The Colbert Record: Pittsburgh Steelers 2nd Round NFL Draft Picks 2000-2012

The 2013 NFL Draft is only days away which means its time for Steel Curtain Rising's latest edition of the The Colbert Record, and in depth review of Kevin Colbert’s performance.

Last year The Colbert Record praised the Steelers General manager for never missing on a first round pick. The development (or lack thereof) of Ziggy Hood and/or Cameron Heyward might force us to revise that, but even then Kevin Colbert’s record in the 1st round of the NFL draft would remain without no peer. (Click here for a full review of Colbert's 1st round record.)

• This year we take aim at Kevin Colbert’s body of work in the second round.

Although still highly coveted, second round picks in the NFL Draft are considered second best, and they are a lot harder to evaluate. Indeed, during the 1980’s the NFL Draft's second round became known as the Steelers “Jinx” round as Pittsburgh misfired on players like Charles Lockett and Derek Hill (to name two).

How has does Kevin Colbert’s record in the second round stack up against that of Tom Donahoe and Dick Haley? Today we take a look.

In his time in Pittsburgh, Colbert has made 11 second round NFL Draft picks, opting to trade the pick in the 2006 and 2009 NFL Drafts.

Here’s a Snap shot of Colbert’s Second Round Picks (click on the name for a more detailed profile)

2000: Marvel Smith, tackle
2001: Kendrell Bell, linebacker
2002: Antwaan Randle El, wide receiver
2003: Alonzo Jackson, linebacker
2004: Ricardo Colclough, cornerback
2005: Byran McFadden, cornerback
2006: Traded to to get Santonio Holmes
2007: LaMarr Woodley, linebacker
2008: Limas Sweed, wide reciever
2009: Traded out of 2nd Round for 3rd round picks Mike Wallace, Keenan Lewis, and Kraig Urbik
2010: Jason Worilds, linebacker
2011: Marcus Gilbert, tackle
2012: Mike Adams, tackle
2012: Scoring Kevin Colbert's Second Round Record

Steelers 2000 2nd Round Pick, Marvel Smith

When Kevin Colbert arrived in 2000 the Steelers were mess at tackle even though Tom Donahoe had invested heavily at the position throughout the late 1990's. Unfortunately most those Donahoe picks were busts, from Jamain Stephens in 1996, to Paul Wiggins in 1997, to Chris Conrad in 1998, and Kris Farris in 1999.

Colbert sought to rectify that by picking Marvel Smith in the second round of the draft, and Smith became an immediate starter and developed into a Pro Bowler. After starting at right tackle, he moved to left tackle following Wayne Gandy’s departure, and helped anchor a line that led the Steelers to victory in Super Bowl XL.

Smith suffered from a series of injury issues, and the last one which came in a street fight down in Jacksonville, ultimately cost him his career. But Marvel Smith he was an excellent second round pick.

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Steelers 2001 2nd Round Pick, Kendrell Bell

The Steelers traded down in the 2001 NFL Draft and still got the man they wanted, Casey Hampton. Trading down in the first allowed the Steelers to move up into the second, where they signed Kendrell Bell.

Kendrell Bell was an immediate sensation who appeared incapable of wrong . His goal line stop of Jerome Bettis during training camp and the ensuing “crack” that was heard all over Latrobe were the stuff of legend.

• Bell took the league by storm as a rookie, registering nine sacks and earning AP all Rookie Honors.

Unfortunately, like previous Steelers who’d won the Joe Greene Rookie of the Year award (see Delton Hall, Troy Edwards), Kendrell Bell turned out to be a one year wonder. Injuries set him back in 2002, but when healthy he was effective. In 2003 he appeared lost, with some commentators suggesting that Tim Lewis had “coached the aggressiveness out of him.”

Injuries again were an issue in 2004, and Larry Foote replaced him in the starting line up, and he openly discussed about whether he wanted to jeopardize his value on the free agent market by playing the Steelers playoff games.

Bell clearly had athletic talent, but apparently resisted learning coverage schemes and assignments, an attitude which can cost you dearly in the NFL.

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Steelers 2002 2nd Round Pick, Antwaan Randle El,

Antwaan Randle El is easily the most versatile of Kevin Colbert’s 2nd round picks. Randle El made an immediate impact as a rookie returning kickoffs, returning punts, catching passes, running reverses, and throwing passes.

Randle El continued to be a quadruple threat for the Steelers in 2003 and 2004, before graduating to the starting role in 2005. Measured in pure quantitative terms, the trend line of his production dropped after his rookie year, but in qualitative terms his contributions got larger.

While a legitimate threat running a reverse, this former college quarterback also threw four regular season touchdown passes for the Steelers, showing he could hurt the opposition in multiple ways.

And of course his most pass was the last one he threw in his first stint with the Steelers. You might remember it from Super Bowl XL:




Randle El of course returned to Pittsburgh in 2010 for a second tour of duty.

And while the coaches were unimpressed with his speed or by how much he’d forgotten of the playbook, El gave it his all and his 2-2-0-2 passing record shows the element of unpredictability he brought to the offense.

LaMarr Woodley and/or Marvel Smith can lay a stronger claims to being Kevin Colbert’s best second round pick, Randle El was unquestionably the most exciting to watch.

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Steelers 2003 2nd Round Pick, Alonzo Jackson

Shortly after the 2003 NFL Draft the Steelers Digest published a profile of him at Steelers mini camp with a photo of Jackson warning number 95. Upon seeing that I uttered aloud (much to the confusion of my wife), “Son, you have to earn the right to wear Number 95 in Pittsburgh.” (“95” of course being the number worn by the legendary Greg Lloyd.)

Unfortunately, Jackson either never understood that or quite simply lacked the God given ability to live up to the challenges of the NFL.

In 2 seasons with the Steelers, Jackson appeared in only 9 games and recorded 2 tackles.

• Alonzo Jackson was an unmitigated bust.

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Steelers 2004 2nd Round Pick, Richard Colclough

Amazingly Ricardo Coclough lasted 4 seasons with the Steelers, showing some promise as a rookie and in his sophomore season as he registered 2 sacks and one interception while appearing in 30 games.

Things petered out quickly for Coclough in the third game of his third season as he fielded a punt he should not have, allowing Cincinnati to back the Steelers up deep in their own territory. Bill Cowher put him in injured reserve the next day.

• Mike Tomlin actually gave him a second chance, but Coclough only made token appearances in three games.

At the end of the day, Coclough was neither able to make the transition to NFL corner nor was he able to make himself a threat in the return game. Another bust.

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Steelers 2005 2nd Round Pick, Bryant McFadden

It’s never really a good thing when play 6 years in the NFL and your best play comes in your rookie year, as Byrant McFadden’s did when he made a key pass defense in the end zone in the Steelers AFC Divisional Playoff victory vs. the Indianapolis Colts.

However, unlike Kendrell Bell, Bryant didn’t fade after his rookie year, but rather never quite seemed to realize his potential. As a second round pick Bryant was supposed to replace Deshea Townsend, but never could quite beat him out, and when he finally did, he had to split time with William Gay

The Steelers of course allowed McFadden to defect to Pittsburgh West after Super Bowl XLIII, only to bring him back during the 2010 NFL Draft. While McFadden was an improvement over William Gay (who struggled as a starter in 2009), he clearly wasn’t the answer and lost the starting job to an improving Gay in 2011.

You’d generally like to see a little more out of a second round pick, but the Steelers got decent value for B-Mac, and he certainly was no bust.

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Steelers 2007 2nd Round Pick, LaMarr Woodley

The first two picks of the Mike Tomlin era were both linebackers, and for a long time Steelers Nation often wondered if the order shouldn’t have been reversed. LaMarr Woodley did not get a ton of playing time as a rookie, but he made four sacks in spot regular seasons duty.

• He turned it up with two more in the Steelers playoff loss to Jacksonville.

When the Steelers reached the playoffs in 2008, Woodley again turned it up registering two sacks in each of the Steelers playoff games, including a strip sack that ended any chance of a Kurt Warner fueled comeback in Super Bowl XLIII.

• Woodley continued his playoff sack streak in 2010, and the streak was not broken until the Tebowing in January 2011.

“Streak” may be a key word with Woodley, as he does appear to run hot and cold, and injuries have ruined the second half of his 2011 season an most of 2012.

• But clearly LaMarr Woodley is one of Kevin Colbert’s second round picks.

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Steelers 2008 2nd Round Pick, Limas Sweed

You know things are bad when you’re a wide receiver whose signature plays are critical drops in playoff games and one hellacious block in the AFC Championship Game vs. Balitmore.

Limas Sweed had a lot of talent. What many people forget is that on those infamous drops, Sweed had completely burned the DB’s tasked with covering him.

But Sweed suffered from psychological issues, and had the misfortune to injure himself during the Steelers nightmare 2010 off season.

• Some things are not meant to be, and so it was with Limas Sweed, another of Colbert’s second round busts.

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Steelers 2010 2nd Round Pick, Jason Worilds

Entering his fourth year, more is unknown rather than known about Jason Worilds. And that is not necessarily a knock on the college defensive end turned linebacker.

Worilds had the good luck to be drafted by a team with a strong tradition at linebacker, and one whose 3-4 defense thrives on dominant outside linebacking. Worilds had the bad luck to be drafted by a team whose two starting outside linebackers were LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison.

Worilds played well on special teams as a rookie and flashed in spot duty. In 2011 Worilds got extensive playing time as both Harrison and Woodley were injured for periods. Worilds performance was pedestrian at best, but the linebacking corps as a whole suffered with multiple players playing out of position.

Worilds got more time in 2012, and early in the season was the team’s sack leader. Clearly the kid has some upside, but 2013 will likely prove to be the definitive “make or break” year for Jason Worilds.

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Steelers 2011 2nd Round Pick, Marcus Gilbert

Marcus Gilbert wasn’t supposed to see action as a rookie, but an opening day injury to Willie Colon changed all that. Gilbert was forced in the starting line up, and did fairly well considering the circumstances.

Their was talk of Gilbert moving to left tackle in 2011, but that did not happen. Gilbert also had the misfortune to collide with several Steelers, either injuring them badly or ending their seasons. Gilbert struggled in 2012 and then got injured himself in mid 2012 and was lost for the year with an ankle injury.

The jury is still out on Gilbert, assuming he fully recovers from the injury. If the Steelers take a tackle early on in the 2013 NFL Draft, that’s a clear sign that they’re concerned.

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Steelers 2012 2nd Round Pick, Mike Adams

Mike Adams holds the distinction of being the only collegiate player to get himself knocked off of the Steelers draft board only to work himself back on.

Adams had been projected as a first round pick, but his positive test for marijuana knocked him into the second round where the Steelers swooped him up, and immediately decided to move Willie Colon from tackle to guard.

Adams, however, did not win the starting left tackle position during training camp, but injuries to Marcus Gilbert did force him into the line up, where he did well for a rookie, until he himself got injured vs. Cleveland.

• It is way too early to make a pronouncement on Adams, but clearly the Steelers are counting on him.

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Scoring Kevin Colbert's 2nd Round Record

Out of his eleven second round picks, Kevin Colbert has drafted four players who developed into solid starters or better in the form of Marvel Smith, Antwaan Randle El, Bryant McFadden and LaMarr Woodley.

Kendrell Bell was a solid contributor for a year, then provided nothing, while Jason Worilds has delivered some value in the opportunities that he’s been given.

Alonzo Jackson, Ricardo Colclough and Limas Sweed were busts, there’s no way to sugar coat that, no other available conclusion exists.

It’s too early to reach a conclusion on either Marcus Gilbert or Mike Adams.

So to score it, Kevin Colbert has 4 clear wins and 3 clear losses in the 2nd round, with one break even (summing the contributions of Worilds and Bell), with the fate of 2 undetermined picks left to be decided.

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Steelers Resign... Matt Spaeth?

The Pittsburgh Steelers attitude towards departing free agents during the Tom Donahoe era was “Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.” A player no less the stature of Rod Woodson left and wanted to comeback but were firmly told that the door did not swing both ways.

Kevin Colbert took a different approach welcoming back role players such as Ainsley Battles, Myron Bell, Tom Myslinski, Willie Williams and Chad Brown during Bill Cowher's tenure.

• But perhaps the word to departing free agents in the Mike Tomlin era now should be “We’ll see you again.” 

Two years ago the Steelers brought back Antwaan Randle El, Larry Foote, and Bryant McFadden. A week ago they did the same with William Gay.

• And now apparently they’ve done it again with Matt Spaeth, according to ESPN Chicago.

The Steelers drafted Matt Spaeth in the third round of the 2007 NFL draft. During his first three years with the Steelers Spaeth was primarily a blocking tight end who caught touchdowns when the Steelers threw to him.

However, in 2010 when Heath Miller was injured Spaeth struggled to perform Miller’s role in the offense, and left for Chicago via free agency.

In Chicago he was used again as a blocking tight end, and NBC’s Pro Football Talk sighted a Pro Football Focus evaluation that named Spaeth as the top blocking tight end in football.

Why Bring Back Spaeth?

The move to bring back Spaeth will likely underwhelm the masses in Pittsburgh, and for good reason. Speath is nothing special. He doesn’t even know Todd Haley’s offense.

But if Spaeth’s run blocking has improved as much as Pro Football Focus suggests, then he almost undoubtedly offers more than Leonard Pope.

With Heath Miller still ailing the Steelers opening day depth chart at tight end could easily raid David Paulson, David Johnson, and Matt Spaeth. That will scare no defensive coordinator, but could be worse one would suppose.

Post Gazette Reports Spaeth Signing to Occur Monday

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette's Gerry Dulac is reporting on Saturday March 16th the the Steelers will bring Spaeth to the South Side with the intention of signing him to a contact.

Thanks for visiting. Click here for the rest of Steel Curtain Rising or here to see our Steelers 2013 Free Agent Focus.

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Keenan Lewis Now Likely to Leave Pittsburgh as Free Agent

If William Gay’s return to the Steelers signals Keenan Lewis’ exit, Lewis will leave Pittsburgh haven proven two things:

• While history often serves as a useful guide, those who live in the present ultimately write their own history
• Position coaches can and do make a difference in the NFL

Keenan Lewis was one of three third round picks from the Steelers in the 2009 NFL Draft along with Mike Wallace and Kraig Urbik. Yet, it was fifth round pick Joe Burnett that got all of the attention and playing time in what was one of the most trying times for a Steelers secondary in recent memory.

Injuries kept Lewis out of all but three games in that season, yet he came back strong in training camp the following summer in Latrobe. He looked so go that it was said he might challenge for a starting job – until he actually got his audition in Denver.

Lewis flopped badly and took out his frustrations on a sign in the Broncos locker room, an act which Mike Tomlin forced him to pay for. 2010 was tough for Keenan Lewis, he only played in nine games and then mainly on special teams in spite of Bryant McFadden’s struggles at corner.

Keenan Lewis Writes His Own History

By the summer of 2011 most of Steelers Nation had given up on Lewis. History was also against him. A quick survey of Steelers 3rd round picks showed that if they hadn’t shown “something” by the end of their second season, they never would (click here for the comparison between Keenan Lewis and previous third round picks).

A number of Steelers coaches had apparently also come to that conclusion. Fortunately for both the franchise and Lewis, newly installed defensive backs coach Carnell Lake wasn’t one of them.

Lake allowed Lewis to start with a clean slate, and Lewis rewarded his coach’s faith. By the time the Steelers had broken camp at St. Vincent’s Lewis had shown he could play, and by beginning of the season he’d earned a spot in the 3rd down rotation.

Lewis didn’t come on gang busters in 2011, but played well, breaking up passes and making a game-saving interception on Monday night vs. Kansas City.

William Gay’s departure to Pittsburgh West aka Arizona opened a starting spot and Keenan Lewis fought through injury to fend of a fierce challenge from Cortez Allen and won the starting spot.

Again, Lewis rewarded the coach’s faith in him by transforming himself into a one man pass defending machine. Week after week Lewis seemed to make odds-defying pass break up after odds-defying pass break up. By season’s end Lewis had 23 passes defensed – that’s ten more than Ike Taylor and only two less than Taylor’s career best in 2005 (source Steelers.com).

• Not bad for a player labeled a bust after his “sophomore” NFL season.

Lewis benefited from what my friend Ivan Cole from Behind the Steel Curtain has called the “Lake Effect.” Credit Carnell Lake for having the faith and the ability to teach Lewis to play corner in NFL. But Lewis couldn’t have done so without ignoring the naysayers and simply focusing on playing football.

Do the Steelers Have the Cash to Keep Keenan…?

The downside is that Keenan Lewis is budding into a top NFL cornerback just as he’s reaching free agency. In the past, the Steelers have made it a point to try to sign players like Lewis before they hit the open market.

They haven’t done that here. Last summer such a move would have been too risky, and now the Steelers need to guard their salary cap dollars closely and Kevin Colbert has indicated Lewis will be allowed test the waters.

Prior to William Gay’s return, what was to happen to Lewis was anyone’s guess.

• Dejan Kovacevic of the Tribune Review nailed it when he said the Steelers need to pick a number for Lewis and stick to it

The same logic holds true now, except that the number the Steelers pick will be far, far lower.

• One of the clear lessons of the NFL’s salary cap age is that you can’t over pay.

Ideally Lewis can and would be an asset to the Steelers for years to come. But for as strong as Lewis has come on, Cortez Allen has come on even stronger, and could conceivably wrest the starting job from Lewis.

There’s no reason to pay a back up starter money if you don’t have to, and the Steelers are paying William Gay back up money.

Keeping Keenan Lewis would be a great success story for Carnell Lake and the Steelers secondary, but hard to imagine Lewis will not command an average salary that trends towards 8 figures on the open market.

That’s simply going to be out of the Steelers price range.

Thanks for visiting. Click here for the rest of Steel Curtain Rising or here to see our Steelers 2013 Free Agent Focus.

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Like B-Mac Before Him, William Gay Returns to The Steelers via Pittsburgh West

Who says that lighting does not strike twice?

Bryant McFadden was drafted by the Steelers in 2005 worked his way into the line up, and by the time he was playing out his restricted free agent tender he was alternating as a starter.

Following Super Bowl XLIII, McFadden departed to Pittsburgh West aka the Arizona Cardinals.

• A year later McFadden was back with the Steelers, via a draft day trade.

The Steelers drafted William Gay in 2007. He worked his way into the line up, first alternating with starters, then he won the starting, lost it to McFadden, and then won it back albeit he played in the slot position on 3rd downs.

As a free agent in 2012 William Gay signed with Pittsburgh West….

…Last week the Cardinals cut him, word leaked he was headed to the South Side, and presto he’s a Pittsburgh Steeler again.

Hopefully, however, he will not repeat McFadden’s return performance in Pittsburgh. While McFadden did a respectable job in his only full season as a starter, he struggled in the 2010 playoffs. He got injured in the Debacle at Baltimore and never to return as a starter.

When the Steelers found themselves 25 million over the cap in the 2011 off season, McFadden was one of the first cuts.

Does William Gay’s Return Spell Keenan Lewis' Exit?

The immediate speculation is that William Gay’s return signals the end of Keenan Lewis’ days in Pittsburgh. Lewis, by all accounts, wants to stay in Pittsburgh.

But he will likely command a multi million dollar salary on the open market, and the Steelers are strapped for cap space. Add that to the fact that Lewis will have to hold off Cortez Allen for the starting.

Gerry Dulac reported that William Gay signed for approximately 1.5 million dollars a year – not dirt cheap, but a lot less than Lewis will make.

Time will tell, but the probability of Keenan Lewis playing next year in Pittsburgh just took a hit. And irrespective of how it impacts Keenan Lewis' prospects, William Gay's return could also move James Harrison and/or Willie Colon closer to the exit.

We will soon know.

Thanks for visiting. Click here for the rest of Steel Curtain Rising or here to see our Steelers 2013 Free Agent Focus.

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Keenan Lewis: Reason for Steelers Nation to Give Thanks

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday. It cuts across all colors, ideologies, and creeds. No on has commercialized it. It is one of the noblest of American traditions.

I sincerely hope that everyone reading this has many, many reasons to be thankful that are far more consequential than football or that have nothing to do with the Steelers. I certainly do, especially on this occasion.

However, as is tradition. Steel Curtain Rising takes a moment to find reason within the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise to give thanks.

In 2009 the Steelers were in the middle of their 5 game tail spin, yet the heart Rashard Mendenhall showed in saving a pick six in an otherwise ugly game at Kansas City was cause for thanks.

In 2010, Maurkice Pouncey, Emmanuel Sanders, and Al Everest and the resurgent special teams prompted Steelers Nation to give thanks.

Last year, as Hines Ward was waning, the clear emergence of Antonio Brown as a pass catching demon supplied the reason for Steelers Nation to give thanks.

Cornering the Market on the "Lake Effect"

For a long time the Steelers have searched and searched to find a capable corner to consistently man the slot opposite of Ike Taylor. Part of the reason was that the aging Deshea Townsend didn’t yield his spot as he was ‘supposed to.’ First he held off Bryant McFadden and then it was William Gay.

And while neither Gay nor McFadden were “busts” neither ever quite blossomed into a quality number 1 NFL corner.

In this 2012 campaign, Keenan Lewis is giving every sign that he’s well on his way to realizing the potential the Steelers saw in him when they selected him in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

• 2009 was a disaster for Lewis where back injuries kept him out of all but four games.
• 2010 wasn’t much better, as Lewis flashed in camp, then burned in preseason, and did little during the regular season.

As Rebecca Rollett from Behind the Steel Curtain reported, when Carnell Lake arrived as Steelers secondary coach, he learned that many of his compatriots had written Lewis off.

• In the 2010 preseason, Steel Curtain Rising we openly speculated that past history showed that third round picks were pretty much known commodities by their third summer camp….

But Lake was hearing none of it, and took Lewis under his wing, and as result of what Ivan Cole (also of BTSC) the “Lake Effect” Lewis established himself as a legit number 3 NFL corner.

2012 has been Lewis’ year to shine, as he currently holds a wide lead over Ike Taylor in both tackles and passes defensed and, perhaps more importantly, has come up with the ability to be in the right place at the right time.

For that Steelers Nation can give thanks (and then add a prayer that we don’t lose him as a free agent.)

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you from "everyone" here at Steel Curtain Rising.

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Steelers Say Hello to Haley, Good Bye to Battle, Bryant McFadden

The Pittsburgh Steelers named Todd Haley their new offensive coordiantor this week, ending a lengthy search process to replace Bruce Arians.

As they said hello to a familiar face, Haley is in fact the son of Dick Haley who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Art Rooney Jr. and Bill Nunn as the team's director of player personnel during the drafts of the 1970's, they also began what will likely be a lengthy, and at times painful series of good byes.

The Steelers are projected to be 10 to 15 million dollars over the NFL's salary cap for 2012. To get under the team will need to clear a lot of space, and the only way to do that is to part ways with veterans, many of whom will walk out the door past two Super Bowl trophies that they had a hand in winning.

The process began today as the Steelers waived Bryant McFadden and Arnz Battle. McFadden was a rookie in Super Bowl XL and a starter in Super Bowl XLIII. He departed to Arizona after 2008, but returned via trade during the 2010 NFL Draft. McFadden was often injured during his second stint with the Steelers, although he did remain a consistent special teams contributor during the 2011 season.

Battle was one of the members brought in by the Steelers suprise 2010 free agent signing spree, and contributed heavily to the improvement on special teams that year. His contributions were missed when he fell injured during the 2011 season, but ultimately salary cap needs made him expendable.

These two cuts were both anticipated and fairly easy.

The next ones promise to be more difficult.

Stay Steel Curtain Rising will be commenting on those as they happen, as well as offering commentary on both Todd Haley and Bruce Arians' departure.

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Pittsburgh Steelers vs. San Francisco 49ers History

The Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Francisco 49ers. The Steelers represented the Gold Standard for excellence in the 1970’s and the 49ers dominated the 1980’s. Time of course robbed history for a definitive match up between Titans of separate decades.

Nonetheless, the two franchises have played some memorable games, which we recount here. Click on the links below to relive a specific game, or simply scroll down to read them all.

1984, Chuck Noll & Mark Malone vs. Bill Walsh & Joe Montana I
1987, Chuck Noll & Mark Malone vs. Bill Walsh & Joe Montana II
1990, Rod Woodson vs. Jerry Rice I/YES, Kickoffs ARE Live Balls, Mr. Foster
1993, Rod Woodson vs. Jerry Rice II
1996, You Can’t Spot the 49ers 16 Points
1999, The Solar Flare, Before a TOTAL Eclipse
2003, Tommy Gun Misfires
2007, Make that 3-0 for Mike Tomlin...

Chuck Noll & Mark Malone vs. Bill Walsh & Joe Montana I"
Steelers 20, 49ers 17; October 14, 1984, Candlestick Park

Is there a more celebrated Steelers victory of the 1980’s? Who can say, but no matter what, this game nearly tops the list. The year was 1984, and the 49ers were steamrolling the league. In fact, were it not for one game, the 49ers would have been perfect.

This would be the first time that the duo of Chuck Noll and Mark Malone would square off against Bill Walsh and Joe Montana, and this game shows you why we play games instead of leaving the contest to Madden-like computer simulations. The Steelers matched San Fran with tough defense with smart ball control to keep the 49ers off balance the entire day, and in the process added the lone blemish to the 49ers would-be perfect season.

• For more on this game see One Sunday in October and #12 in the Steelers Greatest Non-Super Bowl Wins in History on Behind the Steel Curtain. Also see the Steel Curtain Rising's Chuck Noll vs. Bill Walsh series.

Chuck Noll & Mark Malone vs. Bill Walsh & Joe Montana II
Steelers 30, 49ers 17; September 13th, 1987, Three Rivers Stadium

Joe Montana finished the 1987 season with a 102.1 passer rating. Mark Malone finished the 1987 season with a 46.6 passer rating. And although Montana did outplay Malone on this fateful day, it wasn’t enough.

Rookie cornerback Delton Hall, linebacker Mike Merriweather, and veteran cornerback Dwayne Woodruff all picked off Montana’s passes. Delton Hall, who won the Steelers rookie of the year award only to fade, opened the game with a 50 yard fumble return to put the Steelers up by 7. Mark Malone only completed 9 of 33 passes, but one of those was for a touchdown to tight end Preston Gothard (who?). Ernest Jackson, Walter Abercrombie, Frank Pollard, Harry Newsome teamed to rush for 184 yards and a rookie named Merril Hoge caught his first NFL pass for 27 yards.

• With this win, Chuck Noll passed his mentor (and Walsh's mentor) Paul Brown on the NFL's all time win list

Rod Woodson vs. Jerry Rice I/YES, Kickoffs ARE Live Balls, Mr. Foster
49ers 27, Steelers 7; October 21st, 1990, Candlestick Park

The 49ers entered the game at 6-0 looking every bit the team en route to a 3 peat, while Pittsburgh entered with a 3-3 record, looking every bit like the team suffering from a hangover following the Steelers storybook 1989 season.

Joe Montana was on fire that year, but the Steelers came with a secret weapon – the NFL’s number one defense that had only given up 3 touchdown passes in 6 games. The Steelers felt they could win this game, if only they could avoid mistakes….

…And mistakes the Steelers made. Although Rod Woodson and Thomas Everett intercepted Montana twice, Joe Walton’s offense failed to capitalize. Barry Foster ‘forgot’ that uncaught kickoffs are live balls, setting up an easy San Fran TD, and a Charles Haley strip sack of Bubby Brister set up another. A 49er’s interception would stop any chance of a Pittsburgh comeback.

• In their first face off, Rod Woodson held Jerry Rice to 3 catches for just 31 yards.

Rod Woodson vs. Jerry Rice II
49ers 24, Pittsburgh 13; September 5th, 1993, Three Rivers Stadium

After taking the league by storm in 1992, the NFL scheduled what was to be one of their marquee match ups of opening day by pitting the Steelers vs. the 49ers on opening day at Three Rivers Stadium. With Neil O’Donnell on the sidelines with tendonitis during the first half the 49ers built up a 17-3 lead.

Neil O’Donnell came off the bench to get Pittsburgh back in the game narrowing the score to 17-13, before Steve Young connected with Brent Jones for a touchdown, making the Steelers regret that Chuck Noll cut tight end whose sin was to be a better pass catcher than run blocker.

• In his second match up with Rice, Rod Woodson held him to just 78 yards, but 2 of Rice's 8 catches were for touchdowns…

You Can’t Spot the 49ers 16 Points (and Expect to Win)
49ers 25, Steelers 15; December 15th, 1996, Three Rivers Stadium

It was a tricky time for the Steelers. Already with 10 wins and the division title in the bag, a first round playoff bye remained in their grasp…

…But Mike Tomzack was faltering as the team’s starter, and injuries had ravaged the team all season. The Steelers gave up a quick touchdown, and then a safety to spot the 49ers 9 points. If memory serves, another turnover set up the 49ers next score, putting the Steelers in the hole 16-0.

The Steelers rebounded scoring 15 with touchdowns from Jerome Bettis and Kordell Stewart. But it was not enough as the 49ers also scored a Terrell Owens touchdown and kicked a field goal.

• In their final match up, Rod Woodson again held Jerry Rice under 100 yards, although Rice did score a touchdown with one of his 8 catches.

Solar Flare, Before a Total Eclipse
Steelers 27, 49ers 6; November 7, 1999, Candlestick Park

After watching the 49ers both beat them 3 straight times and beat them to one for the thumb this was supposed to be the one that Steelers fans had been waiting for. And on paper it was. The Steelers jumped to a 17-3 first half lead on the strength of Jerome Bettis and Hines Ward touchdowns and a field goal. The Steelers dominated the score board winning the game 27-3.

After a 2-3 start, the Steelers had now won 3 straight to improve to 5-3. All looked well but… the 49ers Charlie Garner rushed for 166 yards. The following week Kordell Stewart’s fumbled snap led to the upset at the hands of the expansion Browns.

• The ensuring quarterback controversy would dominate the news, but the failing defense, as Joel Steed’s knees gave way, was one of the under reported stories of the Steelers 1999 meltdown.

Tommy Gun Misfires
49ers 30, Steelers 27; November 17, 2003, Candlestick Park

Tommy Maddox had been the 2003 version of Tebowmania having gone from out of football, to the XFL, to resurrecting the Steelers 2002 season. Alas, 2003 was not as kind to Maddox, as the Steelers pass defense struggled, injuries decimated the offensive line, and Cover 2 defenses frustrated Maddox. The ’03 Steelers had gone 2-1 before losing five straight. By the time they were 2-6 they mounted the “win a game, lose a game” see-saw.

Unfortunately, the Steelers trip to San Francisco came on the downside of that see-saw. San Francisco opened a 14-0 lead at the end of the first half, and the Steelers feigned making go at it by scoring the first touchdown in the second half, but the 49ers would score 20 unanswered points until Tommy Maddox hooked up with Randel El for a final, face saving touchdown.

Make that 3-0 for Mike Tomlin...
Steelers 37, 49ers 15; September 23, 2007, Heinz Field

Just two weeks earlier Steelers Nation had no idea about what to make of Mike Tomlin, the man who leapfrogged Russ Grimm to succeed Bill Cowher. By the time the 49ers arrived at Heinz Field, Tomlin was already 2 and 0 and notched his third win at San Francisco’s expense.

What stands out when looking at the stat sheet is that role players made all of the splash plays for the Steelers that day. Allen Rosseum got his 15 minutes of fame as a Steeler with a 98 yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Jerame Tuman caught the only touchdown pass, and Najeh Davenport ran for 39 yard touchdown, while Bryant McFadden had a 50 yard pick six.

On defense the story was a little different, as then starter Bryant McFadden had a 50 yard pick six and veteran James Farrior and rookie LaMarr Woodley both sacked Alex Smith.

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James Harrison Suffers Orbital Fracture, Out 'Weeks'

If the cliché adversity builds character has any merit to it, then the Steelers are in for some major character building.

Already reeling from the Trashing from the Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin announced that All Pro Linebacker James Harrison has an orbital fracture around his right eye. Team doctors will operate on Harrison Wednesday, he will miss “several weeks.”

Harrison will not get lonely on the injured list. His back up, 2010 second round pick Jason Worilds has a quad strain and is doubtful while Aaron Smith is “extremely questionable.”

And this only sums up the Steelers injuries on defense.

Halfback Mewelde Moore has a right ankle sprain which could keep him from playing, and Rashard Mendenhall has a hamstring injury.

That leaves the Steelers with all of two healthy running backs – Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer.

The “good” news is that starters Jonathan Scott and Doug Legursky are expected to return to the Steelers starting sieve. Bryant McFadden’s health has also returned, although Ed Bouchette indicated during his PG Plus chat that he might not recover his starting job.

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Steelers Secondary Future is NOW vs. Seahawks

“The standard is the standard,” Mike Tomlin demands. For a while now, that standard in the Steelers secondary, at least at corner, has left something to be desired.

Perhaps the unit will take a step in the right direction today.

Steelers Digest’s Twitter feed informs that Bryant McFadden has been deactivated for today’s game vs. the Seahawks.

An ealier Steelers Digest Tweet indicated that William Gay will start in McFadden’s place, and then go back to his positon as nickel back on third downs.

That means that “veteran” Keenan Lewis along with this year’s 3rd draft pick Curtis Brown and 4th round draft pick Cortez Allen will likely get some playing time. While the prospect of playing so many inexperienced corners remains a little scary, these players represent the Steelers immediate future at corner.

As George Allen once said, “The future is NOW.”

Time to take our first look at what these guys have got.

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