Ten Observations About the Steelers Win Over New England

His inability to keep a running back and tight ends in to help block has caused the O-line problems for years. He finally changed his stubborn ways.

For some reason it took LeBeau eight games to finally press cover. It seemed pretty obvious watching Brady walk all over us that this was needed. Whether our defensive backs had the talent or not is debatable but it could not have hurt to give it a try against Brady over the years.

Starks and Gilbert improved our OL vastly,. but we have to face some complex blitz schemes such as Ravens, Eagles,Giants(hopefully these ones in SB) to see hiow improved our OL are. The Pats doesnt have a pass rush. Andre Carter became the best rusher, so It tells everything…

But WOW!! our defensive backs played great. I dont remember a better game of our DBs since the early 00s. Lewis played great, such as the best only shutdown corner that nobody knows Face me Ike. William Gay is playing much better.

Remember, Brady had time to throw, specially when Woodley went down, but he couldnt find anyone opened. GREAT JOB!!

along with our young secondary that can now cover. That is when you will get your turnovers. Ed Bouchette is saying that Farrior has a torn calf muscle and could be out a month. I think this is an opportunity for the coaching staff and us to get a real good look at Stevenson Sylvester over the next couple of weeks. Farrior, just like Aaron Smith, are done. Sylvester makes this D faster and the kid is explosive. I’ve always wanted to see he and Timmons paired together at ILB. This could also let the Steeelers know if drafting an ILB early should be a priority next year or if Sylvester can handle the job. The way Baltimore plays, he and Foote will have the opportunity to make a lot of tackles.

FO obviously had outrageous mid round success with Wallace, Sanders, Brown. Case is closed on that one. But now we are seeing if the FO really did have solid success with press DB’s. Cortez looks strong as well as agile and Kenan is also big enough to play on TE’s. When I watch the D, I focus on those two whenever they play. If they turn to be really solid, this D could be relentless. Also can’t wait to see if Curtis Brown’s quicks allow him to a good nickel.

It was pure stupidity.

Run the ball. Get three yards. Don’t throw an incomplete pass. Don’t get sacked, lose yardage, fumble or throw a pick. You follow that strategy first and foremost for reasons of clock management. Second, because three yards gets a first and wins the game. Finally because a field goal ices the game.

I think that Tomlin is starting not to trust Suisham, but even if you don’t like the field goal, you do it for other reasons. Tomlin is great, but still makes mistakes on clock management and BA makes it harder with his addiction to pass.

There is no way they were ever going to kick there.

It was first down or punt away.

Also, I thought the Patriots pass rush was embarrassingly poor.
I’m still not sold on our O-line. We’ll find out where they really are next week.

I should have said it in my first.

Nice to be here and chat with you all.

K-

But can we talk about the Spin Doctor running hard, and Woodley having a monster game?

Brady is hard to sack. Wolverine did it twice, and generally just looked disruptive, involved, and motivated. He seems like he’s really starting to round into form; I hope the hamstring injury doesn’t interrupt it.

As to Mendenhall, I know he has his detractors, but I’ve never been one of them. That said, since he was “injured” for the Titans game, he’s played like someone who is a LOT more motivated, and seems to be performing to his considerable ability, rather than always just seeming like he’s on the verge of more, but not quite getting there. He’s looked GOOD the last few games.

I’m watching the SD and KC game now, and damn do I wish we had their kicker. They just signed him off the street pretty much.

I can’t understand how with like 300 colleges having kickers we still can’t find one.

Suisham can’t deal with Heinz field.

Otherwise, I think all your points are good. Especially the first one about the late hits. It’s getting ridiculous.

We watch football for a variety of reasons. Some people just want to be associated with winning. I have had friends who chose to cheer the 49ers, Yankees, and Celtics, just because they had winning traditions.

I don’t judge that. But it’s not me.

I love football because it’s strategic violence as a sport, where one team imposes their will on another. I love the fact that teams are different, with different personalities and different traditions.

I don’t want the Steelers to become a west coast offense. I don’t want them to follow the received wisdom. I don’t want our games to look like the Patriots. Yes, they win a lot… I know. But i don’t like clinical games with 50 throws to diva wideouts by QBs, neither of whom can’t be touched for fear of penalty. I don’t want us to play Goodellball. I want our defense to be violent and aggressive and fun. I want to see Hines smash somebody in the chops. And i want to cheer for wideouts who are either tough as nails like Ward or balletic acrobats like Swann.

So, yes, I am a dinosaur. I like Old School Football. Like that typewriter, it has a soul and i know what it is.

Does anybody else find it ironic that our pass defense has drastically improved since Carnell Lake became our secondary coach and Horton left for Arizona? I think we should Lake some props for his job in teaching these guys. I was always the first one to ridicule William Gay so I’ll be the first one to give him credit, he is playing great football as well as Keenan Lewis. He was in the last chance saloon but he came out fighting and has made B-Mac more than expendable.

nice to see them lose; their sb’s arent valid due to cheating and being a “league team”- good for the leauge if they win.

comments: steelers better without ward and farrior at this point; theyre too slow. same for a smith. suisham a problem, yes- but coaching was worse- 2 runs and one or two passes shoulda have been called at end from the 27. a punt should never have occured, and a FG attempt only if inside the 20. they should have used all 4 downs. they risked a loss when that should not have eben been a remote possibility- and thats on the coaches (very steelers-like). i wonder if pooch kick by ben was an option? pats mishandled the end of game as well. their drop-kick was the right idea, but the wrong method.- the punter should have been executing a traditional punt- but as a very low line drive in the middle of the field. ps- kemo helped cost us the sb last year with his dumb penalty at end- cuasing us to start from terrible field position; we start at the 30 or suymthin- could have won.

people asked me what happend to phil rivers?- very simple- has been norved. chargers (or anyone) with norv at helm will never win sb, and prob not even make it to championship game. maybe a good coordiantor- but a joke as a head coach

I’m a longtime fan of your articles. Just started some sports writing myself about six months back, and as a Steelers fan, I’ve followed your works since back in the “most heartbreaking losses” countdown. Speaking of which, I fancy myself a historian as well, and I’d love to see more countdown coverage considering your extensive knowledge.
A few thoughts re: the article:
1) They say perception is reality. As fans, we skew the happenings on the field, especially the negative ones, into a superficial analysis that translates to future team success, true or not. Those five wins over IUP and Clarion meant something in the standings, but we needed a validating victory. And, to do it in style proves the start of something special, I believe…

2) “In My Office Please”- Conversation would never EVER go that smoothly, and facing those men is different in life than in imagination. I agree that their stupid penalties have to stop (moreso with Kemo) BUT…. that would be a tougher meeting than that. :-) Just being a bit facetious; I understand what you mean!

3) Steelers football- Agreed. More than one way to skin a cat (or, in two weeks, Bengal) in today’s NFL. That said, I do feel we will eventually need to run to win a game. For example, being unable to run against the Eagles (and our running game takes off or shuts down without rhyme or reason or regard to the opposition it sometimes seems) would be a death sentence. We exposed a weakness Sunday in NE. That weakness is upfront in some franchises.

4) When live blogging the game Sunday, I noted after the interception somebody put down Ben. My response? “We’ll see how he responds. How he gets up determines our fate and his big game play in 2011. It’s all about amnesia.” I agree! Big time drive!

5) Ward has not been productive….certainly not consistently. For those key grabs (three by your count), the young guns probably got more than twice (perhaps each) the yardage he’d have accumulated. Then again, maybe he’d have also broken out, but I think Psycho 86 is reaching his final season in 2012 or 2013 (at best).

6) The turnover battle is deceptive. We were negative 7 in Baltimore! Since, it’s been relatively even, and we’ve beaten the teams we should because of how extremely inferior they are, overcoming a couple of turnover battle losses (see: Indy). Plain and simple. And, in Indy, our turnover touchdown answered theirs, or we would have lost to the worst team in the NFL right now…. The Steelers have come far in a month’s time!

7) Brady had a better passer rating, which is about efficiency, not volume. Tom played pretty well considering the defense’s level of performance. Completing 70% of his passes (normal feat for Brady here), avoiding the interception, and putting together two touchdowns (one on an eight yard drive that may be the difference in their ratings…. Ben throws a huge pick, Brady capitalizes). Tom’s still the man, make no mistakes, but he wasn’t as much the man as usual. Why? He saw 18 minutes of play!!!!!!!!!!

8) Suisham, I agree…. liability. Period. I agreed with Tomlin to take the losses and attempt to punt and pin, preventing the Pats from possibly getting the ball at the 35, needing one pass to set up a hail mary from legitimate distance.