Steelers Lose to Bengals 20-10 at Paul Brown Stadium

For the first time since 2002 the Steelers will start the season at 0-2, after dropping a 20-10 contest to division rivals at Paul Brown Stadium.

20-10 seems like a manageable score, but the truth is that makes it look closer than it was. Ben Roethlisberger played a poor game. He was under heavy pressure all night (when hasn't that been the case) and even when he had time to throw his passes were long and or high.

For the second straight week the Steelers failed to establish any semblance of a running game, and its defense was held without a turnover, and without a sack.

Its going to be a long season Steelers Nation. Steel Curtain Rising will hang in for the duration, but it is 1:24 here in Buenos Aires, and work beckons tomorrow morning. Stay tuned for more!

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James Harrison's Contribution to the Steelers Linebacker Legacy

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a franchise that yields nothing to any other NFL franchise when it comes to linebacking.

In 1970’s, Andy Russell and Hall of Famers Jack Ham and Jack Lambert set the standard. Since then, notable Steelers linebackers have fallen into two categories.

• Those who have upheld the standard, and those who added their own legacy to it.

The fact that he will not finish his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in no way diminishes James Harrison’s contribution to Steelers proud Linebacker Legacy.

The Steelers Linebacker Legacy

Steelers Nation does not accept linebackers who merely play “above the line.” Steelers Nation demands excellence for its linebackers.

The Steelers Media Guide used to run a page on the teams “Linebacker Legacy.” From 1969 to 1987 the Steelers sent at least one linebacker to the Pro Bowl. The steak ended with Mike Merriweather in ’87, but began anew in 1991 with Greg Lloyd, ended in 1998 with Levon Kirkland, only to begin again in 2001 with Jason Gildon continuing with James Harrison into 2010.

With such a time-honored tradition at linebacker, one may ask, what must a linebacker do to add to the tradition instead of simply living up to it?

To contribute to Steelers Linebacker Legacy, a linebacker must:

• Have a nasty streak
• Be relentless
• Strike fear into the hearts of quarterbacks
• Step up when times get tough
• Secure turnovers
• Inspire his teammates
• Make game-changing plays

James Harrison did all of these things, and Steel Curtain Rising now takes a look at how he did them and you can read and/or see them for yourself by clicking on the links below or simply scrolling down.

James Harrison Redefines “Nasty”
The Relentlessness of James Harrison
Striking Fear into Opposing Quarterbacks
Stepping It Up When Times Get Tough
James Harrison - Ball Hawk
Silverback Leading by Example
Super Bowl XLIII James Harrison, Game Changer

James Harrison Redefines “Nasty”

His predecessor Greg Lloyd wore t-shirts exclaiming “I wasn’t hired for my disposition.”

Joey Porter, his immediate predecessor, stirred up the pot once getting throw out of a game for pre game brawling and would follow opponents to the team bus. (Incidentally, Porter’s ejection at Cleveland led to Harrison’s first start we he registered 6 tackles and a sack.)

But Harrison’s signature “Nasty” came on Christmas Eve in 2005 and needs no words to describe it:



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The Relentlessness of James Harrison

Roger Goodell and Ray Anderson disciplined James Harrison as if Harrison thought he played by his own set of rules. In 2010 they had the decency to go public with their feud.

But prior Harrison had been fighting a Cold War with the officials, whereby the referees willfully looked the other way as opposing offensive lineman held Harrison, wrestled with Harrison and at times even horse collared him to the ground with nary a flag being thrown.

• That never stopped Harrison, in fact it barely slowed him down as sacked opposing quarterbacks 16 times in 2008 when he was NFL Defensive Player of the Year

Harrison posted double digit sack seasons in 2009, 2010 and would have done so in 2011 had it not been for injury and suspension.

Silverback accomplished that feat despite essentially playing with one arm in late 2009, two herniated disks in 2010 and recovery from back surgery and then an orbital bone fracture in 2011.

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Striking Fear into Opposing Quarterbacks

Steve McNair was a Steelers slayer during his time in Tennessee and with Baltimore. But he had the misfortune to start the Steelers 75th Anniversary game which James Harrison chose as his moment to explode onto the national scene.

On that night, Harrison:

• Sacked McNair 3 times and got a piece of another McNair pass
• Intercepted a McNair pass and returned it for 20 yards
• Defensed 1 pass
• Forced 2 forced fumbles and recovered another fumble
• Finished the game with 9 total tackles

McNair had been .500 in his four stars prior to that game. He lost both that night and in the two starts that followed, his final NFL action.

Steve McNair had owned the Steelers during his time in Tennessee and Baltimore. But he’d never had to start opposite James Harrison until that night.

It would seem that Silverback made a lasting impression.

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Stepping It Up When Times Get Tough

The glow of Super Bowl XLIII masks the fact that the 2008 Steelers were maddingly inconsistent on offense. Their late November game vs. San Diego provides a perfect example, as Ben Roethlisberger threw for 300 yards, Hines Ward caught for 100 yards, and Willie Parker ran for 115.

But the only points the Steelers scored were off of Jeff Reed’s leg and one defensive score.

• And as if you had any doubt, that defensive score was made possible by a James Harrison strip sack in the end zone.

That wasn’t all that Harrison did that day. Late in the first half San Diego stood at their 2, threatening to score. James Harrison intercepted the ball and took it back 33 yards, setting up one of Reed’s field goals.

Oh, and if the Steelers backs were far enough to the wall, the penalty differential was 13-2 in San Diego’s favor that day.

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James Harrison - Ball Hawk

Sacking the quarterback is great. Sacking the quarterback and stripping the ball is even better. James Harrison had a knack for doing both. At times it seemed like he had a Tomahawk instead of a forearm and the numbers back this up.

Forced fumbles were a James Harrison specialty

This simple comparison highlights James Harrison’s uniqueness.

In 22% of his games, James Harrison caused the opponent to cough up the ball. Of the other Cowher-Tomin era outside linebackers, only Greg Lloyd had better with a “games with forced fumble” percentage.  

While outside linebackers are usually measured by sacks, the forced fumble is an equal and often times greater measure, as the chart indicates.

Of all the linebackers ranked, only Clark Haggans "overperforms" whereas LaMarr Woodley perhaps under performs. Otherwise you have a pretty fair ranking of the Steelers outside linebackers during the Cowher-Tomlin era.

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Silverback Leading by Example

Joey Porter antagonized the opposition. Greg Lloyd demanded excellence of his teammates both on and off the field. James Farrior acted the quarterback of the defense and led in the locker room.

• Some players, quiet by their nature, lead by example.

Most players, when they reach elite status, refuse to play special teams. Yet when the Steelers kicking coverage was struggling against Jacksonville in the 2008 playoff game, James Harrison agreed to cover kicks.

Needless to say Jacksonville enjoyed no more long kickoff returns.

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Super Bowl XLIII James Harrison, Game Changer

Super Bowl XLIII will be remember for many things. Lombardi Number Six. Ben Roethlisberger authored the most incredible come from behind drive in Super Bowl history.

But what made that drive relevant came at the end of the first half, as Arizona was looking to score a touchdown with time expiring, when James Harrison made a read and decided to do a little free lancing. Here, one more time, is what happened:



Dick LeBeau calls James Harrison’s 100 yard touchdown run the best defensive play he has ever seen. What a game changer it was.

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Silverback Finishes Outside of Steelers Nation, But Legacy Remains Untarnished

Sadly, James Harrison will not finish his career in the Black and Gold. Salary cap considerations and pride did not allow it.

But that changes nothing. His contribution to the Pittsburgh Steelers Linebacker Legacy will always remain intact.

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Watch Tower: James Harrison Slights Ben Roethlisberger, Profaning the Terrible Towel and More...

The Steelers took to the field vs. the Titans looking to answer a lot of questions. Suffice to say, Steelers Nation didn’t get the answer it wanted. But that led to a lot of interesting stories for the Watch Tower to shine its light upon but ironically the biggest story had to do with the week to come.

Silverback Scales Big Ben?

For as big as the Steelers loss to the Titans was, perhaps even bigger news is the impending match up with the Bengals which of course bring James Harrison up against his former team.

• In both the Steelers and Bengals locker room both factions studiously avoided providing (almost) any bulletin board material. 

The “story” as told by the Post-Gazette, Tribune Review, and ESPN was that James Harrison held no grudges, that this is all part of the business.

At least that’s the line that Ralph Paulk, Scott Brown, and Ray Fittipaldo held to in their stories based on the weekly conference call with opposition players (Ray Fittipaldo in fact parlayed the interview into two stories.)

There was one rather glaring exception, and it was only reported by free lance reporter Jim Wexell. Harrison had no ill words for the Steelers, but he did slight their most prominent player, Ben Roethlisberger.

As reported by Wexell Harrison had this to say on his Steel City Insider site:

Harrison did punch one Steeler in the gut. "They had a rough one," Harrison said of the Steelers' last game. "They lost their best offensive player they had in Maurkice Pouncey."

To his credit, Wexell made no attempt to blow the quote out of proportion, but did remind readers of how Harrison ripped into Roethlisberger in his infamous Men’s Journal interview in July 2011.

• Regardless, Harrison’s comment offers real news value.

If he’s trying to snub Roethlisberger by default, then that’s news. And if he sincerely believes that Pouncey is the Steelers best offensive player, that’s also news.

One can only speculate as to why this angle of the story was completely ignored by rest of the Steelers press crops. An easy conclusion is that they succumbed to pressure from the Steelers PR office. But that makes little sense upon further examination, as Wexell himself is a correspondent for Steelers Digest.

Either way, Wexell deserves credit for reporting on something that his colleagues ignored.

Steelers Supposed to Suck, Yet Still “Underachievers”

Few pundits preseason pundits picked the Steelers to do anything, but few were as strident as SI’s Don Banks. In his annual prediction column, Banks was merciless when it came to the Steelers, predicting a last in the AFC North finish.

That made his Tuesday column all the more interesting, when he labeled the Steelers as one of the top “underachievers” of the NFL’s opening weekend.

• So if the Steelers are really supposed to be bad, then how can they be “underachievers?” 

Banks never addresses that. To be fair, he did list underachievement as one of the weaknesses heading into 2013 saying Injuries, age and underachievement will combine to produce Pittsburgh's worst season since the Steelers plummeted to 6-10 in 2003.

• Banks’ post-Titans critique also had its flaws. 

However, Banks all but declares the Roethlisberger era to be over in Pittsburgh.

• Lest accusation of homerism should let fly, both Ben Roethlisberger’s short term health and longevity are very much in danger.

But if the story on the Steelers in NFL week one was “underachievement” then Banks picked the wrong poster boy in Roethlisberger, as he managed a pretty good game with very, very little help.

Profaning the Terrible Towel

The Post-Gazette’s Dan Gigler brought a very important story to light in his Blog and Gold column, when he informed his readers that the Steelers are desecrating the Terrible Towel with logos from other teams.

• That’s right, you can now get your Terrible Towel with Steelers and Titans or Jaguars logos printed on it.

This is near blasphemy and Gigler deserves a shout out for reporting it.

Lolley-Le'von Axis...r

Veteran Observer-Reporter journalist Dale Lolley did a little bit of his own Watch Towerism this week by calling out the rest of the press crops over the handling of the Le’Veon Bell injury.

Le’Veon Bell of course is the Steelers 2nd round draft pick who was all but anointed as the next Franco Harris/Jerome Bettis on the strength of a strong training camp, only to fall prey to a lisfranc injury in camp.

This fact was reported widely in August, although the severity of the story quickly diminished as it became clear that Bell didn’t have a lisfranc tear, unlike Matt Spaeth.

Bell himself had told reporters that he might return by week two, but that story got cold water thrown on it. Regarding the press’ handling of this pattern of events Lolley observed:

From the beginning, I reported that Bell had a Lisfranc injury. And, despite what some were reporting, Mike Tomlin never said Bell didn't have a Lisfranc injury.
He only said Bell didn't have a Lisfranc tear like the one Matt Spaeth did and that they were hoping he would recover without surgery.
The initial estimates on his recovery - not from the Steelers, but by reporters - was six to eight weeks.
So now, a story is written saying Bell will be out another month. That would put him right in line with the six to eight weeks that was being reported from the beginning of this thing.

Kudos to Lolley for his effort to keep a story in context and to hold his friends and colleagues accountable, albeit without naming them.

Lolley also offered some level headed thinking both immediately after the Titans game and on the Monday afterwards.

Wallace Watch Starts

In the 1990’s the Pittsburgh Steelers “enjoyed” an annual tradition of off season free agent exoduses. Perhaps none were as intently watched as Mike Wallace’s decision to bolt to Miami for a cool 13 million per year.

• The Steelers made it very clear, very early they were not going to pay Wallace that kind of cash.

One of the reasons why was that Wallace resented having to share the spot light with the likes of Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders.

As many fans know, Wallace’s Dolphins beat the Cleveland Browns, but Wallace was limited to one catch for 15 yards. Dan Gigler shared a Miami Herald article which painted a picture of a deeply disgusted Wallace who had to be consoled by the team’s general manager no less.

For their part, Behind the Steel Curtain also offered its own piece, comparing Wallace to Keyshawn "Will You Just Give me the Damm Ball"  Johnson.

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.

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Fernando Velasco - From NFL "Street" Free Agent to Steelers Starting Center

Note to future NFL “street” free agent offensive lineman, should the Pittsburgh Steelers contact you about joining the team in mid-season, you stand a strong chance of starting that next Sunday.

The Steelers set the precedent in 2011 with Max Starks, and now they follow it with Fernando Velasco per Gerry Dulac’s tweet:

New C Fernando Velasco will start in Cincy. Isaac Redman: “I’ve never seen anyone come in and look as comfortable in the offense so quick."
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) September 13, 2013

The Steelers waived Max Starks in July of 2011 following the NFL lockout after his weight had reportedly ballooned up to near 400 lbs. After Willie Colon tore his triceps during the Debacle in Baltimore the Steelers turned away offers from Flozell Adams and instead opted to start then rookie Marcus Gilbert.

• In 2011, the team desperately wanted to turn a new page on its offensive line.

But the Houston defense desperately overwhelmed Jonathan Scott the Steelers turned to Starks. He arrived at the South Side with his name penciled in as a back up, but within 24 hours the Steelers were talking about starting Max Starks and start he did.

The Steelers of course reached out to Velasco within 24 hours of Maurkice Pouncey’s ACL/MCL tear suffered vs. the Titans. Pro Football Focus rated Velasco as the 11th best center in 2012, but The Turk nonetheless darkened his door on cut down day.

Velasco’s experience with zone blocking attracted the Steelers, and Behind the Steel Curtain’s Steel34D film review confirmed Velaco’s ability in a zone blocking scheme, (a review which includes some success at Casey Hampton’s expense.)

Word that Velasco will start frees Kelvin Beachum to return to his role as primary backup across the offensive line and of course the new hat he wears, blocking tight end.

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James Harrison Signs with Cincinnati Bengals

What does James Harrison share with Neil O’Donnell not to mention John Jackson, Myron Bell, Oliver Gibson, and Jamain Stephens?

If you guessed that he was an ex-Steelers who wound up as a Cincinnati Bengal then you’d be spot on.

Allen Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review is reporting that the Cincinnati Bengals signed James Harrison to a 2 year contract. Terms were not disclosed, although it is likely for less money than he left on the table when Steelers tried to get him to accept a 30% pay cut. When Harrison balked, the Steelers cut him, and Harrison has been trying to land a job with another AFC North team since then.

Harrison himself tweeted the news, showing he's already incorporating lingua franca of The Jungle into his vocabulary.

Whodey!!!!!!!!!!! Hello Cincinnati!!!!
— James Harrison (@jharrison9292) April 19, 2013

In an trivial twist to the story, Behind the Steel Curtain is citing an ESPN report that says that Harrison will not actually sign the contract until May.

• Not that it really matters.

With the acquisition of Harrison, Cincinnati cements what is one of the more underrated defenses in the NFL. Unlike Pittsburgh, the Bengals play a 4-3 and how Harrison exactly fits in is unknown but the Bengals already have formidable players such as Gino Atkins, Michael Johnson and Carlos Dunlap in what is one of the strongest front 7’s in the league.

• One thing is clear.

James Harrison still has something left. He may not be the player he was in 2008 or even 2010, but Harrison has something in the tank.

And nobody thrives on motivation like James Harrison.

• If you doubt it, just watch the Steelers 75 Anniversary game where he essentially ended Steve McNair's career as a starter.

That cannot be a reassuring thought for Ben Roethlisberger, who must doubling down on his rosary decades, praying that the investments the Steelers have made in Marcus Gilbert, Mike Adams, and David DeCastro pay off in the form of them developing into players capable of protecting him.

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Steelers Report Card vs. Bengals @ Heinz Field

Taken from the grade book of a teacher who can only now sympathize with Parkland Junior High School’s decision to send out interim progress reports (i.e. failure warnings) before the Christmas holidays, here is the Steelers Report Card for the loss against the Bengals at Heinz Field. As a caveat, no other grades were consulted prior to this posting.

Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger did not have a good day. He only completed 50% of his passes and led the Steelers to a woeful 2-14 effort on third downs. Those are mediocre numbers, but the true ugliness of his performance lies in two interceptions Ben threw in situations were he was obviously forcing the ball when he didn’t need to. Ben certainly had help in losing the game, but he was clearly the first among equals here.  Grade:  F

Running Backs
Perhaps the greatest difference between this outing for the running backs and others was in the attitude. Jonathan Dwyer, Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman all ran hard, contested every hit, and never stopped pumping legs for extra yards. During the first half the trio managed to put up some nice runs and in doing so helped the team. The second half saw them take hits behind the line of scrimmage more regularly, and they’re efforts suffered. At the end of the day it was a wash, as the running game again was a non-factor.  Grade:  C+

Wide Receivers
For the first time in a long time the Steelers wide receivers put in a solid game from start to finish. Their quarterback put them into some tough positions, but Antonio Brown and Heath Miller led the team, with Jerricho Cotchery, Emmanuel Sanders, and Mike Wallace each following with a catch. This unit did not have a lot to work with, and perhaps could have done more to get open, but no fingers need be pointed at them for the loss. Grade:  B-

Offensive Line
This was the much ballyhood David DeCastro’s second NFL start and the truth is he played like an NFL rookie on the second week of September, as Geno Atkins dominated him through the game. His rookie compatriot Kelvin Beachum faired little better. Maurkice Pouncey suffered another injury but was able to return. Early in the game the line opened some holes for the running backs and afforded “OK” protection to Roethlisberger. But Cincinnati dominated the battle at the line of scrimmage in the second half shutting down the Steelers running game and sacking Ben Roethlisberger 3 times. The playoffs were on the line, and this unit’s performance was far, far below the line:  Grade:  D-

Defensive Line
If Brett Keisel and Casey Hampton are playing their final games at Heniz Field then they’re going out with a bang, as both men lead a unit that completely suffocated the Bengals rushing attack all day long. Ziggy Hood and Cameron Hewyard also got into the action spending plenty of time in the Bengals backfield, and Steve McClendon had a half sack. What’s more, these men won enough of their matchs ups to allow others to pressure Andy Dalton, and that should have been enough. Grade:  A-

Linebackers
Lawrence Timmons was a man on fire, leading the team in tackles, sacking Dalton twice, hitting him two more times, and registering two tackles for losses. James Harrison also got into the act with a sack and a tackle for a loss. Larry Foote added another tackle for a loss. LaMarr Woodley, however, was a non-factor. Overall, a solid performance from the linebacking corps. Grade:  B+

Secondary
Oh the irony! The Steelers defense in general, and the secondary in particularly, have been a turnover-starved unit for almost two seasons running. Against the Bengals, Cortez Allen accounted for three, intercepting two balls and forcing another fumble which Ryan Clark recovered. Troy Polamalu got into the action and as fate would have it seems to be returning to form now the Steelers find themselves out of the playoffs. This unit was not perfect – Dalton did complete some passes when he needed to, but they were well above the line.  Grade:  A-

Special Teams
Shaun Shuisham had been all but perfect until the playoffs were on the line, and he missed, twice. And it wasn't even his fault. Greg Warren has one job, one sole function justifies his existence on the Pittsburgh Steelers. His bad snap cost the Steelers three points and those three points made a huge difference. Drew Bulter punts had decent length but too many ended up as touchbacks. Chris Rainey had a nice return. Grade:  D

Coaching
Coaches hold ultimate responsibility when teams lose games and seasons end in failure. Yet can you really blame a coach for things like a bad snap on a 24 yard field goal and two forced passes that end as interceptions? The truth is that the Steelers fielded a focused, championship caliber defense vs. the Bengals. The offensive effort was not as sound, but its difficult to attribute much of that to game planning. However, as has happened at other times in the season, when one part of the Steelers is at the top of its game, another part is falling short, and it is the head coach's job to avoid that, and clearly Mike Tomlin again was unable to do that against the Bengals. Grade:  C-

Unsung Hero
He started the day injured, and for most of the day played on one leg. Yet he still managed to defend two passes and helped contain Andy Dalton and his otherwise A.J. Green and had he had help from offense and special teams, the Steelers success at defending against the Bengals passing attack would have been the difference maker, and for tha Keenan Lewis is the Unsung Hero of the Bengals game.

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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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Versus Bengals, Steelers Buck 4th Quarter Meltdown Trend to Reach .500

It was now or never time for the 2012 Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Pittsburgh Steelers arrived Paul Brown Stadium Sunday night as a once proud team licking its wounds, clinging to the hope promised in 2 wins and dreading the dark omens raised in three straight road games lost in the 4th quarter.

Certified NFL bottom feeders, led by quarterbacks whose best days were behind them, had dealt the Steelers two of those losses, ensuring that the sting sunk a little deeper.

• At lot was at stake. This wasn't just a road game, it wasn't just another AFC game, it was an AFC North game. 

When a 2-3 team finishes the game six, some mathematical realities begin to set in.

• Finish 3-3 and you're one game away from officially righting the ship. 
• 2-4 brings a profoundly altered reality. 

You’ve dug a three week hole between your team and the sunny side of .500. And even if you get yourself out, you’ve likely seeded the ability to control your own destiny.

The Steelers took to the field in Cincinnati with a choice between two decidedly different fates. Which one would they choose?

Comedy of Errors That Failed to Be Funny....

In the lead up to the Bengals game, Steel Curtain Rising joked about the fact that a good portion of the team’s injury situation had been created by Steelers tripping over each other (not to single out Marcus Gilbert.)

• Unfortunately, the Steelers took the tripping theme to heart, but not in terms in injuries, but in terms of broken plays. 

The Steelers sin for the first 28 minutes of the first half wasn't to put on a poor performance, it was to put on a mediocre one.

• The defense allowed the Bengals to run with ease
• Mike Wallace committed a number of drive-stalling drops
• Baron Batch dropped a sure-fire touchdown on an otherwise excellently executed reverse flee-flicker
• Ben Roethlisberger threw a pick in the end zone

At the two minute warning the Steelers were lucky to be behind by only eight, and the only real question was, “Would the defense cave again, or would it make a stop?”

 “Sometimes the Ball Just Bounces Your Way.” 

That oft cited cliché is true enough because randomness does play a factor in sports, just as in life.

• But the simple fact remains that luck means very little if you fail to take advantage.

There’s little question that the ball slipped out of Andy Dalton’s hands but LaMarr Woodley was focused enough to capitalize on that error.

Six plays later and Ben Roethlisberger connected with Heath Miller in the end zone. Mike Tomlin doubled down on the two point conversion, and his team delivered.

• In the space of just 1:23 the Steelers had gone from under achieving basket case road team tying the game going into the half.

That was all well and good, but the Steelers had been far from kind to themselves during second halves on the road. Could they shake the curse….?

A New 4th Quarter Script

The record will reflect that the Steelers entered the 4th Quarter with the game tied. Chris Rainey changed that with his brilliant 11 yard run courtesy of the road-grading offensive line.

• That put the Steelers up by 7 with all but :44 seconds elapsed in the final period. 

In other words, the Bengals had Pittsburgh just where they wanted them. This was, after all, exactly when things fell apart vs. Denver, Oakland, and Tennessee.

• The Steelers, however did something different.

First, Jonathan Dwyer channeled his inner Jerome Bettis, running for 55 yards in the 4th quarter alone, and ripping off runs of 15, 14, and 32 yards in the process

Second, the Steelers actually played defense in the 4th quarter. No heroics, no splash plays, no Polamaluesque game-changing fumbles or interceptions. The Steelers simply played defense, forcing the Bengals to punt on each of their 3 fourth quarter possessions.

The Steelers defense kept the Bengals from making long gains on first and second, and then got off the field on third down. And they did it on three consecutive 4th quarter possessions.

Encouraging to say the least.

Proper Perspective

The win over the Bengals puts the Steelers at 3-3. It ended a string of fourth quarter melt downs, ended a series of losses to AFC teams, and got the Steelers their first AFC North win.

All pluses.

• But please, no one mistake this for the apocryphal “statement game.” 

By definition, no team makes a statement by merely .500. But the Steelers needed a win, and they got one, and that’s a start.

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Steelers Defeat Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium

My, what a difference 11 days makes, doesn't it? When we last left our beloved Pittsburgh Steelers they we licking their wounds after another 4th quarter collapse on the road.

The Steelers wrote a different story tonight, coming from behind to take and then hold a lead on the road vs. the Cincinnati Bengals.

It certainly did not start pretty, as the Steelers first half can only be characterized as a comedy of errors. But that began to change inside the two minute warning, as LaMarr Woodley intercepted a deflected pass.

Ben Roethlisberger and his team mates went right to work, marching down the field and scoring a touchdown and then getting the two point conversion, with Big Ben hitting Heath Miller on both strikes.

But this victory was more than just the Steelers getting production out of their prime time players. Across both sides of the ball, understudies stepped up.

• Jonathan Dwyer ran with power and authority
• Chris Rainey showed why he could be dangerous
• Emmanuel Sanders once again staked his claim to being one of the NFL's most underrated receivers. 

On the defensive side of the ball:

• Ike Taylor completely neutralized A.J. Green
• Keenan Lewis came up with several big plays
• Casey Hampton made a huge stop when it counted

This game was far from perfect. Special teams penalties continued to be an issue, and the Bengals ran a little to well for comfort.

But the Steelers converted third down after third down, and the defense, for a change, got off the field on third down, and that was the difference in this game.

Its almost 1:00 am here in Buenos Aires, and work looms tomorrow. But Steel Curtain Rising will be back with full analysis of the game. In the mean time, Go Steelers!

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Predicting the AFC North Champions - How do the Steelers Fare?

Opening day in the NFL is upon us, which of course brings us no shortage of pundits and predictions.

Peter King of SI is of course projecting the Pittsburgh Steelers at 8-8 and third in the AFC North, while the overall split between the team of writers there was 5-4 in favor of the Baltimore Ravens as division champions.. An ESPN poll of its experts split their division winner predictions 50/50 between the Steelers and the Ravens.

However, our friends Matt Ufford and Brad Wells at SB Nation have also offered a split prediction, but one that comes with a surprise.


Yours truly will offer no preseason predictions. Living down here in Buenos Aires just leaves me feeling too unconnected from the whole NFL scene to really get a good feel for the rest of the league.
However, I freely admit that part of me feels good that the Steelers are going into the season as underdogs
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Steelers Report Card vs the Bengals at Heinz Field

Steelers Report Card vs. Bengals at Heinz Field

A report card from the grade book of a teacher who really wonders (and hopes) that his pupils can go from slacking off to hitting their stride in the very week that they enter the home strech. Here goes the Steelers report card for their victory over the Bengals. As always, no other reports were consulted.

Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger was not perfect against the Bengals, and the Steelers 2 for 11 on third downs shows it. But Ben played smarter, made the throws he needed to make, particularly in the Red Zone. He also avoid what was had disturbingly begun to look at as his “obligatory dumb interception.” All and all a solid performance. Grade: B+

Running Backs
Bruce Arians reportedly challenged his rushers, “You want to run more, run the ball better.” Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman listened. Both men accounted for nearly all of the yards in the Steelers first two trips to the Red Zone, both men broke tackles and ripped off long runs. Mewelde Moore ripped off 13 yard carry in his lone touch and Jonathan Dwyer showed a lot of hustle. Last time around against the Bengals the Steelers averaged 3.5 yards per carry. This time it was up to 4.1. I’ll take that improvement any day. Grade: A

Offensive Line
Three weeks ago at Paul Brown Stadium, Ben Roethlisberger was sacked 5 times, and as usual that number would have been much higher had it not been for his fancy footwork. At Heinz Field that number dropped to 2. While that number is impressive, the Steelers offensive line did something against Cincinnati it had not done all year, including their stand-out performance against Baltimore, they imposed their will. Grade: A

Defensive Line
Since the season opener vs. Baltimore Troy Polamalu has played up front, almost functioning as a linebacker. His role there has been run support as much as anything else. Troy played deep safety vs. the Bengals, and the run game suffered not at all. Casey Hampton, Brett Kiesel and Ziggy Hood did an good job of collapsing the pocket and assisted with pressure on Andy Dalton. Grade: B+

Linebackers
Don’t look now, but Lawrence Timmons led the team in tackles. James Harrison was a one man wreching crew. He’ll rightly get recognized for his 3 sacks, but he also was laying out the wood all over the field. James Farrior provided soild play in the center, and Jason Worilds did a fine job in LaMarr Woodley’s absence. Grade: A-

Secondary
The secondary got caught badly in the Bengals first drive, but attoned for it by keeping Dalton’s completion percentage below 45% and picking off his replacement. Ike Taylor had an interception for the second consecutive game – perhaps a carreer first. Ryan Clark led the team in tackles, and almost had another pick and 3 defensed passes. Polamalu also defensed a pass. Grade: B+

Special Teams
After slipping for the last three weeks, Al Everest’s men transformed themselves into a special teams strike force to the likes that the Steelers have rarely seen. A blocked field goal, a forced and recovered fumble on a kickoff return, and punt return for a TD. Any of the three has a potential to be a momentum changer and the Steelers special teams brought in all of the above. Grade: A

Coaching
You can talk all you want about nuances of game plans, personnel shifts, offensive versatility and game day adjustments. The difference in this game had little to do with the X’s and O’s. The Cincinnati Bengals started the day playing like a team that thought it was completing for a playoff spot. The Pittsburgh Steelers finished the game playing like a team that knew it was positioning itself for a hard-fought chance at competing for a championship. And that difference starts with Mike Tomlin and the coaching staff. Grade: A

Unsung Hero
Countless Steelers earned themselves highlight reel honors vs. the Bengals. Kudos to them. But there was something different, and something thus far this season that was unique about these Steelers, and it was clearly apparent in the way the Steelers finished their first two touchdown drives. Attitude. Controlling the line of scrimmage is as much about mind-set as it as about physicality.

Doug Legursky rejoined the Steelers starting lineup last week, but was quickly tapped to play center. It would be unfair to the others to credit Legursky with sole resposiblity for the line’s improvement, but Legursky was the indepdent variable in this equation, and he’s one of those players who may be short on stature, but is long in the heart. His scrappiness was on display vs. the Bengals, and for that Doug Legursky is the Unsung Hero of the Steelers victory over the Bengals.

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Steelers Bludgeon Bengals, 35-7

NFL Divisions are like animal packs. By nature, teams vie against each other to determine who claims a spot atop the pecking order.

For a decade, the two top dogs in the AFC North have been the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens. The Cincinnati Bengals have never earned a place in the conversation. Early playoff exits after their ’05 and ’09 division crowns merely confirmed Cincinnati ambitious underdogs.

After photo-finish losses to Pittsburgh and Baltimore, Bengals coach Marv Lewis suggested his rookies Andy Dalton and AJ Green were about to effect a change in the pecking order.

But whenever a perennial underling challenges the Alpha Male and realizes he has the upper hand, he has to make a gut check that determines whether he’s really ready to be the top dog or not.

Against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field the Bengals faced their gut check on their very first drive at the Steelers nine yard line. Unfortunately for Queen City faithful, when that moment arrived, the Bengals flinched.

It was one flinch too many allow against a Steelers team unhappy to be on the outside looking in at the AFC North Alpha Male slot....

The Flinch

The Bengals started the game with the look of a team that had every intention of challenging for AFC North supremacy. They forced a quick Pittsburgh three and out and then proceeded to march into the Red Zone on the strength of the longest pass play allowed by the Steelers this season.

They drove all the way to the Steelers 4 and appeared to draw blood with a beautifully executed touchdown pass. Cincinnat nullified its score with a penalty.

• The issue is never really whether a team takes points of off the board with a penalty, but how well they bounce back.

Cincinnati followed with another pass attempt, this one too high, forcing them to settle for a field goal.

Cincinnati appeared to make good on its field goal attempt, but wait, they took too long in getting it off.

• Again, the issue is never really whether a team takes points of off the board with a penalty, but how well they bounce back.

Cameron Heyward was there when Cincinnati lied up to kick again, and instead of Cincinnati bouncing back, Heyward bounced the ball off his hands blocking the field goal. The would-be contender flinched, and the Steelers took advantage by knocking them silly.

Arians' Chameleon Ariseth....

Cincinnati defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer posses one of the finest defensive minds in the game. In the 2009 match up at Heinz Field he not only gave Ben Roethlisberger fits, but almost seemed to issue a template for shutting him down.

Zimmer frustrated the Steelers offense early and often in the first quarter.

But the Steelers responded with a dynamism on offense that heretofore they had only hinted at, and their first scoring drive provides a perfect example. In nine plays:

• Isaac Redman pounded the ball for gains of 7 and 9 yards (plus a couple of shorter ones)
• Ben Roethlisberger hit Hines Ward for a short 5 yard gain
• Weslye Saunders posted a medium gain of 14 yards
• And Roethlisberger hit Antonio Brown for 45 yards, the longest gain of the season

And as if to make a statement that all of his aerial weapons hadn’t relegated the Steelers to the status of a “finesse” offense, Bruce Arians called four straight runs in the Red Zone, resulting in Mendenhall’s 3 yard touchdown scamper.

After forcing a quick three and out by Cincinnati, Mike Wallace drew a pass interference call which brought the Steelers into the red zone again and again the Steelers pounded it in, as Mendenhall rushed for 20 yards on 3 carries to put the Steelers up by 14.

Long ago, Mike Tomlin disavowed any a desire to have a “running” or a “passing” offense, but rather an offense that transformed itself into what it needed to be given the circumstances. The Steelers have flashed this ability before, but against Cincinnati, the men in Black and Gold to a first step towards making that goal a reality.

Cincinnati’s Wiley E. Coyote Moment

The Steelers of course, failed to shut out the Bengals. Down 21 to zip, Andy Dalton put together a ten play touchdown drive, getting Cincinnati on the board with less than 4 minutes in the half. Zimmer’s defense quickly forced the Steelers to punt.

Could the Bengals get on the board again and make a game of it?



Naw, this was nothing more than their Wiley E. Coyote moment – Pittsburgh already pushed Cincinnati off of the cliff, the Bengals just hadn’t stopped to look down.

The Steelers defense forced them to look down on the next drive and for good measure Antonio Brown gave them a downward push with his 60 yard punt return.

The Stat sheet says the two teams played for 30 more minutes - Steel Curtain Rising says the game ended here.

Late Season Stride?

The victory over the Bengals gives the Steelers a 8-3 record, tying them for best in the AFC. But that’s window dressing. The Ravens of course beat the Cleveland Browns and hold the decisive tiebreaker over Pittsburgh.

The Bengals started the day playing like a contender. In rebuffing them the Steelers gave them the familiar appearance of the division doormat that they used to be.

• That’s ironic, because the Steelers' AFC North hopes require Cincinnati to regain its contender form and smartly enough to beat the Ravens on the final week of the season.

But the Steelers can’t control that. Their focus now must solely be on playing their "Best Football."

Because if the execution and focus that Pittsburgh displayed at Heinz Field vs. the Bengals is any indication, the Steelers "Best Football" can carry them to Lombardi Number Seven, regardless of how the AFC North race finishes.

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Roethlisberger, Pouncy “Limited” in Practice

Muarkice Pouncey was “limited in practice” today and has reportedly lost 12 pounds due to the illness which took him from the Kansas City game.

Ben Roethlisberger began practice as normal, but did not finish, apparently aggravating his thumb injury.

Wide Receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Arnaz Battle also missed practice. Both of these facts should mean that Hines Ward suits up, although the special teams has sorely missed Battle’s absence.

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Steelers Report Card vs. the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium

From the grade book of a teacher who is pleased to see his star pupil has moved to the head of the class, here goes the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for their victory over the Bengals. No other grades have been consulted.

Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger was flawless on the Steelers three touchdown drives, and his lone interception was decidedly not his fault. With that said, he had at least one other "should have been an interception" took too many sacks, and was not terribly effective on third down. Ben's performance was "above the line" but the Steelers need more from him over the next six games. Grade: B

Running Backs
Look at the stat sheet. Rashard Mendenhall only ran for 44 yards with a seemingly pathetic 2.8 average. And Isaac Redman and Mewelde Moore were only a little better. And stats can be misleading. Mendenhall punched in not one, but two touchdowns and both were examples of power rushing par excellence. Redman also ground out a key 11 yard carry on the go ahead touchdown drive. All three running backs blocked well. Grade: B

Wide Receivers
Hines Ward apparently has slipped to the 4th receiver position a bittersweet reality made palatable by the emergency of Antonio Brown. Antonio Brown’s development is taking on phenomenal proportions. This guy simply catches EVERYTHING. Mike Wallace again showed he’s now one-note Johnny. And, after 6-7 weeks of functioning as little more than a paper weight Jericho Cotchery is emerging as a weapon. Wesleye Saunders came through with a big play. Grade: A

Offensive Line
It seems like individual units are prone to let downs. After turning in its best performance of the season against the Ravens, if not perhaps several seasons, the offensive line slumped badly. Credit Cincinnati wearing down the line with their constant defensive line rotation because as the game wore on, the Steelers offensive line began to lose the battle at the line of scrimmage more consistently and the run and pass blocking suffered accordingly. Grade: C-

Defensive Line
Cincinnati might not have piled up a lot of yards, but they ran the ball effectively, particularly Bernard Scott. The Steelers likewise got little or no pressure on Andy Dalton. That’s not completely the fault of the defensive line, but the responsibility starts with them. Grade: C

Linebackers
James Harrison wasn’t much of a factor, although he was blatantly held for most of the day. Jason Worlids got a lot of time looking a lot more like the next Carlos Emmons than the next Woodley. James Farrior was back in action and looked OK. Lawrence Timmons defense a pass and came down with a difficult interception. Grade: B-

Secondary
William Gay had a whale of a game with defensed passes, 5 tackles, and an interception. Ike Taylor, Keenan Lewis, Cotez Allen, and Curtis Brown all made plays. AJ Greens touchdown catch in double coverage vs. Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark was ugly, and the inability of either play to attempt a play drops the grade for this group. But Troy Polamalu was a force in run support registering two tackles for losses and limiting several others to short gains. Grade: B

Special Teams
On the plus side, both Justin Kapinos and Shaun Suisham kicked well. However, Antonio Brown was average in the return game and Cincinnati got some daylight on both its punt and kick returns. Last year at about mid-season the quality of the Steelers covrage units began to slip. Let’s hope this isn’t the beginning of a repeat performance. Grade: B-

Coaching
Prepping your team to ride the roller coaster that is the NFL season is an under aperciated talent. The Steelers loss against the Ravens could have been brutally deflating, but Mike Tomlin kept that from happening. Likewise, as Zimmer’s defense began to wear down the Steelers offense, Bruce Arians made adjustments. They may not have scored a lot in the second half, but they burned up a lot of lock. Dick LeBeau can now notch another victory over a rookie quarterback on his belt. Grade: B

Unsung Hero
The only highlight reels that this player is going to get this week are for a botched play that allowed the Bengals to cut had been a 14-0 lead to 14-10. And while you never want to see such plays, Heath Miller more than made up for it with other plays. His 18 yard catch set up the Steelers second touchdown and then he paved the way for Mendenhall to make it into the end zone. He also made the key block on Mendehall’s go ahead touchdown, and for that Heath Miller is the Steelers Unsung Hero of the week.

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Steelers Defeat Bengals, (Momentarily) Recapture AFC North Lead

The Pittsburgh Steelers bookended their biggest regular season victory in recent memory with a heart breaking last minute loss to their division rivals. How would the men in Black and Gold react?

The Steelers match up vs. the Cincinnati Bengals promised to reveal a lot about this team. And in beating the Cincinnati Bengals 24-17 at Paul Brown Stadium, Pittsburgh gave Steelers Nation a lot of lessons.

When Focused…

The Bengals won the toss but the Steelers defense forced a quick 3 and out and the offense seized the opportunity as Ben Roethlisberger directed Mike Wallace, Heath Miller, and Jericho Cotchery on a near picture perfect 8 play touchdown drive.

The Steelers secondary again shut out Andy Dalton’s for another second consecutive three and out.

It only took Ben Roethlisberger 8 plays to bring his team down to the two yard line, and one play later Rashard Mendenhall rammed it in to bring the score to 14-0.

The first quarter had not yet finished and the Steelers had a 14-0 lead….

Lesson Number 1:

• When this group of Pittsburgh Steelers focuses with singleness of purpose, very few football teams can stop them.

A Future Force to Be Reckoned With?

Down 14-0 in the fourth quarter during the Shula or Coslet era generally often meant that the Bengals would simply mail it in.

But Marv Lewis is not David Shula nor is he Bruce Coslet. And Andy Dalton is no Akili Smith or David Klingler.

Without batting an eye this rookie took his team to the Steelers 36. From there he stole a page from Ben Roethlisberger-Mike Wallace script, he threw the ball deep and dared the Steelers to stop him.

Both Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark were on the coverage and in perfect position. And while you can quibble about the fact that neither man took a solid shot at the ball, the fact is that Dalton placed the ball perfectly, and Green’s catch was flawless.

Just like that Cincinnati was on the board with 7 and back in the game.

Mike Zimmer and the Bengals defense began the second half by giving the Steelers a taste of their own medicine, forcing a three and out of their own.

Andy Dalton took over at his 33 and with a poise of an experienced veteran, he methodically marched Cincinnati down to the Steelers 1, and tied up the score.

Not even 5 minutes in the first half had elapsed, and the Bengals had tied what was once a 14-0 game.

Lesson Number 2

• Its way to early to proclaim Andy Dalton’s “arrival,” but this kid’s poise and pocket presence today suggests that he will be a force the Steelers must reckon with in the future.

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Against the New England Patriots, the Steelers defensive backs perhaps performed better than any Steelers secondary had in a generation.

The followed by laying a gigantic egg against Baltimore.

This week it was the offensive line’s turn on the Merry Go Round.

The offensive line was one of the Steelers unequivocal bright spots vs. the Baltimore Ravens. Instead of simply not being a weakness, it was a team strength.

Alas, against the Bengals the Steelers offensive line regressed. To be certain a couple of those sacks that Ben took were his fault, but this until got beaten up front too many times, and sacks derailed too many drives.

Lesson Number 3:

• The Pittsburgh Steelers have steadily improved after a shaky first four weeks, but they still have work to do.

Roethlisberger, Steelers Resilient

While the Bengals have had their success against the Steelers, as recently as 2009, Cincinnati has long served as the AFC North’s punching bag.

Sometimes the puncher freezes when the punchee begins hitting back. Mike Tomlin, however, made sure his men avoided that trap.

Immediately after Andy Dalton’s stunning touchdown, Health Miller, normally Mr. Reliable, bobbled a catch which give Cincinnati an interception. Just two years ago a similarly uncharacteristic error by Health Miller gave Kansas City a pick six signaling an upset in the making.

The Bengals had the ball at the Steelers 41, and Dalton was licking his chops. The Steelers defense stopped them cold at the 26, forcing Cincinnati to settle for 3.

Ben Roethlisberger and the offense showed their own resiliency by answering the Bengal’s game tying score.

The Steelers defense hung tough from there on out, intercepting Andy Dalton twice during the fourth quarter, including William Gay’s perfectly timed defense of a slant pattern.

The Steelers offense converted two first downs and then it was time for that oh so wonderful sight of Troy Polamalu standing 10 yards behind Ben.

Lesson Number 4

• This group of Steelers will take their knocks but will respond by coming out fighting.

“The Question Sometimes Isn’t How You Deal With Failure, Its How You Deal With Success.” – Mike Tomlin, on the day he became Steelers head coach

The Steelers have made it to their bye week with a 7-3 record that few would have predicted following the week one Debacle in Baltimore. They’ve gotten knocked down a few times, but each time they’ve bounced back.

That ability is important, but it is equally important that they keep their foot on the gas pedal. Although the Baltimore Ravens stumbled today vs. Seattle, they can reclaim the AFC North lead while the Steelers remain idle.

The victory over the Bengals' final lesson of the day is that while the bye week might give the Steelers some much needed rest, it is no time to let up.

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