The Blitzburgh Report

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.

Just how well did the Steelers do in the 2007 NFL draft? Peter Schrager of FOXSports.com gives the team a “B” in his midseason evaluation:

Pittsburgh: Expected to get instant production from rookie linebackers LeMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons, the linebacker quartet of veterans Clark Haggans, James Farrior, Larry Foote, and James Harrison have been arguably the best unit in the league. Woodley’s come along a bit faster than Timmons, but neither rookie’s really been given the chance to soar. Third-round pick Matt Spaeth already has three touchdown receptions as the team’s second tight end. And then there’s the punter, fourth- round pick Daniel Sepulveda. The two-time Ray Guy Award winner has been a rock for the Steelers, averaging 44.4 yards per punt and nailing 12 inside the 20. Nice production from this crew so far, and it’s only expected to get better.

I have no big problems with Schrager’s assessment and think that a “B” is a fair grade so far. Though, I am not sure that the Steelers “expected to get instant production” out of Timmons and Woodley. Also, I think he could have added cornerback William Gay to his list. I can’t fault him much for that one because most outside of Steelers fans probably haven’t heard much about him. But those of us paying attention know that Gay so far has the makings of a solid player. Of course, it is all still just talk anyway because it takes multiple seasons to get a true read on a player (Kendrell Bell, anyone?).

So how about you, Steelers fans? What tentative grade would you give the Steelers’ 2007 draft class so far?

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The Steelers have only played two games so far, but already their rookies are having a huge impact. The Steelers may have struck gold in the middle of the draft, specifically rounds two through five. It is still very early and we have limited stats to look at, but why not indulge ourselves:

LaMarr Woodley, round two: Last game, Woodley held his ground while filling in for the injured James Harrison. He already has a sack and continues his lightning pace learning the defense. He got a lot of hype with his progress last off-season and it looks like he is delivering on it.

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Training Camp is over and the preseason is halfway done, here is a look at how the Steelers’ 2007 rookie class is performing so far:

1) Lawrence Timmons- Timmons’ story has been pretty well documented. He finally saw he first real practice time with the Steelers last week after missing most of the offseason workouts and training camp. He saw limited action last game against the Redskins, and actually looked OK. He needs a lot of work, but at least he didn’t embarrass himself. He has a lot of catching up to do.

2) LaMarr Woodley- Woodley has been a real bright spot. He is a hard worker and it shows. His impressive practices have translated onto the field where he has made plenty of plays. He seems to be on his way to being another successful defensive end to linebacker conversion for the Steelers.

3) Matt Spaeth- Spaeth has had a mediocre preseason thus far. He’s a big target that should come in handy in the passing game, but he has shown that his blocking still needs a ton of work. Still, he isn’t in any danger of being cut.

4) Daniel Sepulveda- So far, Sepulveda has certainly justified the Steelers using a 4th round pick on him. He is booming kicks and looks like he might finally shore up a position that has been lacking the last two years with Chris Gardocki.

5) Ryan McBean- McBean has been fairly disappointing so far. He has been slow to pick up the defensive playbook and hasn’t shown much in practice or on the field. Still, he has a lot of raw talent and could be a project. But the Steelers really could have used some insurance at back up for the defensive line.

6) Cameron Stephenson- Stephenson has had an extremely quiet offseason. I like to pretend that I know it all, but I have heard and read next to nothing on the guy- which really doesn’t bode well for him.

7) William Gay- Gay just might be the biggest surprise of all. He went from a guy most hadn’t heard of (most draft websites didn’t even have a full bio on him until well after the draft), to someone everyone has their eyes on. He’s making plays all over the field, from big hits, to sacks, to the game ending interception last week.

9) Dallas Baker- Baker is another one who has had a quiet offseason. His size is intriguing, but it was known the moment he was drafted that he would be a long shot at making the team, and he hasn’t done anything yet to show he deserves a spot on in the already deep Steelers’ receiving corp.

Here are some things to keep an eye on tonight:

-We should get to see Willie Parker’s first action of the preseason
-Lawrence Timmons will finally see some limited action
-Trai Essex will be playing most of the game at Left Tackle- this is make or break time for him
-Can Gary Russell and Carey Davis continue to impress and land a spot on the roster?
-Ben should see more time tonight then the 3 or so series he has seen so far
-Will William Gay continue to impress?

The Pittsburgh Steelers were quite impressive in Mike Tomlin’s first game as an NFL head coach, here are some highlights and lowlights:

Highlights

Carey Davis- Wow. Carey Davis looked very Bus-like tonight as he bulldozed his way through would be tacklers. He also caught a screen pass and took it 33 yards. In the 2nd quarter he broke a tackle and bounced outside for a 56 yard run. This kid just keeps impressing and just might force out Kevan Barlow.

Ben Roethlisberger- Big Ben looked great, highlighted by a 55 yard bomb to Cedrick Wilson that was right on the money and not underthrown like a lot of his past long balls have been. His only incompletion was a drop by Nate Washington.

Carey Davis Continues to Impress

Cedrick Wilson- I can’t say that I am a huge fan of Cedrick Wilson, especially after his recent outburst about not getting the ball. But Ced stepped it up tonight and made catches all over the field.

Santonio Holmes- Showed great burst to get separation from the defensive backs. Ran a great fade pattern for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter. Holmes looks like he will be continuing right were he left off at the end of last season.

The Steelers’ New Offense- The passing was crisp, the screens were run well, the running game was still there and hard hitting. Over 400 total yards. The debut of the new Steelers’ offense looks good so far.

The Secondary- The Steelers secondary had a solid game, broke up a lot of passes, and made Drew Brees look rusty. William Gay, the guy many people knew little about when drafted, came away with a huge hit and a nice interception.

Lowlights

Max Starks- Starks looked a bit weak, especially when he was placed in at left tackle where he gave up 2 sacks.

Nate Washington- Washington has a good receiver somewhere in him which he flashes from time to time, but if he keeps dropping passes he is going to have a hard time moving up the depth chart.

Tightends- It is still early, but for all the talk of three tightend sets, getting the tightends more passes, etc- the tightends were a complete non-factor. Hopefully the getting the them more involved talk is not just more of the same lip service from past seasons.

Kevan Barlow- Didn’t run with much power, especially for a player trying to make the team in a powerback role. His chances of making the team seem to be getting slimmer and slimmer.

Coach Mike Tomlin’s first NFL draft is over, and you can definitely feel his influence on the picks that the Steelers made. They wanted to shore up the team’s pass rush, and they certainly made a move to that with both Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley. They have two tall receiving targets in Matt Spaeth and Dallas Baker. They picked perhaps the best punter in the draft in Daniel Sepulveda. They have some good potential in some project picks in Ryan McBean, Cameron Stephenson, and William Gay.

Click each player to check out our analysis:

1 (15) Lawrence Timmons OLB Florida State

2 (46) LaMarr Woodley DE Michigan

3 (77) Matt Spaeth TE Minnesota

4 (112) Daniel Sepulveda P Baylor

4 (132) Ryan McBean DE Oklahoma State

5 (156) Cameron Stephenson G Rutgers

5 (170) William Gay CB Louisville

7 (227) Dallas Baker WR Florida

It was an interesting draft and opinions are split (but really, when aren’t they?) on a lot of the picks. But the Steelers are no longer Bill Cowher’s team and that means things will be done a bit differently. A lot of the defensive picks seems to be suited for both the 3-4 and the 4-3, so a hybrid or 4-3 defense might be closer then we think.

With the offensive line trouble, the team might have done itself a service to pick up a lineman before a Stepehnson, and taking a TE with the 3rd round pick was a bit of a shocker. Dallas Baker was a pretty solid pick for the 7th round.

It should be fun to see how all these players develop and what new coach Mike Tomlin does with them.

The Steelers took Louisville cornerback William Gay with their second 5th round selection.

SI.com’s analysis:

40 time: 4.67
Projected: Early 7th round

BIOGRAPHY: Three-year starter who also played with the first team as a freshman. All-Conference selection last season after totaling 60/6/13.

POSITIVES: Tough, feisty cornerback with marginal speed. Displays good instincts, locates the pass in the air and has a decisive move defending the throw. Displays a sense of timing and shows a burst of closing speed. Gives effort defending the run.

NEGATIVES: Lacks top-end speed and struggles staying downfield with opponents. Undersized, and is easily blocked from the action.

ANALYSIS: Taking his game to another level last year, Gay showed enough skill and ability to get consideration as a zone cornerback in dime situations.

There isn’t a whole lot of information on Gay. He seems like a role player type. He is a bit undersized and slow, two things you don’t typically like in a defensive back. He’s another player that was projected to go much later then where the Steelers selected him. But defensive backs are supposed to be Coach Mike Tolmin’s specialty, so for now we might just need to trust him on this one.