on 50 carries.
   
   The Steelers' defense also seems to have figured out how to contain David Garrard ~ force him to throw the football. In the aforementioned Wild Card game Mr. Garrard had 58 yards on 5 carries (including the back-breaking 32-yard scramble on fourth down late in the game) while throwing for 140 yards on 9-for-21 passing ~ and still Jacksonville scored 31 points (thanks in part to Rashean Mathis). Sunday night Mr. Garrard was limited to 12 rushing yards, forced to throw the ball 32 times, and the Jaguars could only muster 21 points (thanks in part to Rashean Mathis). So in addition to the intense pressure that the Steelers front was able to generate throughout the game (despite the fact that James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley were held constantly) they were also able to contain the extremely mobile Mr. Garrard.
   
   While the outstanding performance of the defense was very much a team effort, particular attention must be given to Aaron Smith whose ability to trip up Mr. Garrard, limiting him to a two yard gain (despite a great deal of open ground in front of him), on 1st-and-10 with less than a minute to play, set up the next play on which James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley converged on the Jaguars' quarterback in the backfield, stripped the football away, and forced Jacksonville to use their final timeout. To top-off an outstanding evening it was Mr. Smith who swatted away Mr. Garrard's pass on 4th-and-14, thereby ending the Jaguars' comeback attempt.


2. Mewelde Moore is the best Steelers free agent signing since Jeff Hartings ~ at least this week. His ninety-nine yards rushing (46 in the first half, 53 in the second) was the difference maker in this game. He showed tremendous field vision, a great first step, and far exceeded our expectations. We don't know if he could pull it off a second time (though with Cincinnati coming up following the bye week we would like to see him try), but once was certainly great.

The Better

1. Battered and beleaguered, the offensive line ~ even after the loss of Marvel Smith ~ was better than anyone could have expected. We watched the right side of the offensive line (i.e. Darnell Stapleton and Willie Colon) very closely and were impressed by its consistently good play. In fact, it was our impression that the majority of the pressure that Ben Roethlisberger felt came almost exclusively from the left side of the line. Yes Mr. Roethlisberger was banged around, especially in the second half, but most of that pressure was the result of excellent coverage by the Jacksonville secondary not poor blocking. The three replacement linemen ~ Colon, Essex, and Stapleton ~ performed capably, and this group had its best performance in weeks.


2. Nobody deserves the bye week more than Ben Roethlisberger, and his performance Sunday night is one that we will remember for some time. Thanks to a good job by the offensive line Mr. Roethlisberger had time 'o plenty to throw (as witnessed by the pump fake on Nate Washington's double-move, touchdown reception), and his ability to manage the no-huddle offense (i.e. the improvement in play that occurs when the Steelers' offense employs the no-huddle) has been impressive. While our love of the running game means that we would like to see fewer passes (the 41 attempts in Sunday's game was his highest number of attempts in a game), there's also little doubt that as one of the league's elite quarterbacks Mr. Roethlisberger is more than capable of carrying the load.


3. We hammered Bruce Arians last week, but this week we come to praise him for a pitch-perfect game plan. Anticipating the blitz that came early in the game, Mr. Arians looked to quick passes and an effective running game. Additionally, allowing Ben Roethlisberger to go no-huddle early wore down the Jacksonville defense. There's no doubt that the Steelers offensive coordinator still struggles in responding to the changing tactics of the opposition (i.e. when Jacksonville largely discontinued the blitz in the second half the Steelers' offense began to struggle ~ after 300 total yards in the first half they 115 yards in the second), but his original game plan was a winner.

The Best

1. His team more ravaged by injury than any other Steelers team we can remember, Mike Tomlin refused not only use that as an excuse for poor performance, but refused to believe that it was even a factor to be considered. He may not have convinced us before the game but he convinced his players, and all of the backups . . . and backups of backups (e.g. Scott Paxson and Darnell Stapleton) performed well. The Sunday night performance simply would not have been possible if not for the mental and emotional strength of Mr. Tomlin.

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

Before the season began much of the talk regarding Super Bowl contenders from the AFC revolved around New England, Indianapolis, San Diego, and Jacksonville; and in many a season preview the Cleveland Browns were highlighted as a team that had a good chance of unseating the Pittsburgh Steelers as AFC North champions.

The NFL season takes many twists and turns, and the teams that were expected to contend may still do so, but right now San Diego and Jacksonville are winless in their first two games, the Colts are struggling with the NFC North, and New England is without their most valuable player.

Then there are the Browns.

Proving so far that being a Cinderella story is easier than being the favorite, the Browns now find themselves tied with their Ohio neighbors, the Bengals, for last in the division after having lost two home games. In fairness, the Browns played hard but some questionable decisions by Romeo Crennel and big plays by the Steelers doomed Cleveland to their tenth consecutive loss against the Steelers.

Without further adieu, here's our look at some of the highs, the lows, and the hideous.

The Good

1. Generally we like to focus our attentions on entire units within the team ~ e.g. the offensive line, the linebackers, etc. ~ but one player in particular showed us that the concerns we had regarding his ability to regain hi Pro Bowl form were nothing more than alarmist nonsense. For at least one night Troy Polamalu ~ who finished the game with four tackles, one for a loss ~ ran, dived, and vaulted like the young man we all fell in love with when he first showed up in the 'Burgh. Moreover, his interception at the end of the first half was the play of the game. The impact on the scoreboard was obvious, but its impact on the confidence of the Browns must have been even more significant. That fourteen play, seventy-one yard drive began with 6:20 left in the half, and instead of showing the Steelers that they were ready to take control it only reinforced the idea that it was the Black & Gold that was really in control.


2. Who are those players covering kicks and punts for the Steelers? It almost appears that they are "staying in their lanes" ~ a concept that we were convinced simply was not a part of Steelers special team play. But against the best return man this side off Devin Hester, on three kicks the Jeff Reed delivered two kicks for touchbacks, and the single kick that was returned went for twenty-two yards. On the punt team Mitch Berger continues to perform well ~ six kicks for an average of 45.5 yards, though the net yardage was only 38.2 yards ~ and the Steelers limited Joshua Cribbs to an average of 8.8 yards on five returns. One can only hope that this solid play will continue, and that it will inspire the kick return teams of the Steelers to play better.


3. Offensive line, you are beautiful! Willie Parker gets another one 100+ yards rushing and Ben Roethlisberger was well protected (yes he was sacked three times, but on each of those occasions the Browns blitzed multiple defenders ~ i.e. it was a numbers thing). Chris Kemoeatu continues to perform well in his attempt to replace one of the greatest offensive linemen in NFL history (want to know how skewed media coverage is in the NFL? For all the incessant talk about Aaron Rodgers replacing Brett Favre, Chris Kemoeatu replacing Alan Faneca is every bit as compelling a story), Justin Hartwig is making the painful memories of the Sean Mayhan era recede quickly, Marvel Smith looks like a different player, Kendall Simmons (and his tumbling skills) may be John Madden's newest favorite player, and Willie Colon just keeps doing his job. In two weeks this group has gone against two pretty decent defensive fronts, and in both cases acquitted themselves very well.


4. Honorable Mentions: Ben Roethlisberger playing well while injured, Bruce Arians for a well-called game (especially the pass on second-and-ten from the Steelers' own endzone with :39 left in the third quarter that resulted in a 31-yard completion to Hines Ward, and the play action pass on second-and-ten with 3:16 left in the game that resulted in a 19-yard completion to Heath Miller), Santonio Holmes looks like a Pro Bowler, and Bryant McFadden playing for the injured Deshea Townsend.

The Bad

1. The Steelers' punt and kick return teams, specifically their return men, were dreadful. Two near fumbles had us ready to crawl though the satellite dish and throttle Mewelde Moore and the tandem of Rashard Mendenhall/Carey Davis. Indeed the only "return man" to come out of the game with his reputation unsullied was Matt Spaeth who had the presence of mind to call a fair catch on the fourth quarter pooch kick by Phil Dawson.


2. Third down efficiency of twenty-five percent? 0-for-4 on third down conversions in the second half? If that becomes a trend the Steelers had better hope they never trail in any of their remaining games this season.


3. We tend not to worry about the officiating, but the inconsistency of this group ~ in particular the roughing the passer call against LaMarr Woodley,and the non-call when Ben Roethlisberger had thrown a pass and Sean Rodgers took two steps and buried the crown of his helmet in Ben Roethlisberger's chest ~ warrants a mention. Coaches, players, and fans just want to see the same rules apply to both teams. While the numbers balanced out (the Steelers had 7 penalties for 60 yards, the Browns 10-for-65), it seemed that "protecting the quarterback" meant different things to head official Tony Corrente depending upon which team had the ball.

The Ugly

1. This is going to seem a bit harsh, but Willie Parker messed up badly. In the fourth quarter, with 2:42 play, Mr. Parker took a hand-off on second down and six. He cut over the right side, got the first down, and then went out-of-bounds thereby saving Cleveland nearly thirty seconds of game time.
   
   In watching the play a second (and third, and fourth) time we can see that Mr. Parker had the first down, and was in-bounds with 2:38 to play. Two seconds later he is still in bounds, and has picked up an additional four yards. With 2:35 left he stepped out-of-bounds. Now, if he had fallen to the ground at nearly any moment after getting the first down (but before going out-of-bounds) the Steelers would have had the ball first-and-ten with the clock running (the Browns had used all their time outs at that point). At that point the Steelers might have been able allow the clock to run to the two minute warning without running another play (we admit it would have been close ~ depending upon when the ball was made ready for play by the officials).
   
   As it was the clock stopped with 2:34 remaining, the Steelers had to run their first down play to restart the clock, the clock then stopped at the two minute warning, and the Browns eventually regained possession with :26 left. It didn't have to be that way; and while we love Mr. Parker's determined running style that is the kind of mistake good teams do not make in a close game.


2. We believe in allowing the fans of other teams to analyze the performance of those teams, however the job that Romeo Crennel (a man for whom we have some genuine respect) did Sunday night was deserving of harsh judgment.

Conclusion
With some of the better teams (i.e. the teams against whom the Steelers are competing for home field advantage in the playoffs) struggling out of the gate, and their top rival in the division doing the same, this was a big win for the Steelers.

With the Eagles playing on Monday night it will be interesting see if their offense is all it appeared to be in week one. If it is, then the Steelers defense is in for a significant challenge (e.g. are the Steelers going to cover Brian Westbrook with a linebacker?).

Steelers v. Vikings: The Good, the Bad & the (Really) Ugly

After watching the Steelers and Vikings muddle through their preseason tilt Saturday evening there is only one thing that need be said.

Eeewwwwwwww!

An an ugly game and an ugly win, here are a few observations for your consideration.

The Good

1. Larry Foote wasn't seriously injured. After watching him go down and taking in the "dramatic" shots provided by CBS (not to get off on a rant here, but is there any commentator more hateable than Dan Dierdorf?) it was a huge relief to see him hop up and trot off the field. Injuries have been a big part of this preseason for the Steelers, fortunately this one wasn't something catastrophic.


2. Rashard Mendenhall is going to make more than a few teams regret not selecting him while they had the chance. He showed great speed, and more importantly a terrific ability to run between the tackles. The stats (79 yards on 15 carries) do not adequately express the energy he infused into what was otherwise a moribund offense.


3. Willie Reid's performance was encouraging and showed just how much this young man is capable of as a receiver. We've been pretty critical of Mr. Reid, and like nearly everyone we believe that this is a make-or-break preseason for him. Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians gave Mr. Reid ample opportunity to showcase his receiving skills (he ended up as the Steelers' leading receiver ~ 5 catches, 55 yards) and, though he was unable to elevate above defensive back Marcus McCauley on a jump ball play (third quarter, first-and-10) and was whistled for an illegal formation penalty, he acquitted himself well.


4. Obviously the field goal team was terrific ~ and that is no small accomplishment considering that the battle for the punting position on the Steelers' roster between Mitch Berger and Paul Ernster may come down to which of those men works best with Jeff Reed and Greg Warren (though Mr. Berger did not punt at all Saturday night). Mr. Reed's 4-for-4 performance was the only bright spot in an otherwise miserable evening offensively.

The Bad

The starting offense was horrible ~ a shocking revelation we know, but it's true. A few pertinent facts to support this claim:

• Minnesota's starting defensive front seven limited the Steelers' starting offense to a first half performance of 76 net yards on 33 plays (2.303 yards per play).


• In the first half Willie Parker carried the ball 10 times for 18 yards.


• The Steelers' starting offense was 1-for-7 on third down conversions.


• In the passing game Ben Roethlisberger was hounded on nearly every play that required more than a three step drop.

Certainly the offensive line deserves its share of the blame, however when it comes to passing the ball Ben Roethlisberger needs to get rid of the ball more quickly. This has been a criticism of ours since Mr. Roethlisberger ascended to the starting QB position, and he just doesn't seem to understand that dumping the ball off is preferable to getting hit. Additionally, running backs need to be able to pass block and if Mewelde Moore is going to be the featured back in third-and-long situations he had better pass block more effectively than he did Saturday.

The Ugly

1. Rashard Mendenhall achieves a rare "Good, Bad, Ugly" double dip. Two lost fumbles is a thousand too many.


2. Limas Sweed improved his vision by heading over to the ophthalmologist and being fitted for contact lenses. Who does one go to in order to improve the gripping ability of one's hands? It got so bad that Byron Leftwich could be seen expressing his frustration to the rookie wide out.


3. Who does Byron Leftwich think he is to be yelling at anyone? Out of the league until the Steelers rescued him from oblivion, from our perspective it seems as though he would do well to be a tad bit more encouraging ~ i.e. a team leader. While we understand that he is striving for a long-term place on the Steelers' roster, Mr. Leftwich should remember that it's only preseason and everyone is trying to improve.

It wasn't much to look at, but if we thought Saturday night's game was ugly just wait until this Thursday when the benches will be emptied against Carolina.

Steelers Looking for Depth, Add Running Back

And you were worried that the Steelers wouldn't do anything in free agency.

Alan Faneca left, and you were convinced that the team wouldn't be able to respond.

Shame on you.

Ladies and gentleman please welcome Mewelde Moore!

Verron Haynes, we love you but it seems pretty clear that your time in Pittsburgh has drawn to an end.

Najeh Davenport, you managed to stay healthy and you contributed on kick return and kick coverage teams, but you just didn't prove to be the between-the-tackles-power-runner that the team hasn't had since Jerome Bettis left.

So what's up with Mewelde Moore? Just who is this guy? Here's a little information about the newest member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

• Mr. Moore had a short-lived baseball career. In three seasons with the rookie league Idaho Falls Padres he collected 37 hits in 176 at bats (.210), with four doubles, three triples, and one home run; and he was 10-for-12 in stolen bases. If the football thing doesn't work out he definitely has the numbers to play center field at PNC Park.


• Coming out of college (Tulane), here is how Ourlads Scouting Service described him:

  "5105, 205, 3rd round. Quick into hole, good vision. Slips tacklers. Good cutting ability. Instinctive runner. Patient and runs to daylight. Good balance. Gets to outside with cutting ability. Runs good patterns. Can separate from defenders. Understands the passing game. Good athlete. Can adjust to poor pass. Good hands. Can catch ball away from body. Has stamina and endurance."

  So it seems that coming out of college at he was more like Willie Parker (only a better pass catcher) than Jerome Bettis.


• Apparently, he has flat feet (click and scroll down)


• The 2007 season saw Brad Childress go to a punt return by committee approach which limited the number of touches that Mr. Moore had on special teams. However in 2006, as the primary punt returner, Mr. Moore had the seventh highest number of punt returns (36), the fourth highest number of yards (365), the eighth longest return in the league that season (71 yards), and one return for a touchdown.

He may not be the answer to all the Steelers' problems, but if he can effectively return punts and spell Willie Parker for 10-15 carries a game, then this is a signing that may be more important than first meets the eye.