James Harrison Suffers Orbital Fracture, Out 'Weeks'

If the cliché adversity builds character has any merit to it, then the Steelers are in for some major character building.

Already reeling from the Trashing from the Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin announced that All Pro Linebacker James Harrison has an orbital fracture around his right eye. Team doctors will operate on Harrison Wednesday, he will miss “several weeks.”

Harrison will not get lonely on the injured list. His back up, 2010 second round pick Jason Worilds has a quad strain and is doubtful while Aaron Smith is “extremely questionable.”

And this only sums up the Steelers injuries on defense.

Halfback Mewelde Moore has a right ankle sprain which could keep him from playing, and Rashard Mendenhall has a hamstring injury.

That leaves the Steelers with all of two healthy running backs – Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer.

The “good” news is that starters Jonathan Scott and Doug Legursky are expected to return to the Steelers starting sieve. Bryant McFadden’s health has also returned, although Ed Bouchette indicated during his PG Plus chat that he might not recover his starting job.

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Steelers Report Card vs. Texans

Translated into scholastic terms the Steelers recent offensive line building strategy has been the football equivalent of “craming pulling all-nighters.” In light of the Trashing in Texas, this Steelers report card carries a tone of “I warned you.” As usual, no other report cards were consulted.

Quarterback
It is not easy to throw from your back. Still, Ben Roethlisberger missed some open receivers on plays the Steelers needed to have and according to Dale Lolley, Ben had check downs open on some of the sacks he took. He also had a couple of three turnovers nullified by penalties. Grade: C-

Running Backs
So it isn’t just the poor run blocking. Mewelde Moore and Isaac Redman gave the offense a real shot in the arm when it needed it. Mendenhall has only been effective when reach the line of scrimmage. Grade: C+

Wide Receivers
Mike Wallace made a brilliant play that got called back on a taunting penalty – the Steelers can’t have this. Antonio Brown showed some fancy footwork. Overall the receivers were “above the line” but that alone was not enough. Grade: B-

Offensive line
No one on the line is playing well. No one. Maurkice Pouncey perhaps played a little better this week, but he’s still way below last year’s standard. And Pouncey's penalty took the Steelers out of scoring distance. Trai Essex left no doubt as to why he got zero interest in the free agent market, and Marcus Gilbert seemed to break off his blocks just as his man was getting to Ben or else he simply got beat physically. If the Steelers don’t have the worst offensive line in football, show me who does. Grade: F-

Defensive Line
Differing theories abound as to the Steelers sudden vulnerable to the run. What is clear is that the Texans ran inside, run outside, ran around and over the Steelers defensive line and none of the lineman could cope. Injuries or no, Aaron Smith’s continuing claim to a roster spot remains tenious at best, but Cameron Heyward and Ziggy Hood got plenty of snaps and they did not help. Grade: F

Linebackers
Why is it that James Harrison, he of 33 years of age and back surgery, appears to be the only noticeable player in the group? Age may be catching up with James Farrior, but what about Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley? The Steelers invested over 100 million dollars in these youngsters and neither has delivered. Grade: F

Secondary
Troy Polamalu was all over the place as usual, but his angles were off and Neal Coolong of Behind the Steel Curtain has suggested this arises for his desire to avoid fines. Keenan Lewis made a nice pass defense, William Gay and Ike Taylor looked good. Still, four games into the season, the secondary has produced ZERO turnovers. As bad as the rest of the team played, one turnover could have made the difference in Houston. Grade: C-

Special Teams
The Steelers had some nice punt returns although some work on when to field and when to fair catch is needed. But what is it with the blocked kick? In four games this is the second time one of the place kicking units has suffered a total breakdown. This cannot continue. Grade: D

Coaching
Perhaps the NFL’s new rules on dangerous hits have neutered the Steelers defense. Perhaps the mandated reduction of physicality in practice has had a similar effect on both the defense and the offensive line. It is difficult to argue with Mike Tomlin’s assessment that the Steelers problems trace back to the fundamentals – blocking and tackling. Except why would one say that about a defending conference champion? Either way the Steelers have been caught totally flatfooted by the NFL in 2011. Grade: F

Unsung Hero
David Johnson’s presence in the backfield helped get the running game going in the second half although it did nothing to help the pass protection. Either way Gerry Dulac gave him a nod in The Post-Gazette's Two Minute Drill.

The Steelers coverage units have played well this year, and yesterday they were led by rookie corner Curtis Brown who made three special teams tackles and forced a fumble which the Texans recovered. Age is an issue for the Steelers defense, and signs of hope from the youth are welcome, and for that Curtis Brown is Steel Curtain Rising’s Unsung Hero of the week.

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Texans "Trash" Steelers 17-10

For the past several off seasons “the story” on the Steelers has been the age-induced demise of their defense. Things of course are not that simple. The real question has been whether the Steelers could draft well enough and inject quality youth into the line up fast enough to keep pace.

On the offensive side of the equation the Steelers have mocked the naysayer’s by managing to consistently win in spite of fielding offensive lines which are both subpar and prone to injury. Here the question has been, can the Steelers keep it up?

Against the Houston Texans Steelers Nation got to see that experiment play out under live-fire conditions and, if the results were not entirely one-sided, the game’s outcome was not as close as the 17-10 score indicated.

The Tomlinator Hath No Run Defense

The watchword of the NFL today is “Thou Shalt Not Run.” But Steelers Nation was treated to a trip on a time machine during the first quarter of the Steelers-Texans game. Spectators were treated to a classic display of smash-mouth, ball control, ram it down their throats Steelers football.

Unfortunately it was the Houston Texans who were doing the running.

95 yards 19 plays and 10:55 – that how long the Texans drove and how much time they consumed from the clock. It isn’t quite fair to say that Adrian Foster ran on the Pittsburgh Steelers at will, and that in-and-of-itself, is scary.

The Steelers did stuff the Texans running game on a number of occasions. Most notably in the 3rd quarter and then again when the Texans were attempting to kill the clock at the very end. Take out Foster’s longest run of the day run and the Steelers held him to a human 3.8 yards per carry.

There’s a reason they don’t curve the rankings of NFL rushing defenses, and that’s because defenses that 42 yard touchdown scampers in 4th quarters of tied games tend to lose.

What ails the run defense remains uncertain. Cut blocking did not seem to be an issue. Even before Aaron Smith left the game injured, Cameron Heyward got plenty of snaps so age was not a factor, at least at the end positions. Absent the opportunity for film study it is unfair to state but certainly fair game to question whether Casey Hampton has lost a step.

Either way the Houston Texans not only succeeded in running when they needed to, they dominated with the run at times. It’s been a long time since a Steelers opponent could say that.

Trai(ng) Foster Fails to Plug the Sieve

A little more than a week ago scientist shocked the world by recording faster than light speeds. A century-old principle of science, it seemed, had been turned on its head.

After the 2008 draft Mike Tomlin suggested that adding weapons at the skills positions could compensate for insufficiencies in the offensive line. The Steelers 2 Super Bowl appearances in the ensuring 3 seasons suggested that a century-old principle, that winning on offense starts with a strong line, was to be turned on its head…

…Ah, not so fast on that one.

Against the Indy Colts the Steelers sieve (aka offensive line) did struggle, mightily at times, but as it was later revealed communications issues were the root of at least some of the Colts big plays. Fair enough.

Week four brought another week of working together plus the introduction of Trai Essex and Ramon Foster into the starting.

Things only got worse. Ben Roethlisberger was sacked 5 times and took a pounding on numerous other occasions. Two Roethlisberger turnovers got negated by penalties and Ben saved a couple of three would-be sacks by tossing the ball away.

Even the most die-homer would have a hard time proving that there is no worse offensive line in the NFL now. The Steelers offensive line is doing a horrendous job. The question is no longer, “Can it improve enough to compete” but, “Can it improve enough so Ben Roethlisberger doesn’t get killed?”

Run Redman Moore?

Neither Isaac Redman nor Mewelde Moore have enough carries to give either man an honest test, but thus far both men appear to be running better than their counter part, Rashard Mendenhall.

Mendenhall didn’t get many carries, but when he did carry the results were little different than they have been for the rest of the season, which is to say unimpressive. Both Redman and Moore got fewer chances with the ball a delivered better results running behind the same offensive line.

Both men deserve more chances to run the ball.

Cameron Heyward is only playing his fourth NFL game and as his play improves, so will the Steelers run defense. Whether that improvement can occur fast enough to give the Steelers a shot at contending this year remains an open question.

But any such improvement will be meaningless unless the Steelers can see some sort of improvement on their offensive line.

Can the line improve? Well, they have no where to go but up.

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Statement Game for WHO in Houston?

Each NFL win or loss carries the same weight in the standings. That’s the Gospel Mike Tomlin has preached both after the Debacle in Baltimore and the Shut Out Over Seattle.

Tomlin is wise to preach those points as they convey a healthy perspective.

The entire “On Any Given Sunday” philosophy is another way of saying that one win or loss represents 1/16th of the body of work by which the teams regular season will be measured.

Late in the season, of course, things change a little as teams lose margin for error and opportunities for second chances disappear.

Those games come in November and December. But then are the games that come earlier, the games whose importance grows beyond their mathematical significance.

Commentators dub those “Statement Games.”

Statement games can be tricky things. Sometimes they’re anticipated. During Bill Cowher’s 1992 rookie season, the Steelers stood at 4-2 heading into a three week stretch that would take them to Buffalo, Kansas City, and would bring Houston to Pittsburgh.

Bob Labriola of Steelers Digest commented that a win in any of the three games would be and “upset” and that this three game stretch would tell Steelers Nation what they really had.

The Steelers came out 2-1, and in winning against Kansas City and Houston, Cowher Power had officially made Pittsburgh a contender.

1992 was of course a long time ago, and the Steelers have been contenders ever since, with the exception of the dark days of 1998 and 1999.

2011 brings them to a very different place.

Having gone to 3 Super Bowls in six years, the narrative that the media would like to hang on their necks is: “Too old, Too Slow, Too Much Time Has passed.”

The Houston Texans find themselves in the opposite situation.

Since Gary Kubiack’s arrival in 2006 they have perennially been the AFC’s up and comer always unable to make it over the hump.

With Peyton Manning’s injury, 2011 is supposed to be the year that changes, and it is against the Steelers that they’re scripted to make such a statement.

But once the whistle blows, it is the men playing between the little white lines that dictate the script, not the scribes. I don’t pretend to know enough about the Houston Texans to offer detailed pre-game match up analysis. (For that, I’ll refer you to Behind the Steel Curtain’s Pre Game Zone Blitz.)

The Steelers strengths and liabilities are better known to me.

The Steelers offensive line is not a team strength and has not been for some time. But for all that has been said about the line thus far much of what has ailed the line can be cured with just a little cohesion. If these men can function just a little better as a single unit, then the Steelers have the offensive weapons to compete in Texas.

Things are a little different on the defensive side of the ball.

Thus far the Steelers secondary has not been the glaring liability everyone said it would be. No, this is another incarnation of the Woodson-Lake secondaries of the 90’s, but thus far the men are playing well, and Troy Polamalu is making his presence felt.

The Steelers once-vaunted run defense is showing cracks. This is not good as Houston is phenomenal at running the ball.

Is the shakeyness of the Steelers run defense attributable to cut blocking or to the aging of Aaron Smith and, yes, Casey Hampton?

The truth is probably a little bit of both. That brings us to the game’s “X” factor, the Steelers linebackers. In 2011 the only linebacker to make a “Splash” play is James Harrison. LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons have been quiet.

Therefore the game on the defensive side of the ball for Pittsburgh will come down to their ability to involve their linebackers.

“It ain’t bragging if you can do it, but just saying it don’t make it so.” Houston Oilers coach, Bum Philips

Steel Curtain Rising quoted the Texas football icon when the Steelers opened the 2008 season against the Texans and it seems only appropriate to quote him again.

Early in that game the Texans thought they were ready to “Do It” and got stuffed on 1st down and that set the tone for the whole game.

Here we are in 2011 and the Houston Texans once again think they can “Do It.” Mike Tomlin and the Steelers have other ideas.

Time to see who is right.

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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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