The Blitzburgh Report

Why Can’t We Talk About Officiating?

Why Can’t We Discuss Poor Officiating as Well?

I don’t understand why it is so taboo to talk about officiating and its effect on the outcome of games. Yes, I see a problem with blaming it as the sole reason for a loss (aside from some extreme cases where the result is blatant). But why can’t we discuss it just as you would an interception or poor special teams play or bad play calling?

It is part of the game and poor officiating is out of the player’s control, but it certainly contributes to a team winning or losing. Again, I do find a problem with blaming the officiating as the sole reason for losing, but I think it is fair to add it to the laundry list of reasons why your team didn’t succeed.

The common phrase is “Well, good teams overcome bad officiating”. That’s true, just like good teams overcome turnovers and other mistakes. If you acknowledge that it is part of the game then I think it is fair to acknowledge its effect on the outcome.

The Steelers lost, in part, because of Ben’s play in the first half. The Steelers also lost because of their horrible special teams play. The Steelers also lost because of bad play calling. The Steelers also lost because of a phantom holding call on Sean Mahan and no holding calls on David Garrard’s run for a first down. What is so wrong about saying all that?

2008 Looks to be a Tough Schedule

The Steelers are going to have one heck of a tough schedule next season. Eight of the teams they will face are playoff teams this season. Because of parity and not knowing how good teams will be next year, you can’t predict too early how tough a schedule will be. But there is a pretty good chance most of those teams are still going to be pretty good next year as well. Take a look at their 2008 opponents:

Ouch. At least if they win the division again next year, no one can say that they didn’t earn it.

A Final Look At the Injuries

The injuries were probably the biggest story about the Steelers this season and ultimately they had just too many major ones to overcome. Heading into the Jaguars game, the Steelers injury report looked like this:

Injured Reserve:
Ryan Clark
Dan Kreider
Clint Kriewaldt
Willie Parker
Aaron Smith
Max Starks
Jerame Tuman

Injured:
Marvel Smith T Back
Troy Polamalu S Knee
Allen Rossum CB Hamstring
Bryant McFadden CB Ankle
Willie Reid WR Shoulder
Deshea Townsend CB Foot
Hines Ward WR Knee

That is quite a list, though not unheard of for an average NFL season. The Steelers did a great job earlier in the season of playing well without key players. A perfect example was the Seattle game where Ward, Casey Hampton, Polamalu, and Santonio Holmes were all out, yet the Steelers had probably their most dominant game of the season.

But as the season wore on, I think the injuries really took their toll. Especially ones to the more unsung heroes such as Aaron Smith, Ryan Clark, and Dan Kreider. They are the types of players that most don’t appreciate fully until they are gone.

Injuries are a part of the game and the Steelers were lucky in the past few years to not have many serious ones. This year they got hit and ultimately the team wasn’t able to plug in all the holes left by the injuries, something any great team needs to do.

For better or worse, this season will be defined by injuries. If the Steelers lose in the playoffs, the talk will be about how the team went on a slide after starting 9-3 and how much the major injuries played a role. If they win it all this year then the story will be about how they overcame the significant injuries on a memorable run through the playoffs.

The injury bug has hit the Steelers hard this season

This has certainly been a particularly bad year for the health of Steelers players. Currently, the Steelers have seven players on injured reserve. Losing any player for the season is usually a big deal, but each of these players had an important role with the team.

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.

Here’s a look at seven questions the Steelers have heading into Sunday’s game against Jacksonville:

How will Ben Roethlisberger’s shoulder injury affect his play?

Ben finally returned to practice on Friday after sitting out the two previous days. He has shown the ability to play with injuries in the past, though not always quite effectively. With such a big game, everyone is going to have to be in top form. Ben’s play has been the difference in a lot of close games this year so they really need him to be on point.

How badly will Aaron Smith be missed?

The injury to Aaron Smith has the potential to be a big one. The 3-4 defense all starts with the big men up front, and Aaron is one of the best in the league. Travis Kirschke and Nick Eason are OK in a pinch, but their potential to be long-term fill ins is very questionable. Injuries are part of life in the NFL and championship teams suck it up and get through them. The back ups are really going to have to step it up to fill Aaron’s shoes.

Can the defense get back on track after getting whooped last week?

The Jaguars aren’t an offensive juggernaut, but they have two very talented backs in Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew. Normally the Steelers don’t fear any running back, but they did give up their first 100 rusher in 35 games a few weeks ago. Not to mention, David Garrard is very accurate and has only thrown one interception in 10 starts this season…

What about Troy?

…Which leads to the next question- what impact will Troy Polamalu returning have on the defense? Those saying the secondary perhaps performs better without Troy in there where were shown they should be cautious saying that after what Tom Brady did to Anthony Smith and Tyrone Carter last week. In crunch time and in the playoffs, Troy’s athleticism and experience are going to be needed to help keep opposing offenses in check. Troy has struggled a bit this season, but now that he is healthier will he regain his form?

Is Willie back?

Last week Willie Parker rushed for over 100 yards, his first since week 10. He currently leads the league in rushing but has struggled a bit during the second half of the season. He finally had a couple of long runs against the Patriots and looked more like his old self. Can he carry the momentum against a tough Jaguars defense?

Has the offensive line finally gotten it’s stuff together?

The line looked terrible for much of the season, but has performed markedly better in the last three weeks. Are they finally coming together as a unit and defending the schemes that teams used to beat them? Or was it more of a coincidence with two of the games played in bad weather and teams focusing more on coverage then pressure? Either way, they’ve had a good streak going that they can use to build upon. I don’t think we’ll ever be able to not worry about the line this season (and the immediate future for that matter), but at least they have shown some progress.

Just how well is Santonio Holmes’ ankle holding up?

Santonio finally returned to action last week, but only saw limited time. He has mentioned that his ankle is still sore, but he doesn’t anticipate missing any more time this season because of it. If healthy, he will go a long way toward helping the Steelers get some big plays on the stingy Jag’s defense. He was turning into an exciting deep threat this season but his injuries have really slowed him down just when things were getting exciting. Will his ankle injury keep him down for the rest of the year?

This is a big game for the Steelers, with lots of playoff implications. In fact, given how close the teams are in the standings, you could argue that this game is more important than the Patriots game was (especially now since the Steelers lost that game and some of their lead in the AFC North.) It figures to be a physical and exciting game, and another one that might be played in poor weather with a chance for some snow. It should be a fun one.

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.

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.

Last time Santonio Holmes and Troy Polamalu were out the Steelers went on to play their best complete game of the season, shutting out the Seattle Seahawks and putting up 21 points. Things could be a little harder this time, however.

I know the next opponent, the winless Miami Dolphins, aren’t the strongest foes but we said the same thing of the Jets last week. Unfortunately as well, Holmes (high ankle sprain) and Polamalu (knee) might be out for multiple games and with the Bengals, Patriots, and Jaguars coming up that isn’t exactly exciting news.

This time, there will be some new faces stepping in. Nate Washington will be replacing Holmes this time instead of Cedric Wilson. Wilson was solid in replacing Holmes last time, catching five balls for 69 yards, but the coaching staff would like to see what Washington can do. Washington normally is the back up flanker, but will be trying his hand at split end. The switch is not trivial, however, as Washington recently told the Post-Gazette:

“It’s totally different from the Z,” Washington said, referring to flanker, the only position Washington has played since joining the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2005. “It’s totally different blocking schemes and the sights [adjustments] are different. I’ll be in my book a lot more and studying film a lot more this week to prepare myself to play [split end].”

Washington offers up some big play ability over Cedric Wilson, and I suspect the coaches pegged him to start to keep up the same deep threat that Holmes has turned into. Washington is still a bit inexperienced and drops some balls. This coupled with his new blocking assignments will mean that he’ll have his hands full and will really need to be prepared.

On the other side of the ball, Tyrone Carter will be filling in for Troy Polamalu. This will be different then the last time Troy was injured, because veteran Ryan Clark was then paired with second year playerAnthony Smith. With Clark now on injured reserve, Carter and Smith will be the starters. Smith has been exciting but at times his inexperience shows. Carter has done well enough the times he has filled in during the past, but he is mostly good when needed in a pinch. He’s not a guy that you want to rely on for multiple weeks.

Another wrinkle into the whole thing is that the Post-Gazette also reports that rookie linebacker Lawrence Timmons might take Troy’s spot in the dime package. In that package, Troy plays more of a linebacker role, so it makes sense. But we have seen next to nothing of Timmons this season so it will be very interesting to see him out there.

The point is that while on paper it seems like the same situation as the Seahawks game, this time it is a bit different. There will be new players stepping in for Holmes and Polamalu, possibly for multiple games. One thing the Steelers have been great at is having back ups step in and not miss a beat; hopefully that continues.

Free Safety Ryan Clark (Spleen) and Tight End Jerame Tuman (Back) have both been placed on Injured Reserve.

The Steelers signed Center Marvin Philip from their practice squad to fill one of the roster spots. That is a bit odd because it leaves the team with three centers on the active roster. It is unclear yet whether the Steelers have plans for Philip or if they were protecting him from being signed by another team. It may also be the case that they aren’t too happy with Sean Mahan’s constant short and low snaps to Big Ben in shotgun formations. We’ll see.

The Steelers also signed cornerback Grant Mason from the practice squad. Mason was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New Orleans Saints last year. He was waived by the Saints before the season started and never played in a regular season game. The Steelers signed him last January and he spent training camp with the team. Hopefully he can play special teams.

The Stats on Harrison

A lot of the Steelers’ offensive players that are performing at the top of their positions get a lot of attention, but how about linebacker James Harrison? He’s making a strong case for the Pro Bowl. Aside from tackles he is at or near the top in key categories for linebackers. His 6.5 sacks are tied for fourth, his six forced fumbles are the best in the league (at any position), and his three fumble recoveries are tied for first. Not to mention he also has an interception. He is really hitting his stride in the last few weeks and if he keeps up his pace he’ll no doubt carry on the tradition of Pro Bowl Steelers linebackers. The fact that he had his best performance on national TV should certainly help his case.

Banged up, but ready to go

Willie Parker and Ben Roethlisberger will miss some practice time, but will play against the Jets next Sunday, Mike Tomlin said at his press conference today. Willie still has swelling in his knee, and Big Ben still is nursing his sore hip in addition to a sore shoulder. Deshea Townsend has an injured ankle but is also expected to play. It is never fun seeing your quarterback and running back both banged up, but it is the reality of life in the NFL at week 11.

Is it time to shelve Ryan Clark for the season?

I wrote last week about how Ryan Clark is apparently in a lot of pain still from his enlarged spleen and does not appear to be suiting up any time soon. I mentioned how it has given Anthony Smith a chance to showcase himself, but Die Hard Steel raises another point in that maybe it is time to place Clark on injured reserve and bring in someone to help with special teams, namely Chidi Iwuoma.

It actually makes a whole lot of sense, in fact, maybe too much and we won’t see it happen as these things tend to go. The Steelers need a lot of special teams help right now if they intend to not lose or almost lose another game because the kick coverage is terrible. Bringing in a guy like Chidi might go a long way. Then again, bringing Anthony Madison back was suppose to have the same effect and he was one of those who missed tackling Josh Cribbs on his 100 yard return last Sunday.

(Update: As of the evening of 11/13 both Ryan Clark and Jerame Tuman have been placed on injured reserve)

Steelers Power Rankings Run Down

ESPN - 5th
Fox Sports - 5th
NFL.com - 4th
CBS Sportsline - 4th

I can’t complain about those too much. I think it is best overall for the Steelers to remain somewhat under the radar. Let people still think the Colts are number two or that the Cowboys or Packers really have a chance against any of the top AFC teams. All that matters is where the Steelers are in the standings, and as of today they are the number two seed in the AFC.

You might have missed it among some of the other injury stories lately, but free safety Ryan Clark is still dealing with an enlarged spleen and apparently is in a whole lot of pain. In a recent interview with KDKA, Clark said:

“I’m just in pain. You know they told me it was going to be painful situation… …You feel it in whatever you do, take a step, or try to lay down, sit down. You know, I feel a pain.”

Check out the video for Clark’s full comments on his injury.

A combination of Sickle Cell, dehydration, and altitude made his spleen swell when the team was in Denver. While the swelling is going down, apparently he still has a fever and has been undergoing plenty of tests to see if there is anything that can be done to help speed recovery.

By the sounds of things, Clark might be out for a long time. You have to sympathize with his situation, especially with all the pain that he is in, and it has to be frustrating waiting for things to heal. He is a solid player who has done very well for the Steelers and we hope that he recovers soon.

From the Steelers’ perspective, they’ve been fortunate to have yet another player step up and assume a starting role. Anthony Smith is really developing into a great safety as he fills in for Clark. Both players are starter-caliber and it is unfortunate that Smith’s opportunity came at the expense of Clark. But having two more then capable players at a position is a good problem to have. I suspect, however, that the job is now Anthony Smith’s, especially if Clark will miss more significant time.