Happy New Year everyone! The Blog is back after an extended layoff and I am excited about getting back into the swing of things. Next week I will launch the full comeback, including thoughts on a ton of subjects that have gone down over the past month or so including the Pirates offseason, Sidney Crosby’s status, the Pitt coaching debacle and subsequent hire, Penn State’s new coach and the struggle that has been the Pitt basketball season so far. In addition, we will soon be up and running with a new Facebook page and twitter account. I will have plenty of details about those in the coming weeks on the blog, but today is all about the NFL playoffs!
It is every gamblers goal to have a perfect NFL postseason, 11-0 against the spread. I accomplished this during the Steelers 2005 Super Bowl run and just like a NFL quarterback will tell you, the first one only makes you want the second one that much more. With that, let’s dive into the Wildcard weekend games:
HOME TEAM IN CAPS
Cincinnati (+3) over HOUSTON– It’s usually easy money betting against a rookie quarterback in the playoffs but what do you do when both teams are starting a rookie?!? I think that answer is pretty simple, take the guy who has started all year long and hasn’t totally sucked in the past three weeks. T.J. Yates started out playing well for the Texans but was so bad in his past three games that Texans fans seriously debated if Jake Delhomme should be starting this week. If Andre Johnson were completely healthy I may be singing a different tune but Johnson has been a near non-factor since week 4. The Bengals may not win this one outright but I think it’s coming down to the last possession. Take the points and run. Bengals 23 – Texans 21 on a last second field goal.
Detroit (+11) over NEW ORLEANS – The Saints won their previously meeting in New Orleans by 14 but were only leading by 7 in the fourth quarter and the Lions played that game without their madman, Ndamukong Suh. Can the Lions stop the Saints? Of course not, but I think they can slow them down just enough to keep this one interesting. Saints 37 – Lions 27.
NEW YORK (-3) over Atlanta – The Giants are the sleeping giant of the 2012 playoffs. Their Super Bowl winning QB is playing some of the best football of his career, they have very underrated WRs on offense, can get after the passer on defense and have the right mixture of experience and youth that serves well in the playoffs. The Falcons, meanwhile, are pretty much the same team that has been one and done in the playoffs the past two years. I like Matty Ice as a quarterback, I really do. His consistency makes him a guy that can get your team to the playoffs year in and year out. Unfortunately for Falcons fans, that’s about the extent of his talent. Giants 31 – Falcons 20.
Pittsburgh (-9) over DENVER – Despite the loss of Rashard Mendenhall, despite the absence of Maurkice Pouncey and Ryan Clark and despite Ben Roethlisberger hobbling around on one ankle, I don’t see how the Broncos keep this one close without a couple of those “how in the world did that happen” plays that are all too familiar in the NFL. Personally, I love what the Broncos have done with Tebow and their offense over the final 11 games of the season. Can Tebow succeed long-term? I’m not sure yet, he does need to improve as a passer but he is not all that far away from being an extremely dangerous dual-threat quarterback. The question long-term in my opinion will be his ability to stay healthy. But he is not there yet and this week the Broncos could be in big trouble on offense. Steelers 27 – Broncos 6.
Showing posts with label Steelers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Steelers. Show all posts
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Thursday, October 6, 2011
No Time to Panic for Steelers
I planned to write a piece on how it’s not time for Steelers fans to panic. We’re four games into the season and while it’s true that the defense hasn’t looked like its former dominant self and the offensive line looks horrendous, to put it mildly, I remind you again that it is only four games into the season! Instead of writing a couple thousand words myself, however, K.C. Joyner of ESPN did a fantastic job of beating me to the punch yesterday.
The only thing that I would add to Joyner’s points about this season’s team is that how quickly we forget “panic times” from the past few seasons. It was week 10 just a year ago when the Steelers were dismantled by the Patriots on Sunday Night Football on their way to a Super Bowl appearance. In 2008, it was week 16 that the Steelers were destroyed by Tennessee, losing home-field advantage in the process, on their way to Lombardi Trophy #6. Even going back to 2005, the Steelers lost three straight games from week 11 through week 13 before reeling off seven straight victories for their Super Bowl victory that year. So remember folks, it is only week four, this Steelers team is going to be fine in the long run…as long as Roethlisberger stays alive behind that offensive line!
Here is an excerpt from Joyner’s column and a link to the full column below…it does require ESPN Insider Access so I do apologize for those without that availability. For those without Insider access, I’ll sum it up: Don’t panic Steelers fans, the odds are heavily in the Steelers’ corner to make the playoffs!
The Pittsburgh Steelers also have a long and successful history of managing advanced roster age (four of their eight Super Bowl teams had at least eight starters who were 30 or older).
This is a fact that seems to have been forgotten following the Steelers' 2-2 start. Pundits and fans have criticized Pittsburgh for keeping so many veterans, especially on the defensive side of the ball, where the Steelers ranked as the oldest group in the NFL coming into the season.
That may have prompted some to write off the Steelers' chances of repeating as AFC champions, but a review of their first four games provides evidence that shows this team is still playing extremely well and has a strong chance of making it to the postseason.
Link to the rest of the story.
The only thing that I would add to Joyner’s points about this season’s team is that how quickly we forget “panic times” from the past few seasons. It was week 10 just a year ago when the Steelers were dismantled by the Patriots on Sunday Night Football on their way to a Super Bowl appearance. In 2008, it was week 16 that the Steelers were destroyed by Tennessee, losing home-field advantage in the process, on their way to Lombardi Trophy #6. Even going back to 2005, the Steelers lost three straight games from week 11 through week 13 before reeling off seven straight victories for their Super Bowl victory that year. So remember folks, it is only week four, this Steelers team is going to be fine in the long run…as long as Roethlisberger stays alive behind that offensive line!
Here is an excerpt from Joyner’s column and a link to the full column below…it does require ESPN Insider Access so I do apologize for those without that availability. For those without Insider access, I’ll sum it up: Don’t panic Steelers fans, the odds are heavily in the Steelers’ corner to make the playoffs!
The Pittsburgh Steelers also have a long and successful history of managing advanced roster age (four of their eight Super Bowl teams had at least eight starters who were 30 or older).
This is a fact that seems to have been forgotten following the Steelers' 2-2 start. Pundits and fans have criticized Pittsburgh for keeping so many veterans, especially on the defensive side of the ball, where the Steelers ranked as the oldest group in the NFL coming into the season.
That may have prompted some to write off the Steelers' chances of repeating as AFC champions, but a review of their first four games provides evidence that shows this team is still playing extremely well and has a strong chance of making it to the postseason.
Link to the rest of the story.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Friday Smorgasbord (as well MLB Playoffs and Week 4 NFL picks)
There has been a lot going on in the sports world these days so there doesn’t seem like a better time than now to have another smorgasbord. Let’s dive right in…
• First off, I decided to not print my Pitt to the ACC column largely because it looks like conference expansion has been put on hold for now and that was largely the gist of the column. That being said, I love the move to the ACC for Pitt. Sure, most of us will miss the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden, an event that I have personally attended a few times, but that is a sacrifice the school had to make for the better long term prospects of both football and basketball in the ACC. Besides, having Duke and/or North Carolina coming into the Oakland Zoo every year is a pretty nice trade off.
• The biggest point that I was going to make in my conference expansion column was that I wish we would just get to the four or five super-conferences already and be done with it. I think it is pretty obvious that we are heading in that direction and the constant speculation, rumors and back-office maneuvering is tiresome. This temporary hold on the conference expansion just means that we have to continue to discuss where and what conferences teams are going to end up in.
• Speaking of Pitt, Coach Graham and company got their first signature win last night on national television at home against South Florida…a game in which even LeBron James weighed in on how awesome Ray Graham is. Ray Graham, the RB, might have been in the Heisman conversation if Pitt would have just held on against Iowa. After last night’s win, anything short of a battle with West Virginia for the conference championship would have to be considered a disappointment.
• Mike Wallace is quickly becoming of the NFL’s best wide receivers. He doesn’t have the freakish skills that guys like Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson have but his combination of speed and route running is quickly putting him on those guys level. Wallace reminds me a ton of a young Torry Holt or Reggie Wayne, with possibly even more speed than those guys had.
• After the Steelers first three games, I’m still not sure what kind of team they are. I think we will learn a lot more after this week’s game in Houston. That being said, I was extremely encouraged by the play of James Harrison and Troy Polamalu last week. If those guys are healthy and playing the way they are capable of, this team will be right there in the end.
• If you missed Major League Baseball’s final regular season night on Wednesday, you missed a treat. It was like baseball’s version of March Madness with 3+ hours of top drama as the Cardinals and Rays somehow completed two of baseball’s most unbelievable rallies to pass the Braves and Red Sox for the wild card spots. I tried to be positive there for both the Cards and Rays but really they were two of the worst collapses in sports history by Boston and Atlanta - capped off by dramatic collapses in game 162 by each team.
• The baseball playoffs start today and I absolutely love post-season baseball. Every pitch is filled with so much drama, I only wish they occurred faster than every 30 seconds or so. In the Wild Card round, I’m going with the Yankees in four, Rays in five, Phillies and Brewers both in four to advance and I’m sticking with my preseason prediction of the Yankees winning the World Series. Since Atlanta collapsed and missed the postseason, I’ll take the Yanks to beat Milwaukee in the World Series after the Brewers pull the unexpected upset of Philadelphia for the NL pennant.
• With those picks out of the way, here are my week four NFL picks:
(Home Team in Caps)
DALLAS (-1.5) over Detroit – Continue to go against Detroit…might continue to regret it. It’s not that I don’t believe they are legit, it just comes down to individual games and match-ups.
New Orleans (-7) over JACKSONVILLE – No way the Jags and rookie QB Blaine Gabbert can keep up with this Saints offense.
PHILADELPHIA (-9) over San Francisco – This is the week the Eagles win big and everyone thinks everything is a-ok again in Philadelphia.
ST. LOUIS (+2) over Washington – Be careful going against home dogs.
CLEVELAND (pk) over Tennessee – I think it is going to take some time for Tennessee to adjust to life without Kenny Britt.
CINCINNATI (+3.5) over Buffalo – Again, beware of home dogs. Plus, Buffalo is going to come back to earth at some point.
Minnesota (-2) over KANSAS CITY – Eventually Minnesota is not going to blow a big halftime lead.
CHICAGO (-6.5) over Carolina – Newton has not seen anything like what he will see this week in Julius Peppers and the Bears ball-hawking defense.
Pittsburgh (+3.5) over HOUSTON – Does anyone not think that this game is a complete coin-toss? Give me the 3.5 points before I overthink it.
Atlanta (-4.5) over SEATTLE – I think Atlanta could up being our Jekyll and Hyde team this year…one week they look terrible and the next they look fantastic.
New York Giants (-1) over ARIZONA – So far the Kevin Kolb experience at QB is not working for the Cardinals.
Miami (+7) over SAN DIEGO – I think the Chargers win but the Dolphins keep it close.
GREEN BAY (-12.5) over Denver – Yes it is a ton of points but I can’t see how the Broncos can keep up with this fantastic Packers offense at home.
New England (-4) over OAKLAND – Check Bill Belichick’s record after a loss and this pick makes a whole lot more sense.
New York Jets (+3.5) over BALTIMORE – Think this one comes down to a field goal at the end.
Indianapolis (+10) over TAMPA BAY – I know the Monday Night Football schedule was made up before Peyton Manning’s availability was fully known but still, this has to be the worst line-up of primetime games I have ever seen.
(Last Week: 10-6; Overall: 23-23-2)
• First off, I decided to not print my Pitt to the ACC column largely because it looks like conference expansion has been put on hold for now and that was largely the gist of the column. That being said, I love the move to the ACC for Pitt. Sure, most of us will miss the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden, an event that I have personally attended a few times, but that is a sacrifice the school had to make for the better long term prospects of both football and basketball in the ACC. Besides, having Duke and/or North Carolina coming into the Oakland Zoo every year is a pretty nice trade off.
• The biggest point that I was going to make in my conference expansion column was that I wish we would just get to the four or five super-conferences already and be done with it. I think it is pretty obvious that we are heading in that direction and the constant speculation, rumors and back-office maneuvering is tiresome. This temporary hold on the conference expansion just means that we have to continue to discuss where and what conferences teams are going to end up in.
• Speaking of Pitt, Coach Graham and company got their first signature win last night on national television at home against South Florida…a game in which even LeBron James weighed in on how awesome Ray Graham is. Ray Graham, the RB, might have been in the Heisman conversation if Pitt would have just held on against Iowa. After last night’s win, anything short of a battle with West Virginia for the conference championship would have to be considered a disappointment.
• Mike Wallace is quickly becoming of the NFL’s best wide receivers. He doesn’t have the freakish skills that guys like Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson have but his combination of speed and route running is quickly putting him on those guys level. Wallace reminds me a ton of a young Torry Holt or Reggie Wayne, with possibly even more speed than those guys had.
• After the Steelers first three games, I’m still not sure what kind of team they are. I think we will learn a lot more after this week’s game in Houston. That being said, I was extremely encouraged by the play of James Harrison and Troy Polamalu last week. If those guys are healthy and playing the way they are capable of, this team will be right there in the end.
• If you missed Major League Baseball’s final regular season night on Wednesday, you missed a treat. It was like baseball’s version of March Madness with 3+ hours of top drama as the Cardinals and Rays somehow completed two of baseball’s most unbelievable rallies to pass the Braves and Red Sox for the wild card spots. I tried to be positive there for both the Cards and Rays but really they were two of the worst collapses in sports history by Boston and Atlanta - capped off by dramatic collapses in game 162 by each team.
• The baseball playoffs start today and I absolutely love post-season baseball. Every pitch is filled with so much drama, I only wish they occurred faster than every 30 seconds or so. In the Wild Card round, I’m going with the Yankees in four, Rays in five, Phillies and Brewers both in four to advance and I’m sticking with my preseason prediction of the Yankees winning the World Series. Since Atlanta collapsed and missed the postseason, I’ll take the Yanks to beat Milwaukee in the World Series after the Brewers pull the unexpected upset of Philadelphia for the NL pennant.
• With those picks out of the way, here are my week four NFL picks:
(Home Team in Caps)
DALLAS (-1.5) over Detroit – Continue to go against Detroit…might continue to regret it. It’s not that I don’t believe they are legit, it just comes down to individual games and match-ups.
New Orleans (-7) over JACKSONVILLE – No way the Jags and rookie QB Blaine Gabbert can keep up with this Saints offense.
PHILADELPHIA (-9) over San Francisco – This is the week the Eagles win big and everyone thinks everything is a-ok again in Philadelphia.
ST. LOUIS (+2) over Washington – Be careful going against home dogs.
CLEVELAND (pk) over Tennessee – I think it is going to take some time for Tennessee to adjust to life without Kenny Britt.
CINCINNATI (+3.5) over Buffalo – Again, beware of home dogs. Plus, Buffalo is going to come back to earth at some point.
Minnesota (-2) over KANSAS CITY – Eventually Minnesota is not going to blow a big halftime lead.
CHICAGO (-6.5) over Carolina – Newton has not seen anything like what he will see this week in Julius Peppers and the Bears ball-hawking defense.
Pittsburgh (+3.5) over HOUSTON – Does anyone not think that this game is a complete coin-toss? Give me the 3.5 points before I overthink it.
Atlanta (-4.5) over SEATTLE – I think Atlanta could up being our Jekyll and Hyde team this year…one week they look terrible and the next they look fantastic.
New York Giants (-1) over ARIZONA – So far the Kevin Kolb experience at QB is not working for the Cardinals.
Miami (+7) over SAN DIEGO – I think the Chargers win but the Dolphins keep it close.
GREEN BAY (-12.5) over Denver – Yes it is a ton of points but I can’t see how the Broncos can keep up with this fantastic Packers offense at home.
New England (-4) over OAKLAND – Check Bill Belichick’s record after a loss and this pick makes a whole lot more sense.
New York Jets (+3.5) over BALTIMORE – Think this one comes down to a field goal at the end.
Indianapolis (+10) over TAMPA BAY – I know the Monday Night Football schedule was made up before Peyton Manning’s availability was fully known but still, this has to be the worst line-up of primetime games I have ever seen.
(Last Week: 10-6; Overall: 23-23-2)
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
2011 NFL Season Predictions
The Blog is back after an extended break, recharged and ready for the start of the NFL season, the baseball playoffs and the old college gridiron. Today, we dive into the NFL preview, Friday we will be back with the first week's picks and early next week I'll unveil my first top 25 of the college football season, plus a little bit extra on your Pitt Panthers as they head into the real part of their schedule.
If you recall my pre-preseason power rankings for the NFL, really not a lot has changed in the pecking order. Green Bay still has the most loaded roster with New Orleans, Philadelphia and Atlanta hot on their trail in the NFC. New England and Pittsburgh continue to look like the class of the AFC with the Chargers, Jets and Ravens looming in the background. Dallas, Houston and the rest of the NFC North continue to be darkhorses as teams who could jump from last to first. The only real change, and it’s not really a change, is the continued uncertainty about Peyton Manning’s health. If Manning plays 16 games, it is as sure as the Pirates will have a losing season that the Colts will be in the playoffs. Without Manning for part or even all of the season, the AFC South just got a whole lot more interesting.
To steal last season’s opening remarks because frankly, I don’t think I can write it any better: The NFL season kicks off tomorrow night with what might be a preview of this year’s NFC Championship. I know the anticipation for the NFL season is always unbelievably high as people are eager to start their fantasy seasons, their suicide pools and to root for their favorite teams. Before the season kicks off, however, it’s time to get my almighty predictions on the record. The pre-preseason power rankings probably gave some indication of who I like, but we all know how little it takes for a team’s fortunes to change. So here we go, a quick division by division look at how I see the 2011 NFL season playing out.
AFC East
New England Patriots – 12-4
New York Jets – 10-6
Miami Dolphins – 6-10
Buffalo Bills – 4-12
The Patriots added some veteran star-power to an already star-laden line-up. Tom Brady is probably entering the end of his prime and realizes that he will not have a whole lot more opportunities to win another Super Bowl. The Jets will once again have a tremendous team held back by a below-average quarterback and the Dolphins and Bills may improve some but not enough to gain ground on the Jets and Pats.
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers – 12-4
Baltimore Ravens – 10-6
Cleveland Browns – 6-10
Cincinnati Bengals – 3-13
Funny how much can change in one year. Last year at this time we were discussing how the Steelers could survive the first four games without Ben Roethlisberger and a year later we are nitpicking their weaknesses after appearing in their second Super Bowl in three years. The defense should once again be the best in football and Roethlisberger looks better than ever and has a full complement of weapons to distribute the ball to. Baltimore, meanwhile, saw some turnover on its roster during the offseason. One of the moves I liked best was bringing in Lee Evans from Buffalo to stretch the field. The Week One battle should give one of these teams a big leg up in the division. I also like the direction that Cleveland is heading in and they are hopeful for another step forward from QB Colt McCoy. Cincinnati, meanwhile, begins a rebuilding job with rookies Andy Dalton as their franchise QB and AJ Green as his primary weapon.
AFC South
Houston Texans – 10-6
Indianapolis Colts – 9-7
Tennessee Titans – 7-9
Jacksonville Jaguars – 5-11
I am hedging my bets here as I am not sure what to make of Peyton Manning’s injury at this time. If he misses only a couple of weeks, I can still see the Colts making a run at the division or at least a wild-card spot. If Manning cannot return soon, the Colts could slip to below .500 for the first time since 2001. The Texans once again look like the team ready to make the jump into contender status but until they actually do it we have to remain skeptical. Manning’s injury could be just the opening Matt Schaub, Arian Foster and Andre Johnson need to win their first division title in franchise history. Tennessee and Jacksonville both begin rebuilding jobs with rookie QBs waiting in the wings to take over their respective offenses. Of the two, Tennessee should be more competitive with veteran Matt Hasselbeck at the helm after the Jaguars cut their veteran starter, David Garrard, just this week.
AFC West
San Diego Chargers – 11-5
Kansas City Chiefs – 8-8
Oakland Raiders – 7-9
Denver Broncos – 5-11
The Chargers should return to their spot atop the AFC West and could be right back in the thick of things for the AFC crown if they can correct their special teams miscues and lethargical starts to the season, both very correctable. The Chiefs, meanwhile, could actually be better than they were last year but end up with a lesser record. With an improving, young roster, this is the year they must decide whether Matt Cassel is the right QB for the job. Oakland will likewise take a step back this season after losing a number of key contributors to their 8-8 campaign last year but I continue to like the direction they are heading. Denver could have one of the fiercest pass rushes in the league on defense, which can win some games by itself, but there isn’t a whole lot to like about that offense.
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles – 11-5
Dallas Cowboys – 10-6
New York Giants – 9-7
Washington Redskins – 5-11
I can’t decide whether this or the NFC North is the best division in football this year. Green Bay is the best team on paper, Washington is the worst, but the top three of the East, overall, are slightly better than top three in the North. You’re probably saying “Who cares” and you’re right. It should be interesting to see how the Eagles offseason acquisitions mesh in Philadelphia, how Tony Romo returns from his injury and how the Giants adjust to a slew of injuries to their defense this preseason. One thing this division does not lack is entertainment.
NFC North
Green Bay Packers – 11-5
Minnesota Vikings – 9-7
Chicago Bears – 7-9
Detroit Lions – 7-9
Not much more needs to be said about Aaron Rodgers and the Packers but boy do I want to put the Vikings in the playoffs as my sleeper team. I think they will be competitive, as will the Bears and Lions, but all three don’t quite stack up with the NFC elite.
NFC South
New Orleans Saints – 12-4
Atlanta Falcons – 11-5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers– 7-9
Carolina Panthers – 4-12
The Saints are probably the one true contender being least talked about this offseason and I am not sure why. With Sean Payton and Drew Brees controlling the offense they are going to be a force and rookie RB Mark Ingram could have a tremendous impact. Speaking of rookie impacts, Julio Jones is expected to have one in Atlanta as a compliment to Roddy White at receiver. There are no more excuses for Matty Ice as it is time to take the next step on the quarterback latter (something that I question if he has it in him). Tampa Bay, much like the Chiefs, could actually be better than they were last year but finish with a worse record but like the Chiefs you have to like their young, improving roster. Carolina will bring up the cellar in this division as they take their lumps while Cam Newton learns on the job.
NFC West
St. Louis Rams – 9-7
Arizona Cardinals – 8-8
San Francisco 49ers – 6-10
Seattle Seahawks – 5-11
Don’t think anyone could argue with you if you picked any one of these teams to win the NFC West. On second thought, Tavaris Jackson is the starting quarterback in Seattle so that automatically relegates the Seahawks to the basement. While I think Matt Ryan has reached his potential as a starting QB, we are only beginning to see what Sam Bradford can do. I expect the Cards and Rams to battle for divisional supremacy with Bradford and the Rams ultimately getting the job done. As for the Niners, the good news is they have a real coach in Jim Harbaugh now…the bad news is that Alex Smith is still their starting QB.
Regular Season Awards
MVP – Aaron Rodgers (Yes, I picked him last year. I meant to say Super Bowl MVP)
Offensive Player of the Year – Philip Rivers
Defensive Player of the Year – Darrelle Revis
Offensive Rookie of the Year – Mark Ingram
Defensive Rookie of the Year – Von Miller
Coach of the Year – Gary Kubiak
Playoffs
San Diego over Baltimore, New York over Houston
Philadelphia over Dallas, Atlanta over St. Louis
Pittsburgh over New York, New England over San Diego
New Orleans over Atlanta, Philadelphia over Green Bay
New England over Pittsburgh, New Orleans over Philadelphia
Super Bowl XLVI
New England over New Orleans
If you recall my pre-preseason power rankings for the NFL, really not a lot has changed in the pecking order. Green Bay still has the most loaded roster with New Orleans, Philadelphia and Atlanta hot on their trail in the NFC. New England and Pittsburgh continue to look like the class of the AFC with the Chargers, Jets and Ravens looming in the background. Dallas, Houston and the rest of the NFC North continue to be darkhorses as teams who could jump from last to first. The only real change, and it’s not really a change, is the continued uncertainty about Peyton Manning’s health. If Manning plays 16 games, it is as sure as the Pirates will have a losing season that the Colts will be in the playoffs. Without Manning for part or even all of the season, the AFC South just got a whole lot more interesting.
To steal last season’s opening remarks because frankly, I don’t think I can write it any better: The NFL season kicks off tomorrow night with what might be a preview of this year’s NFC Championship. I know the anticipation for the NFL season is always unbelievably high as people are eager to start their fantasy seasons, their suicide pools and to root for their favorite teams. Before the season kicks off, however, it’s time to get my almighty predictions on the record. The pre-preseason power rankings probably gave some indication of who I like, but we all know how little it takes for a team’s fortunes to change. So here we go, a quick division by division look at how I see the 2011 NFL season playing out.
AFC East
New England Patriots – 12-4
New York Jets – 10-6
Miami Dolphins – 6-10
Buffalo Bills – 4-12
The Patriots added some veteran star-power to an already star-laden line-up. Tom Brady is probably entering the end of his prime and realizes that he will not have a whole lot more opportunities to win another Super Bowl. The Jets will once again have a tremendous team held back by a below-average quarterback and the Dolphins and Bills may improve some but not enough to gain ground on the Jets and Pats.
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers – 12-4
Baltimore Ravens – 10-6
Cleveland Browns – 6-10
Cincinnati Bengals – 3-13
Funny how much can change in one year. Last year at this time we were discussing how the Steelers could survive the first four games without Ben Roethlisberger and a year later we are nitpicking their weaknesses after appearing in their second Super Bowl in three years. The defense should once again be the best in football and Roethlisberger looks better than ever and has a full complement of weapons to distribute the ball to. Baltimore, meanwhile, saw some turnover on its roster during the offseason. One of the moves I liked best was bringing in Lee Evans from Buffalo to stretch the field. The Week One battle should give one of these teams a big leg up in the division. I also like the direction that Cleveland is heading in and they are hopeful for another step forward from QB Colt McCoy. Cincinnati, meanwhile, begins a rebuilding job with rookies Andy Dalton as their franchise QB and AJ Green as his primary weapon.
AFC South
Houston Texans – 10-6
Indianapolis Colts – 9-7
Tennessee Titans – 7-9
Jacksonville Jaguars – 5-11
I am hedging my bets here as I am not sure what to make of Peyton Manning’s injury at this time. If he misses only a couple of weeks, I can still see the Colts making a run at the division or at least a wild-card spot. If Manning cannot return soon, the Colts could slip to below .500 for the first time since 2001. The Texans once again look like the team ready to make the jump into contender status but until they actually do it we have to remain skeptical. Manning’s injury could be just the opening Matt Schaub, Arian Foster and Andre Johnson need to win their first division title in franchise history. Tennessee and Jacksonville both begin rebuilding jobs with rookie QBs waiting in the wings to take over their respective offenses. Of the two, Tennessee should be more competitive with veteran Matt Hasselbeck at the helm after the Jaguars cut their veteran starter, David Garrard, just this week.
AFC West
San Diego Chargers – 11-5
Kansas City Chiefs – 8-8
Oakland Raiders – 7-9
Denver Broncos – 5-11
The Chargers should return to their spot atop the AFC West and could be right back in the thick of things for the AFC crown if they can correct their special teams miscues and lethargical starts to the season, both very correctable. The Chiefs, meanwhile, could actually be better than they were last year but end up with a lesser record. With an improving, young roster, this is the year they must decide whether Matt Cassel is the right QB for the job. Oakland will likewise take a step back this season after losing a number of key contributors to their 8-8 campaign last year but I continue to like the direction they are heading. Denver could have one of the fiercest pass rushes in the league on defense, which can win some games by itself, but there isn’t a whole lot to like about that offense.
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles – 11-5
Dallas Cowboys – 10-6
New York Giants – 9-7
Washington Redskins – 5-11
I can’t decide whether this or the NFC North is the best division in football this year. Green Bay is the best team on paper, Washington is the worst, but the top three of the East, overall, are slightly better than top three in the North. You’re probably saying “Who cares” and you’re right. It should be interesting to see how the Eagles offseason acquisitions mesh in Philadelphia, how Tony Romo returns from his injury and how the Giants adjust to a slew of injuries to their defense this preseason. One thing this division does not lack is entertainment.
NFC North
Green Bay Packers – 11-5
Minnesota Vikings – 9-7
Chicago Bears – 7-9
Detroit Lions – 7-9
Not much more needs to be said about Aaron Rodgers and the Packers but boy do I want to put the Vikings in the playoffs as my sleeper team. I think they will be competitive, as will the Bears and Lions, but all three don’t quite stack up with the NFC elite.
NFC South
New Orleans Saints – 12-4
Atlanta Falcons – 11-5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers– 7-9
Carolina Panthers – 4-12
The Saints are probably the one true contender being least talked about this offseason and I am not sure why. With Sean Payton and Drew Brees controlling the offense they are going to be a force and rookie RB Mark Ingram could have a tremendous impact. Speaking of rookie impacts, Julio Jones is expected to have one in Atlanta as a compliment to Roddy White at receiver. There are no more excuses for Matty Ice as it is time to take the next step on the quarterback latter (something that I question if he has it in him). Tampa Bay, much like the Chiefs, could actually be better than they were last year but finish with a worse record but like the Chiefs you have to like their young, improving roster. Carolina will bring up the cellar in this division as they take their lumps while Cam Newton learns on the job.
NFC West
St. Louis Rams – 9-7
Arizona Cardinals – 8-8
San Francisco 49ers – 6-10
Seattle Seahawks – 5-11
Don’t think anyone could argue with you if you picked any one of these teams to win the NFC West. On second thought, Tavaris Jackson is the starting quarterback in Seattle so that automatically relegates the Seahawks to the basement. While I think Matt Ryan has reached his potential as a starting QB, we are only beginning to see what Sam Bradford can do. I expect the Cards and Rams to battle for divisional supremacy with Bradford and the Rams ultimately getting the job done. As for the Niners, the good news is they have a real coach in Jim Harbaugh now…the bad news is that Alex Smith is still their starting QB.
Regular Season Awards
MVP – Aaron Rodgers (Yes, I picked him last year. I meant to say Super Bowl MVP)
Offensive Player of the Year – Philip Rivers
Defensive Player of the Year – Darrelle Revis
Offensive Rookie of the Year – Mark Ingram
Defensive Rookie of the Year – Von Miller
Coach of the Year – Gary Kubiak
Playoffs
San Diego over Baltimore, New York over Houston
Philadelphia over Dallas, Atlanta over St. Louis
Pittsburgh over New York, New England over San Diego
New Orleans over Atlanta, Philadelphia over Green Bay
New England over Pittsburgh, New Orleans over Philadelphia
Super Bowl XLVI
New England over New Orleans
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Crazy Week in Sports; Steelers Sign Ike
This marks a crazy week in sports as we try to track the rumors and realities of the Major League Baseball trade deadline as well as the free agent frenzy taking place in the NFL. We would need to take a vacation to track all of the wheeling and dealings going on in both leagues right now. With that in mind, instead of writing a long article on what may or may not happen this week around the leagues, I will post short updates and comments as major trades go down in baseball and major signings and/or trades happen in the NFL.
The biggest news to occur so far in Pittsburgh is the Steelers resigning (or more appropriately reaching an agreement) with cornerback Ike Taylor. Taylor is instrumental to the Steelers defense as their top cover corner and was unanimously considered the Steelers top free agent priority. The Steelers are also a perfect fit for Taylor’s physical style and the two sides were both better off being able to work out a deal. With Taylor’s signing in place, the Steelers are poised to have one of, if not the best defense in the NFL once again. The lockout and lack of preparation time should also be an advantage to the Steelers veteran defense who were probably better served by the time off than the lack of minicamps and meetings.
The biggest news to occur so far in Pittsburgh is the Steelers resigning (or more appropriately reaching an agreement) with cornerback Ike Taylor. Taylor is instrumental to the Steelers defense as their top cover corner and was unanimously considered the Steelers top free agent priority. The Steelers are also a perfect fit for Taylor’s physical style and the two sides were both better off being able to work out a deal. With Taylor’s signing in place, the Steelers are poised to have one of, if not the best defense in the NFL once again. The lockout and lack of preparation time should also be an advantage to the Steelers veteran defense who were probably better served by the time off than the lack of minicamps and meetings.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Plenty of Blame to Go Around
People are often quick to place blame on their own teams when they lose rather than praise the opposition for winning the game on their own merit. In many cases this line of thinking is incorrect and the other team simply played better and/or deserved to win the game. The Steelers, however, deserve much of the blame for their loss in Super Bowl XLV. Don’t get me wrong, the Packers did enough to deserve to win the football game. Green Bay played mistake-free football, made big plays when they needed to on both sides of the ball and put the game on the arm of their superstar quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, to come out with the Lombardi Trophy. The Steelers, however, did more than their fair share to help the Packers hoist the trophy in the air.
Ben Roethlisberger had a subpar performance, especially by his lofty standards. Roethlisberger not only threw two interceptions but he missed a number of throws that he usually makes, most notably on the final fourth down pass to Mike Wallace. Roethlisberger’s pick six hurt, but it was one of those nothing you could do about it plays. His second interception, however, was a bad read, a bad throw and a big momentum killer for the Steelers who were moving the ball again after cutting the Packers lead to 14-3. There is certainly blame to be placed on Roethlisberger, but he is far from alone in that regard.
Rashard Mendenhall had a decent game himself. He ran for 63 yards on 14 carries including a nice eight-yard touchdown run. Mendenhall’s fumble, however, was probably the single biggest play of the game. The Steelers had cut the lead to four points, had begun establishing themselves on the ground and had all of the momentum on their side heading into the fourth quarter when Mendenhall fumbled on a second down and two play from the Packers’ 33-yard-line after being hit in the backfield. The play gave Green Bay the ball near midfield where they went on to score the eventual winning touchdown. The Steelers never quite recovered.
The Steelers defense, known all year for its ability to make big plays and prevent big plays from the opposition, accomplished neither. Dick LeBeau’s guys were unable to prevent Green Bay from scoring on both chances following Pittsburgh turnovers and were even worse in third down situations. Everyone will remember the 3rd and 10 pass to Greg Jennings in the fourth quarter as one of the key moments of the game, and it certainly was, but the Packers also converted five other critical third downs in the game and completed six passes over 20 yards. It was a poor performance from a unit that was widely considered the league’s best.
The special teams provided solid coverage and some decent returns but did their part in contributing mightily to the Steelers mistakes. Kicker Shaun Suisham missed a 52-yard field goal in the third quarter which would have cut the Packers lead to one. Sure, a 52-yarder is anything but a “gimme”, but indoors with no wind and perfect conditions this kick needs to be made. Suisham choked and kicked it about three miles wide left. Keyaron Fox, the Steelers special teams’ captain no-less, had an indefensible personal foul penalty called on the final kick return. This pushed the Steelers back to their own 13-yard-line to begin their final two-minute drive, one they would ultimately fail on with a chance to win the game.
Super Bowl winners simply do not make these kinds of mistakes. One or two mistakes can be overcome but when you start piling on the amount of mistakes that the Steelers made, in every facet of the game, it becomes near impossible to overcome. The Steelers tried their best to conquer them, nonetheless, and with two minutes and only 87 yards standing in their way they had an opportunity, but once again mistakes got the best of them. The Green Bay Packers deserve to be Super Bowl Champions today but in this game, it really was a case of the Pittsburgh Steelers not deserving.
Ben Roethlisberger had a subpar performance, especially by his lofty standards. Roethlisberger not only threw two interceptions but he missed a number of throws that he usually makes, most notably on the final fourth down pass to Mike Wallace. Roethlisberger’s pick six hurt, but it was one of those nothing you could do about it plays. His second interception, however, was a bad read, a bad throw and a big momentum killer for the Steelers who were moving the ball again after cutting the Packers lead to 14-3. There is certainly blame to be placed on Roethlisberger, but he is far from alone in that regard.
Rashard Mendenhall had a decent game himself. He ran for 63 yards on 14 carries including a nice eight-yard touchdown run. Mendenhall’s fumble, however, was probably the single biggest play of the game. The Steelers had cut the lead to four points, had begun establishing themselves on the ground and had all of the momentum on their side heading into the fourth quarter when Mendenhall fumbled on a second down and two play from the Packers’ 33-yard-line after being hit in the backfield. The play gave Green Bay the ball near midfield where they went on to score the eventual winning touchdown. The Steelers never quite recovered.
The Steelers defense, known all year for its ability to make big plays and prevent big plays from the opposition, accomplished neither. Dick LeBeau’s guys were unable to prevent Green Bay from scoring on both chances following Pittsburgh turnovers and were even worse in third down situations. Everyone will remember the 3rd and 10 pass to Greg Jennings in the fourth quarter as one of the key moments of the game, and it certainly was, but the Packers also converted five other critical third downs in the game and completed six passes over 20 yards. It was a poor performance from a unit that was widely considered the league’s best.
The special teams provided solid coverage and some decent returns but did their part in contributing mightily to the Steelers mistakes. Kicker Shaun Suisham missed a 52-yard field goal in the third quarter which would have cut the Packers lead to one. Sure, a 52-yarder is anything but a “gimme”, but indoors with no wind and perfect conditions this kick needs to be made. Suisham choked and kicked it about three miles wide left. Keyaron Fox, the Steelers special teams’ captain no-less, had an indefensible personal foul penalty called on the final kick return. This pushed the Steelers back to their own 13-yard-line to begin their final two-minute drive, one they would ultimately fail on with a chance to win the game.
Super Bowl winners simply do not make these kinds of mistakes. One or two mistakes can be overcome but when you start piling on the amount of mistakes that the Steelers made, in every facet of the game, it becomes near impossible to overcome. The Steelers tried their best to conquer them, nonetheless, and with two minutes and only 87 yards standing in their way they had an opportunity, but once again mistakes got the best of them. The Green Bay Packers deserve to be Super Bowl Champions today but in this game, it really was a case of the Pittsburgh Steelers not deserving.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Super Pick
It is that time to make an official pick for Super Bowl XLV. I thought about breaking this game down Dr. Jack Ramsey style but after two weeks of hearing about every angle of this game I’m guessing most people are just eager for kick-off. So let’s skip the bravado and get straight to the pick.
Everywhere you turn people have a different perspective on this one and with good reason…this game could easily go in a number of different ways. Two of the league’s top offenses go up against two of the league’s best defenses. I don’t think it would surprise anyone if this game ended in a low-scoring affair such as 17-14 or if the great quarterbacks involved began carving up these defenses and it turns into a shootout like the last time these two teams met. One thing that most people do expect, however, is a close game. Count me in that group as well, and for that reason I can’t help but pick the Steelers. I have seen Ben Roethlisberger too many times now with the game on the line elevate his play and lead his team to victory. Aaron Rodgers has shown that ability as well, and maybe this game will be the performance that puts Rodgers on a path towards legendary status just as Steve Young's performance in the Super Bowl some years ago did, but until that happens I am going with the proven guy in Roethlisberger.
Steelers win, 27-23.
Everywhere you turn people have a different perspective on this one and with good reason…this game could easily go in a number of different ways. Two of the league’s top offenses go up against two of the league’s best defenses. I don’t think it would surprise anyone if this game ended in a low-scoring affair such as 17-14 or if the great quarterbacks involved began carving up these defenses and it turns into a shootout like the last time these two teams met. One thing that most people do expect, however, is a close game. Count me in that group as well, and for that reason I can’t help but pick the Steelers. I have seen Ben Roethlisberger too many times now with the game on the line elevate his play and lead his team to victory. Aaron Rodgers has shown that ability as well, and maybe this game will be the performance that puts Rodgers on a path towards legendary status just as Steve Young's performance in the Super Bowl some years ago did, but until that happens I am going with the proven guy in Roethlisberger.
Steelers win, 27-23.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Super Bowl Smorgasbord
The Super Bowl is only three days away now and we are nearly finished with two weeks of over-the-top Super Bowl coverage from ESPN and every other major sports news outlet there is. Before tackling the actual game tomorrow, I wanted to dive into some of the storylines heading into the game and give my thoughts on some of the topics.
· It has been a relatively calm week so far in Dallas with the biggest story being reported on is how the Steelers, namely James Harrison, have attacked Roger Goodell and the NFL office. You know it has been a somewhat boring build-up when we are rehashing the same stories from week five of the regular season. The good news is that the game should more than make up for the lack of great stories heading in.
· The one story that did get a little pub was that a number of Steelers, including Hines Ward and Ike Taylor, were at a strip club Monday night. Any fan that has a problem with the Steelers enjoying themselves six nights before the Super Bowl with an off day following should get a life.
· I read an interesting take (and I forget where it came from now) wondering just why the Packers are the favorite in this game. The writer wondered how the Steelers with the better defense, better quarterback and better running game can be the underdog. That view makes a lot of sense until you remember just how darn good the Packers have looked over their past five games.
· Rod Woodson made a statement last week that Ben Roethlisberger is not a top 5 active quarterback. While I disagree with him completely I could certainly understand someone thinking that Big Ben is not top five if he were to put Manning, Brady, Brees, Rivers and Rodgers ahead of him. If nothing else, it is at least a completely defensible point of view. But Big Ben has to be close to that group doesn’t he? Woodson made it sound like Roethlisberger is nowhere near this elite category and defended his statement by saying that Roethlisberger played poorly in his first Super Bowl and that he has more to prove this offseason as a person. Come on Rod…you sounded old and bitter and backed up what could have been a defensible statement with garbage reasons. Woodson was a terrific player, one of the best of all time, but I don’t think he has much of a future as an analyst.
· I have no idea if Woodson even has an interest in being an analyst. My guess is that he does not or he would have already been hired by ESPN for his good looks and total lack of knowledge. If he needs references, Emmit Smith, Michael Irvin and Trent Dilfer are available.
· Normally I would put something about last Sunday’s Pro Bowl here but for at least the fifth straight year I didn’t see a minute of the game. Seriously, why does the NFL insist on playing this game? If they cannot attract hard-core fans like myself and others I know who were not watching, why not do away with the game and have some kind of fun skills competition or something?
· On the Green Bay side of things you want to talk about boring! At least from the Steelers perspective we have Harrison’s fines, Roethlisberger the changed man, whether Pouncey and Aaron Smith will play, Brett Keisel’s beard and even a strip club mention to talk about. Outside of actual football related stuff, there has been nothing fun to talk about happening on the Packers end. I have seen more articles about Brett Favre, Vince Lombardi and Cheeseheads than I have about the current team. We at least learned that B.J. Raji seems like a pretty cool dude.
When I started writing this piece I thought I would have much more to touch on but it has been a relatively quiet build-up towards Super Bowl XLV. For what it’s worth I really think that is a good thing. With the potential to be one of the all-time great Super Bowls it is fantastic that there really are no stories that could overshadow the game. I will be back tomorrow with my abbreviated breakdown of the game and my official prediction. Who knows, there is a chance I could put my Pittsburgh bias aside and pick what has looked like the best team in football over the past month…
· It has been a relatively calm week so far in Dallas with the biggest story being reported on is how the Steelers, namely James Harrison, have attacked Roger Goodell and the NFL office. You know it has been a somewhat boring build-up when we are rehashing the same stories from week five of the regular season. The good news is that the game should more than make up for the lack of great stories heading in.
· The one story that did get a little pub was that a number of Steelers, including Hines Ward and Ike Taylor, were at a strip club Monday night. Any fan that has a problem with the Steelers enjoying themselves six nights before the Super Bowl with an off day following should get a life.
· I read an interesting take (and I forget where it came from now) wondering just why the Packers are the favorite in this game. The writer wondered how the Steelers with the better defense, better quarterback and better running game can be the underdog. That view makes a lot of sense until you remember just how darn good the Packers have looked over their past five games.
· Rod Woodson made a statement last week that Ben Roethlisberger is not a top 5 active quarterback. While I disagree with him completely I could certainly understand someone thinking that Big Ben is not top five if he were to put Manning, Brady, Brees, Rivers and Rodgers ahead of him. If nothing else, it is at least a completely defensible point of view. But Big Ben has to be close to that group doesn’t he? Woodson made it sound like Roethlisberger is nowhere near this elite category and defended his statement by saying that Roethlisberger played poorly in his first Super Bowl and that he has more to prove this offseason as a person. Come on Rod…you sounded old and bitter and backed up what could have been a defensible statement with garbage reasons. Woodson was a terrific player, one of the best of all time, but I don’t think he has much of a future as an analyst.
· I have no idea if Woodson even has an interest in being an analyst. My guess is that he does not or he would have already been hired by ESPN for his good looks and total lack of knowledge. If he needs references, Emmit Smith, Michael Irvin and Trent Dilfer are available.
· Normally I would put something about last Sunday’s Pro Bowl here but for at least the fifth straight year I didn’t see a minute of the game. Seriously, why does the NFL insist on playing this game? If they cannot attract hard-core fans like myself and others I know who were not watching, why not do away with the game and have some kind of fun skills competition or something?
· On the Green Bay side of things you want to talk about boring! At least from the Steelers perspective we have Harrison’s fines, Roethlisberger the changed man, whether Pouncey and Aaron Smith will play, Brett Keisel’s beard and even a strip club mention to talk about. Outside of actual football related stuff, there has been nothing fun to talk about happening on the Packers end. I have seen more articles about Brett Favre, Vince Lombardi and Cheeseheads than I have about the current team. We at least learned that B.J. Raji seems like a pretty cool dude.
When I started writing this piece I thought I would have much more to touch on but it has been a relatively quiet build-up towards Super Bowl XLV. For what it’s worth I really think that is a good thing. With the potential to be one of the all-time great Super Bowls it is fantastic that there really are no stories that could overshadow the game. I will be back tomorrow with my abbreviated breakdown of the game and my official prediction. Who knows, there is a chance I could put my Pittsburgh bias aside and pick what has looked like the best team in football over the past month…
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Smorgasbord Time!
* Has Sidney Crosby become the best major professional athlete at his particular sport in the world right now? This argument has previously centered on Peyton Manning and LeBron James, with a little bit of Albert Pujols sprinkled in, but with what Crosby has done this year he has eliminated all challengers in hockey as the game’s best player.
* Crosby will look to extend his point streak to 26 games tonight against the Islanders. In case you were wondering, the record is 51 games by Wayne Gretzky at the start of the 1983-84 season. Mario Lemieux holds the team record with a 46 game scoring streak in the 89-90 season. There are only five scoring streaks of 30 or more games in NHL history.
* Did anyone else hear Chris Collinsworth criticize Adrian Petersen’s short yardage running last night? I wanted to jump through the TV and slap him in the face. AP is the best short yardage back in the NFL. I think he has failed to get the first down or touchdown on a 3rd or 4th and one situation approximately three times over the last two years.
* If you watched West Virginia’s offense in their bowl game last night you now know why they decided to hire Dana Holgorsen to run the show.
* Anyone else sick of hearing and seeing Matt Millen these days? Didn’t that guy get fired from the Lions for having no clue how to run a team?
* We are probably going to hear a lot in the next few days about the lack of Steelers who made the Pro-Bowl this year and I must say that I agree. Lawrence Timmons and Mike Wallace most certainly deserved a spot on the team and a strong case could be made for Casey Hampton, LaMarr Woodley, James Farrior and even a small one for Ben Roethlisberger, though I would have chosen the same three QBs who did make it.
* There is a good chance a few more Steelers will be named to the team through the alternate process after many players bow out of the game due to injury or just plain apathy. You can bet, however, that all of the Steelers hope that they will not be able to play in the Pro-Bowl due to a slightly more important game the following week.
* Despite the Pro-Bowl talk, you can be sure that the Steelers have all of their attention focused on the Cleveland Browns this week. They remember what happened last year when they went up there not ready to play and even more is on the line this year with a first round bye and the AFC’s #2 seed there for the taking.
* With Indianapolis needing a win to clinch their playoff spot and Kansas City having virtually nothing to play for, expect Peyton Manning and company to win Sunday and earn the #3 seed in the AFC (with a Chiefs loss to the Raiders). That should make Steelers fans worry. This Colts team is not particularly great, but number 18 can always beat you with his right arm.
* I heard a good bit of talk in Pittsburgh the past couple of weeks that this particular Pitt basketball team was overrated. I think that talk has been silenced for a little while. People have to realize in basketball that sometimes the basket looks like an ocean to the opposing team, and that certainly looked like the case when Pitt was dismantled by Tennessee. It was only one game in a long season, however, and this Pitt team is awfully deep and awfully talented. They proved that on Monday night.
* Crosby will look to extend his point streak to 26 games tonight against the Islanders. In case you were wondering, the record is 51 games by Wayne Gretzky at the start of the 1983-84 season. Mario Lemieux holds the team record with a 46 game scoring streak in the 89-90 season. There are only five scoring streaks of 30 or more games in NHL history.
* Did anyone else hear Chris Collinsworth criticize Adrian Petersen’s short yardage running last night? I wanted to jump through the TV and slap him in the face. AP is the best short yardage back in the NFL. I think he has failed to get the first down or touchdown on a 3rd or 4th and one situation approximately three times over the last two years.
* If you watched West Virginia’s offense in their bowl game last night you now know why they decided to hire Dana Holgorsen to run the show.
* Anyone else sick of hearing and seeing Matt Millen these days? Didn’t that guy get fired from the Lions for having no clue how to run a team?
* We are probably going to hear a lot in the next few days about the lack of Steelers who made the Pro-Bowl this year and I must say that I agree. Lawrence Timmons and Mike Wallace most certainly deserved a spot on the team and a strong case could be made for Casey Hampton, LaMarr Woodley, James Farrior and even a small one for Ben Roethlisberger, though I would have chosen the same three QBs who did make it.
* There is a good chance a few more Steelers will be named to the team through the alternate process after many players bow out of the game due to injury or just plain apathy. You can bet, however, that all of the Steelers hope that they will not be able to play in the Pro-Bowl due to a slightly more important game the following week.
* Despite the Pro-Bowl talk, you can be sure that the Steelers have all of their attention focused on the Cleveland Browns this week. They remember what happened last year when they went up there not ready to play and even more is on the line this year with a first round bye and the AFC’s #2 seed there for the taking.
* With Indianapolis needing a win to clinch their playoff spot and Kansas City having virtually nothing to play for, expect Peyton Manning and company to win Sunday and earn the #3 seed in the AFC (with a Chiefs loss to the Raiders). That should make Steelers fans worry. This Colts team is not particularly great, but number 18 can always beat you with his right arm.
* I heard a good bit of talk in Pittsburgh the past couple of weeks that this particular Pitt basketball team was overrated. I think that talk has been silenced for a little while. People have to realize in basketball that sometimes the basket looks like an ocean to the opposing team, and that certainly looked like the case when Pitt was dismantled by Tennessee. It was only one game in a long season, however, and this Pitt team is awfully deep and awfully talented. They proved that on Monday night.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Troy Should Sit (and Week 15 Picks)
Steelers safety Troy Polamalu will sit out today's game against the Jets and could possibly remain out until the Steelers enter the playoffs. I say good, let him sit. Despite the NFL's best attempt to make this Steelers-Jets game seem extremely important, the game is virtually meaningless to the Steelers. Even if the Steelers lose today, a win over the Panthers and Browns still clinches the #2 seed in the AFC, and that's even if Baltimore wins out. If Baltimore loses any of its remaining three games, something that seems more likely to happen than not, the Steelers can basically go on cruise control between now and the playoffs. Personally, I think the Steelers should be resting more players than just Polamalu today. By resting starters today, the Steelers would have given them ten days off between last Sunday and Thursday night's game with Carolina and another ten days off after that leading to Cleveland. That rest could have been invaluable heading into the playoffs. No matter if the Steelers rest or not, they look to be in great position heading into the playoffs and the goal now should be to get their guys healthy.
Last week I went 8-7-1 against the spread which included some heartbreaking losses with Indianapolis, Philadelphia and a gut-wrenching push with the Bucs. Still, the winning week pushed me back over .500 for the year at 101-100-7 and I got off to a good start this week with the Chargers on Thursday. Here we go...
(Home Team in Caps)
MIAMI (-5.5) over Buffalo
TAMPA BAY (-4) over Detroit
CINCINNATI (pk) over Cleveland
INDIANAPOLIS (-4) over Jacksonville
Arizona (+2.5) over CAROLINA
Philadelphia (+3) over NEW YORK GIANTS
New Orleans (+1) over BALTIMORE
SAINT LOUIS (-1) over Kansas City
DALLAS (-7) over Washington
Houston (+1) over TENNESSEE
Atlanta (-6) over SEATTLE
New York Jets (+6) over PITTSBURGH
OAKLAND (-6.5) over Denver
NEW ENGLAND (-13) over Green Bay
Chicago (-7) over MINNESOTA
Last week I went 8-7-1 against the spread which included some heartbreaking losses with Indianapolis, Philadelphia and a gut-wrenching push with the Bucs. Still, the winning week pushed me back over .500 for the year at 101-100-7 and I got off to a good start this week with the Chargers on Thursday. Here we go...
(Home Team in Caps)
MIAMI (-5.5) over Buffalo
TAMPA BAY (-4) over Detroit
CINCINNATI (pk) over Cleveland
INDIANAPOLIS (-4) over Jacksonville
Arizona (+2.5) over CAROLINA
Philadelphia (+3) over NEW YORK GIANTS
New Orleans (+1) over BALTIMORE
SAINT LOUIS (-1) over Kansas City
DALLAS (-7) over Washington
Houston (+1) over TENNESSEE
Atlanta (-6) over SEATTLE
New York Jets (+6) over PITTSBURGH
OAKLAND (-6.5) over Denver
NEW ENGLAND (-13) over Green Bay
Chicago (-7) over MINNESOTA
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Steelers Overreaction Too Soon and Week 11 Picks
Local sports talk and talk radio in Pittsburgh this week was dominated with overreaction to the Steelers loss last Sunday night to the Patriots. Grant it, the loss was not pretty. New England dominated the game on both sides of the ball for pretty much the entire game. But let’s be realistic here, in the last two Steelers’ losses they were up against world class QBs in Drew Brees and Tom Brady who were both fresh off one of their worst individual performances in years. It was no surprise to see both come out and play the way they did against the Steelers. Players of that caliber simply do not have two games in a row below par.
The Steelers are still 6-3 and in great position both IN the AFC North race and in the Conference. Sure the loss puts a big importance on today’s game with the Raiders, but if someone would have told you before the season that the Steelers would be sitting 6-3 and tied with the Ravens for the division lead heading into Week 11, I’m guessing most fans would have been ecstatic. I spent part of this week in Chicago on business and the Bears fans could not be more pleased with a 7-3 record. A Steelers win today would push Pittsburgh to 7-3 and Steelers fans should be just as happy. Expectations are certainly higher in the Steel City, and after last year’s midseason collapse I understand the worry, but the Steelers are in great position right now to make their push towards the playoffs. I joked with a buddy that it was the Steelers intention to refocus the team and squash the panic talk by turning attention to Jeff Reed and his dismissal. The Steelers have some worries, like the lack of pass rush against the Patriots and the injuries on the offensive line, but a win today and the Steelers are right where they want to be.
On to the Week 11 picks. Last week I cashed in at 8-6, a rare above .500 week for me over the last month or so. Let’s see if I can carry over some momentum…
(Home Team in Caps)
PITTSBURGH (-7) over Oakland
MINNESOTA (+3) over Green Bay
Washington (+7) over TENNESSEE
JACKSONVILLE (-1.5) over Cleveland
Baltimore (-10) over CAROLINA
DALLAS (-6.5) over Detroit
Houston (+7) over NEW YORK JETS
Arizona (+8) over KANSAS CITY
CINCINNATI (-5.5) over Buffalo
Seattle (+12) over NEW ORLEANS
Atlanta (-3) over SAINT LOUIS
Tampa Bay (+3) over SAN FRANCISCO
Indianapolis (+3.5) over NEW ENGLAND
PHILADELPHIA (-3) over New York Giants
SAN DIEGO (-10) over Denver
Chicago (+1) over MIAMI (Thursday night)
(This Week: 1-0; Last Week: 8-6; Overall: 63-75-6)
The Steelers are still 6-3 and in great position both IN the AFC North race and in the Conference. Sure the loss puts a big importance on today’s game with the Raiders, but if someone would have told you before the season that the Steelers would be sitting 6-3 and tied with the Ravens for the division lead heading into Week 11, I’m guessing most fans would have been ecstatic. I spent part of this week in Chicago on business and the Bears fans could not be more pleased with a 7-3 record. A Steelers win today would push Pittsburgh to 7-3 and Steelers fans should be just as happy. Expectations are certainly higher in the Steel City, and after last year’s midseason collapse I understand the worry, but the Steelers are in great position right now to make their push towards the playoffs. I joked with a buddy that it was the Steelers intention to refocus the team and squash the panic talk by turning attention to Jeff Reed and his dismissal. The Steelers have some worries, like the lack of pass rush against the Patriots and the injuries on the offensive line, but a win today and the Steelers are right where they want to be.
On to the Week 11 picks. Last week I cashed in at 8-6, a rare above .500 week for me over the last month or so. Let’s see if I can carry over some momentum…
(Home Team in Caps)
PITTSBURGH (-7) over Oakland
MINNESOTA (+3) over Green Bay
Washington (+7) over TENNESSEE
JACKSONVILLE (-1.5) over Cleveland
Baltimore (-10) over CAROLINA
DALLAS (-6.5) over Detroit
Houston (+7) over NEW YORK JETS
Arizona (+8) over KANSAS CITY
CINCINNATI (-5.5) over Buffalo
Seattle (+12) over NEW ORLEANS
Atlanta (-3) over SAINT LOUIS
Tampa Bay (+3) over SAN FRANCISCO
Indianapolis (+3.5) over NEW ENGLAND
PHILADELPHIA (-3) over New York Giants
SAN DIEGO (-10) over Denver
Chicago (+1) over MIAMI (Thursday night)
(This Week: 1-0; Last Week: 8-6; Overall: 63-75-6)
Friday, November 5, 2010
Friday Smorgasbord (Plus Week 9 Picks)
It has been a long week in The People’s Quarterback home as we get used to a crying baby and almost no sleep. With that, I have done very little writing this week so I have a ton of thoughts stored in the old memory bank. Let’s get some of those out in a Friday smorgasbord. Week nine NFL picks can be found at the end and let me tell you it was nice to get back on the winning side of things last week.
· Auburn and Oregon control their own destiny for a BCS title game appearance with Boise State and the TCU/Utah winner nipping on their heels. But for my money Alabama is still the best team in the country. Here’s hoping that Alabama wins out and meets Oregon for the National Championship in what would be one of the most anticipated championships in some time.
· Those that are against a NCAA football playoff system often site the importance of the regular season as one of the major reasons. That argument never made sense to me. Wouldn’t the Ohio State, Stanford, Wisconsin, Arizona and a bunch more regular seasons be that much more important if they were trying to battle their way into an eight or twelve team playoff. Sure we may lose the drama of one game here or there like the undefeated Michigan-Ohio St. clash a few years back but we would pick up about two dozen more do-or-die type games on the back end of the schedule. How much more exciting would the rest of Pitt’s season be if they had the inside track in the Big East to the playoffs and not just some trip to the Fiesta Bowl for an example?
· For the record, I am in favor of a playoff system AND bowl games. There is no reason that an eight or twelve (my particular favorites) team playoff cannot exist with the other bowl games played around them. Some argue that a playoff would take away from the importance of the other bowl games but that is bunk. The same people (fans, alumni, students, hard-core college football fans and gamblers) would be interested in the Gator or Pinstripe Bowl with or without a playoff. The real problem is deciding how to run the playoff system, which includes creating as much revenue as the current BCS bowls and how to divide it amongst the teams and conferences. I think these are problems that could easily be solved with time and effort and eventually more money could be made for the universities, but Presidents and Athletic Directors are afraid to turn away from a sure thing.
· With all do apologies to Kellen Moore, who is having a fantastic season for Boise State, the Heisman race at this point looks like a two man race between Cam Newton and LaMichael James. Unless one or both suffer an injury or their production severely drops off over the final few games, I’m guessing you will be seeing of these two young men holding the trophy in New York. I would vote for Newton right now.
· The Pirates are set to hire their new manager any day now and unless Clint Hurdle, currently the Texas Rangers hitting coach and former Colorado Rockies manager, knocks the Pirates’ management team’s socks off, it looks like former minor league coordinator Jeff Banister is going to get the job. Talk about hiring a “yes” man. General Manager Neil Huntington knows that it is his job that is next on the line and that his ability to keep it ties directly to the improvement of the big league club. I guess he wants to leave no chances with a manager who will do exactly as he says. I am sure Bob Nutting will not mind this hire either as Banister is sure to be the lowest paid manager in baseball.
· Congratulations to the San Francisco Giants for winning the World Series. The Giants won on great pitching, timely hitting, and a good amount of luck. People hate to hear the word luck involved with sports, especially when it is their favorite team, but the role it plays cannot be overstated enough. This is doubly true in playoff baseball where short series and small sample sizes are all that matters. Maybe if we begin using the word randomness, as I have heard some people refer to it by, it would become more accepted.
· One guy on the Giants that has nothing to do with luck is rookie catcher Buster Posey. The Pirates passed on Posey to select Pedro Alvarez, a move that now looks foolish in hindsight despite the promising rookie season Alvarez put in. Posey is very possibly the game’s second best catcher already at the young age of 23 behind only Joe Mauer.
· Randy Moss is slowly but surely forcing his way out of the NFL. I own Moss on two fantasy teams so I am hoping his move to Tennessee works out but if the reports of Moss’ behavior in Minnesota are true how many more teams are going to take a chance on a guy whose talents are already beginning to wane.
· That being said, Moss is still a game changer. If Randy’s head is on straight and he can stretch defenses and draw coverage away opening holes for Chris Johnson and throwing lanes for Vince Young, the Titans just got a whole lot more dangerous in the crowded AFC picture.
· Troy Polamalu spoke out this week about Commissioner Roger Goodell and his office having too much power. I say amen to that. Goodell’s ability to suspend, fine and basically do whatever he wants to players for both their on-field and off-field behavior should be a major sticking point for the Player’s Association in the upcoming labor negotiations.
· I am all for protecting player’s safety and while I thought the fine for James Harrison’s hit on the Browns receiver was excessive and borderline, I could at least understand it. Fining Harrison for his late hit on Drew Brees this past week simply does not make sense to me. How can you fine a guy for what I consider a normal football play? Sure, Harrison was a split second late, I agree, and the flag was thrown. Why is this action finable? Are guys going to get fined for holding? How about chop blocks, those are pretty dangerous? Harrison’s hit was not blatantly late or with harmful intentions, it was an illegal football play that deserved a flag and that’s it.
· On to this week’s NFL picks…Last week I went 7-6 (51-61-5 overall), finally getting on the winning side after three consecutive losing weeks. Hopefully I can carry that momentum over for this week and the rest of the season.
(Home Team in Caps)
ATLANTA (-8.5) over Tampa Bay – Because the Falcons are off of a bye week, at home where they’ve won 12 straight with Matt Ryan at QB, and the Falcons could be the class of the NFC.
Miami (+5) over BALTIMORE – Because the Dolphins have yet to lose a road game and can exploit the Ravens’ suspect secondary.
Chicago (-3) over BUFFALO – Because everyone thinks this is the game the Bills are finally going to win and because it is being played in Canada, not Buffalo.
CAROLINA (+6.5) over New Orleans – Because a home win on Halloween night is not going to rope me back in to believing the Saints are back.
New England (-4.5) over CLEVELAND – Because Bill Belichick loves taking out revenge on former employees like Eric Mangini.
New York Jets (-4) over DETROIT – Because the Jets are too good and too well coached not to bounce back in a big way.
HOUSTON (+3) over San Diego – Because San Diego should not be giving anyone points on the road especially with Tweedledee and Tweedledum catching the football.
MINNESOTA (-8) over Arizona – Because I am not sure if Arizona will complete more passes to Cardinals or Vikings.
New York Giants (-7) over SEATTLE – Because Charlie Whitehurst is starting at quarterback for the Seahawks and there is a good chance he does not finish it against this Giants pass rush.
Kansas City (+2.5) over OAKLAND – Because the Chiefs have won seven straight in Oakland and are a little further along in their rebuilding effort.
Indianapolis (+3) over PHILADELPHIA – Because Jim Caldwell has never lost to an NFC team since taking over the Colts and because the AFC is that much better than the NFC.
GREEN BAY (-7.5) over Dallas – Because the Cowboys have quit.
Pittsburgh (-4.5) over CINCINNATI – Because Carson Palmer stinks.
· Auburn and Oregon control their own destiny for a BCS title game appearance with Boise State and the TCU/Utah winner nipping on their heels. But for my money Alabama is still the best team in the country. Here’s hoping that Alabama wins out and meets Oregon for the National Championship in what would be one of the most anticipated championships in some time.
· Those that are against a NCAA football playoff system often site the importance of the regular season as one of the major reasons. That argument never made sense to me. Wouldn’t the Ohio State, Stanford, Wisconsin, Arizona and a bunch more regular seasons be that much more important if they were trying to battle their way into an eight or twelve team playoff. Sure we may lose the drama of one game here or there like the undefeated Michigan-Ohio St. clash a few years back but we would pick up about two dozen more do-or-die type games on the back end of the schedule. How much more exciting would the rest of Pitt’s season be if they had the inside track in the Big East to the playoffs and not just some trip to the Fiesta Bowl for an example?
· For the record, I am in favor of a playoff system AND bowl games. There is no reason that an eight or twelve (my particular favorites) team playoff cannot exist with the other bowl games played around them. Some argue that a playoff would take away from the importance of the other bowl games but that is bunk. The same people (fans, alumni, students, hard-core college football fans and gamblers) would be interested in the Gator or Pinstripe Bowl with or without a playoff. The real problem is deciding how to run the playoff system, which includes creating as much revenue as the current BCS bowls and how to divide it amongst the teams and conferences. I think these are problems that could easily be solved with time and effort and eventually more money could be made for the universities, but Presidents and Athletic Directors are afraid to turn away from a sure thing.
· With all do apologies to Kellen Moore, who is having a fantastic season for Boise State, the Heisman race at this point looks like a two man race between Cam Newton and LaMichael James. Unless one or both suffer an injury or their production severely drops off over the final few games, I’m guessing you will be seeing of these two young men holding the trophy in New York. I would vote for Newton right now.
· The Pirates are set to hire their new manager any day now and unless Clint Hurdle, currently the Texas Rangers hitting coach and former Colorado Rockies manager, knocks the Pirates’ management team’s socks off, it looks like former minor league coordinator Jeff Banister is going to get the job. Talk about hiring a “yes” man. General Manager Neil Huntington knows that it is his job that is next on the line and that his ability to keep it ties directly to the improvement of the big league club. I guess he wants to leave no chances with a manager who will do exactly as he says. I am sure Bob Nutting will not mind this hire either as Banister is sure to be the lowest paid manager in baseball.
· Congratulations to the San Francisco Giants for winning the World Series. The Giants won on great pitching, timely hitting, and a good amount of luck. People hate to hear the word luck involved with sports, especially when it is their favorite team, but the role it plays cannot be overstated enough. This is doubly true in playoff baseball where short series and small sample sizes are all that matters. Maybe if we begin using the word randomness, as I have heard some people refer to it by, it would become more accepted.
· One guy on the Giants that has nothing to do with luck is rookie catcher Buster Posey. The Pirates passed on Posey to select Pedro Alvarez, a move that now looks foolish in hindsight despite the promising rookie season Alvarez put in. Posey is very possibly the game’s second best catcher already at the young age of 23 behind only Joe Mauer.
· Randy Moss is slowly but surely forcing his way out of the NFL. I own Moss on two fantasy teams so I am hoping his move to Tennessee works out but if the reports of Moss’ behavior in Minnesota are true how many more teams are going to take a chance on a guy whose talents are already beginning to wane.
· That being said, Moss is still a game changer. If Randy’s head is on straight and he can stretch defenses and draw coverage away opening holes for Chris Johnson and throwing lanes for Vince Young, the Titans just got a whole lot more dangerous in the crowded AFC picture.
· Troy Polamalu spoke out this week about Commissioner Roger Goodell and his office having too much power. I say amen to that. Goodell’s ability to suspend, fine and basically do whatever he wants to players for both their on-field and off-field behavior should be a major sticking point for the Player’s Association in the upcoming labor negotiations.
· I am all for protecting player’s safety and while I thought the fine for James Harrison’s hit on the Browns receiver was excessive and borderline, I could at least understand it. Fining Harrison for his late hit on Drew Brees this past week simply does not make sense to me. How can you fine a guy for what I consider a normal football play? Sure, Harrison was a split second late, I agree, and the flag was thrown. Why is this action finable? Are guys going to get fined for holding? How about chop blocks, those are pretty dangerous? Harrison’s hit was not blatantly late or with harmful intentions, it was an illegal football play that deserved a flag and that’s it.
· On to this week’s NFL picks…Last week I went 7-6 (51-61-5 overall), finally getting on the winning side after three consecutive losing weeks. Hopefully I can carry that momentum over for this week and the rest of the season.
(Home Team in Caps)
ATLANTA (-8.5) over Tampa Bay – Because the Falcons are off of a bye week, at home where they’ve won 12 straight with Matt Ryan at QB, and the Falcons could be the class of the NFC.
Miami (+5) over BALTIMORE – Because the Dolphins have yet to lose a road game and can exploit the Ravens’ suspect secondary.
Chicago (-3) over BUFFALO – Because everyone thinks this is the game the Bills are finally going to win and because it is being played in Canada, not Buffalo.
CAROLINA (+6.5) over New Orleans – Because a home win on Halloween night is not going to rope me back in to believing the Saints are back.
New England (-4.5) over CLEVELAND – Because Bill Belichick loves taking out revenge on former employees like Eric Mangini.
New York Jets (-4) over DETROIT – Because the Jets are too good and too well coached not to bounce back in a big way.
HOUSTON (+3) over San Diego – Because San Diego should not be giving anyone points on the road especially with Tweedledee and Tweedledum catching the football.
MINNESOTA (-8) over Arizona – Because I am not sure if Arizona will complete more passes to Cardinals or Vikings.
New York Giants (-7) over SEATTLE – Because Charlie Whitehurst is starting at quarterback for the Seahawks and there is a good chance he does not finish it against this Giants pass rush.
Kansas City (+2.5) over OAKLAND – Because the Chiefs have won seven straight in Oakland and are a little further along in their rebuilding effort.
Indianapolis (+3) over PHILADELPHIA – Because Jim Caldwell has never lost to an NFC team since taking over the Colts and because the AFC is that much better than the NFC.
GREEN BAY (-7.5) over Dallas – Because the Cowboys have quit.
Pittsburgh (-4.5) over CINCINNATI – Because Carson Palmer stinks.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Steelers Defense Looks Super Worthy
While the New York Jets defense received all of the praise and attention this offseason, and the Baltimore Ravens defense is now bringing up all kinds of nostalgia talk after their dominating performance Monday night, it is the Pittsburgh Steelers who may very quietly have the best defense in the NFL once again. I mentioned in every conversation that I had this offseason concerning how the Steelers would perform without Ben Roethlisberger that I thought people were severely underestimating this Steelers defense. This is the same defense that just less than 20 months ago was being compared to the greatest defenses of all time. Last year defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau saw the departures of two of his starters in Larry Foote and Bryant McFadden AND saw his two best players miss the majority of the season to injuries. How many offensive or defensive units in the league could sustain injuries to their top two players and still perform at a top 5 level like the Steelers did last year?
Now the Steelers not only have a healthy Troy Polamalu and Aaron Smith back but Foote and McFadden have returned, Ziggy Hood looks like another good defensive lineman, and Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley have another year of experience under their belts. To put this in perspective, not only do the Steelers have the same personnel as they did in a historical season just two years ago, they are now deeper and have more youth sprinkled in the mix. The Steelers could play out the balance of the season with Dennis Dixon or Byron Leftwich at quarterback and still be in the playoff hunt with this defense. Once Big Ben returns, and obviously health-dependent, this team should be shooting for nothing less than a return trip to the Super Bowl. This defense should be simply that good.
On Sunday, the Steelers held Michael Turner to 42 yards on 19 carries, roughly 60 yards less than his average per game since joining the Falcons, and held the Falcons to just nine points despite the Steelers inability to sustain drives on the offensive side of the ball. This is no cream-puff offense either, as the Falcons finished 13th in the NFL last year in points at nearly 23 per game despite missing Turner for nearly half of the season. The only Falcon that hurt the Steelers was WR Roddy White, who the Steelers were happy to give up out patterns and not allow him to make the big play. White may have had 13 catches, but his longest was for just 18 yards. The Steelers also recorded two sacks and Polamalu’s wonderful interception that went for nothing after Jeff Reed missed the game winning kick in the final seconds. You would like to see a little more pressure on the quarterback, but all in all it was a dominating performance by the Steelers defense, something they will need again in Tennessee.
Here are some other observations as we look back at week one's win over Atlanta and ahead to the tough match-up at the Titans this coming Sunday:
* I have heard a lot more complaining than I expected over Dennis Dixon’s performance. I am not sure what fans are expecting out of their back-up quarterback. Hell, Dixon’s performance was better than that of at least 12 starters around the league this past weekend. Dixon finished 18-26 for 236 yards and one interception that halted a potential scoring drive. Dixon was solid but not spectacular and avoided making any costly mistakes in the second half of a close game. No question that Dixon missed a couple of throws to the outside, and I think that was the result of him deliberately throwing balls low to avoid interceptions, but had Leftwich or Batch put up the same numbers in a Steelers’ win I do not think for one second we would be hearing the same complaints. Dixon is not the second coming of Dan Marino, but I thought there were some positives in the way he threw the ball. Now the Steelers need to incorporate the use of Dixon’s legs into the offense to truly take advantage of his skill set.
* One of these days Hines Ward will have to slow down after all these years of physical football but if Sunday is any indication, this season will not be the one.
* I thought the offensive line played reasonably well. Dixon was sacked three times, but for the most part had some time to throw and the blocking on Mendenhall’s game winning run was phenomenal. Two of the sacks occurred back to back as the Steelers reached midfield trying to put together a game winning scoring drive. On the one, I thought it was Dixon who held the ball too long and the other looked like a full out blitz. Despite doing an ok job, the Steelers will need a big performance from this unit if they are going to go on the road and move the ball against the Titans, especially in the absence of left tackle Max Starks.
* I was initially very surprised by Mike Tomlin’s decision to attempt a 55-yard field goal near the end of the first half but after seeing Reed hit the upright I was absolutely fine with his decision. In hindsight of course the move was wrong as it cost the Steelers three points when the Falcons maneuvered their way into field goal position of their own and capitalized, but if your kicker can make the field goal, you have to go after the points in a game where points are scarce. Tomlin has to have faith in his defense to make a stop there if Reed misses, one of the few things they were unable to do on Sunday.
* Looking ahead to this week’s game with Tennessee, the match-up is a good one for the Steelers in terms of having to go on the road to face a quality opponent. The Titans offense is built around running the football, something that the Steelers just do not allow to happen. In last year’s meeting, Chris Johnson was held to 57 yards on 15 carries, his second lowest outing of the year, in a 13-10 Steelers win. Pittsburgh will be looking to play a very similar style game by focusing on Johnson, keeping the scoring low, and finding a way in the fourth quarter to win.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Dixon Would Be My Starter
Today was day three of the ongoing debate in the sports-talk radio world that I am sure Pittsburghers will not hear the end of until the Steelers either win their opening game against the Atlanta Falcons or Ben Roethlisberger returns from his suspension. The debate, of course, is who should be the Steelers starting quarterback in Roethlisberger’s absence, Byron Leftwich or Dennis Dixon. The answer to me is quite simple: Dennis Dixon should be the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback until he proves otherwise.
My take has nothing to do with Dixon’s performance Saturday night in a meaningless preseason game against the Detroit Lions’ third stringers. Quite the contrary, actually, as I spent my Saturday night at a bachelor party drinking roughly 107 beers, give or take a few, hardly watching any of the Steelers exhibition, I mean preseason, game. I thought Dixon should have been named the starter the second Roethlisberger was suspended, with Leftwich brought in as insurance in case Dixon falters.
This has nothing to do with Leftwich, who has accomplished more in this league than I am guessing Dixon ever does. Leftwich, at 30-years-old, is no longer a starter in this league. He is the perfect back-up, a guy who can come in as a veteran and get the job done in case of an injury on a short-term basis. It is the same job that Charlie Batch has pretty much perfected in his time as a Steeler. Leftwich, however, has proven that he is no longer a starter in this league, at least as a viable starter for a team hoping to contend for a Super Bowl. With Dixon, the jury is still out.
It would have been much easier for Mike Tomlin and the coaching staff to turn to Leftwich in game one, or game two or whenever it became clear that Dixon was not putting the Steelers in the best position to win games if it came to that. If Leftwich falters, is Tomlin really going to feel comfortable turning the team over to an unknown in Dixon? Besides, this is a team, and more specifically an offense, built around the unique talents of its quarterback. With a shabby line and mediocre wide receivers (this is probably a bit of an understatement but the Steelers’ wide-outs are not exactly Jerry Rice and John Taylor), the Steelers offense relied heavily on Ben Roethlisberger to make big plays happen. Byron Leftwich does not have this ability, and more likely could be a sitting duck in the Steelers backfield without significant improvement in the offensive line play. With Leftwich, who WILL be the starter by the way, the Steelers will most certainly deploy a run-oriented attack, trying to keep games close and win games with their defense in Roethlisberger’s absence.
The Steelers would have used the same style with Dixon under center. But Dixon, on the other hand, would have given the Steelers the potential play-making ability with his legs that Leftwich does not have and that the offense desperately needs. Dixon showed last year in the Baltimore game that he could play this style and occasionally give the Steelers that big play with his legs. A year older and more mature, who knows, maybe Dixon could have built on that game and become a potential starter somewhere down the line in this league. Worst case scenario is that Dixon proved an incapable passer and the Steelers could have quickly turned the team over to Leftwich at that point.
It looks like it will not matter what I think, not that it ever really would or should have mattered, as Tomlin and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians seem to have made up their minds and decided to go the safer route in Byron Leftwich. If Byron can get at least two victories or more in those first four games without Roethlisberger, you will hear no complaints from this forum. I would have went with Dixon, however, and if the Steelers do indeed stumble out of the gates, there will be a lot of second guessing of Mike Tomlin and the Steelers’ decision.
My take has nothing to do with Dixon’s performance Saturday night in a meaningless preseason game against the Detroit Lions’ third stringers. Quite the contrary, actually, as I spent my Saturday night at a bachelor party drinking roughly 107 beers, give or take a few, hardly watching any of the Steelers exhibition, I mean preseason, game. I thought Dixon should have been named the starter the second Roethlisberger was suspended, with Leftwich brought in as insurance in case Dixon falters.
This has nothing to do with Leftwich, who has accomplished more in this league than I am guessing Dixon ever does. Leftwich, at 30-years-old, is no longer a starter in this league. He is the perfect back-up, a guy who can come in as a veteran and get the job done in case of an injury on a short-term basis. It is the same job that Charlie Batch has pretty much perfected in his time as a Steeler. Leftwich, however, has proven that he is no longer a starter in this league, at least as a viable starter for a team hoping to contend for a Super Bowl. With Dixon, the jury is still out.
It would have been much easier for Mike Tomlin and the coaching staff to turn to Leftwich in game one, or game two or whenever it became clear that Dixon was not putting the Steelers in the best position to win games if it came to that. If Leftwich falters, is Tomlin really going to feel comfortable turning the team over to an unknown in Dixon? Besides, this is a team, and more specifically an offense, built around the unique talents of its quarterback. With a shabby line and mediocre wide receivers (this is probably a bit of an understatement but the Steelers’ wide-outs are not exactly Jerry Rice and John Taylor), the Steelers offense relied heavily on Ben Roethlisberger to make big plays happen. Byron Leftwich does not have this ability, and more likely could be a sitting duck in the Steelers backfield without significant improvement in the offensive line play. With Leftwich, who WILL be the starter by the way, the Steelers will most certainly deploy a run-oriented attack, trying to keep games close and win games with their defense in Roethlisberger’s absence.
The Steelers would have used the same style with Dixon under center. But Dixon, on the other hand, would have given the Steelers the potential play-making ability with his legs that Leftwich does not have and that the offense desperately needs. Dixon showed last year in the Baltimore game that he could play this style and occasionally give the Steelers that big play with his legs. A year older and more mature, who knows, maybe Dixon could have built on that game and become a potential starter somewhere down the line in this league. Worst case scenario is that Dixon proved an incapable passer and the Steelers could have quickly turned the team over to Leftwich at that point.
It looks like it will not matter what I think, not that it ever really would or should have mattered, as Tomlin and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians seem to have made up their minds and decided to go the safer route in Byron Leftwich. If Byron can get at least two victories or more in those first four games without Roethlisberger, you will hear no complaints from this forum. I would have went with Dixon, however, and if the Steelers do indeed stumble out of the gates, there will be a lot of second guessing of Mike Tomlin and the Steelers’ decision.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Six-Pack of NFL Preseason Thoughts
With training camp in full gear and the first preseason game now behind us, here are some of my early thoughts on the 2010 season across the NFL. As we move closer to the actual start of the season, I am sure many of these points will be hit on again. Here we go…
· Many people are making a very big deal out of the Steelers first four games without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. This is coming primarily from the perceived notion that the Bengals and Ravens are going to be very good. I, for one, am not worried. If the Steelers can manage a 2-2 record, something that I believe is easily attainable (the Steelers will be the favorite in three of their opening four games, and potentially all four with the Ravens at home depending on how they have played), it will set them up to be in prime position for a playoff run when Roethlisberger returns. The Bengals and Ravens won 10 and 9 games last year, respectively, and have made some slight upgrades in the offseason, but none that should have Steelers’ fans worried that they will run away with the division.
· The Steelers will return Troy Polamalu and Aaron Smith back to a defense that was one of the greatest defensive units ever only two years ago. The Steelers have also brought back veterans Larry Foote and Bryant McFadden to add stability, depth and flexibility on the defense. Those additions are far superior to the additions of Terrell Owens in Cincinnati and Anquan Boldin in Baltimore. Cincinnati’s play will be heavily dependent on Carson Palmer, who has not looked like the same quarterback since Kimo von Oelhoffen ripped up every ligament in his knee a few years back. Similarly, the Ravens high expectations are dependent on the play of QB Joe Flacco. Flacco has shown flashes but is far from a sure-thing at the most important position. Without a return to the old Palmer or a significant upgrade in Flacco’s play, the Ravens and Bengals will be right around the 9 or 10 win mark again, leaving the Steelers in fine shape when their own QB returns, a guy that they know will give them superb play.
· I loved the Redskins acquisition of Donovan McNabb and believe he has plenty left in the tank. That is no knock on Jason Campbell either who I also believe can be an average to slightly-above average NFL quarterback, and who I also think was a good grab by the Raiders, potentially allowing the Black Hole to return to respectability. Philadelphia, meanwhile, could be left kicking themselves if they end up the odd-man out in a playoff race after trading their franchise cornerstone to a divisional rival. Andy Reid is an excellent offensive coach, but we will soon find out if he is right about fourth-year quarterback Kevin Kolb. I certainly have some doubts. More on McNabb in an upcoming feature post.
· The AFC looks far superior to the NFC on paper this year. In the NFC, only the winner out West will make the playoffs and I can see only eight possible teams in the hunt for the other five playoff spots (Green Bay, Minnesota, New Orleans, Atlanta and the four NFC East teams). Meanwhile, the only AFC teams that I think you can completely write-off in the preseason are the Browns, Bills and Chiefs.
· In the NFC, only the Saints and Cowboys have the look of Super Bowl contenders at this point. I think Green Bay, New York and Minnesota (obviously dependent on you know who) could potentially join them. Minnesota would be my favorite if Favre plays, and I think he does return at some point, but as long as Tavaris Jackson is the man flinging balls for the Vikes, I give them no shot at a Super Bowl appearance.
· It would not surprise me in the AFC, however, if any one of a number of teams made an appearance in Super Bowl XLV (that’s 45 for those that aren’t up to speed on their Roman numerals). If I told you that Indianapolis, New England, San Diego, Baltimore, New York (Jets), Cincinnati or even Pittsburgh made the Super Bowl this year you would not be shocked. For my money, it really only comes down to Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Phillip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger. It would take an unbelievable effort to knock two or three of these guys out of the playoffs in succession without superb quarterback play of your own, something that the Jets found out the hard way last postseason. That is why Carson Palmer, Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez will be the three guys I am watching most closely as the season begins.
· Many people are making a very big deal out of the Steelers first four games without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. This is coming primarily from the perceived notion that the Bengals and Ravens are going to be very good. I, for one, am not worried. If the Steelers can manage a 2-2 record, something that I believe is easily attainable (the Steelers will be the favorite in three of their opening four games, and potentially all four with the Ravens at home depending on how they have played), it will set them up to be in prime position for a playoff run when Roethlisberger returns. The Bengals and Ravens won 10 and 9 games last year, respectively, and have made some slight upgrades in the offseason, but none that should have Steelers’ fans worried that they will run away with the division.
· The Steelers will return Troy Polamalu and Aaron Smith back to a defense that was one of the greatest defensive units ever only two years ago. The Steelers have also brought back veterans Larry Foote and Bryant McFadden to add stability, depth and flexibility on the defense. Those additions are far superior to the additions of Terrell Owens in Cincinnati and Anquan Boldin in Baltimore. Cincinnati’s play will be heavily dependent on Carson Palmer, who has not looked like the same quarterback since Kimo von Oelhoffen ripped up every ligament in his knee a few years back. Similarly, the Ravens high expectations are dependent on the play of QB Joe Flacco. Flacco has shown flashes but is far from a sure-thing at the most important position. Without a return to the old Palmer or a significant upgrade in Flacco’s play, the Ravens and Bengals will be right around the 9 or 10 win mark again, leaving the Steelers in fine shape when their own QB returns, a guy that they know will give them superb play.
· I loved the Redskins acquisition of Donovan McNabb and believe he has plenty left in the tank. That is no knock on Jason Campbell either who I also believe can be an average to slightly-above average NFL quarterback, and who I also think was a good grab by the Raiders, potentially allowing the Black Hole to return to respectability. Philadelphia, meanwhile, could be left kicking themselves if they end up the odd-man out in a playoff race after trading their franchise cornerstone to a divisional rival. Andy Reid is an excellent offensive coach, but we will soon find out if he is right about fourth-year quarterback Kevin Kolb. I certainly have some doubts. More on McNabb in an upcoming feature post.
· The AFC looks far superior to the NFC on paper this year. In the NFC, only the winner out West will make the playoffs and I can see only eight possible teams in the hunt for the other five playoff spots (Green Bay, Minnesota, New Orleans, Atlanta and the four NFC East teams). Meanwhile, the only AFC teams that I think you can completely write-off in the preseason are the Browns, Bills and Chiefs.
· In the NFC, only the Saints and Cowboys have the look of Super Bowl contenders at this point. I think Green Bay, New York and Minnesota (obviously dependent on you know who) could potentially join them. Minnesota would be my favorite if Favre plays, and I think he does return at some point, but as long as Tavaris Jackson is the man flinging balls for the Vikes, I give them no shot at a Super Bowl appearance.
· It would not surprise me in the AFC, however, if any one of a number of teams made an appearance in Super Bowl XLV (that’s 45 for those that aren’t up to speed on their Roman numerals). If I told you that Indianapolis, New England, San Diego, Baltimore, New York (Jets), Cincinnati or even Pittsburgh made the Super Bowl this year you would not be shocked. For my money, it really only comes down to Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Phillip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger. It would take an unbelievable effort to knock two or three of these guys out of the playoffs in succession without superb quarterback play of your own, something that the Jets found out the hard way last postseason. That is why Carson Palmer, Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez will be the three guys I am watching most closely as the season begins.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Overdue Draft Thoughts
The Blog has been on hiatus the past few days, much like the Pittsburgh Baseball Club until Ryan Doumit’s power stroke made a comeback during the final two days in Milwaukee. I, at least, have an excuse since I have a real job that pays my bills and have been traveling for it, unlike the Pirates whose job it is to play baseball. Anyways…over the next couple of posts we will have to catch up on all that is happening around the world of sports, starting today with some overdue draft thoughts. It might be a day late and a few over-the-top analysis words short, but here are some of my thoughts on the Steelers’ 2010 Draft:
• I was pushing for and hoping the Steelers would take a corner in the first round of the draft as I thought it would be the most impactful position for the 2010 Steelers. With Kyle Wilson and Kareem Jackson on the board, Mike Tomlin and company still selected center/guard Maurkice Pouncey from Florida. The more that I thought about the pick, the more that I really liked it. Pouncey is going to start right away and hopefully sure up the interior of a line that has struggled a bit in recent seasons. That will be just as impactful as a cornerback, and could solidify the center position for the next ten years as well.
• One reason that I started to really like the Pouncey pick is that from the outside, you cannot tell what management and the coaching staff thinks about their own players. Maybe the Steelers had confidence in William Gay to rebound from a tough year to perform at the level he did in 2008. Maybe they really like Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett and think each could be a solid contributor this year. When the Steelers passed on Golden Tate in the second round, I started to think that maybe Tomlin and the coaching staff still have confidence in Limas Sweed and that maybe Hines does have 2-3 good years left in him. And then…
• The Steelers drafted Emmanuel Sanders from SMU in the third round at WR and traded for Bryant McFadden to return to Pittsburgh after a year in the desert at cornerback. I am not criticizing these actions on their own merit, Sanders may turn into a very good slot receiver and McFadden offers depth and insurance in the secondary and basically cost the Steelers nothing but a few extra dollars. What it does tell me, however, is that the Steelers do not have confidence in their secondary as currently constituted and do not believe Limas Sweed is ever going to offer them much. Wide receiver and cornerback will definitely be the big question marks for the Steelers as they enter training camp in a couple of months.
• As for the rest of the Steelers draft, I was not overwhelmed. After the Sanders pick in the third round, I wish they would have pulled the trigger on Golden Tate in the second and see if they could have landed Worilds or a similar player in the third. I think Tate could be a dynamic player in this league and could have been groomed to take over for Ward in a couple of years. The linebackers the Steelers took, three in total, will all be projects while contributing on special teams in the meantime. It is impossible to assess a draft class until a few years down the line, but that will be doubly true for this Steelers’ draft class as most will not be expected to contribute for a few years, except for Maurkice Pouncey of course.
• I was pushing for and hoping the Steelers would take a corner in the first round of the draft as I thought it would be the most impactful position for the 2010 Steelers. With Kyle Wilson and Kareem Jackson on the board, Mike Tomlin and company still selected center/guard Maurkice Pouncey from Florida. The more that I thought about the pick, the more that I really liked it. Pouncey is going to start right away and hopefully sure up the interior of a line that has struggled a bit in recent seasons. That will be just as impactful as a cornerback, and could solidify the center position for the next ten years as well.
• One reason that I started to really like the Pouncey pick is that from the outside, you cannot tell what management and the coaching staff thinks about their own players. Maybe the Steelers had confidence in William Gay to rebound from a tough year to perform at the level he did in 2008. Maybe they really like Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett and think each could be a solid contributor this year. When the Steelers passed on Golden Tate in the second round, I started to think that maybe Tomlin and the coaching staff still have confidence in Limas Sweed and that maybe Hines does have 2-3 good years left in him. And then…
• The Steelers drafted Emmanuel Sanders from SMU in the third round at WR and traded for Bryant McFadden to return to Pittsburgh after a year in the desert at cornerback. I am not criticizing these actions on their own merit, Sanders may turn into a very good slot receiver and McFadden offers depth and insurance in the secondary and basically cost the Steelers nothing but a few extra dollars. What it does tell me, however, is that the Steelers do not have confidence in their secondary as currently constituted and do not believe Limas Sweed is ever going to offer them much. Wide receiver and cornerback will definitely be the big question marks for the Steelers as they enter training camp in a couple of months.
• As for the rest of the Steelers draft, I was not overwhelmed. After the Sanders pick in the third round, I wish they would have pulled the trigger on Golden Tate in the second and see if they could have landed Worilds or a similar player in the third. I think Tate could be a dynamic player in this league and could have been groomed to take over for Ward in a couple of years. The linebackers the Steelers took, three in total, will all be projects while contributing on special teams in the meantime. It is impossible to assess a draft class until a few years down the line, but that will be doubly true for this Steelers’ draft class as most will not be expected to contribute for a few years, except for Maurkice Pouncey of course.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Leftover Santonio Thoughts
Here are some leftover thoughts of mine on the Santonio Holmes trade as I read through all of the news pieces and opinion columns on the trade today:
· Everyone, and I mean everyone, agrees that the Steelers did not receive fair value for a player of Holmes’ caliber. However, it was reported that the Steelers were going to release Holmes and his problems anyway and thus I am sure other teams either knew this or suspected this, thus lowering the Steelers’ bargaining power.
· I said yesterday that this is a ploy by the Steelers to once again act as though they are above other NFL organizations. I said this in a derogatory manner. I actually like this about the Rooneys and the Steelers organization and believe they are one of the best owners in the business. I just think fans need to realize that winning and money come first, then character and perception. The Steelers feel as though they can win without Santonio, and they are probably right, so his antics were not worth putting up with.
· The Steelers cannot win, at least not immediately, without Roethlisberger, so do not expect to see him as the next one packing his bags. This does, hopefully, send a message to Ben that everyone is fair game to be shown the door if their conduct does not meet professional standards. There is some hypocrisy involved, but I would rather the Steelers value winning first, while doing their best to employ good citizens when possible.
· Ed Bouchette, who covers the Steelers inside and out, basically said on his Pittsburgh Post Gazette blog that many of his teammates would be happy to see Santonio leave. Never have I, or anyone I have talked with, ever heard that Holmes was not a well-liked teammate. He certainly seemed to get along with Roethlisberger and the two had a strong chemistry on the field. I will take Mr. Bouchette’s words as truth, however, as he is in and around the team almost every day. If Holmes was not liked inside the locker room and was behaving as poorly as he was off the field, it makes the trade much easier to understand.
· I said a little while back that the Steelers must have been lying to Randle El that he would be the #3 WR. They were not lying to him; they must have known all along that Santonio could be gone at any minute. Mike Wallace will step into Holmes’ #2 role and deep play threat immediately. Hopefully the production will not drop off too much, but the Steelers must look closely at receivers in the draft now to fill the void in production of a #3 WR and another home run threat that they lose with Wallace’s increased role.
· Finally, I am still a big critic of this trade. At the very least, the Steelers got absolutely minimal value for a very important player in their pass-happy system. They have significantly weakened their chances at a seventh Super Bowl this upcoming season, and more importantly, have taken a weapon away from their franchise quarterback. Maybe that was the intent, however, to show Ben Roethlisberger that they are done catering to him. It is time for Roethlisberger to take ownership of his team and his actions if there is going to be a longtime marriage between him and the Steelers’ organization.
· Everyone, and I mean everyone, agrees that the Steelers did not receive fair value for a player of Holmes’ caliber. However, it was reported that the Steelers were going to release Holmes and his problems anyway and thus I am sure other teams either knew this or suspected this, thus lowering the Steelers’ bargaining power.
· I said yesterday that this is a ploy by the Steelers to once again act as though they are above other NFL organizations. I said this in a derogatory manner. I actually like this about the Rooneys and the Steelers organization and believe they are one of the best owners in the business. I just think fans need to realize that winning and money come first, then character and perception. The Steelers feel as though they can win without Santonio, and they are probably right, so his antics were not worth putting up with.
· The Steelers cannot win, at least not immediately, without Roethlisberger, so do not expect to see him as the next one packing his bags. This does, hopefully, send a message to Ben that everyone is fair game to be shown the door if their conduct does not meet professional standards. There is some hypocrisy involved, but I would rather the Steelers value winning first, while doing their best to employ good citizens when possible.
· Ed Bouchette, who covers the Steelers inside and out, basically said on his Pittsburgh Post Gazette blog that many of his teammates would be happy to see Santonio leave. Never have I, or anyone I have talked with, ever heard that Holmes was not a well-liked teammate. He certainly seemed to get along with Roethlisberger and the two had a strong chemistry on the field. I will take Mr. Bouchette’s words as truth, however, as he is in and around the team almost every day. If Holmes was not liked inside the locker room and was behaving as poorly as he was off the field, it makes the trade much easier to understand.
· I said a little while back that the Steelers must have been lying to Randle El that he would be the #3 WR. They were not lying to him; they must have known all along that Santonio could be gone at any minute. Mike Wallace will step into Holmes’ #2 role and deep play threat immediately. Hopefully the production will not drop off too much, but the Steelers must look closely at receivers in the draft now to fill the void in production of a #3 WR and another home run threat that they lose with Wallace’s increased role.
· Finally, I am still a big critic of this trade. At the very least, the Steelers got absolutely minimal value for a very important player in their pass-happy system. They have significantly weakened their chances at a seventh Super Bowl this upcoming season, and more importantly, have taken a weapon away from their franchise quarterback. Maybe that was the intent, however, to show Ben Roethlisberger that they are done catering to him. It is time for Roethlisberger to take ownership of his team and his actions if there is going to be a longtime marriage between him and the Steelers’ organization.
Santonio Trade Is Ridiculous!
Reports are circulating, including one from ESPN, that wide receiver Santonio Holmes has been traded to the New York Jets for a 5th round pick in this year’s draft. If the reports are true, I find it absolutely, positively ridiculous and I am shocked. Yes, Santonio might smoke pot, yes Santonio might party a little too much, and yes, Santonio might be a complete moron judging by some of his twitter posts among other transgressions, but if the Steelers were to get rid of every guy who smokes pot, parties and is a dummy they might go 0-16 every year. If the NFL, for that matter, got rid of all guys who fit that profile I do not think the league would last very long. The reality is that Holmes can absolutely do what he is paid to do, and that is play football.
And a fifth round pick, are you serious? If Holmes were entering the NFL Draft this year he would absolutely be a first round pick, probably the first receiver taken in the draft. Even if the accusations from the Florida nightclub are true (which they sound like they are not) or the rumors of another failed drug test are true (no proof of this has been presented either) and Holmes is suspended for a portion of the season, he would still be a valuable piece to whatever team he plays for. Holmes has nearly 4,000 yards already in his four seasons in the league. He has averaged over 16 yards per catch in his career and has 20 TDs despite being taken out in the red zone on most opportunities. Did I mention he is yet to turn 26? Did I forget about his Super Bowl MVP? And the Steelers are trading him for a 5th round choice? Am I missing something here?
I guarantee you Jets fans are rejoicing right now. This trade may have just pushed them over the top as the favorite in the AFC next year. They just got a potential #1 wide receiver at best or a great #2 threat with big play potential at worst for the price of a back-up cornerback, about what teams can expect in the 5th round of the draft. Mark Sanchez probably just did a shot of Jack Daniels in a Southern California nightclub, toasting to his newest wide receiver.
If this is the Steelers’ response to the off-field transgressions of their players, it is time for a reality check. They do not hold their players to a higher standard than other teams; they do not have more integrity than other organizations; and the Rooneys care just as much about winning and making money as every other owner in the league. If the Steelers really want to hold their players to a higher standard they should trade James Harrison, Ben Roethlisberger and Jeff Reed while they are at it. Hell, they should give back the four Super Bowl trophies from the '70s as those teams were filled with illegal drug users and criminals of all sorts. Roethlisberger, Holmes, Harrison, and Reed also had a big part in winning the past two Super Bowls, so the Steelers might as well give all six Lombardi Trophies back. See what their fans say then…Please!
This is a joke of an attempt by the Steelers to once again act like they are above other organizations, and many fans will eat it up just as they have for so many years. I, for one, will not. This trade is absolutely ridiculous in my mind, and the Steelers should be ashamed of getting back a 5th round choice for the Super Bowl MVP of just two seasons ago!
And a fifth round pick, are you serious? If Holmes were entering the NFL Draft this year he would absolutely be a first round pick, probably the first receiver taken in the draft. Even if the accusations from the Florida nightclub are true (which they sound like they are not) or the rumors of another failed drug test are true (no proof of this has been presented either) and Holmes is suspended for a portion of the season, he would still be a valuable piece to whatever team he plays for. Holmes has nearly 4,000 yards already in his four seasons in the league. He has averaged over 16 yards per catch in his career and has 20 TDs despite being taken out in the red zone on most opportunities. Did I mention he is yet to turn 26? Did I forget about his Super Bowl MVP? And the Steelers are trading him for a 5th round choice? Am I missing something here?
I guarantee you Jets fans are rejoicing right now. This trade may have just pushed them over the top as the favorite in the AFC next year. They just got a potential #1 wide receiver at best or a great #2 threat with big play potential at worst for the price of a back-up cornerback, about what teams can expect in the 5th round of the draft. Mark Sanchez probably just did a shot of Jack Daniels in a Southern California nightclub, toasting to his newest wide receiver.
If this is the Steelers’ response to the off-field transgressions of their players, it is time for a reality check. They do not hold their players to a higher standard than other teams; they do not have more integrity than other organizations; and the Rooneys care just as much about winning and making money as every other owner in the league. If the Steelers really want to hold their players to a higher standard they should trade James Harrison, Ben Roethlisberger and Jeff Reed while they are at it. Hell, they should give back the four Super Bowl trophies from the '70s as those teams were filled with illegal drug users and criminals of all sorts. Roethlisberger, Holmes, Harrison, and Reed also had a big part in winning the past two Super Bowls, so the Steelers might as well give all six Lombardi Trophies back. See what their fans say then…Please!
This is a joke of an attempt by the Steelers to once again act like they are above other organizations, and many fans will eat it up just as they have for so many years. I, for one, will not. This trade is absolutely ridiculous in my mind, and the Steelers should be ashamed of getting back a 5th round choice for the Super Bowl MVP of just two seasons ago!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Steelers Tackle the Offseason (Part II)
Over the last few days we have discussed the Steelers offseason moves and gave a little preview to next year’s offense. With the signings of Ryan Clark and Casey Hampton already in the books, let’s take a look at how the Steelers’ defense will look next year.
Defense
The Steelers biggest problem last year, besides kick coverage of course which we will discuss shortly, was their pass defense, particularly in the fourth quarter. Blown leads in the Chicago, Kansas City and Oakland games, three of the worst teams in the NFL, cost the Steelers a chance at defending their title in the playoffs. Overall the defense was not terrible, finishing 5th overall in yards against, 3rd against the rush and 16th against the pass. Their points against was rather bad ranking 20th in the league, but that number was heavily inflated by the number of kick returns and interception returns for touchdowns the Steelers allowed. These numbers, while finishing well off pace from the Steelers dominant 2008 defense, are not terrible when you consider the Steelers played without two of their best three players, Aaron Smith and Troy Polamalu, for a majority of the season.
This is an important aspect to remember when I say that the Steelers will return all eleven opening day starters from last year’s defense. That is the same defense that just had a historical 2008 season, won the Super Bowl, and was being compared to the greatest units in the history of the game, not the same defense we saw cave in the 4th quarter against inferior foes without two of its best players last season. The Steelers age on defense, however, is what has led me to keep harping on the fact that this team is built to win now, and that they must approach their offseason with this attitude. While it is certainly true that a number of players on defense are getting up there in age (6 of the 11 starters will be 30 or older on opening day), the Steelers should have a defensive unit that looks much more similar to the 2008 unit than the 2009 unit if they can remain relatively healthy. Taking a step back and looking at the defense unit by unit, we can see where some of the defense’s deficiencies are that could be addressed.
The Steelers’ defensive line looks to be very solid on the two-deep level. Yes, starters Casey Hampton, Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel are all north of the big 3-0, but each has at least two and possibly more years of good football left in him. All are locked into contracts, as well, that should keep them in a Steelers’ uniform through their productive years. Chris Hoke is a very dependable back-up for Hampton at nose tackle and last year’s first round draft pick, Ziggy Hood, showed some promising signs toward the end of last season. Veterans Travis Kirschke and Nick Eason give the unit valuable and experienced depth. The Steelers look very strong once again along the defensive line and are at least another year or two away from addressing the age factor once again after selecting Hood last year.
The Steelers’ linebackers, the bread and butter of the defense, have a great mix of young blood and veteran stars. Lawrence Timmons and Lamarr Woodley are exciting, emerging stars in the Steelers’ 3-4 defense and give the unit the speed it needs in both the pass rush and in coverage. James Harrison, while being 32 years old, is young by playing standards having only started the past three seasons and is one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL. James Farrior, the other starting inside linebacker with Timmons, is the old dog of the group with his 14 years of experience. Farrior seemed to have possibly lost a step last year, but his experience and wisdom make him integral to this defense both from a production and leadership standpoint. This unit should once again remain very productive next season, and any drop-off in production from Farrior should be made up by the continued development of Woodley and Timmons. Keyaron Fox is a decent stop-gap replacement on the inside and a good special teams player, but other than him there’s nothing to be excited about in terms of depth at linebacker. This was my reason for liking the Steelers’ interest in bringing back Larry Foote. Timmons gives the Steelers flexibility with the ability to play inside or out in case of injury, and bringing in a productive back-up, no matter the position, will give the Steelers the necessary depth at LB for a 3-4 defense. I also see the Steelers using some of their mid to late round draft picks on guys that can be groomed to replace Farrior and offer special teams help.
The Steelers’ secondary is perceived as the weakest of the three units and with that belief I could not disagree. Yes, the Steelers will return all four starters from last year, but that also means returning their two cornerbacks that did not perform up to expectation and their premier weapon at safety that seems to be injured more and more with each passing year. Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu will once again man the safety spots. Both are locked into long term contracts now and should continue to be a great duo as long as Polamalu can stay healthy. The signing of Will Allen gives the Steelers depth and another solid special teams performer. I expect William Gay and Ike Taylor to be the starting corners once again, and it is imperative for the Steelers success that the two play up to their 2008 levels and not their 2009 performance. If the two do not perform the Steelers will have their two draft picks from last year, Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett, who must then develop in a hurry to fill the void. While Lewis and Burnett have shown some ability, it is not an ideal situation to lean on second year players drafted in the 3rd and 5th round, respectively. It is for this reason that I think the Steelers must once again address the corner position in the draft. I would love to see the Steelers trade up for CB Joe Haden out of Florida, but if he is off the board when the Steelers draft at 18, I think it is still imperative that the Steelers draft corner help with one of their early picks.
Special Teams
As mentioned a million times by a million people, the Steelers special teams, and in particular their kick coverage, was downright pathetic last year. The Steelers acknowledged this and went out and tried to find players to fix this. Will Allen and Arnaz Battle are proven coverage guys and should immediately contribute on kick coverage. The departures (or likely departures) of back-ups such as Stephan Logan, Limas Sweed and DeShea Townsend, all guys who either did not or were not good at coverage, will allow spots for those that can get the job done. The Steelers also fired their special teams coordinator and have said and done things that have shown this is a priority for the team to upgrade in the offseason, and rightfully so. Jeff Reed will be back as kicker and Daniel Sepulveda will be back at punter, both positives for the club as both have proven they are among the elite in the league. The kick and punt return duties are up in the air, but the Steelers will have plenty of candidates including Mike Wallace, Joe Burnett and Antwaan Randle El. The Steelers special teams probably could not get much worse than last year, but I do expect to see some heavy improvements.
All in all, I think the Steelers are well positioned for next season. They have jumped off to a great start in free agency, addressing key depth issues they had at offensive line, wide receiver and in the secondary. The Steelers now must add to the puzzle with a successful draft, one that I am sure we will talking about in great depth as it nears. But for now, the Steelers have the pieces in place to make another run at Lombardi Trophy #7 and the philosophy of the organization must be to go for it. So far they have done that, and I applaud the Steelers front office so far this offseason.
Defense
The Steelers biggest problem last year, besides kick coverage of course which we will discuss shortly, was their pass defense, particularly in the fourth quarter. Blown leads in the Chicago, Kansas City and Oakland games, three of the worst teams in the NFL, cost the Steelers a chance at defending their title in the playoffs. Overall the defense was not terrible, finishing 5th overall in yards against, 3rd against the rush and 16th against the pass. Their points against was rather bad ranking 20th in the league, but that number was heavily inflated by the number of kick returns and interception returns for touchdowns the Steelers allowed. These numbers, while finishing well off pace from the Steelers dominant 2008 defense, are not terrible when you consider the Steelers played without two of their best three players, Aaron Smith and Troy Polamalu, for a majority of the season.
This is an important aspect to remember when I say that the Steelers will return all eleven opening day starters from last year’s defense. That is the same defense that just had a historical 2008 season, won the Super Bowl, and was being compared to the greatest units in the history of the game, not the same defense we saw cave in the 4th quarter against inferior foes without two of its best players last season. The Steelers age on defense, however, is what has led me to keep harping on the fact that this team is built to win now, and that they must approach their offseason with this attitude. While it is certainly true that a number of players on defense are getting up there in age (6 of the 11 starters will be 30 or older on opening day), the Steelers should have a defensive unit that looks much more similar to the 2008 unit than the 2009 unit if they can remain relatively healthy. Taking a step back and looking at the defense unit by unit, we can see where some of the defense’s deficiencies are that could be addressed.
The Steelers’ defensive line looks to be very solid on the two-deep level. Yes, starters Casey Hampton, Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel are all north of the big 3-0, but each has at least two and possibly more years of good football left in him. All are locked into contracts, as well, that should keep them in a Steelers’ uniform through their productive years. Chris Hoke is a very dependable back-up for Hampton at nose tackle and last year’s first round draft pick, Ziggy Hood, showed some promising signs toward the end of last season. Veterans Travis Kirschke and Nick Eason give the unit valuable and experienced depth. The Steelers look very strong once again along the defensive line and are at least another year or two away from addressing the age factor once again after selecting Hood last year.
The Steelers’ linebackers, the bread and butter of the defense, have a great mix of young blood and veteran stars. Lawrence Timmons and Lamarr Woodley are exciting, emerging stars in the Steelers’ 3-4 defense and give the unit the speed it needs in both the pass rush and in coverage. James Harrison, while being 32 years old, is young by playing standards having only started the past three seasons and is one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL. James Farrior, the other starting inside linebacker with Timmons, is the old dog of the group with his 14 years of experience. Farrior seemed to have possibly lost a step last year, but his experience and wisdom make him integral to this defense both from a production and leadership standpoint. This unit should once again remain very productive next season, and any drop-off in production from Farrior should be made up by the continued development of Woodley and Timmons. Keyaron Fox is a decent stop-gap replacement on the inside and a good special teams player, but other than him there’s nothing to be excited about in terms of depth at linebacker. This was my reason for liking the Steelers’ interest in bringing back Larry Foote. Timmons gives the Steelers flexibility with the ability to play inside or out in case of injury, and bringing in a productive back-up, no matter the position, will give the Steelers the necessary depth at LB for a 3-4 defense. I also see the Steelers using some of their mid to late round draft picks on guys that can be groomed to replace Farrior and offer special teams help.
The Steelers’ secondary is perceived as the weakest of the three units and with that belief I could not disagree. Yes, the Steelers will return all four starters from last year, but that also means returning their two cornerbacks that did not perform up to expectation and their premier weapon at safety that seems to be injured more and more with each passing year. Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu will once again man the safety spots. Both are locked into long term contracts now and should continue to be a great duo as long as Polamalu can stay healthy. The signing of Will Allen gives the Steelers depth and another solid special teams performer. I expect William Gay and Ike Taylor to be the starting corners once again, and it is imperative for the Steelers success that the two play up to their 2008 levels and not their 2009 performance. If the two do not perform the Steelers will have their two draft picks from last year, Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett, who must then develop in a hurry to fill the void. While Lewis and Burnett have shown some ability, it is not an ideal situation to lean on second year players drafted in the 3rd and 5th round, respectively. It is for this reason that I think the Steelers must once again address the corner position in the draft. I would love to see the Steelers trade up for CB Joe Haden out of Florida, but if he is off the board when the Steelers draft at 18, I think it is still imperative that the Steelers draft corner help with one of their early picks.
Special Teams
As mentioned a million times by a million people, the Steelers special teams, and in particular their kick coverage, was downright pathetic last year. The Steelers acknowledged this and went out and tried to find players to fix this. Will Allen and Arnaz Battle are proven coverage guys and should immediately contribute on kick coverage. The departures (or likely departures) of back-ups such as Stephan Logan, Limas Sweed and DeShea Townsend, all guys who either did not or were not good at coverage, will allow spots for those that can get the job done. The Steelers also fired their special teams coordinator and have said and done things that have shown this is a priority for the team to upgrade in the offseason, and rightfully so. Jeff Reed will be back as kicker and Daniel Sepulveda will be back at punter, both positives for the club as both have proven they are among the elite in the league. The kick and punt return duties are up in the air, but the Steelers will have plenty of candidates including Mike Wallace, Joe Burnett and Antwaan Randle El. The Steelers special teams probably could not get much worse than last year, but I do expect to see some heavy improvements.
All in all, I think the Steelers are well positioned for next season. They have jumped off to a great start in free agency, addressing key depth issues they had at offensive line, wide receiver and in the secondary. The Steelers now must add to the puzzle with a successful draft, one that I am sure we will talking about in great depth as it nears. But for now, the Steelers have the pieces in place to make another run at Lombardi Trophy #7 and the philosophy of the organization must be to go for it. So far they have done that, and I applaud the Steelers front office so far this offseason.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Randle El Already Talking
As I said in my earlier post today, I fear Antwaan Randle El could be more of a distraction than a help to the Steelers. Read these quotes from Randle El and tell me how this guy has a grasp of reality:
In an interview with the Washington Post, Randle El said, ``It's kind of like going home, yeah, that's what it feels like. Going back to where I was drafted and where my roots started. I feel pretty good about the decision. Just want to go do some damage.
``We've talked about just playing No. 3 receiver. That's all we talked about. I'm not even sure about punt return, now that I think about it. The way I always look at it, I'm going to go in and be No. 3.’’
How in the world does Randle El think he is going to come in and be the #3 WR in Pittsburgh? I also cannot understand why Pittsburgh would communicate this to him in any capacity, if his statement is accurate. Santonio and Hines are clearly the starters, and I would assume Randle El is recognizing this by his #3 comments, and unless I am crazy Mike Wallace established himself quite nicely as the Steelers' 3rd WR and deep threat.
For comparisons sake, Wallace had 39 catches for 756 yards (a 19.4 yards per catch average) and 6 touchdowns in 2009 as he assimilated himself to the pro game. Randle El, on the other hand, had 50 catches for 530 yards (a measley 10.6 ypc) and 0 touchdowns! In case you were wondering, Randle El has never had 756 yards in a single season (728 was his career high 3 years ago), has never had more than 4 touchdowns, and his highest yards per catch in a season was 15.9 in his last season with Pittsburgh. In case you thought Randle El was some great run after catch guy, his career 3.8 YAC (yards after catch) barely outdoes what Wallace did as a rookie, 3.4 YAC.
I know Antwaan was a popular player the last time he was here, and I know some Steelers fans are excited to have him back, but I just hope that Randle El does not do more harm than good in his second stint in a Steelers uniform by failing to recognize his role on the team.
In an interview with the Washington Post, Randle El said, ``It's kind of like going home, yeah, that's what it feels like. Going back to where I was drafted and where my roots started. I feel pretty good about the decision. Just want to go do some damage.
``We've talked about just playing No. 3 receiver. That's all we talked about. I'm not even sure about punt return, now that I think about it. The way I always look at it, I'm going to go in and be No. 3.’’
How in the world does Randle El think he is going to come in and be the #3 WR in Pittsburgh? I also cannot understand why Pittsburgh would communicate this to him in any capacity, if his statement is accurate. Santonio and Hines are clearly the starters, and I would assume Randle El is recognizing this by his #3 comments, and unless I am crazy Mike Wallace established himself quite nicely as the Steelers' 3rd WR and deep threat.
For comparisons sake, Wallace had 39 catches for 756 yards (a 19.4 yards per catch average) and 6 touchdowns in 2009 as he assimilated himself to the pro game. Randle El, on the other hand, had 50 catches for 530 yards (a measley 10.6 ypc) and 0 touchdowns! In case you were wondering, Randle El has never had 756 yards in a single season (728 was his career high 3 years ago), has never had more than 4 touchdowns, and his highest yards per catch in a season was 15.9 in his last season with Pittsburgh. In case you thought Randle El was some great run after catch guy, his career 3.8 YAC (yards after catch) barely outdoes what Wallace did as a rookie, 3.4 YAC.
I know Antwaan was a popular player the last time he was here, and I know some Steelers fans are excited to have him back, but I just hope that Randle El does not do more harm than good in his second stint in a Steelers uniform by failing to recognize his role on the team.
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