I Think We All Owe Jerome Bettis an apology

by MarkJoel66 on Dec 2, 2009 2:17 PM EST

Way back on September 14th, Jerome Bettis made a comment that ruffled a lot of feathers, and seemed pretty stupid at the time... I dismissed it as Jerome trying to show he can be objective by taking a shot at his former team. (And as much as I hate that -- including what Cowher did the year he started broadcasting -- watching Tedy "I'm really still a Patriot" Bruschi trying to pass himself off as an unbiased sportscaster shows why it is neccessary)

However... Jerome wasn't just taking a shot. He was being a prophet that we ignored at our own peril.

Turns out, he was completely right...

First the quote, in case anyone missed it: (This was after Troy went down with the FIRST knee injury...)

...The Steelers went from being a great defense to merely a good defense in just one play against the Titans. You simply can't replace a player like Troy Polamalu, and we all saw the Steelers give up some big plays right away after he left with a knee injury. When he's healthy, Troy's all over the field. Before he left that game it seemed his name was being called every play: Troy on a tackle, Troy on an interception, Troy with a penalty. Whatever happened, he was involved. But without him in the game, the field becomes a lot bigger and more exposed.

People will say, "Well, they still have James Harrison and Casey Hamptonand so on..." Irrelevant... Without Troy, this becomes a good defense with a very ordinary secondary.

Well, I don't know about you, but last Sunday evening, I was struck by the thought that I was watching "a good (not great) defense with a very ordinary secondary."

Does Troy make that much difference?

I believe so...

I got a text from my brother during the game: "What's up with the Steelers defense? We suck this year!"

I replied: "Well, Troy is out."

He texted back: "We shouldn't count on one guy. Not if we are a great defense - like we were last year."

And that' when it hit me: Wait a minute... we'll never know. We didn't have to play without Troy last year. What if the difference between a great Steelers defense and an average Steelers defense comes down to whether 43 is playing?

Maybe that Jerome knows something we don't after all...

Tweet Comment 25 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I think it has been obvious that Troy is the difference

between elite and pretty good. Like MT said we all eat together. the secondary makes the pass rush more lethal and vice versa. They know that they’re gonna need Troy back for the last three games for sure, that’s why they are making sure not to rush him back. He could probably play this weekend if he had to. Looking forward to seeing the hell unleashed and winning out. This team can win it all with a little bit of injury luck and a couple of bounces of the pigskin.

by SteelersFnRule on Dec 2, 2009 2:24 PM EST reply actions

I don't want to see Troy back

Until December 20th at the earliest.

Even an average defense should be able to beat the Raiders and Browns.

I would use the game against Green Bay as a tune up. Play him, but not the whole game. Get him ready for the Ravens coming to Pittsburgh on the 27th.

Even if the Steelers win out, there is no guarantee of a playoff birth. But at 11-5, I think they are in.

by MarkJoel66 on Dec 2, 2009 2:52 PM EST up reply actions

Obviously one man is making a huge difference

I am sure even normal NFL QBs are adjusting their plays when they see Troy in motion or wandering off in the secondary, forget the great Manning. This gives an advantage to our LBs who have that extra split of a second to make plays.

Now imagine no Troy in the secondary. Do you think QBs are scared when they see Tyrone Carter or even Ryan Clark roaming around in the backfield? Hell no! In fact by now everyone knows that our secondary cannot tackle nimble guys.

by Han on Dec 2, 2009 2:43 PM EST reply actions

I honestly think Clark has never and probably will never strike fear into the heart of a QB. He’s capable of a couple of donk interceptions a year, but that’s really all.

Without Troy there’s nobody in our secondary who should make QB’s scared, not Ike and certainly not Gay. Honestly, Carter is probably the biggest threat to pic off a pass. He’s had two more than ANY of our CB’s.

by BluegrassSteeler on Dec 2, 2009 3:13 PM EST up reply actions

Watch clark make a great INT this week just because you said that :)

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

by PixburghArn on Dec 2, 2009 3:16 PM EST up reply actions

or Ike of all people

"Now that I'm here, I don't want to just be here, I want to be here for a long time." Hines Ward, 1998 4th round draft pick.

by kick him in the head on Dec 2, 2009 3:20 PM EST up reply actions

If either of them do, I will say it every week from now on

by BluegrassSteeler on Dec 2, 2009 5:31 PM EST up reply actions

How bout we just call it even with JB

He stilled owed us for that fumble in Indy. The Super Bowl win doesn’t count.

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

by PixburghArn on Dec 2, 2009 3:26 PM EST reply actions

are you surprised?/

i’ve mainted for years we are just an average defense with a prodigy safety and a genius coach that make us:
a B defense with field position,
a B+ with field position and time of possesion,
and an A defense with field possesion, time of possesion, and a lead.
our t.o.p. hasn’t been as good so neither is our dee……..
genius is not infinite, lebeau has been rationing sagaciously for years….other teams learn our tricks,and if he starts getting a little age blurry, we can forget about his doing things like setting up the colts on a monday night in 05 so he could beat them on mannings last possession in the playoffs. that was genuine.

by steelswine on Dec 2, 2009 5:34 PM EST reply actions

Agreed

Bumped this from my earlier post regarding Best/Worst things seen lately on the field. Our defense looks vulnerable like it hasn’t in a long time. No Aaron Smith up front and no Polamalu in back is a bad combo of injuries….

…Polamalu is on the ragged edge at times. He is so talented though, he makes up for mistakes by himself and others. That is why he is so good – speed, instinct and total effort make up for their inability as a cover secondary unit. ….

"Franz" in NoCal

by franz on Dec 2, 2009 7:14 PM EST up reply actions

I wish we would have signed Mike McKenzie.

Who's laughing now, O Line??? Ben Roethlisberger (from the Podium) to his O-Line and the world in Superbowl XLIII

by SteeladyinVA on Dec 2, 2009 5:39 PM EST reply actions

Tell me about it

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

by PixburghArn on Dec 3, 2009 6:41 AM EST up reply actions

Spot on ...

assessment! He is doing good things for the Saints. It would have been risky to sign him with his medical history. Had he not known Sean Payton, Mike would still be out of football. Great comment.

by tenthmtnman on Dec 3, 2009 8:15 AM EST up reply actions

Me too.

I also wish we would have signed Darren Sharper before the season. While I’m sure that he’s not regretting signing with the Saints, I bet that Mike Tomlin is regretting telling him that they would be the better fit.

by SteelerFanInPatsieLand on Dec 3, 2009 8:43 AM EST up reply actions

I'm sorry Jerome,

For calling you fat. You’re just big – boned.

by StoneColdSteel on Dec 2, 2009 11:48 PM EST reply actions

"We all ...

owe him?" A bit of a sweeping generalization I would think. I don’t know too many folks on BTSC who would have taken issue with that quote.

by tenthmtnman on Dec 3, 2009 8:24 AM EST reply actions

It didn't bother me. but I like to stir the pot

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

by PixburghArn on Dec 3, 2009 8:26 AM EST up reply actions

I guess you missed this thread

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2009/9/18/1036832/the-bus-journalist-or-messenger

And this thread:

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2009/9/15/1031077/jerome-bettis-writes-negative

And another in the fanshot…

Maybe not all… but I think most people thought Troy being down was a problem, but not critical. I know I did.

I have since then changed my mind…

by MarkJoel66 on Dec 3, 2009 9:55 AM EST up reply actions

I was hoping someone would post the link to the original posts...

I was too lazy to look it up, thanks.

But, if you read the post’s comments, it does support tenthmtnman’s point. Not everyone had a problem with the quote at the time. So, I guess not everyone owes him an apology.

I see the point of this post though, just not the wording. Which is no big deal, it’s just not totally accurate.

'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 10:12 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah

I guess using words like ALL and EVERYONE is always dangerous.

I am sure, for example, that Malor didn’t take offense at JB’s comments…

by MarkJoel66 on Dec 3, 2009 10:24 AM EST up reply actions

I thought it was funny that he really didn't go out on the limb with anything he said

I thought it was stupid what he said about the line. I still do. Ben doesn’t get hurt because of the line. He gets hurt because he’s Ben. I give him a pass on Rush-Hard. That’s actually where I give him credit. He didn’t rigth him off he just said he’s seen more from Memo. He was just stating a fact. Rush-Hard hadn’t played much at that point.

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

by PixburghArn on Dec 3, 2009 10:57 AM EST up reply actions

crap rigth (which was spelled wrong in two ways)=write

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

by PixburghArn on Dec 3, 2009 10:58 AM EST up reply actions

I remember that quote and count me in as one of those that got defensive

I just couldn’t believe that one guy on the defensive side of the ball could make such a huge difference in the ultimate team game that is football.

Well, lesson learned. Polomalu IS the steel curtain.

Hopefully the Madden Curse will finally wear off by December 20th and we can finally have him healthy for the stretch run.

by Freddyd on Dec 3, 2009 10:38 AM EST reply actions

Polamalu is only consistent cover man in the secondary

Ike is by far the best corner but he is not great at playing the ball. Everyone else is pretty lousy when it comes to man coverage and playing the ball in the air.

LeBeau seems to be calling a lot of man cover blitzes the last year or so. Contrast that with what made him famous – the Zone Blitz. Farrior struggling to cover Ray Rice exemplifies what happens in a man cover scheme. I could be wrong, but on TV it looked like man coverage. He is going against his own creation more often than not. He made the comment last year that his defense was good enough to “line up and play” versus anyone. This has led him into a modified 4 man rush with 2 DE types and 2 OLBs rushing and 7 guys in coverage. This has not worked as well as other schemes in my opinion. I believe the sacks by Timmons and Farrier were zone blitz schemes….

"Franz" in NoCal

by franz on Dec 3, 2009 7:42 PM EST up reply actions