Jarvis Jones Gives Steelers Nation A Sight for Sore Eyes - No. 95 Making Splash Plays Again

Sometimes error can lead to great fortune. Going into the 2013 NFL Draft, draft nicks knocked Jarvis Jones because he was a little slow.

Gil Brandt, architect of the Dallas Doomesday Dynasty of the 1970’s didn’t consider Jones a first round talent explaining, "I think he's one of those guys that when you're rushing the passer, he's going to almost get there, but not quite."

The Steelers made their own evaluations of Jones, and perhaps that included the knowledge that a minor injury tainted Jones combine time and they selected Jarvis Jones in the first round.

Shortly after joining the Steelers Jones upped the ante, by choosing 95 for his jersey number. While 95 doesn’t hold hallowed status in Steelers lore the way 12 (Terry Bradshaw), 32 (Franco Harris), 47 (Mel Blount), 58 (Jack Lambert), 59 (Jack Ham), and 75 (Joe Greene) do, it is the number worn by Greg Lloyd and therefore commands respect.

• Some of the players donning number 95 recently haven’t lived up to the standard (think Alonzo Jackson).

There were very few bright spots in the torturing the Steelers suffered at the hands of the Titans. But there was one highlight worth reliving:

• You call that, Steelers Nation, hitting with authority.

Yes, it Jones has only made one play. Yes, it is perhaps understandable that the Titans might “forget” to account for a rookie so early in the season – the Bengals won’t suffer a similar memory lapse this weekend.

But for ten years Greg Lloyd executed exactly that type of decisive playmaking to breath legend into Number 95.

Jones still has long way to go to live up to the standard set by his fellow Georgian.

• But his booming tackle of Chris Johnson amounted to a very strong step. 

And number 95 smashing players in the backfield gives Steelers Nation a sight for sore eyes.

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Steelers Report Card vs. the Titans

Taken from the grade book of a teacher who didn't know whether to interpret the silence of his newly arrived pupils as a sign of genius or something far different, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers report card for the torturing they endured at the hands of the Titans. Please note, no other report cards were consulted prior to this posting.

Quarterback
The Pittsburgh Steelers Ben Roethlisberger is a class act. He's got the fate of the franchise on his back and that self-same organization essentially hung him out to dry by providing a tackle doubling as a tight end as his only back up at center. Roethlisberger was under duress all day, yet managed to remain poised and refrained from pointing fingers publicly. He also moved the team smartly down giving them at least a theoretical chance to win the game at the end, which is a credit to his spirit of his professionalism and competitiveness. His play wasn't perfect, and his grade much reflect that. But he is certainly not to blame for the loss. Grade:  B-

Running Backs
Vs. the Titans Steelers Nation saw what had to have been one of the worst rushing efforts in franchise history. Even in the pass happy NFL, 33 yards does not cut it. Early on Isaac Redman looked very much like a back who hadn't carried the ball in a month. LaRod Stephens-Howling played a little better, but tore and ACL for his troubles. While they might not be "at fault," players must be graded on "what they put on tape" and the performance and production of a both men was simply unacceptable. Grade:  F

Wide Receivers
Emmanuel Sanders dropped what looked liked could have been an opening score. He atoned for that to lead the Steelers in catches, but still suffered from other drops. Antonio Brown also looked good. Jerricho Cotchery simply did what was asked of him. Still, given the chaos in front of them, this unit needed to do something special, something extraordinary and they didn't. Grade: C

Tight Ends
David Johnson didn't do much more than catch a pass and clearly did not help improve the run blocking. David Paulson was invisible. Kelvin Beachum started the game here but was quickly shifted to center..... Again, perhaps not "their fault" but his group was not an asset on the field Sunday. Grade: D

Offensive Line
David DeCastro now holds the dubious honor of maintaining the Steelers offensive lines "tradition" of injuring your fellow teammates. Marcus Gilbert struggled, and the entire line looked lost without Maurkice Pouncey. Again, this might not be "their fault" but their production was simply unacceptable. Grade: F

Defensive Line
On paper, this group had a fine afternoon, holding Chris Johnson to 2.8 yards per carry and the Titans to 2.7 yards per carry. And that just goes to show you how statistics deceive. The Titans in fact, rammed the ball down the middle of the Steelers defense. They may not have done it eloquently, but they did do it effectively. Steve McLendon, Brett Keisel, and Ziggy Hood made plenty of tackles, but didn’t get much penetration. Grade:  C-

Linebackers
There was the good, the bad, and the injuries. LaMarr Woodley registered the game’s only sack and was the backfield consistently. Rookie Jarvis Jones made a show stopping behind the line of scrimmage tackle of Johnson. The sight of 95 making splash plays for the Steelers was hair raising. Larry Foote led the unit in tackles, but Tennessee appeared to be targeting him in the running game. Lawrence Timmons, while not playing poorly, needs to be heard more than scene. Jason Worilds was sadly invisible. Grade:  B-

Secondary
Cortez Allen’s reign as starting cornerback lasted less than a half. William Gay played a very strong game in replacement of Allen. Ike Taylor’s name was not called much, which is good for a corner. Ryan Clark went out of the game twice with injuries, but was back in after a play. No wonder he led the team in tackles. Troy Polamalu showed flashes of his old self, although should have been more attentive on a possible fumble recovery. Overall, a solid performance from the oldest unit on the field. Grade:  B

Special Teams
Yes there were the dumb penalties. No, there was no spark from the return game. But in spite of that, this until was succeeding in not making themselves a glaring liability for 3 and a half quarters.  Then Zoltan Mesko followed with a 39 yard punt (not terrible, but he was kicking from the 5) which Houston returned for 27 yards, giving Tennessee 1st and 10 at the Steelers 17. The Steelers are settling into a very dangerous “special teams mishap of the game” rut. This must stop. Grade:  F

Coaching
Mike Tomlin does not coach scared. Sometimes that philosophy has its consequences, and your number two tight end going to play center was one of them. Tomlin failed to refocus his team after was clearly a deflating injury. Todd Haley likewise could not get into any sort of a groove with his play calling. Dick LeBeau’s unit did better, but the success of the Titans running up the middle will be noted in the AFC North and parts elsewhere. Danny Smith was supposed to revitalize the special teams. Steelers Nation continues to wait.  Grade:  F

Unsung Hero Award
When times get tough teams look to an unselfish player who simply steps up to make plays. They might be game changing, they might simply convert a third down, or they might simply involve doing what was asked of them. Such characteristics made Hines Ward one of the NFL’s best kept secrets until 2001 or so. Jerricho Cotchery is on the other end of his career, he only made four catches but he came up with them when the Steelers needed him to, and for that he is Steel Curtain Rising’s Unsung Hero of the Titans game.

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Steelers 2013 Roster Analysis, Defense: Linebackers

Steel Curtain Risings analysis of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2013 roster continues with the unit that has traditionally been the strength of  the franchise, the linebackers.

Starters: Jason Worilds, Lawrence Timmons, Larry Foote, and LaMarr Woodley
Back Ups:  Jarvis Jones, Chris Carter, Vince Williams, Kion Wilson and Terrance Martin

Strengths: If Lawrence Timmons can maintain his level from a year ago and LaMarr Woodley can play to his pre-injury standard this until can wreak havoc.

Weaknesses:  An under appreciated strength of James Harrison was his ability to completely snuff the run. Can Jason Worilds pick up that slack when he has struggled. Larry Foote's play in 2012 was generally solid but age is creeping up on him, and he's never been known for his speed.

The Skinny:  The transgenerational gift that Steelers have seemingly had had a gift for finding linebackers will be put to the test in 2013 as it was in 2012. The key here is consistency. Lawrence Timmons has yet to put together back to back solid seasons. LaMarr Woodley has always run hot and cold. While many were lamenting the absence of James Harrison in early 2012, Worilds proved he can rush the passer. Can he stop the run?

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

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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.

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Video Lowlights for the Steelers 24-13 Loss to the Redskins

Perhaps it is a bit of a misnomer to call the highlights from the Steelers loss to the Redskins in preseason “lowlights” as some individual players did have good moments. But any sober Steelers fan has got to admit that the negatives outweighed the positives.



What can we take from this? Is it too early to panic? Or is this “just preseason?”

• Steel Curtain Rising’s golden rule of preseason is that the preseason is good for evaluating individual players and individual units.

Once upon a time the Pittsburgh Steelers played an America Bowl game in Montreal against the New England Patriots. The Steelers triumphed 30-14 and a strong running game masked a the chaotic debut of Joe Walton’s offense.

Their next game was in Washington, vs. the Redskins which happened to the first pro football experience of yours truly. The Steelers offense was in total disarray. Warren Williams and Merril Hoge looked good, but Bubby Brister, when not running for his life, was throwing to Louis Lipps on the strong side when Lipps was cutting towards the weak side.

• Those two games began what was an ominous trend that lasted for two seasons, as Joe Walton's offense ultimately drove Chuck Noll into retirement.

Where does that leave us today? Well, Vs. the Redskins Ben Roethlisberger was only sacked once, but was hit numerous times and pressured into a pick six. Marcus Gilbert was completely overwhelmed and Maurkice Pouncey was manhandled. Mike Adams and David DeCastro got hit with penalties.

• And then there were the injuries.

Second round pick Le’Veon Bell’s debut lasted all of four carries. Issac Redman didn’t play. Neither did Rod Stephens-Howling. Baron Batch suffered a stinger. Full back Will Johnson injured a rib. Jonathan Dwyer looked strong at times but, surprise, put the ball on the ground.

The Steelers defense put in a stronger showing, with first round Jarvis Jones forcing a fumble, LaMarr Woodley registering a sack, and Lawrence Timmons playing like he was on a tear. Shamarko Thomas also hit everything in sight.

The offense had its moments, with Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown, and David Paulson catching some nice long balls along with rookie Marcus Wheaton.

But none of that will mean anything if the Steelers cannot right the ship on the offensive line – staying healthy would help too.

When Steelers Nation Should to Know to Panic

While what Steelers Nation has seen so far is hardly encouraging, it is too early to panic. The Steelers don’t game plan for preseason. A fair number of play calls are designed towards testing players rather than specific game situations.

• Still getting manhandled is getting manhandled. There's no way to sugar coat it.

If history is any guide, the next game’s performance will be the true gauge.

Back in 1998 after the Steelers let John Jackson depart San Diego, Bill Cowher tried Jamine Stevens, Paul Wiggins, and Chris Conrad out as replacements. The Steelers had an extra preseason game then, giving Bill Cowher a four full games to see all three men go.

• The coach's most difficult challenge was figuring out which one was worse.

After their fourth game against Atlanta, played at Morgantown, Cowher had had enough. He started Roger Duffy at guard (soon to be replaced by rookie Alan Faneca), moved Will Wolford from guard to tackle, and shifted Justin Strzelczyk from left to right tackle.

• That worked fairly well until Strzelczyk got hurt.

The moral of the story is that no improvement from the offensive line in the third week of preseason = time to panic. If Mike Tomlin is starting Kelven Beachum over Gilbert in the final preseason game, you’ll know the coaches are really worried…..

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Jarvis Jones, Le'Von Bell Signed - Landry Jones Remains Lone "Hold Out"

And then their was one. One of the benefits of the 2011 CBA between the NFL owners and the NFLPA is the rookie wage scale. Not only does it protect untested rookies getting horrendous amounts of money thrown at them, it also ensures that tenured NFL veterans get a larger share of the pie.

• And added benefit is that the once standard rookie holds are a thing of the past.

Eric Green held out all of training camp. Rod Woodson held out for the first half of his rookie year. Even Ben Roethlisberger missed the first few days of his rookie training camp.

• Not any more.

Without waiting on any of the cash liberated by Willie Colon’s release, the Steelers signed Shamarko Thomas, Marcus Wheaton, Terrance Hawthorne, Vince Williams and Justin Brown followed suit.

As soon as June arrived the Steelers quickly locked up first round pick Jarvis Jones and second round pick Le’von Bell in addition to seventh round pick Nick Williams.

The only pick that remains unsigned is fourth round pick quarterback Landry Jones.

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Steelers Sign Markus Wheaton, Terry Hawthorne, and Justin Brown

Who said the Steelers are salary cap strapped?

Just last week Steelers.com quoted Kevin Colbert as saying that salary cap considerations would mean that the Steelers would have to sign their draft picks following June 1st, when they begin to realize the savings gained from their decision to cut Willie Colon.

• Fair enough.

But then the Steelers went right out and signed Shamarko Thomas. OK, Thomas needed the money, as pointed out by Behind the Steel Curtain. Then the Steelers signed 6th round pick Vince Williams.

6th rounders don’t make much, so perhaps there’s no fuzzy math.

Today however the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting that the Steelers have come to terms with 3rd round pick wide receiver Markus Wheaton, fifth round pick cornerback Terry Hawthorne, and sixth round pick wide receiver Justin Brown.

OTA’s Taking Their Toll?

Perhaps it’s a little bit of hyperbole to say that “OTA’s are Taking Their Toll” but Hawthorne is watching in crutches, after the Steelers did some knee surgery to remove bone chips.

But first round pick Jarvis Jones has re-aggravated his hamstring injury and is being limited in practice, according to reports from Behind the Steel Curtain and The Pittsburgh Tribune Review.

Hamstring injuries can be tricky things – ask either LaMarr Woodley and/or Dermontti Dawson. A hamstring injury derailed what was shaping up to be an All Pro season for Woodley in 2011 and ruined his 2012 season. Worse yet, they essentially ended Dawson’s career.

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Jarvis Jones Makes Bold Statement in Requesting Greg Lloyd's #95

Since being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft Jarvis Jones has said all the right things.

When asked by Dan Gigler of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette if he feels pressured to replace James Harrison he responded:

I don’t compare myself in [any] way to James Harrison. Great player. I respect him. Never met him. I love his game. I wouldn’t mind being an impact player like James Harrison.

He likewise took a question about “falling” to 17 in the draft in stride, explaining:

I landed right where I wanted to be. I don’t think [anything] of it. This team chose me for a reason, because they wanted me to be here. And I fully accept that those [other] teams passed on me for a reason – they didn’t want me to be there so I fully accept that. I’m just going to continue to get better, do everything my coaches ask me to do and just love being a Pittsburgh Steeler.

Contrast the humility displayed by what many considered to be the best edge rusher in the draft with some of the recent statements attributed to Gino Smith and you get a better appreciation for that is known as “The Steelers Way.”

• But actions speak far louder than words.

And Jones did not even need to be a Steeler for a week to make one of the boldest statements ever for a Steelers rookie.

Jarvis Jones decided to change his jersey number to No. 95, which once belonged to another ROLB of distinction for the team: Greg Lloyd
— Bob Labriola (@BobLabriola) May 2, 2013

If this were a poker game has seen his opponent’s $50 and raised it with a C-Note.

Yes, the Steelers franchise is rich enough and deep enough that numbers of former greats go on to be worn by players of varying worthiness.

Witness, Steelers Hall of Famer John Stallworth’s number 82 being worn by the likes of:

• Yancey Thigpen, Antwaan Randle El and Bobby Shaw
  and…
• Henry Bailey and Derek Hill

But the bestowal of 95 is not a matter that should be taken lightly.

Per the Steelers media guide, 8 players have donned number 95 since Greg Lloyd’s departure in 1998.

That’s a high number, but most of those have been “limited release editions” used for defensive lineman or linebackers, Corbin Bryant or Donovan Woods types, who’ve been temporarily activated from the practice squad. Defensive end Ryan McBean also wore the number for a full season in 2007.

Alameda Ta’amu wore the number in 2012 when not serving a suspension for his drunken rampage on the South Side.

The only other player to wear number 95 for the Steelers was 2003’s second round pick Alonzo Jackson, and we know how he turned out.

Indeed, the most notable player involving number 95 since Greg Lloyd’s time was Joey Porter. As a rookie in training camp Porter was assigned 95, and Porter was a preseason sensation whose play was so dominant that Levon Kirkland reportedly took to calling him “Greg” in the huddle.

• Porter wanted to forge his own identify and switched his number to 55.

Jarvis Jones has taken the opposite route. Originally assigned number 91, Jones asked for 95.

• That’s fine, because Greg Lloyd was as much about attitude as he was about on the field performance. 

Greg Lloyd’s “Just Plain Nasty” and “I Wasn’t Hired for My Disposition” wasn’t an attitude he simply demanded of himself, he demanded it from the rest of the locker room.

If you doubt that, look no further than Hines Ward’s retirement press conference where he cited Lloyd as someone who helped instill the proper practice ethic in him, despite the fact that Lloyd got cut shortly after Ward’s rookie mini-camp.

• Jarvis Jones has thrown down the gauntlet in choosing his jersey number.

Let’s home Jarvis Jones can live up to the challenge he’s set for himself. Because you have to earn the right to wear number 95 for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Steelers Draft FSU's Vince Williams in 6th

After addressing their needs at linebacker in the first day of the 2013 NFL Draft when they selected Jarvis Jones with their first round pick, the Steelers again returned to the position on day three at the bottom of the draft by picking inside linebacker Vince Williams in the 6th round.

The Steelers used their compensatory pick to take Williams.

Williams stands at 6’11” and the Steelers are listing Vince Williams weight at 250 lbs although other sources have him at 233.

His time in Florida was marred by injuries, but he improved his stock in pre-draft workouts. In total he played in 50 games at Florida State and started 26, recording over 13 tackles for a loss during that time. He also defensed 7 passes and had one interception.

Clearly Williams is coming to the Steelers as some what of a project, but the Steelers are notably thin at inside linebacker. Behind starters Larry Foote and Lawrence Timmons, the Steelers only have Stevenson Sylvester, Adrian Robinson and Chris Carter, none of whom have proven much.

The Steelers brought Williams to the South Side for a work out, and Behind the Steel Curtain’s Neal Coolong described him as “a fairly one-dimensional player, and it doesn't seem he'd be available for three downs due to limited pass coverage ability.”

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Steelers Draft Jarvis Jones in First Round of 2013 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2013 NFL Draft with a rainbow of needs but a few colors in the spectrum shown more brightly than others.

One of those needs was at outside linebacker, and Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert addressed that need in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft by picking Georgia outside linebacker Jarvis Jones.

Jones entered the 2013 NFL Draft as a junior, beginning his college career at USC and then transferring to Georgia after sitting out 2010. Jones started for two years for the Bulldogs wracking up 13.5 sacks during his sophomore season and adding another 14.5 in his final year.

The Steelers clearly saw a lot they liked in Jones, having brought him to the South Side for one of their pre-draft visits. Jones took the step of mocking himself before the draft, and when the Steelers turn came to pick they immediately sent their card to the commissioner.

Given Kevin Colbert’s evaluation of Jones, it is not hard to see why they waited, as Colbert explained:

He definitely is one of the guys I talked about the other day as being a special player in this draft. He's a solid kid, a great player. He was dominant at a major college. He plays the run, chases the ball and most important he gets after the passer.

The knock on Jones was that he was slow, posting a slow time in the combine, but that fact pleased the Steelers, as it allowed Jones to fall to 17.

Wither Jason Worilds?

Jones has big shoes to fill, with the working assumption being that the Steelers drafted him to replace to James Harrison, a recent cap casualty and current Cincinnati Bengal.

The story holds a slight twist however, as in the second round of the 2010 Draft the Steelers already picked Harrison’s heir apparent in the form of Jason Worilds.

Most fans are already speculating that the pick of Jones means the Steelers have no confidence in Worilds.

• But the Steelers might just have other plans up there sleeve.

Jim Wexell of Steel City Insider mentioned that someone inside the Steelers organization said that Jarvis reminded them of Chad Brown. The interesting part of that comparison is that Chad Brown’s started at inside linebacker before moving outside in the wake of Greg Lloyd’s injury on opening day in 1996.

• Another prominent blogger has suggested in a private conversation that the Steelers could use him at inside linebacker.

That’s all speculation, but Jason Worlids both gives the Steelers a year of security to make that determination as well as gets a fire lit under him.

Regardless of whether he plays inside linebacker or outside linebacker, the Steelers need anyone who can play linebacker.

Welcome to Steelers Nation Jarvis Jones.

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