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 2012 Report Card

From the grade book of a teacher who could never quite decide of his star pupils simply had too many absences due to sickness, under achieved  or was perhaps the victim of over estimation here goes the Pittsburgh Steelers report card for the 2012 Season.

Quarterback:
Steelers management sought to give some tough love to Ben Roethlisberger by showing Bruce Arians the door and bringing in Todd Haley. The question was, could Roethlsiberger get rid of the ball more quickly but still "be Ben?" Through the first 9 games of the season the answer as a "Yes" as in staistical terms Roethlisberger was having an MVP type season. Then came the injury, and not only was Roethlisberger not the same, he threw two interceptions that cost the Steelers two must win games, and Ben's slide at the end hurts his overall grade. Grade:  B-

Running Backs
Rashard Mendenhall began the season unable to play giving a golden opportunity to both Issac Redman and/or Jonathan Dwyer. Neither man sized it, although both were battling injuries themselves. Mendenhall had a chance to reestablish himself upon his return but instead found himself benched and then suspended. All three running backs showed flashes at times and struggled at others, all had issues with ball security. At the end of the day no one back established himself as "the man" and the Steelers offense suffered accordingly. Grade:  C-

Wide Receivers
Perhaps nothing was more disappointing about the 2012 Steelers than "Young Money." Antonio Brown (probably) dropped more passes in 2012 than he did in 2010 and 2011 combined. Mike Wallace made some spectacular plays, stretched the field, but also dropped the ball and admitted he wasn't concentrating at times. Emmanuel Sanders seemed to be quietly laying claim to the role of "go to guy on 3rd" until ball skills and ball security became an issue with him too. Jerricho Cotchery played well, but his opportunities were limited. Plaxico Burress made good on his return, for what it was worth. The only consistent star of this until was Heath Miller, who was heads and shoulders over everyone on the offense week in and week out. Were it not for Miller, this grade would be lower yet.  Grade:  C+

Offensive Line
After years "plug and patch" on offensive line the Steelers invested four premium picks into their offensive line yet still finished the season starting undrafted rookie free agents, 7th rounders, practices squad promotees and veterans they've tried to cast off. Injuries are no excuse. The report card measures performance and results. Neither were consistent in 2012. The offensive line’s performance rose and fell with Willie Colon. Early in the season pass blocking was better, except at critical junctures in games, but run blocking suffered. After Colon settled in guard run blocking improved, only to suffer again after his injury. The line played well at times and was under duress the whole season, but its performance was not that the Steelers needed.  Grade:  C-

Defensive Line
The Steelers rush defense was 6th in the league – a fall from prior standards but something they improved upon as the year progressed. The unit’s leader again was Brett Keisel, who had 4.5 sacks and got better as the year went on. Casey Hampton started out slow, but finished strong. Ziggy Hood remains a disappointment. Measured by pure statistics, Cameron Heyward had half of his productivity in a quarter of the snaps. Steve McLendon made a lot of noise in preseason, and made the most of his opportunities once the games counted. This unit improved as the year went on, but must bear some responsibility for the lack of turnovers.  Grade:  B-

Linebackers
Larry Foote lead the unit in tackles and registered four sacks. While those numbers are good, he struggled in coverage at times and at other times was a step slow on run containment. Still, his job is to get everyone lined up correctly, and with the Steelers finishing number 1 in overall yards, he did something right. James Harrison started of slow but finished the season with a bang, making “splash” plays when they counted, and tied for the sack lead in spite of his injuries. LaMarr Woodley fought hamstring injuries all year and more or less disappeared form the defense late in the season. Jason Worilds did well in relief of Woodley. The class of the unit was Lawrence Timmons, who finally lived up to his potential.  Grade:  B

Secondary
If someone had told you Troy Polamalu would miss half the season but that the Steelers would finish number one against the pass anyway, would you have believed them. The biggest reason for this was the emergence of Keenan Lewis, who seemed to make highlight reel worth pass defenses week in and week out. Ike Taylor struggled early, called out the media for criticizing him, and then went and backed it up by improving. Ryan Clark was a force all over the field. His contributions are under valued. Will Allen proved his worth while Ryan Mundy disappointed. Cortez Allen came on strong at the end of the year. Strong performance from a unit who finished the year with the arrow pointing up.  Grade:  B

Special Teams
Chris Rainey was one of the few bright spots on this until and now he’s gone. And that’s the kind of year its been. Shaun Suisham’s kick offs were deeper than they’ve ever been, and he was far more accurate than anyone in Steelers Nation gave him credit for. Drew Butler was decent, but he left room to improve in terms of length and directional punting. Antonio Brown had some nice returns. His errors were game-changing however. And that’s the tale of this unit. At least two touchdowns were erased by penalties. Numerous long runs got called back. Even more normal runs saw penalties that put the Steelers with their backs to their own goal. Opponents converted two fake punts and partially blocked another. An errant snap cost the Steelers 3 points in a key division game decided by a field goal in over time. All unacceptable. Grade:  D

Coaching
Mike Tomlin graded himself as an 8-8 coach for 2012 and Steel Curtain Rising concurs. There are positives to the 2012 effort which the coaching staff must share credit in. Tomlin's move to improve the offsense with Todd Haley was a wise one, as Haley designed an offense that allowed Ben to be Ben while reducing punishment taken. Likewise, Tomlin and Dick LeBeau started the season with a defense that could not hold leads in the fourth quarter but they managed to reverse that trend by mid season. Certainly return to health of players like Harrison, Polamalu, and Hampton had a role in this, but early in the year there was talk of LeBeau's defense having been solved. No one said that at year's end. And Tomlin'sSteelers are the final team to defeat the defending AFC Champion Baltimore Ravens. The players of course deserve credit for that, but so do the coaches.

However, there are negatives. Tomlin could not prevent his players from riding the roller coaster following the Raven's win, and the horrendous performance vs. San Diego was the result. For all of the talk about "The Standard is the Standard" injuries hurt the Steelers, particuarly late in the season. It may seem harsh to criticize the coaches here but, as Kevin Colbert pointed out, there were teams that lost more starter games to injury than Pittsburgh yet still made the playoffs.

The issue of turnovers, however cannot be ignored, now that the Steelers finished a second year near the bottom of the league in turnovers and sacks. Perhaps its is because of smart coaching that the Steelers, in spite of this absence of "Splash Plays" still finished number one. Fair enough. But take aways and sacks are game changers, and those game changers were in far too short supply too often.

Discipline also is an issue. No, Tomlin is not responsible for the off the field transgressions of players like Rainey and Ta'amu, but on the field and in the locker room discipline was an issue. Rahsard Mendenhall got benched and opted to skip a game -- what if a running back had injured himself in warm ups? Mike Wallace admitted to checking out mentally during portions of games. The Steelers committed a host of penalties many of which were pre-snap penalities -- ones that good coaching can reduce to a minimum.

And of course special teams remains a glaring issue. We may never know why Tomlin chose to fire Al Everestt, but Amos Jones was clearly not up to the task. Amos Jones is now set to follow Bruce Arians to Pittsburgh West. This is a welcome sign. Tomlin and Jones are close going back to their days coaching together at the University of Cincinnati, so perhaps Tomlin "encouraged" his friend to seek emplomet elsewhere. But any objective analysis reveals that Jones deserved to get the ax outright.

In the final analysis, lurking below Tomlin's 8-8 record lies the fact that he entered the season without established team leaders like Hines Ward, Aaron Smith, and James Farrior. While coaching can only replace locker room leadership to a point, the fact is that the discipline issues show that Tomlin needed to adjust his coaching style to better compensate for the transition.  Grade:  C

Unsung Hero Award
When Steel Curtain Rising previewed the 2012 season the challenges, particuarly on defense were obvious - an aging unit was starting the season without some of its top stars. Others would have to step up if the Steelers tradition of stoudt defense was to be maintained.

One player did that. In a second season where the Steelers defense faced a shortage of "Splash Plays" this man stepped up and not only led in sacks but also interceptions -- two categories for which his position is not necessarily know. He also came in second in total tackles but even there, numbers do not quite tell the tale.

This player excelled because, like other true Steeler defensive legends such as Rod Woodson or Greg Lloyd, he was around the ball at critical times, making tackles that ended drives, prevented scores, or stopped the loss of additional yards. And he did it, for the most part, when most in the media and many in Steelers Nation, were focusing on injuries to James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, and LaMarr Woodley.

For all of that, Lawrence Timmons wins Steel Curtain Risings "Unsung Hero Award" for the Steelers 2012 season.

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Steelers Report Card vs. Browns @ Heinz Field

Taken from the grade book of is reminded of Wheaton High School’s old motto “Attenders are Achievers” and is aghast at the number of “sick days” the Steelers suffered during 2012 here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the victory over the Cleveland Browns at Heinz Field. Remember, no other grades were consulted prior to this posting.

Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger struggled early on with the entire offense. Is performance in the first half was dreadful – until he was able to transform a turnover into money. Roethlisberger was hardly spectacular all day, but he did spread around the ball, throw three touchdown passes and did not turn over the ball.  Grade:  B

Running Back
Jonathan Dwyer led the team with 52 yards rushing and was followed by Isaac Redman with Rashard Mendenhall and Chris Rainey brining up the rear. The Steelers running effort was nothing special and early on it struggled, but both Redman and Dwyer converted some key third downs late in the second half. Grade:  B-

Wide Receivers
Plaxico Burress scored his first touchdown for the Steelers after nearly 8 years. Antonio Brown also got into the end zone for 6, as did Leonard Pope. Emmanuel Sanders led the unit in yardage – at 22 yards and Jerricho Cotchery also came down with some nice ones. Given that Cleveland’s secondary was staffed 75% by back ups, the units performance was only “OK.” Grade:  B-

Offensive Line
It wouldn’t be a complete game without an offensive line injury, now would it? The Steelers out did themselves by sending both David DeCastro and Kelven Beachum to the sidelines, leaving them at 5 healthy lineman as Doug Legursky came in at while Ramon Foster moved out to tackle. Neither the run blocking nor the pass blocking was anything special that day, but at the unit did about as well as one could expect given the circumstances.  Grade:  C

Defensive Line
Cleveland had some success rushing the ball particularly after Brett Keisel went out injured. However, Steve McLendon and Cameron Heyward combined for a sack and Heyward was also credited with another pressure. Ziggy Hood had a fumble recovery and Casey Hampton had one solo tackle on what might have been his final game as a Steeler. Grade:  B

Linebackers
If this was James Harrison’s final game as a Steeler, he went out with a bang.  And he wasn’t even the best linebacker on the field. That distinction belonged to Lawrence Timmons who was once again all over the field, sealing victory with back-to-back sacks and a final forced fumble. However, Larry Foote got burned in the end zone on coverage leading to Cleveland’s only touchdown and LaMarr Woodley was once again invisible.  Grade:  B+

Secondary
The Steelers number one defense has been turnover starved all season long. So you strip the Steelers secondary down to two healthy corners, injure Ryan Clark, and what do you get?  Three turnovers produced by the secondary, including 2 by Cortez Allen alone. Troy Polamalu set the tone with his first interception, and although the offense could not convert on that one, it did turn the other two into money. While the turnovers, and the ability to transform those into points, carried the day, the injury depleted secondary also held Cleveland to 3-10 on first down conversions. All in all, a fine day for an injury plagued unit.  Grade:  A

Special Teams
All year long the Steelers special teams have remained suspect. And so it was on the last day of the season. The unit contained Joshua Cribbs, but Cleveland did have one return approaching 3 yards, although so did Chris Rainey. Antonio Brown added a 10 yard return while Shaun Suisham made his only field goal attempt, from 41 yards. So far a solid day. But they unit suffered another fake punt that resulted in a 35 yard run, one where Robert Golden was caught asleep at the switch. These kinds of lapses have haunted the unit all year and cannot be excused. Grade:  D

Coaching
The Steelers defense had a fine game and although spoiled fans might have wished to see Dick LeBeau’s unit torment a rookie QB making his first start a little more, the bottom line is the defense did its job. The sailing was rougher on the other side of the ball, but the Steelers offense likewise made the plays necessary to win, particularly after the first two turnovers in addition to answering Cleveland’s score in the second half. Its true that in the early going the Browns appeared to be playing like a team that wanted it more, but Mike Tomlin’s Steelers did not get caught up in the ebb and flow of a meaningless game, and Cleveland’s final series firmly erased any doubt who wanted it more. Grade:  B

Unsung Hero
Cortez Allen stole the spotlight with two turnovers. Lawrence Timmons mugged his way in the scene with his twin sacks to close the game. Excellent performance all around. There’s one player who has been steadily gaining strength all season. One player who only knows one speed, which is high gear. This player led the team in tackles, hit the QB once, registered a tackle for a loss, and sacked the quarterback.  If an outside observer used this player’s intensity to gauge the stakes involved, he or she could have only concluded that the Steelers were fighting for a playoff spot, and for that James Harrison is the Unsung Hero of the victory over the Browns.

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Steelers Report Card vs. Cowboys @ Jerry's World

Taken from the grade book of a teacher who is wondering if what once seemed to be his star pupil is actually underachieving or is simply mired in mediocrity, here is the Steelers report card for the loss to the Dallas Cowboys at Jerry’s World. As a caveat, no other report cards were consulted prior to this posting.

Quarterback
Had the Steelers won, it would have been forgotten that Ben Roethlisberger started shaky, was uncharacteristically low on several key throws, and was below 50% passing for much of the early going.  The amnesia is justified, as Roethlisberger put on a sterling performance to close the second half, and brought the Steelers back from deficits in the fourth quarter in strong fashion. But… He threw an interception, inside his own twenty, in over time. Maybe one costly error doesn’t negate everything Roethlisberger did, but it negates a lot.  Grade:  C-

Running Back
Jonathan Dwyer started off with a strong 6 yard run, and then end up averaging 2.4 yards per carry, although nine carries isn’t much to judge by. Isaac Redman had a spectacular 22 yard run and looked good, on his other 2 carries. Ditto Chris Rainey, who made the most of his carries. It may have been through no fault of their own, but the running backs were largely a non-factor. Grade:  B-

Wide Receivers
This unit started out with some ball security issues, drops and inability to get in bounds, and of course finished with an inability to stay in bounds. But in between, the receivers turned in a pretty good game. Heath Miller was phenomenal in the first half. Mike Wallace burned his men so badly he had to wait for the ball, and Jerricho Cotchery made a couple of key catches.  Grade:  B

Offensive Line
Ben Roethlisberger didn’t go down often early, but that was largely from his “Roger the Dodger” imitation. The run blocking was average at best. Both Max Starks and Kelvin Beachum struggled to contain pressure off the edge. But unit put up a winning performance until the Steelers final two possessions – when Roethlisberger needed time the most. That breakdown was unacceptable.  Grade:  D

Defensive Line
Unlike Pittsburgh, Dallas’ running game was a factor, giving Tony Romo lots of 2nd and 3rd and shorts which he converted with relish. That starts with the defensive line. Likewise, the Steelers got little significant  pressure on Romo. In fact, Ziggy Hood and Cameron Heyward were the only players to register any stats, although Brett Keisel recovered a fumble. With a depleted  secondary, the Steelers needed something extra up front. They didn’t get it much from the line. Grade:  C-

Linebackers
Lawrence Timmons continued to make his case for defensive MVP registering a sack and stopping a key Dallas third down conversion. James Harrison saved a touchdown with a masterful strip at the goal line, and nixed some sort of trickery by slam dunking Romo on another 3rd and short. LaMarr Woodley played, but was invisible throughout the game. Larry Foote did little to distinguish himself. Grade:  B-

Secondary
You had to feel for Joshua Victorian. Has a Steelers corner ever been picked on so badly? Clearly he was over matched early on, but he did perk up, a little during the game. Still, poor tackling and yards after the catch were as much issues as completions, which were plentifully. Keenan Lewis turned in a strong game including some great touchdown saves. Ryan Clark led the team in tackles, and Troy Polamalu was second, although he’s clearly failed to be a force since his return. The Standard is the Standard, and the secondary was below the line.  Grade:  D

Special Teams
Shaun Suisham was 1-1 on field goals. Chris Rainey had one nice kick return. No returns got called back on penalties. Dallas did have a long punt return. Antonio Brown had two long punt returns. Unfortunately on his second one, where he looked primed to set Pittsburgh up to ice the game, he put the ball on the ground. For an encore he passed on fielding a punt and the ensuring bounce put the Steelers another 15 yards in the hole. This unit cannot seem to stop tripping over its own too feet. The fumble was a decisive momentum shift. Inexcusable.  Grade:  F

Coaching
After a heart breaking letdown the Steelers started off jittery. To their credit, Mike Tomlin kept the team on an even keel. On a day when Tony Romo was moving with alarming ease, the Steelers maintained their composure and did not hesitate to go blow for blow. And for all of the defense’s flaws, they did force Dallas off the field at a couple of key points (only to watch their special teams self destruct.)

Dick Lebeau had a difficult task. His adjustments didn’t manage to get much pressure on Romo, but overall the defense’s performance might have been good enough. Ditto Todd Haley. Much is made of the inability to get Heath Miller the ball in the second half, but the Steelers offense did tie the game in the 3rd and took the lead in the first. Ultimately the Steelers did make some adjustments, but they weren’t enough. Grade:  C

Unsung Hero
He’s a guy who doesn’t see the stat sheet a lot and will in all likelihood have to fight for a roster spot every summer at St. Vincents. But Ben Roethlisberger called his number twice, and twice he delivered with double digit receptions, including one that helped set up the Steelers first score. On the Steelers second score, he helped open the daylight that lead to Dwyer’s first half ending touchdown, and for that Will Johnson is the Unsung Hero of the Dallas game.

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Steelers Report Card vs. Chargers @ Heinz Field

Taken from the grade book of a teacher who, as a second semester junior, decided to blow off studying for his open book, open note final in Crime the Individual and Society and bombed it accordingly. The feeling here is that the Steelers took the same approach to the Chargers game and their report card reflects it. As a caveat, no other grades were consulted prior to this posting.

Quarterback
Of all the units quarterback is one that offered something redeeming. Which is not to say Ben Roethlisberger played well. He was rusty early on and finished 5-13 on third down conversions – and that includes garbage time. So Ben must bear some responsibility. However, he didn’t have help from his running game, his receivers, or his offensive line. In spite of that, he did his part moving around to buy time and leaving the pocket and rushing. It wasn’t enough.  Grade:  C-

Running Backs
Jonathan Dwyer outran Roethlisberger by one yard, and most of his carries came on a 14 yard scamper. Outside of that he got nothing. Isaac Redman had 2 carries for zero yards. Chris Rainey had some one garbage time carry. Arguably the running backs should have gotten more carries, but they indisputably were ineffective in the carries that they had.  Grade:  F

Wide Receivers
Mike Wallace looked great. The problem was he didn’t start playing until garbage time, save for the final drive of the first half. Before that he dropped an almost certain touchdown. Antonio Brown had a drop, as did Jerricho Cotchery and even Heath Miller dropped a touchdown pass. Plaxico Burress made a difficult catch in triple coverage. The Steelers needed plays like that. They didn’t get them. Grade: F

Offensive Line
The Steelers offensive line started to click in Cincinnati when Willie Colon settled in at guard. Colon’s been hurt or out recently and line play has suffered. But the Standard is the Standard, and all of the Steelers offensive lineman were “below the line” in both their run blocking and their pass blocking. If they could get it done, at least against the Raven’s pass rush, then why was Ben running for his live vs. the Chargers? This unit failed to get it done. Grade:  F

Defensive Line
Vs. the Steelers San Diego was playing offensive lineman who’d spent the previous Sunday watching games while drinking beer with their buddies. And while San Diego only rushed for 2.6 yards, the Steelers defensive line did not dominate this group by any definition. Ziggy Hood did fairly well early on, and Brett Keisel chased Philip Rivers around but the Steelers needed more, and didn’t get it.  Grade:  D

Linebackers
Lawrence Timmons played well, especially early on. However Jason Worilds was invisible, James Harrison failed to be a factor as did Larry Foote. This group more than the lineman must shoulder blame for the lack of pressure on Rivers and San Diego’s almost automatic ability to convert third and shorts. Where have the forced fumbles been? Grade:  F

Secondary
Against the Ravens, Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown looked ready for prime time. Against the Chargers, ready for the practice squad Brown looked. Allen also took a step back. Troy Polamalu made some good tackles at the line of scrimmage, but a potential interception was botch by a collision with Allen. Keenan Lewis made some plays, but the truth is that Philip Rivers owned the Steelers on third down having converted more than the last several opponents combined. Unacceptable.  Grade:  F

Special Teams
Shaun Suisham made a 49 yarder. Drew Bulter punted well after a poor first punt. But the Steelers started inside their own 15 seven times. That’s not all on the special teams, but they could have provided a spark, but they didn’t and when it seemed like they were about to, you guessed it, it got called back on a penalty. Likewise the special teams got caught asleep at the switch on a fake punt at a point when the offense must might have been able to get the Steelers into the game. Inexcusable.  Grade:  F

Coaching
Norv Turner is terrible head coach but an excellent offensive and it would be interesting to see his life time record vs. Dick LeBeau. During the first half LeBeau held his own, but Turner out foxed him, calling just the right play on third down time and time again. On a day when his player executed so poorly, its difficult to assess Todd Haley’s performance, other than to say it wasn’t good enough.

But the spotlight is and should remain on Mike Tomlin. The day he was hired, he declared that a true measure of a team isn’t how it handles failure but how it handles success. In the locker room after the game, the Steelers player all but said they’d overlooked San Diego. Yes, professionals shouldn’t “need to be motivated, but it’s the head coaches job to get his team mentally prepared to play, and the Steelers were anything but prepared. Grade:  F

Unsung Hero
Naming any kind of award winner here is a challenge. The Chargers opening possession of the second half really complicated things for the Steelers, but Steelers return unit Rainey stood ready to answer that with a 29 yard kick return, that while it wouldn’t have been a game breaker, could have set the tone for the Steelers in the second half. Instead it got called back, but that doesn’t negate Chris Rainey’s effort or attitude, and for that he is the Unsung Hero of the week.

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Steelers Report Card vs. the Ravens @ M&T Stadium

Taken from the grade book of a teach who has just seen yet again live out the all important lesson of believing in themselves, here is the Steelers report card for their upset win over the Baltimore Ravens. As a caveat, no other Steeler report cards were consulted prior to this posting.

Quarterback
Yes, Charlie Batch overthrew Mike Wallace in the end zone. Yes, he threw to Ed Reed in the end zone. Yes, his missed other throws that could have helped the team. But the stat sheet doesn’t detail Batch’s block on Dwyer’s touchdown. It camouflages the 8-8 performance after the interception. It fails to reveal the poise and focus that let him lead the Steelers to 10 4th quarter points. Steel Curtain Rising’s report card grades on performance and results. While Batch’s numbers might not have been excellent, the results were. Grade: A-

Running Backs
Measured purely by the stats, the Steelers running backs had a weak day. But if numbers don’t lie, they sometimes disguise the truth. Against the Ravens the Pittsburgh Steelers running backs ran the ball when they needed to. Jonathan Dwyer’s 16 yard TD confirmed that Pittsburgh was playing to win. Isaac Redman’s 24 yard run was equally impressive and helped set the tone for the 4th quarter. Grade:  B+

Wide Receivers
Yes, Mike Wallace dropped one he should have caught. Yes, Emmanuel Sanders fumble was costly and could have been lethal. But Sander’s atoned by making a key catch to set up the tying touchdown. And Wallace was Mr. dependable on the final drive. Under appreciated in all of this is Heath Miller who made clutch catch after clutch catch, and whose touchdown was a testament to will and focus. Antonio Brown also played well.  Grade:  B+

Offensive Line
Another game, another starting front five for the Steelers, continuing a now three year theme. In run blocking the Steelers did not dominate the Ravens as they might have, but no one can fault their protection of Charlie Batch, who had time to throw all day. Maurkice Pouncey also played well as an out of position center. And how many coaches wouldn’t like to have a player with Doug Legursky’s versatility?  Grade:  B

Defensive Line
Ziggy Hood led the team in tackles, registered a sack, several tackles for a loss, and was spot on in the fumble recovery. He was the only member of the unit that stood out, and the Ravens did have success running the ball at times, although Flacco also found himself facing many third and long. Brett Keisel had 3 tackles. This unit had a solid night, but must bear some blame for Ray Rice’s TD.  Grade:  B

Linebackers
Larry Foote was all over the field making tackles on both sides of the line of scrimmage, sacking Flacco and pressuring him into bad throws. Jason Worilds had a quiet game, but did his part as did Lawrence Timmons. But the real star of the unit was number 92. As Mike Tomlin said after a hard-fought, close victory over the Bengals in 2010, “James makes plays, and he makes them in a timely fashion.” The Ed Reed interception should have doomed the Steelers, but Harrison’s strip sack shifted momentum right back to the Steelers.  Grade:  A-

Secondary
Joe Flacco tried to go deep to Tory Smith early in the game, and Ike Taylor broke it up. Then he left for the game. So Cam Cameron thought he might feast on sophomore cornerback Cortez Allen. Guess again, Cam. Allen was excellent in his first “start” breaking up 3 passes and given the Ravens no quarter. Keenan Lewis had another strong game. Ryan Clark pulled down an easy interception. And Troy Polamalu was back, blitzing early and then covering deep. Flacco did have one 31 yard pass, but overall failed multiple times going deep on a day when the Ravens were 3-11 on third downs. Grade:  A

Special Teams
Jacoby Jones did have one long one, but overall was a non-factor. Antonio Brown tried to return some punts he probably should not have, but did not hurt the team. But Chris Rainey had an under appreciated role in victory, as his 42 yard kickoff return set up the Steelers second field goal, allowing them to go into the half just 7 down. Drew Butler had a so-so day punting. 46, 41, and 42 – those were the distances of Shaun Suisham’s field goals, all of which were necessary all of which came outdoors in December, on a wet field, including the one to win the game with 3 seconds remaining.  Grade: B+

Coaching
The Ravens and Joe Flacco and the offense have been red hot at home. Yet Dick LeBeau kept him under 50% passing by playing to his weaknesses. Todd Haley devised a solid game plan to exploit Batch’s talents. While his attempt to go deep did not bear fruit, there’s no criticism here for taking shots down the field. But the real kudos here go to Mike Tomlin. The Steelers sorely lacked focus in their 8 turnover game to the Browns, and Tomlin shook up his roster. He and Haley also deserve credit for moving their Pro Bowl Center out of position. Pittsburgh won because they wanted it more, but all of that “want it” only mattered because the Steelers were focused, confident, and ready to persevere thanks to Tomlin. Grade:  A

Unsung Hero
Paul Kruger is playing extremely well this year, and if the Ravens defense is having an off year, it’s still better than many. Being asked to start your first NFL game going on the road to a team that has beaten you three times and shows now quarter is not easy. But this rookie 7th round draft pick embraced this challenge and lived up to Mike Tomlin’s “Standard” by delivering a winning performance for 60 minutes, and for Kelvin Beachum is the Unsung Hero of the Steelers-Ravens game.

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Steelers Report Card vs. Browns @ Cleveland Stadium

Taken from the grade book of a teacher who is watching one half of the class fail its written test horribly, while the other half is acing the oral exam, here is the Steelers report card for the loss vs. the Browns. As a caveat, no other grades were consulted prior to this posting.

Quarterback
The positives – Charlie Batch worked the two minute drill very well to put the Steelers up at the half. But the rest of the afternoon all but obliterates the one moment. Batch couldn’t hit his man down field and several passes were wild. The Steelers were 1-9 on third downs. He threw three picks, although they weren’t entirely his fault, the quarterback’s job is to avoid tunovers. Grade:  D-

Running Backs
Positives – Chris Rainey was positively brilliant on his touchdown run, showing the type of “X-Factor” that the coaches thought he had in preseason. But that was his only strong run of the game. And he fumbled. As did Rashard Mendenhall. As did Jonathan Dwyer. As did Isaac Redman. Worse than that, when they weren’t fumbling none of the running backs even came even close to establishing the run. Grade:  F

Wide Receiver
The fleeting moments when the Steelers feigned a comeback found Heath Miller catching the ball. Coincidence? Not at all. Emmanuel Sanders was the only receiver to make any downfield head way or do anything with the ball in hand. In his return as a Steeler, Plaxico Burress cut off a route resulting in an interception and dropped a pass he should have caught. Mike Wallace bobbled one ball that got picked off and watched as another got picked off. Batch completed many check downs because he could find no one open. Grade:  D

Offensive Line
Positives – Charlie Batch actually had decent time to throw (which is scary, actually). But the offensive line contributed to the Steelers failure to get into a groove with multiple penalties that negated gains. To win, the Steelers needed to run the ball, and that’s something that rushers did not have much daylight. As a unit, the line needed to step up, and it failed in that regard.  Grade:  D

Defensive Line
If their was any possibility that the coaches might forget him, Steve McLendon made his presence felt loud and clear, slamming Trent Richardson for 3 yard loss. However, Casey Hampton played well too, while Ziggy Hood and Cameron Heyward did their part. But it was Brett Keisel who was all over the backfield, tipping passes, hurrying the passer, tackling guys for a loss and registering a sack. Grade:  B+

Linebacker
In preseason Steel Curtain Rising said that for the Steelers defense to excel, Lawence Timmons would need to come on strong. Well, Timmons has come on strong at mid season, and his pick six was masterfully executed. He was all over the field after that, leading the team in tackles. James Harrison played well. And don’t look now, but Jason Worilds posted double digit sacks, including one that got the ball back for Pittsburgh. An almost great effort by the linebackers wasted.  Grade:  A-

Secondary
Another strong game by the Steelers secondary that limited Cleveland to 1 for 9 on third downs. When that happens a unit is doing a lot of things right. Keenan Lewis had another strong game. Ike Taylor had two passes defensed, which is actually a problem as the Steelers needed them to be picks. Ryan Clark again was all over the field, and Will Allen continues to ably fill in for Troy Polamalu. Grade: B+

Special Teams
Drew Butler had a solid day punting and Shaun Suisham’s kickoffs were deep. The Steelers punt return coverage unit did contain Joshua Cribbs, but allowed a long return by Travis Benjamin. However, the Steelers struggled could have used a bust from their return game and instead got nothing, although one nice Chris Rainey return was called back on a penalty. Emmanuel Sanders muffed a punt that could have been another turnover. The Steelers needed something special from this unit. They didn’t get it.  Grade: C-

Coaching
Positives – Dick LeBeau has this unit executing at a high level, despite the absence of some key players. That says a lot, although the lack of turnovers is uncanny. “Horrendous” does not do justice to the performance of the Steelers offense. But can you blame an offensive coordinator whose unit turned over on half of its possessions? No, you really can’t.

In a conventional sense, you can’t blame Mike Tomlin for the fumbles and interceptions either. But, as noted in Steel Curtain Rising’s post game analysis, the Steelers suffered from a lack of focus. When things begin to become unglued, it falls on the head coach to find a way to keep his team on track. Tomlin found a way to keep his defense trained on the mark, but the offense only got worse, and that puts the coaching staff below the line. Grade:  C-

Unsung Hero
The Steelers defense began the season as the team’s weak link. Since the Tennessee game they’ve improved bit by bit, and so has one of its key players. By his own admission, he lacks the explosiveness on the premeter that once made him feared, but he’s been finding new ways to quietly contribute each week. Against the Browns, he was no longer quiet, and if he may not have roared, a loud growl was heard in Cleveland’s backfield as he tackled four players for losses, had a sack, and was number 2 on the team in total tackles, and for that James Harrison is the Unsung Hero of the Browns game.

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Steelers Report Card vs. Ravens @ Heinz Field

Steelers Report Cards

Taken from the grade book of a teacher who sees a pupil with a performance arch that is startingly familiar to the one he saw last year, here is the Steelers report card for their loss to the Ravens. As a caveat, no other grades were consulted prior to this posting.

Quarterback
Mike Tomlin has reaffirmed his faith in Byron Leftwich several times over through the years. Leftwich began by exceeding everyone’s expectations, but it was all down hill after that. Yes, Leftwich was injured. But, the Report Card focuses on performance and outcome, and Leftwich didn’t get the job done. While it’s hard to blame Leftwich for not taking himself from the game, it doesn’t excuse his misplaced gallantry. Grade:  D

Running Backs
When Rashard Mendenhall, Isaac Redman, and Jonathan Dwyer posted all strong performances, Mike Tomlin promised to go with the hot back. The stat sheets says that hot back vs. the Ravens was Dwyer. Unfortunately, he about split carries evenly with Mendenhall, who looked a little tentative at the line. Redman gained 5 yards on a run, and Baron Batch moved the chains with his lone carry.  Grade: C

Receivers
Catching a ball from an unfamiliar hand requires an adjustment, and the Steelers receivers offered a mixed bag. Some plays were made, but there were drops and times when receivers failed to catch the ball in bounds. Likewise, Leftwich had to throw the ball away several times. Emmanuel Sanders and Mike Wallace led the group, although Wallace’s fumble cost the team dearly as did the non-touchdown catch. Heath Miller played well, but was held back to block. Grade:  D+

Offensive Line
Another shaky performance for a unit that seemed to be coalescing. At times the run blocking was excellent. At times, the line protected Leftwich well. Consistency however lacked. Mike Adams struggled at times, although he was not the only one at fault. The difference in the game probably did not come down to the failed exchange between Maurkice Pouncey and Leftwich, but such mishaps are inexcusable on final drives. Grade:  D

Defensive Line
It was perhaps the defensive line’s strongest performance, with Ray Rice being held to 40 yards on 20 carries. He had no where to run. Brett Keisel led the unit in tackles and the stat sheet doesn’t do justice to the way Casey Hampton clogged up the middle. Cameron Heyward played well in relief of Ziggy Hood. Keisel’s offsides penalty hurt however. Grade:  B+

Linebackers
The linebacking corps also turned in a strong performance. Lawrence Timmons seemed to be in on every tackle and so was James Harrison, whose sack could have be a difference maker. LaMarr Woodley also clocked in with a sack, and Larry Foote was his reliable self. The only thing lacking was a forced turnover, which the Steelers needed.  Grade:  B+

Secondary
With each game, Keenan Lewis just seems to get better. But Ike Taylor is playing very good football, simply making it hard for opposing teams to throw when they need to. Ryan Clark didn’t light up the stat sheet, but whatever he lacked in quantity he made up in quality. Will Allen continued with his solid play, and Ryan Mundy didn’t get noticed for the wrong reasons. Baltimore was 3-14 on third downs. Like the linebackers, the only thing lacking was a turnover, and the again, the Steelers needed one. Grade:  B+

Special Teams
A truly awful night for a unit that has run hot and cold all season. Jacoby Jones 63 yard touchdown on a punt return put the Ravens over the top. But Baltimore’s return game was strong all night, and neither Chris Rainey nor Sanders did anything for the Steelers Shaun Suisham was 1-1, but his kickoffs, which were deep early in the year, fell shallow. Grade:  F

Coaching
Steel Curtain Rising already took Mike Tomlin to task for either not knowing Leftwich was injured and/or failing to act on that knowledge. However, he is not the only one to blame. Dink-and-Dunk is not Byron Leftwich’s game. And while he did attempt and compete some long passes, the question is why was Todd Haley had him throwing so much to begin with? The Raven’s run defense is suspect to begin with, and the Steelers entered the game with a stud stable of healthy running backs. Why didn’t Jonathan Dwyer get more carries?

In contrast, Dick LeBeau called a tremendous game and his players executed, and that’s all that saves the coaching staff from an F-bomb in this weeks’ report card. Grade:  D

Unsung Hero
The 1998 and 1999 Steelers defenses started strong only to peter out, with the rest of the team, down the stretch. One reason for the decline was the disintegration of Joel Steed’s knees. As Ed Bouchette has said, the nose tackle is the fulcrum on which the Steelers 3-4 rises and falls.

Early in the year when something big happened up front, Steve McClendon was as likely as not to be in the game. Not so vs. the Ravens. The Steelers front seven made play after play, and the only happens if Casey Hampton is wrecking havoc in the middle. Havoc Hampton wrought, and for that he win the Unsung Hero award for the game.

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Steelers Report Card vs. Giants @ Metlife Stadium

Taken from the grade book of a teachers who is re-learning the lesson that its far better to issue grades when performance is fresh in mind, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers report card for the victory over the Giants. As a caveat, even at this late date, no other Steelers report cards have been consulted.

Quarterback

For the first time in several games, Ben Roethlisbergerfaced real pressure and gave up four sacks. The fumble he got charged with looked to be bogus, but he also probably had another fumble incorrectly ruled down by contact. Roethlisberger did throw another dumb interception, but his execution on the Steelers scoring drives was excellent. Grade: B+

Running Backs

When Isaac Redman started the season averaging 2.something yards a carry much of Steelers Nation knew, he could do better. Against the Giants he proved it, barreling through the line for 147 yards including the go ahead touchdown and an impressive 28 yard burst to kill the clock. What those numbers do not reveal is that Redman consistently refused to be taken down on the first hit, and added yards and inflicted punishment with each extra effort. Neither Baron Batch, nor Chris Rainey, nor Will Johnson did much with their carries, but the team didn’t need them to. Grade:  A

Wide Receivers

Mike Wallace decisively demonstrated the value of a receiver who can take it to the house on any given play. Emmanuel Sanders only had two catches – but guess what? His first put the Steelers ahead by 7, and his second iced the game by converting on 3^rd and 9 with the Steelers needing to kill the clock. Not bad. Jerricho Cotchery and Heath Miller claimed 4 balls, and Antonio Brown caught two before leaving injured. Grade:  A-

Offensive Line

There was good in bad for this group. Mike Adams appeared to struggle in pass protection and in general the line’s pass blocking was a notch below what it has been thus far this year. On the flip side, this unit’s run blocking is improving to the point where it is getting scary. Now that Willie Colon has settled into his spot a guard, the only question is why did Bruce Arians balk at moving him there? Grade:  B

Defensive Line

Brett Keisel led the unit with 4 tackles. Casey Hamptonhelped set the tone by making the Steelers first tackle of the 4^thquarter for a loss. Ziggy Hood had one tackle. This unit did not wrack up a lot on the stat sheet but neither did anyone on the offense. And that’s the point, and it all starts up front. Grade:  B

Linebackers

Larry Foote led the unit with 7 tackles. James Harrison isn’t making a lot of “splash” plays, but he is winning his 1-1 match ups, which is making everyone else look a lot better. The Giant’s 4^thquarter drives were bookended by Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley sacks. Grade:  B+

Secondary

Ryan Clark led the team in tackles including one for a loss that helped force a Giants field goal. Ike Taylor, Keenan Lewis, and CortezAllen all registered passes defensed while Ryan Mundy kept his name from being mentioned for the wrong reasons. New York went an abysmal was 2-11 on third downs, and that only happens if the Steelers secondary is doing a lot of things right. Grade:  A-

Special Teams

By the time the game was over, the Steelers were down to their third string return man, but Emmanuel Sanders delivered, with a 63 yard kickoff return and an 11 yard punt return. Chris Rainey also turned in returns of 51 and 30 yards. Although the coaches rather than the players deserve criticism for the botched fake field goal attempt, the kicking team nonetheless came up short, dropping the grade just a smidge.  Grade:  A-

Coaching

The Steelers were traveling on the same day of the game, playing against the Super Bowl Champions on the road, lost their number two receiver, and were playing again with only one of their starting caliber running backs. But The Standard Remained the Standard. Mike Tomlin had his team focused, and both of his coordinators deployed excellent game plans. Amos Jonesmanaged limit (most) of the penalties that have plagued his unit and in turn the return game delivered results. The fake field goal call was a mistake, however. Grade:  B+

Unsung Hero

His play hasn’t always been consistent this year, but against the Giants he was all over the field, dropping people in the backfield, getting in Eli Manning’s face, and getting to the quarterback when it counted and for that Lawrence Timmons is Steel Curtain Rising’s Unsung Hero for the victory over the Giants.

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Steelers Report Card vs. Bengals @ Paul Brown Stadium

From the grade book of a teacher who is glad to see his star pupil finally passed one of those standardized tests which had bedeviled him, here is the Steelers Report Card for their victory over Cincinnati. As a caveat, no other report cards were consulted prior to this posting.

Quarterback
How good was Ben Roethlisberger? How about the fact that he gets a good grade inspite of the fact that interception cost the team at least three points and that his fumble set up seven for Cincinnati? His errors were costly, but he atoned for those by getting the team on the board with a touchdown and a 2 point conversion to close the half. Roethlisberger excelled on third down, and would have done even better had he not suffered multiple drops. Grade:  B

Running Back 
For the first time since draft day 2010, Jonathan Dwyer looked like the steal he was supposed to be. He hit the holes hard and with determination  and refused to stop moving his legs until the whistle blew. Chris Rainey likewise made good on a beautiful 11 yard go ahead touchdown run. Will Johnson played well and about the only negative was Baron Batch's dropped touchdown. Grade: A

Wide Receiver
Do the Steelers have a better, more versatile athlete than Antonio Brown? Brown threw, he rushed, he caught, he returned and he did an incredible job of making yards after the catch. Heath Miller did little besides catch passes in the end zone. Oscar worthy injury aside, Emmanuel Sanders is beginning to remind me of a young Hines Ward, simply because Sanders is establishing himself as a player who delivers when you need a catch. Should Mike Wallace wonder why, despite being an every play home run threat, no one sacrificed a first round draft pick and Larry Fitzgerald like money, he need only review tape of his dropped touchdowns and dropped third down passes. Grade:  B

Offensive Line
Take away Maurkice Pouncey and Marcus Gilbert and what do you get? The line’s best night of the year. For the first time since moving to guard, Willie Colon reminded everyone of why he was once considered the team’s best offensive lineman. Mike Adams got his first start, and while he did have some hiccups he did well. The run blocking was stupendous, especially when it needed to be, although Ben Roethlisberger faced a heavier pass rush than he has lately, which brings the grade down a little.  Grade:  B

Defensive Line
When the game started, it looked like the Law Firm and co. were going to run all over the Steelers. But the line, like the rest of the defense, made the necessary adjustments. Ziggy Hood led the unit with 2 tackles and had two passes defensed. Casey Hampton completely stoned Green-Ellis late in the game when Cincinnati was desperate to move the ball. I’d still like to see a little more from the line, but they did shut down the run and collapse the pocket.  Grade:  B-

Linebackers
LaMarr Woodley’s interception turned the game, but that was the unit’s only splash play. Woodley was also credited with two pressures. Lawrence Timmons led the unit in tackles but otherwise did not make much noise. James Harrison did not register a single stat, which obviously must raise an eyebrow. Larry Foote was solid in run support.  Grade:  B-

Secondary
Ike Taylor trashed the media this week, but then backed up his words with actions. A.J. Green only had one catch. Yes, it was a touchdown, but that ball was perfectly thrown. Keenan Lewis not only kept his man quiet, but also saved a touchdown with a brilliant play. Ryan Clark’s value to this unit cannot be underestimated. He was simply around the ball all night. His counterparts, Will Allen and Ryan Mundy, however, could have done more in run support.  Bottom line is Cincinnati could not throw the ball in the second half, despite getting 3 drives in the 4th quarter alone. Grade:  A

Special Teams
Let’s start with the positives. Shaun Suisham not only went 3-3, but they were all from 40 yards plus. Antonio Brown and Chris Rainy also showed themselves to be excellent return men…. When their runs aren’t getting nullified by penalties. Seriously, it’s getting to the point where spectators naturally expect to see a flag after a Steelers return. This contributed to the Oakland defeat, and could have done so again. These must stop. The kickoff return unit also allowed a 45 yard return to start the 2nd half. That was also the only drive where the Bengals scored. Coincidence? Don’t fool yourself. Suisham’s kicking is all that keeps this grade above the line.  Grade:  C-

Coaching
Since the day he arrived in Pittsburgh, Mike Tomlin has preached “The Standard is The Standard.” The Steelers early 2012 injury woes have not caused Tomlin to alter his tone. The Steelers had given up four 4th quarter leads in four straight road losses. They went into Cincinnati with sans four starters and a key back up. Yet, The Standard remained The Standard.

Todd Haley called an excellent game, and had it not been for drops at key moments, conservatively speaking, the Steelers could have easily scored two more touchdowns. Dick LeBeau not only made the necessary adjustments, he and Tomlin were wise enough to put their faith in Ike Taylor, he played his best game of the season. The Steelers could have started stronger, and one would like to see the offense add to those 4th quarter leads, but all and all a solid night for the coaches. Grade:  B+

Unsung Hero
The great thing about the Bengals game is that so many players stepped up. Ike Taylor, Keenan Lewis, Chris Rainey and others have gotten their due. There’s one man however, who quietly stepped in and maintained The Standard. Willie Colon rightly is credited for having a monster night, but the truth is he can’t do it if the guy next to him isn’t taking care of business. And business was taken care of in the center, and for that Doug Legursky is the Unsung Hero of the Steelers victory over the Bengals.

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