The Blitzburgh Report

I don’t know what’s worse- to play horribly and get beat badly, or to play horribly but make one of the greatest comebacks in playoff history only to still end up losing. Either way the result is the same and the Steelers’ season is over:

• The Steelers have had a lot of comebacks this season, which isn’t totally a great thing. I mean you love to see a team that can rally and doesn’t give up, but you also can’t keep starting out so poorly that you have to keep coming back.
   
  But along that same point, it is good to see that Ben Roethlisberger can recover from a bad performance. Quarterbacks will have bad days, but as the saying goes they need to have short memories- and Ben does. He’s done it all his career and it is good to know that the team is never really out of the game no matter how bad it gets.

• But, it must be said that Big Ben’s poor performance in the first half was probably the main contributor to the Steelers’ loss. I will give him a pass on the third interception because the Jacksonville player was basically out of the play, and just made a nice recovery and catch for a big man. But the first two interceptions were horrendous. Especially the second one. That pass intended for Najeh Davenport has to go down as one of the worst of Ben’s career so far in terms of decision and execution…

• …there just was no reason to throw it deep to a double covered Davenport who wasn’t in position to defend the pass, let alone try to catch it himself. Unfortunately I think it is just part of Ben’s game and something that will always be there. He reminds me of Brett Favre, slinging the ball around and trying to force it. They are talented enough to make the play most times, but they’re going to throw those dumb picks as well.

• One last point on Ben- and it is that nearly all of his sacks last night were because he held on to the ball too long. As bad as the offensive line has been this season, I think you can chalk a chunk of those sacks up to Ben not getting rid of the ball. I think that a large part of it is because he is always looking for the long ball. Sure, it makes for a lot of exciting plays, but at the same time he usually has a back wide open that he could dump the ball off to.
   
  I remember on one of the sacks last night they showed a replay of the Steelers receivers and Ben had two guys wide open that he could have thrown to. This is a part of Ben’s game that he really needs to work on.

• Speaking of the offensive line, they actually played a fairly good game. Especially Trai Essex. I give him a lot of credit for holding his ground, and it starts to make me wonder about Marvel Smith. When he went down he had two different guys- “the scapegoat” Max Starks, and “hasn’t started in two seasons” Trai Essex- step in and play better than he did. I know he was hurt but we’re going to have to include him in the pile with the linemen that will need a serious evaluation this offseason.

• Alright, I am just going to throw it out there, but I think the Steelers got hosed a bit last night on some of the penalties. It happens and teams have to deal with it, but that phantom holding call on Sean Mahan on the two point conversion is still bugging me today.
   
  Furthermore, it seemed like every replay they showed of an outside Steelers’ rusher, he was held after he had his man beat. I am sure holding happens a lot with every team, but there is nothing more frustrating then hearing Al Michaels talking about what a great block some Jaguars player had as on the screen we are seeing him with his arm hooked around James Harrison’s neck.

• What happened to the offense? Not just in this game but over the last half of the season. They started the year looking nearly unstoppable, and ended looking confused and sporadic. Especially the running game. The Steelers had been the best rushing team in the league over the last 15 odd years, so to see them struggling this season is just frustrating.
   
  What is it? They looked so impressive on that first drive last night, very reminiscent of their games in the 2005 playoffs. Then they looked horrible. As much of a dumb sounding comment it was by Madden when he said it looked like the Steelers didn’t have a plan on offense, he was kind of right.
   
  There were a lot of bad calls last night. That run by Ben on a third and six when they were trying to run out the clock was just a bad idea. Ben is no Vince Young, and furthermore I’m not so sure that at that point you may just want to throw it and try to get the first down. They only had a one point lead and I think getting the first down there was more important than running a couple more second off the clock.

• I think the two point conversion plays were garbage as well. We’ve seen some creative ones that worked well during the season, but this time they ran two fade passes. The first was insanely lucky to have been caught by Hines Ward, but it was negated by the phantom holding call anyway. After that they probably should have kicked the extra point.
   
  But the third two point attempt was just as bad. That fade to Nate Washington just seemed like more of a play that you would run on a first and goal, not when you absolutely need to get into the endzone. Where was the trick play? Where was that special play you keep just for those situations? A fade pass? Come on.
   
  I’m not very confident in Bruce Arians right now. I am not saying they need to get rid of the guy or that he is terrible, just that he still needs some work. Hopefully he is the type that can learn from his mistakes and improve his work.

• This is getting a bit long so I will quickly go through some of the props I wanted to give. Props to Hines Ward and Heath Miller for being dependable and clutch. Props to LaMarr Woodley for his pass rushing- he should be starting next year. Again, props to Trai Essex for having a solid game. Props to Ben for bouncing back from the first half, but most of all for waiting for David Garrard to finish his interviews so he could congratulate him; he is a class act. Props to the entire defense for playing a good game, they held Fred Taylor in check this time and had two interceptions on Garrard- they certainly did enough to win on their end.

• For whatever the reason, the Steelers went on quite a slide to end the season after starting 9-3. There were a lot of key injuries and I am sure that had a lot to do with it, but that is part of life in the NFL. They went from looking like a possible darkhorse in the AFC to losing 4 of their last five games. Ouch. There will be a lot of discussion over just what went wrong, but I am willing to bet that there is no easy answer. A lot of things went wrong, and fortunately I think they are fixable. But we’re going to have to wait until next year to find out.

That’s it, the end to another season. The Steelers went from a team that started out looking like one of the best, to a team that limped into the playoffs. I am sure a lot of time will be devoted to trying to figure out why. But for now it is time to fold up the terrible towels and put them away until next year.

Thanks to all of the readers of this site and for your great comments and discussion. We’ll keep updating regularly this offseason including some reviews of the season , so check back in the coming weeks for a for that.

James Harrison Voted Team MVP

James Harrison was voted team MVP by the Steelers players. My first reaction wass I am very happy for Harrison. He’s come a long way and has had a great season- one that is worthy of team MVP. But my second thought is, was it really worthy over Ben Roethlisberger’s season?

I know there are mixed feelings out there about profootballtalk.com, but they raised an interesting point today:

In 2005, we heard plenty of rumors that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger isn’t one of the most popular guys among Steelers players. A Super Bowl win diluted such talk, and his popularity took a back seat last season to his near-death experience after driving a motorcycle into a car.

This year, we’d assumed that everything had changed. Apparently, it hasn’t.

Though Roethlisberger wasn’t named a team captain at the start of the season, the fact that Hines Ward received the nod for the offense didn’t raise eyebrows. More recently, after having one of the better passing seasons of any quarterback in franchise history, Roethlisberger wasn’t named the MVP of the team.

But Harrison still is worthy none the less and both players have had remarkable seasons and deserve congratulations. The team has done co-MVP’s in the past, so it is even surprising that they didn’t share the honors. It really does make you wonder, but I wouldn’t jump to any conclusions just yet. Aside from this incident, all indications this season have been that Ben has won over a lot of people with his gutty performances and leadership on the field. We really don’t know what went on with the voting and why the players voted as they did. So file it away, but don’t necessarily get worried that everyone hates Ben or anything.

Ben Will Likely Sit Out Ravens Game

Speaking of Big Ben, the Post-Gazette is reporting that he is expected to sit out the game against the Ravens.

I think it is a good move by coach Tomlin. They mention that his ankle is still a bit sore from the Rams game, but I am sure he is hurting all over as well. The Steelers do have a bit to play for with trying to get the 3rd seed in the AFC, but not enough to risk having their star quarterback out or even more injured for the playoffs, especially with how physical Baltimore is and Ben’s history of getting knocked around by them.

It will be interesting to see how long Tomlin plays a lot of the starters. Will he also take other players out as the game goes on? You would have to think that if the Steelers jump out to an early lead they would. I just wish Charlie Batch luck with that offensive line as I am not sure that he is quite the Houdini that Big Ben is.

Marvel Has Back Surgery

The Post-Gazette is also reporting that Marvel Smith had back surgery and will miss at least the Ravens game and the first game of the playoffs.

Max Starks will take his place at left tackle. Starks has actually played quite well recently while filling in and Smith’s absence makes it the decision easy to sit him for Starks. He started the season as the line’s scapegoat, but after riding the bench for a bit he seems to be playing with a new sense of purpose.

Ben Roethlisberger put in another gutty performance last Sunday against the Jaguars. He has almost single-handedly won some close games for the Steelers this year. He is emerging as a leader for the offense, someone that the guys can rally behind.

But it makes me wonder-just who is the leader on defense? I’m not so sure that they have a true leader. They have a number of guys like Troy Polamalu, Casey Hampton, and James Farrior who are great players, but more of the lead by example type. I am starting to think that they need more of a vocal leader.

The defense has the talent and coaching to be the top defense in the league, that has been proven. But the times that the team has needed the defense to step up most, they haven’t. How many times this season have we seen the opposing team march right down the field, quickly even, when the team needed a huge stop? It happened last Sunday on the Jaguars’ last drive. It happened against the Browns (luckily they missed the field goal). It happened against Denver where they kicked the game winning field goal. It happened in the Jets game where they went down the field and tied it to send the game into overtime.

That’s where I think a vocal leader is needed. Someone to rally the players, get them pumped, and get them focused. You can say what you want about Joey Porter, but being a leader was a large part of what he brought to the team. The Steelers were right in getting rid of him, as proven by his play with the Dolphins. However, they still ended up losing the defense’s leader, if not the team leader at that point.

There just hasn’t been anyone who has taken his place. He may have looked foolish sometimes, or gone too far at others. But you can see the power he had just by looking at the 2005 playoffs and the effect he had on the team during their Super Bowl run. Remember the “weak Colts” and Jerramy Stevens?

Bill Cowher being gone is another lost leader, I believe. He was the so called “players coach”, someone who showed a lot of emotion, especially for defense. Mike Tomlin is quite the opposite in this regard. I understand that there are different approaches to coaching, and pros and cons to each. I’m not even sure I could tell you which method is more effective and this is not a knock on Tomlin’s style. But, when the game is on the line and the pressure is turned up- I want to see the guys fired up and ready to take someone’s head off.

The defense is good; they wouldn’t be number one in the league for most of the season if they weren’t. But they have had so much trouble stepping up, being physical, and showing emotion when it matters most. I really think that is when guys like Joey Porter or Bill Cowher shined, and the team really misses that. The Steelers are going to need someone to step up and be the person that the defense rallies behind.

It is losses like the one the Steelers suffered today that make you wonder that identity that a team has. Usually by this point in the season, you know what teams are all about. It seems like the Steelers went from a team with an identity to one without as the season wore on. Their inconsistency is a bit baffling and you can’t really get a read on what their deal is. That said, here are a few observations from the game:

• I’m not saying giving up so many rushing yards was all because Aaron Smith was not in, but it makes you wonder, doesn’t it? We’ve said all along that losing Smith was going to be huge and this proves it. You can’t say that it was all because Smith wasn’t there but you can certainly say it had a lot to do with it…

• …but whatever it was, the defense just looked anything but the best in the league today. The Jaguars’ two running backs are very talented, but their offense isn’t exactly known for tearing up opposing defenses. But the Steelers got torn up badly. The stats speak for themselves: 421 total yards, 147yards and a TD for Fred Taylor, 69 yards for Maurice Jones-Drew, and three TD’s for David Garrard.
   
  This wasn’t the Patriots or the ’99 Rams that they played against. In the past it wasn’t often that you would see the Steelers get out-muscled, something that has really become an identity for the team. But it has happened numerous of times this season. Quite honestly, when the Steelers aren’t pounding the ball and playing tough, physical defense it just feels wrong. That’s who they are and what they do… at least it used to be.

• This team just makes no sense this season. You just don’t know if they are good or bad. They’ve had some bad losses, but any team that has already won nine games can’t be all that bad. They have (had?) the number one defense in the league- yet they have given up real stinkers like this game where they let the Jags put up over 400 yards of total offense. Willie Parker leads the league in rushing, but has had some pitiful games, and in of all those yards he hasn’t been able to provide any of those game changing runs that he has in seasons past.
   
  Even in the losses and close wins they’ve been hard to classify. In both this game and last week against the Patriots they’ve had moments where they’ve looked brilliant, then looked horrible. The Denver game they beat themselves but still made a come back and almost won. They played poorly in the last Browns game but battled back to win. They almost won again today. They show both flashes of a great team and flashes or a horrible one.
   
  Who are these Steelers? What is their identity?

• As much as I hate to agree with Dan Dierdorf, I do agree when he said that Ben Roethlisberger was giving it his all out there. He’s done that a lot this season and I believe he is really emerging as a leader. He has nearly single-handedly won some games this season and almost led them on another one today.
   
  Also, congratulations to Ben on throwing 29 touchdown passes this season, which breaks Terry Bradshaw’s record of 28. He’s having a heck of a season and he appears on pace to be one of the all-time greats, even if few outside of Steelers Nation give him the respect he deserves.

• The offensive line was back to its old tricks again. They gave up five sacks and looked shaky. Particularly Marvel Smith. I’m not sure if he is still hurting or not, but he had a pretty bad game against a back ups. In fact, I believe the Steelers pulled him on the last few drives. Again, I’m not sure if that was because his back was acting up again or because of his play.
   
  Max Starks was once the scapegoat of the line, but it seems like he possibly playing better then Marvel has been. Max, overall, has held his own over the past few games and if Marvel is hurt and/or just playing poorly, maybe it is time to give Max another shot.
   
  Honestly, at this point something has to happen. I’m not sure if the answer to fixing the line lies within the players we currently have, but they’ve got to figure something out fast.

• The two-point conversion that the Steelers ran was actually a nice call for once by Bruce Arians. I give Cedrick Wilson a lot of knocks, but that was a pretty nice ball he threw to Santonio Holmes. At least two point conversions is one thing the Steelers have done right this year.

• Why do the Steelers seem to run a draw play on every third and very long this year? How successful is it really? I know sometimes you can catch a team off guard with it, but when you run it nearly every time you have about 15 or more yards to go then they probably expect it. I don’t have a problem with the play, just that you can do it every time. Try taking some shots down field.

• It was nice to Troy Polamalu back in action. I, as well as others, have commented on his lack of big plays this season, but today showed that a lot of his contributions are just making plays (tackles, knocking the ball down) at opportune times. He may not be getting the interceptions or sacks, but he’s a ball-hawk and is usually in the right place at the right time. He wasn’t perfect, but at least he was one guy out there that appeared to be giving it his all.

I think I’ve ended all my recaps after losses this season with a lot of optimism and saying that the sky isn’t falling. I’m not so sure I feel as strongly right now. The sky isn’t falling, and I think the Steelers will in fact win the division still. But I don’t think right now that this team is giving any indication that they have it together enough to put together a Super Bowl run. Something just feels off about them, doesn’t it?
 
I’m asking you, Steelers fans, what’s wrong with the Steelers right now?

Ben Sits Out Practice for Second Straight Day

The Post Gazette reports that Big Ben sat out practice again today, the second he missed in a row. He apparently has a sore shoulder, of which Mike Tomlin said, “I don’t want to make more out of it than what it is. It is just sore.”

Hopefully his injury just needs some rest and is nothing serious. The injuries lately have been frustrating and with the Jags game coming up, the team doesn’t need anyone else out.

Former Steelers Kicker Saves Woman

Norm Johnson, place kicker for the Steelers for the 1995-1998 seasons, rescued a woman who was trapped in her overturned car. He was able to get into the car by breaking the window with a rock and then he pulled the woman to safety. “I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. If I was in a car upside down, I would hope somebody would come out and save me, ” Johnson told the Seattle Times.

Ben at Number Five

ESPN.com recently put together a ranking of 64 quarterbacks in the NFL this season. They placed Ben Roethlisberger at number five, behind Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, and Tony Romo. Of Ben they said:

Roethlisberger is a young QB who struggled last season, but he is healthy this year and is having a solid season. New offensive coordinator Bruce Arians has given him more responsibility, and Roethlisberger has responded with improved leadership. He’s making better decisions and is completing a career-high 66.9 percent of his passes this season.

I think number five is acceptable. I will agree that Brady and Manning are pretty much at the top, though I think you can argue that Ben could be doing better this season then either Romo or Favre. Honestly, between the three I think it is a pretty close call and number five isn’t bad at all. At least Ben is finally getting some recognition. Earlier this season you still saw a lot of people saying they’d take Eli Manning over Ben still.

Smith’s injury will likely have a huge impact on the defense

Mike Tomlin said in his press conference today that defensive end Aaron Smith has a torn biceps and is likely done for the rest of the season. In his words, “there is a strong possibility” that the injury requires surgery that would end Smith’s season.

This is a huge blow to the defense. The three big men up front are really the unsung heroes of the Steelers’ defense, and a pro bowl player like Smith not playing will probably have a ripple effect. Tomlin said that Travis Kirschke and Nick Eason will help fill in but they’re not great long term options; not that you can easily replaced a player like Smith anyway.

Injuries are a part of every football season, but the Steelers have been hit particularly hard. For starters, Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Casey Hampton and Troy Polamalu have all missed significant time. But the three players done for the season have more impact then some may notice at first glance.

Smith is a pro bowl player, who as I said, is an integral part of the 3-4 defense. Ryan Clark is a consistent, reliable player who’s loss was especially felt last Sunday against the Patriots. Dan Kreider was injured just when many of us were clamoring for the Steelers to start using him again to help protect Ben and lead the way for Parker.

The injuries really add up and just when it seems like the team was starting to get guys back, they lose Smith. But as with any season, injuries happen and players have to step up. They’ve been very good at this in the past and if they hope to make it far this season, they will have to do it again.

(Update: It is now official, the Steelers have placed Aaron Smith on injured reserve. They also moved defensive end Ryan McBean (not to be confused with Steely McBeam) up from the practice squad to the 53 man roster.

After watching the game last night I have two questions- Did you hear that Anthony Smith guaranteed that the Steelers won? Yeah, I thought so. But more seriously, what happened in the second half there?

They had ‘em. Things felt pretty good at half-time, didn’t they? The Steelers were showing heart and despite blown coverage on one play, they were right in the game. Too bad they never scored again after the half.

• This was another game where I was left scratching my head a bit over some of Bruce Arian’s playcalling, specifically at the goal-line in the fourth quarter. The shovel pass to Hines Ward was not bad and got them to the one. But after that, I’m not sure why we didn’t see Najeh Davenport come in and pound the ball. He has shown to be very reliable in short yardage this season. So why give it to Hines to try and run in? Arians just gets too cutesy sometimes.

• Speaking of that goal-line stand, why was there no defensive holding called on Rodney Harrison on the fade pass to Santonio Holmes? It seemed like a pretty clear call. There was also that third down on the Steelers’ first drive where Mike Vrabel seemed to jump offsides before the snap but was not penalized. Both instances would have given the Steelers more cracks at getting into the endzone.
   
  I don’t think you can ever use the officiating as an excuse, but it is still very frustrating. Especially against a team like the Pats where for whatever reason (them making it happen, or luck, or whatever you want to say) the ball just seems to bounce their way… like the punt bouncing straight into William Gay’s crotch on that one play.

• I think one play summed up the game and playing this year’s Patriots in general- Under ten minutes to go in the 4th, Partiots have a 2nd down and two yards to go. James Harrison is defending Kevin Faulk, who is lined up as a receiver in the slot. Harrison reads the play perfectly, and is ready to pounce as Tom Brady turns and fires a quick pass to Faulk right after the snap… only Harrison slips and falls down and Faulk gets the first down. That’s just the way things were going.

• Anyone else put off by that announcement during the game that CBS partnered with the Patriots to build some upcoming complex at or near Gillette Stadium? I guess we’ll have to wait for more details, but something about the network that shows the AFC games partnering with the Patriots rubs me the wrong way.

• I wasn’t happy that the Steelers ran out the clock to end the game. I’m of the mind that you keep going, even when it is obvious you’re not going to win. With just under two minutes left, why not keep throwing and try to get a score? I don’t see that as cheap. It is not giving up and going out fighting. Running the clock out was the same as holding up a white flag.

• I’m wondering what those who had no problem with Anthony Smith’s comments think now. The problem wasn’t so much that he made a guarantee, but that you have to be smart about what you say. Any slip, and it gets blown out of proportion. The proof was all there- it got mentioned 8,000 times before the game, 5,000 during the game, obviously discussed on the field by the players, and chanted by the fans.
   
  Not to mention Anthony Smith had a horrible game and ended up looking pretty foolish. Hopefully he was humbled a bit, but his comments after the game about it being taken out of context make me think otherwise. Sure, they may have been, but at this point he just needs to eat some humble pie and move on.

• I don’t have a problem with a quarterback being emotional or fired up, but Tom Brady getting in Anthony Smith’s face annoyed me. It was the fact that Brady and the Patriots as a whole acted all week like they were above trash talking and things of that nature. Then you saw Brady’s true colors during the game. Again, I don’t have a problem with trash talking during the game, but then don’t turn around and act like you are above it.
   
  I absolutely loved the bump that James Harrison gave him, though. I can’t say I would have minded if he body slammed Brady like he did to that Browns fan. But Brady had a great game and is having a record season, so it is hard to talk smack about him; at least his play. I still think after all these years that Bill Belichick’s villainous demeanor has rubbed off on him, however.

• Ben Roethlisberger still had a good game. He made good decisions with the ball and the offense still moved fairly well. It was also refreshing seeing Willie Parker actually getting runs longer then 2 or 3 yards again. But the offense just ended up stalling out; something that has been an issue all season. You just can’t keep settling for field goals, especially when you are at or near the goal line. It has happened a lot more then it should be. I think a lot of it has to do with the above mentioned Arians’ playcalling.

• On a last note, the offensive line played pretty well all things considered. I’ve called them out enough over the season when they’ve been horrible so it is worth mentioning when they did OK. That’s two weeks in a row now and hopefully they are on their way to coming together.

It is a loss but the sky is not falling. I think I’ve written that line after each loss, but it needs to be repeated. We’re a super-passionate fans base in both wins and losses, so we can go a bit crazy. But now that we’ve had some time to catch our breaths, we need to place this in perspective.

The Steelers did show, at times, that they do have what it takes to beat the Patriots. It is in there somewhere, but things fell apart. If these teams met again, when it is all on the line, the Steelers have a pretty solid chance. Even with the loss, they are still in lead of the division and on the road to the playoffs. History is on their side in proving that things are far from over just yet.

Anthony’s Big Mouth

Anthony Smith guaranteeing victory over the Patriots was just not a good move on the young player’s part. I am not going to go as far to say that it is going to motivate the Patriots , but one thing I do know is that it doesn’t help the matter in any way, for a number of reasons.

First, to whatever extent, it can be used as motivation for the Pats. That’s the obvious one. But secondly, I’m not sure that it really helps motivate the Steelers. It’d be one thing if it came from Joey Porter when he was here, or from James Farrior. I’m just not sure that Anthony Smith yet carries that type of role with the team. If anything, it gives the team another distraction as they try to prepare for their biggest test yet this season.

While I must admit that I enjoyed a lot of Joey Porter’s moments, a lot of it had to do with him having the resume to back it up. I’m excited about Anthony Smith, his big hits, and the excitement he brings. I just don’t know if it is his place to make guarantees for the whole team.

The last issue is that it doesn’t reflect well on the team. One thing that I’ve always enjoyed about the Steelers is that they’ve been one of the good guys; for the most part a model franchise. They were more about letting their play on the field do the talking. I think a young player like Smith saying that, in the end, looks a bit silly. As I said I like the guy and am excited about his future with the team, but he probably should have kept his mouth shut there.

The Race for #2

Have you ever started to write up your thoughts on something, feeling strongly about it, only to convince yourself of the opposite position halfway through? Well, I’ll admit that I started to write a piece on why the Patriots game, while huge, maybe wasn’t as big as it was being made out to be. But as I went on I think I changed my mind.

Now, I didn’t change it because I think beating the Patriots is important, but because I think getting the win is very important. Obviously, winning is always the goal and as a Steelers fan living in New England I’ve love for nothing more than for them to beat the tar out of the Pats. But looking toward the playoff seeding it is extra necessary here.

Originally I was going to say that if the Steelers lost they would still be in good position. While that is true, I think making a run for that second seed in the AFC is a big deal. The Steelers are only one game behind the 10-2 Colts and they’ll want to keep pace with them. The Colts face some teams that could trip them up (Baltimore, Houston, Tennessee), but they have it fairly easy compared to the Steelers.

The Steelers end with the Patriots, Jaguars, Rams, and Ravens. That is quite a stretch, especially with the Baltimore game to end the year. They always play the Steelers tough and the last thing you want heading into the playoffs is to be hurting and tired. Not to mention that if the Steelers are the third seed, they’ll have to play likely either the Jaguars or Browns right away. Both of those look like some difficult match ups. The bye week that the second seed provides could be a huge help.

A Week in the Life of Big Ben

If you’re like me, you’re curious about the day-day operations of a football team, and how they prepare for the game each week. If you are, then you’ll enjoy this article that takes a day by day look at Ben Roethlisberger’s week.

One interesting point is that this year Ben is getting the preliminary game plan at least a full day earlier then he did under Ken Whisenhunt. This gives him more time to review the plays and provide his input. In fact, he has a whole lot more input on the plays now and even spends time with Bruce Arians marking down which he likes and which he doesn’t.

Another one is how Ben watches film on the Steelers’ upcoming opponents:

“Every night, Roethlisberger studies a DVD of that week’s opponent, an end-zone view that allows him to see the defense the way it will appear to him in a game. He plays it on the 120-inch projection screen at his home. The home theater is part of a game room that includes pool and poker tables.
While he studies a team’s tendencies, he’ll spread out his paperwork before him. He isn’t a coffee drinker, so he might pop open a Gatorade and stand before the screen, like he’s in the shotgun formation, holding his clicker.”

Also, a few quick notes:

-The team stays together in a hotel the night before games even for the home games.

-On how much time he’s spending preparing this season compared to previous ones: “I know it’s dramatically more than it was (last year),”

-Arians says of himself, “”As the game progresses, I’m not one to repeat a lot of plays.”

-It appears that Whisenhunt didn’t ask much for Ben’s input on all the plays he liked, only asking sometimes what his favorite one or two plays were.

It sure sounds a whole lot like Ben wasn’t crazy about Whisenhunt, not that we didn’t already know that. The article is a good read, however, so go check it out.

Remember when having only three losses this late into the season was impressive? Well, I am still impressed with the Steelers’ season so far despite the slip ups, but many aren’t. I can understand why a lot of you feel that way, however.

First, to get it out of the way- yes, the three losses were to bad teams. That does make you wonder how good a team is when they can’t win the games that they should. At least the Steelers have the talent in place to win it all, meaning they have enough to work with right now. They have their weak spots, but most of the issues seem to be with execution, focus, and motivation. The team has obviously had some issues playing down to their competition, but at least that is something that can be worked on immediately. This is probably Mike Tomlin’s first real test as a head coach, to see if he can focus his team now for the home stretch.

The other reason many aren’t satisfied with 8-3 is that there is just so much talent in the AFC. The big measuring stick is, of course, the undefeated Patriots. Given the level that they are playing at, even 8-3 looks bad. The Colts are sitting at 9-2 and the Steelers will have to keep pace with them be able to grab the second seed- something that is looking really attractive as the Steelers embark on quite a stretch to close out the season. They will face the Patriots, Jaguars, and then an always physical match up with the Ravens in the final game. The extra week of rest might be really appreciated at that point.

The problem is that there is very little margin for error, even at 8-3. The biggest threat starts in their own division, where the Steelers can only afford to lose one more game if the Browns win out on their fairly easy schedule. If the Steelers were to not win the division, things get even more complicated.

The Jaguars are in the lead spot for the first wild card with the same record as the Steelers. The Titans have looked shaky lately, but they are still in the mix at 6-5. Not to mention usually one of those five or six win teams will go on a streak to finish out the year and be right in the mix.

I’m still impressed with 8-3 and how good the team has looked when they are firing on all cylinders. But they have been so shaky at times, the AFC is so competitive, and there is so little room for error even with their record. Suddenly only three losses this late into the season isn’t as solid as in years past.

I still have faith. That’s the great thing about football- there is always chance. The 2005 team proved that. Make no mistakes, the Steelers have a very good team, but very good might not be enough this year. They still have a huge uphill battle. This final stretch of the season is going to tell us a lot about the true character of the team.

The Steelers have placed fullback Dan Kreider on injured reserve today, according to the Post Gazette. Kreider hyper-extended his knee in Monday night’s game against the Dolphins. (Update: The injury is now being described as a torn ACL)

The move is especially upsetting to those of us who were calling for Kreider to see more action to help with the run blocking and pass protection. It is also shocking considering Mike Tomlin said yesterday at his press conference that he thought Kreider might even be able to play this Sunday.

The Steelers filled the open roster spot with tight end Jon Dekker who was previously on their practice squad.

I’m not too happy with this news. I was really hoping we’d see more of Kreider now with the line performing so poorly and the Carey Davis experiment not really working well. Now that Kreider is done for the year, his status with the team is in serious doubt. Has anyone else gotten the feeling that Krieder did not fit into Tomlin and Arians’ plans right from the start?

I think the team held on to him because of his talent, but with how little they’ve used him (especially as time went on and it became apparent that he could really help) really shows the direction the offense has been headed in. I don’t know, after seeing the result so far, I still love big ole Dan leading the way for Willie.