The Steelers Road to Super Bowl XL: A Fan Remembers Pittsburgh's Greatest Nine Weeks Ever (Part III).

Steelers vs. the Indianapolis in the AFC Divisional Playoffs 

The Steelers were the huge underdog going in and most people thought it would be a repeat of the game late in the regular season when the Colts outclassed Pittsburgh, 26-7, on Monday Night Football.

Cowher Decides its Time for Big Ben

One of head coach Bill Cowher's perceived faults in previous postseasons was being too conservative on offense and letting the other team dictate the action.

• In the AFC Divisional Playoff Game vs. the Colts, The Chin would overcome this failing. 

For the first time in over twenty years, the Steelers had a bona fide franchise quarterback in one Ben Roethlisberger, and Cowher cut him loose on the Colts right out of the gate. The first possession of the game saw the Steelers drive right down the field on the strength of Roethlisberger's arm. He got things started with a play-action pass to tight end Heath Miller for 36 yards that set Indianapolis back on its heals. The drive culminated in a quick slant pass to Antwaan Randle El for a six yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

Two drives later, the Steelers took control of the game when Roethlisberger hooked up with Miller for a seven yard touchdown pass, making it 14-0 Pittsburgh in the first quarter. The key play on this drive was a third down pass to Hines Ward in which he picked up 45 yards and netted an additional 15, thanks to a face mask penalty on a Colts defender.

Defense has Manning on his Heals in Rematch

On defense, the Steelers had Peyton Manning and the Colts' offensive line totally confused. In the regular season game, Pittsburgh's defense barely touched Manning as he passed for 245 yards and two scores, but in this game, he didn't have much time to do anything, especially in the first half. Towards the end of the second quarter, the Colts embarked on their best drive of the game up until that point. They started at their own two yard line after a great punt by Chris Gardocki.

Thanks mostly to running back Edgarin James, Indianapolis moved the ball deep into Steelers' territory. Eventually, it was third and goal and it looked like James scored on a tough running play. Unfortunately for the Colts, a linemen moved too early and Indy eventually had to settle for a field goal to make it 14-3 at halftime.

The Defense, The Bus Impose Their Will in the Third Quarter

The second half started out pretty much like the first half, at least for the Colts on offense. They couldn't do much of anything, and Pittsburgh was winning the battle of field position.

In-fact, the defense sacked Manning just inches shy of his own goal line, nearly resulting in a safety. The ensuing punt gave the Steelers great field position at the Colts' 30 yard line. Passing was great early on, but on the previous drive, it looked like Roethlisberger injured his throwing elbow while being hit.

• If ever there was a time to kick the tires and bring Jerome Bettis, the Bus, out of the garage, this was that time. 

Bettis was the workhorse on this very short drive, a drive that would eventually result in a one yard scoring leap by the big man and a 21-3 lead for Pittsburgh. I was hysterical. I remember picking up my two year old cousin and throwing her around. I was so happy! And even though the Colts had the best offense in the NFL that year, for some reason, I didn't think there was any way they'd come back on Pittsburgh's suffocating defense.

Manning Steps Up to Impose his Will on Tony Dungy and the Steelers Defense


The following drive, however, the Colts got back in the game when Manning appeared to wave off the punt team on fourth and short, deep in his own territory and hit Brandon Stokley with a 13 yard pass on the last play of the third quarter to move the chains and give his team new life. Two plays later, Manning hit tight end Dallas Clark and Clark out-ran most of the Steelers secondary for a 50 yard touchdown to make it 21-10.

• Just like that the Colts were back in the game after being dominated for three quarters.

The next drive, in my opinion, was the most important one of the game for Pittsburgh. They didn't score, but they took about eight minutes off the clock after converting twice on fourth and short. There was much controversy on the first conversion after the Colts jumped off-sides and touched one of the Steelers offensive linemen because they thought that Alan Faneca flinched.

Whether he did or not was immaterial because the officials didn't blow the whistle so off-sides should have been called. But nothing was called and after a lot of arguing from the Steelers' sideline, the refs just did a "do-over" and I almost had a heart-attack when it looked like Roethlisberger was stopped short. But thanks to a great second-effort and a little push from Jerome, he just barely made it.

Troy Polamalu Saves the Day for Pittsburgh........Not so Fast

As I said, Pittsburgh didn't score on that drive but they gave the ball back to the Colts with barely over six-minutes left in the game. At that point, one more defensive stand would all-but wrap up the game for the Steelers. And they appeared to make that stand when Troy Polamalu dove to intercept a Manning pass.

He got up to try to advance the ball and fumbled it, but fell on it and Pittsburgh had the ball at mid-field with less than six-minutes left. I went into celebration mode at that point. I figured the Steelers would just run the clock down and be on their way to Denver for their second straight appearance in the AFC Championship Game. The Colts challenged the play, but it just seemed like blind desperation from head coach Tony Dungy. It was obvious from every camera angle that Polamalu intercepted the ball and it never touched the ground. I walked around my uncle's living room with my arms raised in victory.

• Mr. referee came out to give his verdict, it was just a formality, though, right? 

Wrong! He said that since Polamalu lost the ball before getting both knees off the ground while trying to advance it, it was an incomplete pass. So, in other words,  had Polamalu stayed there on the turf after intercepting the pass, it would have stood, but since he got up and tried to advance the ball, it was an incomplete pass? He was punished for doing more? Made no sense then, makes no sense now. I had never witnessed such a call before that day and not since. I don't know what the referee's thought process was or what rule he used as a reference for his decision, but he was clearly wrong and everyone knew it.

I remember turning to my uncle and saying, "I can't believe they're taking the game away from us!" My uncle said that he never saw me so angry and beside myself watching a sporting event, and he was right. I could not believe that happened. If you don't already know, you can probably guess what unfolded once the Colts resumed their drive.

They eventually scored a touchdown on a James' three yard plunge, and Manning hit Reggie Wayne for a two point conversion to make it 21-18 with a little over four minutes to go. Just minutes prior, it looked like the game was over and now suddenly, the Colts had all the momentum. 

The Steelers needed to run the clock out at that point. Roethlisberger, sore elbow or not, threw for a first down, but underthrew Ward on third down later in the drive, and the Steelers had to punt. So, there it was, the Colts had the ball with 2:42 left and I was so nervous, that I wussed out and left for a drive in my car. Can you believe that? Me, Mr. Steelers fan, chickened out and took a tour of Pittsburgh during the most crucial part of the Steelers season.

Missing Perhaps the Most Heart Stopping (literally) 2:42 seconds in Steelers History

I drove to Mt. Washington, for some reason, and decided to turn the radio on about 15 minutes later. At that point, the first thing I heard was Tunch Ilkin, the Steelers color commentator, saying his heart went out to Tony Dungy whose son committed suicide earlier in the year.

I didn't hear the Colts crowd going nuts. "What happened?" I wondered to myself. The Steelers were kneeling on the ball and Steelers play-by-play man Bill Hillgrove was singing, "turn out the lights, the party's over." I knew at that point Pittsburgh had victory in hand, so I stuck my hand out of my car and did the "No 1" sign as I drove to my mom's house, not knowing the pulsating events that led up to the Steelers' upset victory.

• When I arrived at Mom's, she informed me that she prayed for a miracle during the last seconds of the game.

According to her, the miracle came true because Pittsburgh won. However, she wasn't quite sure what transpired that led up to the victory.

Do you remember what transpired in-between the time I left my uncle's with 2:42 remaining? I believe every Steelers fan knows what happened, but I missed it all. The Colts got the ball back and needed a field goal to tie it or a touchdown to win it.

• Pittsburgh didn't allow an inch on defense, sacking Manning twice, the second time Joey Porter dropped Manning on fourth and long, in the shadows of Indianapolis' own end zone. 

After the sack, Manning screamed, "Yeah, that's the game, baby! It's on to Denver!" The Steelers had the ball 1st and goal with 1:28 left. Unfortunately, they couldn't just kneel on the ball because Indianapolis had all three time outs left. The offense had to punch it in to put the game on ice. On first and goal, Roethlisberger handed it off to Bettis, who unbelievably fumbled!

Nick Harper, the Colts defensive back, picked the ball up and was off to the races. Roethlisberger made a play for the ages as he zigged when Harper zigged and zagged when he zagged. Roethlisberger lunged for Harper's leg and brought him down near mid-field. Everyone was in disbelief, especially Bettis who was inconsolable on the sidelines.

(The Bettis fumble was shocking to everyone, both players and fans alike, and it was later revealed that Pittsburgh resident Terry O'Neil suffered a heart attack just seconds after the Bettis fumble and needed immediate medical attention--O'Neill would thankfully make a full recovery).

Naturally, the Colts drove the ball down the field on the Steelers' stunned defense and eventually had a second and two at Pittsburgh's 29 yard line. Manning went for the victory when he went deep for Wayne in the end zone. Wayne came within inches of catching the ball only to have it knocked out by Steelers rookie defensive back Bryant McFadden. People are always going to remember "the tackle," but I think McFadden's play is one of the most underrated in Steelers' history, and it was the best play of his career. Two plays later, Mike Vanderjagt, who hadn't missed a field goal at home the entire season, set up for a 46 yard attempt with seconds remaining.

• I guess my mom must have prayed for intercession to the right Saint because, not only did Vanderjagt miss the kick, it wasn't even close.

I missed all of that, but maybe it was a good thing. My uncle was eating some dinner on one of those drop tables and when Jerome fumbled, he said he flung it across the room. In crucial moments of a big game, I usually stand right by the TV, so I might have been in the line of fire and had my face rearranged by that drop table and some mashed potatoes.

What an exciting victory. This concludes part three of my tale.

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Sorting Through the Steelers Opening Day Loss to the Broncos

Peyton Manning has dominated the NFL passing game for over a decade. During that time no defense has been as consistently dominant as the Pittsburgh Steelers. Manning sat out all of 2011 with an injury while the Steelers ranked up the NFL’s number 1 pass defense.

What better combination for the marquee match ups that the NFL reserves for Sunday Nights? Unfortunately for Steelers Nation, only one dominator showed up.

Tale of Two Halves

There is perhaps no one player to forces opponents to game plan from him more than Peyton Manning. He isn’t simply a playmaker, he’s an offense maker, and if you doubt that see how badly the Colts imploded in his absence.

The Steelers have faced off against Manning before.

Absent a strong pass defense in 2002, the Steelers quite simply took advantage of Manning’s mistakes, with Brett Alexander and Mike Logan picking him off three times, as the Steelers won 28-10.

During the 2005 regular season a Manning capitalized on Steelers miscues and turnovers to tune of a 26 to 7 drubbing.

In the playoffs however, the Steelers returned to Indy with a little different game plan. That plan  entailed unleashing their secret weapon, Ben Roethlisberger to jump to a quick lead and then sit on the ball. (The plan of course worked to perfection, until Jerome Bettis came within a shoe string tackle of his career ending in disaster.)

• This time around Todd Haley and Mike Tomlin’s plan focused on one thing:  Ball Control.

Let the record reflect that the Steelers plan worked to perfection, during the first half.

The Steelers defense forced the Broncos offense to punt twice and forced and then recovered a fumble.

On the two drives where the Steelers forced Denver to punt, Larry Foote and Jason Worilds registered sacks

• That’s no coincidence. 

And unfortunately, Worild’s sack near the end of the first quarter was pretty much the last time a Steelers defender even breathed on Number 18.

The next time Manning touched the ball, he went 6-7 as he marched his team down the field 80 yards for a go ahead touchdown.

• The Steelers answered with a touchdown of their own.

By the time Manning got the ball back, all had time for was to take a knee and head for the locker room. That would be his past passive act of the evening....

The Half Time Momentum Shift that Never Was...

All of that should have been a good thing.

As everyone knows, scoring a touchdown right before the half is all important as it gives you a momentum shift heading into the locker room. The momentum shift is amplified when you get the ball to start the next half.

Network commentators always remind viewers of this fact. What’s more they’re on to something when they say that such momentum shifts are decisive. Except for when they're not.

Count Sunday Night in Denver as an occurrence of one of those “occasions when no decisive momentum  shift occurs” (try running that through your redundancy filter.)

• One almost has to wonder if Steelers coaches saw Manning’s first touchdown drive and feared they’d awakened a sleeping giant.

Because Todd Haley and his offensive players seemed determined to ensure that Manning did not touch the ball again.

• And they made a good run of it as the Steelers offense possessed the ball for all but 21 seconds of the second half’s first 16 minutes.

The plan might have worked, had the Steelers defense been able to stop Manning from throwing Demetrius Thomas, the accomplice to January’s Tebowing of the Steelers, a 71 yard touchdown pass in that brief span of 21 seconds.

That 21 second was pretty much characteristic of Peyton Manning on the entire second half. Ditto the a Steelers defense whose:

• Defensive lineman couldn’t get penetration or control their gaps
• Linebackers didn’t get pressure on the quarterback
• Defensive backs who could neither cover nor threaten to create a turnover

Outside of that, Dick LeBeau’s defense looked every bit ready to take their place alongside some of his other legendary units.

Not Quite Like the Good Old Days

Its understandable that a good chunk of Steelers Nation is a mite bit taken aback by an opening day loss. Until the Debacle in Baltimore last year, there had not been one in Roethlisberger era.

Things were not always such, however.

Opening day losses were a staples of the Cowher years

These weren’t simple losses, but thrashings.

• San Francisco began the trend in 1993
• Dallas inflicted two, in 1994 and 1997
• Jacksonville likewise was a repeat offender in 1996 and 2001
• Baltimore did the honors in 2000, shutting the Steelers out at home
• New England followed suit in 2002

The attentive reader will note (and if you’re read this far, you must be attentive) that each of those was a winning season, all but one were playoff years, and three of those years ended in the AFC Championship.

• Opening day wins in 1998, 1998 and 2003 turned out to be harbingers of doom, or at least mediocrity. 

The moral of this history lesson is that it doesn't pay to get too worked up over an opening day loss. With that said there’s something bothersome about the Denver loss.

Haley’s offense, while a work in progress, flashed signs of greatness, greatness that the Steelers might be able to realize if they can go a whole game without losing an offensive lineman.

Unlike the losses mentioned above, the Steelers defense didn’t get dominated physically so much as it got out foxed. Peyton Manning simultaneously checkmated Dick LeBeau off the field while playing a constant game of chicken with Troy Polamalu on the field and winning each time.

Now, one would think mental errors are more easily corrected that a lack of physicality. After all, its easier to teach guys to correct their mistakes than to grow them bigger and stronger.

But 48 hours plus after the game, it doesn't feel that way, my gut is telling me the opposite.

Let’s hope that Mike Tomlin will prove me wrong.

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From Black to Gold: A Pittsburgh Steelers Transformation

From Black to Gold

The title feigns simplicity. At a glance one quickly concludes that Tim Gleason’s 260 page volume simply covers everything Steelers, from Black to Gold.

But From Black to Gold tells a more profound story, lending its title deeper significance.

Perhaps it’s appropriate then that I read the book on a trip to Uruguay that included a day in Piriapolis, the city founded by Francisco Piria the New World’s most famous Alchemist.

Why you ask?

Because medieval Alchemists sought to turn lead into gold.

While Gleason never mentions Alchemy, he might as well have, because one of the most remarkable transformations in sports history – the metamorphosis of the Pittsburgh Steelers from a 40 year perennial loser into North America’s most prestigious professional sports franchise is From Black to Gold’s tale.

He Knows Enough to Write a Book…

How often do we hear, “So-and-So knows enough to write a book…”? Perhaps no one ever told Gleason that, but he separated himself from the pack by having the guts to go out and self-publish his own book on the Pittsburgh Steelers.

I first found Gleason’s work, under the pseudonym of Mary Rose, on Behind the Steel Curtain, one of the net’s best, if not simply the best fan-based Steelers sites (full disclosure, I am an occasional contributor to BTSC.)

Mary Rose first caught my attention with a retelling of the Rocky Blier story that was at once fresh and engaging. Since then he’s told and retold many stories of Steelers Nation in prose that always captivates.

If you seek an example look no futher than his article on the Immaculate Reception. All of us know the story, but the hair on everyone’s neck will stand straight up by the time you’re done with Gleason’s rendition.

The quality of Gleason’s writing in From Black to Gold is perhaps a smidge bit below the standard he sets for himself at Behind the Steel Curtain, but he did not alter his style explaining, “I only know how to write one way, so whatever and wherever I write, it’s pretty much the same style,” although he does concede that “There is a difference in the way you write based upon the subject matter.”

All of which simply means that prose of From Black to Gold is good or very good, and it is certainly well above the watered-down mushy middle schoolesque writing that plagues too many sports books.

Pittsburgh’s Story. The Steelers Story. Our Story.

The Pittsburgh Steelers count themselves as one of the NFL’s most storied franchises, anchored by a wide-spread and fiercely loyal fan base. Steelers Nation faces no shortage of reading material. A simple search for “Steelers Books” on Amazon.com brings back 468 results.

Storytellers have spun and re-spun the yarns that comprise the Steelers 79 years countless times.

Gleason follows in step, telling stories of World War II’s Stegals, Johnny Unitas getting cut, Jack Lambert’s confrontation with Chuck Noll over a short-lived health-food kick one summer at St. Vincents, and the all-important inclusion of Bill Nunn Sr. into the Steelers scouting department.

What then, sets From Black to Gold apart?

From Black to Gold stands apart from other Steelers literature because Tim Gleason narrates it with his own voice.

The first rule they teach in Journalism 101 is “Never Make Yourself Part of the Story.” Tim Gleason breaks this rule with relish throughout From Black to Gold.

Into each of the Steelers well-trod stories, Gleason weaves tales from his life, and that of his family. Don’t be fooled. Not all of these anecdotes end happily. In fact, one of the Steelers greatest moments, perhaps the franchise’s pivotal play, happened just two weeks after his family suffered a terrible tragedy.

But if you’re reading this, you’ll understand how that lends Gleason’s narrative both depth and authenticity. The Steelers hold great importance for all of us, and key moments in Steelers history not only remind us of our Beloved Black and Gold’s glories or failures but also serve as touchstones for remembering personal aspects of our lives that happened to coincide with events on the gridiron.

For example, Gleason shares how watching the late John Henry Johnson upset the mighty 1964 Cleveland Browns served as a key bonding moment between him and his father.

A generation later, he tells of how his daughter Mary Rose grew into a natural affinity for the Steelers, and he relives how watching the Steelers shocking upset of the Colts in the 2005 playoffs served as an important bonding moment between him and his daughter.

Such stories bring back my own memories, such as my 79 year old Argentine father-in-law staying up late in solidarity to watch Super Bowl XL, his first American football game. As nice as that was, it paled to the richness of enjoying the glory of Super Bowl XLIII in Buenos Aires with my Argentine wife. Likewise, the back injury my wife suffered while in Brazil during Super Bowl XLV left me with no need to be reminded that “it was just a football game.”

Fresh Insights Gleamed from Old Stories

From Black to Gold goes beyond simply repackaging the Steelers experience from Gleason’s view point. Very few will fail to learn something new while reading it.

Do you know why players like Len Dawson and Earle (Greasy) Neal get listed (in lower case letters) as part of the Steelers Hall of Fame contingent while Bobby Layne of Detroit Lions glory joins Joe Greene-John Stallworth et. al. in all upper case letters?

For decades I’d seen this in Steelers Media guides, and figured that some over zealous Steelers PR guy pulled a fast one by in claiming Layne was one of their own. Alas I was wrong, and I learned why reading Gleason’s book.

People under 40, such me, likely grew up needing to be convinced that the Steelers were atrocious during their first 4 decades. Could things have been different? Gleason convincingly making the case for a baker’s dozen of could have, would have, should have been history changers in a poignant chapter titled “If Only They Had Stayed.”

Everyone knows the story of Myron Cope’s Terrible Towel, and how proceeds of it sales benefit a home for the developmentally disabled in Western Pennsylvania. All of us have our superstitions about both how to use this talisman for greatest effect, as well as excusing it in the face of inconvenient truths.

But do you know why opposing players might really want to think twice about abusing the Terrible Towel? Gleason spins a yarn of players who’ve abused the golden towel at their own peril – the record is so consistent that it’s hard to write these off as mere coincidence.

Believe it or not, men whose names were not Noll, Cowher or Tomlin did once coach the Steelers. Gleason goes to the trouble of rating the seven of them who lasted more than a season – the only such rating I know of in existence.

Gleason devotes a chapter to stories on how he acquired a memorabilia/autograph collection that would be the envy of any Steelers fan. He’s got two Steelers helmets, one Black, one Gold, adorned by autographs of everyone from a member of the Steelers first squad in 1933 to players who started in Super Bowl XLV.

A Personal Primer on the Pittsburgh Steelers

From Black to Gold exemplifies the fact that you can tell a complete and compelling story in just a few words. Gleason begins his tale by recounting his meeting with Ray Kemp, the first African American NFL player and a member of the inaugural 1933 Pittsburgh Pirates squad, and then Gleason takes the reader through to the end of the first decade of the 21st century.

If Gleason’s book is complete, it is not all-inclusive. It contains very little on the Steelers of the ‘80’s, a period about which I was hoping to learn more.

Likewise material from the 1990’s is surprisingly thin, especially when one considers this was a decade where Pittsburgh returned to contender status. This represents a deliberate decision by Gleason as he explains “but I didn’t want to give equal time just to give equal time. There really was no correlation between the team being good and the amount of ink I used.”

Those who cut their teeth as Steelers fans during the Cowher-power inspired renaissance of the 1990’s will likely quibble that Gleason did not rank the Alfred Papuni AFC Championship loss more prominently on his list of playoff heart breaks.

While Gleason empathizes to some degree, he reminds us that the ’95 49ers team won the Super Bowl that year explaining: “For some reason, knowing that San Francisco would be the next opponent, that loss didn’t hurt as much as some others.”

While From Black to Gold is many ways a first-person story told by Gleason, he meticously researched the book admitting “My memory gets distorted with time. It was amazing how many things were a bit different than what I remembered.”

Beyond his own research, Gleason shares that he sent a manuscript to be vetted by the man he calls Mr. Steeler aka Dick Hoak, and was impressed that the only error Hoak found in 80,000 words was the fact it was in Palm Springs, and not in San Diego, that Frank Sinatra enjoyed his induction into Franco’s Italian Army.

A number of good Steelers history books have hit the market over the past few years. Dan Rooney’s self-titled autobiography and Art Rooney Jr. Ruanaidh provide an excellent inside view. The Ones Who Hit the Hardest by Chad Millman and Shawn Coyne tells many of same Steelers stories from the ground up.

From Black to Gold covers much of the same ground, but does in a way that allows it to serve as an almost personalized primer on Pittsburgh Steelers history, making it must read for every serious Steelers fan.

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Watch Tower: The Story Behind Max Starks Signing, Running Game, Woodley

It has been anything but a slow news week for Steelers Nation in light of the Thrashing in Texas giving the Watch Tower plenty to focus its bright lights upon.

A Stark Reminder

The biggest news of course was the return of left tackle Max Starks. Gerry Dulac of the Post-Gazette get kudos for breaking the news, or at the very least he got his story that the Steelers were “close” to resigning Max Starks up before any of the other major competitor sites did. Good for your Gerry.

The story then took a couple of complicated twists.

During his PG Plus chat Dulac did his best to put the Stark into context, first explaining:

No, nor do they think he is the answer. But they need some players in their offensive line who know what they're doing, and Chris Scott was too young and Jamon Meredith is too new.

The questions, of course kept coming, to which Dulac clarified:

Well, I expect to see him uniform on Sunday, but only as an extra lineman. And the reason he will likely dress is because LT Jonathan Scott is not fully recovered from his ankle injury, even though he will likely start. Otherwise, Starks faces the very real possibility of being one of the two O-linemen who typically sits out each game. [Emphasis Added]

All of that made sense. After all, the Steelers just a week ago had committed themselves to playing with the men they had.

A short time later, however, Ed Bouchette dropped a bomb on PG Plus, revealing that Max Starks had taken snaps with the first team. Of course now the word is that Starks will likely start.

The football element of this – that someone could come off of the street after 11 months of inactivity to start an NFL game speaks for itself. But it also calls into question who was feeding Dulac this information about Starks role and why he seemed so sure of it.

Running with the Colts

The Steelers inability to run the ball (not to mention stop the run) has been at issue all season. A little tid-bit came to light after the Colts game, when Ed Bouchette revealed:

One source on the team said the run calls against the Colts looked nothing like the ones they practiced the week leading up to the game.

The curious part of this is the “one source on the team.” Enquiring minds of course want to know “who.” Of course we won’t find out now. But this is the job of the beat writer – to find out what is happening behind the scenes.

Its way too early to make too much of this kind of a “leak.” It could be that the offensive staff simply shift its game plan based on the looks the Colts defense gave it.

However, we know that, in contrast to his first few season, Mike Tomlin has been less shy about overruling his offensive staff. In fact, Bruce Arians almost decided to leave because of it.

Again, this might mean nothing. But if the Steelers fortunes do not improve it will be interesting to see if anonymous sources releasing similar pieces of news.

Laying the Wood on Woodley

This was not a good week for LaMarr Woodley. He looked stone footed against the Texans and easily had his worse game in a season where he’s done nothing to justify his status as the highest paid player in defensive history.

The first to take aim was Behind the Steel Curtain’s Michael Bean (full disclosure, the Watch Tower’s alter ego also writes for BTSC), who devoted an entire post to critiquing Woodley’s performance against the Texans.

Bean got company, although that was a little slow in coming. As mentioned here before, Steel Mill Blog’s column “After Further Review” on the Tribune-Review is one of the best we features out there.

What was curious was that none of the Tribune Review’s writers updated the blog with any new content for several days after the game.

However, when “After Further Review” did get published, it spared no quarter in going after Woodley, pointing out that in spite of the fact that Woodley failed to draw double blockers during the Texans game, number 56 was regularly out of position and otherwise getting overpowered or shown up.

Old and Slow?

There’s been a lot going on, but it does seem that some of the media have been a little slow to the punch. News of James Harrison’s injury didn’t become public until Mike Tomlin announced it.

Undoubtedly, that makes Tomlin happy, but the Steelers losing James Harrison for a month is a pretty big story.

Ditto the news that Casey Hampton will not play. That may have been mentioned, but was certainly not discussed as a serious possibility early in the week.

Should the Turk Have Cometh....?

Finally, 2-2 is not at all too early to begin the “what went wrong” columns. Bob Smizik entertained the criticism that the Steelers perhaps got too sentimental in their personnel decision making, likening it to the situation in the late ‘70’s or early ‘80s.

He then mentiones a few players whom he things the Steelers should have parted ways with (James Farrior and Aaron Smith.)

Both suggestions are plausible, but it is a little too over simplistic to suggest that both men should have been cut in training camp, unless he has two other players that the Steelers either let go or passed on whom he thinks should have taken their places.

Smizik has never been a Watch Tower favorite (dating back to the late ‘80s, when the Watch Tower read him on weekend trips to Grandma’s house), but this column does provide readers with good food for thought.

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Steelers Report Card vs. Colts

As a teacher, you have a strict policy. No credit for showing your work all is pass-fail. Yet, you itemize report cards and are disappointed when your students’ worksheets betray their sloppiness as the Steelers did in their outing vs. the Colts.

Here goes the Steelers report card for the Colts game, with the caveat that no other report cards have been consulted.

Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger played another great game, and was particularly sharp on those all-important third downs. Although his line has given him little chance against All-World defenders, 7 of the Steelers 9 turnovers have left Ben’s hand to find its way into an opponents. Ben has adjusted his game to get rid of the ball faster, but he’s got to protect it better in the pocket. Grade: B

Running Backs
The Steelers poor run blocking is one of the more disturbing aspects of the 2011 campaign thus far, but Rashard Mendenhall must shoulder some blame for inability to ever get more than 2 yards on first down. Isaac Redman and Mewelde Moore gave the Steelers what they needed on the final drive. Grade: C+

Wide Receivers
The amount of talent this group has is breath taking. Mike Wallace is a budding superstar. Antonio Brown is not far behind. This group came up big throughout the game, although both Sanders boneheaded drops on key plays, which lowers the group grade a little. Grade: B+

Offensive Line
The Steelers have had some weak performances from the offensive line since 2008, but the Colts game was one of their worst. Yes, Ben had time on some throws, but twice Colts defenders caused strip-sacks while getting to Ben untouched. And there is little or no consistency in their run blocking. Inexcusable. Grade: F

Defensive Line
This unit needs to be prepared for cut blocks because more are on the way. Ziggy Hood looked good at times, but the Steelers need a little more from their front three. Grade: C-

Linebackers
James Harrison’s making his presence felt is a welcome sign for all of Steelers Nation. But the Steelers need “Splash” plays from the rest of their linebackers, especially young guns like LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons. Ryan Clark should not be tackling so many running backs. Grade: B

Secondary
Is it possible to say enough good things about Troy Polamalu? Here’s a guy who, if he doesn’t make a game-changing play, gets accused of having a “bad game.” The rest of the secondary played well, but not as good as their numbers would indicate – both Painter and Collins missed boat loads of open wide receivers. And what happened on that final Colt’s drive? Grade: C+

Special Teams
Antonio Brown came up with another hot punt return and you have to like his aggressiveness. However, Dan Sepulveda did not have a good night and Sean Suisham’s ability to make a couple of long kicks in helps compensate for missing one that could obviated his need to clinch the game winner. Grade: B-

Coaching
Mike Tomlin tried to keep the Seahawks shut out in perspective, and one must supposed that he was “above the line.” Barely. As Tony Dungy said, the Colts matched up well with the Steelers, but the Steelers should have been pulling away when they started handing away turnovers in droves. Aside for lining a tight end or a sixth lineman up in the backfield to help with protection, what else can the coaches do about the line at this point other than hope that Sean Kugler can work miracles again. Grade: C+

Unsung Hero
Steelers running backs coach Kriby Wilson likened Mewelde Moore to an old suitcase that you keep because you’re familiar with it and because it’s dependable. Back in 2008 when arguing that Moore should start over Willie Parker, Steel Curtain Rising compared Moore to Merril Hoge. Moore might not quite have Hoge’s talent, but he does have his work ethic and knack for reliability which he prominently displayed in the game winning drive and for that Mewelde Moore is Steel Curtain Rising’s Unsung Hero.

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Steelers Skirt Self-Destruction, Escape Indy with ‘W’

The late Sports Illustrated writer Ralph Wiley ,later of ESPN fame, once poetically summarized the entire NFL season a single paragraph.

Memory fails to do justice to Wiley’s prose, but his point was hope springs eternal during the NFL off season; opening day brings euphoria and despair in 50/50 proportions; week two either confirms or refutes week one’s sentiment and it isn’t until week 3 that fans begin to get a handle on what they have.

The Debacle in Baltimore wrought despair in Steelers Nation only to be partially countered by the hope that only a shut out can sough. Uneven week 1-week 2 results have long been a staple in the NFL, and the Steelers Sunday Night match vs. the Colts promised to reveal some substance as to the true nature of the 2011 Pittsburgh Steelers.

The show down at Lucas Oil Stadium revealed that the Pittsburgh Steelers have some serious questions to answer before anyone labels them contenders.

Accentua... Ur, Um, Tip The Hat to The Positive

A cursory survey of the Steelers-Colts coverage shows that professional media outlets opted to see the glass empty while fan-based sites chose to see it half full.

Michael Bean of Behind the Steel Curtain led the optimists arguing that:

• The Steelers dominated statistically gaining 408 yards to 241
• Troy Polamalu and James Harrison put the NFL on notice that “they’re back”
• Mike Wallace is breaking into super stardom
• Antonio Brown is only a step behind

I greatly respect Michael Bean (full disclose, I write periodically for BTSC) and (almost) nothing argued here negates his points. But none of positives he cites were serious areas of doubt going as far back as the lockout, save for the play of Polamalu and Harrison.

In contrast, however, the “victory” of the Colts game instead reinforced the questions that the Steelers have been struggling with, which we now turn out attention to.

Can Kugler Stem a Surge with a Sieve?

Sieve is the correct word here, because the term offensive line implies that the players manning it will do something to slow, if not stop the defense men rushing in to kill their quarterback.



As you can see, Jonathan Scott doesn’t even get a chance to attempt to either stop or slow Dwight Freeney. Newly anointed starter Marcus Gilbert faired no better on the right. Robert Mathis literally ran circles around him en route to Roethlisberger.

Yes, their were other times when Ben had ample time to throw. And yes these were the Indy defense’s best to plays of the night. But you can't have your tackles giving up "splash" plays that open the door to a team at the exact moment that you should be pulling away from them.

Last month I wrote about the Steelers offensive line building strategy, or lack thereof. At the time I entertained the thought that the Steelers success in spite of their lack of line stability suggested that perhaps the game has changed sufficiently to reduce the importance of a good line.

No one in Steelers Nation should harbor such notions today. Forget the talk about “Roethlisberger holds the ball too long.” Sometimes that’s true, but Ben Roethlisberger’s getting rid of the ball much faster this season, but still getting sacked.

Worse yet, the Steelers offensive line has failed to open holes for the running backs.

After the Baltimore game I jumped the gun and suggested that the Steelers needed to call Max Starks and/or Flozell Adams. The Steelers opted against patchwork for “promoting from within.”

Steel Curtain Rising has been calling for consistency on the line since its inception, and such sentiments are admirable. But perhaps the Tribune-Review’s Dejan Kovacevic is on to something when he says its time for Kevin Colbert to scour the waiver wire and practice squads, because the current crew isn’t getting the job done.

Can Opponents Now Run on the Steelers?

Ray Rice is a dynamic back, and one of the better rushers in the game. While his success against the Steelers was no given, it was neither cause for immediate alarm.

The picture is murkier this morning. Joseph Addai is no slouch. To claim that he “imposed his will” on the Steelers run defense would be in err.

But the Colts did run the ball when they needed to, which in some ways is worse. In the fourth quarter alone, with Curtis Painter in at quarterback, he had two runs of 8 yards, one for 7, another for 11, and a 6 yard scamper for the tying touchdown.

The Colts, like their successors in Baltimore, used the semi-legal cut blocks at times, and that appears to be SOP for running against the Steelers. The NFL rarely makes enforcement changes in mid-season (unless they involve fining James Harrison), so the Steelers had better find some way to adjust.

Live By Polamalu, Die By Polamalu?

With 6:03 left to play, the commentators from ESPN America Latina suggested that based on what they’d seen against the Colts, the “true” Steelers squad was more of the one that played in Baltimore as opposed to the one against Seattle.

Then James Harrison and Troy Polamalu struck.



And there I had my lead. “Steelers Defensive Stalwarts Save Game.” I even felt sorry for Painter, having to go back out there in shame after costing his team the game.

Then a funny thing happened.

Painter led the Colts on an 80 yard touchdown drive. Granted, he had help from Joseph Addai, but he also completed 4 of 5 passes – all of them against Keenan Lewis.

But should Keenan Lewis serve as the scapegoat here? Troy Polamalu got into the back field and was on the verge of another big play at least once if not twice on that drive. If he reaches Painter a neutrino faster Addai never gets his touchdown run.

But Polamalu is only one player. Where were the other 10 on that play? Ditto for the passes completed over Keenan Lewis.

Maybe getting humiliated like that lit a fire under Curtis Painter that drove him to find something no one, including himself, knew he had.

Maybe Keenan Lewis will prove the trade that 3rd round picks have either “made it” by their third year or are busts.

But echoes of 2009’s late game let downs resonated loudly as Painter was driving those last 80 yards in Lucas Oil Stadium. If focus from start to finish is going to be a problem then 2011 will be a long season….

The Road From Here…

But unlike 2009, the Steelers did come back, and they did win this game. Securing a win, on the road, against another AFC team is important.

But this win should not obscure the fact that the Steelers have questions they must answer, and answer fast if there are to be many more such wins in 2011.

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Steelers Escape with Win Over Colts

Some how I don’t think that even Mike Tomlin will find comfort in his usual, “we don’t add style points” mantra. Nor do I expect him to try.

Yes, the Steelers did escape Indianapolis with what will count as a ‘W’ for their game against the Colts, but it hardly feels worthy of attaching the word “win” to let alone victory.

The Steelers started the game in fine fashion, and after Ben Roethlisberger’s first quarter hook up with Mike Wallace it looked like a route was on.

After that things became unglued for the Steelers in a hurry. It is already almost 1:00 am here in Buenos Aires, and work looms tomorrow.

But before going to bed, here are a few quick concerns about the events in Indianapolis:

• It would be metaphysically impossible for the Steelers offensive line to have put on a more thoroughly impotent exposition
• The Colts success with running the ball was more than a little disturbing
• Do not deceive yourself with the apparent success of the secondary through 3 quarters – Kerry Collins and Curtis Painter missed a lot of open men
• Did the strip/sack/six ignite something in Painter, or did the Steelers lose focus?

Many other items remain to critique. Fate added injury to impotence on the Steelers offensive line. Jonathan Scott did not look good. Who wants to be that Flozell Adams and/or Max Starks get phone calls tomorrow….?

Its now 1:00 am here in Buenos Aires. Check back tomorrow evening for Steel Curtain Risings full analysis.

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Containing Kerry Collins the Steelers Key to Victory Over the Colts?

Quick name an NFL quarterback who has:

• Fended off Chad Brown’s pass rush to toss a TD with Rod Woodson in the secondary
• Victoriously stared down a front seven featuring the likes of Aaron Smith, Kevin Henry, Earl Holmes, Kimo von Oelhoffen, Joey Porter, Levon Kirkland, and Jason Gildon
• Schooled a number 1 defense headlined by playes like James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, and Troy Polamalu
• Given scare to a similar version of that defense, reinforced by presence of players like Lawrence Timmons and Ziggy Hood

That quarterback is of course none other than Kerry Collins.

The Pittsburgh Steelers seek their fist road win tonight against the Peyton Manningless Indianapolis Colts.

Observers near and far have argued that no NFL franchise has seen its fortunes revolve around one player more than the Colt’s have revolved around Manning. Joe Bendel of the Steelers Digest went as far as to claim that taking Manning from the Colts is akin to taking Bruce Springsteen from the E-Street Band.

Thus far the Colts 0-2 lack luster start lends credibility to those dire predictions.

A friend, who is not a Steelers fan, even observed that, “Collins suddenly looks very old.”

There’s a fine line between “old,” and “seasoned pro.” Collins has only had a limited amount of time to learn the Colts offense, get to know his receivers, and feel comfortable in their system.

The process figured to take awhile, and the bitter taste of two defeats added to the adrenaline of playing in prime time at home can serve to speed up the learning curve.

And it is not as if Kerry Collins is any stranger to the Steelers. He’s played the many times before. In 1996 it was with the Carolina Panthers. In 2000 it was with the NFC Champions New York Giants. In 2008, 2009, and 2010 it was with the Tennessee Titans.

Collins record as a starter in those games is 3-1. In both the season opening loss in 2009 and the second game of the 2010 season where Collins came off the bench he pressed the Steelers to the wire.

Is then, Kerry Collins the key to the Steelers-Colts game?

In a manner of speaking yes.

By himself, Collins cannot beat the Steelers. But the Steelers will lose if they allow Collins to get into any kind of rhythm. Unlike his predecessor, Collins is a game managing quarterback as opposed to a franchise quarterback.

If Peyton Manning has been the field general that led the Colts from the front lines, then this field general has had some very talented foot soldiers standing behind him.

Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark and Dwight Freeney cannot beat the Steelers on their own. They need something from Collins. Against the Steelers Colllins has completed a composite total of 64% of his passes, and has thrown for six touchdowns and only two interceptions.

Collins history suggests that he can give them that “something.”

The Steelers need not walk into this game “fearing” Collins the way they would a Tom Brady, Drew Brees, or Aaron Rodgers. But they had give him the respect he deserves.

If they Steelers can contain Collins on defense and keep Ben Roethlisberger upright on offense then they should conclude the night with their first road win under their belts.

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