Los Steelers Conquistan los Eagles

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WEEK 5

 PHI 14 - PIT 16

Los Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2) superaron, jugando como locales, a los Philadelphia Eagles   (3-2) por 14 a 16 en el encuentro por la semana 5 de la NFL.

Fue uno de esos partidos que se juegan con los dientes apretados. En los que los equipos enfrentan a su rival pero también se enfrentan con sus propias debilidades.

Esos partidos en los que no se puede perder pero que sin embargo, cualquiera de los dos puede ganar. Que requieren que nada falle. Que todas los piezas funcionen justo en los momentos en que se las necesita. Convertir esa tercera oportunidad en ese momento, completar ese pase y no otro. No cometer infracciones en la marcha decisiva.

Fue un verdadero clásico.

Las claves para Pittsburgh

• Habíamos mencionado la semana pasada el buen momento por el que pasaba el QB Ben Roethlisberger. Hizo falta, durante los otros cotejos de la temporada, que él cargara con el equipo al hombro puesto que, por lesion, los Steelers carecían de ataque terrestre contundente y consistente. Se necesitaba revivir ese aspecto del juego y el retorno del RB Rashard Mendenhall era una buena señal.
• También se sabía que la ofensiva de Philadelphia era muy vulnerable. El QB Michael Vick había sufrido, hasta ahí, 44 derribos y 11 capturas (el mayor número en toda la NFL durante esta temporada). Por lo tanto había que acosarlo y capturarlo. No permitirle comodidad para desarrollar su juego.
• Pittsburgh necesitaba contener el ataque terrestre de LeSean McCoy y la repentización y la elusividad del propio Vick.
• Era necesario mantener la disciplina dentro del campo de juego. No se podía permitir acumular enorme cantidad de yardas en faltas como había sucedido durante el juego contra Oakland.
• Por último se necesitaba recuperar balones, provocar fumbles o realizar intercepciones.

El Juego

Durante la primera mitad la defensiva hizo su trabajo y la ofensiva sencillamente no. Al menos durante buena parte del tiempo.

La presencia enérgica y, si se me permite el término, feroz de Lawrence Timmons sumado a la poca protección que Vick le daba al balón pusieron a disposición de la ofensiva dos balones recuperados pero que desafortunadamente un Ben errático, no permitió cambiar por puntos. Ya temprano en el primer cuarto, en la marcha que siguió al fumble de Vick en la yarda 2 de Pittsburgh, la sucesión de faltas y retroceso por infracciones fue bochornosa y presagiaban una tarde negra. (Solo durante el primer cuarto los Steelers habían retrocedido 56 yardas!!)

Por el lado de la ofensiva visitante las cosas no iban mejor. Mc Coy corría, en general, por fuera de su tackle izquierdo y lograba poner a su ofensiva en 2do y corto pero la presión de los Linebackers locales, una y otra vez, con Timmons a la cabeza, desnudaba la vulnerabilidad del pack de ataque de las Águilas. En la primera mitad no habrían de conseguir más que 3 punts y 2 fumbles...

Finalmente llegó la cuarta marcha para los Steelers y recién entonces, por entre los nubarrones que cubrían el Campo Heinz, asomaron algunos rayos de sol: 12 jugadas, 75 yds; 7:21 minutos; para Ben 5 / 6 y 39 yds. TD de Rashard Mendenhall. Los Steelers seguían siendo 100% efectivos en la zona roja.

Durante las 3 primeras marchas los locales habían conseguido tan solo dos primeros downs. En las 2 marchas restantes sumaron 10 primeros downs. Sin embargo, Ben se encontraba bajo presión, no obstante lo cual pudo llevar la 5ta marcha hasta distancia de FG gracias a la suma de resistencia defensiva visitante e infortunio local ( 2 receptores - Brown y Cotchery- balón en mano, fueron detenidos dentro de las 5 yardas de los Eagles. Y digo infortunio porque Cotchery se tropezó con sus propios pies cayendo solo al suelo en la yarda 2...).

K Shaun Suisham convirtió un FG de 20 yds cerrando una primera mitad, pongamos, preocupante. O poco convincente, mejor.

PHI 0 - 10 PIT. Fin de la primera mitad.
Pittsburgh arranca el 3er cuarto sin provocar ninguna expectativa. Faltas y más faltas: ya sumaban a esta altura 96 yds de penalidad que incluían un dudoso “helmet to helmet” contra Ryan Mundy. Esto lleva a las Águilas a ponerse 7 a 10 gracias a un TD del RB Mc Coy.

Luego de un par de marchas intrascendentes, por parte de ambos equipos, Pittsburgh logró avanzar por tierra hasta distancia de gol de campo que Siusham convierte en 3 puntos más.

En el siguiente avance LeSeaun Mc Coy demolió a la defensiva local, incluyendo la conversión de dos 4to intentos. Finalmente Vick conecta con Celek para ponerse en ventaja por la mínima diferencia con poco más de 6 minutos por jugar (17 jugadas; 79 yds; 8:18 minutos)

Momento tenso. Para respirar profundo. La posesión era nuestra. Todo dependía de las fuerzas propias. 6 minutos. 80 yardas. 2 time outs
Big Ben volvió al campo, abajo en el marcador desde su propia yarda 20. Un nuevo holding del LG Willie Colon ( y van...) pone al equipo en situación de 3er y 12 profundo dentro de su campo.

Recordé la gran estadística de conversión de terceros intentos que ostenta Ben en esta temporada y contuve la respiración...

Pase por el centro a Antonio Brown para completar 20 yds y conseguir sostener la marcha (para este humilde aficionado, fue la jugada del partido)

Lo que siguió fue avanzar el balón por tierra, consumir el reloj y esperar que Suisham acertara el FG

Se puede decir que la marcha final fue Mendenhall dependiente y Brown requiriente.Claros

• Coincidió, tal vez gracias al destino, que en una tarde regular de Roethlisberger retornara al equipo el RB Rashard Mendenhall. Corrió para 81 yds con un gran promedio de 5,8 yds/acarr. Pero también se transformó en una importante vía de escape para Ben, en jugadas de pantalla. Sostuvo el ataque y lo equilibró. Gran retorno.
• Suisham se ha transformado en un pateador confiable.
• Gran labor de los linebackers, en especial Timmons, quien tuvo una gran tarde., con 3 capturas pero mucho más importante fue la presión que impusieron sobre Vick quien estuvo lanzando de manera inconsistente y que además no pudo escaparse cuando intentó correr y evadirse.

• El equipo superó la presión y pudo sacar adelante un partido que fue muy laborioso. Sacó las jugadas que tenía que sacar y equilibró su ataque

...y Oscuros

• Habrá que contactar a INTERPOL para dar con el paradero de la pareja Roethlisberger-Wallace. Fue vista por última vez en Oakland y nunca más se supo de ellos. El domingo no estuvieron en Pittsburgh..
• Hay un gran problema en la línea ofensiva y en los profundos (aunque también en los equipos especiales) con la comisión de faltas. Esta vez superaron las 100 yardas de penalidad. Si al LG Willie Colon le hubiesen cobrado todos los holdings que cometió, los Acereros comenzarían el próximo juego contra los Titans debiendo yardas.
• Nueva lesión para SS Troy Polamalu

Se mejoró a 2 - 2 y estamos nuevamente en competencia. Esta vez la moneda cayó de nuestro lado. Tendremos que saber aprovechar las oportunidades como se aprovechó esta. No sobró nada.

Dr. de Acero
Para leer mas sobre los Pittsburgh Steelers en español, clicen acá. 

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Steelers Report Card vs. Eagles @ Heinz Field

From the grade book of a teacher who was pleased to see some under performing students perk up, and a little dismayed to see others slip, here go the Steelers report card for their victory over Philly at Heinz Field. As a caveat, no other grades were consulted.

Quarterback
For the first time this season, Ben Roethlisberger didn't throw a touchdown. Ben played generally well, evading pressure and making things happen with his feet. And while he missed some key throws, he was also a victim of several drops. Most importantly, he made the throws he had to make on the Steelers winning drive.  Grade:  B+

Running Backs
Who was it that said the Steelers wouldn’t miss Mendenhall much? Me, among others. This is a time when I am gladly wrong. Rashard Mendenhall showed that he’s clearly the Steelers most talented back and also confirmed that when Mendenhall commits to a hole he can run with the best in the league. Isaac Redman also played much better, and was a key player on the 2nd half scoring drives. Chris Rainey was a non-factor.  Grade: A-

Wide Receivers

Studs numbers 1 and 2 of Young Money, Inc. both played subpar games. Mike Wallace could not get past press coverage and dropped a few, and Antonio Brown had two ugly drops, including one in the end zone. Jerricho Cotchery should have had a touchdown, but lost his footing. Emmanuel Sanders, on the other hand, came up with a couple of key completions, as did Heath Miller.  Grade:  C+

Offensive Line
This unit help short circuit a couple of drives with penalties and did an adequate job of protecting Ben against a fierce pass rush. The biggest improvement here was the run blocking, particularly with Willie Colon. The Steelers were able to run repeatedly right up the middle when called upon, and that was not something that they’d been able to do all season long. Grade:  B-

Defensive Line
Another unit that improved its performance. Michael Vick faced pressure all day, and a big part of it was because the defensive line was getting penetration. Brett Keisel lost a footrace to Vick (as you’d expect) but his presence in the backfield was a welcome site, as was that of Ziggy Hood and Steve McLendon. Nonetheless, the line must shoulder its share of the blame for the two 4th down conversions.  Grade:  B-

Linebackers
Was that a Lawrence Timmons sighting? Yes it was. Timmons was on fire, moving to the ball, making plays and disrupting things in the backfield. Larry Foote recovered both fumbles. James Harrison didn’t record any sacks, but was in Vick’s face. And low and behold, Jason Worilds also made his presence known on several occasions. Like the line, the linebackers share blame for the 4th down conversions, but a quality afternoon nonetheless.  Grade:  B+

Secondary
Vick had a fairly good day statistically and, while you can’t discount his ability to regain the lead with 6 minutes remaining, he was ineffective on third down, and never really developed the kind of rhythm that Carson Palmer or Peyton Manning did. A big part of that has to do with the pass rush, but the Steelers secondary effectively defended Vick’s attempts to go deep. Ryan Clark also had a touchdown saving strip, although he and Ryan Mundy must watch the helmet-to-helmet hits.  Grade:  B

Special Teams
Chris Rainey had a 44 yard kick off return, and Antonio Brown had a 7 yard punt return. The Steelers kick coverage was solid, but the Eagles had a 13 yard punt return, which mustn't become the norm. Shaun Suisham was 3-3 on the day, including another game winner into the open end of Heinz Field. Drew Butler’s punting was solid if not spectacular.  Grade:  B

Coaching
Dick LeBeau moved Lawrence Timmons in closer to the action and the results spoke for themselves. Beyond that, LeBeau looked like a better coach with James Harrison back didn’t het…? Although the defense's performance was soild overall, the unit still lost another 4th quarter lead, which is never good. For three weeks Todd Haley’s offense was all about an air game that was so effective, one wondered if the Steelers even needed to run. Haley never bought into that, and his commitment to the run paid handsome dividends. All three phases of the game were hurt by penalties, and that reflects on the coaching, regardless of whether they were coming off of a bye week or not.  Grade:  B

Unsung Hero
Entering the league behind two All Pro’s is never easy, especially when you’re expected to eventually replace one of them. This young man started 12 games last year, and while he may not have struggled, he certainly lacked the “wow factor” as Simon Cowe would say. However, he was back in the line up on Sunday, and this time he delivered to the tune of 1 sack, 2 tackles for a loss, 1 passed defensed and two more QB hits, and for that Jason Worilds is Steel Curtain Rising’s Unsung Hero of the victory over Philadelphia.

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Rushing Game Propels Steelers Past Philadelphia, 16 to 14 at Heinz Field

Rarely if ever, has Steelers Nation looked upon game number 4 with such urgency. The once vaunted Steelers defense allowed two winnable games slip away via in fourth quarter meltdowns, giving the Steelers a 1-2 record.

But there was hope. James Harrison and Troy Polamalu were set to return. And while injuries are no excuse in Tomlinland, the return of the Steelers defense to full strength was provide an opportunity for defining just what “The Standard” was.

Alas, the reunion of the once dominate defense lasted less than a quarter, leaving the Steelers to turn to another pillar of the franchise’s identity for their margin of victory.

Defense Stumbles, but Delivers

After the 2003 season Steelers Digest Editor Bob Labriola argued that quality defense is synonymous with the overall health of the franchise. He put it something like this, “If the Steelers finish 7-9 but the defense is strong, the perception is that the team isn’t far off. But the same record with a poor defense leads to the feeling that serious problems exist.”

• Its statistical high ranking notwithstanding, the Steelers 2012 defense has been below par, far below par.

The Eagles game left Steelers Nation to ponder a half-full, half empty dilemma.

• Lesean McCoy didn’t dominate, but he moved the chains with the game on the line, especially on two fourth down conversions
• The defense again gave up another lead in the fourth quarter

Watching fourth quarter leads evaporate in 3 of 4 games should cause everyone some discomfort, but the game of football is played for sixty minutes.

But none of those negatives should obscure the fact that the Steelers defense shut down the Eagles in the first half, by virtue of two turnovers. More encouraging is the fact that players like Steve McLendon, Lawrence Timmons, Ziggy Hood and Jason Worilds stepped up.

As the injuries suffered against the Eagles underline, if the Pittsburgh Steelers defense is to improve, its going to need production for men not named Woodley, Harrison or Polamalu.

The Steelers got that today, and that’s the first hopeful sign along those lines in a season now one quarter complete.

Identity of Haley’s Offense, Steelers, Remain a Work in Progress

With three games to its name, the template appeared to be more than set for Todd Haley’s offense:

• Efficient, precision passing aimed at protecting Ben Roethlisberger and building an edge in time of possession
• Improved pass protection
• Dependence of the team’s deep receiving corps to deliver

Although not for lack of trying, the running game figured at best as an afterthought. As Todd Haley indicated, the Steelers had been able to run the ball in “situational football” but in no sense could the running game be considered a decisive factor.

That changed in game four against the Eagles, and changed in a big way.

It would be unfair to say that either Ben or his receivers had a “bad” day vs. the Eagles, but their performance mimicked more of the shakiness they displayed late vs. Oakland rather than the lethal efficiency on display in Denver and vs. the Jets.

• Antonio Brown dropped a sure touchdown, and suffered another key drop
• Mike Wallace too dropped a number of catchable balls at in opportune times
• Ben Roethlisberger had a chance to hook up with Health Miller near the goal line, but over threw the ball

Its way, way too early to hit the panic button on the state of the Steelers passing game. But the Eagles represented perhaps the best defense the Steelers have faced so far.

And, if nothing else, the Eagles experience should dispel any fanciful notions that the Steelers could simply ride the passing game to victory.

No, the Steelers offense must be more than one dimensional on offense, and vs. the Eagles the running game came to life.

Art Rooney II:  “It’s About Being Able to Run the Ball When We Need To.”

Steelers President Art Rooney II turned a lot of heads after the 2009 season when he criticized the state of the Steelers running game. But Rooney quickly clarified that he wasn’t interested in seeing the ball run in certain situations or about seeing a more even distribution of play calling.

No, the Steelers President simply insisted that the Steelers be able to run the ball when they needed to.

• Against the Eagles, the Steelers needed to run the ball. 

Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman played well during the entire game, but they turned it up a notch when they were needed the most, gaining exactly half of their total yards on the Steelers final two scoring drives.

• With the game on the line in the fourth quarter, the Pittsburgh Steelers imposed their will.

It might not have been pretty, but it was sufficient for victory.

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Ray Anderson's Blind Spot Obscures NFL Justice

Take a look at the sequence below:

Image courtesy of www.assets.sbnation.com

Do you see any problem with what happened? Good so do I.

Ray Anderson, however does not, and that is an issue.

This is no “Roger Goodell’s out to get the Steelers” piece. Yes, the Steelers have fallen on the short end of the NFL’s kangaroo justice system with startling frequency.

But Goodell stood foursquare behind Dan Rooney and Art Rooney II in 2008 when Tim, John, Pat and Art Rooney Jr. flirted with selling out to Stanley Druckenmiller. In stark terms, Goodell made clear that the NFL was intent on keeping team under Rooney control.

So save your "Goodell Hates the Steelers” speech. For whatever his faults are, Roger Goodell has no axe to grind with the Black and Gold.

• Mounting evidence suggests something quite different about Ray Anderson.

Steelers Nation:  Mees Ray Anderson, NFL Discipline Czar

Is there any reason to like Ray Anderson? OK, hopefully he's a fine man, nurturing father/husband and upstanding citizen, because his administration of justice in his role as NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations is far from impartial.

In October 2008 Hines Ward delivered a devastating hit to Cincinnati linebacker Keith Rivers (video available as of 10/6/12).


At the time, Hines block was perfectly legal. But the incident nonetheless drew a visit from Ray Anderson.

After meeting privately with the Steelers Anderson proclaimed: "We are going to look at that, but under the current rules as written now, it was a clean hit. It was a legal hit." The Post-Gazette counted the term “under the current rules” four times in Anderson’s press briefing.

At the time, Steelers Digest lambasted Anderson, honing in on Anderson decision to single Hines Ward out with a very public non-accusation accusation and asked, if the hit was legal, then why “look into it”?

• That was the first time Steelers Nation heard the name "Ray Anderson." Unfortunately, it was not the last.

A year later Steelers Digest editor Bob Labriola praised, of all people, the Baltimore Ravens Ray Lewis. It issue was Lewis' tirade denouncing a flag that had been thrown on Terrell Suggs after he'd barley touched Tom Brady. The worst part about it? The referee only threw a flag after Tom Brady's request.

While Labriola made no bones about his disdain for the coddling the NFL was showering on Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, he took it as a hopeful sign that Ray Anderson declined to fine Ray Lewis and Jim Harbaugh for berating the officials. Perhaps a corner had been turned, the Steelers Digest editor suggested….

The NFL was turning a corner, unfortunately it wasn't the one Labriola wanted it to turn.

2010 - Welcome to the National Fine League

Steelers Nation is well versed in this narrative. Suddenly, six weeks into the season, the NFL decides to get tough on helmet to helmet hits especially ones involving quarterbacks. Player safety is important, but uniform enforcement of the rules is an essential requirement to player protection.

Alas, Anderson and Goodell are anything but consistent:

•  In November, James Harrison gets flagged and fined for a hit vs. that arrives .33 seconds late and where his face mask barely grazes Ryan Fitzpatrick’s numbers
• A week later, Roy Williams hits Ben Roethlisberger 1.3 seconds after releasing the ball – needless to say he is neither flagged nor fined
• Richard Seymour cold cocks Ben Roethlisberger between plays, gets fined less than Harrison has been fined for lesser offenses
• In 2011, Harrison suffers helmet to helmet hit in Arizona and breaks the orbital bone around his eye. The league does nothing
• Later that season, Ryan Clark makes textbook, clean tackle, vs. the Ravens league fines him for it
• Two games later, James Harrison gets suspended for one game for his hit on Colt McCoy
• Yet the Browns get little more than a slap on the wrist for putting badly concussed McCoy back in the game

See any sort of trend there?

Philip Wheeler Gets a Pass for Illegal Hit on Ben Roethlisberger

Image courtesy of www.assets.sbnation.com

As the GIF image above so clearly illustrates, Philip Wheeler hits Ben Roethlisberger:

• After he releases the ball (illegal)
• Below the knee (also illegal)
• From behind (not illegal, but hardly justifiable given the points above)

Behind the Steel Curtain’s Neal Coolong analyzed this play right after it happened, and predicted that Wheeler would not be hit because he was blocked towards Roethlisberger by Kelven Beachum.

Wheeler could argue, reasoned Coolong, that his momentum carried him into Roethlisberger.

While Wheeler was clearly blocked towards Roethlisberger and I respect Coolong’s objectivity, there is no way momentum was responsible for that hit.

Wheeler tired to play it off, but he clearly kept himself moving, and with Roethlisberger’s lower leg in sights.

• Clear to everyone it would seem, but Ray Anderson.

Justice is supposed to be blind.

• But Ray Anderson simply as a blind spot when it comes to illegal hits suffered by Steelers.

In other words, can anyone imagine James Harrison or Ryan Clark escaping punishment had they taken out Carson Palmer the way Wheeler took out Roethlisberger?

I don’t think so either.

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Steel Curtain Rising Goes Bilingual!

Attentive readers noticed something new last week here at Steel Curtain Rising.

Steel Curtain Rising has gone bilingual, making us the first known English-Spanish blog dedicated to the Pittsburgh Steelers!

The Steelers of course have a huge following in Mexico, including the wife of former president Filipe Calderon. The team maintains a small-Spanish section on their website, Steelers radio network extends throughout throughout Mexico, and the Steelers have held camps for their fans in Mexico.

That interest, if Google Analytics is to be any guide, is reflected in this site’s readership, which counts Mexico among the top five countries. We also see regular visitors from Spain as well as other parts of Latin America.

Now those visitors will have the option to read hard-hitting commentary in their native tongue. Our scribe is none other than El Dr. de Acero, a good friend of mine whom I met while watching Super Bowl XLIII down here in Buenos Aires.

To the vast many if not most of you who are not bilingual, fear not, you’ll always be able to access all English language articles on Steel Curtain Rising via the Pittsburgh Steelers tag.

Pero... los lectores que quieran seguir a  “Los Hombres de Acero” en español, pueden hacer clic aca en el tag “Los Steelers en español”.

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Los Steelers FODA Contra los Eagles de Filadelfia

To read/show Steel Curtain Rising Articles in English click here on the "Pittsburgh Steelers Tag."

Week 5 – PHI @ PIT

Se aproxima la semana 5 de la temporada 2012 y se comienzan a analizar como en un modelo FODA, las fortalezas y debilidades que frente a un encuentro desafiante -me costaba encontrar la palabra correcta-, sobre todo si se tiene en cuenta cómo se desarrollaron el primer y el 3° juego en la temporada de los de casa (ambos terminaron con derrota de los Acereros). El clásico intraestatal  enfrentará a los Philadelphia Eagles (3-1) y a los Pittsburgh Steelers (doloroso 1-2) en Heinz Field. Ya ha pasado la semana libre para los Steelers que ha permitido la recuperación de los jugadores lesionados y, esperamos, haya dado tiempo para hacer la sintonía fina sobre el equipo que evite malograr partidos debido a errores clave, en momentos comprometidos del juego.

Un descanso siempre reparador...

Los Pittsburgh Steelers registran un record de 4-1 desde 2004 luego de la semana libre durante la gestión del HC Mike Tomlin. El único cotejo en el que perdieron luego de la semana de descanso fue en 2007 en Denver.

Se reincorporarán los jugadores lesionados?

Según palabras del entrenador jefe, Mike Tomlin, las tres bajas importantes del equipo, Troy Polamalu, James Harrison y Rashard Mendenhall podrían retornar al campo de juego el domingo en el Campo Heinz cuando se enfrente a los Philadelphia Eagles. “Teniendo en cuenta lo que he estado viendo en la práctica de ayer es atinado afirmarlo” respondió, cuando se le preguntó acerca de si sus entrenados podrían estar presentes para afrontar el próximo compromiso. “Los estaremos observando durante toda esta semana. Se han desempeñado bien y fueron capaces de realizar la práctica completa y por lo tanto somos optimistas acerca de que van a estar listos para el domingo”

Lo bueno de estar en casa

Pittsburgh posee el mejor récord de victorias como local de un equipo en toda la NFL, con un registro de 235-89-1 desde 1970. En Heinz Field, el récord de 66-22-1 (.747) que ostentan los Steelers es el tercer más alto porcentaje ganador de cualquier equipo en su estadio desde 1979 

(Nueva Inglaterra en Gillette Stadium .827; Miami Dolphins en Orange Bowl .819; Pittsburgh Steelers en Heinz Field . 747)

En las cinco temporadas bajo el liderazgo del Entrenador Jefe Mike Tomlin, los Steelers han ganado al menos 5 juegos en casa en cada temporada. La última vez que los Acereros no ganaron al menos 5 encuentros en casa fue en la temporada regular de 2003. Desde entonces, los Patriots y los Steelers han sido los únicos equipos en la Liga que registraron al menos 5 victorias en casa en cada temporada.

Pittsburgh finalizó la temporada 2004 invicto jugando en casa (8-0), por tercera vez en toda su historia y por primera vez en 25 años. Las otras 2 temporadas regulares en las cuales no conocieron la derrota jugando en casa, fueron en 1979 (ganando el Super Bowl XIV) y en 1972.

Armando el Equipo a partir del N° 7

Sin dudas este ha sido un gran comienzo de temporada para el QB Ben Roethlisberger a pesar del récord perdedor de 1-2 con que el equipo arrancó esta temporada regular. En efecto, por primera vez en su carrera, Big Ben está buscando completar su tercer partido consecutivo con un rating de pasador de 120.0 ó mejor en la misma temporada.

Además lanzó 8 pases de TD (empata el 2° lugar en la AFC y el 4° en toda la NFL), tiene tan solo una intercepcion (T-1° AFC y T-2° NFL) con un rating de pasador global de 109.2 (1° y 2° AFC y NFL respectivamente).

Tambien Big Ben estuvo sorprendente jugando con la soga al cuello: en los 3 primeros juegos de esta temporada, los Steelers han convertido 27 de 48 terceros intentos (56,3%) y Ben ha sido la razón de semejante éxito.

Pero ahora, lo mejor... completó 27 de 36 pases (75%) para 354 yds, 5 touchdowns y un rating de pasador de 145,1 en terceros intentos. Roethlisberger, esta temporada, lidera a todos los mariscales de la NFL en rating de pasador, porcentaje de pases completos, yardas por aire y pases completos y de TD en terceros intentos.

Poder de fuego y una manta corta...

Lo que querrán los fanáticos, el próximo domingo, es tan solo que los Steelers traspasen la línea de las 20 yds de la zona roja de las Águilas.

Es que durante esta temporada regular los aurinegros poseen 100% de eficacia en la zona roja adversaria: anotaron 11 veces en otros tantos intentos (7 TDs – 4 FGs lo que equivale a 60 puntos).

Sin embargo, y como contrapartida, la defensa permitió 9 anotaciones en 10 ingresos a la zona roja defensiva (6 TDs y 3 FGs lo que representó la conversión de 51 puntos)

Head to head PHI @ PIT

En la comparación de ambos equipos se destaca la paridad más que la supremacía de un equipo por sobre el otro.

Mientras que PIT anotó 25,7 puntos por partido, las Águilas solo marcaron 16,5.

Los mariscales cubrieron similar cantidad de yardas aéreas por partido: 284 a 272 (PIT – PHI, respectivamente).

Pero aquí hay 2 items muy llamativos puesto que hablamos de un franquicia que ha hecho del juego por tierra su bandera durante muchísimos años y de la mejor defensiva (o una de las mejores) de toda la liga durante al menos los últimos 5 años.

• La contienda en el rubro yardas por tierra por juego favorece claramente a los Eagles: 146 a 65.

Otro punto débil llamativo en esta temporada lo constituye la cantidad de intercepciones conseguidas en estos primeros 3 juegos. Sólo 1 contra 6 de Philadelphia.

Tal vez estas particularidades, casi rarezas si hablamos de los Pittsburgh Steelers, pueda explicarse por las ausencias por lesiones de verdaderos leones dentro del campo de juego. Por el lado de la ofensiva la ausencia de Rashard Mendenhall. Por el lado de la defensiva, no poder alistar a James Harrison y a Troy Polamalu, significaron ventajas muy importantes dentro del campo de juego.

Será un enfrentamiento muy interesante entre dos equipos poderosos, que reconocen una gran rivalidad y que allá por el año 1943, momento en el que mantener el frente de batalla de la Segunda Gran Guerra adelgazó las plantillas, ambos equipos se fusionaron para formar los "Steagles". 
 

Nos volvemos a encontrar luego del juego.

Dr. de Acero

Para leer mas sobre “Los Hombres de Acero” en español, pueden hacer clic en el tag “Los Steelers en español”. 

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Watch Tower: Scab Referee, '87 Strike, Todd Haley, and More...

Steel Curtain Rising’s Watch Tower has been quiet for a while, mainly because there’s a lot going on in life. No issue has dominated the news as the replacement referees have, so that’s where the Watch Tower first shines its light.

AP, ESPN Ignore the 4th Time Out Awarded to Houston vs. the 1989 Steelers

Regular readers know that the 1989 Steelers are near and dear to Steel Curtain Rising. So what could they possibly have to do with the replacement refs?

Well, the biggest news flub early on by the scab refs was the 4th Time Out they awarded to Seattle in their loss to Arizona in week 1. However, the Associated Press article that ESPN ran was more problematic:  Refs Error in Arizona Third of its Kind.

ESPN Inaccurate on 4th Time Out

The article discusses the extra timeouts the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens got in 2003 and 2009 respectively. But to read the headline and story, those were the only times such errors occurred in NFL history.

It happened at least once before, on December 3rd 1989 in Three Rivers Stadium when the Houston Oilers got an extra time out on a touchdown drive in a Oilers 23-16 victory over the Steelers. Chuck Noll protested and fired off an apology letter to the league, which admitted the error, not that much could be done about it….

Seattle Seahawks Fans Can Shut Up Now

Of course the biggest news relating to the scab refs was the highway robbery in the form of a Seahawks touchdown instead of a Packers interception.

That blow call generated a lot of Sound and Fury (not to mention a quick agreement between the NFL and its officials), but no one had a more astute observation than my good friend Tony Defeo on “Pittsburgh Best Sports Blog” where he contrasted how Seahawks fans are fine with this blow call, but still whine about Super Bowl XL.

Is there a living soul in Steeler Nation who isn’t sick of hearing the Seahawk’s unending excuse making for losing Super Bowl XL? To listen to them, you’d think that Willie Parker’s 75 yard run came on a questionable call.

As Tony succinctly  concluded, “Seahawks fans need to be very quiet now.”

It’s mildly ironic that Defeo would make such an observation, because in early August, he wrote an excellent tongue and cheek article in Behind the Steel Curtain panning the possibility that scab refs could do much worse than the regular season refs by invoking the interception that Troy Polamalu had stolen from him in the 2005 AFC Divisional playoffs thanks to incompetent use of instant replay.

If you don’t remember the play, check it out here, but do it while you can (available 9/29/12). With the official lockout settled, Goodell now has the time to unleash his YouTube police:


Replacement Refs, What about Replacement Players?

Whether it was editorial coincidence or editorial competition, last Sunday the Post Gazette and Tribune Review featured dueling stories recounting the 1987 players strike.

Both articles were fairly general. Both pointed out that John Stallworth caught his 500th pass from a scab quarterback. Bouchette reminded us that the Steelers refunded tickets, unlike other teams, and that for a time admitted that their sellout record had been broken, although they claim otherwise today.

Robinson went further back, discussing both the ’87 and ’82 strike, and unearthed a story of Steve Courson and Gary Dunn hearing WTAE rebroadcast a Steelers game from a previous season while in the car, and racing back to Pittsburgh thinking a deal had been reached and that they were missing a game. My, how did we live without cell phones and the internet….

Both men wrote good stories, but both left one of the juiciest quotes on the table. It was Christmas time in 1987, and I was sitting with my father and grandfather in some second story waiting room in an office off of Brownsville Road in Carrick, thumbing through the year end edition of Pittsburgh Magazine, when I saw, if memory serves, this priceless gem:

“Yeah, Malone threw one too. But he missed.”

The caption read something on the order of, “A fan recounts striking Steelers pelting Ernest Jackson’s van with Jelly doughnuts as he cross the picket line.”

Mark Malone started all 12 of the 1987 Steelers non-strike games and finished the ’87 season with a 46.7 passer rating….

Haley Holds Court

No off season topic generated as much noise as the decision to fire Bruce Arians and replace him with Todd Haley. Haley returned to Pittsburgh with a checkered past and was known as one who often had trouble working and playing well with others.

The Steelers press office has taken a very proactive approach to diffusing the issue. In PG Plus, Ed Bouchette has lamented several times that under Mike Tomlin the Steelers have been reluctant to grant media access to assistant coaches.

That has not been the case this year. By all appearances, during training camp the press had free access to Todd Haley, and he’s been interviewed regularly since the season started.

While the Watch Tower certainly does not have the time to do any sort of formal count, one is not needed to see that Haley was quoted during training camp more often than Tomlin himself.

The big issue was how would Ben Roethlisberger and Haley co-exist. There’ve been a number of attempts to extrapolate on some of the things Roethlisberger has said to indicate tension. But so far the story has gained no traction.

Part of it is because Ben has immediately shot down such talk. But keeping Haley in front of the microphones also lends a ton of credibility to Roethlisberger’s denials.

It’s still early, but score one win for the Steelers PR team.

Carson Palmer Gets the Last Laugh

This had no impact on the game itself, but both the Post Gazette’s Blog and Gold and Behind the Steel Curtain ran profiles on Carson Palmer’s past, and often miserable, experience vs. the Steelers.

The Steelers play former players all of the time, but Palmer was a little different, in that he’s the first ex AFC North QB to face off against the Steelers in another division. And of course Palmer got the last laugh in the Raider’s victory.

Steelers Problems with Stringing Three Strong Seasons Together

Prior to the season, the media never tired of reminding Steeler Nation that the Steelers have trouble putting three strong seasons in a row. Steel Curtain Rising blasted already blasted this on the merits its preseason analysis.

Its understandable that the press would mention this recent tendency, but sometimes things go too far. Case in point, in his preseason predictions, Alan Robinson mentioned this tendency twice in his 5 arguments against the Steelers winning the Super Bowl.

Ben No Longer a Game Closer? + Timmons Troubles

No one is a better come from behind artist than Ben Roethlisberger, right?

Dale Lolley points out that Ben Roethlisberger failed to rally the Steelers against Oakand, and that in the last two seasons, he’s only done that once.

While I think this is more of a coincidence than anything else, Lolley’s the first person in the Pittsburgh press corps to make this observation, and it is a story that bears watching.

Lolley also came up with some interesting stats on Lawrence Timmons.

[Woodley] was still better than Timmons, who had three tackles. In fact, after recording seven sacks and four forced fumbles in 2009, Timmons has five sacks and two forced fumbles - in the past two-plus seasons.

That hurts. Do numbers lie?

Not exactly, but for all of his splash plays in 2009, Timmons was inconsistent. In contrast, he played extremely well in 2010, even if he lacked the “Splash” plays.

However, Lolley is dead on in concluding that right now the Steelers aren’t getting their money’s worth out of Timmons.

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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