Steelers Today – A Pittsburgh Steelers blog

I’m probably being overly nostalgic.  But I long for the good old days when Steelers vs. Browns was one of the most important games of the year.  I’m getting sick of meaningless games against the Browns.

Sure, playing the Browns will always be important because division wins help determine playoff position.  And since the Browns are still in the same division as the Steelers, that gives the game meaning.  But it’s not the same meaning that the game once carried.

Pittsburgh and Cleveland are the closest cities geographically in the AFC North.  The two cities are so close, you can drive back and forth between them in just a couple of hours.  Many Pittsburghers have family members in Cleveland, and vice versa.  Pittsburgh and Cleveland are both former rust belt cities that have come roaring back.  They’re natural rivals.  Or at least they should be.  But it’s hard to maintain a rivalry when one of the teams almost never wins the game.  When that happens, “rivalry” is no longer the appropriate word.  “Domination” is.  And in recent history, the Steelers have dominated the Browns.

The Steelers have won 16 of the past 17 meetings with the Browns.  If that’s not domination, then I don’t know what is.

Despite drafting early in almost every draft, the Browns just don’t seem to get any better.  This year, they’re in last place in the AFC North.  Sound familiar?

The Browns do have 2 wins this year.  One of the came against the Cincinnati Bengals (thank you), and the other came against the San Diego Chargers.  They’ve also played close games against the Ravens, Cowboys, Colts, and Eagles.  So they shouldn’t be taken too lightly.

The thing that will probably keep the game interesting isn’t what the Browns do, but what the Steelers don’t do.  For example, the Steelers won’t be starting Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback.  Nor will they be starting backup quarterback Byron Leftwich.  Nope, this week Charlie Batch, the Steelers’ 3rd string quarterback will be getting the start.

The Steelers also won’t be starting Troy Polamalu at safety.  Polamalu continues to suffer from a calf injury which has kept him off the field for most of the season.

The Steelers also won’t have Antonio Brown or Jericho Cotchery at wide receiver.  That’s why the Steelers chose to bring in Plaxico Burress.

And the Steelers won’t have Marcus Gilbert this week at right tackle.  I don’t know if anyone has noticed, but rookie Mike Adams has done a less than stellar job of filling in for Gilbert.  I know that he’s a rookie, and that this playing experience will be good for him in the long term.  But I just hope he doesn’t get Charlie Batch killed as he’s trying to learn how to play the position.

Despite all of the players who are injured, I’m certain the Steelers will find a way to beat the Browns.  But the score may be closer than you expect.

Go Steelers!

Steelers fans had a love hate relationship with former offensive coordinator Bruce Arians for the 5 years that he roamed the Steelers’ sideline.  Arians’ offense generated lots of passing yards for Big Ben, and lot’s of receiving yards for the wide receivers.  But it also seemed to be incapable of scoring from the red zone, and Arians didn’t seem to understand that NFL teams ARE allowed to run to the left.

So Arians retired got fired.  And now it’s Todd Haley’s turn to run the Steelers’ offense.

It’s still very early in Haley’s tenure, but after 2 games, let’s take a look at what we’ve seen so far.

Clock control

The first thing that I notice about Haley’s offense is that it’s capable of eating up the clock.  In the first game against the Denver Broncos, the Steelers held the ball for a full 10 minutes more than the Broncos did.  In the 3rd quarter, Denver only had the ball for 36 seconds.  That’s right, 36 seconds!

In the second game against the Jets, the Steelers held the ball for even longer.  They had the ball for 13 minutes more than the Jets did.  That’s almost a full quarter.

When an offense controls the clock like that, there’s a very high probability that they’re going to win the game.  It also helps to keep the defense fresh, which is obviously a good thing.

Offensive coordinator Todd Haley

Fewer long bombs

Another thing that was noticeable in the preseason, and has continued during the regular season is a noticeable lack of long throws down the field.  Big Ben heaving long bombs waaaaaaaay downfield to Mike Wallace was a staple of Bruce Arians’ offense.  But Todd Haley doesn’t seem to be as fond of the long pass.  In fact, we’ve hardly seen any of them.

Instead, Haley seems to favor the short, quick pass.  Short routes to the wide receivers and tight ends, or dump off passes to the running backs seem to be regular items on Haley’s menu.

With all of these short passes, Roethlisberger may end up throwing 25% more passes than he did in 2011, yet passing for 25% fewer yards.

Questionable running game

The primary thing that Haley was supposed to do was supercharge the running game.  But that hasn’t happened…….yet.  In fact, the running game seems to have taken a step backwards.

There could be many reasons for the futility in the running game.  Injuries on the offensive line, and the lack of Rashard Mendenhall are the obvious suspects.

But regardless of the reason, the current productivity (or lack thereof) in the running game is completely unacceptable.

Against the Broncos, the Steelers gained only 75 yards rushing, and their leading rusher (Jonathan Dwyer) had only 43 yards.  Against the Jets, things got even worse.  The Steelers had only 66 yards on the ground, and their leading rusher (again Jonathan Dwyer) had only 28 yards.

It’s too early for fans to hit the panic button, but the deficiencies in the running game are definitely a cause for a concern.  Todd Haley has to figure out a way for the offense to run the ball consistently.

Despite the problems the team is having running the ball, overall I’m please with Todd Haley’s new offense.  I would like to see more 40 yard passes from Big Ben to Mike Wallace.  After watching those two hook up repeatedly under Bruce Arians, Steelers fans know that Wallace is capable of outrunning just about any cornerback in the NFL.  So why not let him do it?

But other than that one small complaint, I’m content with what I’ve seen so far from Todd Haley.

The Steelers face the Oakland Raiders this week, and hopefully they’ll be able to rush for more than 70 yards.  But even if they don’t, I’m confident that Haley’s offense will be able to eat up the clock and generate a win.

Go Steelers!

In a move that was widely expected, the Pittsburgh Steelers gave their top wide receiver a 5-year contract extension.  What wasn’t expected was that the wide receiver would be Antonio Brown instead of Mike Wallace.

Wallace has been holding out from training camp in hopes of pressuring the Steelers into giving him a new contract.  Unfortunately, history has shown that pressuring the Steelers doesn’t work.  Just ask Franco Harris.

Brown was the Steelers MVP last season, and he was scheduled to become a restricted free agent next year, just like Mike Wallace is this year.  But unlike Wallace, Brown said that he would participate in all team activities when his time comes.  He made it very clear that his approach would be different from Mike Wallace’s tactics.

As a reward for his contribution, the Steelers gave Brown a 5 year contract extension worth $42.5 million.  The contract included an $8.5 million signing bonus.

Steelers WR Antonio Brown

That had to feel like a punch in the gut to Mike Wallace.  But the team made if very clear that they wouldn’t negotiate with him until he reported to training camp.  Yet Wallace stubbornly refused.

Many had assumed that it was Mike Wallace’s agent, Bus Cook, who was telling his client not to report to camp.  But according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, it is Wallace who has been calling the shots.

Perhaps Wallace should let his agent do what he pays him to do.  After all, Wallace’s approach clearly isn’t working.

It would appear that the money that Brown received was originally earmarked for Wallace.   But since he didn’t report to training camp, and didn’t give any sign that he was willing to budge on his demands, the Steelers gave that money to the next player in line for an extension; Antonio Brown.

Frankly, Brown was the better receiver for most of last season.  While Wallace ended the season with more yards, Brown consistently showed himself to be the more versatile receiver.  He ran better routes, got open more consistently, and was more elusive after the catch.

It’s unclear whether the Steelers even have enough salary cap room to extend Wallace, even if he does report to training camp.  He may have to settle for the $2.7 million tender offer that the Steelers offered him.

Hopefully, Wallace will report to camp, sign the tender offer, and play this year like a man who expects to be one of the most sought after free agents next year.  Because it’s looking more and more like this may be the last year that we see Mike Wallace wearing a Steelers uniform.

Fans will get their first look at the 2012 Steelers on Friday at Saint Vincent College.

As training camp begins, here are a few positional battles that fans should be keeping their eyes on.

Keenan Lewis vs. Curtis Brown vs. Cortez Allen

Everyone knows that Ike Taylor will be starting at cornerback for the Steelers this year.  But what’s not certain is who will be starting opposite him.  Keenan Lewis is the most experienced of the trio.  He probably will enter training camp as the leading candidate.  But Coach Mike Tomlin can’t seem to stop raving about how good Cortez Allen is.  He’s touted both his size and athleticism.  But Curtis Brown was a demon on special teams before he got hurt.  That got everybody’s attention.

Personally, I’m not sure of which of these 3 will emerge as the starter.  But I feel very certain that regardless of who wins this battle, he will be an upgrade over William Gay.

Max Starks vs. Mike Adams

Left tackle may be the most important of the offensive line positions.  But it’s also been the most confusing over the off-season.  Initially we were told that Marcus Gilbert would be moving to left tackle.  But then the Steelers drafted Mike Adams, and it was announced that he would likely be the starter at left tackle, and Marcus Gilbert would remain at right tackle.  And then the Steelers signed Max Starks, who was the starter at the position before getting injured.

Starks is slightly taller and heavier than Adams.  And of course, he has actual experience as a starting left tackle in the NFL.  But Adams is younger and probably has quicker feet.  This should definitely prove to be an interesting battle.

LT Max Starks

Chris Rainey vs. Baron Batch

Baron Batch was the star of the 2011 training camp and preseason.  And then he got hurt and was lost for the season.  Chris Rainey was a speed demon with great hands who was a human highlight film in college.  Both will be competing to play the Dexter McCluster role in Todd Haley’s offense.  Both have great hands, and the ability to gain lots of yards after the catch when they receive the ball in space.

But with Rashard Mendenhall, Isaac Redman, Jonathan Dwyer, David Johnson (who the Steelers announced would be moving to fullback), and John Clay, all vying for roster spots, it’s possible that either Rainey or Batch may not even make the final roster.  So this battle will be particularly important.

Stevenson Sylvester vs. Larry Foote

Foote is the veteran who knows the Steelers’ defense like the back of his hands.  After all, he started in it for six years before being leaving as a free agent in 2009 due to the emergence of Lawrence Timmons.  Because of his extensive experience, the Steelers coaches feel comfortable handing James Farrior’s spot to Foote.  In particular, they feel confident that Foote can serve as a defensive captain, and call the defensive formations based on what he’s seeing from the offense.

But Stevenson Sylvester isn’t willing to let Foote have the position without a fight.  Sylvester believes that as a 3rd year player, he’s ready to step into Farrior’s old position.  Sylvester lost weight over the off-season in hopes that it will allow him to play faster than he did last season.  Even before he lost weight, Sylvester was probably faster than Larry Foote.  But the question in coaches’ minds is whether he understands the defense as well as Foote does.

Casey Hampton vs. Alameda Ta’amu vs. Steve McLendon

Casey Hampton was signed for one more year, even though he’s 34 years old and he suffered an injury at the end of last season.  He’ll start out the season on the PUP list.  But even when he’s healthy, does anyone actually believe that he’s still the player that he was 5 or 6 years ago?  I certainly don’t.

The Steelers drafted Alameda Ta’amu to be heir apparent to Hampton’s position.  Ta’amu is even bigger than Hampton.  But Steve McLendon isn’t content to allow this to be a 2-horse race.  McLendon played admirably as a backup last season, even though at 280 lbs. he was under-sized for a nose tackle.  But reports say that McLendon has gained weight and is closer to 320 lbs. now.  Moreover, starting center Maurkice Pouncey says that McLendon is actually the strongest of the 3 potential starters.  That’s high praise coming from a guy who has practiced opposite all three players.

Jonathan Dwyer vs. John Clay

We’ve already talked about Chris Rainey versus Baron Batch.  But that’s not the only running back battle that fans should keep their eyes on.  Jonathan Dwyer and John Clay will also be battling.

Dwyer was drafted as a highly touted player coming out of college, but he hasn’t lived up to expectations so far.  He’s had difficulty learning his assignments, and he has battled weight issues.  Both issues have earned him a place in Mike Tomlin’s doghouse in the past.  But reports indicate that Dwyer is finally maturing as a player.  He apparently worked very hard during the offseason, and reported to training camp in good physical condition.  But Clay isn’t going to go down without a fight.  Clay was signed as an undrafted free agent last year, and he played surprisingly well when given the opportunity at the end of last season.  At 6’1″, 248 lbs, Clay runs like a bowling ball, and should prove to be a capable backup behind Isaac Redman as a power back in the Steelers’ red zone offense.

Regardless of which of these position battles you think will be most interesting, it’s clear that this is going to be a very interesting training camp.

The Steelers arrived at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA yesterday.  That means that training camp is officially underway.  It also means that it’s time for me to end my annual summer hiatus from blogging.

This first installment of the blog for the new season will be dedicated to catching up on all of the things that have happened since the draft.

All draft picks sign contracts

First round pick David DeCastro was the last of the Steelers’ draft picks to sign his contract.  But sign he did.  So now all of the Steelers’ picks are in training camp, and ready to compete for playing time on their new team.

Mike Wallace doesn’t sign

While it’s great to know that all of the rookies will be in camp, it’s discouraging that Mike Wallace still hasn’t signed his $2.7 million tender offer, and is holding out for a long-term deal.  The Steelers have said that they will cease negotiations with Wallace until he reports to training camp.

Unfortunately, Wallace has said that he won’t report to camp until he has a long-term contract.  So it looks like Wallace and the Steelers are at an impasse.  We’ll all be watching closely to see which side will blink first.

WR Mike Wallace

Reports say that Wallace has been working out, and is in good physical condition.  However, the team is implementing a new offense, and Wallace needs to be in camp learning the new offense.  This is likely to be the biggest drama during training camp.

Steelers sign Max Starks

Last year Max Starks missed training camp and the first 4 weeks of the season due to injury.  The Steelers finally brought him back when it became obvious that Jonathan Scott was woefully inadequate as a left tackle.

Starks is injured again, but this time the Steelers signed him prior to training camp.  Starks will start training camp on the physically unable to perform (P.U.P.) list.

Steelers release Jonathan Scott

One day after signing Max Starks, the Steelers released Jonathan Scott.  Yay!!!!!!!!

For those who are Jonathan Scott fans (all 3 of you), Scott signed a contract with the Detroit Lions.  So no need to worry about his future.

Mike Tomlin gets contract extension

The Steelers announced that head coach Mike Tomlin has received a contract extension that will take him through the 2016 season.

Most fans understand that head coaches for the Steelers usually have very long tenures, so nobody should have been surprised by this move.  After all, Tomlin has led his team to 2 Super Bowl appearances in his first 5 years with the Steelers.  That’s the same number of Super Bowls as Bill Cowher led the team to in his 15 years as Steelers’ head coach.

Offensive line changes

Marcus Gilbert was announced as the new starting left tackle for the Steelers.  Then he wasn’t.  Rookie Mike Adams would instead be the starter.  Then the team signed Max Starks.  Now nobody knows who will start at left tackle this season.

Willie Colon was going to return to his position at right tackle.  Then he wasn’t.  The Steelers announced that Colon would be moving to left guard (I’ve been saying that Colon should be playing guard for years now, so I’m glad the Steelers finally listened to me).

David DeCastro was going to be the next Alan Faneca and line up at left guard.  Then he wasn’t.  The Steelers announced that they’d keep DeCastro at the position that he played in college; right guard.

It’s obvious that the Steelers offensive line is a work in progress.  Nobody will know who the starting line-up will be until the Steelers break training camp.  And even though his name isn’t being mentioned very much right now, don’t be surprised if Ramon Foster is a starter before the season ends.  The team always counts him out during training camp, and he always seems to win a starting job by mid-season.