Style Points Are For Metrosexuals?

I'm just gonna give this to you upfront - with these Browns on the horizon for Sunday, I really don't have much to say. Chances are, despite what Tomlin's saying about seriously wanting to win Sunday's game, Big Ben and the rest of the starters won't play much more than a half. Three quarters maybe. But a full game? My magic 8 ball says...


But I do have something to say this morning...

Re-watching Super Bowl XL yetserday with my family, it occurred to me - sometimes, it just takes one play.

Ike Taylor - 1 pick

Willie Parker - 1 75 yard run

Casey Hampton - 1 sack

Randle El - 1 gadget play TD to Hines Ward

Big Ben - 1 TD (rushing)

Without any of those plays, the Steelers probably wouldn't have won that game.

Hell, I mean, even for the Seahawks, Jerramy Stevens was dropping the ball like Dick Clark on New Years, but he caught the one that counted.

The point is, we've gotten down on the Offense a LOT this year. But listen, even putting Sunday aside, January is a whole new ball game. All this Offense needs is enough plays to win. It's like Tomlin was saying after Baltimore, style points don't always count for points on the board. What matters, especially at this time of year, is winning.

And listen, I've been as big of a critic as there can be of the Offense, but it could just be a matter of a few guys making one play (each) that breaks the game open. One play that measures up to the difference between winning and losing.

That said, one play by the Offensive line isn't quite going to cut it. They'd better have many [positive] plays in them. Or we're proverbially and royally, eff'd.

Either way, apparently we're still "committed to the run."

...Hmmm, that's funny...because I thought we gave up on that when we cut Dan Kreider?

Hey, Arians - actions speak louder than words. It might be prudent to employ a running game that doesn't consist of 10 draws a game...on 3rd and long. Get the net.



Also, sweet hat, Indiana Jones. What, did you lose a bet? Actually, I think Domski has one just like it. Maybe you and he can be pals.

Today's final word = Sunday, it's Gradkowski time.

Bonus.

So, how was Christmas? I got a Steelers fleece, a Steelers Five Greatest Games DVD and my Mom made me an OFTOT wall clock. I'm not even joking. Unfortunately, she couldn't make me a girlfriend, though. So that situation is still in flux.

What did y'all get?

YES WE CAN!...run the ball...?

Alright, so as you know, I've basically just lost a whole week. Just sucked that shit right into a black void of death studying, law school did. So I figured that once I got a chance to finally play catch up yesterday, I'd have missed like, some really big stories...

But, no.

Is it just me, or did nothing happen this week?

I suppose that's a good thing. I mean, there's been the usual amount of media penile slurpage surrounding the next "hot" team of 2008, and it's #1 Defense. But other than that, what? The Steelers restructuring their ownership? Aaron Smith = AFC Defensive POTW? Keisel MAYBE playing on Sunday? Oh, well I guess there's also the whole spitgate thing with that insignificant Ravens Special Teamer. But I'm just saying, to me, those aren't exactly the most interesting headlines. Good, for the most part. But not so much things I feel I'd like to dedicate a post to. At least not today.

So what have I got for you this morning, then? I have absolutely no idea. I'm not gonna lie.

I could talk to you about Tennessee. And how if we stop Lendale White and Chris Johnson, it's going to be pretty tough for Kerry Collins to beat us with such notable pass catchers as Bo Scaife. And Alge Crumpler. And Justin Gage. And...Justin McCareins? I don't know, man. That just seems kind of "blah" at this point. We all know what needs to be done Sunday. So why dwell on it. Let's just do it. I'll drink some beers. Domski won't, as usual. And we'll hopefully come out with another BIG win.

The one thing I will say is - I'd really, really, really, really love our Offense to put together a good game on Sunday. I know that's asking a lot against a team with a stout defense like the Titans. But they'll be without their two top guys. So maybe it's doable. Really, I'd just like to see us run the God damned ball a little better. I can't say it enough, balance is key. Gotta keep 'em honest, ya know? If nothing else...like, maybe a 75 yard touchdown run...Master Fly W. Large, I'm looking at you! I mean, I know you've got a sandy crotch right now, and that you're sans fullback, which is further contributing to this prolonged vaginal irritation. But I have faith that you can have a standout game here, somewhere. Why not start with Sunday?

I don't know.

That's all I got.

Any other thoughts feel free to share.

By the way, do you think the Tennessean created "Whack A Steeler" so Albert Haynesworth and Kyle Vandenbosch won't feel left out on Sunday?

Oh yes, and I'd just like to put this out there, but...

News You Might Care About...

The Steelers just re-signed Najeh Davenport.

I guess Willie's vag may be hurt more than he's letting on...

Awesome...

Not.

Where Have All The Big Runs Gone?

"That's the drive that really like -- just keep calling run plays, keep calling run plays...The defense knows we're about to run and they just can't stop it. That's Steeler football to me."

- Willie Parker

Alright, listen. I love Steeler football. I love running the ball. I love controlling the clock. I love ice cream sandwiches. But my question is, will we see any more of Willie's traditionally ridiculous runs with the Fullback position virtually non-existent in Arians' Offense? Willie's still fast. No denying that. But he himself has acknowledged that he prefers running behind a Fullback.

It just makes sense, to me, at least. He's not Jerome Bettis, and the blocks a Fullback would lay out in front of him would create more holes or bigger holes for him to use his quickness and burst through for big gains. Now, I don't have any numbers to support this, much to the chagrin of some of you, no doubt. But it seems logical enough to me.

Willie Parker isn't going to run anyone over, at least not consistently. Nor do I want him to, really. Just look at what's happened between last season and this season - we de-emphasized the Fullback position and Willie broke his leg in Week 15 last season and had already injured his knee by Week 4 this season (not to mention also injuring his shoulder in Week 9). Maybe there's a correlation, maybe there isn't...

I would just rather see him have games like the one he had against New Orleans in 2006 (which Domski and I attended) or the one he had against Cleveland that same year. Of course, I recognize that those could easily have been once (twice?) in a lifetime games, but I have to think that if we had a guy in there paving the way for him (in addition to Kemoeatu), he'd be breaking a lot more big runs - I'm talking about the home runs, the 20+ yarders. This season, his longest run was 32 yards. Last season, it was also 32. In 2006, it was 76. And in 2005, it was 80. I'm just sayin'...

Either way, I doubt Arians has any firm plans to change what he's doing with this Offense anytime soon...and maybe he shouldn't? I don't know. I'm just throwing the thought out there. I'm not saying I want the Steelers to be handing the ball off on every play. But if you've got Willie Parker running like the established home run (pun intended) threat we know that he can be, everything else should follow, including some of Arians' favs (hell, the reverse might even work...uh, well maybe not, but).

Of course, the flipside to all of this is - Steeler football isn't necessarily big runs. It's running the ball effectively enough to control the game. And that Willie has done pretty well under Arians (when he's not hurt, that is). But come on, who doesn't want to see Willie busting another 75 yarder for a score? I know I do.

Am I crazy or does this make some sense?

See, I told y'all I'd make it up to you this afternoon.

Taking Inventory...

Night terrors, here I come...

Ok, so here's the state of the Steelers affairs, as I currently understand it...

Tomlin is only "hopeful" that Ben can PRACTICE this week.

Willie Parker, despite reports of a torn labrum, will hopefully be back in practice tomorrow and in the lineup on Sunday.

The Steelers signed Fernando Bryant to the active roster and Ryan Mundy to the practice squad. Which, as Domski pointed out earlier, is particularly apropos because it appears Deshea Townsend will not play Sunday and McFadden's still out with the forearm injury.

It also "appears" that Heath Miller's going to miss Sunday's game, but The Wood should be back.

And as if the eight interceptions in the last three games aren't embarrassing enough, Steely McBeam is still in existence (see above).

The Steelers are 6-3. So are the Ravens.

So as I'll paraphrase from Matt this morning - Playoffs? Are we talking about playoffs?

Personally, I think the Steelers will be fine. I'm certainly not pleased with the Offensive inconsistency and predictability. But when it comes right down to it, I have faith in Tomlin, Big Ben, Hines and the rest of the squad to go strong down the stretch run even with all of the injuries.

Besides, the Defense is playing out of its mind. It sucks that neither Deshea (likely) nor McFadden will be playing on Sunday. But Willie Gay has been filling in nicely and at least we've got a veteran backup there behind him (in Fernando Bryant) as well as Special Teamer Anthony Madison.

So at this point, I'm cautiously confident.

That said, I'd love to know what you all think about how the rest of this season will play out for us...?

[Unnamed] Steelers Pregame Show - Week 9...

Ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girls. Children of all ages. In the immortal words of a wise man some asshole from Dallas - Get your popcorn ready! Here it is in all it's glory...The [Unnamed] Steelers Pregame Show - Episode 8.

It's a little longer this week, because for some unknown reason we tried to get serious and keep our A.D.D. to a minimum. But we think it's better, nonetheless. This week we covered - Willie Parker's life, Sansmokio's Excellent Adventure, Aaron Smith's beastliness, Anthony Smith's bitchiness, and of course, pulled Predictions completely out of our respective asses.

And as for the Outtake Reel, well, that's pretty much business as usual. This also appears to be a hair longer than normal, but that's because we interspersed clips of us playing 007 for N64. So keep your eyes peeled for that. Oh, and if anyone knows what the name of Uncle Joey's puppet was on Full House, please let us know.

We sincerely hope you enjoy!


Bonus footage - here's us discussing the current state of the NHL...


One more time at PSaMP for good measure?

Pop Quiz...

Should the Steelers let Willie Parker play on Sunday?

Jeff Reed Is A Golden God...

I'm not going to lie to you, Saturday night was kind of a stressful experience. Sure, we won. And yes, it's only preseason. But we had four chances to get six and each time we had to settle for three. If we have any hopes of beating the likes of New England, San Diego, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Dallas, and umm, pretty much any of the other teams we play this season, we'd better figure out how to put the ball in the end zone. Quick.

Nevertheless, Jeff Reed came to play. And he just may have gotten the best workout of the day. Four field goals, hitting from 35, 37, 43 and 47, the last of which being the longest, and coming with just four seconds left on the clock. So I think what I'm saying is, game ball goes to Jeff Reed. He may be quirky, outlandish, and perhaps a little out of his mind. But he's also a damn good kicker and looking to be rock solid gold going into the regular season.

Anyways, big thanks again to Tobiathan, who ripped some nasty live blogging in the comments of Saturdays gameday discussion post. I greatly appreciate him doing it. Especially because for the second straight week, the game was blacked out in NYC. Well played, Steelbiathan.

So let's now take a look at the good, the bad, and the Browns. Err...I think what I meant there was, "the ugly." But using the Browns to illustrate that point was probably pretty obvious to you then, wasn't it?

The GOOD

1. The Defense
Pressure, check! Coverage, check! Turnovers, check! Of course, they weren't flawless. But I don't really ever expect them to be. Still, despite allowing Adrian Peterson to get six on a one yard run, they held last year's Rookie standout to just 21 yards on 12 carries, amassed three out of the team's four total sacks, and Face Me Ike stepped in front of a Gus Frerotte pass for an unexpected, yet completely welcomed, interception. In other news, that may have been the most commas ever used in one sentence...

2. Willie Reid
I'm still not sure I'd rather have him on the active roster than Dallas Baker. But he definitely helped his cause Saturday night in the receiving category. 5 catches for 55 yards, including a 22 yarder. Nothing to shake a stick at. Plus, we're talking about four catches of Lord Byron's bullets (one from Big Ben). That dude throws the ball around like it's a shotput. So I'm not going to pretend like he's Hines Ward or something. But it's nice to know that Reid can perform when he knows he's on the bubble...

3. That Photoshop on the Gameday Post
I'm not one to go around touting my work as creative genius. But that image was definitely one of the cooler things I've ever done. Like, in my life. Way cooler than the time I did multiple beer bongs and jello shots and ate penne vodka with my bare hands. Which was, Saturday night...

Moving on...

The BAD

1. FWP aka Master Fly W. Large
Granted, Minnesota is definitely one of the toughest run Defenses in the league. But 18 yards on 10 carries is pretty terrible. That's an average of 1.8 yards per carry. And four of the 10 carries were for no gain or negative gain. Ouch. Nevertheless, I can't say this will have any more than a temporary impact on my opinion of the Fast one. I'd like to chalk it up to not wanting to do anything to get himself hurt. At least that'll help me sleep better at night...

2. Big Ben
A 67 passer rating? I can only think this was Ben channeling his inner Rex Grossman. Completing only 10 of 17 (59%) for just 65 yards, he threw behind the receivers and danced around the pocket like an excitable high school senior hopped up on Robitussin and Caffeine pills at the prom. Of course, the line wasn't exactly helping at all times (see below). But it definitely looked like there were a number of miscues that amounted to our own personal Super Hero's underwhelming performance. I'll probably give it another week before I call for his head, though...

3. The Offensive Line
I'd try to do something funny here. But there was nothing funny about the Offensive Line's performance on Saturday. They clearly weren't getting any push, as evidenced by FWP's stat line, and on some plays, they looked like they were tackling dummies. And if anyone knows why Willie Colon is still starting over Max Starks, please share. In case you missed it, Señor Colon was responsible for one pretty bad sack on Big Ben in which he allowed Ray Edwards to go pretty much untouched. Certainly can't crucify him for one sack, but I mean...yeah...

The UGLY

1. Wreckingball's Concrete Hands
If you're Rashard Mendenhall, there's one thing you can't do. And that's cough up the football. You've been brought in to run between the tackles and get those tough yards that a smaller, quicker back (read: FWP) can't get. It's pretty tough to do that if you can't keep the ball in your hands. That said, one exhibition game does not a season make. And I'm certainly not expecting this trend to continue. Plus, he did gain 79 yards on 15 carries. So overall, I'm still encouraged by the young blood.

2. The NFL
Honestly, if you're going to make us play these preseason games, the least you could do is make sure people can see them. This was the second straight week that I found the game blacked out in the NYC region. Of course, had I been a couple of hours further South in Jersey, I'd have been able to see it. But oh no, not in Hoboken. Not when both NY teams were playing each other. And that's understandable. But couldn't you make it a little easier for those of us who live in the biggest TV market in the country to choose which game we want to watch? Help a brotha out!

3. This Beer Bonging
Lest you assume no one was drinking this weekend, let this video of Tecmo and I bonging beers serve as evidence to the contrary...


All this said, if you're concerned about our shortcomings this weekend, just gander at how our AFC North Rivals fared...

Browns

It's ok, Sean Rogers changes everything...

Bengals

Defense is overrated anyhow...

Ravens

"Viral illness," sounds like a case of not-wanting-to-play-preseason-itis...

And finally, can we get a moment of silence for the impending death of the Browns poopy-pants? It seems their days are marked...


Ok, your turn. What did you guys think? What encouraged you? What discouraged you? And did you see those Vikings cheerleaders? [Insert witty remark here]

PS - Apologies for the excessively long post. What can I say? I love the Steelers...

GAME RECAPS:
Gigs' Live Blog [Blog 'N' Gold]
Reed the Only Kick in Offense [Post-Gazette]
Reed, Steelers "D" Boot Vikings [Trib]
Vikings 'D' Shines in Last Second Loss to Steelers [Associated Press]
Steelers Pull Out Victory Over Vikings, 12-10 [KDKA]
Steelers vs. Vikings Box Score [ESPN]

The Many Faces of Willie Parker...

Just kidding. Sort of. Willie Parker is Willie Parker, for all intents and purposes. But everyone seems to love Clinton Portis' playful alter egos. So I got to thinking - what if Willie Parker dreamed up some creative aliases of his own? Well, I've gone ahead and done the legwork for him. And you all.

The results are below.

Read on and don't forget to vote on the poll to your left for whichever strikes your fancy.

And now, I introduce you to...

#1 ~ Master Fly W. Large

This is an easy one. Obviously FWP would have an alter pimp personality. At first, I thought maybe he could just call this one FWPimp. But then I thought - that's not nearly fitting enough. What would CP do? And then I discovered the Pimp Handle Generator, which gave me - "Master Fly W. Large." Thank God Al Gore for the internets.

#2 ~ Admiral Franklin W. Pennington

Commander of the Allegheny. Mighty Captain of the Monongahela. Expert navigator of the Ohio. Admiral Pennington puts the motion in the...well, river. But he does it in style. See that hat he's got there. Fierce! Nobody weathers a storm like the Admiral (as he's called for short). He'll man the steering wheel, raise the mast and swab the deck all at the same time. Take 'em to the brig, private Mendenhall!

#3 ~ Barack Obama

Not really. Just wanted to keep you on your toes.

#4 ~ The Anklebreaker

Three-time NFLWF World Champion and amateur hair model. You've heard of The Undertaker. This is his darker counterpart, The Anklebreaker. Standing an intimidating 6'7," The Anklebreaker is a force to be reckoned with. His finishing move is the "Double Juke" and it leaves opponents with two broken ankles and a severely bruised ego. The Anklebreaker doesn't mess around. You come in his path, he's going to take you down to Chinatown. Or perhaps in this case, the Strip District.

#5 ~ Johnny Smoothlove, The 3rd

One part Bob Barker, one part Jude Law, and all charm. Smoothlove comes from a long line of womanizers and has reportedly slept with a solid 700 ladies, at last count. He makes his home in a houseboat docked in Malibu, CA and has similar outfits in London, Rome and Paris. Fathers hide your daughters, here comes Johnny Smoothlove, the 3rd.

What was all that? ... No idea. Terrible. Really, awful. This party sucks, I'm out.

[Insert Witty "Mile High" Remark Here]

Bye week, secured! Next up, the Denver Broncos at Invesco Field for a little Sunday primetime action. So in anticipation, OFTOT proudly brings you "5 Good Reasons Why The Steelers Could Beat The Broncos," which in the interest of tempering enthusiasm and not getting ahead of ourselves, will be followed promptly by "5 Good Reasons Why The Broncos Could Beat The Steelers." So without further ado...enjoy the following 5 Good Reasons Why The Steelers Could Beat The Broncos...because thinking about a win is just significantly more fun.

Now let's just get this out of the way up front -- if you're into rankings and what not, consider this: the Broncos are 28th out of 32 in points scored, and 23rd out of 32 in points allowed. But that aside, because those don't automatically translate into a win, why could the Steelers beat the Broncos? I'm glad you asked.

1. The Broncos 2 wins ~ If you can recall their 2 victories this season, they were -- beating the Buffalo Bills (1-4) on a last second field goal, and an overtime win against the Oakland Raiders (2-3). When the Broncos faced the Bills Week 1 in Buffalo, before the Travis Henry reefer scandal (which unfortunately does not help us), they just barely eked out a 15-14 win on an unprecedented 42-yard Jason Elam field goal. Sure Elam had missed 2 others on the day, which would've made the score a little more favorable, but it is what it is - always a chance he could miss 2 more in any game. As for the Oakland game, the Broncos gave up 200 yards on the ground and despite pulling down 3 picks and Jay Cutler passing for 269 yards, still had to win the game in overtime. And this was a long standing Division rivalry game!! Rather unimpressive if you ask me.


2. Jay Cutler ~ Jay Cutler's 2007 stat line - 4 TDs / 6 INTs. Yes, more numbers for you. But these actually DO mean something [in theory]. Anytime you have an uneven TD to INT ratio, it's bad. By these numbers, basically for every TD he throws, he throws 1.5 INTs, not to mention he has thrown on average at least 1 pick per game (hard to talk avgs through only 6 weeks but what are you gonna do...). Again, rather unimpressive if you ask me. Note: This is particularly important when you think about how stingy the Steelers D has been in giving up yards on the ground, which could very well force them to take to the air. 'Course we'll come back to that when I write the companion post on why the Broncos could beat the Steelers.


3. Broncos Run D ~ The Broncos are ranked 31 out of 32 in rushing yards allowed. Conversely, Fast William Parker is top dog (er...#6) in rushing yards. The Broncos give up an average of 5+ yards per rushing attempt, and when you consider the sheer probability of Willie breaking a big one when given the ball 25+ times, this bodes pretty well. Plus, if we're tearing through the Broncos, Tomlin may see fit to give Najeh a few more looks, which could just further wear down the Denver front 7 and keep Time of Possession in our favor.


4. The last time Pittsburgh traveled to Denver ~ January 2006 for the AFC Championship game, where we steamrolled the Broncos 34-17. Sure, we were on an emotional high after beating the Colts in dramatic fashion the week prior, but we won a big game there against what I think most would argue was a better Broncos team [than the one we face this Sunday], at least Defensively (Jake Plummer vs. Jay Cutler = debatable). Yes, the Broncos came in to the 'Burgh last season and beat us 31-20, but we committed 6 turnovers in that game. Count 'em, 6! Note: this included including 3 Big Ben INTs...


5. Big Ben ~ piggybacking off that last thought - Big Ben last year through 6 games (the first 6 he played that is): 6 TDs / 11 INTs (an avg. of just about 1 TD and 2 INTs per game...). Big Ben this year: 9 TDs / 3INTs. (an avg. of about 1.5 TDs and .5 INTs per game...) What a difference a year and a new look Coaching Staff makes. Of course, this does not mean Ben will come out and pick apart the Broncos. Any team with Champ Bailey on one side, Dre Bly on the other and John Lynch at Safety makes me just a tad bit nervous...ok, really nervous...but should we continue our offensive production at pace, just maybe my fears will be allayed.

So there you have it. 5 GOOD reasons why the Steelers very well COULD beat the Broncos on Sunday. But every Sunday is different, and on any given weekend, any team can beat you. Especially a team like the Broncos. Hence, I urge you to stay tuned for the follow up, "5 Reasons Why The Broncos Could Beat the Steelers." Till then, talk amongst yourselves...or comment here. That'd be nice for a change. Have I mentioned I like getting and responding to comments? Well I do...so leave 'em.

Denver Stats [ESPN]
More Denver Stats [Pro-Football-Reference]
Steelers return to tough stretch that doesn't look so difficult [Tribune-Review]
Next two opponents play to Steelers' strength [Post-Gazette]

Raise Your Hand If You Think The Steelers Are For Real...

Well Steeler fans, much to our delight, the Steelers made quick work of the Seattle Seahawks today in what some (including me) billed as a rematch of Super Bowl XL. Some rematch. In case you didn't see it or hear about it, and frankly I don't even think that's possible, let me just throw this out there - 144 total yards, 38 rushing, 106 passing - that was the stat line for the Seahawks Offense today. Leading me to my first point: The Steelers Defense will kick your ass.

Shaun Alexander - 25 yards
Matt Hasslebeck - 13/27 116 yards, 0 TDs, 1 int

Contrast that with their performances from last week:

Shaun Alexander - 78 yards
Matt Hasslebeck - 23/31 288 yards, 2 TDs, 1 int

Plus, check this -
Time of Posession: Steelers - 40:45 | Seahawks - 19:15

That's just sick.

I'd say we did our job. Once again, the Steelers showed that we are for real. The loss to Arizona seems like an anomaly. Whether that is true or not, we shall see in time. For now, it just feels good to go into the bye week 4-1, firmly atop the division and among the top teams in the AFC.

With that, let the notes begin:

NEGATIVES
(yes I'm starting with negatives because positives are somewhat obvious)

• Ike Taylor -- you gotta work on those hands brother. Yes, the bottom line is you made the pick we really needed you to make. But when you get your hands on the ball like you did twice before that, you have to bring those picks down. If there really are things we still need to work on, I'd say this is one.


• Allen Rossum -- please do not fumble the football on kick returns, thanks. We brought you here to actually field kicks rather than drop them. 2 fumbles is not what I'd call effective. If we wanted drops we'd put Willie Reid back there. Still, I know this is not a continual problem. So I'm not worried. Just try and do better in Week 7, huh?


• Whole Team -- penalties are unacceptable. When you're grossly controlling the game like we did today, you can get away with a few gaffes here and there. But that holding call on Willie's run in the 3rd Quarter (was it?), was killer. No penalty and that's a great play. Course, if there's no holding Willie probably wouldn't have been able to gain as much ground as he did, but I'm not going to split hairs. The message is pretty clear. 6 penalties, 64 yards. We can do better.

POSITIVES

• Najeh "Deuce" Davenport -- you touchdown vulture, you. Maybe you should get into a domestic dispute with the mother of your child every week, because if it means the kind of day you had today, A-ok by me. Rushing Stats = 5 rushes, 58 yards and 2 TDs. Receiving Stats = 4 catches, 38 yards. You truly are a beast of a man. I'm speechless. Keep up the good work.


• Receivers -- even without Hines Ward AND Santonio Holmes, we were able to throw the ball really well. Cedric Wilson got into the game, netting 5 catches for 69 yards, a big improvement on that giant goose egg from last week. Plus, Heath Miller added 4 catches for 44 yards and a score, Nate Washington found his hands this week, grabbing 3 balls for 26 yards, and even noob Willie Reid got himself a 25 yard grab. Bravo gentlemen. That's the kind of support we needed for Ben without our starting wideouts.


• Big Ben -- what can I say Benny boy? We love you. 18/22 for 206 yards, 1 TD, 1 short "run" for a 1st down and ZERO interceptions. You looked great today. Making your reads, being patient in the pocket and finding the open man. Excellent. But what I loved most was your answer to the bullshit post game question - "Everyone is talking about the Patriots and the Colts, should they be talking about the Steelers?" You replied coyly, "The Patriots and Colts are both good teams. You should be talking about them." A+ answer. We haven't won the Super Bowl yet. It's a week by week effort and I think we all almost hope the media keeps their damning mits off of the feel-good Steelers story until we've really earned it. Let's continue to execute each week, you can talk about us later. Keep up the good work Ben.


• Fast William Parker -- don't worry about Najeh getting those goal line looks. You set those up. 28 carries for 102 yards. You did good. Keep showing 'em each week why you're a star. Ain't much more to say than that...


• James Farrior -- last but not least, every time I turned around, you were in the backfield chasing after Hasslebeck. Even at 32, you have not seemed to have lost a step. 2 sacks today, 4 on the season. 3 solo tackles and 2 assisted tackles. Keep bringing the ruckus, and show those rooks what it means to play Linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Two thumbs up.

In closing, I just want to say one thing - 47 points allowed all season, an average of less than 10 points a game. The last time we had numbers like that was 1978, when we allowed 51 total points. Also, gotta note that in 1975, we allowed only 48 total points. What do both those years have in common? Super Bowls. Does that mean we're headed for a Championship? I'm not prepared to go that far. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that we can get our guys healthy again for Week 7 against the Denver Broncos...wow, a week off...what the hell am I going to write about? I'll figure it out...hope you all enjoyed today's game. Here we go Steelers, Here we go!!

Game Recaps (as of "press time"):
[ESPN]
[Post-Gazette]
[MSN Video of Big Ben Post-Game]
[Steel City Insider]
[CBSSportsline]

Attention Cleveland -- Thanks for Making My Job Easy...

I mean, a 34-7 victory in which Big Ben threw 4 TD passes? That just about says it all! But let's talk about what was really telling - 0 interceptions. Ben just about exceeded all expectations yesterday, and while it was Cleveland, which may or may not be a true test of how efficient the Steelers offense will be, this is very promising for the rest of 2007.

But it wasn't just Ben. Willie Parker pitched in to the tune of 27 carries (!) for 109 yards, the Defense came up with 3 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions, 6 sacks and limited Jamal Lewis to just 37 yards(though it's kind of tough to run the ball when you're behind by like 21 points...), and Allen Rossum held onto each of the kicks he fielded (sad as it is...Upgrade).

Here's some other things I liked:

• The 1st quarter, 40 yard Ben to Santonio hook up, capitalizing on a Browns turnover
• Ben did not appear to force the ball at any point(though he did hold it a bit long at times)
• Najeh Davenport - 8 rushes for 43 yards, a 5.4 yard per rush average (and 1 catch for 17 yards)
• Rookie [monster] TE Matt Spaeth's 1st Career NFL TD...now I kind of feel bad shitting on this pick...
• Heath Miller Touchdown!
• Ike Taylor picks up his 1st career sack (can this be true??) and adds an interception. Questions answered?
• Sepulveda continued to shine...pinning the Browns deep on a couple of different occasions. I think he can do better than his 37.2 average, but these things tend to happen when you don't have to punt often and punt on a short field, word.
• Jeff Reed appeared to be sober for the entire game...APPEARED to be...

And that's all well and good, but my STAT OF THE GAME was:

Braylon Edwards was credited with 3 tackles, one more than LB Kamerion Wimbley...hahahaha

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

So yeah, one could not script an opener better than that which the Steelers enjoyed yesterday. Let's hope this momentum continues and we have even close to the game we had yesterday against the Bills this coming Sunday. The Bills are coming off a last second loss to Denver, which I'll admit surprised me. I figured the Bills would be pushovers after the departures on Defense and Willis McGahee (though of course now they have Marshawn Lynch). But it doesn't look that way. The good news is it seems like Tomlin isn't taking anyone or anything for granted. So he will likely have the team heads down all week so that this Sunday ends up looking a lot like last Sunday (maybe with 0 turnovers and 0 dropped passes this time)!

Anyone else have any thoughts? Likes? Dislikes? Does Hines Ward like Heinz ketchup?

Cheers to a great 1-0 start!!

- Cotter

These Are NOT Your Father's Pittsburgh Steelers...

The theme of the day is acceptance. Acceptance and embrace of the NEW Pittsburgh Steeler offense. Not that it's all that new. Most of us remember a similar foray in 2003, with a man once known as Tommy Gun running the show. But as Steel City Insider Adam Gretz notes, do not make the mistake of thinking that this year's Steelers are anything like the 2003 Steelers. Tommy Maddox is no Ben Roethlisberger. Amos Zeroue is no Willie Parker. Plus, now we're working with Tight End Heath Miller, and most importantly Wideouts Santonio Holmes, Cedrick Wilson, Nate Washington, and Willie Reid (also of course Hines). So no, this offense is nothing like that offense. We should be ready for this change. We saw how the Steelers shocked everyone by throwing the ball during the 2005 playoffs en route to a Super Bowl victory. Our personnel is only better now, with Willie becoming an established back and the additions of burners Santonio Holmes and Willie Reid. The future is bright for the Steeler offense under Bruce Arians.

And also, don't kid yourself in thinking we aren't going to run the ball (not that any of you are necessarily). The Steelers will always run the football. It's ball control, a big part of winning games. But with an offense that threatens the long pass at any moment, things can really open up for the running game, especially with Willie Parker coming out of the backfield. If you think 213 yards in one game is where he stops you're deluded. It's not out of the question that Willie could break his own record this year if the circumstances are right. Plus, with Carey Davis or Gary Russell, we have our traditional between the tackles back. Sure, we're hoping Najeh will be able to be successful at this too. But I'm just being realistic with my expectations. Najeh hasn't shown us that he is much of a threat, and I personally would love to see Davis or Russell take over the 2nd back duties at some point this season.

So as you watch the game this evening (that is if you're lucky enough to be in the 'Burgh and not have it blacked out) try and wrap your head around how great the Steelers can be this season with a new approach. It may be hard to digest since the Steelers have pretty consistently played the same "pound the rock" game of football for the duration of their 75 year existence. But don't let your love for the past cloud your vision of the future. Does it really matter how the Steelers win so long as we're winning? We'll still get our running game, but we'll also get some fireworks from the passing game. I envision a lot of excitement from Big Ben, Santonio, Ced, Nate, Willie Reid and Fast William Parker. God I love Steeler football. Why can't it be September 9 tomorrow?

Throw One More Up for Fast Willie...

Parker, Fast Willie Parker that is.

The man who arguably led the Steelers offense last year just got another strong vote of confidence** from all around cool guy and Sirius NFL analyst/Fox Sports correspondent Adam Schein - who named him one of his top NINE (interesting number for a "top" whatever list) "most underrated stars".

Schein only briefly discusses each player, so he doesn't really have time to mention the exemplary numbers Parker posted last season. However he does make it a point to call out Steeler fans for continuing to clamor for a traditional "big back" despite the fact that Willie was the most consistently reliable offensive weapon last season - his third(thanks Mike for correction...tough week) season in the league and first in the absence of Jerome Bettis.

Schein's right to call it ridiculous, you know -- I mean I myself, while I love Willie and his ability to break a game wide open, still kind of feel deep down that we need another big back. Not to take over the primary ball carrier role, I think Willie has that more than covered, but someone who on 3rd and short can come in and bust through the line for that much needed yardage. Plus, there are a lot of Steeler fans that would take that one step further to say we need a big back to pound it through on every down with Willie stepping in only occasionally.

Regardless, Willie Parker is definitely underrated by both the general public and many Steeler fans alike (though the latter are dwindling 50 yard TD run by 50 yard TD run). I'm just glad he is getting some well-deserved recognition...now let's hope he builds on last year's success and has another pro bowl campaign in 2008.
And also, has anyone noticed - boy, do...I...love...me... some lists...

**Not to be overlooked - Chris Hope also made this list...

Link - Willie Parker Fan Club

Angry Rant of the Day...

I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and it really irks me to no end that many people - members of the media, bloggers, sports fans in general - have never seemed to give the Steelers much credit for the achievement of winning Super Bowl XL. Either it was because the Seahawks just didn't belong there in the first place, or that Big Ben didn't post up hall of fame numbers, or the game wasn't exciting enough...

Well let me tell you something pendejos - When in recent NFL history has a 6th seeded AFC team gone on the road and won 5 games in a row (if you include the Super Bowl) to capture a championship? That not exciting enough for you??

Some might say this sentiment came about because it was "the Colts year". Well it's been the Colts year for like the last FOUR years, supposedly (no offense Colt's fans). So I don't even want to hear that argument. Frankly, it shouldn't ever be anyone's "year." I believe the saying goes "Any Given Sunday." Rather than be disappointed the Colts couldn't pull it off, why not embrace how hard the Steelers worked and all they had going for them? (PS - I know the media hopped on the bandwagon once the Steelers made it past the Broncos so don't think I'm overlooking that fact)

Maybe I'm being overly sensitive, but it just seemed to me like many people thought the Steelers didn't deserve it.

Anyways, my whole point is, this Super Bowl win should not be overlooked as a fluke. As any doubters will see this coming season, despite the struggles in 2006, the Steelers will be back in the post season in 2007. I am confident that the fluke was 2006, not 2005.

Spotlight on Willie Parker...

Anyone else remember Omar Epps in "The Program"? If so, then you remember Epps played the supremely talented but totally assholish (yet another word I've made up) Darnell Jefferson, a promising young tailback who has one small problem...he fumbles the football too much. So the coach makes him walk around with a football all day while his teammates try and make him fumble...at class, in the gym, etc. Well our Willie Parker has a similar problem, albeit to a much lesser degree and without all the Hollywood drama (but who knows, maybe Willie wants to date Halle Berry too?).

As we all know, if there's one thing that Fast Willie could improve upon it would be his fumbling issues. He's not exactly Ahman Green or Tiki Barber, but anytime you put the ball on the ground you're talkin' trouble. So, for lack of any other glaring weaknesses, it wasn't surprising that Steelers beat writer Jim Wexell focused on this when he sat down with Parker recently. A good read if you have 3 minutes...

Here's my take on all this: Sure, it's a problem. But like most Steelers, Willie Parker is a fiery guy. He works hard and has been training tirelessly in the offseason, to the point of feeling like he's about to vomit, so that he has no excuses when September rolls around. I applaud Willie for his dedication. It's obviously this work ethic that has helped him, as an undrafted free agent, become a pro bowl tailback in a league full of teams that feature two first/second/third rounders sharing carries.

As for how Parker will fare in 2007: I commented on AOL Fanhouse blogger JJ Cooper's post about Willie's "problem" thusly -- as the Steelers spread the field and use four wide, go no huddle or just throw defenses off by being generally unpredicatable, Willie Parker will flourish. If the Steelers are able to establish this type of an offense, we might as well get used to 75 yard Willie Parker touchdown runs, cause I think we'll be seeing a lot more of them than any of us could have expected. Can't wait.

What do you think? Is Willie Parker the guy for the Steelers, despite lacking the prototypical size and running style? Who will be the 2nd and 3rd options behind him? How many runs of 45 yards or more do you think he'll show us next season? You think maybe Ichiro hates Cleveland because he's a Steeler fan?