Steelers 2013 Roster Analysis, Defense: Defensive Line

Steel Curtain Rising's breakdown of the Steelers 2013 roster continues with a look at the defensive line.

Starters:  Brett Keisel, Steve McLendon, Ziggy Hood
Back Ups:  Cameron Heyward, Al Woods and Loni Fangupo

Strengths: Once a monument to the aging of the Steelers defense, this unit has seen incredible renewal at each position.

Weaknesses:  The nose tackle is the fulcrum that the success of the 3-4 defense rises and falls upon, as Ed Bouchette has said. He's right. Steve McLendon out performed Casey Hampton on a snap-per-snap basis in 2012. Can he keep that level consistently? Likewise, while this unit has gotten younger, can the youngsters prove they gotten better?

The Skinny: Like other areas of the team, the defensive line remains a question which could go one way or another. Ziggy Hood had a strong preseason by all accounts. Does the fact that he is starting mean that he's finally sustaining some development of a player, or does it simply mean that Cameron Heyward is likewise a disappointment?

Click here and scroll around to read analysis of other position areas on the Steelers 2013 Roster.

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or... Follow @SteelCurtainRis

Read More

3 Unasked Questions of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2013 Preseason

A tumultuous off season has ended. Training camp is closed. The first roster cuts have been made. Only one preseason game stands between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the 2013 season.

Its been an eventful summer at St. Vincents and on the South Side. Lots has been said and done, with stories answering questions relating to:

• Troy Polamalu’s return to health, 
• Ben Roethlisberger’s relationship with Todd Haley,
• injuries and depth (or lack thereof on offensive line), 
• the emergence of Shamarko Thomas and Marcus Wheaton, 
• injuries, Lisfranc and other sorts, to the likes of Matt Spaeth, Isaac Redman, Plaxico Burress, LaRod Stephens-Howling,  Jarvis Jones, and Le’Veon Bell

Live tackling and increased focus on conditioning and the role of emerging leaders have also been frequent topics of conversation.

But there are a few stories that seem to have fallen from the cracks, a few “less frequently asked questions.

Did Golden Miss an Opportunity? 

The Steelers reputation of having an old defense continues to dog them. And while Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark aren’t the sole players dragging up that average, they certainly do their part.

The Pittsburgh Steelers liked Shamarko Thomas so much that they traded a future pick -- something that they haven’t done since Chuck Noll was head coach and "Star Wars" a rejected name for a Hollywood game show pitting studios of various Hollywood competing against each other.

• And Shamarko Thomas has delivered thus far.

Yet one of the bigger untold stories of the summer of 2013 has been Robert Golden. Golden made the Steelers squad in 2012 as an undrafted rookie free agent, and while he did not play enough his development was strong enough that management felt comfortable saying goodbye to Ryan Mundy and Will Allen – leaving no veteran depth behind Polamalu and Clark.

There were even rumblings on the blogesphere the Golden could make a more outspoken member of the secondary into a cap casualty….

…That later move doesn’t seem likely to come to pass. While there’s no evidence that Golden’s been a “disappointment” or that he’s in danger of losing his roster spot but his name hasn’t been heard much this summer.

Ziggy Heyward vs. Cameron Hood

This was to be Ziggy Hood’s make or break summer and if all went well Cameron Heyward would help push Ziggy Hood out the door.

Hood’s trajectory since assuming Aaron Smith’s spot in 2010 has plateaued since then and many snap-by-snap analysis showed Heyward out performing him in 2012. Others found Heyward equally disappointing.

While the situation of both men got attention early on in camp, there’s been little discussion who is leading the pack. The reason for that could very well be because Hood is holding off Heyward, but that’s only an assumption, making this yet another unasked question.

The Atrocious Teams 

Mike Tomlin hired Danny Smith to revive a special teams unit that had again regressed into a team liability.

His unit during the preseason would be more aptly named the Steelers atrocious teams. Throughout the preseason the special teams have been a painful constant.

Many have observed this fact, but few have explored its origin.

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or... Follow @SteelCurtainRis

Read More

Video Highlights of Steelers 26-20 Preseason Loss to the Chiefs

The Pittsburgh Steelers lost 26-20 in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs, assuring them the first losing preseason record of the Mike Tomlin era, for whatever that little factoid is worse.

Based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, (and no fan of watching things on the computer) Steel Curtain Rising could not see the game, but as always we’re happy to bring you highlights. Watch them while you can, because Roger Goodell’s YouTube police seem to be more aggressive than ever.



The results in preseason are of course meaningless. Its performance that counts. In that light Steelers Nation is faced with a half full, half empty situation.

On the plus side…

• Ben Roethlisberger looked sharp going 13-19-166, hitting Antonio Brown for 49 yards, Emmanuel Sanders for 24 yardsand Jonathan Dwyer for a 15 yard touchdown
• Markus Wheaton also looked strong with 3 catches for 54 yards including a 34 yard catch
• Felix Jones staked a claim to a roster spot, leading the team in rushing
• Cortez Allen roared back to life, leading the team in tackles
• Alan Baxter staked his claim to a roster spot registering 2 sacks
• Cameron Heyward and Ziggy Hood both registered sacks

On the negative side…

• Special teams were atrocious, giving up a 109 return for a touchdown and seeing a blocked field goal
• Despite playing Kelvin Beachum as a roaming tight end, Ben Rothlisberger was sacked twice and under pressure
• The Steelers were penalized 9 times for 98 yards, many of which ensured that the Cheifs stayed in the game
• The starting defense allowed Alex Smith to look sharp and tie up the score at half time
• Neither Jonathan Dwyer nor Baron Batch could make headway rushing the ball (no wonder why Batch was cut)

The other big news of the night was the injury to first round pick Jarvis Jones, but it has been reported that the tests he underwent were negative.

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or... Follow @SteelCurtainRis

Read More

Back to School: 3 R's to Guide the Steelers at Saint Vincents: Retool, Recalibrate, and Refocus

It is fitting that the Pittsburgh Steelers still hold training camp at a college, because this franchise needs to concentrate on the 3 R’s while at St. Vincents.

Of course the 3 R’s in question are not reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic but Retool, Recalibrate, and Refocus. While each of the Steelers "3 R's" represents an area of individual urgency, all of them are interrelated.

Steelers First "R" for 2013 Training Camp:  Retool

The Steelers personnel philosophy since opening Heinz Field has been simple:  Keep the core together.

• Victories in Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIII vindicate management’s M.O.

But a shift away from this philosophy began after 2009 (see the departures of Willie Parker and Deshea Townshend) and has continued in fits and starts (see the return of Foote and Randle El in ’10) since then.

• Now the Steelers strategic personnel pivot has reached its end-game.

Whether the draftees and rookie free agents of 2012 and 2013 can win starting jobs and roster spots is now a moot question. They will win them because there are no veterans left to hold them back. Max Starks is in San Diego, Willie Colon is in New York, James Harrison is in Cincinnati.

The question now is can players like Jason Worilds, David DeCastro, Cortez Allen, and Mike Adams produce at high enough level for the Steelers make a Lombardi run while Ben Roethlisberger retains some youth (and health).

• The Steelers have been here before.

Precisely 30 summers ago a fair contingent of the Super Steelers had retired, and Pittsburgh found itself with some aging, yet viable, stars mixed with untested youth.

We now know that there were too many Keith Gary’s, Walter Abercrombie’s and not enough Tunch Ilkin’s, Brian Hinkle’s and Louis Lipps for the Steelers to snatch the elusive “One For the Thumb.”

But in 2013 Mike Tomlin has two advantages that Chuck Noll lacked in 1983:

• Terry Bradshaw was 35 and Ben Roethlisberger is 31
• Free agency, yes, free agency

The benefit of a younger franchise quarterback is self-evident. Free agency’s is not, but perhaps it should be.

Historically Steelers Nation has had a hate-hate relationship with free agency, viewing it has a force that has robbed Pittsburgh of talented players as they reach their prime. And that of course has happened.

But free agency also gives the Steelers the ability to divest itself of players who are not up to par or might be good but don’t fit their system. In practical terms this means that Mike Tomlin can get rid of Ryan Mundy whereas Chuck Noll was stuck with Lupe Sanchez.

The story of the Steelers 2013 off season was Kevin Colbert’s attempt to get the most bang out of the Steelers salary cap buck.

They made hard choices, saying good bye to tenured veterans and promising youngsters alike. At St. Vincent’s this summer Mike Tomlin's challenge is to simultaneously develop and mold that talent into a winning roster.

Steelers Second "R" for 2013 Training Camp:  Recalibrate

We all know the story of the Steelers 2012 season.

• When the offense was effective, the defense lacked
• When the defense began shutting down opponents, the offense imploded

Injuries were at the core of some of this ineffectiveness and inconsistency in 2012, but not all of it.

On offense Ben Roethlisberger and Todd Haley kept denying friction existed between the two of them until the Steelers Digest itself outed them, labeling the improvement of the Roethlisberger-Haley relationship as the off season imperative.

• On defense the issues are both trickier and more challenging.

Statistically the Steelers have fielded a dominating defense each of the last two seasons. But statistics can deceive. For as strong as the Steelers were in limiting yards, taking away the big play, and winning on third downs turnovers and sacks remained in short supply in both ’11 and ’12.

And this was also the case for the Steelers in 2009.

• There’s a pattern here, and one that reveals a deficiency that Dick LeBeau must rectify.

It won't be an easy task, and a single example suffices to show this.

The Steelers defense has been predicated on stopping the run. Casey Hampton took away the middle of the field almost single handedly, and James Harrison, for all of his hell raising in the backfield, was phenomenal vs. the run.

Stopping the run has been cited as a weak point for both Jason Worilds and Cameron Heyward – two potential starters on the front seven.

Dick LeBeau has a delicate balance to strike.

Steelers Third "R" for 2013 Training Camp:  Refocus

Friend and Behind the Steel Curtain scribe (full disclosure I also write for BTSC) Ivan Cole recently submitted were that were it not for a fumble in Oakland and one in Dallas that the Steelers would have finished in a three way tie for the AFC North crown.

• That’s a tantalizing hypothetical, as success or failure in an NFL season often does boil down to a handful of plays.

But the picture in Pittsburgh in 2012 was far more complex. Several times in 2012 in the comments supporting the Steelers post-game report cards it was observed that coaches shouldn’t be held responsible for fumbles and inopportune penalties.

• And that’s true.

Neither Mike Tomlin nor Amos Jones forced Antonio Brown to fumble in Dallas, just as momentum swung to Pittsburgh.

But Brown’s fumble wasn’t an isolated incident. There were myriad lapses vs. Oakland. The Cleveland road game was a comedy of errors, and vs. Chargers nearly everyone wearing black played just like they’d exited shock treatment. (Heck Mendenhall didn’t even grace the team with his presence that day.)

It is ironic, but not coincidental that the Steelers followed their best game of the season, the backup-powered road victory over Baltimore, with their worst, at home against San Diego where they did their best to make Norv Turner and Philip Rivers look like a modern day Air Croyle

• Such erratic performance generally boils down a lack of focus.

Fortunately focus is something that can be taught, practiced and bred into a football team. Chuck Noll called it "Singleness of Purpose." Neither Greg Lloyd nor Merril Hoge were gifted with natural athletic talent. But both men became household names in Steelers Nation because they with competing on every play in every practice, did extra reps and always put in the necessary physical and mental preparation.

A generation later, Hines Ward and James Harrison followed their example.

• And so it must be with 90 men the Pittsburgh Steelers have brought with them to Latrobe.

Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher both referred to training camp as the time to lay a team’s foundation. Mike Tomlin is no different. The summer the Steelers spent at St. Vincient's in 2013 needs to be a time where they lay a foundation based on fundamentals and focus.

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or... Follow @SteelCurtainRis

Read More

Watch Tower: Doing a Double Take on Tomlin's Coaching Changes, Plus Heyward vs. Hood

The NFL press credential unlocks access to a world that fans only dream of visiting – the NFL locker room. Many argue that social media diminishes if not eliminates the need and role of the traditional press.

• There’s some truth there. 

The internet, YouTube, blogs, streaming video, Facebook, and Twitter connect players, coaches, scouts, front office staff, and owners with fans in ways that Joe Gordon, Steelers Communications director during the Super Steelers era, never dreamed of.

• Yet a press credential remains invaluable. 

Simply because it gives accredited members of the Pittsburgh Pro Football Writers Association daily access to those self-same players, coaches, and scouts.

Yes can Steelers.com picks and chooses post-game quotes that Twitter, Facebook, ESPN.com, FOX Sports quickly recycle. Sure, Art Rooney II can change the spin of a story by using a video interview to explain that he didn’t mean the Steelers offense needed to run more just that it needed to be able to run better.

• These mediums have their impact, but they also have their limits.

And that’s because beat reporters establish build relationships players and coaches. They make small talk by the water cooler and in the lunch room. They’re privy to numerous 60 second “off the record” 1-1 elevator rides, parking lot exchanges and, yes, urinal conversations.

Credentialed Steelers press writers have an excellent feel for what gets said in private, behind closed doors, when the tape records and cellphone cameras are put way.

The Watch Tower has long suspected that many if not most of the Steelers press corps writers frequently know a lot more about the stories than reaches the light of day.

• And that’s what makes our first case so interesting.

Revisiting the Sean Kugler, Amos Jones and Scotty Montgomery’s “Resignations”

Steelers Nation knows well how Mike Tomlin said his coaching staff would be back in January 2012 after the Steelers suffered their playoff “Tebowing” in Denver only to have Art Rooney II pulled rank and fired Bruce Arians.

• The move drew a firestorm converge, and the attempt to pass it off as a “retirement” made the Steelers look bush league.

Mike Tomlin started the Steelers 2013 off season off with three coaching changes, which collectively got less coverage than the Arians fiasco.

Perhaps that was a mistake, because it appears there was a story behind the story...

• ...Depending on who you listen to.

But this plot takes an interesting twist. This is no case of local rivals peddling competing stories or even of the local press vs. the national press. No, this time the Watch Tower shines its light on divergent stories coming from the same publication….

Bouchette vs. Dulac with Blog Posts at 30 Paces….

In just two days in mid February PG Plus readers got a treat that gave them their money’s worth for a month.

On Monday the 11th, Ed Bouchette directly suggested that the resignations of Tomlin’s assistants were less than voluntary. And in doing so, he reported several interesting new facts.

Bouchette characterized Amos Jones move to Pittsburgh West, aka Arizona, as a “side ways move” and pointed out that Jones joined the Steelers as an assistant and only got the special teams coordinator job due to Al Everestt’s mysterious firing.

Although he doesn’t report any new facts, but reminds readers that Jones didn’t get the job after Bob Ligashesky got fired in 2010, and suggests that Tomlin either told him he would be demoted or suggested he find a new job or be fired.

Scottie Montgomery’s departure is Bouchette’s next target, and hits the bull’s eye with some new facts. Bouchette begins by reminding us that the Duke PR department was nebulous about what Montgomery’s new duties would be, and that a move from Pittsburgh to Duke is hardly a step up the career ladder. Then he delivers the goods.

We were told that Montgomery did not exert enough control over the wide receivers the past season and, with Hines Ward no longer around, the students ran the classroom and became more undisciplined. Their performance on the field certainly would back that up.

Although Bouchette does not mention this, the hiring of Richard Mann provides further evidence to support his claim. Anyone who saw his draft day press conference could easily see that Mann exudes and air of “Been there, Done that.

Bouchette closed by taking a look at Sean Kulger’s decision to accept the head coaching job at UT El Paso, suggesting that he might have at least been motivated by a philosophy class with offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Haley’s new offensive line coach Jack Bicknell has in fact installed a new, run blocking scheme.

So here we have an inside story from the Dean of the Pittsburgh press corps telling us that Tomlin’s coaching changes were as much about house cleaning as they were climbing the career ladder. Case closed, right?

Not so fast.

• Only a day later Gerry Dulac penned another PG Plus story telling a very different tale.

Dulac began by attacking the notion that the changes were a case of “rats leaving a sinking ship” and went as far as to state:  “And none were made because of any conflict or dissatisfaction with Coach Mike Tomlin.”

Dulac pointed out that Kulger’s chance to return to his alma mater was simply “too good to pass up.” In discussing Amos Jones move, Dulac reported that Jones got more money and a longer contract than was presumably available in Pittsburgh.

In discussing Montgomery’s return to Duke, Dulac says:

But Montgomerie [sic] was said to very friendly with Tomlin and, according to one assistant coach, was reluctant to leave Duke the first time to join the Steelers.

Bouchette vs. Dulac Who to Believe? 

So here you have two reporters for the same publication, telling very different stories based upon what they see from behind the scenes on the South Side. Who to believe?

Of all of the moves, the departure of Kulger’s appears to be the most straight forward. He got the chance to return to his roots, and presumptively would have stayed in Pittsburgh had that opportunity not surfaced.

There’s likely truth in both men’s rendering of Amos Jones’ departure. Jones quiet likely could have stayed in Pittsburgh, but only in his old role as a special teams assistant.

In the case of Montgomery, the Watch Tower is prone to believe Bouchette. The wide receiving corps was supposed to be Pittsburgh’s strength last year, but "Young Money," aka Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown, and Emmanuel Sanders, played more like a penniless group of receivers, much to Ben Roethlisberger’s chagrin.

• There is one thing that both Bouchette and Dulac agree on, one that is perhaps a little disturbing for Steelers fans. 

In discussing Montgomery’s move, Bouchette observed this “If Tomlin – or someone above him – didn’t force Montgomery out, his move to Duke is a strange one indeed.”  Dulac went a step further, and finished his article suggesting:  “Of course, sometimes what Tomlin wants and what actually transpires are two different things. Just ask Arians.”

While the idea of Art Rooney II involving himself in Mike Tomlin’s staffing decisions  isn’t in and of itself bad, one would hope that Art II would emulate macro-manager Daniel Rooney and not micro-manager Daniel Snyder.

Which Way is Heyward Heading?

One of the the most important story lines at Steelers training camp in St. Vincent’s will be the development of Cameron Heyward, the Steelers 1st round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.

Cameron Heyward’s limited contributions as a rookie drew good reviews, however opinion of his second year development remains split.

Ralph Paulk of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review wrote a feature-length article admonishing Hewyard to “step it up” commenting that:

The Ohio State product begins his third season amid a cloud of uncertainty.
He isn't likely to supplant Ziggy Hood or Brett Keisel in the starting lineup, but he can dictate how much playing time he'll get — and how his future will be shaped.

To back up his argument, Paulk cites any number of statistics on Heyward’s production, and quotes Heyward himself discussing how he’s fallen short of his goals.

However, Kyle Curry of the Pittsburgh Sporting News also ran an article on Heyward last week citing statistics that show Hewyard out performing Ziggy Hood on a snap-by-snap basis, and he informs that Ed Bouchette is reporting that Heyward has a chance to replace Hood in the starting lineup.
Heyward’s development, and the press’s coverage of it will be interesting to see.

Smizik on Wallace

The final off season installment of the Watch Tower would not be complete without comment about retired Post-Gazette columnist turned blogger Bob Smizik’s criticism of Steelers salary cap management and free agent decisions.

• Mike Wallace, as everyone knows was one of the top available free agents, regardless of position and was expected to command at least 10 million per year and he eventually got closer to 12.

Keeping Wallace, in Smizik’s view was essential for the Steelers, and the retired scribe all but implied that the Steelers needed to do what was necessary to keep him. And in the same breath, he slammed the Steelers for being so tight against the cap that they couldn’t make an offer.

• That’s right – slam the team for not writing Wallace a blank check in one breath, while slamming them for salary cap problems in the next.

Sounds like the same guy who criticized the Steelers for drafting Rashard Mendenhall without taking Willie Parker’s feelings into account, and then complained when Mendenhall wasn’t getting more carries early in ’08….

Thanks for visiting. To read more analysis of the media that cover the Steelers, click here to read more from Steel Curtain Rising's Watch Tower.

Read More

Steelers Draft Samford DT Nicholas Willams in 7th

The Pittsburgh Steelers finished the 2013 NFL Draft the way they started their 2009 and 2011 drafts:  by picking a defensive lineman.

The Steelers used their 7th round and final pick to take Samford defensive tackle Nicholas Williams. Williams is tall, coming in at 6’4” and weighing in at 310 pounds. It is unclear exactly how he fits into the Steelers system, although the site NFL Draft Scout projects him as a defensive end in the pros.

7th round picks face an uphill battle to make it into the NFL, but Williams is fortunate in that the only depth the Steelers have behind Brett Keisel, Steve McLendon, Ziggy Hood, and Cameron Heyward is Al Woods and Alameda Ta'amu.

Like the site NFL Draft Scout, CBS’s pre draft site projected Williams as a 5th round pick. Clearly he fell, in spite of his 8 sacks recorded last year.

It has been the Steelers custom of late to draft defensive lineman late with hopes of developing them, but that has not worked out so well (and as Ziggy Hood’s stunted development shows, drafting them early has not worked out so well either.)

However, Brett Keisel joined the team as a 7th round pick in 2002 and blossomed into a strong starter. Have faith Nicholas Williams, it can be done.

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or... Follow @SteelCurtainRis

Read More

Steelers Draft Needs: Past Failures Make Defensive Line a Priority in Pittsburgh

After his first season as Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin declared that the team needed to get “Younger and stronger” on the defensive line. The Steelers didn’t use a premium pick on the defensive line in now maligned 2008 NFL Draft, but they picked Ziggy Hood in the first round in 2009 and Cameron Heyward in the first round of 2011.

In 2012 they traded up to get one of the few ‘pure nose tackles’ remaining in the draft and they just extended nose tackle Steve McLendon for 3 more years.

• Those moves must mean the Steelers are set on defensive line and need to worry about that in the upcoming draft. Right?

Guess again.

In spite of (or perhaps perversely because of) their heavy investment of first round picks in defensive lineman in recent years defensive line remains a serious need area for the Steelers in the 2013 NFL Draft.

The unit is led by Brett Keisel who defied father time and played well last year, particularly in the later half of the season. But Keisel is an unrestricted free agent. More importantly he’s 34.

Should Keisel play at the level he played at in 2013 the Steelers could bring back. But if the Steelers do that and if Keisel oes return in 2014 in anything more than a Jerome Bettis ’04-’05 elder statesman type role then what will that say about the men drafted to replace him?

• Those of course would be Ziggy Hood and Cameron Heyward.   

Of the two Ziggy Hood is the greatest concern. He played well as a rookie in spot duty in 2009, was a little shaky entering the starting line up in mid 2010 but came on strong late in 2010 and during the playoffs. In short he had the look of a player who was establishing himself as a quality starter.

• Unfortunately that Ziggy Hood has been seldom seen in the two years since.

Hood has played four years in the NFL and coaches are suggesting that his natural position might be nose tackle, which doesn’t speak well about how they see him as a defensive end.

• But no worries, there’s always Cameron Heyward.

Yes, Heyward, the son of legendary Pitt running back Craig Heyward.

Heyward who, on a snap for snap basis, out performed Hood yet cannot seem to wrest the starting job from him. It is too early to for the Steelers give up on Heyward, but not too early for them to hedge their bets, especially with Ziggy Hood looking destined to be no more than an average starter.

• Those two realities in and of themselves mean the first round would not be too soon for the Steelers to think about drafting a lineman.

But the Steelers don’t need to just worry about replacing about finding Ziggy Hood and Brett Kiesel’s replacements in this draft, they also must find build depth.

Behind Hood, Hewyard, McLendon, and Keisel the Steelers have:

• Alameda Ta’Amu, last year’s 4th round pick who looked lost in camp and is currently on probation
• Al Woods whose has benches as a practice squad player and back up for parts of three seasons
• Hebron Fangupo, who? Yeah, we asked the same question

Suffice to say, defensive line remains a high priority for the Steelers in the 2013 NFL Draft

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or... Follow @SteelCurtainRis

Read More

Steve McLendon: Why the Steelers MUST Keep Him

The 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers, sans Ben Roethlisberger, surpised the NFL by beating the Atlanta Falcons on opening day.

Lost amidst the glare created by Troy Polamalu’s dramatic interception and Rashard Mendenhall’s 50 yard touchdown was the bad news that the Casey Hampton was injured, and unavailable to play vs. Tennessee.

Chris Hoke had shown himself to be an able replacement, but he was the only nose tackle on the roster. An injury to Hoke would give Chris Johnson a beeline through the middle of the defense.

The night before the game the Steelers announced that they had (temporarily) cut Byron Leftwich an activated a previously unknown nose tackle from the practice squad.

That nobody was none other than Steve McLendon and he just happened to have a hand in what was one of the greatest defensive games infranchise history. In fact, he recovered a fumble and helped neutralize Johnson.

McLendon appeared in 7 other games in 2010, played in all sixteen during the 2011 season, and 14 during the 2012 season. His numbers are pedestrian with 3 sacks and only 17 tackles in three seasons, but statistics can be misleading.

Resigning Steve McLendon Must be a Priority for the Steelers

Casey Hampton, long the anchor of the Steelers defensive line, is a free agent and expected to depart. Alameda Ta’amu needs to hope that if he’s lucky enough to report for training camp and not prison later this year that he draws attention to himself for something more than hurting his foot walking to Walmart. 

• That makes McLendon the only viable option at nose tackle.

But that’s not the reason why the Steelers must resign him. The Steelers need to resign restricted free agent Steve McLendon because he has the look of a stud who is on the verge of budding.

Many fans felt that McLendon had earned the right to start over Casey Hampton on the strength of his preseason performance. While Hampton improved as the season progressed, McLendon simply made plays whenever he got onto the field by:

• sacking Michael Vick at a key point in the victory over the Eagles 
• pressuring Eli Manning into a throw that Ike Taylorintercepted in the victory over New York
• slamming Trent Richardson in what became a waste ofdefensive domination at Cleveland Stadium
• tag teaming with Cameron Heyward to cement the Steelers lead in the season finale vs. Cleveland 

Steve McLendon has drive, fire, and an ability to disrupt opposing offenses.

There’s been talk that the Steelers will offer him a low-ball restricted free agent tender – salary cap realities might dictate that, but…

• The Steelers need to keep Steve McLendon no ifs ands or buts

Ed Bouchette has said that the success of the 3-4 defense rises and falls on the knees of the nose tackle. The Steelers need a gamer there and McLendon looks poised to size that role.

There’s been talk that the Steelers might flip flop McLendon with Ziggy Hood. If the coaches want to make that move, so be it, allow them to make it. Either way must ensure that Steve McLendon is part of their front seven on opening day 2013.

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

Read More

Chargers Shock Steelers 34-24

The Pittsburgh Steelers entered NFL week 14 riding high. The Steelers weren’t “supposed” to beat Ravens, and that victory was to propel them into the playoffs – and dare Steelers Nation dream, beyond.

The San Diego Chargers, in contrast, began the day at 4-8 after a week where word leaked head coach Norv Turner was to get the ax.

The Steelers were playing at home, and Ben Roethlisberger was back. As Mr. Baker, my old 8th grade World Studies teacher would say, it was a gimmie.

And the Steelers blew it.

2012 Pittsburgh Steelers Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Act, Coming to a City Near You

My, what a difference one week makes.

Against Baltimore, the Pittsburgh Steelers played hungry, focused, inspired football. They didn’t dominate, but they hung in against the odds, overcame adversity, and made the plays necessary to win in the fourth quarter.

They had the look of a team, in the words of Dale Lolley, that could be “dangerous in the playoffs.”

Coming into a hostile environment, one in which the franchise had never prevailed in 14 regular season attempts, the San Diego Chargers:

• Dominated the line of scrimmage while on defense
• Converted third downs
• Protected Philip Rivers with a make-shift offensive line assembled at the last minute with street free agents
• Got in Ben Roethlisberger’s face
• Won the time of possession battle
• Went 2-2 in the Red Zone
• Executed a fake punt flawlessly just when Pittsburgh threatened to make a game of it
• Forced turnovers and converted them into touchdowns
• Neutralized the Steelers return game
• Prevented the Steelers from converting third downs

And to the annoyance of Steelers Nation, all of this happened to a never ending serenade of praise from Charger’s Cheerleader-in-Chief Phil Simms.

Besides that, it was all Steelers…

Breaking Down the Chargers Victory Over the Steelers

…Seriously, there’s not a lot of deep X’s and O’s analysis to be made here. The Chargers dominated the Pittsburgh Steelers in all three phases of the game.

Don’t let the final score fool you. Antonio Brown’s touchdown pass was pure garbage time glory. Ditto Mike Wallace’s 11 yard touchdown. Forget the arguments about going for 2. Does anyone really think that mattered?

To the extent that a technical analysis does matter, here goes.

During the first half Roethlisberger and the rest of the Steelers offense was rusty. And while the Chargers were controlling the clock, the Steelers defense did a good job of containing them.

Being down at home 13 to 0 to a team that has lost 5 games in the second half is nothing to fear. And Mike Tomlin deserves credit coaching aggressively with the ball at the ten,  50 seconds to play and one time out remaining.

Ben Roethlisberger, Emmanuel Sanders, Mike Wallace, and Shuan Suisham vindicated The Steelers vindicated Tomlin.

Such a bold move surly indicated the Steelers were going to make second half adjustments and reclaim the victory that was theirs. Right?

• But that was not to be.

The Chargers opened the second half cemented control of the game with a 17 play, 75 yard drive where they converted 5 third downs and consumed 9 minutes of clock.

The Steelers now needed to score 17 points in just over a quarter.

Chris Rainey answered with a 29 yard return...

• ...but of course it got called back thanks to a Cameron Heyward penalty.

The Chargers then put the cherry on top when Roethlisberger bounced a fumble off of David Paulson with San Diego recovering in the end zone.

• Please, save the arguments about the call. It WAS a forward pass. So what?

If San Diego isn’t getting good penetration and/or Roethlsiberger is more on target, they have no good fortune to capitalize on.

All other analysis of the second half beyond that is academic. Yes, Pittsburgh did stab a couple of times at competing, but they either self destructed and/or San Diego diffused them all.

Still Searching for Identity or Are the Steelers Simply Inconsistent?

The 2012 Steelers were a team still finding itself, even though its early December… …Their seventh win [vs. the Ravens] gets them closer to a spot in the post-season, and how they handled the week leading up to this game then how they performed in it, revealed their identity. – Bob Labriola, editor, Steelers Digest, following the victory over the Ravens

How the San Diego beat Pittsburgh is far less important than what it means. The Pittsburgh Steelers are a better team than the Chargers.

• And that’s the problem. 

Only two of the Steelers losses have come to playoff bound teams. In contrast, 5 of their 7 wins have come at the expense teams still vying for the post season.

• Bill Cowher used to say that a team’s identity forms during the season’s first 4-6 weeks.

But let’s humor Labriola, who explained in between the ellipsis points that the Steelers identity forging process was delayed by the uncanny string of injuries they suffered. Fair enough.

Victory over Baltimore appeared to clarify the 2012 Steelers identity. Now San Diego muddled that identity. Again.

Three weeks remain in this NFL season. And if deep into December time remains for an NFL team to define itself, then the Pittsburgh Steelers had better settle on an identity fast.

Because right now they look like a team with a lot of talent that simply cannot find a way to execute consistently.

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or... Follow @SteelCurtainRis

Read More

Ziggy Hood Poised to Lead Steelers Defensive Line

The Steelers overtime playoff loss to the Denver Broncos left a lot of bad memories for SteelersNation. At times the 2011 Pittsburgh Steelers played with so much promise, at other times they were maddeningly inconsistent.

But the playoff game also saw a changing of the guard on the defensive line. Long time anchor Casey Hampton went down with a ACL tear. Brett Keisel also fell injured. That left Ziggy Hood, Cameron Heyward and Steve McLendon on their own. Literally.

• The results were not pretty. 

Tim Tebow had his way with the Steelers defense. And although some of that does fall on the shoulders of the secondary and Dick LeBeau’s staff, the Steelers defensive lineman didn’t feel that they’d done their part.

As Joe Starkey points out in the Tribune Review, Ziggy Hood didn’t pout, he went out and did something about it.

Check out this video of Hood pulling a 1200 pound sled.



And if that’s not enough for you, check out a longer version of the rest of Hood’s workout:



If Ziggy Hood doesn’t have a break out year it won’t be for lack of preparation, because Hood clearly has the look of a man on a mission.

Thanks for visiting.  Follow @SteelCurtainRis

Read More

Steelers Draft Needs at Defensive Line

Having discussed the Steelers draft needs at tight end and quarterback, running backs and wide receivers, and offensive line, we now turn our attention to the defensive side of the ball.

Steelers Needs at Defensive End

The Steelers drafted Ziggy Hood with their first round pick in 2009 and drafted Cameron Heyward with their first round pick in 2011, therefore they can't possibly be thinking of drafting a defensive lineman early in the 2012 NFL Draft, right?

Not quite.

Yes, the Steelers have worked hard to stock themselves to inject youth into their defensive line, and while Ziggy Hood and Cameron Heyward both need to develop more, the team has good depth when you pair those two with Brett Keisel.

But Brett Keisel turns 34 this year, and the Steelers have very little in terms of proven talent behind their top three defensive ends, as evidenced by the playoff loss vs. Denver (although any 3-4 team that loses both a starting end and a nose tackle is going to struggle.)

We should also note for the record that the Steelers have Al Woods under contract. Woods hasn't done a whole lot, but Mike Tomlin appears to like the guy.

The Steelers need to continue to stock their bull pen at defensive end, but realistically they won’t look to do so until relatively late in the draft.

• Priority of defensive end for the Steelers in the 2012 NFL draft: Medium/low

Steelers Needs at Nose Tackle

Casey Hampton has been the rock upon which the Steelers defense of the last decade has been built, figuratively, if not literally. Alas Casey Hampton’s time in the NFL is coming to an end. Coming off an ACL injury, he agreed to a massive pay cut.

While Casey Hampton's paycut assured that he will make the team in 2012, one can also read into it that if Hampton had not agreed to the pay cut, the Steelers may have simply cut him. It is conceivable that Hampton might have another year in him, assuming he avoid injury in 2012, but either way “Life’s Work” is fast closing in on Big Snack.

Besides Hampton, who might not even start the season, the Steelers have Steve McLendon, who signed in 2010 as an unrestricted rookie free agent. McLendon looked solid in the time he has played, but it’s doubtful he can be counted on as a long-term answer.

The Steelers also have Corbin Bryant and Elisha Joseph on their roster at NT. The former was a training camp phenomena, for a while, the later remains a total unknown.

All of this points to the Steelers urgently needing to groom a successor to Casey Hampton, ASAP.
Word from the Draft Nicks is however, that the nose tackle is especially thin in the 2011 NFL Draft class.

The Steelers shouldn’t and probably won’t reach to fill this need. And that’s a good thing, because when you reach, Troy Edwards happens. But that doesn’t alter the reality that in an ideal world, the Steelers would address nose tackle very early in the draft.

• Priority of defensive end for the Steelers in the 2011 NFL draft: High

Thanks for visiting. Click here to check out the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or, click here to follow us on Twitter @SteelCurtainRis.

Read More

The Colbert Record: The Steelers 1st Round Draft Success under Kevin Colbert

IT may be an unmanly metaphor, but the Steelers of the ‘90’s were brides maids whereas the Steelers of the ’00 were brides.

The question is, why?

Several explanations exist, including the Steelers uncanny success with undrafted rookie free agents, but one singular achievement pushed the ’00 Steelers over the top:

Kevin Colbert has never missed on a first round draft pick.

That my friends explains a lot.

Kevin Colbert vs. Tom Donahoe

Because he failed badly in Buffalo, most forget that Tom Donahoe spent the ‘90’s as one of the top 2-3 personnel men in the NFL. Indeed, Donahoe’s resume boasts of draft picks who went on to wear Super Bowl rings by the names of Hines Ward, Alan Fanaca, Aaron Smith, Deshea Townsend, and Joey Porter.

But of the above group, only Fanaca was a first rounder. Donahoe excelled at uncovering excellent value in the middle and late rounds, but he failed just as often as he succeeded with first round picks.

But doesn't picking up guys like Porter and Smith in rounds 3 and 4 appears to compensate for picking Troy Edwards at #13? To an extent it does, but success in later rounds never mitigates the opportunity cost of a first round failure.

The Colbert Record – First Round Draft Picks

In contrast, getting a first round pick right can make up for a lot mistakes in subsequent rounds as this edition of The Colbert Record which reviews Kevin Colbert’s first round selections reveals. Scroll down or click on the links below for a capsule profile of each of Colbert’s first round successes.

2000 Plaxico Burress
2001 Casey Hampton
2002 Kendall Simmons
2003 Troy Polamalu
2004 Ben Roethlisberger
2005 Heath Miller
2006 Santonio Holmes
2007 Lawrence Timmons*
2008 Rashard Mendenhall
2009 Ziggy Hood
2010 Maurkice Pouncey
2011 Cameron Heyward

Plaxico Burress
Year/Position Drafted: 2001 (8)
Starts: 66
AFC Championship Appearances: 2 (’01, ’04)
Super Bowl Appearances: 0
Key Game or moment: October 29th 2001 in Pittsburgh vs. the Tennessee Titans – This was the founding game of the Pittsburgh Steelers Fan Club of Buenos Aries. It was also Burress break out game, catching 6 passes for 151 yards reminding everyone why Kevin Colbert had made him his first pick. It was the start of big things for Plaxico.
Overarching contribution: In Pittsburgh, Plaxico Burress perhaps did not quite live up to his potential as a number 8 overall draft pick, but he nonetheless played a key role in revitalizing a passing game that had been adrift since Yancy Thigpen’s departure.

Casey Hampton
Year/Position Drafted: 2001, (19th)
Starts: 157
AFC Championship Appearances: 5 (’01, ’04-IR, ’05, ’08, ’10)
Super Bowl Appearances: 3
Key Game or moment: Super Bowl XL. Seattle is on Pittsburgh’s 29, threatening to score. On first and 20 Casey Hampton throws Matt Hasselbeck down like a rag doll. Ike Taylor intercepts his next pass. Four plays later, Randel El is hitting Hines Ward for the closing score. It all begins with Hampton’s play, his lone sack in 16 post-seasongames.
Overarching contribution: Ed Bouchette has said that the success or failure of the 3-4 rises and falls on the play of the nose tackle. Consider these numbers: 1,7,9,1,4,9,1,1,5,2, and 1. Those are the Steelers defensive rankings in total yards since Casey Hampton joined the team. A lot of people get a lot of credit for that, but it all starts with Big Snack.

Kendall Simmons
Year/Position Drafted: 2001, (30th overall)
Number of Starts: 81
AFC Championship Games: 2 (’05, ’08-IR)
Super Bowl Games: 2 (’05, ’08-IR)
Key Game or moment: Starting 16 straight games as a rookie. Overarching contribution: Diabetes and a slew of injuries complicated Kendall Simmons’ career. Nonetheless his solid, if rarely spectacular, play at guard provided stability on the offensive line that has been absent of late.

Troy Polamalu
Year/Position Drafted: 2003, (16th overall)
Number of Starts: 107
AFC Championship Games: 4 (’04, ’05, ’08, ’10)
Super Bowl Games: 3
Key Game or moment: AFC Championship vs. Baltimore

(Available as of 4/21/12)

Overarching contribution: Every generation brings a handful of players who combine the athleticism, football talent, work ethic, and will power to give them the On the Field Presence necessary to make plays that single-handedly alter a game’s outcome. The play above represents just one example of how Troy Polamalu is one of those players.

Ben Roethlisberger
Year/Position Drafted: 2004, (11th overall)
Number of Starts: 113
AFC Championship Games: 4 (’04, ’05, ’08, ’10)
Super Bowl Games: 3
Key Game or moment: Super Bowl XLIII.

(Available as of 4/21/12)

Overarching contribution: Success as an NFL quarterback is about more than arm strength, coverage reading, and accuracy. It’s also about courage, instinct and the ability to improvise. More than anything else, what separates quarterbacks with multiple Super Bowl rings from the Jim Kelly’s and Randal Cunningham’s of this world is mental toughness.

Seven years into his NFL career, Ben Roethlisberger has already established himself as one of the most fearless, look the dragon in the jaws, big-pressure quarterbacks in the NFL.

Heath Miller
Year/Position Drafted: 2005, (30th overall)
Number of Starts: 106
AFC Championship Games: 3 (’05, ’08, ’10)
Super Bowl Games: 3
Key Game or moment: 2005 AFC Divisional Playoff game. Health Miller caught Ben Roethlisberger’s first two passes and, as he was catching his third, the Steelers were suddenly up 14-0 in a game no one thought they could win….
Overarching contribution: Health Miller is a player who lets actions speak for him. He might not get flashy statistics, he might not be the MUST HAVE on anyone’s fantasy team, but Health Miller is Mr. Dependable. Whether it’s been Hines, and El, Hines and ‘Tone, Hines and Wallace, or Wallace and Brown on the outside, having Heath Miller on as a threat in the middle has made the Steelers offense dramatically more dynamic.

Santonio Holmes
Year/Position Drafted: 2006, (25th, overall)
Number of Starts: 48
AFC Championship Games: 1 (’08)
Super Bowl Games: 1
Key Game or moment: Super Bowl XLIII. (Available as of 4/21/12)
(Available as of 4/21/12)

Overarching contribution: Santonio Holmes time in Pittsburgh was bookended with off the field incidents, and by all accounts he was no locker room favorite. But the truth is he delivered throughout the 2008 playoffs especially in Super Bowl XLIII when it counted the most.

Lawrence Timmons*
Year/Position Drafted: 2007, (15th overall)
Number of Starts: 46
AFC Championship Games: 2 (’08, ’10)
Super Bowl Games: 2
Key Game or moment: Antonio Brown, Tory Polamalu and James Harrison made the highlight reels for the Steelers upset victory over the Tennessee Titans in the second week of 2010, but Lawrence Timmons was simply all over, raising hell on every part of the field. His accomplishment to what was one of the greatest defensive efforts in franchise history should not be underestimated.
Overarching contribution: Lawrence Timmons earns an asterix on this list simply because his play has been by inconsistent.

Because of injuries he struggled to get on the field in 2007. His play in 2008 made everyone wonder why he wasn’t starting, but too many missed opportunities in 2009 led many fans and, perhaps management, to wonder if letting Larry Foote go was an error. He started out 2010 gangbusters and overall had a very good year, but in 2011 he disappeared from the defense.

Rashard Mendenhall
Year/Position Drafted: 2008, (23rd, overall)
Number of Starts: 44
AFC Championship Games: 2 (’08-IR, ’10)
Super Bowl Games: 2 (’08-IR, ’10)
Key Game or moment: AFC Championship game vs. the Jets. When Rashard Mendenhall focuses he is one of the top backs in the league. And Mendenhall has never been as focused as he was in the AFC Championship game, where he tore through the Jets defense for 121 yards on 27 carries, including a 35 yard burst. While those numbers are good, they do little justice to the fire and determination which Mendenhall displayed that night.
Overarching contribution: While Rashard Mendenhall has been less consistent that one would like, he has run well for the Steelers often without the benefit of quality run blocking. When Mendenhall shuns his shuffle routine and commits to a hole, he runs with power, authority, and is a threat to go all the way.

Ziggy Hood
Year/Position Drafted: 2009, (30th, overall)
Number of Starts: 25
AFC Championship Games: 1 (’10)
Super Bowl Games: 1 (’10)
Key Game or moment: When injury felled Aaron Smith in 2010 everyone wondered whether Ziggy Hood was up to the task. It took some time for Hood to find his legs, but he registered three sacks in December 2010 and added two more in the playoffs, stepping up when he was needed.
Overarching contribution: The Steelers victory in Super Bowl XLIII did nothing to alter the fact that their aging defensive line needed an injection of youth. Ziggy Hood was the man tapped to begin that rejuvenation. While Hood’s play is no where near par with the likes of Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel, he’s provided quality play and still has room to grow.

Maurkice Pouncy
Year/Position Drafted: 2010, (18th, overall)
Number of Starts: 30
AFC Championship Games: 1 (’10)
Super Bowl Games: 1 (’10-IR)
Key Game or moment: Anchoring the Steelers offensive line for 18 straight starts as a rookie.
Overarching contribution: When Willie Colon tore his Achilles in June of 2010, the word was that the Steelers had lost their best offensive lineman and the Steelers were still 3 months away from training camp. By opening day Muarkice Pouncey had established himself in the role, a fact that Colon’s brief return in 2011 did little to alter.

Cameron Heyward
Year/Position Drafted: 2011, (31st, overall)
Number of Starts: 0
AFC Championship Games: 0
Super Bowl Games: 0
Key Game or moment: The Steelers wasted little time in getting Cameron Heyward on the field, and he made his first splash play in week 5 vs. the Tennessee Titans by registering his first sack and his first forced fumble.
Overarching contribution: Steelers Nation hasn’t seen a lot of Heyward yet, but he got thrown into the mix early and has responded well thus far.

12 First Round Success But 13 Must Also Be Lucky for Colbert

A string of 12 straight successful first round picks is an extremely impressive record for an NFL personnel man in any era.

As has been shown above, each of these players not only have a history of solid, and for the most part consistent play, but each player faced critical moments in critical games and delivered when called upon.

As important has that past success has been, Kevin Colbert must continue to deliver. While the Steelers roster remains solid, there is not a single position area that the team does not either need to improve now and/or lay a foundation for future success.

Thanks for visiting. Click here for the rest of Steel Curtain Rising. Or click here and scroll down for past editions of "The Colbert Record."

Read More

Steelers Report Card vs. Browns at Heinz Field

The Steelers Thrusday Night matchup was not shown here in Buenos Aires, so we'd like to thank Tony Defeo for doing this week's report card. You can read Tony's work regularly on Behind the Steel Curtain.

Quarterbacks
What more can be said about Ben Roethlisberger? Just when we all thought he couldn't enhance his reputation as one of the toughest players in the league, he outdoes himself by returning to play in the second half after leaving late in the first half with a very serious ankle injury. I thought Roethlisberger played a great game, and if not for the injury and many miscues by his teammates, may have had an even more impressive night than his line of 16/21 for 280, two touchdown passes and an interception. Grade: A-

Receivers
Antonio Brown and Company were making it look like it was going to be an easy game of Pitch and Catch between them and Roethlisberger over the better part of the first two drives to start the game. But then two reliable veterans--Hines Ward and Heath Miller--fumbled the football away on successive trips inside the red zone and it seemed to take the zip out of the passing game at that point, and it was a while before things got back on track. All-in-all, though, a solid performance by the receivers as a whole. Roethlisberger and Mike Wallace haven't connected on a deep ball in a while, but I believe Wallace's presence is the best thing to happen to the development of the other young receivers. Brown had 5 catches for 151 yards and salted things away with his 79 yard touchdown catch and run with under three minutes left. Grade: B.

Running Backs
On paper, the running backs did OK if not great last night against the league's 31st ranked rush defense -- Mendenhall, Redman and Moore rushed for a combined 126 yards on 26 carries--but there were those four stuffs of Mendenhall from inside the two yard line early in the 4th quarter. Mendenhall is normally a pretty decent goal line back, but he was running too straight up and down during that critical sequence of plays. It's hard to say what may have happened if Mendenhall would have had some early cracks at the goal line, but thanks to those red zone turnovers, we never got to find out. Grade: C

Offensive line
The running game averaged 4.6 yards a carry, and Roethlisberger was only sacked one unfortunate costly time--and it was a coverage sack--but the group didn't get a great push on the infamous goal line failure (not all the blame was on Mendenhall's straight up style), and those penalties, man, they were drive killers. Marcus Gilbert had two false start penalties, and Chris Kemoeatu was a real buzz kill with two holding penalties and a hands to the face infraction. Just when it looked like the coaching staff had finally had enough of Kemoeatu, Maurkice Pouncey suffered a high ankle sprain, and now, it looks like the staff may have to deal with Kemo's undisciplined style for at least a couple of games. Grade: D+

Defensive Line
The Browns had some success rushing in the first half (mostly on a 28 yard draw play on 3rd and 20), but things settled down in the second half, and Cleveland really couldn't get much going on offense. I thought Cam Heyward played a solid game while filling in for an injured Ziggy Hood. Bottom line, the Browns only rushed for 98 yards, and the defense had two pretty impressive stands at the beginning and the end of the game, so things couldn't have been too bad up front. Grade: B.

Linebackers
There was the good: Larry Foote and James Farrior combined to stop Peyton Hills on 4th and goal on Cleveland's first drive of the game, and Jason Worilds recorded two sacks while filling in for Lamarr Woodley. There was the bad: Lawrence Timmons looked very outclassed while covering Browns' tight end Evan Moore on his 33 yard catch on the first drive of the game. And then there was the ugly: James Harrison and James Farrior were both flagged for personal fouls committed on Colt McCoy. There was enough good stuff to outweigh the bad, but I'd hate to think what the results may have been with a more experienced quarterback. Grade: C+

Secondary
Troy Polamalu recorded his first interception of the year, and for the second time in the last four games, William Gay made a crucial interception when he picked off McCoy in the end zone. I can't ignore the fact that the NFL Network pointed out Polamalu gambling and being out of position a couple of times, but you have to take the good with the bad with number 43, and I never got the sense that McCoy was ever fully capable of exploiting the unit. Grade: B

Special Teams
Nothing to write home about, and maybe that's a good thing. The Steelers were unable to return a punt the entire game, mainly due to Cleveland's punter doing a great job of angling his kicks deep and out of bounds, but Joshua Cribbs was barely heard from all night, and to me, that's the most important part. Grade: C

Coaching
Didn't notice any real coaching errors, and when your franchise quarterback is hobbled, your Pro Bowl center is out with a high ankle sprain, and your young defensive end must leave the game with a groin injury, sometimes you just have to survive and get out of dodge with a win. I didn't even have a problem with Tomlin going for it on 4th down early in the 4th quarter. I know the Steelers didn't make it, but I wasn't too worried about the Browns mounting any kind of serious offense from their own one yard line. Grade: C+

Thanks for visiting. Click here for other Steelers Report Cards. Or, click here to follow Steel Curtain Rising on Twitter @SteelCurtainRis.

Read More