My prediction for this game was not even close as the Steelers (6-2) dominated the Patriots (5-2) en route to a 25-17 win. The winning game plan that the Steelers decided to use was simple, come in swinging and keep swinging all day. Big Ben threw the ball all over the New England Patriots from the start of the game to the end and the defense played tough against the usually dominant Tom Brady.
The Patriots have only trailed teams for 22 minutes all season long, in the first half they trailed the Steelers for 24 minutes as the defense kept the Patriots on their toes. The Patriots didn't get a single lead in the game as the trailed for 44 minutes in this contest.
Big Ben set team records by throwing 32 times and completing 23 of those in the first half of the ball game with 231 yards and two touchdowns. Big Ben used the passing game to perfection in this match-up even without the savvy Hines Ward. Ben spread the ball out among nine receivers with Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders and Heath Miller leading the charge. Big Ben finished 36 of 50 for 365 yards and two touchdowns with an interception.
The running game was rarely used in the first half as the Steelers only ran nine times for 45 yards.The second half brought a much different story as five times on the first drive of the second half. Rashard Mendenhall, whom I have called extremely inconsistent played a much better game this week as he carried 13 times for 70 yards averaging 5.4 per carry.
Defensively the Steelers piled it on in the first half and kept shoveling in the second. LeBeau decided to use a press man coverage and blitz Tom Brady non stop. The banged up defense started Stevenson Sylvester for the injured James Farrior and LaMarr Woodley left the game in the third quarter with a hamstring injury, opening the door for rookie Chris Carter. Woodley did a great job of mentoring Carter in this game as he really impressed me with his motor and ability to break free from the lineman. Inspite of the injuries the Steelers dominated the Patriots giving up 213 yards, 43 of those on the ground and 170 in the air while sacking Tom Brady three times, two of which were by LaMarr Woodley.
The Steelers had a big problem putting the ball in the end zone settling for three short field goals instead of getting into the end zone, and more of a running game might have helped with that. You can't argue with the game plan though because it worked so well, but there is still room for improvement. The Steelers won't have the luxury of a running game against the Ravens next week but the passing game looks good enough for us to win, as long as Big Ben doesn't turn the ball over seven times.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Week 8 Breakdown
Battle of Titans
The Steelers (5-2) return home to face the only single loss team left in the NFL, the Patriots (5-1) The Steelers are coming off a win over the Cardinals in Arizona, while the Patriots are coming off a bye week. Both teams have used a potent passing offense to compensate for uncharacteristic defensive play, so most people are expecting these two teams to shoot it out.
Big Ben had his first game of the season without a turnover last week and the run defense for the Steelers has steadily got better over the last few weeks. The Steelers will still be dealing with a lot of injuries, but the players who have stepped in have played well enough to win.
The Patriots have to be worrying about their defense who is giving up a lot of yards and has played poorly all season long. Tom Brady has played great this season and against a Steelers defense who has only picked off two passes, you have to believe he is going to put up big numbers.
The Steelers have held a slight advantage over the Patriots going 14-11 against them all time. The record looks even better when the Steelers are at home going 10-8. When you dip into the games those numbers become a bit more clouded though; The Steelers are 1-2 against them in playoff games, two of those games being losses in AFC Championships and the most telling statistic they are 2-5 against Tom Brady all time, 1-4 against him in Pittsburgh. The last home game against the Patriots was last season's 39-26 beating in week 9.
PATRIOTS SEASON STATS:
Tom Brady- 160 of 237 2,163 yards 16 touchdowns 8 interceptions
*Brady has not thrown an interception only twice this season.
Benjarvis Green-Ellis- 91 carries for 391 yards and 5 touchdowns
*The "law firm" only has one hundred yard and multi-touchdown game this year.
Wes Welker- 51 catches for 785 yards and 6 touchdowns
*Last season Gronkowski burnt the Steelers for three scores.
Defense- The Pats are giving up a league worse 423.7 yards per game, but are tenth giving up 22 points per game. Unlike the Steelers though who have a league worse -9 turnover differential, the Pats have a +1 differential picking off 8 passes and sacking opposing quarterbacks ten times.
INJURY REPORT
Chris Hoke- out; James Harrison- out; Doug Legursky- out; Jason Worilds- out; Hines Ward- questionable; James Farrior- questionable;
FINAL TAKE
As much as I want to see what everyone else sees, I don't see us winning the game. The Patriots defense is giving up a ton of yards but they are still picking off passes and forcing turnovers. Big Ben has made a bunch of mistakes this year, sometimes even without being under pressure and he might get extremely cocky like he did after the first quarter of the Indianapolis game. The fact is that the Steelers need a running game to control the clock and prevent getting into a shootout with Tom Brady and they haven't got it going. Mendenhall is inconsistent and a second rate back at best and without him getting into gear or Isaac Redman taking over, the Steelers can't control the clock. I hate to say it but I don't see a win going into the Ravens rematch.
PATRIOTS WIN: 27-24
Friday, October 28, 2011
More Fines
Hey Steeler fans, Goodell graced us with more fines.
The all knowing, all powerful commissioner Roger Goodell decided that our beloved Ziggy Hood deserved a $7,500 for what amounts to nothing more but sissy slap fighting during a play against the Cardinals.
During a play, Ziggy and an offensive lineman where jocking for position when the two began, well, slapping each others hands. The little scuffle was deemed to be serious enough for a fine; WHAT? Is Goodell really that bored that he fined lineman for slapping at each other during a play? The key word here is DURING people.
I seriously think that Goodell is the biggest tool on the planet and should really consider removing whatever he has in his ass and stop the fines. The NFL has become a bigger joke than I ever could have imagined; this man makes 10 million dollars a year to do what?
He claims this hard line but is all over the board when it comes to punishments. Big Ben got a four games after his rape accusations while Donte Stallworth got one year for vehicular manslaughter and Aquib Talib wasn't suspended for his assault with a deadly weapon arrest.
I encourage everyone to email that douche, even though he probably can't read and has a secretary read his hate mail and send generic replies. You can send him your thoughts here Roger.Goodell2@nfl.net
GO TO HELL GOODELL.
The all knowing, all powerful commissioner Roger Goodell decided that our beloved Ziggy Hood deserved a $7,500 for what amounts to nothing more but sissy slap fighting during a play against the Cardinals.
During a play, Ziggy and an offensive lineman where jocking for position when the two began, well, slapping each others hands. The little scuffle was deemed to be serious enough for a fine; WHAT? Is Goodell really that bored that he fined lineman for slapping at each other during a play? The key word here is DURING people.
I seriously think that Goodell is the biggest tool on the planet and should really consider removing whatever he has in his ass and stop the fines. The NFL has become a bigger joke than I ever could have imagined; this man makes 10 million dollars a year to do what?
He claims this hard line but is all over the board when it comes to punishments. Big Ben got a four games after his rape accusations while Donte Stallworth got one year for vehicular manslaughter and Aquib Talib wasn't suspended for his assault with a deadly weapon arrest.
I encourage everyone to email that douche, even though he probably can't read and has a secretary read his hate mail and send generic replies. You can send him your thoughts here Roger.Goodell2@nfl.net
GO TO HELL GOODELL.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
First Flags, Now Fines
It was announced that Steelers starting left guard, Chris Kemoeatu was fined $25,000 for the Arizona Cardinals game. He was fined $15,000 for his personal foul and another $10,000 for a face masking penalty he had in the game.
Are you kidding me?
It is bad enough that every other play the referees are throwing flags for inappropriate touching, but now they are fining players for playing. The personal foul was stupid, plane and simple. The play was ending and he came in and hit the defender who was on top of his teammate. It made no sense but wasn't malicious. As soon as he hit him he stood up, helped the defender up and tapped his helmet.
I understood the penalty, but fining him? Not so much. The idea of fining should be for malicious plays like taking out a players knee and launching at a defenseless player. Goodell is destroying the NFL with the over-excessive penalties and now he is going to waste our time by fining the pockets right out of our favorite players.
I lost a lot of respect for Goodell, but now I am down right despising him. He is trying to dictate the NFL by taking rugid, hard nose teams out of the equation. Goodell is a tool who would rather see the Packers, Saints and Patriots in the Super Bowl then the Steelers, Ravens and Bears.
Goodell is a worthless commissioner. For someone who came in being a so called "old school"guy, he really is all about turning the NFL into a pansy game. There is a difference between protecting players and making sure your pockets are lined.
GO FUCK YOURSELF GOODELL.
Are you kidding me?
It is bad enough that every other play the referees are throwing flags for inappropriate touching, but now they are fining players for playing. The personal foul was stupid, plane and simple. The play was ending and he came in and hit the defender who was on top of his teammate. It made no sense but wasn't malicious. As soon as he hit him he stood up, helped the defender up and tapped his helmet.
I understood the penalty, but fining him? Not so much. The idea of fining should be for malicious plays like taking out a players knee and launching at a defenseless player. Goodell is destroying the NFL with the over-excessive penalties and now he is going to waste our time by fining the pockets right out of our favorite players.
I lost a lot of respect for Goodell, but now I am down right despising him. He is trying to dictate the NFL by taking rugid, hard nose teams out of the equation. Goodell is a tool who would rather see the Packers, Saints and Patriots in the Super Bowl then the Steelers, Ravens and Bears.
Goodell is a worthless commissioner. For someone who came in being a so called "old school"guy, he really is all about turning the NFL into a pansy game. There is a difference between protecting players and making sure your pockets are lined.
GO FUCK YOURSELF GOODELL.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Steelers Beat up the Cardinals
The Steelers (5-2) used a record breaking performance to win their third straight game. The run game struggled yet again but thankfully Big Ben showed up in a big way as the Steelers put up 445 yards while keeping the Cardinals at 330 and only allowing them to convert 37 percent on third down.
Offense, offense, offense.
Big Ben showed up in a big way and kept his team going as the run game still struggles. Ben threw touchdown passes to Heath Miller and Emmanuel Sanders, but both of those were miniscule compared to the record setting bomb to Mike Wallace. Big Ben and the blazing fast Wallace hooked up for a franchise record 95 yard touchdown with just over eight minutes left in the second quarter. The catch broke the previous record held by Cliff Stoudt/Mark Malone and Kordell Stewart/Bobby Shaw, each duo had a 90 yard touchdown.
The run game is still in shambles and the horizon doesn't look very good. I will not blame these woes on the offensive line though. The line does the same job whether it is Mendenhall or Redman; the only real difference is the runner. In this match-up Mendenhall carried the ball 13 times for 32 yards while Redman carried 6 times for 29 yards and Moore carried 6 times for 26 yards. Mendenhall is not a great runner and it is time the Steelers move on. The inconsistency can't be blamed on anyone but the runner and his style; Mendy is a dancer while Redman and company seem to just hit the hole and run. Mendenhall has carried 94 times for 351 yards averaging 3.7 yards with three touchdowns, while the rest of running backs have carried 70 times for 383 yards averaging 5.4 with a touchdown.
The passing game looked good for yet another week. Big Ben threw three touchdown passes giving him 12 on the season. The big news was that the Steelers, namely Big Ben, did not have a turnover against the Cardinals helping the team to trim their horrific turnover differential.
The defense looked better against the run and that is no small feat because of who they were playing. Going into the game Beanie Wells was fourth in the NFL averaging just over 95 yards per game and was second averaging 4.8 yards per carry. Before being injured the Steelers held him to 42 yards on 12 carries for a mere 3.5 yard average. For the game they held the Cardinals to 73 yards on the ground, but did allow 257 through the air.
LaMarr Woodley continues to rack up sacks as he got to Kevin Kolb twice in the Steelers win. Woodley leads the team with seven sacks on the year and has 5.5 in the last three games. Woodley's 46 career sacks is only 31 behind record holder Jason Gildon and at 27 years old, Gildon's record could be in jeopardy.
The Steelers better hope that they are ready to face some tougher competition as they will host the Patriots (5-1) Ravens (5-2) and and travel to Cincinnati to face the Bengals (4-2) before getting a bye week.
Offense, offense, offense.
Big Ben showed up in a big way and kept his team going as the run game still struggles. Ben threw touchdown passes to Heath Miller and Emmanuel Sanders, but both of those were miniscule compared to the record setting bomb to Mike Wallace. Big Ben and the blazing fast Wallace hooked up for a franchise record 95 yard touchdown with just over eight minutes left in the second quarter. The catch broke the previous record held by Cliff Stoudt/Mark Malone and Kordell Stewart/Bobby Shaw, each duo had a 90 yard touchdown.
The run game is still in shambles and the horizon doesn't look very good. I will not blame these woes on the offensive line though. The line does the same job whether it is Mendenhall or Redman; the only real difference is the runner. In this match-up Mendenhall carried the ball 13 times for 32 yards while Redman carried 6 times for 29 yards and Moore carried 6 times for 26 yards. Mendenhall is not a great runner and it is time the Steelers move on. The inconsistency can't be blamed on anyone but the runner and his style; Mendy is a dancer while Redman and company seem to just hit the hole and run. Mendenhall has carried 94 times for 351 yards averaging 3.7 yards with three touchdowns, while the rest of running backs have carried 70 times for 383 yards averaging 5.4 with a touchdown.
The passing game looked good for yet another week. Big Ben threw three touchdown passes giving him 12 on the season. The big news was that the Steelers, namely Big Ben, did not have a turnover against the Cardinals helping the team to trim their horrific turnover differential.
The defense looked better against the run and that is no small feat because of who they were playing. Going into the game Beanie Wells was fourth in the NFL averaging just over 95 yards per game and was second averaging 4.8 yards per carry. Before being injured the Steelers held him to 42 yards on 12 carries for a mere 3.5 yard average. For the game they held the Cardinals to 73 yards on the ground, but did allow 257 through the air.
LaMarr Woodley continues to rack up sacks as he got to Kevin Kolb twice in the Steelers win. Woodley leads the team with seven sacks on the year and has 5.5 in the last three games. Woodley's 46 career sacks is only 31 behind record holder Jason Gildon and at 27 years old, Gildon's record could be in jeopardy.
The Steelers better hope that they are ready to face some tougher competition as they will host the Patriots (5-1) Ravens (5-2) and and travel to Cincinnati to face the Bengals (4-2) before getting a bye week.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Week 7 Breakdown
Super Bowl XLIII 2011
The Steelers (4-2) pack up and head out west to face a slew of former Steelers now with the Arizona Cardinals (1-4) Both rosters look a bit different from their Super Bowl XLIII showdown, but one thing still remains the same, both teams are full of Steelers.
The Cardinals grab up former Steelers like they have gold in their pockets with former players like Nick Eason, Clark Haggans, Joey Porter and Crezdon Butler; and coaches such as Ken Wisenhunt, Russ Grimm, Ray Horton, Kevin Spencer and Deshea Townsend to name a few.
The Steelers connection with the Cardinals goes much deeper than the players and staff connection. In 1944, during the midst of World War II the Steelers and then Chicago Cardinals merged to form the Chicago Card-Pitt. The team finished 0-10 and were nicknamed the Car-Pitts (carpets) because of the teams poor play. The teams went' back to their respected cities a year later in 1945.
These two teams began play against each other during the Steelers inaugural season in 1933. The Steelers have played the Cardinals across a multitude of cities including Chicago, St. Louis and finally the Cardinals current home Phoenix, starting in 1987. In 59 games against each other the Steelers have maintained an advantage winning 33, losing 23 with 3 ties. When they play away from the confines of Pittsburgh their record falls much shorter winning 11, losing 15 with 2 ties; the last match-up in Arizona was a 21-14 loss in 2007.
The Steelers run defense is still not back to normal, but fortunately for the fans and players the secondary is playing above their grade. The Steelers run defense has improved to 15th in the league, allowing 112.8 yards per game. The secondary is still ranked first allowing 157.7 yards per game, nearly 20 yards per game ahead of second place. As a team the Steelers defense ranks first is total yards allowed with 270.5, and tenth in sacks with 15.
CARDINALS SEASON STATS:
Kevin Kolb- 101 of 172 1,281 yards 5 touchdowns 6 interceptions
*Kevin is ranked 28th among NFL quarterbacks.
Chris "Beanie" Wells- 79 carries for 381 yards and 6 touchdowns
*Beanie has only one hundred yard game and one multi-touchdown game this season.
Larry Fitzgerald- 27 catches for 427 yards and 2 touchdowns
*Fitzy has not had a single multi-touchdown game this season.
Defense- The Cardinals are giving up 377 yards per game and 24.2 points per game while sacking quarterbacks 11 times and picking off 4 passes.
INJURY REPORT
James Harrison- out; Casey Hampton- out; Doug Legursky- out; Chris Hoke- doubtful; Maurkice Pouncey- probable;
FINAL TAKE
Most people are probably worried about the defenisve front. They haven't played extremely well agaisnt the run, but this could be the change they needed. The Steelers will need to get younger and with Hampton and Hoke both over thirty Steve McClendon will get a shot to prove he can handle the load in the future. The defense is roughed up but I think they can get it done. Big Ben doesn't need to throw the ball around, he needs to use the ball control offense through running to help the defense out. The longer the offense is on the field, the more rest the banged up defense can get.
STEELERS WIN: 27-13
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Steeler Kindness
It is rare that people are directly affected by our idols on a football field. We meet them here and there at events and they usually seem very caring and appreciative of the support we give them as fans. Then sometimes those players go above and beyond all our hopes and dreams, for example Troy Polamalu and his family.
Troy and his family are frequenters on twitter and occasionally give away autographs and tickets to Steelers games. Prior to the Jacksonville Jaguars game Troy and his brother Alex Holmes decided to do just that. Alex posted that he had two tickets to give away and wanted to know how he should do that. After some twitter replies he finally decided to give out the two tickets, and for some reason he selected my mother.
My mother is a cancer survivor of nearly 20 years, and unfortunately lost her sister and mother to the disease. My mother, a second generation Italian was so excited she didn't know what to do as she pondered whether to go or not; She divided her concerns between money for the nearly 160 mile trip and the dipping health of my father, a retired factory worker and Navy veteran. How could you give up this chance? I did the only thing a loving son could do, I paid all her expenses and wished her the best time ever.
She deserved this opportunity. I will always remember my mother as the woman who nearly died but never gave up because of her kids. I remember when times where hard she walked nearly 14 miles to get to and from work to make sure that me and my brother and sister had, even if she went without.
I have all the respect in the world for Troy Polamalu and Alex Holmes. We all know the All-Pro #43, if you don't know Alex, then you obviously don't watch enough college football. Alex was a starting tight end for the USC Trojans and was a member of the 2003 and 2004 National Championship teams. He spent two years with the Miami Dolphins after going undrafted in 2005.
I don't know why he selected my mother, but I know that he made her year. He was even so kind to take a photo with her. As a member of Steeler Nation for over 25 years, thank you Troy and Alex.
Troy and his family are frequenters on twitter and occasionally give away autographs and tickets to Steelers games. Prior to the Jacksonville Jaguars game Troy and his brother Alex Holmes decided to do just that. Alex posted that he had two tickets to give away and wanted to know how he should do that. After some twitter replies he finally decided to give out the two tickets, and for some reason he selected my mother.
My mother is a cancer survivor of nearly 20 years, and unfortunately lost her sister and mother to the disease. My mother, a second generation Italian was so excited she didn't know what to do as she pondered whether to go or not; She divided her concerns between money for the nearly 160 mile trip and the dipping health of my father, a retired factory worker and Navy veteran. How could you give up this chance? I did the only thing a loving son could do, I paid all her expenses and wished her the best time ever.
I have all the respect in the world for Troy Polamalu and Alex Holmes. We all know the All-Pro #43, if you don't know Alex, then you obviously don't watch enough college football. Alex was a starting tight end for the USC Trojans and was a member of the 2003 and 2004 National Championship teams. He spent two years with the Miami Dolphins after going undrafted in 2005.
I don't know why he selected my mother, but I know that he made her year. He was even so kind to take a photo with her. As a member of Steeler Nation for over 25 years, thank you Troy and Alex.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Practice Squad Moves
Tristan Davis, a second year running back out of Auburn was signed to the practice squad on October 5th after being released by the New Orleans Saints. Morrty Ivy is a second year linebacker out of West Virginia. He spent the offseason with the Steelers and was signed to the practice squad after the final roster cuts. Neither player dressed a single game for the Steelers.
Elisha Joseph is the new name in all of these transactions. Elisha Joseph, standing 6'2 290 lbs played multiple spots on the defensive line for the Temple Owls from 2007 to 2010. He recorded 95 tackles, 43 of those solo and 6.5 for a loss. Joesph also recorded one sack and two deflected passes in his collegiate career. He spent the off season with the Green Bay Packers before being cut the final day of cuts.
The Steelers practice squad now looks something like this:
Corbin Bryant- DE; Elisha Joesph- DL; John Clay- RB; Tyler Grisham- WR; Jamie McCoy- TE; Da'Mon Cromarite-Smith- S; Trevis Turner- OT; Chris Scott- OT
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Steelers Nip the Jags
The Steelers (4-2) used a solid first half and productive running game to hand the Jaguars (1-5) their fifth straight loss of the season. The Steelers over powered the Jags as they went into half up 17-3 on Rashard Mendenhall and Mike Wallace's first half touchdowns. The Steelers used defense to control the Jags comeback in the second half to defeat them 17-13.
Big Ben was 11 of 15 for 181 yards with no turnovers or sacks in the first half while Rashard must have been feeling the pressure from Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer as he put up 113 yards in the first half.
The defense was solid in the first half only allowing 68 yards and a 2.4 yard per play average to the struggling Jaguars. They sacked Gabbert three times in the first half and didn't allow the Jags to get going on offense while the offense put the Steelers up big.
The second half didn't offer any offense as the Steelers seemed prepared to just sit on their lead and wait to show off the rest of the playbook. The offense didn't muster a single point and were held under a 100 yards in the second half after scoring 17 and putting up 315 yards in the first half. Ben was sacked three times in the second half, mostly due to holding onto the ball way too long. He was 1 of 8 for 19 yards in the second half giving him 200 total yards and a touchdown for the game. The big thing was that Ben did not turn the ball over this game, his first game without a turnover this season.
The running game looked great as Rashard Mendenhall ran for 146 yards on 23 carries, including a career long 68 yard scamper in the first half. Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer got into the action as well combining for 6 carries and 30 yards. As a team the Steelers ran for 185 yards averaging 5.8 yards per carry and picking up six of the teams 15 first downs on the ground.
The offensive line held up the Jaguars defense well until the final quarter as Ben seemed to hold the ball too long to make plays happen. Now, don't start that "it was the Jaguars" argument because coming into this game they were 8th in total defense, so the defense is not the weak part of the Jags. Even with Legursky going down, I am not worried as I think they will continue to get better before their rematch with the Ravens.
The defense played well in both halves as they sacked Gabbert five times and held him to 76 yards passing and only allowed him to convert 26% of their third down attempts. The biggest issue once again is the running game as they allowed 133 yards, 96 of those to Jones-Drew. The Steelers allowed 62 yards per game all of last season; through six games this season they are allowing 112 per game. Something has got to give with the run defense and we can only hope that they improve that as the season moves on.
The Steelers injuries piled up in this contest as well. Guard Doug Legursky came out of the game early with a dislocated toe, Troy Polamalu is suffering from concussion like symptoms and Chris Hoke is suffering from a stinger. Troy will go through mandatory concussion test this week, so it is way to early to talk about next week. As for the players who were already out with injuries, we could see a few of them back next week.
On a side note, Hines Ward caught a 19 yard pass from Ben in the first half that gave him 11,911 yards for his career, moving him ahead of Hall of Famer Micheal Irvin. Going into next week Hines will be working towards a few career milestones as he needs 23 catches for 1,000 and 61 yards for 12,000.
Big Ben was 11 of 15 for 181 yards with no turnovers or sacks in the first half while Rashard must have been feeling the pressure from Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer as he put up 113 yards in the first half.
The defense was solid in the first half only allowing 68 yards and a 2.4 yard per play average to the struggling Jaguars. They sacked Gabbert three times in the first half and didn't allow the Jags to get going on offense while the offense put the Steelers up big.
The second half didn't offer any offense as the Steelers seemed prepared to just sit on their lead and wait to show off the rest of the playbook. The offense didn't muster a single point and were held under a 100 yards in the second half after scoring 17 and putting up 315 yards in the first half. Ben was sacked three times in the second half, mostly due to holding onto the ball way too long. He was 1 of 8 for 19 yards in the second half giving him 200 total yards and a touchdown for the game. The big thing was that Ben did not turn the ball over this game, his first game without a turnover this season.
The running game looked great as Rashard Mendenhall ran for 146 yards on 23 carries, including a career long 68 yard scamper in the first half. Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer got into the action as well combining for 6 carries and 30 yards. As a team the Steelers ran for 185 yards averaging 5.8 yards per carry and picking up six of the teams 15 first downs on the ground.
The offensive line held up the Jaguars defense well until the final quarter as Ben seemed to hold the ball too long to make plays happen. Now, don't start that "it was the Jaguars" argument because coming into this game they were 8th in total defense, so the defense is not the weak part of the Jags. Even with Legursky going down, I am not worried as I think they will continue to get better before their rematch with the Ravens.
The defense played well in both halves as they sacked Gabbert five times and held him to 76 yards passing and only allowed him to convert 26% of their third down attempts. The biggest issue once again is the running game as they allowed 133 yards, 96 of those to Jones-Drew. The Steelers allowed 62 yards per game all of last season; through six games this season they are allowing 112 per game. Something has got to give with the run defense and we can only hope that they improve that as the season moves on.
The Steelers injuries piled up in this contest as well. Guard Doug Legursky came out of the game early with a dislocated toe, Troy Polamalu is suffering from concussion like symptoms and Chris Hoke is suffering from a stinger. Troy will go through mandatory concussion test this week, so it is way to early to talk about next week. As for the players who were already out with injuries, we could see a few of them back next week.
On a side note, Hines Ward caught a 19 yard pass from Ben in the first half that gave him 11,911 yards for his career, moving him ahead of Hall of Famer Micheal Irvin. Going into next week Hines will be working towards a few career milestones as he needs 23 catches for 1,000 and 61 yards for 12,000.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Week 6 Breakdown
2007 Redemption
The Steelers (3-2) will host the Jaguars (1-4) at Heinz field to finish this home stand before heading out west. The Steelers will look to get some form of redemption against the team, that in 2007 became the only team in Steelers history to beat them at home twice in one season, once in the regular season and once in the postseason.
This Jaguars team is much different than that 2007 team that shut down the Steelers offense and ran all over their defense. The Jags still have the elusive Jones-Drew and dependable Josh Scobee, but key pieces on defense and at quarterback are gone. The Jags are breaking in a rookie quarterback first rounder, Blaine Gabbert after releasing veteran David Garrard, while the defense is breaking a new linebacking corp lead by a pair of former Pennsylvania football stars; Nittany Lion Paul Posluszny and Pitt Panther Clint Session.
In the Steelers previous game against the Titans, the team look renewed and most importantly "young." They have a few more weeks to get back into championship form before showdowns at home against New England and Baltimore. The Jaguars may be 1-4 but they are no push over and the Steelers need to pay attention to this game closely.
The Jaguars are one of only three teams the Steelers face this season that have a winning record against them. The Steelers are only 9-12 against the Jags but have won five of ten games in Pittsburgh. The last time these two teams met in Pittsburgh was back to back losses in 2007, the final a 31-29 loss in the wild card round of the playoffs.
JAGUARS SEASON STATS:
Blaine Gabbert- 48 of 97 608 yards 3 touchdowns 2 interceptions
*This will be the rookies first game against a championship caliber team.
Maurice Jones-Drew- 96 carries for 476 yards and 2 touchdowns
*MJD is averaging 5 yards per carry.
Mike Thomas- 23 catches for 265 yards and 1 touchdown
*No receiver has caught more than one touchdown pass this season.
Defense- The Jags are giving up 316.4 yards per game and 22 points while sacking quarterbacks 12 times and picking off 6 passes in their first five games. Surprisingly, even with the four losses the defense is in the top ten in most defensive categories.
INJURY REPORT
Marcus Gilbert- out; Casey Hampton- out; Aaron Smith- out; Jason Worilds- out; James Harrison- out; Mewelde Moore- out; Chris Kemoeatu- out
FINAL TAKE
I am by no means overlooking the Jaguars, but I don't see them winning at all. The Steelers offense came to life last week on the legs of Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer and via the arm of Big Ben. The defense was back and just as good as they had ever been and hey, they got their first INT of the season. The Steelers have this week and next week to get prepared for a visit from Tom Brady and their rematch against the hated Ravens. I think the Steelers will keep Gabbert confused and shut down MJD, while continuing to work on the run game and turnover control.
STEELERS WIN: 17-9
Friday, October 14, 2011
RB Controversy Begins
Mendenhall has struggled running the ball and I don't think that you can blame those issues on the offensive line because other Steeler running backs including Isaac Redman, Jonathan Dwyer and Mewelde Moore have found success behind the same offensive line. His struggles have come from his inability to just hit a hole and the stats show that.
Mendenhall
58 carries 173 yards 2 touchdowns 3.0 yards per carry
Redman
37 carries 156 yards 1 toucdhown 4.2 yards per carry
Dwyer
11 carries 107 yards 0 touchdowns 9.7 yards per carry
I have no problem with Mendy getting his starting job back but if it doesn't work well then the Steelers should go to Redman. Redman has 12 carries less than Mendy but only has ran for 17 yards less and is averaging 1.2 yards more per carry.
My biggest issue with Mendy is that he stops and stutters way too much. He thinks that shimmying makes defenders miss where Redman just buries his head and just runs straight ahead. How many times has Redman picked up even a yard or two when it looked like he was going to get tackled for a loss? and how many times has Mendy done it?
I think that the Titans game proved that the Steelers need to give Redman and Dwyer more carries as the season goes on. I don't think there is a large controversy just yet, but if Mendy struggles against the Jags then it may be time to pull the switch.
This is Mendenhall's wake up call.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Steelers Run Over the Titans
With a handful of injuries and an offensive line in their fourth shuffle of this young season, the Steelers (3-2) came out and punched the Titans (3-2) in the mouth as they ran all over the Titan defense. The Steelers, on the heels of their second and third string running backs put up 174 yards rushing while Big Ben added five touchdown passes and the defense kept Hasselbeck and Johnson in check all day long.
I have to start by talking about the offensive line. Wow. What a huge difference one player makes. The Steelers brought back Max Starks, who shouldn't have been cut in the first place, and he solidified the left side of the line. Max and the rest of the line kept the Titans defense in check all evening and really looked great only giving up one sack. Pouncey left the game for a short while to deal with his knee and Gilbert left after he re-injured his shoulder; both of them will hopefully be good to go against the Jaguars Sunday.
I was so happy about the running game against he Titans. The Steelers did not have Rashard Mendenhall, who I don't feel should be the starting back anyway, and the team seemed to take a step towards getting back to their old ways. Isaac Redman carried the ball 12 times for 49 yards while Jonathan Dwyer carried 11 times for 107 yards, including a 76 yard scramble early in the game. Redman seemed to gains yards even if there were none to be had and Dwyer controlled the clock in the third and fourth quarter to help the Steelers win. I am not going to proclaim that the Steelers run game is back. What I will say is that this is the right step to getting it back. The Steelers will play Jacksonville and Arizona the next two weeks and they can build towards their running attack even more in those games.
Big Ben looked solid, and since he was on his feet all day we shouldn't be shocked. Ben tied his career high with five touchdown passes along with 228 yards passing. There was a stupid pick at the end of the half as the Steelers tried to do too much even though they had a 21 to 3 lead. The pick was Ben's tenth turnover of the season, which is the most in the NFL. The pick didn't amount to anything and overall this game leaves me optimistic about the coming weeks.
Now the defense, oh, our beloved Steel Curtain defense. Again, I will not say that they are back, but they looked amazing. LaMarr Woodley doubled his season sack total, adding one and a half more; he also picked off a batted Hasselbeck pass for the Steelers first INT of the season. Ziggy Hood added a half sack and first round draft pick Cameron Heyward had his first career sack and forced fumble late in the game. Everyone got in on the action on defense with big plays; Hoke controlled the line and kept Chris Johnson off his game as the team gave up only 66 yards rushing, the linebackers tackled well and the secondary kept the Titan receivers in check.
The Steelers really dipped into the playbook running fake punts and a few end around runs with the receivers. Antonio Brown really looked great returning the ball as well as he returned two kicks for 41 yards and kept Big Ben and the rest of the offense on short fields. It was good to see Ben passing the ball around as seven different receivers caught Big Ben passes with four of them catching touchdowns, Wallace, Johnson, Miller and Ward with two.
On a final important note, Hines was smiling again. So, no worries everything seems to be going back to normal.
I have to start by talking about the offensive line. Wow. What a huge difference one player makes. The Steelers brought back Max Starks, who shouldn't have been cut in the first place, and he solidified the left side of the line. Max and the rest of the line kept the Titans defense in check all evening and really looked great only giving up one sack. Pouncey left the game for a short while to deal with his knee and Gilbert left after he re-injured his shoulder; both of them will hopefully be good to go against the Jaguars Sunday.
I was so happy about the running game against he Titans. The Steelers did not have Rashard Mendenhall, who I don't feel should be the starting back anyway, and the team seemed to take a step towards getting back to their old ways. Isaac Redman carried the ball 12 times for 49 yards while Jonathan Dwyer carried 11 times for 107 yards, including a 76 yard scramble early in the game. Redman seemed to gains yards even if there were none to be had and Dwyer controlled the clock in the third and fourth quarter to help the Steelers win. I am not going to proclaim that the Steelers run game is back. What I will say is that this is the right step to getting it back. The Steelers will play Jacksonville and Arizona the next two weeks and they can build towards their running attack even more in those games.
Big Ben looked solid, and since he was on his feet all day we shouldn't be shocked. Ben tied his career high with five touchdown passes along with 228 yards passing. There was a stupid pick at the end of the half as the Steelers tried to do too much even though they had a 21 to 3 lead. The pick was Ben's tenth turnover of the season, which is the most in the NFL. The pick didn't amount to anything and overall this game leaves me optimistic about the coming weeks.
Now the defense, oh, our beloved Steel Curtain defense. Again, I will not say that they are back, but they looked amazing. LaMarr Woodley doubled his season sack total, adding one and a half more; he also picked off a batted Hasselbeck pass for the Steelers first INT of the season. Ziggy Hood added a half sack and first round draft pick Cameron Heyward had his first career sack and forced fumble late in the game. Everyone got in on the action on defense with big plays; Hoke controlled the line and kept Chris Johnson off his game as the team gave up only 66 yards rushing, the linebackers tackled well and the secondary kept the Titan receivers in check.
The Steelers really dipped into the playbook running fake punts and a few end around runs with the receivers. Antonio Brown really looked great returning the ball as well as he returned two kicks for 41 yards and kept Big Ben and the rest of the offense on short fields. It was good to see Ben passing the ball around as seven different receivers caught Big Ben passes with four of them catching touchdowns, Wallace, Johnson, Miller and Ward with two.
On a final important note, Hines was smiling again. So, no worries everything seems to be going back to normal.
Week 5 Breakdown
AFC Central Renewed
The Steelers (2-2) will try to end their struggles in the friendly confines of Heinz Field against the upstart Titans (3-1) The Steelers run defense took another huge hit last week against the Texans as the banged up Texans piled up over 150 yards on the ground while only giving up 138 through the air.
The Steelers have played against the Titans since the days of the Houston Oilers back in 1970. When the AFL/NFL merged in 1970 these two teams became AFC Central rivals till the re-alignment in 2002. In their 73 meetings the Steelers hold a large advantage 43 to 30; When the game is played in Pittsburgh the Steelers hold an even larger margin winning 25 and only losing 10 times. The last meeting at Heinz field was a 13-10 overtime win in 2009.
The Steelers took a huge hit this week when they lost a plethora of players to injury and will have to attempt to beat the Titans with young and inexperienced players. The Steelers have shocked fans with their poor run defense and great pass defense and this game has the chance to help the Steelers get back to their ways. They will need to shut down the upstart Hasselbeck and ever so talented Chris Johnson to do that.
TITANS SEASON STATS:
Matt Hasselbeck- 88 of 132 1,152 yards 8 touchdowns 3 interception
*Off to the best start of his career.
Chris Johnson- 69 carries for 199 yards
*Only one hundred yard rushing game this season.
Nate Washington- 23 catches for 320 yards and 1 touchdown
*Will get the bulk of the catches due to Kenny Britt injury.
Defense- The Titans are giving up 299.7 yards per game and 14 points per game with 10 sacks and 5 interceptions; they have forced a total of eight turnovers in their first four games of the season.
INJURY REPORT
Mewelde Moore- out; Cortez Allen- out; Chris Kemoeatu- out; Aaron Smith- out; James Harrison- out; Jason Worilds- out; Casey Hampton- out
FINAL TAKE
As much as I would like to be optimistic about this game, I can't. This is not the same Steelers that we are used to in the past. They are all over payed and have no real heart. I hope that I am wrong about this game but I just don't see the rush defense holding up in this game. Expect the Titans to use a lot of short dump passes to Chris Johnson and use a run heavy rotation of Johnson and Javon Ringer. With all that being said, the nay sayers will be sorry.
STEELERS WIN: 13-10
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Plenty of RB Depth
Rashard Mendenhall could possibly sit this weekend when the Steelers (2-2) take on the Titans (3-1) in Pittsburgh. This doesn't faze me one bit because I don't even think that Mendy is the best running back on the Steelers roster; I believe that Isaac Redman is and that it will be proven to the world after the upcoming week 5 match-up.
The Steelers made a series of roster moves in anticipation of Mendy's injury; the Steelers moved rookie running back from Wisconsin John Clay from the practice squad to the active roster. The Steelers then added Tristan Davis, a third year pro from Auburn to the practice squad.
The Steelers will go into their week 5 game with Isaac Redman getting the bulk of the carries with rookie John Clay and second year pro Jonathan Dwyer acting as his supporting cast. The trio may not have a large amount of pro success but they have had success at the college level, with John Clay leading Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer by a slim margin.
John Clay * Wisconsin
619 carries 3,413 yards 5.5 average 41 touchdowns 72 long
Isaac Redman * Bowie State
613 carries 3,300 yards 5.4 average 35 touchdowns 99 long
Jonathan Dwyer * Georgia Tech
517 carries 3,226 yards 6.2 average 35 touchdowns 85 long
Of the three running backs only Dwyer and Redman have any pro experience, Redman with the most. Issac Redman has carried 74 times for 354 yards with a 4.8 yard average and a touchdown; while Jonathan Dwyer has carried the ball nine times for 28 yards with a 3.1 yard average and no touchdowns.
Dwyer and Clay received a bulk of playing time this preseason though; Dwyer had the majority of those carrying 37 times for 175 yards averaging 4.7 yards and a touchdown. Clay added 15 carries for 57 yards and a 3.8 yard average.
This game is a huge statement game for Redman, Dwyer and Clay as they could each solidify their futures with the Steelers. If the trio prove that they can handle the Steelers running game on their own then we may see a switch from the inconsistent Mendenhall.
The Steelers will go into their week 5 game with Isaac Redman getting the bulk of the carries with rookie John Clay and second year pro Jonathan Dwyer acting as his supporting cast. The trio may not have a large amount of pro success but they have had success at the college level, with John Clay leading Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer by a slim margin.
John Clay * Wisconsin
619 carries 3,413 yards 5.5 average 41 touchdowns 72 long
Isaac Redman * Bowie State
613 carries 3,300 yards 5.4 average 35 touchdowns 99 long
Jonathan Dwyer * Georgia Tech
517 carries 3,226 yards 6.2 average 35 touchdowns 85 long
Dwyer and Clay received a bulk of playing time this preseason though; Dwyer had the majority of those carrying 37 times for 175 yards averaging 4.7 yards and a touchdown. Clay added 15 carries for 57 yards and a 3.8 yard average.
This game is a huge statement game for Redman, Dwyer and Clay as they could each solidify their futures with the Steelers. If the trio prove that they can handle the Steelers running game on their own then we may see a switch from the inconsistent Mendenhall.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Mewelde Moore
For me it has been Mewelde Moore and his big play ability. The fact that we are associating Moore is one of those underrated players that nobody prepares for and has trouble dealing with when he gets the ball.
When Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin came to the Steelers in 2007, Mewelde Moore followed suit.and has been just as productive in the Burgh. In his four years with the Steelers Moore has carried the ball for 848 yards and five touchdowns while grabbing 91 passes for 739 yards and three touchdowns.
Now, with this season heading in a direction that no Steeler fan is enjoying, Mewelde has been a huge spark in the passing and running game. In the first four games Moore, in his limited time on the field, has carried the ball six times for 43 yards averaging 7.2 yards per touch and has four catches for 61 yards averaging 15.3 yards per catch.
Moore will miss the game this Sunday against the Titans, so these hopes and his big plays will be in the hands of Issac Redman and John Clay.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Texans Run Over the Steelers
I don't really know where to start. This game was terrible at the beginning and then steadily got better before dropping off yet again. The Steelers (2-2) were absolutely ran all over by the Texans (3-1) who controlled the clock, kept the defense on the ropes and Big Ben on the ground.
It is hard to even pick where to start, oh wait, how about the offensive line? Wow. What else can you really say? The line looked like a bunch of grade school kids trying to block bulldozers. From the left to the right not a single player looked good at all. Even pro bowler Maurkice Pouncey looked bad, but really if you are trying to make up for other players issues wouldn't you?
The Steelers have ignored the offensive line since the departure of Alan Faneca and it is really biting them now. I blame the front office for the issues the offense has had over the last five or so years. Over the last ten years they have only drafted offensive lineman three times in the first two rounds; Gilbert in 2011, Pouncey in 2010 and Kendall Simmons in 2002. The Steelers have spent 100 million dollars on Ben Roethlisberger, 60 million on James Harrision and 50 million dollars on Lawrence Timmons, LaMarr Woodley and Troy Polamalu, but none on top offensive line free agents.
I have to keep bringing up the defense as well, even though this pains me as well. What the hell is happening to this team? Oh yeah, that whole age thing. The defense is getting over matched and destroyed off the ball by everyone. The defensive line cannot get any pressure and the linebackers are making a majority of their tackles ten yards too late. The most surprising part of the defense so far is that the secondary is leading the NFL only allowing 157 passing yards per game, while the front seven is giving up 119 yards per game. That may not seem big but last year they allowed 62 yards per game.
The secondary limited one of the top three passing attacks in the NFL to 138 yards passing while the rest of the team allowed 180 yards to an injured Arian Foster and Ben Tate. The defense is not the same as it has been in the last few years. Where is the fire? Where is that toughness? I don't know what has gotten into the Steel Curtain, but if they need to fix it with a large turnover then so be it.
Now, we can't blame this on the defense alone. No team can win when the offense scores 10 points, well, no team without Bill Cowher can win after only scoring ten points. Someone, anyone needs to explain to Bruce Arians that short slants, dump passes and draws are a great way to keep blitzing defenses back. The Steelers use too many slow developing down field plays, especially since their offensive line is as bad as it is.
One of the most riveting things I seen from the game last night was Hines Ward was not smiling. I have noticed that he is smiling less and that is never a good sign. When the happiest man to ever get up in the morning is not happy anymore then things are really bad.
I love this team more than any thing in the world, and I have seen losing seasons. I was there for the AFC Championship losses in 1994, 1997, 2001 and 2004. The Super Bowl losses in 1995 and 2011, and no matter what I will be here next week, the week after that and after that. We need to adjust our team to accommodate the poor offensive line and the aging defense or we will never get back a hold of our season.
.
It is hard to even pick where to start, oh wait, how about the offensive line? Wow. What else can you really say? The line looked like a bunch of grade school kids trying to block bulldozers. From the left to the right not a single player looked good at all. Even pro bowler Maurkice Pouncey looked bad, but really if you are trying to make up for other players issues wouldn't you?
The Steelers have ignored the offensive line since the departure of Alan Faneca and it is really biting them now. I blame the front office for the issues the offense has had over the last five or so years. Over the last ten years they have only drafted offensive lineman three times in the first two rounds; Gilbert in 2011, Pouncey in 2010 and Kendall Simmons in 2002. The Steelers have spent 100 million dollars on Ben Roethlisberger, 60 million on James Harrision and 50 million dollars on Lawrence Timmons, LaMarr Woodley and Troy Polamalu, but none on top offensive line free agents.
I have to keep bringing up the defense as well, even though this pains me as well. What the hell is happening to this team? Oh yeah, that whole age thing. The defense is getting over matched and destroyed off the ball by everyone. The defensive line cannot get any pressure and the linebackers are making a majority of their tackles ten yards too late. The most surprising part of the defense so far is that the secondary is leading the NFL only allowing 157 passing yards per game, while the front seven is giving up 119 yards per game. That may not seem big but last year they allowed 62 yards per game.
The secondary limited one of the top three passing attacks in the NFL to 138 yards passing while the rest of the team allowed 180 yards to an injured Arian Foster and Ben Tate. The defense is not the same as it has been in the last few years. Where is the fire? Where is that toughness? I don't know what has gotten into the Steel Curtain, but if they need to fix it with a large turnover then so be it.
Now, we can't blame this on the defense alone. No team can win when the offense scores 10 points, well, no team without Bill Cowher can win after only scoring ten points. Someone, anyone needs to explain to Bruce Arians that short slants, dump passes and draws are a great way to keep blitzing defenses back. The Steelers use too many slow developing down field plays, especially since their offensive line is as bad as it is.
One of the most riveting things I seen from the game last night was Hines Ward was not smiling. I have noticed that he is smiling less and that is never a good sign. When the happiest man to ever get up in the morning is not happy anymore then things are really bad.
I love this team more than any thing in the world, and I have seen losing seasons. I was there for the AFC Championship losses in 1994, 1997, 2001 and 2004. The Super Bowl losses in 1995 and 2011, and no matter what I will be here next week, the week after that and after that. We need to adjust our team to accommodate the poor offensive line and the aging defense or we will never get back a hold of our season.
.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Week 4 Breakdown
Texas Showdown
The Steelers (2-1) look to end the first quarter of the season on a high note as they travel to H-Town, Houston, Texas to battle the high scoring Texans (2-1). With the Colts struggling this season the Texans find themselves atop the AFC South, tied with the surprise Titans. The Steelers have won two straight games and find themselves in a three way tie with their two rivals, the Browns and Ravens.
The Steelers have faced the Texans three times in the teams history, winning two of them. The only loss was in the Texans expansion year as Tommy Maddox threw two interceptions and fumbled, all returned for touchdowns. The defense only allowed forty yards but lost to David Carr in an odd game. Since then the Steelers have played the Texans in Houston twice beating them down both times. The last Steelers game in Houston was a 2008 win, 38-17.
The Steelers have went from a Super Bowl favorite to the team on a "downturn" and the Steelers really haven't done much to shut those critics up. Ben Roethlisberger has turned the ball over eight times in three games, four fumbles and four interceptions. The Steelers linebacker corp has only forced one turnover and sacked opposing quarterbacks only five and a half times.
There just seems to be something missing from the Steelers that I can't put my finger on. It could be something as simple as they are just getting a slow start, and lets hope that is all it is. With the issues the Steelers have so far this season they find themselves in a rare position as underdogs.
TEXANS SEASON STATS:
Matt Schaub- 60 of 92 823 yards 6 touchdowns 3 interceptions
*Big surprise the Texans are one of the most prolific passing teams in the league.
Ben Tate- 66 carries for 301 yards 1 touchdown
*Even with a 4.6 yard average, Arian Foster will start over Tate.
Andre Johnson- 21 catches for 316 yards and 2 touchdowns
* Ike Taylor has only allowed a handful of catches and no touchdowns this season.
Defense- The Texans are allowing 332 yards and 17.6 points per game, even though their two wins were against the Colts and Dolphins who are both 0-3.
INJURY REPORT
Brett Keisel- out; Jonathan Scott- out; Doug Legursky- out;
FINAL TAKE
The Steelers rush ranks 23rd in the NFL and their defense is not much better ranking 12th, 12th! When is the last time that you could say that the Steelers were 12th in defense? Most of the the yardage was from that horrible week one game against Baltimore so I won't get too over heated about that. The Steelers really need to get back to thier old ways, run the ball the prevent Big Ben turnovers and rush the passer to force turnovers. Last week was a trap game and this week looks like the Steelers might get a beating and for that reason I don't think they will. The media is verbally destroying the Steelers so I think they will come out swinging.
STEELERS WIN: 24-20
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Former Steeler into ASU HOF
At Arizona State, Marvel was named All-PAC 10 honorable mention in 1998 as a Junior. As a Senior, he was named first team All-PAC team and first team All-American after allowing only one sack.
Smith was drafted in the second round, 38th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2000 draft. Smith played for the Steelers from 2000 to 2008 including Super Bowl XL and XLIII. He was selected to his only Pro Bowl in 2005 after helping anchor a terrific offensive line that led the Steelers to their first championship since 1979. Smith played in 111 games, starting 108 of them.
Marvel missed three games at the end of the 2007 season and nearly all of the 2008 season, only playing five games. The Steelers chose not to resign Marvel and out right released him. He caught on with the San Francisco 49ers, but did not play a regular season game.
Marvel was a cog on the Steelers line for just shy of a decade and was a force, helping the Steelers get back to their championship ways. Congratulations to Marvel and his family on this honor.
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