Steelers Today – A Pittsburgh Steelers blog

January 27, 2009
By Donald Starver

A little less than a week to go until the Super Bowl, and I’m already tired of all of the hype. Let’s get it on already!!!

If I had my way, the NFL would eliminate the extra week between the AFC/NFC Championships and the Super Bowl. In my opinion, two weeks is just too much time. Fans get tired of hearing the media rehash the same stories over and over (and over, and over, and over) again. By the way, did you know that Cardinals’ head coach Ken Whisenhunt was once the Steelers offensive coordinator and was passed over for the Steelers’ head coaching job that eventually went to Mike Tomlin? Oh, so you’ve heard that story 97 times today too? Darn, I thought I had a scoop.

Well, since I can’t get a scoop on the Whisenhunt story, I guess I’ll have to write my normal pre-game analysis.

First of all, these two teams aren’t strangers.  They played one another in 2007.  That was both Mike Tomlin’s and Ken Whisenhunt’s freshman years as head coaches.  Whisenhunt’s Cardinals won that game 21-14.

For those who say that the Cardinals don’t have a chance against the vastly superior Steelers, I would remind them that that was exactly what they said last year (when the Cardinals beat the Steelers despite the supposed hopelessness of their cause), and these two teams haven’t changed very much.

So let’s take a look at exactly how the Cardinals beat the Steelers last year, and see if those factors still apply, or if things have changed significantly.

The thing that I remember most about that game was that the Cardinals played “Steeler football” much better than the Steelers did.  They manhandled us.  Everyone expected the Cardinals to be a finesse team, but instead they came out and showed the Steelers just how physical they could be.  They controlled the line of scrimmage, particularly on defense, and imposed their will on the Steelers.  Nobody was surprised that they were able to outplay the Steelers’ offensive line.  Afterall, just about every team dominated the Steelers O-line last year.  But nobody expected the Cardinals to have success against the Steelers’ defense.  Some attributed it to “the Gruden Effect”;  Coach Whisenhunt knew Dick LeBeau’s defense, and was able to game plan against it.  I don’t really buy that theory, but it was suggested by many.

Let’s first look at what happened when the Cardinals were on defense.  Despite a history of being a “smash mouth” football team, the Steelers Offense were the ones who got their mouths smashed.  The Cardinals lived in the Steelers’ backfield.  They sacked Ben Roethlisberger 4 times, and had him on the run plenty more.  It was definitely not a fun day for Mr. Roethlisberger.

Even more telling was the fact that they held the Steelers’ running backs to 52 yards rushing.  That’s right, 52!!!  Willie Parker got 37 yards on 19 carries.  That’s 1.9 yards per carry.  I hate to say this, but that’s not very impressive.  Especially not against a team that was thought to be “soft” prior to the game.

So why did the Cardinals’ defense dominate the Steelers’ offense so effectively?  Well, the biggest reason, in my opinion, was Sean Mahan.  The former Steelers center was absolutely owned by Cardinal’s DT Darnell Dockett.  Dockett was bull rushing Mahan on every play, and Mahan couldn’t hold his position.  Dockett spent more time in the Steelers’ backfield than Willie Parker did.  He was the biggest reason that the Steelers’ running backs couldn’t run the ball.  Moreover, he also harrassed Big Ben all day, and ended up with 2.5 sacks.

That type of performance was Sean Mahan’s trademark, and it’s a key reason why he’s no longer on the team.  The Steelers now have Justin Hartwig, and he is much more stout at the point of attack than Mahan was.  I doubt that Dockett will be quite as effective this time around.

But it wasn’t only Sean Mahan who played poorly.  The entire Steelers offensive line was plagued with penalties.  They had 4 false starts, and 2 holding penalties.  That’s just not going to win you very many games.  Of course, two of those penalties were on Mr. Dependable, Willie Colon.  If there is one thing that Steelers fans can count on, it’s Willie Colon getting called for at least one penalty every game.  You can set your watch by it.

The Steelers offensive linemen weren’t the only ones making mental errors.  The defense also had their share.  Ike Taylor was penalized for taunting.  I know that players get emotional during games, but that’s just not acceptable.  Be a professional.  If you make a good play, go back to the huddle and get ready to make another one.  There’s no need to taunt.

Clark Haggans and Lawrence Timmons both picked up off-sides penalties.  In total, the Steelers were penalized 13 times, while the Cardinals only got 5 penalties.  The official box score says that the Steelers were penalized 11 times, but that’s only because twice the Steelers had two penalties on the same play, and the Cardinals had the luxury of declining the lesser penalty and taking the one that worked most to their advantage.  But regardless of whether there were 11 penalties or 13, either is way too many.  A team that beats themselves with mental errors can’t expect to win a Super Bowl.  I expect Mike Tomlin to have rectified this problem, and to have the Steelers ready to play both physically AND MENTALLY on Sunday.

The other factor that played heavily into the outcome of that game was special teams.  The Cardinals’ Steve Breaston returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown.  That seemed to happen a lot last year.  It almost never happened this year.  That’s another thing that I give Mike Tomlin a lot of credit for.  Special teams has been a weakness for the Steelers since the last 3 years of Bill Cowher’s tenure as coach.  Tomlin has changed it into an actual strength for this year’s team.  The Cardinals shouldn’t count on picking up any free touchdowns due to poor special teams play by the Steelers.

The Steelers were also without Hines Ward during that game.  So even if Hines plays hurt during the Super Bowl, he will contribute more than he did to last year’s loss.  That is a good thing.  Hines is the emotional leader of the team.  His presence on the field means a lot, even if it is in a limited capacity.

Despite missing Hines Ward, Big Ben still passed for 244 yards.  That not a good outing for Drew Brees, but it is a very good outing for Ben Roethlisberger.  Santonio Holmes had 128 yards receiving, and scored two touchdowns.  Unfortunately, Big Ben also threw two interceptions.

On defense, the Steelers were fairly successful.  The special teams touchdown can’t be attributed to the defense, so they actually held the Cardinals to two scores.  The Cards got a rushing touchdown from Edgerrin James, and Kurt Warner threw a touchdown pass to WR Jerheme Urban.

Both Matt Leinart and Kurt Warner played during that game.  The Steelers held the two to a combined 225 yards passing, while sacking each quarterback once.  Kurt Warner tossed for 132 of those yards, and had a QB rating of 99.7.  I’d say he had a pretty good game.

The Steelers did a pretty good job of stopping the run.  The Cardinals rushed for 86 yards on 25 carries.  However, 9 of those yards came from Matt Leinart, so the Steelers held the Card’s running backs to 77 net yards rushing.  The Cards’  longest running play of the game was a mere 9 yards.

The bottom line is that weak offensive line play and mental errors killed the Steelers in a game that they should have won.

So fast forward to this year’s matchup.  What will be different, and what will be the same?

Firstly, the Steelers’ offensive line is not going to let Darnell Dockett build a house in their backfield like he did last year.  Justin Hartwig will see to that.  Hartwig has held his own against much stronger players than Dockett.  I don’t think you’ll be hearing Dockett’s name very often on Sunday.

Secondly, the Steelers won’t kill themselves with stupid penalties.  Sure, Willie Colon and Chris Kemoeatu are each going to get their mandatory stupid penalties.  Probably an off-sides call for Kemo, and a holding call and an off-sides call for Colon.  But beyond that, Mike Tomlin is going to have this team mentally ready.  Unfortunately, even Vince Lombardi couldn’t keep Kemo and Colon from making stupid mistakes.  That’s a sad fact that Steelers fans have just come to accept.

Lastly, the Cardinals will not get a special teams touchdown.  Not on THIS Steelers team.  Not in the Super Bowl.  No way, no how.  You can bet your life on that.

So if the Steelers won’t beat themselves by making the same mistakes that they made last time these two teams played, then what SHOULD we look for in this game?

Everyone is predicting that Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin are going to be the stars of this game.  They are supposedly an unstoppable duo.  When you add in Steve Breaston, the Cardinals may have the deadliest receiving trio in the NFL.  The Cardinals were the 2nd leading passing offense in the NFL this year.

While the Cardinals’ receivers are scary, the Steelers have faced quality receiving corps before.  Let’s look at who they faced in 2008.  They held the tandem of Braylon Edwards and Donte Stallworth to 17 yards on 2 catches.  They held Dallas’ duo of T.O. and Roy Williams to 5 catches for 48 yards.  New England’s duo of Randy Moss and Wes Welker were held to 8 catches for 75 yards.  Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh had 16 catches for 110 yards.  Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison combined for 9 catches for 151 yards.  And finally, the NY Giants’ Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer had 5 catches for 64 yards.  So with the exception of Harrison and Wayne (with the help of a guy named Peyton Manning), the Steelers have stopped some of the most potent receiving corps in the NFL.

Kurt Warner has always been a difficult quarterback to play because he is very experienced and can get rid of the ball quickly.  Warner is very hard to sack because he reads defenses so well.  When defenses try to blitz him, he makes them pay by completing short passes to his receivers or running backs.  Just ask the Philadelphia Eagles.

Fortunately, the Steelers have the top ranked passing defense in the NFL.  The #1 passing defense facing off against the #2 passing offense should make for quite a battle.  The Steelers’ defense was 2nd in the NFL in sacks, so if anyone can get to Kurt Warner, it will be the Steelers.

These two units are pretty evenly matched, and should cancel one another out.  That means that the outcome of the game will probably be determined by the matchup of the Steelers’ offense against the Cardinals’ defense.

The first key is probably going to be the Steelers’ running game.  The Steelers MUST get Willie Parker going if they hope to win.  The Cardinals have a very average run defense, both literally and figuratively.  Literally, the Cardinals were #16 out of 32 teams in 2008, so that makes them very average (and if any of you statistics geeks write in about the “mean” versus the “mode”, I’ll shoot myself).  The Cardinals weren’t particularly stout against the run during the regular season.  However, they seem to have corrected that during the playoffs.  In the NFC wildcard game, they held Atlanta’s Pro Bowl running back Michael Turner to 42 yards rushing.  Next, they held the Carolina Panthers’ duo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart to only 75 yards rushing.  Finally, in the NFC championship game, they held Brian Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter to 66 rushing yards.  Those defensive performances are Steeler-esque.

Steelers’ offensive coordinator Bruce Arians must avoid his tendency of giving up on the run halfway through the first quarter.  Arians is in love with the passing game.  It’s like girl-on-girl porn to him; he can’t seem to get enough of it.  But he has to remember that the running game enables the passing game.  Without a legitimate running threat, the defense can concentrate solely on stopping the pass.  And that is a formula for failure for the Steelers.

But having looked at all of these elements, the truth is that the outcome of this game will probably come down to one factor; the Steelers’ gazillion dollar man.  No silly, not Max Starks.  I’m talking about their OTHER gazillion dollar man, Ben Roethlisberger.

As has become a recurring theme this season, the Steelers’ fate will depend on Big Ben.  The Steelers will go as far as Big Ben takes them.

If “Good Ben” shows up, then the Steelers will probably leave Tampa with their 6th Super Bowl trophy.  “Good Ben” is the Ben Roethlisberger who efficiently manages the game, avoids careless turnovers, and doesn’t take needless sacks.  “Good Ben” was the quarterback who made the Pro Bowl last year, and who had one of the highest QB ratings in the NFL.

Contrarily, if “Bad Ben” shows up, then it could be a long day for the Steelers.  “Bad Ben” is the Ben Roethlisberger who tries to win the game all by himself, holds onto the ball way too long, throws interceptions at the most inopportune times, and doesn’t seem to realize that throwing the ball away is better than taking a sack.  “Bad Ben” was the quarterback who started for the Steelers during most of the 2006 season.

Of course, the Steelers could still win even if “Bad Ben” shows up.  Afterall, they managed to win Super Bowl XL despite Ben recording the lowest QB rating by a winning QB in Super Bowl history.  In that game, Ben had a QB rating of 22.6.  To illustrate just how bad that is, if Ben had spiked the ball after every snap, he would have ended up with a QB rating of 39.6.  Yeah, he played that bad.

So history has shown that the Steelers CAN win with “Bad Ben” at the helm.  Unfortunately, they aren’t likely to.  If “Bad Ben” makes an appearance at Super Bowl XLIII, then Steelers fans may be treated to unpleasant memories of Neil O’Donnell, and the Cardinals should make preparations for a parade in the desert.

From the press conferences, it is clear that Roethlisberger wants to erase the memory of Super Bowl XL.  He seems to be embarassed by that performance, and desparately want to do better this time around.  Hopefully, he won’t try too hard and put undue pressure on himself.

If Ben remains calm and just takes what the Cardinals give him, the Steelers should leave Tampa with a victory.  I fully expect that to happen, and am predicting a 27-14 Steelers win.

Here we go Steelers, here we go!!!!

For even more Super Bowl analysis, please see our Steelers vs. Cardinals Key Matchups which can be found here.

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This Sunday night, the Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Jacksonville to play the Jaguars. Both teams are coming off tough overtime victories last week. The Steelers beat the Baltimore Ravens 23-20, while the Jaguars beat the Houston Texans 30-27.

This is a rivalry that dates back to when both teams played in the old AFC Central division (1995-2001). Jacksonville enjoys a 12-8 advantage in the all-time series against the Steelers, including winning the last 4. Three of those 4 wins were in Pittsburgh, and last season Jacksonville became the first team to beat Pittsburgh twice at home during the same season.

But that was then, and this is now. What fans will see on Sunday night is not your father’s Steelers-Jaguars game.

Typically, Steelers-Jaguars has meant two twin teams meeting in a battle to establish physical superiority. Both teams believed in running the ball, and playing physical defense. Those elements will primarily be missing from the game this Sunday.

On offense, the Steelers’ running backs are all banged up. Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall, and Carey Davis are all out with injuries. The Steelers will be starting their 4th string running back, Mewelde Moore. Their other two running backs (Najeh Davenport and Gary Russell) weren’t even on the roster last week, and they may use their 3rd string tight end as a fullback. Uhhh, Ben Roethlisberger had better be prepared to throw the ball………Often.

The Jaguars’ running game isn’t looking much more intimidating than the Steelers’. Though they still boast running backs Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew, the Jacksonville running game has struggled this year. If you disregard a 41-yard run on a fake punt play, the Jaguars have failed to break 100 yards rushing in 3 of their first 4 games. That is not typical Jaguars football.

On the defensive side of the ball, Jacksonville is no longer the physical juggernaut that “pimp slapped” the Steelers twice last year. DT Marcus Stroud, the Jaguars former defensive leader, now plays for the Buffalo Bills. John Henderson, the other mammoth defensive tackle for the Jaguars has not been as effective without Stroud by his side. Moreover, the left side of their line is starting to show their age. DLE Paul Spicer is 33 (going on 50), and DLT Rob Meier is 31. Defensive end Reggie Hayward hasn’t been the same since he tore his achilles two years ago. The Jaguars drafted defensive linemen with the first 2 picks in the 2008 draft, but neither Derrick Harvey nor Quentin Groves has had any impact.

The Jaguars vaunted “physical” defense has played like pussycats. They have only 5 sacks all year. By comparison, Steelers linebacker James Harrison already has 5.5 sacks all by himself. The Jaguars weren’t able to sack Houston quarterback Matt Schaub, even though Schaub had been sacked 8 times in the Texans’ prior two games. The lack of pressure from the kittycats….errr, I mean the Jaguars, was the primary reason that Schaub was able to pass for 307 yards and 3 touchdowns while converting 9 of 13 third down attempts.

The Jaguars linebackers aren’t playing much better. LB’s Mike Peterson and Darryl Smith are playing poorly, and Clint Ingram couldn’t stop a play action pass if you told him it was coming.

The Jaguar’s secondary is banged up. Starting safety Reggie Nelson didn’t play last week due to a bruised knee. Starting cornerback Rashean Mathis bruised his knee in the 2nd quarter against the Texans and had to leave the game. Nickel back Scott Starks was already out for the year with a knee injury. Even when healthy, Rashean Mathis and cornerback Drayton Florence spend so much time chasing opposing receivers that they probably feel like Swedish sprinters facing Usain Bolt.

Contrarily, the one thing that IS the same as it’s always been in this series is the Steelers’ defense. The Steelers defense is ranked 2nd in the NFL in points allowed, and 2nd in sacks (with 15). The Steelers linebackers are arguably the best in the NFL. James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley make up an almost unstoppable tandem at outside linebacker. Even playing without Brett Keisel and Casey Hampton, the Steelers front line has stood their ground. Chris Hoke, Travis Kirschke, and Nick Eason have filled in very competently for the injured starters.

So to recap, a weak Steelers offense faces a weak Jaguars defense, and a weak Jaguars offense faces a strong Steelers defense. If the Steelers offensive line can protect Ben Roethlisberger (and that’s a BIG “if”), the Steelers should be able to win this one on the strength of their defense.

I predict the Steelers come out of this game with a 4-1 record, beating the Jaguars 24-14.

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On Monday night, the Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1) take on their arch-rivals the Baltimore Ravens (2-0). In their last meeting, the Ravens defeated the Steelers 27-21. The Ravens have won 4 of the last 5 meetings, but the Steelers lead the all-time series 14-10.

The Ravens are coming off a big division win, having defeated the Cleveland Browns 28-10. The Steelers, on the other hand, are coming off a 117-6 loss to the Eagles………..What’s that? It was only 15-6? Wow, it sure seemed like 117-6. Oh well, I stand corrected.

This is a big game for both teams, as they battle for AFC North supremacy. Moreover, it is a battle of two teams that genuinely seem to hate one another. We all understand that fans in Pittsburgh are genetically programmed to hate the Cleveland Browns. However, Steelers vs. Browns stopped being a true rivalry the moment Art Modell moved his team to Baltimore. Since that time, a game against the Browns is essentially a guaranteed win for the Steelers. Contrarily, the Steelers-Ravens game has emerged as the true rivalry game on the schedule. When the Steelers meet the Ravens, the outcome is always uncertain.

One thing that IS certain when these two teams meet is that defense is going to be the focus of the game. Both teams boast strong defenses, and merely adequate offenses. Moreover, both teams live and die by the same philosophy; run the ball, and stop the run.

The Ravens enter the game with the NFL’s #1 ranked defense, allowing only 161.5 total yards per game. The Steelers are the NFL’s #2 ranked defense, averaging only 234.0 yards allowed per game. The Steelers are #2 in the NFL this year at stopping the run. Their stingy defense is only allowing 64.3 yards per game. The Ravens defense is #3 against the run, allowing only 70.0 rushing yards per game. The Ravens are the #2 scoring defense in the NFL, having allowed only 10.0 pts/gm. The Steelers defense is 3rd, allowing only 12.7 pts./gm. Finally, the Steelers defense has allowed only 1 rushing touchdown this season, while the Ravens “D” has allowed none. Did I mention that this was going to be a defensive struggle?

Both the Steelers and the Ravens are known for running conservative offenses that primarily run the ball. Based on the defensive numbers that I just presented, that may be a tough thing to do this week.

The Steelers’ offense is going to be further hampered by the loss of starting running back Willie Parker, who is sidelined with a knee injury. In his place, rookie Rashard Mendenhall will make his first NFL start. Mendenhall was the Steelers 1st round draft pick this year, but he has seen little action since the pre-season. So far, he has only accumulated 10 regular season carries.

The Baltimore Ravens’ defense hasn’t allowed a 100 yard rusher in 21 consecutive games, dating back to December 10, 2006. That is the longest current streak in the NFL. How many of you believe that Rashard Mendenhall is going to break that streak in his first NFL start? Neither do I.

Since the running game will probably not be able to carry the Steelers this week, they are going to have to rely on the passing game, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger was treated like a tackling dummy last week by the Eagles’ defense. I’m sure that the aggressive Ravens defense has watched those tapes closely and hopes to do the same thing. Remember, in November 2006, the Ravens’ defense had one of their most dominant performances ever against the Steelers. In that game, they sacked Roethlisberger 9 times, and intercepted him twice, en route to a 27-0 blowout in Baltimore. They’d love nothing more than to have a repeat of that performance.

In order to prevent that, the Steelers offensive line is going to have to give Big Ben much more time to find his receivers than he got last week. But Ben is also going to have to take more responsibility by getting rid of the ball quicker.

After last week’s game, I am assuming that Steelers Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians made the team practice quick slant routes to Hines Ward, and short passes to Heath Miller. Quick hitting plays like those will keep the Ravens’ defense honest, and prevent them from bringing the house on every play. If the Steelers are going to win, it is going to be up to Ben Roethlisberger to read the blitzes, and to react accordingly.

The Ravens recorded 5 sacks last week against the Browns. I’m sure they are itching to get even more sacks against the Steelers.

When the Ravens are on offense, they are going to have challenges of their own. They are starting rookie Joe Flacco at quarterback. To date, Flacco has faced the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense, and the Cleveland Browns’ defense. Neither of those defenses is in the same class as the Steelers’ defense. In those two games, Flacco has never passed for more than 129 yards. Moreover, he has never before faced the exotic blitz schemes that Steelers Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau is going to throw at him. By the end of the game, I expect Flacco to be very familiar with James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, and Troy Polamalu.

The one thing that will help the Ravens is that the Steelers will be missing three starters on defense. Pro Bowl nose tackle Casey Hampton is out with a groin pull. Defensive end Brett Keisel, and cornerback Deshea Townsend are also out. Hampton and Keisel make up 2/3 of the Steelers’ defensive front. That’s hard to replace.

The Ravens have an all-time record of 4-6 on Monday Night Football. They were 0-3 on MNF in 2007. The Steelers, on the other hand, are 13-0 at home on MNF dating back to 1992. Last year they crushed the Ravens in a Monday night game at Heinz Field (38-7). They also beat the Ravens on MNF in 2005 by a score of 20-19.

I’m not a betting man, but if I were, I’d say put your money on the Steelers. My prediction is Steelers win 13-6 in a defensive struggle.

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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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