Steelers Today – A Pittsburgh Steelers blog

The Steelers scored no rushing touchdowns. The Steelers scored no passing touchdowns. The Steelers only got one rushing 1st down in the entire game. Willie Parker was held to 20 yards rushing. Ben Roethlisberger was sacked 8 times (6 times in the 2nd quarter), and was held to 131 total passing yards. Score: Eagles 15, Steelers 6. Any questions?

I was tempted to end my post-game analysis right there, but that would be taking the easy way out. Writing this report feels just like it felt to watch the Steelers game today; painful.

I tried to think of headlines for this article, but everything that I thought of seemed too negative. “Steelers get their ***es kicked” was the most accurate headline I could think of, but it just sounded…..inappropriate. So I stuck with “Steelers vs. Eagles: Post-Game Analysis” as my headline.

Going into the game, I was expecting a physical contest of titanic proportions between two evenly matched gladiators. What I actually watched looked more like a street fight between Richard Simmons and Kimbo Slice. And unfortunately, the Steelers weren’t Kimbo Slice.

The Eagles dominated the Steelers in all facets of the game. Let’s take a look at each of them.

Steelers’ Defense:

The Eagles offense seemed to be able to move the ball at will, until Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook (the Eagles’ two best offensive players) both suffered injuries. McNabb was a perfect 15/15 passing before throwing his first incomplete pass with just over 2 minutes remaining in the 1st half. Westbrook injured his ankle early in the 1st quarter, and rushed for only 12 total yards before leaving the game for good.

In my pre-game analysis, I said that the Steelers’ defense needed to do two things; contain Westbrook and pressure McNabb. If they weren’t able to do these two things, the steelers were in for a long day. The early injury to Westbrook took care of my first concern. Westbrook was rendered a non-factor. And while McNabb was unstoppable in the 1st half, Dick LeBeau and the Steelers’ defense made adjustments at half-time, and made life difficult for the Eagles the rest of the way. Despite giving up 13 points (two points came on a safety and can’t be charged to the Steelers’ “D”), the Steelers’ Defense played a good game, and they were the only reason that the final score wasn’t 59-3 (although it certainly felt like that was the score).

In particular, LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons looked good. While neither recorded more than 2 tackles, they both provided good pressure on McNabb. Woodley completely over-powered Eagles tackle John Runyan on his sack of Donovan McNabb. While Timmons did not start for the Steelers, it was very noticeable when Timmons came into the game. He provided key pressure on McNabb at the end of the 1st half that changed the tempo of the game, and ended McNabb’s perfect passing streak.

James Farrior led the team in tackles (with 7 solo tackles), and also forced a fumble. Larry Foote also recorded 1.5 sacks on McNabb.

Troy Polamalu had another good game, and recorded his 3rd interception in as many games. Cornerback Bryant McFadden also recorded an interception (his 2nd in the past 2 games).

Despite a rough 1st half, the Steelers’ defense looked good, and they have no reason to hang their heads.

Steelers’ Offense:

The Steelers’ offense was an entirely different matter. The offense stunk. There’s no other way to put it.

Was it just me, or did it seem like the referees were allowing the Eagles to rush 15 defensive linemen on each play? How else do you explain the constant pressure on Ben Roethlisberger? Even when the Steelers went to their “max protection” formations, they still couldn’t stop the Eagles’ rush. Usain Bolt couldn’t have gotten to Big Ben faster than the Eagles linemen were.

In total, the Offensive Line gave up 9 sacks. That’s right, 9! Eight sacks on Roethlisberger, and one of Byron Leftwich. At one point, the Eagles’ Defense recorded 5 sacks in 6 plays. I’ve seldom seen a defensive line dominate an offensive line so completely. Kendall Simmons was a revolving door. Willie Colon played like a matador. And Chris Kemoeatu showed that he is much better at run blocking than he is at pass blocking.

I’m not one to call for coaches’ heads, but Steelers Offensive Line Coach Larry Zierlein should hide his face in shame. He had no clue how to stop the Eagles’ rush. He was like a 3rd grader taking a trigonometry exam; completely baffled. While Dick LeBeau made adjustments at half-time, Zierlein and Steelers Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians apparently made none. The offensive line’s performance was truly an embarrassment.

Beyond the constant pressure that he was getting from the Eagles defense, Ben Roethlisberger didn’t look like himself. His passes weren’t accurate, and he looked rattled. Perhaps his shoulder was hurting worse than he let on. In fact, the only time the Steelers were able to establish a viable passing game was when Byron Leftwich came on in relief after Roethlisberger injured his hand.

To make matters worse, the Steelers offense was never able to establish the running game. The Eagles came into the game with the NFL’s #1 ranked defense against the run. I said in my pre-game analysis that the match-up of Willie Parker vs. the Eagles Defense would determine the game. Unfortunately, my prediction proved to be true.

Willie Parker was never able to get the running game going. He ended up with only 20 yards rushing on 13 carries. But even that number is deceiving. Parker got 8 yards on one play. If you eliminate that play, Parker got only 12 yards on his remaining 12 carries. That’s 1 yard per carry. Even I could do that.

On a positive note (there weren’t many), did anyone else notice Jeff Reed’s 53 yard field goal that looked like it would have been good from 73 yards? That guy has got to be one of the best field goal kickers in the league. He is consistently accurate, even in the mud bowl called Heinz Field. Not many kickers could do that.

Special Teams:

The Eagles’ punter actually outplayed the Steelers. Need I say more?

Summary:

History was not on our side going into this game. The Steelers had not beaten the Eagles in Philadelphia since 1965. That’s 43 years. Philadelphia is one of the toughest places in the NFL for any visiting team to play. Perhaps a loss was inevitable.

What bothers me is the way we lost. The Eagles were more physical than the Steelers. They played “Steeler football” better than the Steelers did. That can’t happen.

It’s probably going to be a long, quiet ride back to Pittsburgh. But the team can’t dwell on this. They have to get back on the practice field and fix these problems. They play the Baltimore Ravens next week on Monday Night Football. I’m sure the Ravens are going to use today’s game as a blueprint for how to beat the Steelers.

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(Note to Readers – It was brought to our attention that our site was not working properly on Friday, September 19, 2008, and many of you were not able to read this article. We apologize for this problem).

This week, the Steelers face their toughest opponent thus far, when they travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles. The Keystone State showdown will be nationally televised on CBS. The game is scheduled for a 4:15 p.m. kickoff.

Both teams are coming off of big games against division rivals. The Steelers beat the Browns, while the Eagles lost in a shootout against the Cowboys.

The last time the two teams met was in 2004, when the Steelers dominated the Eagles in a 27-3 victory. However, Philadelphia has won two of the past three meetings, and they enjoy a 45-27-3 advantage in the all-time series with the Steelers. More importantly, the Steelers have to travel to Philadelphia where they have not beaten the Eagles in 43 years. Talk about a tough place to play.

Looking at the numbers, both teams pose daunting challenges. On offense, Donovan McNabb and the Eagles lead the league in passing yardage, averaging 336.5 YPG. Meanwhile, the Steelers’ passing offense is ranked #25 in the NFL, averaging only 143 YPG.

As they’ve historically done, the Steelers prefer to play “Steeler football”. They pound the ball down their opponent’s throat with the running game. The Steelers average 150 YPG in rushing offense, and Willie Parker has back-to-back 100+ yard performances. By comparison, the Eagles average only 93 YPG on the ground. As you can see, this is a battle of contrasting offensive philosophies.

Overall, the Eagles’ offense is #3 in the NFL averaging 429.5 YPG, while the Steelers only average 293 total YPG.

On defense, both teams pose challenges. The Steelers defense is ranked #4 in the NFL, and is allowing only 221 YPG, and 11.5 PPG. The Eagles’ defense is ranked #11 in the league, and they give up an average of 273 YPG, and 22 PPG.

It may surprise some to learn that the Eagles’ run defense is actually ranked higher than the Steelers’. The Eagles have an aggressive defense that only allows 52 rushing YPG. That makes them #1 in the NFL. The Steelers’ defense is close behind, allowing only 64 rushing YPG (#3 in the NFL).

Philosophically, the Eagles defense believes in attacking. They believe in sending as many players as possible after the quarterback. few teams rush 6 defenders as often as the Eagles do. Despite this aggressive approach, the Eagles’ defense has accumulated only 4 sacks, compared to 7 by the Steelers.

This should be an exciting match-up of two tough defensive teams with very different offensive approaches. The question is will the Steelers be able to run effectively against the NFL’s top ranked rushing defense? Similarly, can the Steelers apply pressure to Donovan McNabb to prevent him from picking them apart in the air?

Key Match-ups:

Steelers Defense vs. Brian Westbrook

Brian Westbrook is one of the most versatile running backs in the NFL. His 2,104 yards from scrimmage led the NFL last season. What makes Westbrook so deadly is that the Eagles use him in an almost infinite number of ways. One play he might line up wide as a split end, the next play he might line up in the backfield as the lone running back, then he might line up inside as a slot receiver on the next play, and on the very next lay he might be in the backfield in a two running back formation. Westbrook’s role in the Eagles’ offense is analogous to Troy Polamalu’s role in the Steelers’ defense. The guy is all over the place.

Willie Parker vs. Eagles’ #1 ranked run defense

Do you remember the old saying about what happens when an immovable object meets an irresistible force? Well, we’re all going to learn this weekend. The Eagles have the top ranked run defense in the NFL, but Willie Parker has two consecutive 100+ yard games. “Fast Willie” was leading the NFL in rushing last season before he broke his leg. This match-up may decide the game.

Heath Miller vs. Brian Dawkins

Dawkins is a former Pro Bowl safety. However, he struggled with injuries in 2007. It is not clear whether he is fully recovered from those. Last week, he struggled against Dallas TE Jason Witten. Witten seemed to get open with ease, and Dawkins seemed to be slow in his backpedal. Heath Miller is one of the best tight ends in the game, and should be able to exploit Dawkins’ weakness.

LaMarr Woodley & James Harrison vs. Donovan McNabb

In order to stop Donovan McNabb from picking the Steelers apart, James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley are going to have to provide constant pressure. Donovan can’t deliver his passes if he’s constantly running for his life.

Steelers Secondary vs. DeSean Jackson

The Eagles have not had a true playmaker at WR since Terrell Owens left for Dallas. However, rookie DeSean Jackson appears to be the real deal. Despite his silly rookie mistake last week, jackson is a very talented receiver. Jackson is the first rookie receiver since 1940 to have 100 yards receiving in his first 2 NFL games.

Marvel Smith vs. Eagles DE Trent Cole

Cole is a Pro Bowl end, and he will provide a challenge for Marvel Smith. Smith must protect Ben Roethlisberger’s blind side, or Big Ben is going to be in for a long day. Cole has not recorded a sack in the Eagles’ first two games, and he’d like to change that streak against the Steelers.

Injury Report

Steelers:

Brett Keisel – Injured calf. Out 4-8 weeks.

Ben Roethlisberber – “Sore” shoulder. Please don’t call it a “separated” shoulder. Mike Tomlin will get mad.

Deshea Townsend – Heel.

Eagles:

Shawn Andrews – Back.

Tony Hunt – Hamstring.

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As the Steelers prepare to travel to Purgatory Philadelphia this weekend to play their cross-state rivals the Philadelphia Eagles, I started thinking about how the two teams compared. This got me thinking further about how the two cities compare. Here are my top 10 reasons why Pittsburgh is better than Philadelphia.

#10) No Steelers receiver has ever made a bonehead play like Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson did last week (although Plaxico Burress spiking a live ball after a catch certainly comes close). Advantage: Pittsburgh.

#9) According to the U.S. Government Publication Data I Invented To Support My Argument, Lincoln Financial Field averages 3 violent assaults and 1 shooting at each Philadelphia Eagles game. There has never been an assault or shooting at a Steelers home game. Advantage: Pittsburgh.

#8) During World War II, the Steelers and Eagles merged to form the Steagles. Even then, it was evident that the Steelers came first. Ever wonder why they weren’t called the Eaglers? Advantage: Pittsburgh.

#7) The Pirates have won 5 World Series, while the Phillies have only won 1. Of course, considering the stench emanating from the current Pirates, I’ll call this one a draw. Advantage: Neither.

#6) When Lincoln Financial Field was built, they included a jail inside the stadium to house unruly Eagles fans (No joke. Look it up). Advantage: Pittsburgh.

#5) Our hockey team is better than their hockey team. Both the Penguins and Flyers have won 2 Stanley Cups. However, the Flyers last won a Stanley Cup in 1974, while the Penguins won two in the 90′s, and lost in the most recent Stanley Cup championship series. Advantage: Pittsburgh.

#4) According to the database Statistics I Just Made Up, 94% of Philadelphians are unhappy living in Philadelphia, and a full 83% of them want to move to Pittsburgh. Contrarily, 100% of Pittsburghers are happy living here, and would NEVER consider moving to Philadelphia. Advantage: Pittsburgh.

#3) Even Philadelphia’s most famous attraction has a big crack in it. Advantage: Pittsburgh.

#2) Even Santa chooses Pittsburgh. Everyone remembers when Philadelphia fans booed Santa and pelted him with snowballs. Santa says “Philadelphia is naughty. Pittsburgh is nice”. Advantage: Pittsburgh.

#1) Five Six is better than zero. Advantage: Pittsburgh!!!  (Note:  when this article was written, the Steelers only had 5 Lombardi Trophies.  Since that time, they have won a 6th.  Of course, that only serves to make our superiority over Philadelphia even more obvious).

So there you have it. As you can plainly see, Pittsburgh beats Philadelphia in a landslide. Any questions?

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