Steelers Today – A Pittsburgh Steelers blog

Well the Steelers beat the Chargers in another cardiac finish.  So it’s time for this week’s haiku contest.

Each week we hold a haiku contest.  The contest rules are simple.  You must summarize the Steelers-Chargers game in a haiku.  A haiku is  a form of Japanese poetry that contains only 3 lines.  The first line has 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables, and the third line has 5 syllables.  Typically, haiku do not rhyme.

Please note, the emphasis is on syllables, not words.  Remember 5/7/5.

Last week I did not hold a haiku contest.  After 2 consecutive losses, I thought the tone of the entries might be too negative.  But now that the Steelers are back to their winning ways, we can continue the contests.

Lenny Riddle sent in this question about the whereabouts of our haiku contest.  The comment is both a question and a perfectly executed haiku.

Steelers have lost two.
Have you lost love for Haiku?
It’s still fun to do

So with that as a model, start writing your haiku for the Steelers-Chargers game.  But please remember that although Lenny’s haiku above rhymes, most haiku do not rhyme.

Here is one that I put together.  It’s not as good as Lenny’s, but it will serve as another example of a proper haiku:

Steelers started strong
Twenty eight point lead is blown
Why do they do this?

Okay readers, your turn.  Lets see who can come up with the best haiku about the Steelers-Chargers game.  Are you ready for some haiku?!!

Here we go haiku, here we go!

Other Steelers news
Isaac Redman – As quickly as he was added to the active roster, Isaac Redman has been released.  If he clears waivers, the Steelers will re-sign him to the practice squad.

RB Isaac Redman

Nick Eason – The Steelers re-signed defensive end Nick Eason.  Eason had been released to make room for Isaac Redman on the active roster.

Troy Polamalu – Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said that Troy Polamalu would practice on a limited basis this week “to see how he responds to that and go from there”.

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October 5, 2009
By Donald Starver

“Awesome, Awesome,Awesome, WHAT?!?, phew!!”
-Pam Prinz (via Facebook)

I don’t think that I could have summarized Sunday night’s game any better than Pam Prinz, one of my friends on Facebook, did in the above quote.

The Steelers played 3 awesome quarters, then tried to blow the game in the 4th quarter before finally pulling out a victory in the end.  “Phew!!” is right.

For the third consecutive week, the Steelers have suffered a 4th quarter meltdown which leaves fans asking “what is wrong with the 4th quarter defense?”

With 2 minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Steelers led the Chargers 28-0, and most Steelers fans thought the game was in the bag.  After all, if the Chargers hadn’t been able to score in the first 43 minutes of the game, what could they possibly do with only 17 minutes left in the game?

But these are the 2009 Steelers, and they don’t seem to be satisfied unless they’ve left their fans on the verge of cardiac arrest.  So they found a way to let the Chargers back into the game.

After leading 28-0 with 2 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, the Steelers found themselves up by only 7 points with 2 minutes left in the 4th quarter.  Huh?

It took a field goal by Jeff Reed with 48 seconds remaining in the game to finally put the game safely out of reach and allow Steelers fans to breathe a sigh of relief.

Despite the close score, the Steelers were once again dominant.  They held the Chargers and their star running back LaDainian Tomlinson to a total of 16 rushing yards.  That’s right, 16.

The Steelers outgained the Chargers with 516 total yards versus only 270 for San Diego.  They also dominated the time clock, holding the ball for a full 40:20 while only allowing the Chargers 19:40 total time of possession.

But the real story of the game was Rashard Mendenhall.  After being benched last week because he didn’t know his playbook, Mendenhall got the start due to an injury to Willie Parker.  Mendenhall took advantage of his opportunity by rushing for 165 yards on 29 carries.  More importantly, many of those yards came on tough, physical runs between the tackles, something the Steelers had been unable to do up to this point.

RB Rashard Mendenhall

Mendenhall’s rushing success made things much easier for Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who threw for 333 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The Steelers win, combined with a Baltimore Ravens loss to the New England Patriots, leaves the Steelers only one game out of first place in the AFC North.

The AFC North leading Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals have to play one another next week, so if the Steelers can defeat the Detroit Lions, they will gain ground on at least one of their AFC North foes.

Ordinarily I’d feel very confident when the Steelers have back-to-back games against the lowly Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns.  However, I know that this year’s Steelers team will find a way to make both of these games exciting to the very end.  That’s not a good thing in my opinion, but I’m starting to get used to it.

Now where did I put my heart medicine?

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Note:  If you haven’t already read our Pittsburgh Steelers vs. San Diego Chargers Preview, please click here.

This week the San Diego Chargers invade Heinz Field to battle the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Each week we look at the key match-ups that may impact the outcome of Sunday’s game.  Here are this week’s key match-ups.

C Justin Hartwig vs. NT Ogemdi Nwagbuo
Ordinarily teams facing the Chargers have to deal with NT Jamal Williams.  Unfortunately, the 350 pound Williams is on  injured reserve, so instead the Steelers will have to face his replacement Ogemdi Nwagbuo.  Nwagbuo is 50 pounds lighter than Williams, and spent last season on the Chargers’ practice squad.  I’m sure that Steelers center Justin Hartwig is very happy to be facing the really fat replacement rather than the extraordinarily fat injured starter.  Advantage:  Steelers.

S Tyrone Carter vs. TE Antonio Gates
Even when Troy Polamalu is healthy, Chargers TE Antonio Gates is a difficult match-up.  Gates is tall (6’4″), and has great hands.  With Polamalu out with an injury, the responsibility of stopping Gates falls to Tyrone Carter.  Carter gives up 8 inches and 65 pounds to the much bigger Gates.  Needless to say, that’s not a good thing.  Sorry Tyrone, but it’s going to be a very loooooooong day for you.  Advantage:  Chargers

CB Ike Taylor vs. WR Vincent Jackson
Jackson is tall (6’5″) and fast, but Taylor is also tall (6’2″) and faster.  It will take a lot to shut down QB Philip Rivers’ favorite target, but Ike Taylor should be up to the challenge.  This should be one of the most exciting match-ups of the game.  Advantage:  Neither.

LBs James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley vs. Philip Rivers
Chargers QB Philip leads the NFL in passing.  He is a brash young quarterback who can pick teams apart if given time.  The only way to stop Rivers is to apply pressure and force him to hurry his passes.  That challenge will fall to linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley.  So far this season, Harrison has only 1 sack and Woodley has none.  That will have to change, or the Steelers could be in for a long day. Advantage:  Neither 

LaMarr Woodley

Rashard Mendenhall vs. his playbook
Last week Mendenhall was benched by coach Mike Tomlin because he did not know his playbook.  One week later, Willie Parker is likely to be out due to turf toe, and Mendenhall may get the start.  Is it realistic to believe that Mendenhall could successfully learn the plays in one week?  After all, this is Mendenhall’s second season with the Steelers.  If he couldn’t learn the plays during the course of 2 training camps and a full season, why should we believe that he can learn them in one week?  I remember watching Mendenhall run into Ben Roethlisberger during a game earlier this season.  Hopefully, we won’t see any more mental gaffes from Mendy.  Advantage: Playbook.

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Today the Steelers announced that they have promoted running back Isaac Redman from the practice squad.

The Steelers are seeking to bolster their struggling running game.   The Steelers have not been able to generate an adequate rushing game, and starting running back Willie Parker is suffering from turf toe and will probably not play on Sunday.  Rashard Mendenhall will probably get the start on Sunday, but Mendenhall was benched last week due to having a bad week of practice and not knowing his playbook.

Redman was the Steelers’ leading rusher during the preseason.  He gained the nickname “Redzone Redman” because he of his ability to find the endzone in short yardage situations.  Many Steelers fans were surprised when Frank Summers was named to the final 53-man roster rather than Redman.

RB Isaac Redman

Summers was recently placed on injured reserve when he suffered a mysterious injury.  He was replaced by former Steelers running back Carey Davis.

The Steelers made room for Redman by releasing veteran defensive end Nick Eason.

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Here is Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin’s press conference on the upcoming game against the San Diego Chargers.

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