Picksburgh

Roethlisberger 'Prays' He Can Stay with Steelers When Deal Expires

2014-07-27T19:10:00.000-07:00

Ben Roethlisberger officially began his 11th Steelers training camp Saturday — can it possibly be that long? — yet he still is still getting accustomed to all this newness.

Many new receivers. A new-and-improved offense that might be the most diverse he has run, given all his new gadgets. And, personally, a newly revamped workout program complete with, for the first time, a personal trainer and nutritionist.

All that's missing is a new contract.

“Usually the Steelers do a quarterback deal with two years to go, which would be this year. … It's kind of a unique thing,” Roethlisberger said Saturday in a one-on-one interview with the Tribune-Review.

By announcing as camp opened Friday there will be no negotiations this year with their franchise quarterback, the Steelers are hoping Roethlisberger can play the season without distracting questions about how much money and how long a contract he wants.

It's play ball, then move on to moneyball.

“(It's) giving the Rooneys, the Steelers, the fans all of me, all I have, and leave it on the field, and then let the team figure out what to do from there,” he said.

Once contract talks begin between agent Ryan Tollner and team president Art Rooney II and his staff in 2015, Roethlisberger said he “prays” he can stay with the Steelers, even though he must “do what's best for his family” — the prerequisite comment for all such players who want to be fairly compensated.

However, he also believes that can happen as quarterback salaries push toward the $20 million-a-year stratosphere.

As evidence, Roethlisberger points to the Denver Broncos being among the most active teams in free agency after going to the Super Bowl, despite Peyton Manning's $15 million base salary and $17.5 million cap hit. Roethlisberger is making $12.1 million this season with a cap hit of $18.895 million, but is only the sixth-highest QB in base salary.

By willingly going along with the Steelers' wait-to-negotiate plan, Roethlisberger believes he is helping them financially, much as Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Andrew McCutchen did in their team-friendly contracts.

“Playing this year at my current salary, it's kind of taking a hometown discount,” Roethlisberger said. “I've played seven years on my current contract, which is the most of any (NFL) player or any quarterback. … It is kind of taking a discount compared to maybe where it could be compared to other quarterbacks.”

Personally, the most extensive offseason program of the 32-year-old Roethlisberger's career, he said, left him “lighter and in better shape than I have been since my rookie year.” He didn't reveal his weight. The goal is to stay healthy and keep playing at a high level until his late 30s — or, as Rooney estimated, another five to six seasons.

“It's another step to keep getting better, and part of that is being healthy,” he said. Then, he said, “Maybe it's (a reflection of) getting old.”

Fatherhood — he's now a dad to a 15-month-old son and a four-month-old daughter — also has changed Roethlisberger, who is only four years removed from an embarrassing four-game suspension for off-field behavior.

He woke up Saturday morning in Latrobe by video chatting with Benjamin Jr. in Hampton, then stepped onto the practice field to begin working with a youngish receivers corps — and a set of skill position players — that is the most revamped of his career.

After watching Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders leave during the past two offseasons, the Steelers added Lance Moore and Darrius Heyward-Bey and drafted Martavis Bryant and the multi-dimensional Dri Archer. They also added signed running back LeGarrette Blount to provide Le'Veon Bell with a proven, and very physical, backup.

Roethlisberger is long removed from any initial disappointment the Steelers did not draft an elite wide receiver in the first two rounds, saying, “I have to put my faith and my trust in the Rooneys and Kevin Colbert and coach (Mike) Tomlin in that they're going to put the best team that they can possibly put on that field.”

Roethlisberger also is excited about getting to run his preferred no-huddle offense far more extensively — so much so, it's close to becoming a base offense for him and coordinator Todd Haley, with whom he has a close relationship following some early tension in 2012.

“Even when Coach (Haley) is calling plays (out of base formations), a lot of it is no-huddle plays,” he said.

So how does Roethlisberger juggle all these dissimilar components — the no-huddle, a power running game with Bell and Blount, and a speed element incorporating Archer as a change-up runner and receiver?

“That's the advantage we have of having those guys because we can do so many different things with them,” he said.

Despite being one of the NFL's most reliable and accomplished quarterbacks, Roethlisberger sometimes gets left out of the best-of-the-best discussion. This summer, ESPN didn't include him among its upper-tier quarterbacks, even though the Chargers' less-successful Philip Rivers was included, and Browns first-year coach Mike Pettine didn't rank him among the league's top five.

“Hopefully (at the end of his career), my Super Bowl numbers are up there and my top quarterback ratings are up there, and people can look back and say, ‘Wow, he was pretty good,' ” Roethlisberger said. “That's all I can do for now. I'm not going to sit here and argue with people who say I'm the sixth best or second tier. I'm going to go out there and play and give it everything I have.”

That legacy could be strengthened if the Steelers enjoy the bounce-back season Roethlisberger expects following the career-worst 8-8 records of 2012 and 2013.

“I had two bad (.500) years, now it's time to have a bunch of good years — have a run,” he said.

Credit - http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/6503325-74/roethlisberger-steelers-camp#axzz38Zs2HDIB

NFL Week 14 Picks

2013-12-05T20:18:00.002-08:00

It's a wonder if the NFL Network gets frustrated, considering they do not seem to have the ability to flex their own games.

Thursday's Houston (-3) at Jacksonville game couldn't have been expected to be a match-up with more in it for the loser (draft positioning) than the winner (worse draft positioning), but these things happen. Houston wasn't expected to be in contention for the bottom spot, and while speculation surrounding them drafting either Teddy Bridgewater or JaDaveon Clowney would easily fill a draft speculator's plate for several months after the season, it still seems like a game they should win.

Famous last words.

We're going with the Jags +3.

As for the game you actually care about...Miami (+3) at Pittsburgh...

The Steelers simply do not have depth along their offensive line to have much optimism. In fact, no team could suffer this many injuries along its offensive line and expect things to be all peaches and power draws. Even in the friendly confines of Heinz Field, a place where the "good" version of the Steelers often appear, the Dolphins are a quality team on the road, and they're going to pull out a close game.

As for the rest of the week:

JAGUARS (+3) over Texans

Chiefs (-3) over REDSKINS

RAVENS (-7) over Vikings

PATRIOTS (off) over Browns

Raiders (+3) over JETS

Colts (+6) over BENGALS

EAGLES (-3) over Lions

BUCCANEERS (-3) over Bills

PACKERS (off) over Falcons

BRONCOS (-13) over Titans

CARDINALS (-6) over Rams

Giants (+3) over CHARGERS

Seahawks (+3) over 49ERS

Panthers (+3.5) over SAINTS

Cowboys (off) over BEARS

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/12/5/5180226/nfl-week-14-picks-point-spread-odds-betting-lines

Ben Roethlisberger named MMQB Special Teams Player of the Week

2013-11-25T11:46:00.003-08:00

The beautiful pooch punt from two time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger has won him his second straight weekly award. The outstanding kick that landed Cleveland on their
own 1 yard line has earned Ben "Special Teams Player of the Week (QB's)" from Peter King.

Big Ben is playing some of the best ball of his life, leading a 2-6 team to a 5-6 team, the Steelers are inching closer, and closer to .500, and the playoffs.

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Steelers Shaping Up to Be Legit Playoff Team

2013-11-25T01:57:00.003-08:00

Riding a three game win-streak, these are the Steelers I'm used to. Forcing turnovers and three and outs, big play's from Big Ben and Troy being Troy, the only word used to describe today's game was "fun".

Ben Roethlisberger should be in trade rumors more often, because he has been lights out ever since he almost gave Steeler Nation a heart attack. Leading his team to a third straight victory, and a 5-6 record, the Steelers are inching closer and closer to .500, and a spot to clinch a division that's struggling this year, the AFC North.

The Steelers have had a complete turnaround since their 0-4 record to start the year. Mostly all of Steeler fans had given up on them (including me), but Steeler Nation should know better than anybody, our Steelers will grind out every play until Week 17. Now, pushing to a 5-6 record, it's hard to imagine the playoffs without the Renegade. The question still remains, "What did the Steelers do to turn this team around?", thats easy, turnovers. For the past two weeks the offense hasn't turned the ball over once, while the defense has had four turnovers in the past 6 quarters. Another factor is the offensive line. DeCastro is finally stepping up and so is the rest of the O-Line.

Now, "What about Jarvis Jones". Jarvis Jones is playing good, but not up to the potential he was hyped as, and thats perfectly fine. Name me a rookie that has mastered Dick LeBeau's defense their rookie year, huh? Thats right. The Steelers maybe riding a three game winning streak, but the real contest comes this Thursday night, against the Ravens. Steeler Nation... the whole season rides on this Thursday!

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Brown Passes 1,000 Yards, Gets The Better of Haden

2013-11-24T16:34:00.002-08:00

A montage at one point in the second half showed Browns cornerback Joe Haden battling step-for-step with Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown.

For football purists, it was chilling. Two phenomenal athletes at the height of their respective positions doing battle in a way the game was meant to be played. At one point, Haden came deep into Pittsburgh's sideline and exchanged a word or two with Brown as he spoke with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.

Tomlin's reaction wasn't as angry as a team might think. Brown didn't go after him, either. It almost seemed...respectful.

The level of competition was a topic of conversation leading into the Steelers' Week 12 game against Cleveland. "Little Brother" was building up to trade punches with a fully-staffed "Big Brother." Ben Roethlisberger would be on the field for this game, unlike the last time Cleveland hosted the Steelers. And both teams had playoff aspirations.

While it was obvious by the third quarter Little Brother was not quite there, and was in for a rough afternoon, Brown and Haden continued to battle. This is the same Haden who held Bengals WR A.J. Green to seven yards on two catches. His length, his athleticism, his overall make-up to play the cornerback position are rivaled by very few, if any, in the NFL.

And Brown matched him - at worst - punch-for-punch.

It was good to see they were aware of who the other one was during the game. Never over-the-top or penalty-worthy or anything like that. Brown got the best of him on a fly down the left sideline when Haden peek and stuck just a little too long toward the backfield. Brown managed to hang onto the ball (a bit underthrown), a big-time play that woke the Steelers' up from their road woes.

The Steelers' best offensive skill player vs. the Browns' most talented player. And the Steelers won.

It was all Steelers after that.

That catch made up 41 of Brown's 92 yards on the day - the 11th consecutive game in which Brown has at least five catches or more, a Steelers franchise record. He re-directed any opportunity to take praise for his performance, often repeating "team win" in an interview with the media after the game.

That all may be true, but it was an even bigger individual win for Brown.

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/11/24/5141524/steelers-browns-antonio-brown-record-joe-haden-touchdown

Week 12 NFL Lines - Steelers Underdogs

2013-11-22T14:41:00.001-08:00

Date & Time	Favorite	Line	Underdog	Total
11/24 1:00 ET	At Detroit	-9	Tampa Bay	49
11/24 1:00 ET	At Houston	-10	Jacksonville	43.5
11/24 1:00 ET	At Green Bay	-4.5	Minnesota	44
11/24 1:00 ET	At Kansas City	-4.5	San Diego	42
11/24 1:00 ET	Carolina	-4.5	At Miami	41
11/24 1:00 ET	At Cleveland	-2	Pittsburgh	40
11/24 1:00 ET	At St. Louis	-1.5	Chicago	45.5
11/24 1:00 ET	At Baltimore	-3.5	NY Jets	39
11/24 4:05 ET	Tennessee	-1	At Oakland	41.5
11/24 4:05 ET	At Arizona	-2.5	Indianapolis	45
11/24 4:25 ET	At NY Giants	-2.5	Dallas	45
11/24 8:30 ET	Denver	-2.5	At New England	54

Monday Night Football Line


11/25 8:40 ET	San Francisco	-5.5	At Washington	47

SteelersGab.com

NFL Week 12 Picks

2013-11-22T10:50:00.001-08:00

Rarely is a division so mediocre, three of its teams are under .500 heading into Week 12, yet, all three of them are still in the playoff race. That's what will happen when the Browns host the Steelers Sunday.

Cleveland, losers of four of their last five games, hope Jason Campbell can reclaim whatever magic he had when he reeled off a win over Baltimore in Week 9, while the Steelers look to thrive off newfound huddle-less life on offense.

It's really tough betting on the Steelers when they're on the road. They have to be good enough to win the game if they're a smart pick.

We're going with the Steelers (+1) over Cleveland.

Thursday, what is usually a good match-up, isn't, because of the Hindenburg-like season currently being suffered by the Falcons. Saints (-9) will take this one.

Bucs (+9) over LIONS

TEXANS (-10) over Jaguars

PACKERS (-5) over Vikings

CHIEFS (-5) over Chargers

Panthers (-4.5) over DOLPHINS

Bears (+1) over RAMS

RAVENS (-4) over Jets

RAIDERS (+1) over Titans

Colts (+1) over CARDINALS

Cowboys (+3) over Giants

Broncos (off) over PATRIOTS

REDSKINS (+6) over 49ers

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/11/21/5127500/nfl-week-12-picks-afc-north-has-the-action-heading-down-the-stretch

Art Rooney II: 'Fair to say Baltimore is Steeler's biggest rival right now'

2013-11-22T10:46:00.003-08:00

Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland interviewed Steelers president Art Rooney II in wake of the Steelers at Browns game Sunday.

Rooney spoke on what most people would find somewhere in the Land of the Obvious.

"Certainly there are a lot of our fans who still consider Cleveland to be a big rivalry," Rooney told Grossi. "But there’s no doubt, because of the competition we’ve had with Baltimore and the fact we’ve had a lot of meaningful games with them, that has created a rivalry with them.

"It’s probably fair to say that’s our biggest rival right now."

The old school might take an issue with that. The realist suggests the outcomes of these games have been so one-sided over the last 14 years, it's hard to call it a rivalry based on anything other than proximity and frequency.

Sunday marks what could be argued as the first time these teams have played with playoff implications on the line since 2007. That in and of itself should be enough to toss the past aside and prepare for a battle.

It appears Rooney is thinking along the same lines.

"I think it is getting healthier," he said. "I think it’s fair to say it’s not what it once was. But I think that’s a function of the two teams for the past few years had their ups and downs. I think this game (on Sunday), there’s a lot on the line for both teams. Both teams are in the hunt. That’s really what it takes, I think, for a rivalry to get some spark. That’s what is needed, probably."

Regular season playoff games have a way of fueling the smoldering embers of a rivalry. It wouldn't be surprising if a spark or two fired up from Sunday's game, setting up a do-or-die Week 17 game in Pittsburgh.

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/steelers-vs-browns-news-and-updates-leading-into-week-12/2013/11/22/5133992/steelers-browns-rivalry-art-rooney-comments

Keep Calm and Le'Veon

2013-11-21T23:21:00.002-08:00

and Avondale Street neighbor Bob Smizik. Bob is a hard-working, honest, and damned good sports journalist. He's not a sensationalist. But Bob wrote a blog column on Monday in the Post-Gazette headlined, "Le'Veon not ringing the bell."

Calling it "second day thoughts on the Steelers' 37-27 win over the Detroit Lions," he noted that Bell has gained 375 yards in 120 carries in his career, and compared that to Rashard Mendenhall's 635 yards in his first 120 carries. He then noted that Mendenhall ran behind the line of Starks, Kemo, Hartwig, Essex, and Colon, which, Smizik says, was not a "superior line."

Well, figures lie but game film doesn't. And Homer has just taken a close look at the game film from the Lions' game so you don't have to. And what it shows is that Bell was far, far better than his stats would seem to indicate. It showed instances of him being hammered two, three, or even five yards behind the line of scrimmage - often almost immediately after receiving a handoff.

Let's go to the videotape:

First quarter

10:18 1-10 S33 Bursts thru hole, goes for 12 yards.

9:56 1-10 S45 Hit solidly 3 yds behind LOS. Gang tackled for loss. No chance to get going

7:52 2-8 L42 Grazed by tackler 1 yd deep. Evades, runs into 3 tacklers at 40. 2 YG.

6:25 1-10 L34 Is secondary receiver on TD pass to A Brown. Hits LB #54 with solid block, then screens defenders to help Brown break loose for TD.

5:17 1-10 S37 Evades tackle at LOS. Hit solidly after 4 YG.

4:09 1-10 L47 Secondary receiver on TD pass to A Brown. Throws solid downfield block on #31.

Second quarter

Time? 1-10 L22 Hit one yard behind LOS. Runs into three tacklers. NG

10:50 1-10 L11 Runs right, evades tackler 3 yds behind LOS, turns corner, hurdles over tackler for 4 YG.

10:44 2-6 L7 Runs short down and in crossing pattern. Ben throws ball behind him as he's cutting

across the field. Reaches back and touches ball, but extremely difficult to catch. Incomplete.

9:54 1-10 S41 Spins away from a tackler 2 yds behind LOS, 4 YG after hit by three tacklers.

9:20 2-6 S45 Flares out of backfield, runs a seam pattern. Catches pass at L48 and breaks free. Surrounded by three tacklers and caught from behind at L12 for 43 yard gain.

3:52 1-10 S20 Hit solidly 4 yds behind LOS, spins, taken down for 2YL.

1:25 1-20 S9 Catches pass in left flat for 2YG to help Ben avoid safety. Whimper called for second holding penalty in two plays.

Third Quarter:

14:55 1-10 S18 Pitchout. Hit after 1 YG. Fights for 3 YG.

14:10 2-7 S21 Hit three yards behind LOS. Hit by three men. 1YL.

9:57 2-1 L36 Pitchout. Runs right, hit at LOS. Fights for 2YG and first down.

7:25 3-4 L7 Flares out of backfield, down and in. Catches pass at 3YL, fights and stretches forward for first down inside the 1YL.

6:45 1-G L1 Runs into brick wall 1 yd behind LOS. Lions push OL back into backfield. 1 YL

5:57 3-G L3 Bell trapped in backfield, slips and falls trying to change direction. 3YL. Defender got past Johnson and was already two yards into the backfield in perfect position the instant Bell got the handoff.

Fourth Quarter:

12:46 1-10 S3 Bell delays in backfield. Hit at LOS. NG

12:04 2-10 S3 Hit 1 yd behind LOS. Tackled by 4 players. NG

10:20 2-1 S29 Finds a seam, runs straight up the middle. 5YG, First down. (Not hit or trapped in backfield)

9:01 1-10 L44 Takes deep handoff 6 yds behind LOS. Evades two tacklers 5 yds behind LOS, fights gang tackle for net 2YL. TV announcer notes, "Bell has no chance."

7:30 4-2 L37 On fourth down, Bell runs fade pattern to right flat. Catches pass, gets four yards and key first down.

3:28 2-6 L30 Takes handoff 5 yds deep, hit at LOS, Spins for 6 yards and first down.

3:20 1-10 L24 Takes handoff 3 yards deep.Hit by 2 tacklers at LOS, 1 YG. Could have gone outside, but wisely decided to stay inside and remain inbounds to keep clock running.

The more times Homer looks at the video on NFL Rewind, the more apparent it becomes that the Lions controlled the line of scrimmage and Bell was repeatedly hit behind the line and before he had a chance to get going. When he had decent blocking, or found a seam, he took advantage and gained yardage. He was simply outstanding as a pass receiver and downfield blocker.

The series of plays in the 3rd quarter between 7:25 and 5:57 tell it all. Bell made an outstanding catch and run to get them within inches of the goal line. Then he tried to take it up the gut, but the Lions pushed the Steelers OL back, and, as the announcer said, he "ran into a brick wall." Then, he tried to take it outside, but at the instant he was handed the football, a defender was already two yards deep in the backfield and in perfect position to bring him down.

The offensive line did a decent job of pass protection, and that's about it. On running plays, they were constantly being pushed back, and Bell was often hit immediately after getting the handoff. He bulled forward or spun out of trouble, making the best out of bad situations time and time again. He didn't dance, he didn't fumble, and he didn't do anything stupid. He made the very best out of a difficult situation when his own offensive line was being out-physicaled.

Don't just look at the game stats, Bob. Look at the video. You will see that Le'Veon not only played a solid game in all facets, he rang the bell.

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/11/21/5129700/smizik-be-damned-game-film-shows-leveon-rings-the-bell

Steelers vs. Browns Week 12 preview

2013-11-21T23:18:00.002-08:00

The defense wasn't exceptional against the Lions, but that game was still a lot of fun to watch. The offensive outburst was aided by a pretty pedestrian Lions secondary and the game might've been a lot uglier in Detroit. But the offensive line was pretty impressive against a nasty interior D-line, and who cares?!? They're vying for a playoff spot!

A win against Cleveland would keep the Steelers on the edge of the Wild Card race. A loss at this point might be enough to sink their hopes for good.

It's not exactly a metaphorical playoff game yet, but Pittsburgh's season now begins and ends with the Browns.

4-6 vs. 4-6

The Browns defense has been really encouraging for Cleveland's fans at times this season. The Packers, Lions, and Bengals scored enough points on them to bump their points against ranking to 17th in league, but they are still 5th in yards allowed -- and that's a pretty popular measure of success in certain circles. Jason Campbell has filled in without catastrophe (80.0 quarterback rating), and that Trent Richardson trade looks pretty slick right now. But they still have the worst point differential in the division. Their offense, simply put, is one of the worst in the league.

The Steelers started the season in a putrescent funk, going 0-4 and reaching all kinds of new lows. Then, they dug deep and found something in the grooves of rock bottom. Despite the disappointing losses to Oakland and that other team that I don't recall at the moment, Pitt is 4-2 in their last 6. So everybody in the media can just f***in' cool it with all the comments about how terrible they've been since that playoff game against theBroncos. It was a bad stretch, but they are still the Pittsburgh Steelers -- one the greatest franchises the NFL has ever seen.

More: Lions vs Steelers coverage Steelers vs Browns coverage

ONE GAME OUT

It seems like a joke, but Pittsburgh is only one game back in the AFC Wild Card race. The first Wild Card is going to the AFC West runner-up, but the 6-seed is up for grabs -- with mostly pretty awful teams getting handsy. Good news for the Steelers! Only one game back from the Jets and Dolphins -- plus, they could have the head-to-head tiebreakers over both of those teams by the end of the year. And hey, remember the last time they got in as a #6? Went pretty well.

They don't look much like the team from 2005, but if the league's unleashed parity affords them an opportunity to channel the team that won Super Bowl XL, why not? It still seems pretty unlikely, and it's really too bad the 2013ers lost to Minnesota, Oakland and Tennessee, but the unlikely could very well happen. The Steelers are a playoff contender.

Here's that last sentence again since you didn't believe it the first time:

The Steelers are a playoff contender.

Man, I wish the NFL was just a little more fabulous...oh hey, thanks Browns

Both

Last week, I asked the question: "Which team will show up against Detroit?" or something like that. The answer ended up being: "Both" -- or more specifically, "The shitty team showed up for a large chunk of the first half, but for the first few minutes and the whole second half, a completely new team, an offensive powerhouse that slashed the Lions to motherf***ing ribbons, came out of nowhere and restored a sense of hope to the 2013 season, the general direction of the Steelers organization, and the entire human category of living things."

It took them almost the full 60 minutes for them to come up with this answer, but they did. And it was pretty satisfying. But for next week, how about a quick and prevailing answer to that question: "The good version."

Cotch-piece update

Still awesome.

ICYMI

You seriously need to watch this video. Unless you're a hardcore Nihilist, this will at least make you consider smiling.

c/o BTSC's own Chris Carter

* * * * * * * * *

Steelers.com has been putting up some great slideshows of classic match ups. So far it looks like it's only been Buffalo and Cleveland. While it would've been cool to see some old photos of Steelers-Bears or Steelers-Vikings, the two they have are pretty ba'ass.

* * * * * * * * *

There is a really cool anecdotal interview with Dick Lebeau by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In it, he gives an account of what it was like to play a professional football game just 48 hours after the JFK assassination. Just another reason Dick Lebeau and his remarkably untiring seniority are awesome.

The interview is also kind of illuminating. It's another example of how the current generation (myself included) and Lebeau's generation have the exact opposite disposition toward the powers that be. When he said, "I've always been a person who supports the existing authorities," I thought I might've somehow stumbled upon an interview with Stephen Colbert by accident. The popular modern attitude toward authority is so guarded and suspicious. And rightfully so. Let's not kid ourselves by saying he grew up in an era that had better leaders. JFK was pretty much a better-looking and more promiscuously successful Bill Clinton. But a large part of Lebeau's generation simply had a much more benevolent opinion of the establishment.

I don't know. Maybe not. It just seems like the Terrell Suggs-Roger Goodell Saga would look a lot different back in Lebeau's heyday.

What is a 70-yard punt?

Apparently, it's when a punter just kicks it really far...Mat McBriar joined a pretty elite club (at least for the Steelers) on Sunday with a punt of exactly 70 yards after the first drive of the third quarter. It was a huge play, improving the Steelers chances of winning by 6.1% (for comparison's sake, Roethlisberger's first TD pass to Brown improved their chances by 8.6% -- so yea, big punt).

Only 13 guys in recorded Steelers history have kicked a ball that far, cherry-bomb style.Drew Butler had a 79-yarder (second longest in team history) last year, and Josh Millerbooted a 72-yard punt back in 2003 (and a few other times at the end of the 90s). But other than those two guys, you'd have to go back to 1981 to find a 70+ yard professional Pittsburgh punt. That one was kicked by none other than the patriarch of the Colquitt family punting dynasty, Craig Colquitt. His sons, Dustin and Britton, and his brother, Jimmy, have all drop kicked stuff at the highest level at which one can do so.

Aaaaaaaand here's a picture of those sons:

Antonio Brown is the best receiver in the NFL

Okay, maybe he's not. But he leads the league in receptions and is 5th in receiving yards. A lot of that has come from the kind of offense Pittsburgh has been forced to run while trailing early in games, but Brown has handsomely rewarded the Steelers for extending him in an era that sees many players regress (for whatever reason) after earning their first big contract. He's probably a more complete wideout than the team's last "number one" and he is just as electrifying. When Mike Wallace returns to Pittsburgh at the beginning of December, we could be in for a gashing Young Money showdown. Ike Taylor can cover receivers better than most corners in the NFL, but if Wallace gets loose behind him, a big play or two could set the stage for another big game from Brown as well -- but let's hope they don't have to throw 50 times to make it happen.

This week, he's got a much tougher matchup -- Cleveland's Joe Haden, who had two picks last week (one returned for a TD) and held AJ Green to just 2 catches for 7 yards. Not unimpressive. But the Browns still lost by 21, mainly because they were outscored 31-0 in the second quarter.

First Green. Now Brown. And hey, he gets to face BLACKmon the following against Jacksonville. Things are getting less and less colorful by the week for Joe Haden.

Matthew Stafford: Exemplary Caucasian

Just not that good

That's a phrase that could describe about 90% of the NFL. Or at least it seems that way. There are the unquestionable plankton, like Tampa Bay and Jacksonville. There are a handful of pretty good teams, like Denver and Seattle. But between those edges of the NFL panorama, there's a lot of what looks like mediocrity. It's sure to take a more definitive shape soon, but someone is getting into the AFC bracket at 8-8 or 9-7. It was a good year for the Steelers to fall on their faces out of the starting blocks...I guess. If they can put together a good run over the next six weeks, they might just get in. And that's all it takes. Remember the team that won the Super Bowl last year?

PREDICTION

It seems like the Browns defense could give Pittsburgh some serious problems. Cleveland's secondary is pretty much the polar opposite of the Lions -- Brown isn't likely to have as many wide open lanes to the end zone after the catch. But the Steelers defense matches up well against the Browns. Well, most defenses do actually.

I'm hoping the defense doesn't let Jason Campbell, or whoever, get away with anything that will make me want to harm small animals. Ike needs to bottle up Josh Gordon to keep the Browns at bay, but even if he breaks one, I'm banking on Pittsburgh getting it done against a tough defense.

Steelers 14, Browns 12

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/11/21/5117328/steelers-vs-browns-preview-week-12-nfl-match-ups-analysis-predictions

LaMarr Woodley, Brett Keisel miss practice

2013-11-21T15:12:00.001-08:00

PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley did not practice Thursday, sitting out drills a day after he took part in them on a limited basis.

The Steelers are hoping both Woodley and defensive end Brett Keisel play in Cleveland, a week after each missed the team's 37-27 win against the Lions.

Keisel has yet to practice this week, making Friday a critical day for the 12 th-year veteran. He and safety Shamarko Thomas (ankle) were the only Steelers who didn't practice on Thursday.

Left guard Ramon Foster (ankle) is on track to play Sunday after practicing fully on Thursday. The same is true of wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (foot), who has practiced both days this week.

Also participating fully in practice on Thursday were tight end Heath Miller, center Fernando Velasco (knee) and left tackle Kelvin Beachum(hip). Linebacker Stevenson Sylvester(hamstring) was limited.

Tight end Matt Spaeth practiced for the first time since suffering a Lisfranc injury in early August. Spaeth has been on the short-term injured reserve list, and the Steelers have three weeks to add the seventh-year veteran to their 53-man roster or put him on injured reserve.

"Didn't do a lot, but did a little bit of everything," Spaeth said. "It felt good to be back."

ESPN.com

Jason Worilds coming off self-described 'best game' in win over Lions

2013-11-21T02:02:00.003-08:00

PITTSBURGH -- Jason Worilds claimed Wednesday that he really hasn't gotten enough playing time to be consistent since the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him in the second round during the 2010 NFL Draft.

"When I've had an opportunity to get out there, I've been able to get better each time,'' Worilds said. "So, that's all I've tried to do. ... To be consistent, that's something where I haven't had the chance to get out there since I've been here. I think it helps me a lot to be out there more often.

"I don't know what people think about me, but I expected a lot from myself. But I just don't know if I've had that opportunity. I've tried to make the most of every opportunity that I get, and that's what I'm trying to do right now.''

Worilds is coming off what has been described as his best NFL game, but the stats just don't support his theory. Worilds played in 14 games as a rookie, primarily on special teams, and tallied 12 solo tackles and two sacks in limited play in the base defense. In 2011, however, Worilds started seven of 12 games that he played and his sack total skyrocketed to three.

So, during his first two seasons, if there was a lack of opportunities, it was because Worilds couldn't stay on the field due to injuries. And when he played, he was average. Worilds finally played a full schedule last season with three starts, and he made less solo tackles than in 2011 (27 to 23 in 2012).

He had five sacks last season, but just 27 total tackles. Through 10 games so far this season, Worilds has four sacks and 15 quarterback pressures, but he still has less tackles overall than Jarvis Jones. Worilds started the opener at right outside linebacker. Then, he was demoted in favor of No. 1 pick Jones.

Worilds replaced Jones in the starting lineup in the home game against Baltimore and had two solo tackles with no sacks. His first sack came the week before on the road against the New York Jets. Worilds has started five straight games now, including this past week against Detroit. But it was at left outside linebacker for injured starter LaMarr Woodley.

Worilds played every snap and had seven solo tackles with one sack and four quarterback hurries. Worilds didn't play too well against Buffalo in the previous week, two solo tackles and no sacks, but he turned up the heat against the Lions.

"The last two years, three years, when me and James Harrison were hurt, Jason Worilds has been able to step in there and play and do a great job putting pressure on the quarterback,'' Woodley said. "So, this year, when Jason became a starter, he had a few ups and downs. But he didn't let that stop his game. He stuck with it and worked hard and stayed on top of his game.

"Now, he's been playing really well the past couple weeks. He hasn't done anything different, from what I can see in the games and on film. He's done a great job all year, I think, putting pressure on the quarterback and getting a few sacks. He doesn't have a lot of sacks, but he's put pressure on the quarterback and has done a great job getting after the quarterback.''

Worilds has played both outside linebacker spots during his three-plus NFL seasons, and he appeared to be more comfortable on the left side for Woodley. However, that apparently is not the case for Worilds.

"The left side is a little more different from the right, but I have no preference,'' Worilds said. "The left side of the defense, I guess you're allowed to be the initiator more so than on the right side, where you have to play off some people, depending on what's called.

"The play call dictates that, the guy next to you, the guys behind you. So, it's different. (But) I guess I've never really had a home (same position), so I really can't tell you. The right side, there's a little bit more responsibility. Left-side-to-right, I guess you would do a few things different in coverage.''

Worilds acknowledged that he probably has played every snap before, like he did last week against the Lions, such as when he replaced Harrison and Woodley the past two season. Still, he claimed he hasn't had enough opportunities.

"It's tough, but like I've said in the past I'm just here to play,'' Worilds said. "And sometimes, they have to make a business decision. And sometimes, it's out of your hands, no matter what you do. So, you keep that in mind, but you have to keep trying to better your self and take advantage of every opportunity that you get.''

Worilds' snaps might be limited once Woodley returns to full speed with the trio of Worilds, Woodley and Jones likely rotating at both outside linebacker spots.

"That's a big plus being in my situation, and it's one of the few positives to not really having a home,'' Worilds said. "It was an opportunity for me to learn both positions, and it allows me to go out there wherever they need me. And I'll be able to perform.''

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/11/20/5126902/steelers-jason-worilds-statistics-career-detroit-lions-nfl-week-12

Big Ben Does His Radio Show From The Phone

2013-11-21T01:59:00.001-08:00

A lot of Steeler players have their own radio/television shows. A great deal of these shows are on location at various bars/restaurants around the Pittsburgh area.

Inside linebacker Larry Foote has a weekly show on 93.7 The Fan where he appears at an establishment with show host Andrew Filliponi. You might say, "Well, Foote is injured and out for the season. He has nothing special going on this year other than supporting his teammates and rehabbing his injured arm. Why not appear somewhere every week and talk about football?"

True, but what would you say if I told you safety Ryan Clark, who isn't injured in a "season ending" kind of way, also has a weekly show where he appears on location? Same holds true for back-up quarterback Bruce Gradkowski.

All of these shows are at least an hour in length, and some of them even include guest Steeler players who appear and are actually interviewed by the host Steelers, themselves. And on top of that, these players are often forced to field calls from angry fans, who want to know why they suck so much.

Heck, even coach Mike Tomlin has a weekly show, a television production taped in the Root Sports studios and hosted by Stan Savran, where many topics, such as the previous and upcoming Steelers opponents, are broached. Tomlin isn't nearly as charismatic and entertaining as the likes of Foote and Clark, but, like them, he does have to actually appear somewhere other than his house. And even though he's a head coach who probably feels that 24 hours in a day isn't nearly long enough to prepare for an opponent, he actually gives 30 minutes of his time (not including preparation and whatever re-takes are required) in order to do the show.

And that brings me to The Ben Roethlisberger Show, aired every Tuesday morning, also on 93.7 The Fan, and hosted by Vinnie Richichi and Ron Cook.

When I first heard that Roethlisberger was going to have a weekly show this year, I was excited. I'm a huge fan of No. 7's, of course, and couldn't wait to hear what he had to say each and every week, as he sat down with Vinnie and Cook and discussed all things Steelers.

I thought to myself, "Wherever Roethlisberger appears, I'm going to go there and order some breakfast and just watch."

"Breakfast with Big Ben."

Maybe I'd get an autograph. Maybe it would be like the old "Jerome Bettis Show," where he would have audience members come up on stage and bowl or whatever.

"Bowling with Big Ben."

I assumed the show would be similar to the ones hosted by Foote and Clark. I mean, after all, the players are off on Tuesdays, and what better way to spend at least an hour of that day than hosting your own mid-morning show, out on location?

Unfortunately, I quickly discovered Roethlisberger's "show" is only a 20 minute segment, airing from 11 a.m. to 11:20 a.m., and it isn't on location. He doesn't have to interview any guest Steelers or even field phone calls from fans. And get this, if Pittsburgh loses the previous game, Roethlisberger doesn't even have to travel to The Fan's Green Tree studios. He can simply "host" his show via telephone.

You might think I'm extremely disappointed in this, but I'm not. I actually find myself tuning into The Fan every Tuesday at 11 a.m. because I'm just so fascinated with what Roethlisberger has to say.

If there was ever any doubt about his "franchise" status, Roethlisberger's weekly show secures his place among the upper-echelon of NFL quarterbacks.

Did Steve Carell ever have to do commentaries on DVDs of "The Office?" Heck no, at least not after Season 1. He left that up to Toby Flenderson. Did Jeffrey Donovan ever have to appear at Comic Festivals once "Burn Notice" became hot ? Heck no, he left that up to the secondary spies.

Franchise quarterbacks are so valuable, they even get to wear the red shirt when they're hosting their weekly show.

I'm even more star-struck than I was before.

Leave 'em wanting more, Big Ben!

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/11/20/5125572/being-a-franchise-quarterback-means-you-can-phone-it-in-when-doing

Ben Roethlisberger named AFC Offensive Player of the Week

2013-11-21T01:55:00.002-08:00

In leading the Steelers to their second consecutive victory, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was 29-for-45 for 367 yards and four touchdowns, not turning the ball over once.

For that, Roethlisberger was named the AFC's Offensive Player of the Week.

It's the 10th time in Roethlisberger's career he's earned the award, but the first since Week 8 of 2011.

Roethlisberger has thrown for four touchdown passes in two of the team's last three games, and his 34-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Antonio Brown was the first scoring drive the Steelers have had on their first possession of a game this season.

It's been up-and-down for the franchise quarterback this year. Between multiple turnover games and trade allegations, Roethlisberger has vowed he won't quit on the season or the team. The Steelers have won four of their last six games after an 0-4 start, and sit just one game behind the New York Jets for the AFC's sixth-seed in the playoffs.

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/11/20/5125774/afc-offensive-player-of-the-week-11-ben-roethlisberger-career-award

Steeler's Film Room - Week 11

2013-11-21T01:51:00.000-08:00

It has been noted in the Steelers Film Room that the defense needed to do a better job of attacking the football when making tackles. There is a difference between getting turnovers and forcing a take-away. Here is a great example of the latter:

Will Allen punches the football as he goes in to secure this tackle. This is something thatJames Harrison had mastered in his prime, and, regrettably, no Steeler has been up to the task since injuries slowed Harrison in the twilight of his Steeler career.

As was noted in the preseason, Jarvis Jones has shown a tendency in this area. And, Jones did knock down two passes on Sunday. Hopefully, Jones will continue to grow in this area. But, let's take nothing away from Will Allen here. This is a great play, and an example of what more Steeler defenders need to be doing over the course of the last seven games.

Not in the GIF, but also worth noting, was Lawrence Timmons scooping the ball up and embarking on a nice return. Timmons continues to be all over the field, and with the exception of the opening play against the Oakland Raiders, he continues to have a great year.

Some ink has been spilled lately on the double teams that Heath Miller has been receiving the past few weeks. We see an example of that on the following play, and howBen Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown were able to expoit the focus on Miller.

A lot of good things happen on this play. First, Detroit is playing with one high safety, and the corners play deep thirds. The Steelers are able to occupy the three deep defenders with Le'Veon Bell and Emmanuel Sanders running vertical routes. Sanders, especially, does a great job of not looking back at the QB until he gets to 10 yards. This might not seem like a big deal, but it is. Receivers must make a decision as to how they are going to run their vertical route after their ninth step (at least) and not before. That detail is what allows the offense to throw things like the fade-stop with some success. For example, after his ninth step, which is timed with the quarterback's drop, if the receiver makes the decision that the defender has him capped, he will turn his route into a fade-stop. Once again, since that timing corresponds with the quarterback's drop, the quarterback is able to read the same thing and make the appropriate throw.

With this route, because Sanders does not look back for the ball early (as you will notice the less-experienced Bell does), both the the safety and the corner retreat because they know Sanders is going deep. You''ll also notice that the Detroit linebacker tries to get underneath Heath Miller, which leaves a huge window for Ben to hit Brown.

Bell makes up for not driving the corner deep (for the reasons I mentioned above, you'll see the corner is not nearly as deep as the safety and the corner covering Sanders) with some excellent downfield blocking. Sanders also contributes some great blocking.

What also needs mentioned is the great blocking from the offensive line. The line gives Roethlisberger time to hit Brown in stride. Brown lets his ability to run after the catch take over.

This is a great example of all eleven guys on offense doing their jobs and a big play resulting.

This might be my favorite play of the year, so far:

I mean, what is not to love about watching a defensive back throw a temper tantrum on the 10 yard line, while the ball is in the air, because the defense bit so bad on the fake bubble screen?

The Steelers have thrown this play about five times this year and have been successful, to my memory, every time. From here on out, it really doesn't matter if they complete it again. The defense has to respect it, and that is what allows the Steelers to throw wide receiver screens on 3rd and long.

The Steelers are very multiple on offense right now. They are giving defenses a lot to prepare for. Two weeks ago they ran a play that college teams like Baylor run to death. It is really two plays packaged into one. The huddle call is inside zone and packaged with it is a route by the receiver to fill the void left by the linebacker if he fills run hard. The image below is a good illustration of the concept, with the illustration using a draw run instead of inside zone.

This play puts the linebacker in conflict. Much like the play highlighted in the GIF puts the corner in a conflict.

It will be interesting to see if the return of Ramon Foster to the offensive line will allow the Steeler running game to return to the form it had in the first half of the Buffalo game. It will be a challenge against a good Cleveland defense. If the Steeler offensive line is up to the challenge, this offense might really get on a bigger roll.

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/steelers-film-room/2013/11/20/5124026/steelers-film-review-highlights-GIFs-lions-touchdown-cotchery

Emmanuel Sanders Injures Foot VS Lions

2013-11-17T12:32:00.001-08:00

Steelers wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders left Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions in the second quarter with what appeared to be a foot injury. Sanders had one catch for two yards before the injury occurred.

He has been replaced by rookie wide receiver Markus Wheaton, who has three catches for 38 yards on four targets through an explosive offensive half for Pittsburgh.

The Steelers jumped out to a surprising 14-0 lead over visiting Detroit on the speed of two Antonio Brown touchdown catches from Ben Roethlisberger. Lions WR Calvin Johnson replicated that with two of his own in the second quarter. The Lions took a 24-20 lead on a Joique Bell 2-yard touchdown run at the end of the first half.

BehindTheSteelCurtain.com

Steelers injury report: Foster, Woodley, Keisel miss practice Thursday

2013-11-15T10:41:00.001-08:00

The Steelers are in "hope for the best, prepare for the worst" mode concerning injuries to three starters - left guard Ramon Foster, defensive end Brett Keisel and outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley.

It's not a trio of players they can easily do without. None of them practiced Thursday, cast doubt over their ability to play Sunday vs. the explosive Detroit Lions.

Foster isn't expected to play, according to Tribune-Review reporter Alan Robinson, although Woodley and Keisel will both try to practice Friday in an effort to get on the field.

Guy Whimper will start at left guard for the Steelers in the seemingly likely event Foster can't play. Presumably, Ziggy Hood would play for Keisel, and Jason Worilds would shift from the defensive right side to the left, and Jarvis Jones would take the right side spot.

Jones was benched in favor of Worilds after Week 8, but did notch his first career sack last week against Buffalo.

The absence of Woodley in this game would be painful for the Steelers. He's been basically their only source of pass rush from the outside linebacker position, leading the team with 21 quarterback hurries.

The Steelers host the Lions at 1 p.m. ET Sunday.

BehindTheSteelCurtain.com

Ike Taylor faces big challenge, but that isn't anything new

2013-11-15T10:39:00.002-08:00

This Sunday, the Steelers hope to build on their win against Buffalo by matching up Ike Taylor against Calvin Johnson . At first glance, Ike Taylor seems to have history on his side, having held Calvin Johnson to a very pedestrian 1 catch for 2 yards in 2009. Unfortunately, this statistic does not hold up to heavier scrutiny. Johnson left the game with a knee injury, so in many ways, this is still the first time the Steelers will see him.

Although Johnson had already established himself as a force to reckoned with at wide receiver in 2009, he had his lowest total yards and receptions outside of his rookie year. He had missed multiple games that year including much of the Pittsburgh game. We could leave it at that, but he was also playing with then-backup quarterback Daunte Culpepper. Not exactly the same as Matthew Stafford.

This isn't to say that Ike hasn't demonstrated his capability of handling large and fast wide receivers. Taylor seems to have a knack for having some of his better games against the top receivers, frustrating them with tight coverage and savvy play.

Look at Cincinnati's A.J. Green - just an inch shorter than Johnson's 6-foot-5. Taylor, as well as the rest of the Steelers' defense, has been able to bottle up Green in most games holding him to 14 receptions, 172 yards, and 3 touchdowns over 4 games. This is compared to AJ Green's 10 catches for 116 yards in Week 16 last year, a game Taylor missed due to injury.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin doesn't like the comparison to Green though, "A.J.'s a talented young receiver, but Calvin's in the prime of his career," Tomlin said at his press conference Tuesday. "He's a much bigger man. He presents a different set of challenges." He would rather opt for comparisons to Randy Moss.

Ike faced off against Moss in 2008 holding him to four catches on 45 yards while Moss was with the Patriots but the Steelers were a different team back then.

Despite this being a key match-up, it may end up being decided by whether or not we can put pressure on Stafford.

If Johnson has the time to get open, Ike will not be able to keep him contained. The Lions have only let up 10 sacks on the season while the Steelers have only been able to generate 16. The Lions have to feel good about this match-up if it comes down to the Steelers pass rush.

BehindTheSteelCurtain.com

Emmanuel Sanders says Steelers won't be bullied

2013-11-15T10:37:00.001-08:00

PITTSBURGH -- Ben Roethlisberger decided to compliment and "not upset'' mostly vilified and heavily penalized tackle Ndamukong Suh and his teammates on the defensive line going into the Pittsburgh Steelers (3-6) game against the Detroit Lions (6-3) Sunday at 1 p.m. at Heinz Field.

Roethlisberger preferred to see how Suh and the Lions aggressive front line play against him before passing judgment, although he acknowledged that there were penalties and fines in the past that have forged the player's reputation.

Steelers wideout Emmanuel Sanders wasn't as diplomatic when responding to a question about the Lions' defense.

"I know they have a really good front,'' Sanders said. "They definitely are physical. Sometimes, they play a little dirty, but we've got to match the intensity. (But) we're definitely not going to get bullied.

"Nobody is going to bully anyone around here, not on our field, but you don't want to put your team in a bad position by getting a personal foul or anything like that. But, as far as matching their intensity, we're definitely going to match that. And nobody is going to walk over us.''

It's ironic that one of the smallest Steelers threw down the gauntlet this week. It wasn't like the other players were backing down. That certainly wasn't the case, but it seemed to be a little out of character for Sanders. And he didn't stop there. He talked some more about Suh.

"You see stuff on tape, and everyone knows about Ndamukong Suh,'' Sanders said. "He's paid the NFL office a lot of money. Everyone knows who's the dirtiest player in the league right now, and I think he takes pride in that.

"He takes pride in being one of the dirtiest players, because on defense you've got to have that mentality. But we're not going to get bullied. They can come in with all the intensity in the world, but we've just got to match it.''

Sanders could be on to something. Maybe more intensity is needed. Ike Taylor got it right as well when he faces Calvin Johnson. Battle him. Push him around. Don't necessarily play dirty, but rough him up a bit. The same thing with quarterback Matthew Stafford. Get them off their game.

That might be the Steelers' best bet. It's difficult to imagine winning a shootout with the Lions. The Steelers offense just hasn't been that efficient against lesser teams. Of course, there's the belief that the Steelers play to their level of competition. That should be at a high level this week.

"You have to get in a shootout every week, as far as outscoring your opponent,'' Sanders said. "But, at the end of the day, can we go into this game and think that a 9-3 game or a 9-6 game will be there? I don't think so, because these guys like to throw the ball 40-50 times a game.

"We've got to put points on the board, and we definitely have to keep up. So, we're going to have to give them our best shot. Ike should be excited to play against Megatron, because he's the best. I know if I was going up against Darrelle Revis, I'd be pumped to play against him.

"It's an opportunity to prove yourself,'' Sanders added. "(And) that's how we should feel this week as a team. Our defense has a chance to play a real good offense, and we're playing a physical defense. That's why we have to match that intensity on both sides of the ball.''

Ryan Clark added his two cents as well.

"This is the NFL, so it's always going to be a tough matchup,'' Clark said. "But that's what we live for. That's why we play this game. You always want to play someone who's good enough to get the best out of you, and we have that with the Detroit Lions this week.

"So, for us, it's fun. It's going to be a challenge for our DBs and the defense as a whole. That same thing can be said about our offense, so it should be a really good game against the Lions. And it's one that we're looking forward to playing and seeing how we stack up to them.''

BehindTheSteelCurtain.com

NFL Picks - Week 11

2013-11-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Steelers are a never-fun three-point underdog at home. On one hand, you look at how their offense handled a good defensive front in Buffalo, and think maybe there's a chance they can get some explosion offensively, and ride a steadily improving defense to a win.

Then, you take the same scenario and apply it to the Lions, and realize that's far more realistic. It's tough betting against the Steelers at home, but that's really the smart money here.

Lions (-3) over STEELERS

Colts (-3) over TITANS

BUCCANEERS (+1) over Falcons

Jets (+1) over BILLS

EAGLES (-4.5) over Redskins

BEARS (-3) over Ravens

Browns (+6) over BENGALS

TEXANS (off) over Raiders

JAGUARS (+8) over Cardinals

Chargers (-1.5) over DOLPHINS

SEAHAWKS (-13) over Vikings

SAINTS (off) over 49ers

GIANTS (-6) over Packers

Chiefs (+8) over BRONCOS

PANTHERS (-1) over Patriots

Hat Tip to BehindTheSteelCurtain.com

Antonio Brown reaches out to former Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace

2013-11-14T23:58:00.002-08:00

Once competitors for the ball in Pittsburgh, now competitors for statistical superiority among the rest of the league. Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown and Dolphins receiver Mike Wallace are moving in opposite directions.

Wallace, the recipient of a $60 million contract from Miami this offseason after playing four years in Pittsburgh, has 40 catches for 495 yards and one touchdown. Brown (67, 805, 3) beats Wallace in all three categories by significant margins.

Not that Brown is gloating. The opposite, in fact.

According to Alan Robinson of the Tribune-Review, Brown sent a message of encouragement to his former teammate - just a few days after Wallace was held to four catches for 15 yards in a loss to previously winless Tampa Bay.

"I think he's handling things well," Brown told Robinson. I told him to have fun — and let him know he's one of the best when he's out there having fun and being positive," said Brown, who leads the NFL with 67 catches. "I just reminded him to get back to that. He's a great player … a great dude to be around."

The Dolphins are averaging 21.4 points a game - 20th in the NFL. That's up from the 18 points the team scored per game in 2012, but a far cry from what was expected with the insertion of a big-play threat like Wallace.

But with Wallace on pace for 71 catches, 880 yards and two touchdowns (making him one of the most expensive players per touchdown in the NFL), not to mention the team-dividing scandal involving offensive tackle Jonathan Martin and guard Richie Incognito, it may be difficult for Wallace to get back to being positive - assuming that is, in fact, something for which he's known.

It's reasonable to suggest Brown has more reason to be optimistic. He leads the NFL in catches with 67 receptions and has an outside chance of notching his second 1,000 yard season against the Lions Sunday.

The Steelers host the Dolphins in Week 14, and there's basically no chance Steelers fans extend the same kind of message to Wallace upon his arrival. But at least he knows one of his former teammates has his back.

Hat Tip to BehindTheSteelCurtain.com

Steelers President Art Rooney II still waiting on improvements in running game

2013-11-14T23:56:00.003-08:00

It's been three years and 10 months since that day in 2010 when Steelers President Art Rooney II publicly stated that he and head coach Mike Tomlin agreed theSteelers need to run the ball more effectively. Three years of Rashard Mendenhall, Chris Rainey, Isaac Redman, Jonathan Dwyer and now, Le'Veon Bell. LaRod Stephens-Howling gets a nod, too.

Rooney is quoted as saying: "..."We have to get back to being able to run the football when we need to run the football, and being able to run more consistently than we have in the past season."

If ever there was a season that the Steelers could use a running game, this is it; Ben Roethlisberger is having one of his worst years in recent memory. At his current pace he is on track to finish the year with 4,050 yards, 21 TDs, 16 INTs and a passer rating of 87.6, the third lowest in his career behind 2008 and 2006 (80.1 and 75.4 respectively)

What must make this season so frustrating for the Steelers (and Steeler Nation) is the fact that opposing quarterbacks for the most part aren't doing much better against the Steelers pass defense. In fact, as the table below shows, opposing QBs overall are faring slightly worse.

Of course, throwing twice the number of interceptions as your opponent certainly isn't helping the team, and ironically, the much ballyhooed "bounce back win" against theBuffalo Bills last week actually saw Roethlisberger's cumulative passer rating drop from 88.5 to its current 87.6.

These stats highlight what Rooney was trying to say way back in 2010; if the Steelers had been able to run more effectively this season, then the record would most likely be substantially different.

I wrote a column last week that Brett Keisel was right that the Steelers were unprepared to start their games. The empirical data clearly showed that their level of performance in the first quarter over the course of the season has been substantially less than the following three quarters, and I find it hard to imagine the players suddenly got more talented in the those final three quarters.

Be that as it may, what I'm presenting here is the first of three components of my assertion that Mr. Rooney was not only not "meddling" by advocating for a more efficient running game in what is being hailed as the "Passing Era" in professional football, but he was in fact correct in his assertion that to be successful, the Steelers must be able to run effectively.

This first table is presented to show on average the Steelers have possessed the ball for slightly more than half the game; their margin of possession is a +1:54. Despite the two beat down games (40-24 to Chicago and 55-31 to New England), the Steelers are only averaging 4.3 points a game less than their opponents.

If you go back to the first table, you will see that you can't blame the horrendous scoring disparity in the first and second quarters solely on Roethlisberger's unfortunate turnovers; on average opposing quarterbacks have only scored three touchdowns in the first half versus five for the Steelers. Overall, the opposing QBs have thrown for nearly 25 percent fewer touchdowns as Roethlisberger through nine games, and have done so at a slightly less percentage of attempts.

Yes, there are a couple of pick sixes or fumbles recovered and scored mixed in the Scoring Proficiency Table, but that isn't the material difference in what the Steelers' record is and what it could be, had Rooney's expressed desire been addressed effectively.

Unless you're Terrell Pryor of the Oakland Raiders or Adrian Peterson of theMinnesota Vikings (okay, and maybe Matt Forte of the Chicago Bears), historically you aren't likely to break off a long run against the Steelers. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean teams can't now run against the Steelers defense. Just as you first have to walk before you can run, in football you have to be able to get first downs, and convert third and fourth downs into firsts to move your way down into the field and into the end zone. The following table summarizes the conversion proficiency of the Steelers and their opponents after nine games this year.

As you can see, the Steelers have been far more successful than their opponents, on average, in gaining first downs by passing, and the third down conversions are virtually tied. The fourth down conversion ratio is a byproduct of the larger issue we're exploring, and that can be found in the comparison of Rushing first downs.

The Steelers are averaging one rushing first down in the first quarter.

One. O-N-E.

They improve in the second quarter, but on average, the Steelers' ability to run for first downs is outgained by the opponents by 157 percent in the first half, despite the Steelers possessing the ball for a full three minutes 8 seconds more. It gets worse when you look at just the second half; the Steelers opponents gain 172 percent more first downs by running than the Steelers while the opponents barely have the ball one minute 14 seconds more. It's not about running more, it's about running better.

Yes the pace at which teams are able to run on the Steelers defense is a huge concern, but the fact that while the Steelers defensive scheme for years has been "bend but don't break" in terms of defending the pass and teams have taken advantage of that with short passes (can you say Manning, Brady, Dalton, Manning) to move up and down the field, this year teams are relying on their ability to run the ball to defeat the Steelers.

The following table spells out why it is so important for the Steelers to learn to run more effectively, even if it does come three years after their owner said they needed to focus on it:

The Steelers have slowly increased their rushing yards per attempt to 3.7; their opponents are averaging 4.2 - not a huge disparity in and of itself. But look at the disparity between touchdowns and touchdowns per attempts. It's enormous the disadvantage the Steelers offense faces if they can't come close to matching the rate of touchdowns the defense is giving up.

In the three wins the Steelers have this season, they have not given up a rushing touchdown. In two of the games in which they have been the most soundly beaten, Chicago and New England, they faced quarterbacks known for their passing, yet thePatriots ran for three touchdowns and the Bears for two.

Everyone in Steeler Nation has been harping on Roethlisberger's turnovers, how the offensive line doesn't give him enough time to throw, yadda yadda yadda; or the cornerbacks play too far back or they don't force enough turnovers or the game has passed LeBeau by, blah, blah, blah, or Art Rooney has ruined this team because he want to run the ball more when it's a passing league. NO HE DOESN'T.

What Mr. Rooney said:

"We need to figure out how to get better running the football."

Defenses are at a disadvantage in today's NFL, with all the rules promoting high passing stats and putting dresses on wide receivers. The Steelers have faced a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Tom Brady, yet the Patriots ran the ball 51 percent of the time and scored three touchdowns running the ball, one less than they did passing; the Steelers faced journeyman quarterback Matt Cassell of the Vikings, and the Vikings ran the ball 50 percent of the time and scored as many touchdowns as they did throwing the ball; the Steelers faced a quarterback lucky to have a job in Jake Locker of the Tennessee Titans, and the Titans ran the ball 68 percent of the time for only 2.7 yards a carry and one rushing touchdown but they still out-ran the Steelers who couldn't score one touchdown running the ball.

The Steelers have rushed for a grand total of four touchdowns all season; their opponents, 12. The Steelers have one rushing touchdown in the first quarter and have yet to rush for a touchdown in the second quarter; after 9 games their opponents have five in the first, and four in the second, yet have possessed the ball for less time than the Steelers on average.

The Rooneys are a patient family, known for understanding the difficulties in building and maintaining a championship caliber team. But after three years of waiting for his words to be heeded, culminating in a (so far) losing season where his team's effectiveness in scoring touchdowns by running the ball is being surpassed by over 200 percent by the opponents, it is not difficult to imagine the president of the team is beginning to wonder how much longer he's going to have to wait.

Hat Tip to BehindTheSteelCurtain.com

Ike Taylor Has to Take Megatron, "Mano e Mano"

2013-11-14T23:54:00.002-08:00

PITTSBURGH -- Like his namesake, Megatron, who dominated the Transformers, Detroit Lions wideout Calvin Johnson pretty much has had his way with NFL secondaries this season.

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor is no stranger to playing against an opponent's best wide receiver, but he never has faced one like Johnson.

"You have to take him on, Mano e' Mano,'' Taylor said. "They don't call him Megatron for nothing. You get a nickname like that. That's a great nickname. It's like a robotic nickname. Myself, I like the Transformers. ... I like 'em, and when you've got a nickname like Megatron that means you're doing something special. And you can ask anybody, he's one of the best receivers in the NFL.

"I just like competing every week. Point-blank. Period. Regardless of who I'm playing, I like the challenge. I'm up for it, and I'm glad the coaching staff feels that way about me. They like my skills and allow me to compete each week against a guy like Megatron. Me, I would probably be a Decepticon. I'm a villain kind of guy. I like being a bad guy, so I'm going to stay on the bad-guy side.''

Sure, Taylor and the 6-foot-5, 236-pound Johnson have been matched against each other before, in 2009 when the Lions wideout was in his third NFL season. Taylor won that matchup, as Johnson had just one catch for two yards, but he played just 13 snaps and later missed two games due to an injury. And the Steelers won the game, 28-20, at Detroit's Ford Field.

"I left that game with an MCL or meniscus or something,'' Johnson said.

That might be the best way to limit Johnson this week, to knock him out of the game, as the Steelers (3-6) face the NFC North-leading Lions (6-3) at 1 p.m. at Heinz Field.

In eight games, Johnson has 53 catches for 904 yards (17.1 per catch) and nine touchdowns. The past two seasons, he has a combined 218 catches for 3,645 yards and 21 touchdowns, including 16 scores in 2012. Taylor determined the best way to play Johnson.

"You play football,'' Taylor said. "It's kind of like having that Allen Iverson mentality. He didn't care who he went against with his size or Maurice Jones-Drew. You can talk about his size, but when he's healthy he's probably one of the best running backs. So, size, to a certain degree, that can make a difference. It's especially important with a guy like Megatron.

"He can run, jump and catch, too, but that's a talent you can't coach. It's a God-given talent. That's why we just have to go out and play football. I've been playing football since I was small, and nothing has changed since then. It's just a bigger challenge this week. Every week it's a challenge. That's what I love about the game of football. Every week, I respect my opponents.''

Steelers safety Ryan Clark believed that Johnson couldn't be stopped by one player, even someone as successful in man-to-man coverage such as Taylor.

"Sometimes, you can't stop him with three,'' Clark said. "So, for us, it's a good opportunity to go out there and play a good passing team with a good quarterback and some good players around him, including the best receiver in the NFL. ... We have to make Matthew force the ball into Calvin to make a play. That way, we can have a better chance to make a play against them.

"I would compare Calvin to a young Randy Moss, but what Calvin does better is his run after catch. He's a bigger guy, so he's tougher to bring down. He's a physical player, so he's a tough matchup. I guess if you get the best things from the best players in every era, you might be able to come up with Calvin if you put all those things together. But no one guy compares to him.''

Taylor believed that every week was a challenge.

"I come to work every week and respect the process,'' Taylor added. "That's how I look at it. Megatron is more of a jumper than Randy Moss. Randy didn't get off his feet too many times. He cleared it out.

"He outran coverages, but Calvin ... he can do the same thing, but with a 6-5 frame he can go across the middle and take it to the house. He can out-jump you and go get the ball anywhere on the field and beat you.''

That's what makes Megatron, Megatron. So, it's a good thing the Steelers have a Decepticon such as Taylor matched against him this week.

BehindTheSteelCurtain.com

It's hard for Haley To Ignore The Chip On Dwyer's Shoulder

2013-11-13T00:36:00.001-08:00

Steelers running back Jonathan Dwyer is running like each carry could be his last.

It wasn't long ago, that was a legitimate possibility. Mired in a clogged depth chart that included a second-round pick that Steelers' brass met with so often before the 2013 NFL Draft, it seemed like they were an item, and shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow mid-level tender recipient Isaac Redman, Dwyer had to brawl his way out of the glass-ceiling dog house in which he resided.

He never did get out.

Redman got the nod, Dwyer got the ax and Le'Veon Bell got the injury.

In a move that's become standard operating procedure for the Steelers this season, Dwyer was re-signed after being released. Redman's uninspiring eight carries for nine yards against Tennessee in Week 1, as well as the season-ending knee injury suffered by LaRod Stephens-Howling in that game brought Dwyer back.

He experienced the cold reality of the immediate NFL - perform now or watch at home. After an electrifying 25-yard run in a Week 2 loss against Chicago - one that had him so excited he forgot a new rule forbidding running backs from ramming defensive players with the crown of his helmet in the open field. He destroyed Bears safety Chris Conte, and drew a $21,000 fine from the league.

Who would have guessed last year Dwyer would be the second running back ever fined for an act of over-aggression?

Last year, Dwyer led the Steelers with 623 yards - the lowest total by a Steelers leading rusher in over 20 years. He ran tentatively, more like a guy carefully weighing his options. He no longer has that luxury, and he seems to understand that.

He took a handoff off the left side against New England, and exploded up the numbers. The run went for 30 yards, and was only on par with his 23-yard run-after-catch effort in the same game. Both times, Dwyer hopped up off the ground, emotive and demonstrative of the fire powering him in his few opportunities.

He was in the Steelers' offense for 11 plays against the Patriots. He had 53 yards on two touches.

Clearly, Mike Tomlin and Todd Haley noticed.

His touches tripled against Buffalo, jumping all the way to six, including a 17-yard run and some indication he may be in line to be the team's third-down back in the near future.

That would lead to criticism of why he was released in the first place, but equally reasonable of an argument is whether the chip that now resides on Dwyer's shoulder would be there had he not been cut in the first place. Bell is clearly the featured back of this team, and, barring injury, will continue to fill that role. But it's impossible to ignore the fact Bell has nearly four times the amount of touches Dwyer does (122-32), yet, Bell only holds a 4-3 advantage in terms of plays covering 20 or more yards.

It's rare a team benches, let alone releases, the top rusher from the previous season, but in a league that's getting more diverse with their running personnel, splitting carries is becoming the norm, not the exception. While Bell is having a decent rookie season and isn't playing like he should be replaced, harnessing Dwyer's "make the most of it" mentality may be in the Steelers' best interest over the second half of the season.

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/11/12/5095132/steelers-jonathan-dwyer-stats-released-depth-chart-running-back

Shamarko Thomas ruled out in Week 11

2013-11-13T00:30:00.000-08:00

Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin provided an injury report today during his Tuesday press conference.

From all the players that were injured during the game against the Buffalo Bills, the only player that looks to surely miss the team's next game is Shamarko Thomas.

Thomas' injury is a high-ankle sprain, which occurred during the Bills game after an attempt to tackle wide receiver, Stevie Johnson.

Thomas had seen over 120 snaps on the defensive side of the ball in the four games leading up to Pittsburgh's matchup with Buffalo.

While it appears that the Steelers will have to do without Thomas, there was some positive news on the injury front. Several players were hurt during the game against the Bills, such as Brett Keisel, LaMarr Woodley, Fernando Velascoe and Roman Foster, but all are expected to play against the Detroit Lions after being limited in practice this week.

The rest of the Steelers offensive line also are fighting through injuries, including David DeCastro, Mike Adams, Kelvin Beachum and Marcus Gilbert. Despite the myriad of injures to these four, Tomlin does not expect their preparation for Sunday to be hindered as the week moves forward.

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/11/12/5097266/tomlin-shamarko-thomas-ruled-out-vs-lions-offensive-line-banged-up

Picksburgh

Roethlisberger 'Prays' He Can Stay with Steelers When Deal Expires

NFL Week 14 Picks

Ben Roethlisberger named MMQB Special Teams Player of the Week

Steelers Shaping Up to Be Legit Playoff Team

Brown Passes 1,000 Yards, Gets The Better of Haden

Week 12 NFL Lines - Steelers Underdogs

NFL Week 12 Picks

Art Rooney II: 'Fair to say Baltimore is Steeler's biggest rival right now'

Keep Calm and Le'Veon

Steelers vs. Browns Week 12 preview

4-6 vs. 4-6

ONE GAME OUT

Man, I wish the NFL was just a little more fabulous...oh hey, thanks Browns

Both

Cotch-piece update

ICYMI

* * * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * * *

Steelers Film Room: Splash plays highlight win over Detroit

What is a 70-yard punt?

Antonio Brown is the best receiver in the NFL

Matthew Stafford: Exemplary Caucasian

Just not that good

PREDICTION

Steelers 14, Browns 12

LaMarr Woodley, Brett Keisel miss practice

Jason Worilds coming off self-described 'best game' in win over Lions

Big Ben Does His Radio Show From The Phone

Ben Roethlisberger named AFC Offensive Player of the Week

Steeler's Film Room - Week 11

Emmanuel Sanders Injures Foot VS Lions

Steelers injury report: Foster, Woodley, Keisel miss practice Thursday

Ike Taylor faces big challenge, but that isn't anything new

Emmanuel Sanders says Steelers won't be bullied

NFL Picks - Week 11

Antonio Brown reaches out to former Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace

Steelers President Art Rooney II still waiting on improvements in running game

Ike Taylor Has to Take Megatron, "Mano e Mano"

It's hard for Haley To Ignore The Chip On Dwyer's Shoulder

Shamarko Thomas ruled out in Week 11