BTSC Steelers Daily Six Pack- Raiders Have A Nasty "Efense" Edition

by drinkyourmilkshake on Dec 2, 2009 5:50 PM EST Comment 38 comments

IX-While the Raven's did get a huge victory over the Steelers on Sunday, Edward Lee of the Baltimore Sun says that the five sacks on Joe Flacco in the second half of Sunday Nights game leave much to be concerned about for the heavily praised unit. Although Michael Oher had a huge movie released (Grossed 40+ million at the box office) he was brought back down to earth on Sunday night by Lamar Woodley who had another breakout game with two sacks and constant pressure on the uni-browed one.

X-In preparation for the big game this Sunday the raiders have decided not to play any "D" and are fielding an "efensive unit" that is expecting Ben Roethlisberger to play this weekend. The article also reminds me that the Steelers will be facing Bruce Gradkowski for the third time as a starting Quarterback in the NFL. Below is Gradkowski’s stat line in the first two match-ups.

Dec. 3, 2006 (20-3 loss): 20 of 34 for 175 yards, no TDs, 3 INTs, 5 sacks

Dec. 28, 2008 (31-0 loss): 5 of 16 for 18 yards, no TDs, 2 INTs, 3 sacks

XIII- Mike Florio of Profootballtalk reports that this season could be Reggie Bushes' last in New Orleans. He is due a heavy pay increase (8 million dollar salary next season) if he stays on the Saints roster, so they will have to considered giving the former Heisman Trophy Winner the boot. With the success of Rashard Mendenhall, it is almost a certainty that Willie Parker will not be back for another season in Pittsburgh and it could be very possible to see an new offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh next season. If the Steelers get a new offensive scheme, although the chances are slim it would be interesting to see a player as dynamic as Bush in Black and Gold? If you think my idea is hair-brained you should read Florio's latest theory that Big Ben will be replaced by Dennis Dixon, for good.

XIV-In a piece for the Sporting News, Mike Florio also draws some comparisons between arguably the most improved quarterback in the league right now, Vince Young, to the career path of former Steeler Kordell Stewart. I personally think their paths are very different considering Kordell entered the league as a second round pick that was used as a utility player for his first few seasons. Young has taken full advantage of his second life in the NFL and only time will tell if he crumbles if he faces some more adversity but all the reports of late have reported that Vince is doing all the right things to a be a solid pro in this league.

XL-Wow, the New Orleans Saints were really impressive on Monday night and could seriously make a strong run at an undefeated season this year, but this weeks match-up against the Redskins is one that I think could derail their plans. The Saints won an emotional victory that was quite possibly one of their most important games in franchise history and they are coming off that game by playing a seriously inferior and battered Redskin team on the road. Many times in the NFL games like this become a "trap" because it's easy to overlook an opponent after a big win.

XLIII-The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders was once a marque match-up in the NFL that evoked similar emotions to the Pittsburgh and Baltimore or Pittsburgh and New England, but today it is more like playing a scrimidge. Even though I said that I'm not that confident that the Steelers will beat the Raiders the way they are playing currently, but the Raiders are still the dregs of the NFL. Perhaps some of the elder statesmen of BTSC could share their memories of classic Steelers vs. Raider match-ups.

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Dec. 3, 2006 (20-3 loss): 20 of 34 for 175 yards, no TDs, 3 INTs, 5 sacks

Dec. 28, 2008 (31-0 loss): 5 of 16 for 18 yards, no TDs, 2 INTs, 3 sacks

Clearly he’s an improving QB:D

by Marvin, The Paranoid Android on Dec 2, 2009 6:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

So

0 for 10 no TDs, 1INT, 1 sack?

Wall of Shame
-"I’m glad we play Pitt twice, and not Tenn this year." - Brownie's Year
-"BB is ok (slightly overated)…but he is NO Kyle Orton! I’ll take Kyle over Ben any day" - Bronco_Fan_Tom
-PIT 24 KC 27

by Johnny_S on Dec 3, 2009 9:36 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Of course not!

1 for 10 no TDs, 1 INT, 1 sack.

by Marvin, The Paranoid Android on Dec 5, 2009 12:02 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’m with my girlfriend at her babysitting job, but she has to go somewhere’s, don’t remember where. I’m left with three little kiddies to watch, maybe three years old to five. We’re wrastling around on the floor, giggling and laughing and Steelers are on the little black and white portable in the living room. Course I’m Mean Joe, and the kiddies are Stabler and Biletnikoff.

Getting late and I’m nearly hysterical, kids are screaming, me too, wow. I’m 21 years old and I’ve never seen the Steelers win a playoff game. And then that effing Snake and his little pissant run into the endzone. Flat on my back staring at the ceiling, kids still jumping on me, maybe wondering what happened, why has it all stopped. Man, so close, sooooo close.

You know the rest. Glumly watching it out, oh well, maybe the start of something. Great season, you know. All that.

Was it snowing? Seemed like it on that little black & white, Franco appearing out of nowhere at the bottom of the screen.

The kids are screaming again, jumping up and down and spinning around just for the joy of it all. But, by far, I am the happiest kid in that room, they have no idea.

"More than 70 percent of putts left short do not go in."

by euwolfie on Dec 2, 2009 6:45 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Awesome stuff…

I'll drink your Milkshake, I'll drink it up!

by drinkyourmilkshake on Dec 2, 2009 7:03 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

Cool story...

Normally the only thing you hear about that is how barely anybody saw it. Good to hear some one did!

'I’ve learned to become a flat-liner. There’s a lot out there that’ll make your heart jump if you allow it."
-Coach Tomlin

by NYSteelersFan4 on Dec 3, 2009 11:01 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hanging out with babysitters was cool

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill

by PixburghArn on Dec 3, 2009 11:05 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Rec'd

Nice read.

by Varmint on Dec 3, 2009 12:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

here's my take

I can’t believe this game against oakland is not a guaruntee, they beat cincinati and the chiefs had won 4 of the past 34 games before we lost to them. We are winning every game we are playing, because of good offense and an awesome front 7 on defense but there are 3 parts to football and special teams is a third of the game. We sucked on punt coverage last week again and anthony madison is not going to fix the fact we still have logan and gay on special teams units. Another year with shitty cornerbacks, I don’t care if Ike’s a great press corner and ryan clark can’t cover, he crushes people but can’t cover. I want to give oline credit for continuity and consistencey but the penalties are the other reason we’re losing because the long second and thirds are just making arians dick hard. Tennesse just gave up their first kickoff return last week since like 2001, wtf is going on? I was thinking championship teams fix issues and perservere but we have something new come up every week, and everyone else has injury issues too.

by grazysteelers on Dec 2, 2009 6:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

the PFT story about DD reminds me of the saying; “the most popular player in town is the backup quarterback”

Offense may sell tickets, but defense wins championships

by canadianblackandgold on Dec 2, 2009 8:25 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I was just thinking about that.

The great thing about Florio’s story is Steeler fans love back-up QB’s. I’ve discussed the implication of having a clear starter and backup and now we have a talented young QB who looked good, threw a ball away when appropriate and most importantly, doesn’t start. I think the QB rotary club will be vocalizing soon if the Steelers don’t do really well in the playoffs.

by Phantaskippy on Dec 3, 2009 3:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

raiders Vs steelers

can someone tell me raiders Vs Steelers matchups from 1972-1977 stabler Vs Bradshaw…scores and years and playoffs…

thanx

by nycsteelerfan on Dec 2, 2009 8:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Here you go RS stands for Regular Season

72 RS 34-28 Steelers
72 playoffs "Immaculate Reception" 13-7 Steelers
73 RS 17-9 Steelers
73 Playoffs 33-14 Raiders
74 RS 17-0 Raiders
74 playoffs 24-13 Steelers
Didn’t play them in RS of 75
75 Playoffs 16-10 Steelers
76 RS 31-28 Raiders.
76 Playoffs 24-7 Raiders
77 RS 16-7 Raiders
5-5 Overall including 3-2 in playoffs.
See for yourself

by Steel in FL on Dec 2, 2009 9:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Could you get me a cup of coffee please. Extra light, no sugar. I'll just dip my pinky and sweeten it up.

I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist!!!

When the tailgate drops, the BS stops. Shut up and play!

by 1BlkGldFan on Dec 2, 2009 11:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Two vivid recollections

One was the classic battles between Cliff Branch and my favorite Steeler from the 70s, Mel Blount. In my memory at least, ’ol #47 mostly shut Branch down. But I remember Branch being the kind of guy who could break open a game at any time.

I also remember the great frustration from the two ’76 losses. That was the first of our “post-Super Bowl hangover” seasons. The RS game started the Steelers on a 4 game early season losing streak. That was the year they reeled off 9 straight wins with 5 of them shut outs. (Greatest defense ever in pro football.) They managed to make it into the play offs and crushed Baltimore in the first round. Everything pointed the way to another Super Bowl except that both Franco and Rocky were injured in that game. They went to Oakland with, I think, Reggie Harrison as their starting running back. I seem to remember that Noll got too conservative in that game. It was a shame to waste that great defensive year and not play for the championship.

by MelBlunt on Dec 2, 2009 10:12 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

The Steelers have Cassel's number too

oh wait….

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill

by PixburghArn on Dec 3, 2009 8:10 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

That is an EPIC FAIL

(My teenage daughter is now COMPLETELY horrified)

by dawgs144 on Dec 4, 2009 7:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

"it could be very possible to see an new offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh next season."

From your lips to God’s ears. Or Mike Tomlin’s ears. I think Ben’s love for him would be the only thing that could possibly keep him around.

Ligashesky has to be gone next year, though. HAS to. I don’t want to hear the “he didn’t have the right personnel” excuses either. I’ll never understand why Tomlin hired him or Zierlein in the first place.

by SteelerFanInPatsieLand on Dec 3, 2009 9:07 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

As much as I hate it, I don't believe we will have a OC change next season

It is quite apparent that Ben loves BA as his OC. He lets Ben do what he likes most, i.e., throw long bombs, even though they might be at the most inopportune moments. He gives Ben freedom to run his no huddle when Ben wants (which is actually a good thing).

In short, Ben gets what he wants from BA. He will lobby hard for BA to be the Steelers OC next season.

by Han on Dec 3, 2009 9:40 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Reggie Bush

To put it simply, no. Reggie Bush was a great college football player, but a very mediocre NFL player. He ran a lot of east/west in college and was great at making players miss. However, he was playing against defenders who were a step to two steps slower than him and did not know how to tackle perfectly. Once he hit the NFL his speed became irrelevant, with an average 4.4 40 time. He can no longer juke and jive around defenders. And at 6’0 200lbs he is not going to be a smash mouth back that can run up the middle.

I’m not interested.

by Johnny_S on Dec 3, 2009 9:42 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Even as a spell back to Mendy?

No one is saying run him up the gut. But if we used him as a 3rd down guy, hit him with some screens in space, an occasional dump off or check down pass, I think he and Mendenhall would compliment eachother nicely. Plus he’d be a heck of a return guy for us, and not a “wasted” roster spot like Logan is to some.

And, it would prove my theory that real life roster moves are based on what I do in Madden. He was the only free agent I signed in this offseason. And indeed all the planets do revolve around me to, in case you’re interested.

'I’ve learned to become a flat-liner. There’s a lot out there that’ll make your heart jump if you allow it."
-Coach Tomlin

by NYSteelersFan4 on Dec 3, 2009 11:07 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn't mind him doubling as a return man

I’m a fan of position flexibility. However, doesn’t the threat of a back that can catch come from the fact that he could also run on you? If we sub in Bush, it would be like saying “Ok we are going to pass it to him.” Maybe my big dislike for Bush is his need to be “flashy” and his seeming “Me first” attitude. He just doesn’t strike me as a Steeler.

by Johnny_S on Dec 3, 2009 11:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't get the "me first attitude from him"...

But quite honestly, I don’t hear or read a lot of interviews with him, so I really wouldn’t know. Flashy… yeah I see that, but flashy is not always insulting, if there is substance behind the flash.

That lack of toughness is his downside, so there is really no arguement there. The only thing you can do to curb that opinion was give him some runs every now and again, just to keep defenses more honest. I could see us trying some of the old inside outside stuff we did with Bettis and Willie a few years back. But I don’t think I really want to see that, because Mendenhall is a good all around back, and I wouldn’t want to do anything that might comprimise his overall effectiveness.

Is he a protypical Steeler? No. But are we the prototypical Steeler team right now? No. If this is the system we are going to run, and for all intensive purposes, it is, no matter how much some fans don’t want it to be, then he fits our scheme better than he would have 5 years ago. When’s MeMo’s contract up anyway? Because this might be a moot point. Tomlin loves him some MeMo.

'I’ve learned to become a flat-liner. There’s a lot out there that’ll make your heart jump if you allow it."
-Coach Tomlin

by NYSteelersFan4 on Dec 3, 2009 1:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He has a hot girlfriend ......though she's not girlfriend type

Yes I said she’s hot.

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill

by PixburghArn on Dec 3, 2009 1:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yuck

by TheCincinnatiConqueror on Dec 3, 2009 9:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah he loves him to a fault

MeMo is great, but sometimes he should not be the back in on 3rd down (see Chiefs game).

[Moore] signed a two-year deal with the Steelers on March 3, 2008

So we will see what happens next year. I doubt we will show interest in Bush because he may be looking for a lot more than we would be willing to offer. Moore will probably be cheaper and more willing to sign with us.

I deducted the “me first” because I thought I recalled him throwing a fit early in his career when he didn’t think he was getting enough touches. Maybe I was thinking of someone else?

by Johnny_S on Dec 3, 2009 1:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Money talks...

But how much could he realisticly get. Oooh that’s right, the Redskins might be looking for a HB next year too, soooo… long story short… Dan Snyder.

Mewelde Moore will be here past that I think. Him and Tomlin are boys. But if he can’t get that pass blocking back to where it was I dunno. If he did two things well it ws catch and block. That and his nose for the first down marker, except for that one time.

You may be right about the touches and him complaining, but like I said, I really don’t know. I wouldn’t put it past him, when you’re as big of a star as he was in college, sometime an ego check is needed at the door.

'I’ve learned to become a flat-liner. There’s a lot out there that’ll make your heart jump if you allow it."
-Coach Tomlin

by NYSteelersFan4 on Dec 3, 2009 3:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No that was him

And he deserved them. If he wanted a larger role now we would have heard about it. Esp. with Parker and Mendy’s struggles early on. I think Moore is happy here, wouldn’t be surprised to see him stay or go, depending mostly on how much other teams think he is worth.

by Phantaskippy on Dec 3, 2009 3:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Sometimes TO was right

But both of their approaches were the wrong way to go about it. Have a civil conversation with your coach and/or OC, don’t go to the press. Just makes you look like a prima-donna.

Anyway, I wouldn’t mind if MeMo stayed or went either. I do think we need to bring in another back that is a speed guy, sorry "F"WP.

by Johnny_S on Dec 3, 2009 3:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Living in Louisiana

I see a lot of Saints games and he’s not Steeler material. All he’d be is a faster, less hardnosed, more expensive Moore. I would even say that Moore as better hands, Bush drops a lot of passes. Also, Drew Brees hates him, so you know Blitz would stick up for his boyfriend (only messin, Blitz).

As for a kick returner, he’d be no better than Logan. Well, maybe a little better, but not worth what we’d have to pay. He shies away from contact, thinks he can outrun everybody (even after being chased down running sideways, game after game), and runs backwards on punt returns. Seriously, he does that all the time.

He’s talented, but not as talented as he thinks. You’d really have to work hard to design a system he can succeed in and if Sean Peyton can’t do it, do we really want BA to try?

by 13thieves on Dec 3, 2009 11:58 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Skins vs Saints

I thought the same thing, that the Skins might sneak up on them, but then the Greg Williams factor hit me. He is going to be out for blood on the Skins in their house. Jason Campbell will either get knocked completely out of the game or throw 3 ints – 1 for a TD (Sharper of course). And I think Brees and Peyton will want to prove (expose) something against the Paper #1 pass Defense. I think it gets ugly quick, Saints O is just too good and the Skins O is just too bad.

by 703Steeler on Dec 3, 2009 10:38 AM EST reply actions 0 recs