For those of you who didn’t see Troy Polamalu’s interception yesterday against the San Diego Chargers, here it is. Even if you saw it, this play is so good that it deserves another look. It’s plays like this that show why Troy is a Pro Bowl safety.
Here we go Steelers, here we go!!
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The football gods finally smiled upon the Pittsburgh Steelers. It seemed like each time the Steelers were in a close game this season, fate would snatch victory from their hands. Not this time, though.
The Steelers got a masterful performance from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger had thrown eight interception in the Steelers’ last 3 games. His play had been so bad, that some fans had even called for Big Ben to be benched in favor of backup Byron Leftwich. But in this game, Roethlisberger played like a virtuoso. He completed 31-41 pass attempts for 308 yards. More importantly, he threw no interceptions.
Big Ben was accurate with his passes, and perhaps more importantly, he was quick with his reads. Roethlisberger made quick slant passes early and often. When the Chargers showed blitz, Big Ben was quick to change the play to a quick slant pass to either Santonio Holmes or Matt Spaeth. This ability to make the hot reads has been one of Roethlisberger’s (and Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians’) shortcomings this year.
Roethlisberger completed passes to 7 different receivers. That’s right, seven. That may not be a shocking stat for Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, but it is very unusual for Big Ben. Roethlisberger even completed a pass to third string tight end and backup fullback Sean McHugh. That’s not something you see everyday.
Roethlisberger ended the game with a 96.4 QB rating. By contrast, Chargers’ QB Philip Rivers ended the game with 2 interceptions and a 43.6 QB rating. Rivers had entered the game as the AFC’s highest rated passer, and the NFL’s leader in touchdown passes. Playing the NFL’s top-rated defense can certainly screw up a quarterback’s stats.
The Steelers welcomed back running back Willie Parker who had missed time this season due to knee and shoulder injuries. In his return to action, Parker rushed for 115 yards. Parker’s running probably helped to keep the Chargers’ defense honest, and made it easier for Roethlisberger to have a great passing day.
Perhaps the unsung hero of the game was backup tight end Matt Spaeth. Spaeth, who started in place of injured Heath Miller, caught 6 passes for 55 yards. Most of those seemed to be for 1st downs. Spaeth appeared to be Roethlisberger’s “go to” receiver anytime he anticipated a blitz. The strategy worked beautifully.
Of course, Steelers Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians also gets credit for calling a brilliant offensive game. We have written an entire article about Arians’ performance, which can be found here.
Despite 308 passing yards from Roethlisberger, 124 receiving yards by Hines Ward, and 115 yards rushing by Willie Parker, the Steelers’ offense actually failed to get into the endzone. Can you believe that? Neither could I. The Steelers’ offense was stifled more by penalties than it was by the Chargers’ defense. The Steelers were penalized 13 times for 115 yards.
On defense, the Steelers showed why they have the NFL’s #1 ranked defense. They held LaDainian Tomlinson to a paltry 57 yards rushing, and held Rivers to 159 yards passing and no touchdown passes. Linebacker James Harrison added a sack, a forced fumble, and an interception to his already impressive statistics. If he’s not the NFL’s Defensive Player of The Year, I don’t know who is.
Safety Troy polamalu also added an interception. He made an amazing play on the ball that had to be reviewed before the Chargers (and the referees) were convinced that it was actually an interception. Troy dived for the ball, and just barely got his fingers under the ball before it hit the ground. He maintained control of the ball, rolled over, and got up running.
Polamalu was also stout against the run. He had several plays against LaDainian Tomlinson that were reminiscent of their Nike commercial.
Despite the low score, and the lack of a Steelers touchdown, this was a dominant performance by both the Steelers offense and their defense. It was just an odd game that ended up with an odd score. In fact, according to the NFL, this was the first time that a game had ever ended up with a score of 11-10. The football gods even had the referees call back a touchdown by Troy Polamalu that would have led to a more reasonable score of 17-10. After the game, the refs acknowledged that they had blown the call. But in this game, it was probably fitting. An odd game like this deserved an odd score. 11-10, that’s one for the books.
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Before reading this article, please read our Steelers-Chargers post-game analysis found here.
This website has been critical of Steelers’ Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians for most of the season. In our opinion, Arians has failed to make in-game adjustments to counter the constant blitz schemes that the Steelers have faced. As team after team followed the same script when playing the Steelers, Arians seemed to stubbornly refuse to implement the quick passes that are the obvious counter-attack to constant blitzing. In the game earlier this year against the Philadelphia Eagles, Arians didn’t implement this strategy even after the Eagles’ 50th blitz and sack of Ben Roethlisberger (I believe the Eagles sacked Roethlisberger 700 times during that game, but I could be mistaken). We, along with most Steelers fans, were shocked when the Steelers came out in the second half of that game, and showed no sign of offensive adjustments of any type.
With this as background, we felt compelled to give Arians kudos for a job well done. In the Steelers’ odd 11-10 win over the San Diego Chargers, it was really Bruce Arians who was the hero of the game.
Some fans may ask, “how was Arians the hero of a game in which Ben Roethlisberger passed for 308 yards, Willie Parker ran for 115 yards, and Hines Ward had 124 yards receiving”? Well, the answer is simple. Bruce Arians called a nearly perfect game, and he is the reason that each of the above players had the exceptional performance that they did.
In the passing game, Arians had Roethlisberger executing the quick slant pass as effectively as I’ve seen any quarterback execute it. It is that particular play that is the bread and butter play for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. In fact, the Patriots use that play as a defacto running game.
Rothlisberger repeatedly got rid of the ball quickly in the face of a Chargers’ blitz. Usually, the recipient of those quick passes were Santonio Holmes or Matt Spaeth. In fact, it was this strategy which was responsible for Spaeth catching 6 passes during the game. Steelers Today has always believed that Arians under-utilizes the tight end, we were pleasantly surprised to see Spaeth play such an active role in the offense.
Arians called a diverse game that resulted in Big Ben completing passes to 7 different receivers. That is a very rare statistic for the Steelers offense.
Besides calling a brilliant passing game, Arians also used the running game to eat up the clock and to wear down the Chargers’ defense. Willie Parker’s 115 yards, and the Steelers 36:31minute - 23:29 minute time of possession advantage, is proof of this fact.
Arians also showed a willingness to keep experimenting until he found something that worked. Early in the game, he had Willie Parker attempt to gain short yardage, only to watch him get stuffed. Mewelde Moore met with the same fate. So Arians gave little-used running back Gary Russell an opportunity on third down. Not only did Russell gain the needed yardage, but when called upon to do it again later in the game, Russell did it again. By showing flexibility, Arians may have found a new third down back. Moreover, he has found a way to give valuable playing time to a back who has shown potential, but has been given few chances to prove himself.
The Steelers offense failed to get into the endzone. But that does not mean that they weren’t dominant. Bruce Arians called a near-perfect game, and the offense dominated the Chargers to a much greater degree than was reflected on the scoreboard.
Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker, Hines Ward, Matt Spaeth, Troy Polamalu, and James Harrison all had excellent games on Sunday. But in our opinion, the game ball for this win goes to Bruce Arians. Way to go, Bruce!
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Before reading this article, please read our Steelers-Charger Preview found here.
This Sunday, the San Diego Chargers invade Heinz Field to take on our Pittsburgh Steelers. San Diego has never won a regular season game in Pittsburgh. If the Steelers are to keep that streak alive, these are the key match-ups that they must control.
Steelers center Justin Hartwig vs. Chargers’ nose tackle Jamal Williams
Williams is a huge 6’3″, 348 lbs. nose tackle. According to Hartwig, Williams is one of the most most difficult tackles he has ever faced. If the Steelers running game is to succeed, Hartwig will have to keep Williams from collapsing the pocket. This may prove to be a difficult challenge. However, facing huge nose tackles is exactly the reason why Justin Hartwig was brought in to replace last year’s center Sean Mahan. Advantage: Chargers.
Steelers linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley versus Chargers QB Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers is the top-rated QB in the NFL. He leads the league in touchdown passes. In order to prevent him from picking the Steelers apart, the defense is going to have to put constant pressure on him. Fortunately, the Steelers have two of the NFL’s sack leaders to apply that pressure. Harrison and Woodley will need to keep Rivers on the run, or it could be a long day for the Steelers’ secondary. Advantage: Steelers.
Steelers cornerback William Gay vs. Chargers wide receiver Chris Chambers
Ike Taylor will probably be called upon to guard 6’5″ Chargers receiver Vincent Jackson. That leaves Chris Chambers for William Gay. Gay is making his first NFL start. While Gay has done well for the Steelers as a nickel back, he has never been called upon to stop an opposing receiver for the entire game. With Philip Rivers delivering the passes, this is going to be a tough debut for Gay. Advantage: Chargers.
Steelers safety Troy Polamalu vs. Chargers receiver Antonio Gates
Gates is Philip Rivers’ favorite target. He is one of the best receiving tight ends in the NFL, and he is sure to challenge Polamalu. But Troy Polamalu is a Pro Bowl caliber safety, and he should more than hold his own against Gates. Advantage: Neither.
Steelers offensive tackle Willie Colon vs. Chargers LB Shaun Phillips
Shaun Phillips is the Chargers’ best defensive lineman. He is one of their leading tacklers, and he leads the team in sacks. Phillips will challenge Colon, but Colon should be up to the task. It is not very often that I get to say that, so let me enjoy this moment for a second. Advantage: Neither.
Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger vs. Chargers secondary
Big Ben has not been having a good time lately. He has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns over the past 4 games, and his QB rating is far below his usual standard. However, this week Roethlisberger will be facing the NFL’s worst passing defense. This may be just what the doctor ordered to help Big Ben get out of the funk that he’s been in lately. Advantage: Steelers.
Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson vs. Steelers’ run defense
LaDainian Tomlinson is one of the best running backs in the NFL. However, this year has not proven to be a very good one for Tomlinson. Tomlinson’s average of 69.9 yards per game is the lowest of his career. Things shouldn’t get any better for him this week as he faces the Steelers top-rated defense. Advantage: Steelers.
Overall, I believe the Steelers have the advantage in this game. The Chargers are playing below expectations, and they don’t tend to play particularly well on the road. They’ve never won in Pittsburgh, and they’ll be facing the toughest defense they’ll probably meet all year. That is a formula for failure. I predict a 24-13 Steelers win.
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This Sunday at 4:15 PM, the Steelers (6-3) will host the San Diego Chargers (4-5). The Steelers are tied with the Baltimore Ravens for 1st place in the AFC North, while the Chargers are one game behind the Denver Broncos in the AFC West. The Steelers have won five of the last six games against the Chargers, and lead the all-time series 19-6.
The Chargers have never won a regular season game in Pittsburgh. That’s right, NEVER. However, they have won the last two playoff games in Pittsburgh. The Steelers would like to keep their regular season home winning streak going against the Chargers by beating them on Sunday.
Both the Steelers and the Chargers have been among the NFL’s elite teams over the past 4 years, with a combined record of 90-38 since 2004. However, both team’s fans probably think their team has underperformed this season.
With a roster full of talented players, the Chargers came into the season as one of the favorites to win the AFC along with the New England Patriots. However, just as the Patriots saw their hopes dashed when Tom Brady was lost for the season, the Chargers suffered a similar letdown when linebacker Shawne Merriman decided to have season-ending knee surgery.
Of course, the Steelers are also familiar with playing without key players. This season, the Steelers’ roster has been like a M.A.S.H. unit. They have had to play games without key players such as Marvell Smith, Kendall Simmons, Casey Hampton, Willie Parker, Santonio Holmes, Aaron Smith, Bryant McFadden, DeShea Townsend, Rashard Mendenhall, and others.
Besides missing Merriman, the primary thing that has hurt the Chargers is the play of LaDainian Tomlinson. Tomlinson, a perennial All-Pro and the NFL rushing leader the past two seasons, is having a very poor season relative to his usual standards. For the first time in a long time, Tomlinson finds himself outside of the NFL’s top 10 in rushing. Unlike the Steelers’ Willie Parker, Tomlinson’s below average rushing numbers are not due to injury. Tomlinson has started every game this season, but has surpassed 100 yards rushing only twice. His current 69.9 yard per game average is the lowest of his career. Perhaps Tomlinson is feeling the results of the departure of fullback Lorenzo Neal during the offseason. Neal was one of the best blocking fullbacks in the league.
Tomlinson’s statistics will probably not be helped by facing the Steelers’ defense. The Steelers have the NFL’s top defense, and they are second in the NFL against the run. They are only allowing 69.2 rushing yards per game. LaDainian Tomlinson is likely to join Clinton Portis, Brandon Jacobs, Brian Westbrook, Jamaal Lewis, Fred Taylor, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Joseph Addai, on the list of running backs who have met with futility trying to run against the Steelers this season.
The Steelers also have a pro bowl running back who is having a below average season. However, Willie Parker’s sub-par rushing numbers are due to injury. Parker has missed 4 of the Steelers’ past 5 games. Fortunately for the Steelers, Mewelde Moore has represented himself well while replacing Parker. Parker is expected to play this week versus the Chargers.
The other big storyline of this game is the quarterback matchup. Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and Chargers’ quarterback Philip Rivers were both drafted in the 1st round of the 2004 NFL draft, along with Giants quarterback Eli Manning. Roethlisberger was second to only New England’s Tom Brady in passer rating last season. This year, Big Ben’s 76.1 passer rating is ranked 25th in the NFL. Even worse, he’s tied for 2nd in the NFL in interceptions, a dubious honor. Roethlisberger has thrown 8 interceptions in the past 3 games, and has been sacked 10 times. He’s thrown only one touchdown pass during that span. Some Steelers fans have even called for Big Ben to be benched in favor of Byron Leftwich until his injured shoulder is better.
Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is having no such problems. Rivers enters the game leading the NFL with 21 touchdown passes. He’s also the AFC’s top rated passer. However, he may have difficulty maintaining that lofty passer rating against the league’s top passing defense. Rivers is averaging 261.6 yards passing per game this season. The Steelers’ defense is giving up only 171.1 passing yards per game. Something has to give.
Contrarily, Big Ben and the Steelers’ passing game will have to face the NFL’s worst passing defense. The Chargers give up 264.9 yards passing per game. Their poor passing defense was one of the reason that Chargers’ Defensive Coordinator Ted Cottrell was fired 2 weeks ago and replaced by Ron Rivera. Rivera, the former Chicago Bears defensive coordinator, was one of the candidates for the Steelers’ head coaching job that ultimately went to Mike Tomlin. Because Rivera has only coached one game as the Chargers’ defensive coordinator, it is unclear what defensive schemes the Steelers will see this week.
I am predicting that the Steelers will keep their regular season home winning streak going against the Chargers this weekend. My forecast is for a 24-13 Steelers victory.
Please see our Steelers-Chargers Key Match-ups (found here) for even more information about the upcoming game.
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