Steelers Built for Success Beyond Super Bowl XLIII

by ncoolong on Jan 31, 2009 8:11 AM EST Comment 13 comments

Champions and consistent winners in the NFL follow a standard principle: Lock in a core group of 12 or 13 players, and fill the rest in with inexpensive veterans and drafted youth.

The Steelers are a fine example of that.

On the eve of their second Super Bowl in four years, they are dangerously close to letting the rarely-justified "D" word escaple their lips (dynasty), and judging by the young players who are turning into core players, some attention should be paid to who the Steelers have coming through their pipeline.

RB Rashard Mendenhall

When adding the injured 2008 first-rounder, the Steelers will essentially have two first-round picks in camp this year. Despite some fumblitis early in the pre-season, he showed some flash and power in certain situations. He wasn't quite all the way there as a three-down player, but judging by what his coaches told Ed Bouchette of the Post-Gazette Sunday, he's working hard and will physically get back to form with plenty of time to spare for training camp.

Mendenhall will bring an added dimension to an offense that improved tremendously throughout the season. The biggest flaw it had all year was its offensive line, which led the unit's overall improvement. Mendenhall would be wise to work on blitz pick-up, being that it is the one component necessary to become a three-down back in the NFL.

WR Limas Sweed

Obviously, Steelers fans only think of one play when thinking of the former Texas WR. It's hard not to. The worst part, though, was his "injury" after the drop, which automatically burned a timeout, which the Steelers needed to kick a field goal at the end of the half.

Mental mistake.

Imagine the AFC Championship game, with a non-Joe Flacco quarterback under center for the opposing team. Ya think Pittsburgh wouldn't have paid for walking away from a drive scoreless after a dropped touchdown pass and a bogus roughing the punter call? You're dreaming.

OLB LaMarr Woodley

Judging by Sweed's performance this year after being a second-round pick, it's difficult to remember starting OLB LaMarr Woodley was taken in the second round the previous year. Obviously, it's an apples-to-oranges comparison, but clearly Woodley is an emerging force league-wide, and it doesn't seem it will be long until he's considered one of the top defenders in the game.

After watching him this year, it's hard to say he's a second-year player. He plays far above that. If Sweed puts up half the production Woodley did this year, Pittsburgh's got itself a phenominal run of second-round picks.

CB William Gay

As his nickname indicates, "Big Play" William Gay has a knack for being around the ball. was thrust into the spotlight in his second year, filling in nicely for Deshea Townsend's open nickel back position. Townsend filled in his customary starting role for Bryant McFadden over a stretch this season. McFadden is an unrestricted free agent this off-season, and while it will be interesting to see if the Steelers want to let McFadden go, he really had a breakout year in 2008. If they choose not to meet the demands of his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, Gay may be back in the nickel spot next year.

Gay had the game-clinching interception in Steelers/Ravens II, and broke up seven passes in his second season in Pittsburgh.

P Dan Sepulveda

Anyone miss him? I'm sure special teams coach Bob Ligashesky does. While the Steelers have seen a dramatic turnaround in their kick coverages this year, their punting has been among the worst in the league. It begs two questions: 1. Was the giant leap forward due to the fact they had far less distance to run to the returner (39.8 yards per kick in 2008 vs. 42.4 yards per kick in 2007) or was it simply with the team's lack of ability to bring returners down last year?

Either way, this year's 35.8 net average is a far cry from last year's 37.9. Pittsburgh went from 8th in the league to 25th. The Steelers need The Sepulverizer.

TE Matt Spaeth

The Minnesota product filled in nicely for Heath Miller in Weeks 10 and 11, netting 12 catches for 108 yards. The Steelers usually start in a double-TE set, and with his blocking improving tremendously from last season, they've created a nasty set from which they can run or pass. Miller is the Steelers' key free agent this off-season, but regardless what they do with him, Spaeth has become an important part of the offense.

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You forgot Timmons

by worldtrip on Jan 31, 2009 10:45 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

amen

and forgot to not include Matt Spaeth. But this is something I’ve been preaching for a while now, is our dynasty capabilities. I predicted Pittsburgh wins next years Super Bowl during this last offseason, and that we had the tools to take it this year as well. But get a little help in the offensive line….the defense will stay pretty much the same….Sweed and Delicious get better and help more….it’s looking good next year.

by TheCincinnatiConqueror on Jan 31, 2009 11:53 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Spaeth?!

Oh come ON! Spaeth’s done well so far! He’s done everything he’s been asked to do this year, and he’s played well. How huge was he against San Diego during the regular season?

by ncoolong on Jan 31, 2009 11:57 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

ncoolon you even forgot Nixon, this guy could play as WR, RB in options and some special plays, like

Randle El, so if you put it all together, and more for the first time of not even a year, is a pretty good selection piece of work.

O sales tickets,...and let D rest a little, and D Win Championships.

by YeOldeMexFan on Jan 31, 2009 10:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

maybe we're not watching the same Spaeth

but the one I’m watching can not be depended on to hold his block, seal the edge, etc….nor is he a considerable threat in the passing game. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a huge Heath lover either. I know that will get tough reactions from most of the faithful but Heath’s blocking just doesn’t do it for me. I think there’s a common misconception that he can block well that spreads through the sports world like ‘hard to beat a team 3 times’

by TheCincinnatiConqueror on Feb 1, 2009 4:16 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

please tell me i was not the only one

that saw Spaeth constantly blow blocks during the Super Bowl….we need a badass tight end in Pittsburgh. I would like to see us trade up and pick a stud tackle in the first round, quickly followed by a stud tight end…which will also pay off big in the blocking game. I’d put the rest of the picks mostly on D-line prospects.

by TheCincinnatiConqueror on Feb 2, 2009 11:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Intentional omission

Nothing against him, I just thought it was getting too obvious.

Let’s discuss Timmons, though…next to Polamalu and Harrison, he’s the most explosive player on the team. His problem, from what I saw and knew of him, was he just didn’t really grasp everything yet. Most defensive rookies don’t play much in Pittsburgh, but if Timmons has the same jump from Year 2 to Year 3 as he did from 1 to 2, he’s going to be one of the best in the AFC.

What’s even better, as soon as Harrison gets his extension this off-season, we’ve got Farrior, Woodley, Timmons and Harrison locked up for at least three more years.

Super Bowl XLIII is obviously great, and winning that would rock the casbah, but this is just the start of it.

by ncoolong on Jan 31, 2009 11:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So obvious that Timmons could be t best LB in more than 29 teams, very bad for him & great 4 us He is in Pittsburgh.

And also as Kevin Greene & his compadre Greg Lloyd, told he is, for a LB, almost as fast as Polamalu, and almost as strong as Woodley.

O sales tickets,...and let D rest a little, and D Win Championships.

by YeOldeMexFan on Jan 31, 2009 11:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I was just thinking

the same thing. If we can get some improvement from the offensive line either by draft or FA, and improved cohesion and technique etc…(all the things we have talked about here previously) it would really set this team up for a good run at the top. Of course injuries play an important role each year, but overall, things look pretty good.

"Whaddya' mean all the beer is gone..?

by OhioYinzer on Jan 31, 2009 4:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Possibly but far from a sure thing?

The NFL is often referred to as Not For Long, and there’s a reason for that. While the Steelers could possibly become a dynasty, you just never know. The good thing is that their best two players, Ben and Pola are still in their prime. But here is a list of not so rosy possibilities:

- Would anybody really be that surprised if Sweed turned out to be a bust after what we’ve seen this season. Hines Ward is a great player in large part because of his fearlessness and competitiveness. Ever see Ward go down easily after making a catch? I haven’t seen those qualities from Sweed. Even when he does catch the ball, he goes down quite easily.

- How much longer can Ward produce? Great player, but every player eventually gets old. I chuckled when critics said that he only produced before because Plax was opposite him. That was simply untrue. But it isn’t anymore. Anyone see how hard of a time he had getting open against the Giants when Santonio was benched? And the Giants have a great defense, but their db were mediocre this year.

- How long can the def line hold up? The starting 3 will all be in their 30s next year. The back ups are even older.

- The off line needs a lot of help. It’s easy to say we’ll fix that in the draft, but how many quality tackles are available at the end of the 1rst round? A guard or center isn’t going to be enough to turn this line around.

- Gay is solid. I agree. But it’s better to have a solid player as your 3rd/4th cb. If Mcfadden leaves and Deshea gets old, where’s the cb depth?

- James Harrison is 30. He should be good for another year or two, but I always get leery once players turn 30. Even Lawrence Taylor wasn’t the same player in his early 30s that he was in his prime.

- How much longer can Farrior play at a decent level?

I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point. You just never know.

by steeler1275 on Jan 31, 2009 6:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

yes steeler1275, but at least Tomlin has found a line of work that could possibly be something like "the black (african-american)connection" of the

70’s, & IMHO thats t issue here, u have ur core players and u add up 2 them mainly with very good through draft picks, if Tomlin colud have 3 or 4 good one´s every year, He is in t steps of Chuck Noll, thats 4 sure almost in t money. And Tomlin has most of t good personal traits of Noll, (brainy, emotional, direct, et cétera) & He has by far better communication skills, not bad at all, 4 a man of his age.

O sales tickets,...and let D rest a little, and D Win Championships.

by YeOldeMexFan on Jan 31, 2009 11:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

the 1979 team

Most of you probably weren’t following the Steelers back in the 1970s, but I was. After the Steelers won their 4th Lombardi in 6 years in 1979, they did have some age on the team. But I’d be lying if I said that many thought that it was the end of a dynasty and that the 80s would be a lost decade (at least when compared to the 70s, 90s and this decade).

Consider:

- Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier were indeed getting old. However, Greg Hawthorne was the first round pick the previous year (much like Mendenhall) and was waiting in the wings. And Sidney Thornton seemed like a capable back as well.

- Also, Terry Bradshaw was still young for a qb. Staubach had played till he was 37 or so. Bradshaw was only 31. But he had only 3 seasons left. For comparison, Peyton Manning is 32. Anyone think he’s near the end of his career?

- Stallworth and Swann had only been in the league 5 years. I thought they both still had many more years left. But only Stallworth did. Swann’s best days were behind him and he retired at 30.

- The defensive line was getting old. Greene and Greenwood were 33. They were about done. This was definitely a concern.

- But the rest of the defense seemed to still be in pretty good shape. Lambert had also just completed his 5th year. He was 27. So was Donnie Shell. Ham and Blount seemed like they had been around forever but they were still only 31. And we won the Super Bowl without Ham that year. Wagner was 30. And Robin Cole, Dirt Winston, Dwayne Woodruff all seemed like young defensive players on the rise.

- Now it could have been expected that the Steelers may not have been as strong in 1980 as they were in 78 and 79, but not too many thought they were going to go 9-7.

by steeler1275 on Jan 31, 2009 6:54 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

79 Steelers

You make some good points, but I remember that team as old. “Old” players now and “old” players then are two different things. The advances in medicine, nutrition, etc. have prolonged careers. In the seventies, knee injuries were often carreer enders. Now, players can recover relatively quickly with the right treatment.

I honestly thought at the time that Super Bowl XIV would be their last for awhile because of their age.

by scottlou on Feb 1, 2009 10:58 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs