San Diego vs. Steelers: The good, the bad, & the ugly

We know what you are saying: It was all ugly, wasn't it?

It was ugly enough that we stopped watching the game after the fourth quarter interception of Ben Roethlisberger's pass by San Diego linebacker Bront Bird (there was yard work to do, and it seemed like a good release for all the frustration). But there is value in finding the good amongst the hideous, and that is what this week's effort is -- looking for a diamond (however small) in the rough.

The Good

We warned you it might be like this: Our introduction to the weekly matchups went like this:

One might look at the Chargers' horrible record (4-8) and be tempted to take this week's Steelers opponent lightly. But this Chargers team is so much better than their record, or statistics, indicate that it promises to be a long, tough battle at Heinz Field on Sunday. Indeed, the Chargers are 0-3 against the AFC North this season, but the losses were by a combined 11 points (with seven of that coming last week versus Cincinnati), and in their road games this season the Chargers are 2-4, but have only been outscored by a combined 8 points (114-122).

So, take us more seriously from now on, won't you?

First half defense: We admit that we are reaching here, but given the ineptitude of the Steelers' offense it is amazing that the score was only 13-3. Moreover, the Chargers ran an incredible 41 plays in the first half but only gained 143 yards (a 3.49 yards per play average). Top all of that off with the fact that the average starting position for the Chargers' eight first half possessions was their own 45-yard line, and you have to tip your cap to Pittsburgh's defense for keeping it close.

The Bad

Hey Mike Tomlin, enough gambling, ok?: We understand the second quarter decision to go for it on fourth-and one at the Steelers' 47-yard line. It should have been a gimme'; but between this and the fake field goal attempt earlier this season . . . well, let's just say that we'd like to see the conservative Mike Tomlin re-emerge. The inability to get that one yard, and San Diego's ability to drive for a field goal ended up being a bigger deal than may have been apparent at the time.

Mike Wallace: We are tired of watching games in which Mr. Wallace follows up a costly penalty with a dropped pass. There is no way for us to know if this season long funk is the result of his holdout or some other issue entirely, but at this moment all we can say to him is don't let the door hit ya' where the good Lord split ya'.

The Ugly

The Steelers' Offense: The final game statistics make everything look much more palatable, but during the first half -- when the game was still winnable -- the Steelers' offense had eight possessions, six of which that ended with punts, one that ended on downs, and one that ended with a field goal. Stated another way, on the field goal drive in the first half the Steelers' offense gained 59 yards. On the other seven possessions the offense gained a total of 64 yards. Or, stated still another way, the Steelers' ten longest plays from scrimmage combined for a net of 212 yards (an average of 21.2 yards per play). Their other 51 offensive plays combined for 128 net yards (an average of 2.5 per play).

Second half defense: Down by ten to begin the second half the Steelers defense was immediately sliced and diced for a 78-yard, 9:32 touchdown drive by San Diego. The Steelers' offense was horrible, but after putting up a good fight in the first half it seems the defense had nothing left to give.

Steelers @ New Orleans: The Postgame Comments

A very tough, hard-fought football game in which the Steelers did just enough to lose. Some quick thoughts in the aftermath.

1. The defensive line was not the problem: I have made much of the loss of Aaron Smith, and the Steelers are now 0-1 without him, but Ziggy Hood acquitted himself pretty well, as did Nick Eason. The Saints rushed the football 21 times for a grand total of 30 yards; and while they are not the most physical offensive line the Steelers will face this season it is a start.
2. He did what you wanted, so don't complain now:
   Like all NFL coaches, Mike Tomlin has been pretty risk-averse during his tenure in Pittsburgh. So what's up with going for on fourth-and-four, or kicking a 50+ yard field goal with Jeff Reed? How important is field position? On their scoring drives the Saints started from their own 41 yard line, their own 44, their own 41 again, and their own 45. Mike Tomlin coached like a fan, left his defense on a short field once too often, and they were fortunate to give up only 20 points. Hopefully we have all learned a lesson.
3. The offensive line took a big step backward: Three sacks, numerous quarterback pressures, and ~ most importantly ~ the inability to drive the football in from inside the one-yard line all point to a dreadful performance by a unit that had shown marked improvement over last year. If you don't believe me ask Steelers radio commentator Tunch Ilkin or roundly criticized the offensive until for the inability to pick-up the New Orleans blitz which, from his perspective was n't anything new or terribly exotic.

As many have already, allow me to point out this is the game that the Steelers could most afford to lose. However, the next two are most wins if they hope to find their way into the playoffs.

Mike Tomlin and Chuck Noll: More alike than different?

This may be hard to believe but we have never read About three bricks shy of a load: A highly irregular lowdown on the year the Pittsburgh Steelers were super but missed the bowl written by Roy Blount Jr., and originally published in 1974. We actually were given a copy shortly after its paperback publication but never actually read it ~ perhaps the incredibly lengthy title or the stream of consciousness, droll treatment of the subject kept us from getting through it . . . we really cannot remember. Whatever the reason we never read it and now we are pretty glad that is the case.

A week ago we watched with rapt attention as Mike Tomlin met with the media to discuss his team's victory in Super Bowl XLIII, and made these (highly publicized) comments:

“[What] I’m going to sell to our football team is that we are not attempting to repeat. That special group of men in that locker room last night at the end of that game – that’s gone forever. There will be a new 53-man (roster). A lot of the faces will be the same, but nothing stays the same in this game. Few will come and go, those who remain, the roles will change. Some will ascend, some will descend. That’s the nature of today’s NFL . . . [w]e are going to roll up our sleeves at the appropriate time and start with a new group of men . . . and go about our business of trying to compete in ’09. You won’t hear me say words like repeat or defending because it will be brand new. This group will always be special to me, but sometime soon, that group will assume its place with others in history. It will be just that – history."

Blown away by the maturity and drive evidenced in that statement ~ we immediately scaled back our own celebration plans.

A few days later we picked up Mr. Blount's book (a first edition from a nearby library), and were struck by comments attributed to Chuck Noll concerning whether he celebrated the Steelers' first division championship in 1972:

"No not really. One thing I learned very early, you never have it made. You never relax, never rejoice very long. One thing I realized early in my football career, you play a game, it's a very emotional thing, you get all up for it, you work like hell, you get keyed up. Then when it's over, you take a shower and go out and sit down on the bus, and it's like someone stuck a pin in you. For me. For me, the doing is the pleasure, not the rejoicing therein. Once you get the goal, it's over" (64).

If we had read this book thirty years ago there would be no way that we would have remembered that passage, and there would be no way for us to realize that this new, young coach may just be more like the Steelers' old, new coach than we could have ever known.

For those of you who may not have read the book (or perhaps even heard of it before) click here to check for a copy at a library near you.

The Lombardi Trophy Presentation

The NFL has been kind enough to provide a transcript of the Lombardi Trophy presentation ceremony, which we are happy to share with all of you.

SUPER BOWL XLIII LOMBARDI AND MVP TROPHY PRESENTATION

NFL COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL

“Well, some say that we could not top last year’s Super Bowl, but the Steelers and Cardinals did that tonight. Dan, Art, Mike, Ben and all the Steeler fans congratulations on your sixth world championship. You’re Super Bowl winners again. Congratulations Dan.”

STEELERS CHAIRMAN DAN ROONEY
(on what his expectations of his team were when the season started): “This group of young players was just marvelous. I can’t say enough about them. We had the toughest schedule in the league. They kept going under Mike Tomlin’s direction and it was great. I would just like to thank President Obama and all of the Steeler nation for supporting us on through the year and it’s really terrific. Mike Tomlin has just done a marvelous job and thank you very much.”

(on if there is room in the trophy room) “We’ll make room.”

STEELERS HEAD COACH MIKE TOMLIN

(on being the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl): “Thank you. I’m also the most blessed coach to work with our staff and this group of men right here. I cannot say enough about what these guys are willing to do for one another and for you out there Steeler nation.”

(on if he ever felt he was in over his head when he replaced Bill Cowher): “No, I had great belief in the Rooney’s and their decision making. They know what they’re doing. My comfort rested in their decision making and all I wanted to do was prove them right.”

(on what he was thinking when Larry Fitzgerald scored the touchdown): “Acutally I was thinking if they were going to score, that’s how you want them to score, quickly. This has been our story all year, hasn’t it men? Steeler football is 60 minutes. It’s never going to be pretty. Throw style points out the window but these guys will fight until the end. And I take my hat off to you and I congratulate every last one of you.”

STEELERS WIDE RECEIVER SANTONIO HOLMES

(on if quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said anything to him on the final drive): “I said to him that I wanted to be the guy that made the plays for this team. I wanted to continue to be great and great players step up in big time games and make great plays.”

(on what he thought when he saw Cardinals wide receiver score): “I kind of lost a lot of composure. But I knew our defense would get us a chance to get the ball back. And I knew we had a great quarterback in number 7. He’s the guy that’s going to continue to work hard, give him an opportunity and we did it.”

(on what the name of the play was that he scored the winning touchdown on): “If I tell everyone that, they’ll definitely be looking to stop us from here on out.”

(final comment): “Thank you. I appreciate it. This is for Pittsburgh baby.”

STEELERS QUARTERBACK BEN ROETHLISBERGER
(on if he had fun) :“I had a lot of fun. I’m really proud of this group of guys. Pittsburgh, our fans, we love you all over the world. And you know what? Offensive line, who’s laughing now o-line. Let me take this (Vince Lombardi Trophy) down to them.”

(on what he said to the team in the huddle): “I said it’s now or never. I told the guys all the film study you put in doesn’t matter unless we go do it now. I’m really proud of the way they responded. Went all the way down the field and scored.”

(on what he learned about himself tonight): “That anything is possible.”

Thursday's Interviews: Mike Tomlin

(remarks after presentation of Motorola NFL Coach of the Year award to him): “It is a tremendous and humbling honor to be recognized by the NFL’s communication partner Motorola. As the NFL Coach of the Year, I’d like to thank the fans for their participation and support. I humbly accept this also on behalf of the other coaches and the players on our team. I’d like to say thank you.”



(opening statement): “It’s Thursday for us. We continue with this portion of our preparation, sharpening up some things we introduced yesterday, really moving forward and hitting some situational football today – the beginning of third down and red zone stuff offensively and defensively, and of course we continue to sharpen ourselves in the kicking game.”



(on how a tough schedule prepared the Steelers for the postseason): “If it doesn’t kill you, it strengthens you. These games are fun; they are. I think our team learned a lot about ourselves in the midst of it. I think that we grew, and that’s what it’s about. When you are fortunate enough to win enough of those games, I think it prepares you for January football. I believe we have a team that doesn’t blink in the face of adversity, because we’ve had quite a bit and found ways to see our way through. It also provides opportunities for guys to step up and deliver, and you can’t create or get enough of those opportunities along the way in preparation for what we face on Sunday.”



(on winning the Motorola NFL Coach of the Year award): “It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized as Motorola NFL Coach of the Year. It’s doubly special because it was voted on by the fans of the game. They are the reason why we do what it is we do. I am very appreciative of that, but at the same time I recognize, like I asked all my guys to recognize, that it is the ultimate team game. We have a bunch of assistant coaches, who don’t care who gets the credit, ante up and kick in and are of the same mindset. I like to join them in that mindset.”



(on Hines Ward’s status): “Hines is great, by the way.”



(on what Troy Polamalu means to the Steelers): “It’s special. You learn to appreciate guys with the playing qualities he has, because quite simply he does what you don’t teach. You can’t teach people to play the game the way he plays the game. His intuition, his physical gifts, his perception of the game is very unique. I just learned that if you have a chance to be around guys like that, you don’t harness it, you embrace it, and you appreciate it for what it is.”



(on how much time the Steelers have spent self-scouting, and how important that process is): “That is a continual thing for us throughout the course of the season – quarterly, weekly and repeat opponents. That’s something that we continually do. To a degree we are concerned about it, but also to a degree we’re not concerned about it because it’s our personality at times, and we intend to impose our will on people in regards to that. We look at it for different reasons, but it doesn’t rule our day-to-day decision-making because sometimes we are just going to be the Pittsburgh Steelers.”



(on his relationship with Tony Dungy): “Specifically regarding Tony (Dungy) and what he’s meant to my growth and development as a coach, I learned many lessons from him, but probably more than anything, was just how accepting he was of people who he worked with – their different approaches – to teaching and conveying his message. His willingness to listen, his servant leadership capabilities – those are some of the key things that stand out having had an opportunity to work with him for a year.”



(on how his success fits in with the success of other African-Americans like President Barack Obama and Dungy): “I’m just humbled by the things that I’ve been given. By no stretch do I put myself in the category with President Obama or Tony Dungy. I don’t see myself in that way. Some of the things I get a chance to do, I benefit from some of the roads they’ve paved.



(on being in Tampa for this year’s Super Bowl): “It’s great, but I can’t sit here and tell you that it wouldn’t be great regardless of where it is. Let’s be real, this is the Super Bowl. But it is special coming back to Tampa, where it all started for me in the National Football League. It’s special for my family. We spent five great years here. This is home to my two oldest sons who are eight and seven – this is what they consider home, so they had the opportunity to visit friends and do some of the things they used to do. So from that standpoint, it’s been very special.”



(on how Ben Roethlisberger is effective when plays break down): “He is a competitor. He, of course, has great physical skills, size, strength, agility, escapability, but he’s also very smart and very even-keeled under duress. All of those attributes together allow him to extend plays, make plays as they break down and make outside-the-box plays, if you will.”



(on if he takes into account an opposing coach who has familiarity with his team): “It is very similar to the self-scout question that we had earlier. In some instances you do, and make what you perceive to be necessary adjustments. In some instances, you don’t because you are who you are. Those are some of the decisions we are coming to and make as we prepare for this game. But it’s also some of the decisions we make when we prepare for people we know and we know them – divisional opponents and people who you have a long-term competitive relationship with. It is very similar in terms of how you approach those circumstances. And this one is so unique because there are some people over there who understand the inner workings, who’ve been inside the building, but ultimately it’s going to come down to the execution of the men on the field. I firmly believe that. There is a lot of fluidity in this business from players and coaches, that’s just part of today’s NFL. This is probably garnering more attention because it is the big game, but I imagine every weekend somewhere in the National Football League during the regular season, it’s an element. It’s part of a matchup. So, it is what it is.”



(on how the Steelers are managing their short-yardage troubles): “Quite simply, it’s been difficult because we’ve played some tough opponents. We’ve played some great defenses. We are not going to make excuses for our failures. We acknowledge them for what they are. We’ve been hit in the mouth some. We’ve hit people in the mouth some. Through it all, I think we’ve grown. We found a guy in Gary Russell, who we believe has an aptitude for those situations. I think we’ve had more success since we’ve featured him specifically in those situations. The season itself is an evolution for a football team, and I think that you learn about yourself, you make adjustments, and you formulate roles along the way. I think that was one of the areas in which we were able to grow. I feel like we have grown, and hopefully it’s a weapon for us on Sunday.”



(on how important Ryan Clark is to the Steelers’ defense): “He is an important cog in our defense. He is very highly respected in our locker room for what he does inside the white lines, and for what he does outside of the white lines in preparation for games. He is a legitimate professional, and a very solid football character guy. He’s gotten some attention because of a couple of plays this year, but at the same time, those plays don’t come to mind the moment I think about Ryan Clark. I think about the consistency of performance and the quality play and leadership he provides us on a day-to-day basis.”



(on the criticism of the offensive line, and a reference to it as a work in progress): “It’s just that. We’ve had some turnover on the offensive line here in the last few years. Reputable guys, great players such as Jeff Hartings, who are no longer in the mix because of retirement, or Alan Faneca because of free agency. You couple that with some critical injuries, one to our left tackle Marvel Smith, another one to our right guard Kendall Simmons. It is what it is. We don’t run away from that. The standard of expectation doesn’t change for us. Along the way, we’ve got to find ways to win football games. It might be in the manner in which we embrace, so be it. I think this group has responded to those challenges, held a standard and provided winning performances for us. We don’t worry about the style points. People are going to say what they are going to say. When you have a number-one defense in football, somebody’s got to be the weak link. They’ve been chosen to be identified as that. But we are a team. That doesn’t drive us. We’re not concerned about that. We’re just trying to win football games.”

(on Santonio Holmes’ growth as an individual this year): “I think it started with the offseason. He came in great physical condition, much better physical condition than he was in ’07 from my perspective. I think it produced a great training camp, and he’s had a solid season. This is a guy who has a desire to be great, but more importantly, he’s willing to do what it takes on a day-to-day basis to make that happen. Is he a finished product from that standpoint? No, but he is embracing the challenges of doing that. He is growing as a person. I see it on a daily basis. But there are a lot of those stories on a football team. I think a lot of times people look at professional athletes and they view them as something that they are not. But working with those guys on a day-to-day basis, at times it’s very evident that they are young people. They are 22, 23, 24 (years old), and they are going through the normal things that people in that age group go through. I think that he is doing a nice job of it.”



(on getting Ben Roethlisberger comfortable early in the Super Bowl): “I think Ben is a different player this time around. That’s just the reality of it. His professional experience, what he’s done, his position in the group is very different this time around. He’s not the young guy that could potentially screw it up. He is a leader for our football team. He was voted captain by his teammates. We have a long-term commitment contractually to him as our quarterback. I don’t expect to deal with those issues to be quite honest with you. He’s going to go through the normal things that people go through playing in this football game. But we fully expect Ben to deliver, and deliver big for us. He has to. If we are going to be successful, he is going to be one of the key reasons why.”



(on if he has any notion on how a game might end up score-wise): “I make a conscious effort not to do that. I just always have because most of the time, I’m wrong. There are a lot of elements to the matchup. There are a lot of key matchups in the football game. Some are highlighted more than others. Usually there are some others that end up being central (to the outcome). There is a lot being made out of matchups in this football game, whether it’s their receiving corps vs. our secondary, and our offensive front blocking their defensive front. But anytime you put 11 on the field – 11 for us, 11 for them – someone is going to win and someone is going to lose. We respect all of those things. We take each individual player as an opportunity to win. So with that being said, I try not to be presumptuous.”

Mike Tomlin named Coach of the Year

Here is breaking news (release) from the NFL:

"Head coach MIKE TOMLIN of the Pittsburgh Steelers is the 2008 Motorola NFL Coach of the Year, Motorola and the NFL announced today.

In 2008, Mike Tomlin continued to rewrite the record books in Pittsburgh, becoming the only head coach in Steelers’ history to win division titles in his first two seasons as he established a franchise record with 22 wins in that time. The Steelers secured the second seed in the AFC, captured the AFC North Division title for the second year in a row, and posted a 6-0 record within their division as part of their 12-4 record. After notching two victories in the postseason, Coach Tomlin will be the youngest head coach to appear in a Super Bowl at the age of 36.

A record number of more than 521,000 fans voted on NFL.com for the head coach whose game planning played the greatest role in his team’s success this season. Voting took place from Wednesday, January 7 through Wednesday, January 21 to determine the 2008 Motorola NFL Coach of the Year. In winning the award, Coach Tomlin also receives the new AURA™ by Motorola, a luxury handset inspired by high-end watches and hand-crafted design that breaks convention and re-establishes artistry in mobile device design and manufacturing.

“As the official wireless communication provider for the NFL, there is a natural tie between our brand and the sport’s great coaches,” said Jean Pierre Le Cannellier, senior director, North America Marketing, Motorola, Inc. “We salute Coach Tomlin for being voted the 2008 Motorola NFL Coach of the Year by the fans and admire those leadership qualities that would make him a champion in any endeavor.”

Tomlin was selected as 2008 Motorola NFL Coach of the Year from among six finalists by voters on NFL.com. The other finalists were head coaches TOM COUGHLIN of the New York Giants, JEFF FISHER of the Tennessee Titans, JOHN HARBAUGH of the Baltimore Ravens, MIKE SMITH of the Atlanta Falcons and TONY SPARANO of the Miami Dolphins.

Motorola's brand has become synonymous with NFL coaches through the coaches' headsets worn during every NFL game. As the wireless communications sponsor of the NFL, Motorola is working with the league to better integrate technology to improve the quality of the game, just as Motorola continuously provides better communications devices to help millions of NFL fans enjoy the game of football in their everyday lives.

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.

Mike Tomlin, Quote of the Day

Super Bowl Media Day is still going on, but Mike Tomlin came up with the best line from a member of either team.

When asked about the importance of winning the Super Bowl Mr. Tomlin responded that he is trying to win it every year, and then said: "I'm pissed we didn't win it last year."

Later he told the media that the team tries to keep talking to a minimum because "it's not about what you say, it's about what you do."

Is it any wonder Steelers fans love this guy?

An homage to Dan Rooney

For the best Steelers coverage in the mainstream media we are partial to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but occasionally news outlets outside of western Pennsylvania discover just how special the Steelers are.

One such outlet is the New York Times, a paper that is beginning to make Steelers coverage a habit ~ and a good habit at that.

Last Friday they ran a great piece on John Mitchell, the Steelers' defensive line coach and the first African-American to play football at Alabama.

On Monday they had a piece on head coach Mike Tomlin (a piece that actually revealed some things we did not know about Mr. Tomlin).

Tuesday they offer a heart warming look at Dan Rooney. There is not much new information in the article, but that is hardly a reason not to read it ~ after all, it is still about the Steelers

Mike Tomlin saw things just like we did

The fact that a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers is on the (regional) cover of Sports Illustrated is no surprise, but what we did find somewhat surprising was a piece of information included in Peter King's article about head coach Mike Tomlin. Specifically, Mr. Tomlin did not care much for the reaction that Limas Sweed had to dropping a second quarter pass that almost certainly would have gone for a touchdown:

[W]ith 1:00 left in the first half and the Steelers leading the Baltimore Ravens 13–7. Pittsburgh rookie wideout Limas Sweed, uncovered deep down the left side, dropped a sure touchdown pass, then fell to the ground and lay there. Replays showed the only injury was to his pride. But when Sweed was slow to rise, the Steelers had to take their last timeout—one they'd wish they had when the clock ran out before they could attempt a short field goal. After Sweed finally walked off, to 65,350 boos, he was met at the sideline by a livid Tomlin. For 10 seconds the coach blew up, and the wideout took it.

"I wasn't mad because he dropped the ball," Tomlin said later. "That kind of mistake can happen to anyone. I was pissed that he'd lay on the ground, fake an injury and cost us our last timeout. My point was, Be a man! Grow up!"

Three plays later Sweed was back in the game and delivering a ferocious block on cornerback Corey Ivy, enabling tight end Heath Miller to gain an extra yard or two. "Coach Tomlin's got an interesting way of explaining stuff," Sweed said. "He's got a little magic in him."

That lay-on-the-ground-after-dropping-a-pass stuff may have worked at Texas but it simply does not work in the pro game; and definitely does not work in Pittsburgh.

On Newsstands Now

The folks at Sports Illustrated were nice enough to send along an image of the cover of this week's issue of the magazine ~ and it is just too lovely not to share.

They also included a press release outlining their coverage of last Sunday's matchup between Baltimore and Pittsburgh, and I'm including it here in its entirety:

"(NEW YORK – December 16, 2008) – Pittsburgh and Baltimore, the best defenses of the decade, met to decide the AFC North—and to settle the debate over which unit can claim to be the NFL's best. The answer is etched in steel, and linebacker LaMarr Woodley, a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense, appears on the cover of the December 22, 2008, issue of Sports Illustrated, with the billing, STEEL CURTAIN II -DEFENSE - That Same Old December Song in the NFL.

In this week’s cover story titled D As in Dominant, SI senior writer Jim Trotter says of the game and the defenses: “Sunday’s battle provided everything one would expect from the NFL's top-ranked defenses, with offensive advances seemingly measured in inches rather than yards…. As the Steelers walked to the locker room afterward, one member of the defense barked, ‘Fourteen games in a row! Fourteen games in row! There shouldn't be no debate now!’ What he meant was, the 11–3 Steelers, who entered the game with the league's No. 1 defense, have held their opponents to less than 300 yards of total offense in every game this season, tying the postmerger record set by the Los Angeles Rams in 1973; and any talk that the Ravens’ No. 2-ranked defense is the better unit should cease” (page 34).

Trotter adds: “Despite the hostile nature of the rivalry, there is a mutual respect between the two units, and they are more alike than players on either side care to admit.”

The masterminds behind the two defenses are coordinators Dick LeBeau (Steelers) and Rex Ryan (Ravens). Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin praises LeBeau: “Dick is the epitome of a team player. He has no ego. He just wants to win. If I had come in and tried to change the defense, it would have been about ego. But we all have to check our egos at the door. I’ve worked with guys like Tony Dungy and Monte Kiffin, and I viewed working with Dick as another opportunity to work with a brilliant defensive mind. Every day he’s tinkering, trying to figure out how to do something better. He comes to work with an emphasis on getting better every day.”

Continuing on Rex Ryan [son of Buddy], Trotter says: “[Ryan] has tweaked the D to his liking, making it even more unpredictable and aggressive. He seemingly comes up with new pressure packages in his sleep, but one thing he refuses to change is what he looks for in a player.”

Ryan says: “It’s not necessarily the position, it’s the disposition. You’ve got to have the right guys, the right mentality, to have consistency. Every now and then you get a flash-in-the-pan team that shows up and has a decent year on defense. But for the most part it’s usually us and Pittsburgh right there with each other, and I think it has a lot to do with the type of players we have—and the mind-set of those players. There’s a passion that both teams play with on defense.”

As part of the cover story, SI senior writer Peter King takes a more in depth look at the philosophies of LeBeau and Ryan."

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 @ 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.

There are Some Things We Don't Need to Know

Since the playoff loss to Jacksonville head coach Mike Tomlin has been getting a fair amount of heat, especially over play calling.

Now comes word that Mr. Tomlin is making a different group of fans hot under the collar, for an entirely different reason.

Season in Review: Sacks Allowed

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin appeared on Sirius radio's Movin' the Chains The Red Zone show Thursday morning, and when asked about pass protection for Ben Roethlisberger the coach had this to say: "We've got to get better in that area . . . it's a glaring issue . . . it's about getting the ball out of [the quarterback's] hand . . . and receivers recognizing hot [reads]."

We appreciate the coach pointing out that it isn't always about the offensive line, though that certainly is a big part of the equation. So we've decided to take a look at this issue a couple of different ways -- the number of sacks per season from 2000-2007, the number of pass attempts in each of those seasons, and the ratio of sacks to pass attempts.

The number of sacks each season, compared to the NFL average per season looks like this:

	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
Sacks - NFL Avg.	39.87	38.61	36.72	34.13	37.38	36.94	36.34	34.44
Sacks - Steelers	43.00	31.00	34.00	42.00	36.00	32.00	49.00	47.00

The Steelers have given up fewer sacks than the average NFL team in four of the seasons, and more in four seasons. What's interesting about that is that the 2007 season was the only one in which the Steelers gave up more than the average number of sacks and still managed to make the playoffs.

Of course the number of sacks can be -- almost certainly is -- effected by the number of times a quarterback drops back to throw. Here are the number of pass attempts -- both the NFL average and the Steelers' -- for the same period:

	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
Pass Attempts - NFL Avg.	526.58	521.97	540.38	515.41	511.06	514.50	512.16	532.66
Pass Attempts - Steelers	440.00	454.00	551.00	532.00	358.00	379.00	523.00	442.00

What stands out of course is that despite the fact that the Steelers threw the football less in 2007 than in 2006 the number of sacks remained essentially the same. Here is what the ratio of sacks to pass attempts looks like graphically:


To say that the Steelers are, and have been, moving in the wrong direction is an understatement; and it appears that 2007 represented an acceleration of a bad trend.

In his interview on Sirius radio, Coach Tomlin described himself as being "more energized than I've ever been" about the work that needs to be done during the offseason. That's a good thing -- because there's obviously a great deal of work to do.

Final Grades Have Been Posted

The great folks at Pro Football Weekly have released their grades for the respective performances of each of the NFL head coaches. In giving first year head man Mike Tomlin a B+ here's what they said:

"Tomlin is intelligent and well-organized; were he not coaching in the NFL, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he were making a fortune on Wall Street. He had the unenviable task of taking over a veteran club that was accustomed to Bill Cowher and Cowher’s coaching staff. But Tomlin has fared well, for the most part. The Steelers reached the playoffs in spite of some late-season struggles, but they were eliminated in the wild-card round by Jacksonville — at Heinz Field. The defense allowed fewer yards than any other in the league. Tomlin and defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau have meshed their philosophies relatively well, though you would have to expect some defensive personnel changes in the offseason now that the patient Tomlin has had a season to observe the “D.” The offense wasn’t overly impressive statistically but was still potent, thanks to a remarkable season by QB Ben Roethlisberger, who took a beating behind an offensive line that needs to be revamped. Overall, Tomlin’s first regular season in Pittsburgh went relatively well."

More Pub for Mike Tomlin

Last week's issue of Pro Football Weekly featured Steelers' coach Mike Tomlin on its cover, as well as a two page article that, like most of the articles that have appeared in other media outlets about the new head man in Pittsburgh, is very complimentary. The full-text of the article can now be accessed at ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) or the entire issue can be purchased for $4.99 in either print or electronic format at Pro Football Weekly.com.

With the commercials out of the way, here's a taste of
what the article offers:

"Just in case his head gets a little too big, either from becoming only the third Steelers head coach in the past 38 years or perhaps by doing so by the tender age of 34, Mike Tomlin knows that there are still people in Pittsburgh who need proof that he's ready take over one of sports' most hallowed jobs -- including some in his own house.

'My kids are totally and utterly unimpressed,' said Tomlin . . . 'I was getting ready to go to a function . . . and my five-year-old was flipping through the channels, and when my face came on the screen from one of my press conferences, he went straight past Dad and onto the Cartoon Network . . . Never even paused. You gotta love that.'

". . . [Bill] Cowher was 34 when he got the job. He had limited coordinator experience, too. So the idea of hiring Tomlin wasn't against what team officials like to call The Steelers' Way.

It just sent a message that things would be changing in 2007 . . . 'I think there was a need for change,' said a former Steeler who is on another team's roster this season. 'Not that (Cowher) had lost the team. I just think guys got a little too comfortable. We all did.

'We had just won the Super Bowl. You didn't notice it at first, but when we started out the way we did (2-6 to open the season), it was pretty obvious.'"

There's much more to the article, including a discussion of the varied responses by individual Steelers to the hiring of Mr. Tomlin.

Making the Big Time

All of the attention of the Steeler Nation is one thing, but a person -- say, a young head coach in the NFL -- really knows they've arrived when they are the subject of an article in the New York Times. Such is the case of Mike Tomlin who is the subject of an article by Clifton Brown.

There isn't much that is new, but it's an indication of just how far the Steelers' head man has come and just how quickly he's arrived.

Mike Tomlin Announces Hall of Fame Game Strategy

Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin announced Friday that, heading into the first game of the preseason, it was his "intention to play Ben [Roethlisberger] a little less than most of the starters and go with Charlie Batch after that."

On the surface that would seem to be a prudent move, after all there isn't much sense in risking an injury to the injury prone starting quarterback. However a look back at 2006 gives one pause. Coming off their Super Bowl victory the Steelers limited Mr. Roethlisberger to eight passing attempts during the entire preseason (the average starting quarterback threw 20.29 passes during last season's preseason). Of course the fact that Mr. Roethlisberger was also coming off his motorcycle accident certainly didn't help matters (though at the time Bill Cowher indicated that Mr. Roethlisberger was physically ready to play) but the paucity of passing attempts -- and live game work with his new wide receiver, Santonio Holmes -- also contributed to the woeful early season performance by the Steelers starting quarterback.

So as Mike Tomlin and Bruce Arians make their plans for the preseason here's hoping that they don't give in to the temptation to be overly protective/conservative with their QB.

A Lot Can Change in One Year

In 2006 the Steelers' voluntary workouts (an NFL euphemism for "you need to be here") were marked by Joey Porter's no-show, which followed Duce Staley's strip club troubles and preceded Ben Roethlisberger's header into the windshield of an automobile.

No comes word from USA Today that new head coach Mike Tomlin is talking and working on football:

"PITTSBURGH — A year ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers were scattered across the country, still celebrating the Super Bowl they had won only six weeks before. Bill Cowher was contemplating whether he should step away or retire from coaching.

This offseason, there's no rest for a team coming off an 8-8 season that missed the playoffs and changed coaches for the first time since 1992.

The Steelers began voluntary workouts Monday under new coach Mike Tomlin, who was eager to get working with his new team quickly. Last year, the Steelers didn't start those workouts until a few weeks later, and even then some players still hadn't returned to town.

These Steelers don't play a game that counts for another six months, but Tomlin said they need as much time together as they can get.

'We're going to get started about the business of putting together a great football team,' Tomlin said. 'That's just rolling your sleeves up and going to work on a day-to-day basis. That's what they're going to see from me. The things that they see from me on day one are the same things that they're going to see from me next January when we're in the thick of things.'

Of course, the team Tomlin is working with now won't be the one he puts on the field in September.

The Steelers have signed only one new starting player since the season ended, offensive lineman Sean Mahan, but they still need help at several other positions. They would like to add an outside linebacker, now that Joey Porter has signed with the Dolphins, and wide receiver, a position that gave them a minimum of production last season.

Most of that help must come in the April draft, now that the top-level free agents have signed elsewhere. The Steelers don't have enough salary cap room to make major changes, and there aren't the players available on the open market even if they wanted to make them.

One change Tomlin won't make immediately: switching to the 4-3 defense and Tampa 2 coverage scheme he prefers. While he is expected to incorporate some elements of the 4-3 defense he used last season with Minnesota, a total overhaul isn't feasible with the players and the system currently in place.

The Steelers signaled that recently by re-signing defensive end Aaron Smith. He is ideal for the 3-4 scheme they have played since the early 1980s but not so well-suited for the 4-3, especially if he had to move inside and play tackle.

Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau has a number of key players who fit into the 3-4 much better than they would a 4-3 — linebackers Clark Haggans, James Farrior and James Harrison and defensive end Brett Keisel among them. So any changes made now, in the spring minicamps and preseason training camp are likely to be subtle.

'We're going to continue to shape our package to do what our players do and do well,' Tomlin said. 'It'll be a constant evolution, just like the players are constantly evolving.' "