Steelers Today – A Pittsburgh Steelers blog

If you haven’t done so already, please see our Steelers vs Cowboys Recap.  And if you didn’t read our pre-game articles, please see our Steelers-Cowboys Preview and our Key Match-ups.  Lastly, we also wrote an article about Cowboys’ rookie running back Tashard Choice.

Here is this week’s haiku competition.

Well, the steelers’ pull out an amazing victory.  They almost gave me an ulcer in the process, but ultimately, the black and gold got the win.

To commemorate their 20-13 win over Dallas, here is this week’s commemorative haiku.  Remember, a haiku is a japanese poem that has 3 lines.  The first line has 5 syllables.  The second line has 7 syllables.  And the last line has 5 syllables.

Frigid conditions
Offense struggles once again
Townsend wins the game

Alright Steeler Nation, your turn.  Can you top my haiku?  This weeks winner will be featured on the main page late in the week.  Good luck.

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Before reading this article, you may want to read our Steelers-Cowboys Preview and our Steelers-Cowboys Key Match-ups.  Also, please read about the Steeler-Cowboys Historical Rivalry.

If you were an NFL rookie running back, and were given a choice of teams to make your first NFL start against, which team would you choose?  The Detroit Lions?  That would probably be a good choice.  The Lions porous defense yields 176.9 rushing yards per game.  Yeah, that might be a good debut.  Or how about the Oakland Raiders?  You’d probably rack up a lot of rushing yards, and your team is almost guaranteed to leave with a win.  Maybe you’d choose the Kansas City Chiefs.  They surrender 163.7 rushing yards per game, and you’d probably get the opportunity to outshine Larry Johnson.  Not a bad first start.

Now, if given the opposite choice, and asked which team you WOULDN’T want to make your first NFL start against, which team would it be.  I think that every rookie running back would make the same choice.  The unanimous pick; the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

The Steelers are the #1 defense in the NFL.  They are the #1 scoring defense.  #1 against the pass.  #1 against the run.  They lead the league in sacks.  They have the NFL’s leader in interceptions roaming their secondary.  Going against them is about as much fun as sticking your hand in a meat grinder.  Or cutting your tongue out with a pair of scissors.  Or repeatedly stabbing yourself in the eye with a knitting needle.  Or castrating yourself with a dull steak knife.  Or slicing your throat and watching the beautiful red spray splash happily on the wall.  REDRUM!!!!  Ooop, sorry about that.  I forgot to take my medication today, but I’m back now. 

Anyway, as I was saying, facing the Steelers’ defense wouldn’t be fun.  Just ask LaDainian Tomlinson.  The Steelers held him to 57 yards rushing.  Or ask Joseph Addai.  The Steelers held him to 34 yards rushing.  How about Clinton Portis?  51 yards.  Brandon Jacobs?  47 yards.  Willis McGahee?  42 yards.  Fred Taylor?  19 yards.  Starting to get the picture?

The Steelers’ defense hasn’t let a running back rush for 100 yards since dinosaurs roamed the earth.  So a rookie running back making his NFL debut against the Steelers should expect to rush for 12 yards?  13?  Maybe 20 if he’s lucky?

Well, that is exactly the unfortunate situation that Cowboys’ rookie running back Tashard Choice finds himself in.  The Cowboys have made it official that running back Marion Barber will not make the trip to Pittsburgh.  Backup RB Felix Jones is on the injured reserve list.  So starting duties fall to backup backup (you know, the backup’s backup) Tashard Choice.

Rookie RB Tashard Choice

Tashard Choice is a 5’10″ rookie RB from Georgia Tech.  He only weighs 208 lbs., but he is a powerful runner.  He’s averaging 4.9 yards per carry.  That’s an impressive number, even for a veteran RB.  His best game came against the Seattle Seahawks, where he gained 57 yards.  Of course, the Seahawks’ defense doesn’t instill fear into anyone.  Against the New York Giants, Choice gained 27 yards.  Yeah, that’s probably the neighborhood he should expect to be in against the Steelers.

All signs indicate that Tashard Choice is a promising young running back.  The Cowboys have high hopes for him.  Unfortunately, he has to make his first NFL start against the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Where are the dull steak knives when you need them?

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Before reading this week’s key match-ups, please read my Steelers-Cowboys Preview. Also, you may want to read our reports on the Steelers and Cowboys historical rivalry by clicking here.

Each week I look at the key match-ups that will most likely impact the outcome of the game. Here are this week’s key match-ups.

Steelers’ linebackers James Harrison vs. Cowboys LT Flozell Adams

Last week, James Harrison faced off against the Patriots’ Pro Bowl left tackle Matt Light. After 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and more hurries than Matt Cassel cares to remember, Harrison proved that he can more than hold his own against a Pro Bowl caliber left tackle.

This week, Silverback gets to give a repeat performance against another Pro Bowl left tackle. This time, it’s the Cowboys’ Flozell Adams. Adams presents a different challenge than Light. Light was a 6’4″ 305 lb. left tackle. He combines strength with reasonable speed. Adams, on the other hand, is more of a behemoth. He’s 6’7″ and 340 lbs. Think Orlando Pace, only heavier. In fact, a better comparison is the Steelers’ own Max Starks. Starks is 6’8″ and 345 lbs.

Since Adams dwarfs Harrison by 7 inches and 100 lbs., it is not likely that Harrison is going to be able to beat him by simply bull rushing him. Fortunately, Harrison has two key advantages that should serve him well. When blocking, leverage is everything, and Harrison’s shorter stature will actually provide him with a leverage advantage over Adams. More importantly, Harrison is significantly faster than Adams. In this situation, Harrison’s speed advantage is more important than Adams’ size advantage. Do you remember how Silverback used to destroy Max Starks in training camp? That’s pretty much what we should see this weekend. Advantage: Steelers.

Steelers’ LT Max Starks vs. Cowboys’ LB DeMarcus Ware

Like Flozell Adams, Max Starks is a massive LT whose greatest advantage is his size. There just aren’t many players who are as big as Starks. Unfortunately, the best way to neutralize humongous size is with superhuman speed. When you look up superhuman speed in the dictionary, there is a picture of DeMarcus Ware. Oh &%$*@$*!!!!!! Advantage: Cowboys.

Steelers’ CB Ike Taylor vs Cowboys’ WR Terrell Owens.

Ike Usually lines up on the opposite side of the field as T.O. does. However, since Owens is Dallas’ greatest weapon, Coach Tomlin will probably have Ike shadow T.O. wherever he goes.

Ike Taylor is one of the best cover corners in the NFL. He has the size and speed to match up with T.O. It will be an excellent test for Ike, but I believe he’s up to the task. The condition of Heinz Field should definitely work to Ike’s advantage. The field should be sloppy, and that should slow Owens down. Moreover, Ike knows Heinz Field, T.O. doesn’t.

If Ike is able to keep T.O. in check for the first half, T.O. should revert to the spoiled child that we all know him to be. He’ll start yelling at Tony Romo and basically self-destruct (dragging the Cowboys down with him). Advantage: Draw.

Steelers’ safety Troy Polamalu vs. Cowboys tight end Jason Witten

Witten is actually Tony Romo’s favorite receiver. He has even more receptions than Terrell Owens. Witten is a Pro Bowl tight end, and he is very effective. However, Troy Polamalu is……..well, Troy Polamalu. There are few players in the league who are as disruptive as Troy. There is a reason that he leads the NFL in interceptions. Advantage: Steelers.

WR’s Santontio Holmes & Hines Ward vs. Cowboys’ secondary

The Cowboys’ secondary is rather weak. There’s no other way to put it. Terence Newman was once one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, but he’s battled injuries all year. Adam “PacMan” Jones was just reinstated, so he’ll definitely be rusty. The Cowboys only have 6 interceptions this season. That’s the same number that Troy Polamalu has by himself. If the offensive line give Ben Roethlisberger a little time, he should be able to pick this secondary apart. Advantage: Steelers.

“Good Ben” vs. “Bad Ben”

This is probably the match-up that is going to have the greatest impact on the game. “Good Ben” is the accurate game manager who doesn’t try to win the game by himself, avoids turnovers, and maintains a high passer rating. Think Ben of 2007.

“Bad Ben” is the Ben that holds onto the ball way too long, takes unnecessary sacks, throws silly interceptions, and is very inaccurate in his delivery. Think Ben of 2006.

This year has been a mixed bag for Big Ben. We’ve seen both “Good Ben” and “Bad Ben”. Unfortunately, we’ve probably seen “Bad Ben” more often than “Good Ben”. I know that Ben has battled a shoulder injury, but as long as Tomlin chooses to start him, I expect him to be able to perform.

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that every time Nate Washington has 2-3 steps on his defender, Ben under-throws the ball and totally neutralizes Nate’s advantage? Can you even remember one time this year when Ben over-threw the receiver on a long route? Me neither. Ben has just about the same number of interceptions (12) as touchdown passes (13). That’s definitely “Bad Ben”. By comparison, Tony Romo has 21 TD passes and only 8 interceptions this year.

Each week, we’ve basically seen the same thing; the defense dominates, while the offense fails to distinguish itself. So far that’s worked. Afterall, the Steelers are 9-3. But I don’t know if the Steelers can reach their ultimate goal with that formula. This week, just like every week, the most important struggle is going to be an internal struggle; “Good Ben” vs. “Bad Ben”. If “Good Ben” shows up, the Steelers can beat any team in the league. But if “Bad Ben” shows up, then the Cowboys may pull out a win this weekend. Advantage: TBD

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This Sunday, our Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3) face the Dallas Cowboys (8-4) at Heinz Field. These historical rivals haven’t faced one another since 2004. In that game, the Steelers defeated the Cowboys 24-20. Some may remember that that was the game in which Steeler Nation took over the Cowboys’ stadium on national TV. The TV announcers commented throughout the game about how there seemed to be as many Steelers fans on-hand as Cowboys’ fans, and that the Steelers fans were much louder than the Cowboys fans. That has nothing to do with this week’s game, but I love reminding Cowboys’ fans of that embarrassing moment.

To show just how long it’s been since these two teams met, Vinny Testaverde was the Cowboys’ quarterback the last time they played, and Ben Roethlisberger threw a touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress. Wow, Big Ben to Plax. That seems like eons ago.

The two teams that will meet this time have much in common. Both teams feature young franchise quarterbacks who have a reputation for being gunslingers. Both teams feature talented running backs who are battling injuries. And both teams have a linebacker who is among the leagues’ leaders in sacks.

First, let’s take a look at the two quarterbacks. They are both mobile, and both tend to hold onto the ball in order to try to make a play. Sometimes that leads to good results, and sometimes……. That’s why both quarterbacks receive similar criticisms from their fans.

Tony Romo is clearly the more prolific passer of the two. He’s already passed for more yards this season than Big Ben despite having missed three games due to injury. While both quarterbacks are known for their mobility, Romo doesn’t seem to be as susceptible to the sack as Roethlisberger. Romo has only been sacked 8 times this year, compared to 33 sacks for Big Ben. Over the past two seasons, Romo has been sacked 32 times versus 80 sacks for Big Ben (Ouch!).

Tony Romo enters the game with the league’s top passer rating (103.2). However, Philip Rivers, Jason Campbell, and Matt Cassel all learned that a high passer rating is meaningless against the Steelers.

At the running back position, both teams will probably have to rely heavily on backup players. Steelers’ starter Willie Parker and Cowboys’ starter Marion Barber are both battling injuries. Both will probably see action on Sunday, but both will probably be less effective than they’d like. If “Fast Willie” falters, the Steelers will call on Mewelde Moore, who has been quite effective filling in for Parker. If Barber is unable to perform, the Cowboys will call on rookie Felix Jones Tashard Choice. Like Moore, Choice has done a good job filling in when called upon.

We all know that the playing surface at Heinz Field can be brutal in the month of December. The weather forecast is calling for snow, so both teams will probably have to rely heavily on their running games. If you participate in fantasy football, you may want to pick up Mewelde Moore and/or Tashard Choice for this weekend.

On defense, the Cowboys feature linebacker DeMarcus Ware, the NFL sack leader. Ware has 15 sacks so far, and will hope to add to his total against the Steelers’ suspect offensive line, and tackling dummy Ben Roethlisberger.

The Steelers will answer the Cowboys’ Ware with a sack specialist of their own, linebacker James Harrison. Harrison is 3rd in the league in sacks, and would love to close the gap between DeMarcus Ware and himself during Sunday’s game.

The Cowboys are one of the top 10 offenses in the NFL this season. They average 356.4 yards per game. Unfortunately, this week they will be facing the NFL’s #1 ranked defense. The Steelers have not allowed any opponent to gain 300 total yards this season. In fact, they’ve kept every opponent below their season yardage average. The Cowboys should be prepared to meet the same fate.

With potentially sloppy conditions, the Cowboy’s greatest weapon, WR Terrell Owens will probably be slowed down greatly. Moreover, Owens will be facing Steelers’ CB Ike Taylor. Despite having hands of stone, Ike Taylor is one of the best cover cornerbacks in the NFL. He thrives on shutting down big name receivers. Just ask Randy Moss.

Despite having talented weapons in Tony Romo, Marion Barber, Felix Jones, Terrell Owens, and TE Jason Witten, the Cowboys’ offense is no match for the Steelers’ defense. With cold weather, a poor playing surface, and the potential for snow also working against them, the Cowboys will have little chance of beating the Steelers.

The one factor that could change that prediction is Ben Roethlisberger. If “Bad Ben” shows up, then the Cowboys may have a chance of winning the game. “Bad Ben” is Ben Roethlisberger’s evil alter ego. He is the one who throws unnecessary interceptions at costly points during the game. However, if “Good Ben” (the efficient game manager) shows up, then victory is almost assured.

With “Good Ben” running the show, I predict a Steelers’ victory by a score of 24-13.

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This Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys will come to Heinz Field to challenge the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is a game that I always look forward to. Steelers-Cowboys has always been a rivalry that any true fan could appreciate. However, I was shocked back to reality (and reminded of my age) when a young Steelers fan asked me “what’s the big deal about the Steelers-Cowboys?”

After I finished choking on my food, I realized that his question wasn’t as silly as it initially sounded to me. I look at the rivalry from the perspective of an “old head”. To me, Steelers-Cowboys stirs up memories of Bradshaw vs. Staubach. I think of the larger than life Cowboys’ coach Tom Landry roaming the opposing sideline, while Chuck Noll manned ours with equal intensity. I think of Lynn Swann making an amazing catch in Super Bowl X. I think of Ed “Too Tall” Jones and Randy White. I think of Tony Dorsett & Franco Harris. I think about the Steelers’ tough Steel Curtain defense contrasted against Landry’s fancy “flex defense”. The Steelers were “smash mouth”. The Cowboys were high tech.

Even the aura of their towns and fans were different. Dallas had been anointed as America’s team. They had the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, who were just as famous as the Cowboys themselves. They were the rock stars of the NFL. In stark contrast stood the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers didn’t want to be America’s team. They were Pittsburgh’s team, and their players reflected that fact. They were a rough and tumble bunch led by guys like Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, Mel Blount, L.C. Greenwood, and “Mean” Joe Greene. They were the personification of the blue collar town that they called home.

Twice during the 70′s these two teams met in the Super Bowl (Super Bowl X and Super Bowl XIII), and twice the Steelers vanquished their Texas rivals.

Cowboy killer Lynn Swann

During the 90′s, the two historic rivals met again for Super Bowl glory. This time it was January 1996. Super Bowl XXX in Tempe, Arizona. Once again, the hated Cowboys came in as the media darlings. They were led by the much ballyhooed trio of Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, and Emmitt Smith. As with the Cowboys of old, this bunch behaved more like rock stars than football players. Michael Irvin, adorned in his fur coats and jewelry, epitomized the Cowboys. Even in my wildest imagination, I couldn’t create a player who was more of a polar opposite to everything that the Steelers stood for than Michael Irvin. He was brash, and cocky, and full of himself. He talked almost non-stop, and the media ate up his every word. He had constant brushes with the law, something that wouldn’t have been tolerated by Steeler Nation. Despite his obvious talent, Michael Irvin could never have been a Steeler.

Going into Super Bowl XXX, nobody gave the Steelers even the slightest chance of winning. Supposedly, the Cowboys were bigger, stronger, faster, and well…..prettier than the Steelers. This group of Cowboys had already tasted Super Bowl glory twice, and were looking to add their third ring in four years. The prevailing opinion was that the Steelers had no chance against the Texas juggernaut.

Of course, somebody forgot to tell the Steelers how helpless they were supposed to be against the Cowboys. Greg Lloyd, Kevin Green, Bam Morris, Yancy Thigpen, Carnell Lake, and the rest of the steel town boys came into the game with the confidence of David going against Goliath. The supposedly over-matched Steelers brought their hardhats and lunch pails and went to work. They beat the Cowboys in almost every facet of the game.

The Steelers should have won their fifth Super Bowl title, the elusive “one for the thumb”, on that day. The Steelers beat the Cowboys in just about every statistical category. However, He-Whose-Name-Is-Not-To-Be-Spoken had another idea. He threw three interceptions, two of them to an otherwise unknown Cowboys’ cornerback named Larry Brown. Those three interceptions snatched victory from the Steelers’ grasp. Larry Brown was named MVP of that game, but He-Whose-Name-Is-Not-To-Be-Spoken was really the Cowboys’ MVP that day.

The Steelers and Cowboys have met in the Super Bowl more times than any other two teams. In my opinion, That alone qualifies them as eternal rivals.

But enough of my digression down memory lane. The Steelers and Cowboys of today aren’t really rivals. I get that. They rarely play one another. Moreover, how can two teams be considered “rivals” when they don’t even play in the same division? Heck, the Steelers and Cowboys don’t even play in the same conference.

For Steelers fans who are in their early 20′s or younger, the Cowboys are just another team. They probably don’t have many memories of Super Bowl XXX, and they weren’t even born when Super Bowl X and XIII took place. They know the Cowboys more for signing problem players, like Terrell Owens and PacMan Jones, than they do as a rival for the Steelers. From their perspective, the Cowboys probably seem more like an over-hyped team that hasn’t won a playoff game since Bill Clinton’s 1st term as president. My generation will always see these two teams as rivals, but this generation? Not so much.

Going into this season, many were picking Dallas as the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Clearly, Pittsburgh is one of the best teams in the AFC. With quality quarterbacks like Ben Roethlisberger and Tony Romo at the helm, both the Steelers and Cowboys should be quality teams for the foreseeable future. Perhaps they’ll even meet again in a Super Bowl someday. If that happens, then maybe today’s young fans will learn to see Steelers-Cowboys as a great rivalry, just like I do.

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