Steelers Defeat Patriots; Move to 6-2 on the Season

For a defense that has been widely criticized for being too old and slow, the Pittsburgh Steelers provided quite an eyebrow raising performance against the New England Patriots. 


While the scoreboard read 25-17, the Steelers seemed to dominate most of the game.  Ben Roethlisberger was 35-50 for 365 yards and two touchdowns.   Pittsburgh continued their success with short passes, opening up holes for Rashard Mendenhall who finished with 17 carries for 74 yards.  Heath Miller had 6 catches for 76 yards in the first quarter, alone.  The Steelers racked up 29 first downs and were 10-16 on third downs while Roethlisberger found nine different receivers and looked very "Brady-esque".  The Steelers finished with 39:22 time of possession.  

"We never really played with the lead, we never really played on our terms,' said Tom Brady.

The Patriots never led and they never controlled the game.

On the first drive of the game, Roethlisberger found third down back Mewelde Moore on a slant route to give the Steelers a 7-0 lead.  Following a three and out by New England, Pittsburgh answered with a field goal to take an early hold on the game.  Brady's offense only managed three plays in the first quarter.  The Steelers had a chance to go up by three scores but Gary Guyton's interception gave the Patriots life and, eventually, a touchdown as Tom Brady connected with Deon Branch to cut the lead to 3.

At the half, Pittsburgh was up 17-10 with the Patriots receiving the ball to start the second half.  However, the Patriots' offense was stymied by Lamarr Woodley and the Steelers' defense until under five minutes remaining in the game.  Brady's touchdown to Aaron Hernandez cut the Pittsburgh lead to six  with 2:40 to go and the Patriots eventually got the ball with under a minute left in the game.  Tom Brady, who had made a career out of last second comebacks, seemed to have just enough time to pull off another dramatic win.  In the end however, the future hall of fame quarterback who had torched the Steelers in years past, was unable to put together a game winning drive as Brett Keisel's sack fumble found its way into the end zone for a safety.

The Pittsburgh defense, missing two of their key linebackers, were able to hold Brady to 198 yards passing and New England to 213 yards total.  The same "old and slow" defense sacked Brady three times as the Patriots converted just 3-10 on third down.  Wes Welker, who came into the matchup with the most receiving yards in the league, was held to 6 catches for 45 yards thanks in large part to Pittsburgh's aggressive man to man coverage.  The heavily criticized secondary played their best game of the year and, in the end, slowed down one of the best offenses in the past decade. 

Now, with a four game winning streak in hand, the Steelers will play host to the rival Baltimore Ravens; a team that embarrassed Pittsburgh in their week 1 matchup.  Since that game, both teams seem to be heading in opposite directions.  While the Steelers have won four straight thanks in large part to Ben Roethlisberger's hot hand (11 touchdowns 2 interceptions), the Ravens are coming off a dramatic comeback win against the 1-6 Cardinals after losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars the week before.  In that span, Joe Flacco has turned the ball over three times and thrown only one touchdown.  Still, in a divisional game everyone should expect a tough, close game for the Steelers.  A win would give Pittsburgh breathing room atop the division as well as the driver's seat to the top seed in the AFC.

And don't think the defense doesn't remember week one or the "old and slow" criticism that followed.

The Worth of James Neal

After scoring one goal in twenty regular season games last year for the Penguins, James Neal was hardly viewed as a fan favorite in Pittsburgh.  While his style of play -quick, agile, hard hitting, aggressive- looked like a perfect match for Dan Bylsma's system, the 24 year old's lack of production ultimately made him look like a glorified Craig Adams. 

This year, at least through one month, things have changed.  Neal has 8 goals through the first 11 games of the season and has had copious chances to score even more.  With Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby still on the mend, Neal and Staal have picked up the slack, contributing 9 points a piece to lead the Penguins.  While Neal has played sparingly on the same line as Evgeni Malkin, the two have developed great chemistry, though Crosby's return could ultimately place Neal on Sid's line. 

While this early season outburst by James Neal is new to Penguins fans, it is nothing new to Neal, at least not by his track record.  Heading into this season, Neal had scored 15 goals in 32 October career games with the Dallas Stars.  In March and April combined, Neal has scored only 10 goals in 59 games.  Whether his numbers are indicative of "breaking down" after a long season or simply losing the scoring touch as games become tighter has yet to be determined.  After all, this will be just his fourth full season in the NHL and the kid is only 24 years old. 

Still, the numbers are worth monitoring; especially this season.

Neal's early production has created a predicament for Penguins GM Ray Shero.  After this season, Neal will become a restricted free agent and, if this pace continues, he could realistically finish the year with 40+ goals.  Keep in mind, Bobby Ryan of the Anaheim Ducks makes over $5.5 million a year and he has been a consistent 30+ goal scorer for the past few seasons.  With Sidney Crosby, Jordan Staal and Pascal Dupuis needing contracts after next season, Shero cannot afford to paint himself in a corner by giving Neal $5-6 million a year earlier. 

Although, getting a deal done now could save money, it could ultimately end up backfiring in the long run.  Neal will make $3.5 million this season and could probably be extended to $4-4.5 million if negotiations were to go well early in the season.  However, that money could be wasted if it turns out Neal is only a first half player.  As it stands, Neal averages .67 points per game before the All-Star Break and just .39 points per game after.  The Penguins have built their team with a simple formula over the past half decade; put the big stars on the ice, and surround them with players who fill their role in the system.  A first half player who fades down the final stretch would look like a multi-million dollar eye sore.

If I am Ray Shero, I wait for the end of the season to negotiate a deal with James Neal.  There needs to be a change in Neal's game from what his young career already shows as a trend.  He needs to find a way to fill the net in the Spring.  With the salary cap increasing by $4.6 million this season, the probability of a higher cap in 2012-2013 seems likely.  It would be more comforting to speculate how Neal would fit under the cap after Crosby and Staal sign rather than the other way around. 

For now excellent job so far James, now keep it going. 

Lamarr Woodley Showing Why He's Elite

Perhaps it was the frustration of being invisible through the first four weeks of the regular season.  Perhaps it was the prodding by teammate James Farrior, who promptly told him he was paid too much money to have a slow start.  Or maybe it was the realization that he had to be "the guy" when James Harrison broke his face in Houston.  Whatever it was, one thing is true now:

Lamarr Woodley is back!

After going the first month of the season with a measly 1.5 sacks, Woodley has sacked the opposing quarterback 5.5 times in the past three weeks.  With his sack total reaching seven on the season, Woodley is currently tied with Justin Babin of the Philadelphia Eagles for fourth in the league.  The run defense has also improved in that span as the Steelers went from being ranked 22nd to, now, 11th against the run; shocking considering the team has been without two of its starting three starting linemen. 

On Sunday against the Cardinals, Woodley recording two sacks and a huge hit on back up running back Alphonso Smith.  His biggest play, however, was when he rushed Kevin Kolb, untouched, forcing Kolb to throw the ball away, a play that was eventually called "intentional grounding" and a safety.  The safety was part of fifteen unanswered points the Steelers put up against the Cardinals in the second half and it, effectively, pushed the Steelers over the top. 

With the Steelers playing against the Patriots and Ravens in the following weeks, Woodley is heating up at the right time.  While the defense continues to deal with injuries to its front seven, Lamarr is proving he doesn't need an elite supporting cast to make an impact.  Yes, Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor will be healthy for this game, but the absence of James Harrison, Chris Hoke and Casey Hampton is a bigger problem than it looks.  For the Steelers to have any success in their next two games, Woodley has to be at his best to pressure Tom Brady and Joe Flacco.  Not that he needs any extra motivation for important games.  Woodley is no stranger to being a game-changing linebacker which is exactly why he was given a six year $61.5 million contract in the lockout-shortened offseason.  His streak of four consecutive playoff games with at least two sacks is an NFL record and, at age 26, he's just getting started.  At least, he better be.  A contract of that caliber not only shows that the Steelers view him as a key piece to the defense, but that he should be among the game's biggest playmakers on that side of the ball.  With 34 tackles, 7 sacks and an interception so far this season, Woodley is showing why he's a top tier player.

Steelers Facing Pittsburgh West? Hardly

 When the Pittsburgh Steelers face off against the Arizona Cardinals this Sunday, they will see some familiar faces that were once part of a winning combination that brought the fifth Super Bowl title home in 2006.

Ken Whisenhunt was hired as the head coach of the Cardinals following the 2006-2007 NFL season after being the offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh from 2004-2006.  Three years later, Whisenhunt has added former Steelers linebacker coach, Ken Horton, Steelers linebackers Joey Porter and Clark Haggans, Steelers defensive end Nick Eason, and former Pitt players Larod Stephens-Howling and Larry Fitzgerald.  With that kind of Pittsburgh influence, it is easy to see why the Arizona Cardinals are dubbed "Pittsburgh West". 

But that is where the comparisons stop. 

The Arizona Cardinals have been one of the least successful franchises in NFL history. Since their inaugural season in 1920 -then Chicago Cardinals- the franchise has amassed a 489-695-39 record with a 6-7 playoff record and one super bowl appearance (a loss to the Steelers).  Meanwhile, the Steelers boast the most Super Bowl titles (6), 33-20 in the playoffs and a total record of 545-501-20.  While the Steelers have had one losing season since 2000, the Cardinals are heading towards their ninth in that same amount of time.  With trends like those, it is easy to see why the Steelers have had two coaches in the past decade while the Cardinals have had four.  However, bad coaching is not the blame for Arizona's woes.

The Pittsburgh Steelers possess one of the best front offices in football.  GM Kevin Colbert has helped build the Steelers into one of the best teams of the new millennia.  In the draft, the Steelers were able to take successful first rounders Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Lawrence Timmons, Maurkice Pouncey and Heath Miller.  The Cardinals have had similar success in the first round of the draft, particularly with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald who, at the age of 28, already holds the franchise record for receiving yards.  Their biggest flaw, however, has been the management of talent and their ability to prioritize the needs and talents of particular positions. 

On Sunday, the Steelers will not only face one of the most dynamic players in the game, they will face one of the highest paid players in the league.  After signing an 8 year $120 million two months ago, Larry Fitzgerald became the fifth highest paid player in the NFL, tied with Richard Seymour.  Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the salary paid to Fitzgerald will cut into other players' salaries in the future.  Although he is one of the elite wide receivers in the game, is there really a need to pay someone so much money when his job relies heavily on his teammates, mainly the quarterback?

On the other hand, the Steelers will dress five wide receivers on Sunday, none of which were selected before the third round.  The only $100+ million man on the roster is Ben Roethlisberger, the quarterback.  The Steelers have maintained their consistency through identifying talent and realizing the important of retaining that talent based on the player's position.  Troy Polamalu, for example, has been the starting strong safety since 2004.  Since that time, the Steelers have started, and eventually released, Plaxico Burress, Antwan Randle El, Cedrick Wilson, Nate Washington, Santonio Holmes, Quincy Morgan and Limas Sweed at wide receiver.  The idea that the wide out position is expendable has allowed the Steelers to re-sign players like James Harrison, Casey Hampton, Ben Roethlisberger, etc.  Fitzgerald's contract prevents any hope of the Cardinals building a consistent team around him.

For the Arizona Cardinals to take so much personnel from one of the league's most successful franchises, you would think the team would be more successful.  Instead, the Cardinals continue to make bad decisions and further themselves as one of the worst franchises in the NFL.  The Cardinals can bring in as many former Steelers as they want, it will not change the winning culture as long as the franchise continue to make bad decisions.  As far as Sunday's game goes, the Cardinals could pull out another dramatic win over the Steelers, similar to their win in 2007.  But Pittsburgh West, not a chance.  The more appropriate name would be "Old Pittsburgh". 

Letang's Suspension Blurs NHL Disciplinary Policy

After last season, the NHL created a  new policy on hits to the head.  The league brought in former hockey great Brendan Shanahan as player disciplinarian in an attempt to remove the same dangerous hits that have altered the careers of Eric Lindros, Keith Primeau, Marc Savard and Sidney Crosby.  The results early on showed success.  Shanahan suspended players with accompanying video evidence and commentary.  The league suspended James Wisniewski for eight games after a head shot on Cal Clutterbuck in the preseason.  He was only one of several players suspended before the regular season had even started.  This new "crackdown" on illegal hits led to cleaner hockey games.  For the first time since the olympics, we saw players holding up on bodychecks.  Finally, the players were showcasing the sport as a skill game, much to the approval of the league's front office. 

However, after the first few weeks, it appears the league has gone back to their inconsistent ways. 

On Tuesday, it was announced Kris Letang would be suspended for two games in response to boarding Alexander Burmistrov of the Winnipeg Jets.  Letang body checked Burmistrov into the boards while the young Russian had turned to retrieve the puck.  Burmistrov was not injured on the play as Letang went into the penalty box for a two minute boarding call.  Here is the rule on boarding from the NHL Rulebook:

"41.1 Boarding – A boarding penalty shall be imposed on any player or goalkeeper who checks an opponent in such a manner that causes the opponent to be thrown violently in the boards. The severity of the penalty, based upon the degree of violence of the impact with the boards, shall be at the discretion of the Referee."

By definition, Letang's action was a penalty and it was rightly spotted by the referees.  The problem is the suspension and, more importantly, the explanation of the suspension by Brendan Shanahan. 

"Burmistrov's path to the puck is predictable and there are no sudden movements just prior or simultaneous with the hit"
If you watch the video again, you will see Burmistrov turn his back to Letang just as he is about to receive the hit.  In ultra slow motion it looks as though Letang has time to pull up on the check but, at regular speed, it looks as though he would have never been able to pull up in time.  Simply put, this was a hockey play deemed illegal, influenced by the expectation that a player should be able to pull off of a check in less than a second while skating full speed racing for a puck along the boards.  The idea that Burmistrov's movements were not sudden only applies when you are watching the play in slow motion.

 As this picture suggests, Burmistrov's numbers are not plainly shown to Letang.  You can see his stick planted on Burmistrov with his left hand extended out.  Look a little closer and you'll see Letang's stick is actually perpendicular to Burmistrov's stick and right leg.  With less than five feet separating these players and Letang skating as fast as he can, how can the statement "there were no sudden movements prior to the hit" apply?

At the point of contact Letang is completely matched up with Burmistrov's numbers with his right elbow touching Burmistrov's right hip:

One of the big factors in determining whether or not a player should be suspended is their intent.  While Letang did not pull up on his check and "finished with authority", as Shanahan described in the video, the intent to injure holds zero weight in this situation.  With Burmistrov turning so quickly, you cannot justify Letang's intent. 

But what about the intent of Cory Sarich's shoulder on Matt Cooke's head?  A hit that dazed Cooke who had to take a trip to the "quiet room" before returning to action.  Whether intentional or not, the result of the check was a hard hit to another player's head; something the NHL is presumably trying to eradicate from the game.  Was there a fine or suspension? No.

The next night, Chris Kunitz was elbowed in the head by Oilers' forward Ryan Smyth.  Kunitz fell to the ice as Smyth's stick hit him in the face.  The referees gave Smyth a five minute elbowing penalty and a game misconduct.  What was the league's response?  Nothing.  Yes, despite the fact that the referees, observing at game speed, were able to determine that Ryan Smyth's actions were egregious enough for a major penalty, Brendan Shanahan thought otherwise.  Whether you saw the play live, on video, infrared satellite or Google Earth, you could see the hit warranted a suspension based on the nature of the hit: ELBOW TO THE HEAD.  And yet, rather than suspend Smyth and continue to narrow the scope of legal hits in the NHL, Shanahan did what previous disciplinarians have done in the past: he sat on his hands. 

The inconsistencies do not just start with the Penguins.  If anyone deserved a suspension from Tuesday night's game in Winnipeg, it was Chris Kunitz.  In the third period, Kunitz delivered a violent cross-check to the face of Tanner Glass.  Kunitz received a two minute penalty for roughing while the result of the cross-check left Glass bleeding around the nose.  Why was Letang suspended instead of Kunitz? After all, Chris Kunitz is a repeat offender -he served a suspension for elbowing Simon Gagne in the head last season in the playoffs- who obviously took a shot at another player's head during a non-hockey related play.  How did that not warrant a suspension?  How is Letang, someone who is trying to make a play during the game, more at fault than a player engaged in activity after the play is over?

My apologies for asking so many questions in this post but the league has left me in dire need of answers.  When Brendan Shanahan replaced Colin Campbell, the NHL envisioned a more disciplined league where everyone had a clear understanding of illegal vs. legal checks.  Obviously there would be hiccups along the way, but the wide range of discrepancies through just three weeks of the regular season is alarming.  Letang's actions fall into the gray area; where a clean hit can turn dangerous by the speed and physicality of the game.  If you can justify Letang's suspension, give it a shot.  But the aforementioned hits were worse, more dangerous and more visibly against the NHL policy.  If the NHL truly wishes to limit dangerous hits, then they need to set rules and enforce them.  However once again, the NHL fails to make the right decision.  

Week Six Preview Steelers vs Jaguars

This game should be a slam dunk for the Steelers, pure and simple.  I know, the Jaguars have won three in a row against the Steelers at Heinz field.  I know, the Jaguars have played a lot better than their 1-4 record demonstrates.  But the talent levels on these two teams aren't even close. 

After stopping Chris Johnson last week, the Steelers will look to stop the diminutive, yet effective, Maurice Jones-Drew who is ranked fourth in rushing yards coming into this game.  Like Indianapolis, the Jaguars will start an extremely young quarterback forcing the offense to focus heavily around the running back.  Simply put, the Steelers defense needs to focus on the run.  The biggest issue with the Steelers this season has been their lack of consistency.  For the second week in a row, the Steelers have an opportunity to shut down an excellent running back, forcing the Jaguars to be one-dimensional. 

On the other side of the ball, the Steelers will face the 10th ranked pass defense and 10th ranked rush defense.  Not bad, considering they've faced Cam Newton and Drew Brees.  The big question is, will Pittsburgh continue to run the ball hard while using short, quick passing plays to set up the big touchdown or will they go back to looking at routes 15-20 yards down field?  Hopefully, Ben Roethlisberger realizes that all teams are giving him room to throw underneath.  Rashard Mendenhall will start after a one week layoff due to a tight hamstring.  The key for Mendenhall's success lies in his ability to hit the hole hard and break out into the open.  From a talent perspective, Rashard is one of the best in the NFL.  But his indecisiveness and constant stutter stepping lead to one yard gains.  After rushing for 1300 yards last season, Mendenhall has 173 yards through 4 games.  Facing the 10th ranked rushing defense at home could be the perfect recipe for a breakout performance.  Then again, if he continues to get stuffed at the line, it may be time to delve out more carries to Jonathan Dwyer and Ike Redman. 

With the way the NFL has been this season, a loss to the Jaguars wouldn't be a complete shock but it would be a huge disappointment.  In the past, games like these would earn the "trap" label but the Steelers have been way too inconsistent to overlook this team.  Pittsburgh wins big again this week.

Steelers 31-9

Other games:

Cin over Ind
Det over SF
Phi over Was
Oak over Cle
NE over Dal
NYG over Buf

Crosby Cleared For Contact

Yesterday, Sidney Crosby took the ice with his teammates the same way he had for the past two months.  But something was different this time yet paradoxically the same: his helmet.

Crosby came out sporting a black helmet, the same helmet color his teammates were wearing.  It was later confirmed Crosby  was cleared for contact, the final step towards getting back to playing in the NHL for the first time since January 5th.  When the season started, Crosby practiced with his teammates but wore the white "don't hit me" helmet.  This morning he was fair game, receiving shoves from his teammates, albeit light shoves since it was a game day skate. 

"This is a good step in the right direction and we'll see how it goes in the next little bit"-Sidney Crosby

And just like the NHL is one step closer to getting their top player and number one marketing tool back from an overdue absence.  Better yet, the Pittsburgh Penguins are one step closer to getting their best player.  With the right players executing the right system, the Penguins are already one of the top teams in the league.  As sat out Crosby last night, the Penguins still managed to rack up 41 shots versus 19 allowed against the Washington Capitals and seemed to dominate most of the play.  In the end, the Penguins fell in overtime but all signs point to a team that is one player away from putting them over the top.  Rather than going out and filling that need with a trade, the Penguins will get the best acquisition a team could ask for, Sidney Crosby. 

And if you thought he was determined before the concussion, just wait til he comes back.

Crosby was on pace for 60+ goals and 130+ points halfway through last season until he received crushing hits from David Steckel on January 1st and Victor Hedman on January 5th.  Although the concussion he sustained was diagnosed as "mild", Crosby missed the rest of the 2010-2011 season suffering multiple setbacks on his road to recovery.  While his neurological doctors hypothesized a return around Christmas in a news conference on September 7th, all signs point to a much sooner date for Crosby. 

Since the Penguins are starting their season with a significant amount of games on the schedule, contact practices will be limited.  Some believe he will return on November 11th against the Dallas Stars since the Penguins will have the previous six days without a game.  While it seems like a reasonable prediction, nothing is certain.  He still needs to get through contact practices without setbacks for several weeks before he can be cleared to play.  However, if there's anything Penguins fans can take from this news it's that Crosby's return is no longer a question of  if, but when.  

What We Learned from Week Five

Did anyone have any doubt the Steelers would rebound against the Titans? 

OK fine, I did when I predicted a 27-17 defeat of the black and gold on Saturday.  I definitely thought the team would fail to hold Chris Johnson after giving up 150+ yards to Arian Foster the week before.  After a 21 yard run on the first play of the game, the Steelers were stout, ending any chance of Chris Johnson reaching 100 yards and my fantasy football team improving to 3-2.  The Steelers preached going "back to work" after their loss to the Houston Texans, the previous week.  Against the Titans, it appeared Pittsburgh put in enough work to show they still got "it".   

This game was a complete 180 degree swing from what we saw out of the Steelers all season.  Not only did they win but they won convincingly against a solid Tennessee Titans squad that came into the contest an impressive 3-1.  In the end, Pittsburgh came out with a shocking victory -shocking only because of the score- and kept their heads above water for a chance at the division crown.  After thinking I knew so much about the Pittsburgh Steelers, I was taken back to school.  Here's what I learned from week 5:


Not Too Old or Slow

Turns out, the Steelers of "old" can still stop the run and make teams one dimensional.  Brett Keisel's return may have loomed larger than expected, and Larry Foote simpy did his job.  Then again, Chris Hoke was a menace at nose tackle filling in for the injured Casey Hampton.  The secret to stopping the stretch play may have been Hoke's ability to seal off the hole before the linemen could cut him down.  What resulted was zero room for one of the league's premier backs.  While the Steelers only managed one turnover, Troy Polamalu seemed to have three opportunities for interceptions that fell just out of reach.  Lamarr Woodley came to life with a monster game, posting 1.5 sacks and an interception on a deflected ball from Keisel.  With James Harrison out for several more weeks, Woodley has to be THE pass rusher for the Steelers with Timmons continuing to be used in coverage on most occurrences.  Simply put, for this game, the defense looked good.  The bigger question moving forward is, can they build off of this success?


Shorter is Better


When playing golf, sometimes it is better to hit the four-iron down the middle than to try and crush with a driver.  For the first four weeks of the season, the Steelers offense has been trying to use the driver, only to slice the ball 80 yards out of bounds.  Last week the Steelers kept it simple with quick passing routes and strong attention to the ground game with Ike Redman.  What resulted was a five touchdown performance from Ben Roethlisberger including two touchdowns to Hines Ward who had been invisible up to that point.  Ben was sacked once and only touched three times the whole game.  That can also be accredited to the return of Max Starks who looked solid at left tackle despite starting for the first time since November 2010.  But it could also be from a change in the mindset from the quarterback.  The offense ended their obsession with the deep ball early and found success with short passes to move down the field.  In the end, the Steelers were able to use the quick passes to open up the bomb to Mike Wallace.  (See Ben?  It is possible to have your cake and eat it too.)  Hopefully, that philosophy will stay when Roethlisberger's foot is no longer injured. 



The AFC is Mediocre

As the years go by things change in pro sports.  Dominant teams go on the decline as terrible teams climb their way to the top.  The once proud AFC Conference, three years removed from seeing the first team in NFL history to go 11-5 and miss the playoffs, is now a cluster of good, decent and bad teams.  Every team has a significant weakness and no "top" team is safe.  After manhandling the Steelers last week, the Texans lost against the Oakland Raiders on a last second interception.  The Bills blew out the Eagles and beat the Patriots this year but also lost to the Cincinatti Bengals.  Meanwhile, New England's favorite sitcom "Mr. Perfect and the Hoody" are 4-1 with a last place defense.  The AFC North does not have a team under .500 with the last place Browns sitting on an idle 2-2 record.  The playoff picture is completely wide open which gives the Steelers more than a fighting chance to make the playoffs after a Super Bowl  appearance for the first time since 1996.    


Anything can happen from now until week 17 but if the Steelers can go 2-2 in their next four games, they will enjoy a relatively easy track towards the end of the season playing Cleveland (2x), Cincinnati (x2), Kansas City, San Fransisco and St. Louis.  Good luck telling that to this veteran group, though.  The Steelers will continue to look at the short term which includes a visit from the putrid Jacksonville Jaguars; another opportunity for the defense to show they can still stop the run.  Against a team significantly worse than the Titans, Pittsburgh should blow out the Jaguars at home.  Could this be a team starting to peak at the right time?  Or will this be a sign that the Steelers will remain consistently inconsistent throughout the season?  I guess we'll need a lesson from week six.  

Week 5: Steelers vs Titans Preview

Let's see.  No Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton, James Harrison, Jason Worilds for this weekend's game, the Titans have an exceptional offensive line with one of the best runningbacks in the game who gets his fullback back in the lineup after serving a four game suspension.  Oh and the Steelers with a healthy defense have been gashed on the ground in three of the first four games of the season. 

So you're telling me there's a chance.

The only positive note heading into this game for the Pittsburgh Steelers is that they will play at home for the first time since week two.  As terrible as the offensive line, quarterback and gameplan have been for the Steelers, crowd noise has only added to the struggles.  Still, the offense needs to show up in this game.  After signing Max Starks to play left tackle earlier in the week, the Steelers need to run effectively to help the offensive line.  Using the run to set up the pass will only help Ben Roethlisberger who has been butchered to start the season by opposing linemen.  As a result, Big Ben has a sprained foot and will have limited mobility against the eighth best pass defense in the NFL. 

The Pittsburgh media has been surprisingly optimistic for this game.  Many believe the Steelers will rally behind the home crowd and stop the Titans' powerful rushing attack.  While the team will certainly play on an emotional edge given how things have gone in the first four games, I still think the front seven on defense will be outmatched by Tennessee's offensive line.  If the Steelers can hold Chris Johnson under 50 yards, it would be a huge lift for the defense.  But I don't see it happening.

Titans win 27-17 with Charlie Batch finishing the game for the Steelers.

Pittsburgh Penguins Season Preview

In what was an injury plagued 2010-2011 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins managed to surprise the NHL when they finished as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.  While season ending injuries to Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin derailed the Pens' bid for a deep playoff run in 2011, they served as a litmus test to how rich the organization was with young talent.  Now, with Malkin and Crosby (hopefully) returning, the Penguins return as a favorite to win the Stanley Cup in 2012.

Sports Illustrated has already predicted the Penguins to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks in this upcoming Stanley Cup Final.  On paper, I could not agree more.  As we learned last year however, there is a lot that can happen between now and June.  Let's take a look at how this team will be constructed:

Forwards

Projected lines based on last practice

Sullivan-Malkin-Neal
Kunitz-Staal-Kennedy
Cooke-Letestu-Dupuis
Asham-Vitale-Park

The Penguins definitely put their strength up the middle with centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin; two of the top five talents in the world.  Despite Crosby's absence to start the season, all signs point to a return later on in the year.  Malkin, who has underperformed the last two seasons, has dominated in preseason thanks to a grueling offseason workout and a new found determination.  He realizes his effort over the last two seasons has knocked him out of the discussion as an elite player and, based on recent interviews, Malkin appears to be poised for rebound.  The third line is anchored by Jordan Staal, a more defensive minded forward with the ability to score 20-25 goals.  Keep in mind, Staal missed the first half of the season and still contributed 11 goals while centering the top line in Crosby's absence.  While he does not have the same offensive talent as Crosby or Malkin, Staal is arguably the best third line center in the league.

On a lesser note, the Penguins dumped Max Talbot after two useless seasons, lost Michael Rupp to New York, and acquired Richard Park.  Those moves appear to be minute as many of the younger players showed they were able to play in the NHL last season.  Dustin Jeffrey will be back after he recovers from knee surgery and could anchor the fourth line with Arron Asham and Craig Adams.  

There certainly are some question marks for the forwards, the biggest being health.  Is Steve Sullivan going to stay healthy?  In the past four seasons, he has played over 60 games only once (2009-2010) while missing half of last season in Nashville.  Chris Kunitz has missed 48 games over the last two seasons combined due to lower body injuries.  While the news on Sidney Crosby's recovery has been encouraging, the nature of the injury is so enigmatic that there are no guarantees of a safe return.

The powerplay is also a huge question.  After being one of the worst teams with the man advantage the last few years, the Penguins have retooled their approach resulting in more success in the preseason.  A major change includes using four forwards instead of three with Sullivan manning the point.  If there was truly a weakness for the Pittsburgh Penguins, it was the powerplay.  At the very least, if they become average on the powerplay, it will have major effects on the season in a positive way.    

Will James Neal score 25-30 goals in a full season with the Penguins?  Will Tyler Kennedy repeat his 20+ goal performance of last year?  Can Pascal Dupuis step up and become more of a finisher than in year's past?  The Penguins lack a true superstar at wing but they have enough talent to contribute.  James Neal played well in all facets except scoring last year.  Now in his first full season as a Penguin, Neal needs to score.  Period.  

After serving a suspension that kept him out of the playoffs, Matt Cooke is back on his last opportunity with the Pittsburgh Penguins.  Cooke's recklessness last year made the organization look foolish.  With Ray Shero and Mario Lemieux denouncing headshots, Cooke elbowed Rangers' defenseman, Ryan McDonagh and was suspended 10 games plus the first round of the playoffs.  To say the least, Cooke is on thin ice-no pun intended-. In preseason Cooke seemed a bit more controlled in deciding who he was going to hit.  If he is able to stay out of trouble with new NHL disciplinarian Czar Brendan Shanahan, Cooke will continue to be a vital piece for the Penguins.

Defense

Projected Pairings

Orpik-Martin
Letang-Michalek 
Lovejoy-Niskanen/Engelland

Once Paul Martin and Zybnek Michalek got acclimated to playing in Pittsburgh's system last year, the Penguins defense became one of the best in the NHL.  The Penguins finished 7th in goals allowed, 5th in shots allowed and 1st in penalty kill.  Kris Letang will be the focal point from an offensive side of the blue line while Michalek will continue to be one of the game's best shot blockers.  Brooks Orpik will most likely miss the season opener against Vancouver as he recovers from an offseason sports hernia operation, but he shouldn't miss more than a few games.  While the centers are world class, the defense is the deepest position in the organization.  Former first round picks Simon Despres (2009) and Joe Morrow (2011) looked comfortable this September and are merely waiting for their chance.  That may be sooner rather than later depending on Ray Shero's willingness to deal defensemen at the deadline.

Goaltenders

Marc Andre Fleury was on the fringe of being a Vezina trophy finalist last season after a putrid start in October.  By the end of the season, Fleury posted a 2.32 GAA .918 SV% as he helped carry the offensively punchless Penguins to the playoffs.  Now, approaching age 27, Fleury looks to be entering his prime with a defensive unit that projects to be among the best in the league.  If he can avoid some early season struggles, Fleury could be adding a Vezina trophy to his cabinet. 

Meanwhile, backup goalie Brent Johnson is as solid as they come.  In 23 games last season, Johnson 13-5 with a 2.17 GAA and .922 SV%.  Simply put, Johnson kept the team afloat while Marc Andre Fleury struggled.  He is definitely one of the better backups in the NHL and should get decent playing time when Fleury needs a break.

As stated before, the Penguins are the best team on paper.  When everyone is healthy they possess elite forwards, shut down defensemen and a top five goaltender.  Compound that with an excellent system that is implemented in all levels of the organization along with the coach of the year from last season, and you have a team poised for a Stanley Cup run.  If the Penguins are fortunate enough to avoid any major injuries during the course of the season, they may wind up as the franchise's best team since 1993.  

Steelers' Latest Performance Becoming a Trend

In week one, the Steelers were blown out against the Baltimore Ravens, and fans were completely stunned by their hometown team's performance.  However, this newest defeat at the hands of the Houston Texans may redefine the term stunned.  It is one thing for the Steelers to have a bad game and lose but the way they have performed through the first quarter of this season has been consistently mediocre.

Matt Schaub, one of the premier quarterbacks of the NFL, has often been criticized for not rising to the big challenges to put his team over the top.  On Sunday, Schaub was, once again, out of the spotlight completing 14 passes for 138 yards.

That was all he needed.

Arian Foster ran over the Steelers for 155 yards and a touchdown as the Texans won 17-10.  The once proud Pittsburgh defense, accustomed to complete seasons without giving up 100 yard rushers, surrendered their second 100 yard rusher of the season.  Midway through the fourth quarter, Foster cut back across the middle of the field and scored on a 41 yard run.  He was hardly touched on his way to the end zone.  Last week Joseph Addai rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown without the services of Peyton Manning to keep the offense balanced.  In week one, the Steelers gave up a combined 180 yards to Ray Rice and Ricky Williams.  As Mike Tomlin always says "the standard is the standard".  Well, for the first time in his tenure, "the standard" is going to be lower: do not give up 100 yards on the ground.  That is truly stunning since the Steelers run defense was once a strength of historical proportions and now it is below average.

So who's to blame on defense?

Well, everybody.  Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith are getting completely blown off the line of scrimmage.  In the past, Hampton and Smith would each occupy two offensive linemen, allowing the linebackers to penetrate the line and make tackles.  Now, they are being pushed aside and the linebackers are unable to make plays.  James Farrior and Larry Foote look old.  Farrior tried to make a tackle on a third and short play in the opening drive and Foster ran him over.  Meanwhile, the youngest members of the defense, Ziggy Hood, Lawrence Timmons and Lamarr Woodley have been invisible.  Woodley and Timmons have underperformed to the highest (or lowest) degree which is alarming, considering they were given huge contracts in the offseason.  While Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor have played well, it is completely irrelevant if the front seven is giving up six yards per carry.

The defense may be more surprising but the offense has been downright embarrassing for the past four seasons.  The Steelers have an elite quarterback, talented running back, and three blazing wide receivers.  Yet, they are one of the lowest scoring teams in the league.  One reason is that their offensive line is terrible as it has been since 2006.  As I argued in a previous post, the Pittsburgh Steelers delayed their search to find an excellent left tackle to protect Ben's blindside.  While Maurkice Pouncey and Marcus Gilbert look like two solid options on that line, Ben is still getting crushed as the line tries to gel.  With a bad offensive line, the Steelers struggle to run, leaving defensive ends the ability to tee off on Roethlisberger.  Rather than try to adjust the gameplan, Bruce Arians proves he is as stubborn as ever, calling  for complex routes that take time to develop.  With a bad line and athletic receivers, the Steelers would be smart to infuse quick passes to move the ball.  As we saw on Sunday, that rarely happened.

If you are looking for positives, you're in luck.  The good news is the season is still young and the Steelers could be playing themselves into "football shape" as some may not have been working hard during the lockout.  After week nine against the Ravens, they have an extremely easy schedule including two games against the NFC West, Bengals and Browns.  If they can survive these next few games-with or without Roethlisberger (foot)- they may have a shot to make the playoffs.  The AFC is still wide open, given the lack of dominant teams and if the Steelers can turn the ship around, they can get hot at the right time.  At this point in time, it seems like a big "if" but remember, this is a veteran group and they are almost the exact same team that came within six points of another championship.