Steelers Today – A Pittsburgh Steelers blog

According to most of the TV sports announcers, the Steelers had no chance of beating the Tennessee Titans.  “Chris Johnson is too fast”.  “The Titans are too tough”.  “The Steelers never win in Tennessee”.  “The Steelers can’t win without Ben Roethlisberger”.  Blah, blah, blah.

Fortunately, the Steelers didn’t listen to the sports announcers.  Rather than laying down and submitting to the “unbeatable Titans”, the Steelers decided to punch them in the face instead.

If you only looked at the statistics from the game, you might think that the Steelers actually lost this game.  After all, the Titans held the Steelers to only 127 net yards of offense.  No, I didn’t say 127 rushing yards.  I said 127 net yards of TOTAL OFFENSE.

The Steelers ended up with only 21 net passing yards, and 106 net yards rushing.  Starting quarterback Dennis Dixon ended the game with a passer rating of only 70.1, and replacement Charlie Batch finished with an even more dismal 52.5 passer rating.

But despite the woeful offensive statistics, the Steelers actually kicked the Titans’ @#$.  Seriously.

The Steelers defense held the Titans’ star running back Chris Johnson to just 34 rushing yards.  Prior to facing the Steelers, Johnson had run for over 100 yards in 12 consecutive games.  But the Steelers weren’t having any of that.

Not only did the Steelers stop Chris Johnson, but they also slammed Titans quarterback Vince Young.  Both literally and figuratively.

The Steelers caused 7 Titans turnovers, including a diving interception by Bryant McFadden, an interception by Troy Polamalu in the endzone, and two forced fumbles by James Harrison.

The Titans were visibly frustrated.  But the frustration became evident when Titans coach Jeff Fisher pulled Vince Young out of the game and replaced him with Kerry Collins.

Troy Polamalu was obviously anxious to welcome Collins into the game, because he did this:

That had to be one of the most outstanding plays that I’ve seen.  No other player would even attempt that play except Troy Polamalu.

The Steelers did suffer a few more injuries in the game.  Dennis Dixon left the game at the beginning of the second quarter and was replaced by Charlie Batch.  Dixon had a knee injury, but no announcement has been made about how serious the injury is.

Chris Hoke was also shaken up during the game, but it didn’t look serious.  And quite a few players suffered from dehydration, battling the Tennessee heat.  Temperatures during the game were in the 90′s, and the heat index was over 100 degrees.  To make matters worse, the Titans forced the Steelers to wear their black home jerseys to make the heat even more unbearable.

Despite heat, injuries, and a poor offensive showing, the Steelers still leave Nashville with a 2-0 record.  And with the Cincinnati Bengals’ win over the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers stand alone atop the AFC North.

They face Tampa Bay next week, and a 3-0 record is very possible.  If the defense continues to play the way they’ve been playing, a win over Baltimore in week 4 may even be a distinct possibility.

Not a bad start for a team that nobody thought had a chance of winning without Ben Roethlisberger.

(If you enjoyed this article, please consider leaving a comment by clicking on the square at the top right of this article. Also, please subscribe to our blog by pressing the orange button below. You can also follow us on Twitter by clicking the bird doohicky below. Also consider following us on Facebook. Thanks.)

Subscribe in a reader

The Pittsburgh Steelers will travel to Tennessee as underdogs this weekend.  Hardly anyone believes the Steelers have a chance of beating the Tennessee Titans.  Particularly not without franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

To make matters even worse, history is not on the Steelers’ side.  They are 0-3 in the last 3 road games against the Titans.  Moreover, they are 1-6 all-time against the Titans in Nashville.  Suffice it to say that LP Field is a tough place for the Steelers to play.

Fortunately, I’ve never been one to follow the crowd.  I feel confident that the Steelers are going to beat the Titans.  Moreover, they’re going to do it in the Titans home stadium.

In order to beat the Titans, the Steelers are going to have to do a few important things:

1. Stop Chris Johnson – Not many NFL teams have been able to figure out how to do this.  That’s why Johnson was able to rush for over 2,000 yards last year.  However, the Steelers are one of the few teams that have been able to contain Johnson.  In his only two games against the Steelers, Johnson was held to 69 yards (2008) and 57 yards (2009).  The Steelers are built to stop the run.  So this should be a great battle of strength against strength.
2. Force Vince Young to try to win the game with his arm – I know that Vince Young turned around the Titans last year after they got off to an 0-6 start under quarterback Kerry Collins.  However, I’m still not sold on Vince Young.  He seems to find a way to win, but he wins ugly.  He is not a classic drop-back passer who is going to beat you with his arm.  Instead, he beats teams with his legs, and by handing the ball to Chris Johnson.  So the Steelers need to apply pressure to Young, and force him to throw the ball.
3. Dennis Dixon must complete passes – Just like the Steelers are going to try to force Vince Young to beat them with his arm, the Titans are going to do the exact same thing to Dennis Dixon.  They’ve watched film of last week’s game.  They’ve seen Dixon throwing the ball at his receivers’ feet.  So they will likely stack the line to stop the run, and force Dixon to throw the ball.  When they do, Dixon has got to complete passes.  If he can’t make Tennessee respect his arm, it’s going to be a long day for the Steelers.

I watched Dennis Dixon throughout training camp, and I know he is capable of completing passes.  He’s just got to be confident in his own abilities and unleash the ball.

Last week, I could see that he was thinking too much.  He was too concerned with delivering the ball on the numbers.  It looked like he was throwing darts rather than passing a football.  That’s not how I’ve seen him throw it in the past.  Hopefully he will be more comfortable this week, and he’ll deliver the ball the way he is capable of delivering it.

If Dixon passes the ball successfully, the Steelers will win this game.  I’m going to give the young man a vote of confidence and predict that he will do just that.  I anticipate a low-scoring defensive struggle that ends with a Steelers win.  Final score:  Steelers 17, Titans 13.

Injury report

One concern going into the Titans game is injuries.  The Steelers will be without starters at a few key positions.

Casey Hampton – One concern going into the Titans game is injuries.  Casey Hampton is a key component to stopping the run, and he will not be playing due to a hamstring pull.  Fortunately, the Steelers lose very little when backup Chris Hoke replaces Hampton.

Max Starks – The Steelers starting left tackle injured his ankle last week.  In his place, the Steelers will be starting Jonathan Scott.  This will be Scott’s first start for the Steelers, so everyone will be watching to see what he’s capable of.  Expect the Titans to send a lot of pressure from Scott’s side of the line.

Bryant McFadden – McFadden missed practice Thursday due to a groin injury.  Friday’s practice will probably determine if McFadden can go this weekend.  If not, William Gay may get the start.  This would not be good new for the Steelers.   If there is one thing that can make Vince Young look like Peyton Manning, it’s William Gay.  Yikes!

(If you enjoyed this article, please consider leaving a comment by clicking on the square at the top right of this article. Also, please subscribe to our blog by pressing the orange button below. You can also follow us on Twitter by clicking the bird doohicky below. Also consider following us on Facebook. Thanks.)

Subscribe in a reader

That’s the question that will be on the minds of Steeler Nation this Sunday when the Steelers take on the Tennessee Titans.

Starting left tackle Max Starks suffered an ankle sprain during last week’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.  The sprain still seems to be giving Starks problems, so it is likely that Jonathan Scott will get the start.  Which is why many fans are asking “Who is Jonathan Scott?”

Scott is new to the Steelers, though he is not new to the NFL.  He’s actually a 4-year veteran who has been in the NFL since 2006.

Scott played his college football at Texas (Casey Hampton, Tony Hills, and injured WR Limas Sweed are also Texas alumni).  He was drafted in the 5th round (141st overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.  He spent two seasons with the Lions where he never quite broke into the starting line-up.  He came close several times, but each time it looked like he might be on the verge of becoming a starter, he got sidetracked by injuries.  The Lions finally tired of Scott’s constant injuries, and they released him at the end of training camp in 2008.

In December of 2008, Scott was signed as a free agent by the Buffalo Bills.  He spent 2008 & 2009 with the Bills.  He didn’t play in any games in 2008, but in 2009 he started 8 games as the Bills’ offensive line was hit with a rash of injuries.  Scott missed several games that season himself due to recurring ankle injuries.

The Steelers signed Scott as a free agent during the off-season.  Because of his constant injuries, there is not a lot of game film out there on Scott.  However, the biggest testimonial to his potential is that Sean Kugler, the Steelers’ new offensive line coach, wanted to sign Scott.  Kugler was his offensive line coach in Buffalo.  Kugler knows Scott very well, and he knows exactly what he is capable of.  Since Kugler wanted to make a good impression with his new employer (the Pittsburgh Steelers), it is doubtful that he would have recommended signing a player that he didn’t believe would make him look good.

Steelers OT Jonathan Scott

For what it is worth, Scott has always been viewed as a player with a lot of potential.  He is big (6’6″, 318 lbs), and very athletic.  That is a good start for an offensive tackle.  However, it seems that each time he starts to establish himself, he gets sidetracked by injuries.

It is interesting that the Steelers are calling on Scott to replace Max Starks rather than fellow Texas alumni Tony Hills.  Hills has been with the Steelers longer, and is more familiar with their offense.  However, Hills started off poorly with the Steelers.  Last year he was routinely destroyed in training camp.  He was so bad that I gave him the nickname “Neo“.  But he looked much better this year, and he ended up making the Steelers’ final 53-man roster.

Despite his improvement, it is obvious that the Steelers feel more confident in Scott than they do in Hills.  So Scott is the replacement for Max Starks.

This Sunday, Steeler Nation will find out “Who is Jonathan Scott”.  I hope we like the answer.

(If you enjoyed this article, please consider leaving a comment by clicking on the square at the top right of this article. Also, please subscribe to our blog by pressing the orange button below. You can also follow us on Twitter by clicking the bird doohicky below. Also consider following us on Facebook. Thanks.)

Subscribe in a reader

In 2009, the Pittsburgh Steelers were involved in lots of close games that left their fans on the verge of cardiac arrest.  They started 2010 in the exact same fashion.

Steelers fans knew that the first 4 games were going to be difficult.  Ben Roethlisberger would not be able to play due to suspension, and young Dennis Dixon would be forced into a starting role.  However, they didn’t expect things to be quite this taxing.

As we all expected, Bruce Arians tried to keep the game plan simple for Dixon.  He limited the number and type of pass plays, and he handed the ball to the running backs early and often.  However the Falcons anticipated as much and stacked the defensive line to stop the run, and they challenged Dennis Dixon to beat them with his arm.  Dixon’s response to that challenge was adequate, but not stellar.

Steelers QB Dennis Dixon

Dixon ended the game with 236 yards passing.  He had no touchdowns, one interception, and a 81.6 QB rating.  He missed a few wide open receivers, but overall, it wasn’t a bad performance for only his second NFL start.

By comparison, Falcons’ quarterback Matt Ryan, the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2008, threw for very similar numbers.  He had 252 passing yards, no touchdowns, and one interception.  Moreover, his QB rating for the game was only 67.6.  So by that measure, Dixon did better than Ryan.

Nevertheless, some Steelers fans were calling for Charlie Batch to be put into the game.  I don’t understand the logic of that.  The only way for a young quarterback to develop is for him to play through difficult situations.  Does anyone else remember how bad young Terry Bradshaw looked?  Or young Ben Roethlisberger?  Mark Sanchez, Joe Flacco, Matthew Stafford, and many other young quarterbacks in recent years have struggled early on.  But their teams all had the patience and foresight to stick with them.  And wisely, that’s exactly what Mike Tomlin and Bruce Arians did with Dennis Dixon.

Just like the Steelers did when Ben Roethlisberger was a rookie, they relied on the running game and the defense to help out the young quarterback.  And both the running game and the defense delivered.

Both teams’ defenses played a tough game.  Neither team was able to score a touchdown in regulation.  Instead, they spent 4 quarters exchanging field goals.

The Steelers had a chance to win the game late in regulation, when Troy Polamalu intercepted a Matt Ryan pass and gave the Steelers great field position.  Jeff Reed attempted a 40 yard field goal with :43 seconds remaining in the game.  Unfortunately, the kick went wide right, and the game went into overtime.

Atlanta won the coin toss and got the ball first in overtime.  But like they had in regulation, the Steelers’ defense stopped Atlanta cold.  Atlanta was forced to punt.  Then on their very first play in overtime, the Steelers handed the ball to Rashard Mendenhall.  Mendenhall found a hole and scampered 50 yards for a touchdown.  Steelers win.

Rashard Mendenhall breaks free

It may not have been the prettiest game, but it was a win.  And there were lots of good signs in the win.  The running game looked great.  The defense looked great.  Hines Ward looked great.  Troy Polamalu looked great.  And the offensive line looked great.  That’s right, the offensive line.  It’s been a long time since Steelers fans have been able to say that.

So the Steelers are 1-0.  With both Cincinnati and Cleveland losing, the Steelers stand alone atop the AFC North.  Not a bad start for a team that is  without their franchise quarterback.

Here we go Steelers.  Here we go!

(If you enjoyed this article, please consider leaving a comment by clicking on the square at the top right of this article. Also, please subscribe to our blog by pressing the orange button below. You can also follow us on Twitter by clicking the bird doohicky below. Also consider following us on Facebook. Thanks.)

Subscribe in a reader

The time is finally here.  The Steelers open the 2010 NFL season this Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

After watching the Steelers miss the playoffs in 2009, many Steelers fans are pessimistic about this season.  Particularly with Ben Roethlisberger missing the first four games due to his suspension.  But I am not among them.  I believe that 2010 is going to be a good season for the Steelers, and that the Atlanta Falcons are going to be the first victims of the rejuvenated Steelers.

Like the Steelers, the Falcons missed the playoffs last year with a 9-7 record.  They had injuries to quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Michael Turner that put a serious damper on their season.

So like the Steelers, the Falcons are looking to bounce back in 2010.  To further help their cause, the Falcons will have Peria Jerry back in their lineup.  Jerry was their 2009 first round draft pick.  He missed all of the 2009 season with a knee injury.  So 2010 will effectively be his rookie year.

On offense, in addition to the running of Michael Turner, Ryan likes to throw the ball to tight end Tony Gonzalez and wide receiver Roddy White.  These two will provide a test for the Steelers’ secondary.

The Steelers will have Dennis Dixon at the helm, since Big Ben is ineligible to play in the opener.  This will only be Dixon’s second regular season start.  In his first start last season against the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers kept Dixon to a limited number of plays.  Most of them consisted of handing the ball to a running back.  That won’t be the case this time around.  Dixon is more familiar with the Steelers entire playbook, and they plan to unleash him on the Falcons.

Dennis Dixon will start at QB

While I do expect to see Dixon throwing the ball quite a bit, I nevertheless suspect that the team will lean a bit more to the running game than they would if Big Ben were playing.  So look for healthy doses of Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman on Sunday.

On defense, Steelers fans are going to be keeping a close eye on the Steelers’ secondary.  The primary reason will be that they want to see if Troy Polamalu is playing like the Tasmanian Devil that we’re all used to seeing.  But fans will also be watching to see if there is any improvement in the cornerbacks.

Last year, the Steelers cornerbacks couldn’t stop anybody.  The team brought back Bryant McFadden to help address that problem.  Hopefully we will see marked improvement from the cornerbacks.  Otherwise, it may be a long day.  Matt Ryan is talented enough that he can pick a defense apart if given the opportunity.

This should be a good opening test for the Steelers.  But when the dust settles, I expect the Steelers to walk away with a victory.  I predict a final score of Steelers 24, Falcons 14.

(If you enjoyed this article, please consider leaving a comment by clicking on the square at the top right of this article. Also, please subscribe to our blog by pressing the orange button below. You can also follow us on Twitter by clicking the bird doohicky below. Also consider following us on Facebook. Thanks.)

Subscribe in a reader