Postgame Notebook: Thoughts and Ramblings on Steelers Week 10 Win Over Cincinnati

by Neal Coolong on Nov 14, 2011 8:42 AM EST in Steelers Postgame Recap and Review

It certainly had its ups and downs.

Up, first two offensive series. Down, next two offensive series. Up, Heath Miller's catch while getting stuck in the chest by a vicious hit. Down, Heath Miller bobbling a pass without a defender near him, bobbling it again and having it intercepted. Lots of good stuff to go over this week.

With the 83rd overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select...Brandon Tate, wide receiver, North Carolina. Tate would be released from New England and wind up on the Bengals, where he's buried behind some talented young receivers.
With the 84th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select...Mike Wallace, wide receiver, Mississippi. Not sure I could describe the direction of either of these franchises better than that.
Do you ever stop and think of where this run defense would be without Troy Polamalu? He knifed through an otherwise dominant offensive line several times to make solo tackles. The Steelers were run on in this game, they were not dominated in it because of Polamalu.
After two consecutive three-and-outs from Cincinnati, and two straight touchdown drives from the Steelers, I had little fear of Cincinnati.
After Cincinnati outscored the Steelers 17-10 the rest of the way, most of it without A.J. Green and Leon Hall, I fear the Cincinnati Bengals.
Nevermind Dalton and Green. Cincinnati's front seven: Domata Peko (26 years old), Geno Atkins (23), Michael Johnson (24), Robert Geathers (28), Manny Lawson (27), Rey Maualuga (24) and Thomas Howard (28). And that doesn't include DE Carlos Dunlap (22), probably the most physically gifted of all of them.
I believe we are developing an unhealthy relationship with Antonio Brown. He's making so many big catches it's almost like we're expecting him to have the kind of impact he made Sunday each week. Four catches for 74 yards on that drive. And he's wide open on all of them! A few bad throws in there too.
Ramon Foster replaced Doug Legursky at right guard mostly because he's bigger and more physical. I would have hated to see what Atkins would have done to Legursky then, because Foster got moved like he was on ice skates.
Kind of a side rant, but to fully explain Roethlisberger's value, put him on the Lions, and move Matthew Stafford to the Steelers. Pittsburgh is probably below .500, and the Lions maybe have one loss, and are gearing up for an epic NFC Championship Game against Green Bay. I watched the Lions/Bears game and I saw Stafford face the same kind of pressure Roethlisberger did. Stafford threw four INTs and will probably pick up a $15,000 fine for pulling DB D.J. Moore down by the facemask. Roethlisberger's touchdown pass to Cotchery was a thing of beauty, and his interception wasn't on him.
Oh, and for all Bengals fans crying that he was over the line of scrimmage, the ref was literally staring intently at Roethlisberger when he threw the ball. No one watching CBS's yellow line (that's approximately a foot wide to scale) from home has a better view of it than he did.
The Steelers were 5-wide on that play. Cotchery, Wallace, Brown, Miller and Mewelde Moore. No Hines Ward. Still suffering concussion-like symptoms, or officially taking a back seat? Let the speculation ensue.
First play, Dalton to Gresham, who's covered by William Gay. Gay rips the ball out of Gresham's hands after a beautiful throw by Dalton. Easily the best game of his career, literally just a few game seconds after the worst drive of his career. Without question the hero of this game.
At 6:01 of the first quarter, Wallace led the game with 31 rushing yards, and Mendenhall led the game with 26 receiving yards. Offensive versatility is nice to have, isn't it?
Cotchery should have had three touchdown catches. The second came on the second drive, and if not for an errant pass from Roethlisberger, he would have had it. That's more of a familiarity thing than anything else. Against zone coverage, Cotchery found the soft spot, and "sat down" in it. Roethlisberger's pass was leading him, as if he was supposed to still be running. Against zone, though, the receiver will do what Cotchery did. Credit to Roethlisberger, though, an excellent play fake sucked the linebackers in, which allowed Cotchery to get open where he was. The third one was the penalty on Miller, who appeared to think the pass had already been completed behind him.
Mendenhall's first touchdown run was phenomenal. He developed a good head of steam behind the lead block from TE David Johnson, which he'd need. LG Chris Kemoeatu was starting to lose leverage against DT Pat Sims. Mendenhall collides with both of them, knocking them over but staying on his feet and falling into the end zone. Just a great power run. A lack of that is the reason the Steelers have struggled in the red zone as of late.
Ok, who the hell is Andrew Hawkins? Wexell says he's Artrell Hawkins' younger brother. Interesting...Andrew must have been like three years old when Artrell played his rookie season. Anyway, that kid can play.
Green's touchdown is not the last the Steelers will see of a big, playmaking receiver getting a jump-ball in the end zone on Ryan Clark and/or Polamalu. Pittsburgh will see Jonathan Baldwin after the bye, then Green again (assuming his injury isn't serious) and and St. Louis's Brandon Lloyd in Week 16. Polamalu and Clark just aren't aggressive when the ball is in the air, and they aren't moving laterally. Don't think that won't be exploited.
The next time I see that stupid "Orakpo'ed" commercial, I swear I'm gonna "Harrison" the first person I see.
Cincinnati ran so well from their unbalanced line, that has become the new stretch run - Steelers defensive kryptonite. Jason Worilds was erased from significance by either Bobbie Williams or Andre Smith on several running plays.
Andrew Whitworth handled Harrison well most of the game as well. After a bit, the Steelers started sending Keisel at Whitworth, and stunted Harrison over the B gap. A nice piece of strategy, but plain and simple, the Bengals have an excellent offensive line. That's something that hasn't been stated enough in terms of the success of Dalton. I've never seen Casey Hampton pushed so far backward over the course of a game.
Roethlisberger was 0-for-3 on deep targets, and the scale of openness of the receivers went from "wide open" to "covered" to "blanketed." An underrated facet of this game, the pass he tried to force to Brown was not intercepted, and should have been. If it was, Cincinnati has the ball in Steelers territory with seven minutes left in the half. Is he just throwing some to keep the safeties honest?
After the forced throw to Brown, Roethlisberger hits three consecutive third down passes: Miller for 8, Brown for 21 (after two consecutive sacks) and Brown for 15. Then it's Brown for 17 (on second down), the Miller penalty that nullified a touchdown and Brown for 21 (on 1st and 20). That set up Mendenhall's second touchdown run. Four catches for 74 yards on the same drive, three of them on Hall, one on S Chris Crocker. These are the kinds of things you think of when you win by one touchdown.
Cincinnati's last four possessions: Punt, interception, punt interception. Dalton was 4-for-9 for 18 yards and two picks in the fourth quarter. Before we hail him as the next big thing in the NFL, let's realize the bar is set incredibly low. The Bengals defense is outstanding, their passer is not.
It's a great time for a bye week. Overall, some ups and some downs over the first 10 weeks, which is exactly the same as every other contender in the AFC. Since Baltimore is collectively in for surgery today to remove their hands from their throats, Houston has taken over the Media Darling position, with New England probably landing in second place after their drubbing of the hype-fueled Jets. Pittsburgh is comfortably off the radar, with a week to rest before traveling to Kansas City to take on the bi-polar Chiefs (that game has been locked in for Sunday Night). Then it's the Bengals back at Heinz.

Tweet Comment 62 comments | Add comment | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Good article.

In 2009, and again yesterday, Cincy showed the game plan to attack the Steelers; massive push by their front seven, not giving Ben time to let receivers get open. This is going to be a problem for us more and more this year. With Cincy having in essense two DL’s to rotate fully and often, you could see our OL getting gassed late in the game.

I was most impressed with Mendy’s running yesterday. Yes, the stats are only 44 yds on 16 carries, but the two TDs were all OL and tough, tackle breaking runs by Mendy.

Wallace looked a little lost out there; not sure whether he thought he could coast, but his routes didn’t look crisp.

Loved seeing Cotchery in the game. Hines is the man, but its time Cotch got more time, and what he showed last week in his ability to focus on bobbled balls (tipped or otherwise) is a good sign.

United we Stand, melded like Steel
To Roger Goodell, We'll never Yield.

by PaVaSteeler on Nov 14, 2011 8:57 AM EST reply actions

On the deep throw

I thought Wallace wasn’t running hard till he realized the ball was in the air but that may have been a tactic and maybe it was just Ben overthrowing him.

anyone trying to contact me via my yahoo account should be aware it has been hacked

by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on Nov 14, 2011 9:04 AM EST up reply actions

Yea, I saw that, and thought maybe the wind (or sudden lack) affected the throw...

…but I wasn’t focusing on that one so much as some of the other routes. Hard to say, and I’m not getting down on Wallace. Just an observation.

United we Stand, melded like Steel
To Roger Goodell, We'll never Yield.

by PaVaSteeler on Nov 14, 2011 9:40 AM EST up reply actions

just watched the game again

on the replay, it shows wallace accelerating as he got past the corner and didn’t pull up until he saw the ball directly above him (10 ft off the ground), so seemed to me like just an overthrow.

by BoiseSteeler on Nov 14, 2011 10:53 AM EST up reply actions

I think the point

was that he should have been accelerating the whole time

I love the Steelers.

by tannofsteel84 on Nov 14, 2011 11:16 AM EST up reply actions

Bengals fan here

It was a good game. Your team made the plays that needed to be made. I don’t think you will find too many Bengals fans saying the refs or anything but some poor play from us and great plays from you guys that cost us the game.
The game was just as I expected it to be. I just thought we would make the plays to win. (call me a homer)
I haven’t personally seen many fans stating Ben was over the LOS. I didn’t personally think he was. The flag on Whitworth, now that call was rediculous but it wasn’t a make or break play that cost us the game. Dalton made rookie mistakes, Lebeau does that to rookies.
See you in a couple weeks and let’s do it again.

Good game!

"Next season will be better" circa 1990

by Yarin on Nov 14, 2011 9:43 AM EST reply actions

Thanks!

I love the Steelers.

by tannofsteel84 on Nov 14, 2011 9:50 AM EST up reply actions

The call on Whitworth?

The flag on Whitworth, now that call was rediculous

I think Whitworth was credited with a tackle on that play, so the call cannot be protested.

by BuccoFan21 on Nov 14, 2011 2:20 PM EST up reply actions

That deep ball TD to Green

Was absolutely awful to watch. And of of course CBS played it over and over again because there was a knee hyperextension that NO ONE wants to watch more than once. Seriously, in the bar I was in everytime they showed it someone screamed a painful “OOOH!” But, that’s not why it was awful. It just looked like Troy didn’t give an Eff. All he had to do was reach a hand in there and slap it away or hit Green as he caught it. Instead, he just watched Clark flop around and get embarrassed.

"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller
Follow me on Twitter

by John Stephens on Nov 14, 2011 9:50 AM EST reply actions

In the Post-Gazette today, Troy is quoted as saying he lost track of the ball on that play.

Apparently, it was one of those plays where he was tracking the pass and then took his eye off the ball momentarily—then couldn’t pick it up again. At least that’s what Troy said.

by Billy52 on Nov 14, 2011 10:21 AM EST up reply actions

So get in front of Green and just throw your hands up

"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller
Follow me on Twitter

by John Stephens on Nov 14, 2011 10:28 AM EST up reply actions

If he doesn’t appear to be making a play on the ball, he gets flagged and it’s 1st and goal from the 1.

I agree though, Polamalu didn’t seem inclined to do anything, and Clark got lost. That’s exactly why teams are going to keep throwing that pass. Our safeties have shown deficiencies in jump-balls and coverage.

Follow me on Twitter

by Neal Coolong on Nov 14, 2011 11:00 AM EST up reply actions

Face guarding isn’t a penalty from what I understand. If you throw your arms up in the path of the ball, you are making a play on the ball.

"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller
Follow me on Twitter

by John Stephens on Nov 14, 2011 11:03 AM EST up reply actions

I don’t mean face guarding, if he didn’t know where the ball was, and he jumped at the receiver, he’d almost certainly get flagged.

Then again, not doing anything at all didn’t really help either. I withdraw my argument.

Follow me on Twitter

by Neal Coolong on Nov 14, 2011 11:15 AM EST up reply actions

With all the new rules

it just seems like a no win situation. :/

I love the Steelers.

by tannofsteel84 on Nov 14, 2011 11:18 AM EST up reply actions

Agree

I agree, it is better to do something than nothing in that case…. Still, the ball was very well placed.

Not perfectly placed, but well placed.

by Hombre de Acero on Nov 14, 2011 4:35 PM EST up reply actions

Troy also admitted that he wasn't aggressive on that play.

As we know, he can be a bit of a space cadet at times.

by Billy52 on Nov 14, 2011 10:58 PM EST up reply actions

That

Is exactly how I saw it too.

by biggcat on Nov 14, 2011 11:13 AM EST up reply actions

Well said

I guess the way I resolve the tension between the Up and Down of this team is that the pass-happy offense is a high reward, high risk strategy. We seem to be able to beat anybody; but we can squander leads rapidly with QB sacks, fumbles and interceptions. On the one hand, we need not fear the Patriots – and maybe not even the Pack – but unfortunately we can’t rely on a 10 point lead holding up like we could in the past.

If you could go back and take Dunlap instead of Worilds, would you do so?

I don’t get why you think the emphasis on AB is unhealthy (unless you were being facetious). It’s a normal part of defenses focusing on Wallace. Blessing, not curse.

by Steelzombie on Nov 14, 2011 10:00 AM EST reply actions

unfortunately we can’t rely on a 10 point lead holding up like we could in the past

It’s not just us, though – big leads are evaporating throughout the league. It’s a crazy, crazy year…

"If you're not getting better, I don't care what business you're in, you're a dead man. I try to look critically at the mistakes that I make and try to learn from them, like our team does." - Mike Tomlin

by Rebecca Rollett on Nov 14, 2011 10:35 AM EST up reply actions

Agreed... What that tells me..

More teams than ever rely on the pass to move the ball.

We are getting a nauseating sameness in offensive philosophy across the league.

But, then again, I am a self-confessed Dinosaur.

by Steelzombie on Nov 14, 2011 12:32 PM EST up reply actions

Unfortunately, that's where the league is....

I am all for competitive games, but there is almost a sort of NBAish quality to the NFL this year – you know the old joke about NBA games being determined by who plays the best during the last 5 minutes.

by Hombre de Acero on Nov 14, 2011 4:42 PM EST up reply actions

I don’t get why you think the emphasis on AB is unhealthy (unless you were being facetious).

I was being kind of tongue-in-cheek. My point was AB bailed the Steelers out of several huge holes. They can’t expect that kind of production from any player, and the fact they scored a touchdown on that drive is so far from standard, all I was really saying was they can’t get into that many 3rd-and-longs and expect that kind of success.

Follow me on Twitter

by Neal Coolong on Nov 14, 2011 11:17 AM EST up reply actions

We haven't had this depth and quality

at the receiver position since Swann and Stallworth. In fact, I’d say it’s even better. Cotchery appears to be as capable as Hines at the possession receiver position, we’re deep at TE (hoping that Heath didn’t have his bell rung too badly) and then there’s the QB…

My heros have always been Steelers...

by wozzle on Nov 14, 2011 1:01 PM EST up reply actions

Well, I'd say if Stallworth had played with Ben,

He’d probably have more yards than Jerry Rice. Stallworth was the real deal; nobody in the league during the 70s could run with the guy.

by Billy52 on Nov 14, 2011 11:01 PM EST up reply actions

See

That’s what so cool about a selfless team. Two weeks ago it was heath. Two weeks before that it was Wallace. Yesterday it was Brown, although he’s been clutch since last year’s helmet catch and first down grab against the jets.

by IronJake on Nov 14, 2011 1:25 PM EST up reply actions

I've been saying this all year

It’ll be someone different each week. Ben’s the puppet master.

Follow me on Twitter

by Neal Coolong on Nov 14, 2011 7:31 PM EST up reply actions

Sanders will be back after the bye.

The Ravens are pus*ies compared to the Steelers. - Peyton Hillis 2010

by malaki on Nov 14, 2011 8:05 PM EST up reply actions

Agree; Ben makes good receivers look great,

And he makes great receivers look untouchable. I’ve never seen an arm like Ben has; absolutely a rocket.

by Billy52 on Nov 14, 2011 11:04 PM EST up reply actions

Bye week to develop a monstah appetite

I hope we come back as revitalized and eager as a red-bellied pirhanna feasting its eyes on a capybara swimming across a stream…

Maybe a stretch, but judging from Troy and Ryan’s one miscue on the Green pass and some health issues (Woodley, Hines, et al) this team looks like it needs a break. I am optimistic that we’ll come back without a hangover and focused for the stretch run.

PS-Where’s Waldo? I mean Wallace?

"My baby...my mechanical masterpiece. So nearly complete. So nearly perfect. If I only had a living brain."--Evil Scientist, Looney Toones, circa 1952

by SaratogaSteelerFan on Nov 14, 2011 10:05 AM EST reply actions

Quite an upbeat monday vs the last

Nice to get this one under the belt while the Ravens were in a cloud…. gonna be nice to see both the Bengals and Ravens beat up on each other both coming off of loses on our bye week….
Our D-line has been getting pretty much man handled all season, Hampton probably most.. hoping we get the young guys in there…
I too worry some what about our pass happy offense… Its not their ability. Weve had a freakish 3rd down conversion effec. recently, which indicates where not getting out fair share of 1st downs on 1st and 2nd…can only beat the odds so long….
Sure nice to be able to get healthy this week….going to take a focused team effort it were gonna make a run for a 7th

by OR69faithfull on Nov 14, 2011 10:10 AM EST reply actions

I can only add

GO BENGALS….! for sole possesion of 1st place and controll of our own destiny….

by OR69faithfull on Nov 14, 2011 10:25 AM EST up reply actions

Hey, at the end of the day, the NFL is just so balanced.

The Steelers could have faltered many times over the past few years with all these other perennial contenders out there, but here they are for the sixth time since 2004 with at least seven wins at the ten-game mark.

Like a lot of fans, I get frustrated when the team can’t seem to put the opposition away, but you see that in most games.

That’s just how the NFL is. Somewhere, Pete Rozelle is smiling.

And, now that the bye is here and the Steelers are 7-3 and in first place, I think the week off has come at the best time. It’s an usually late bye week for them, but now with all the injuries, and the overall age of the defense, it’s probably the best thing to happen to the team.

by Anthony Defeo on Nov 14, 2011 10:17 AM EST reply actions

the AFC is CRAZY right now

Personally, I like where the ‘lers are sitting: not having dropped any games that they really shouldn’t have (unlike the Ravens), having pounded the Pats into submission, and going into a bye-week. With the opportunity to get healthy, I’d love to think that the Steelers can pull off a similar season to GB’s last year. They roared back to life, when their starters came back out in full force, and ran the playoff table on the road (I could do without going down the regular season stretch without our starting Q, though…).

My one worry: why does it look like the coaches haven’t absorbed the lessons from the Patriots game, particularly on defense, and even more specifically on pass defense?

by the_proph on Nov 14, 2011 11:17 AM EST up reply actions

The Lers?

Seriously?

by biggcat on Nov 14, 2011 11:22 AM EST up reply actions

Lol really. Weird. Really weird.

by Steelchamps !! on Nov 14, 2011 11:35 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Yes, seriously. It's an old school Pittsburgh Public Schools thing.

Where are you from? Wexferd? Up New Cahsewl?

by the_proph on Nov 14, 2011 9:53 PM EST up reply actions

Simply put,

the Bengals O line looks better than the Pats O line. And we had Woodley for the Pats. Worilds isn’t there yet.

I think the Packers reference from last year is really appropriate – they were hurt at the right time. I’m thinking we were, too.

My heros have always been Steelers...

by wozzle on Nov 14, 2011 1:06 PM EST up reply actions

Zero sacks yesterday, right?

I’ll buy that statement about the Bengals o-line.

I appreciate you saying something substantive, Wozzle. Not that anyone’s still reading this thread…

by the_proph on Nov 14, 2011 9:56 PM EST up reply actions

Love having the bye right now-

Two weeks to get fueled up for the run towards the playoffs. With a healthy Woodley back to join Harrison on the edges, i think the improvement in pass defense will be night and day. Looked like Starks may need the extra week too, to say nothing of Ben’s foot. Dude’s an animal…

Huge win yesterday- THRILLED. Go Steelers!

by crosby87 on Nov 14, 2011 10:23 AM EST reply actions

a few thoughts

- great to have the bye week. Half the team will spend a week in the whirlpool.
- Heath, what the hell was that game? You hand the ball to the defense which counts as a pick, and then you do a bone headed penalty and erase another TD. We are very lucky to win the game in spite of the worst performance I can ever remember Miller having.
- coaching staff, you now have 2 weeks to look things over. Can anybody possibly step in at LG and replace Kemo who was beaten like a 5 cent drum yesterday?
- and along those lines, Ben it’s time upgrade your internal clock from a sun dial to a stop watch. Half of the hits you took yesterday (at least) were on you. Embrace the reality that sometimes it’s ok to throw it away or punt. If we lose you, then the season’s over.

on the positive note:
Cotch – welcome to the team.
Gay – welcome back from the nightmare that was last week.
Mendy – fantastic running near the goal line. Can we get a similar effort the rest of the game?

by lkwdsteel on Nov 14, 2011 10:34 AM EST reply actions

I don't think

Heath was all there yesterday when the SHTF. The hit he took was very large, even though it wasn’t hat2hat. Doesn’t take a head shot to disrupt the CNS.

My heros have always been Steelers...

by wozzle on Nov 14, 2011 1:11 PM EST up reply actions

a few more thoughts

1. Agree with R Rollett that lots of teams this year let big leads evaporate, but ostensibly great Ds? Seems like an aging D would most show its age in the 4th Q, and the Ravens drive last week and the Bengals drives in Q4 yesterday were the latest examples. Have more player rotation earlier in the games? Sit Big Snack on more Q4 plays than just 3rd downs or passing situations? Even Deisel seems to be making more + plays earlier in games. Or, let it ride, and there is no problem?

2. Troy makes a ton of very positive plays, and did again yesterday, esp. closing down behind the line to really help our run D, which would have otherwise struggled much more than it did. That said, he seems to be just plain off in terms of negative plays this year (ie, reaching up and arm to stop the Green TD catch (yeah, I know he said he lost track of the ball, but there is that too), or plays that could have been positive that weren’t (eg, at least one or two picks where the ball came right to him).

3. Another spotty game from BA. Great Q1 calls, and lots of questions in 2nd half, esp. Q4.

4. Team can be a monster if we get significantly healthier toward the end of the season, and its beginning to look like that’ll happen. Ironic how if it does, the earlier injuries will help us a lot in terms of non-starters getting game snaps under their belts, esp. with the secondary and LBs.

by NCSteeler on Nov 14, 2011 10:57 AM EST reply actions

Have more player rotation earlier in the games?

I think that as we get more healthy bodies we may see more of this. I was impressed at the Bengals’ method of rotating guys to keep them fresh, and I remember that we did something similar last season during the very hot games at the beginning of the season (the 2 or 3 games where the heat index was over 100 degrees,) I know they do some of this now, but I wonder if we won’t see more of it as the coaching staff gets a full complement of healthy guys, and as they have a better idea of what they’ve got in some of the youngsters and how far they can trust them.

by Rebecca Rollett on Nov 14, 2011 11:10 AM EST up reply actions

Rotation is easier to do on the DL than OL

A big part of offensive line success is cohesion, knowing what the guy next to you is thinking and doing, so its harder to rotate offensive lineman.

by Hombre de Acero on Nov 14, 2011 4:43 PM EST up reply actions

Really sound analysis Neal.

Particularly agree with your note about Troy’s value in stopping the Bengals’ running attack. He hits like a LB and he’s even harder to block than most LBs. Also, I agree that, if you put Ben on just about any other NFL team, he would instantly elevate their level of play and competitiveness. That’s a lot to say about a QB. And you’re right that Casey Hampton was getting shoved around most of the day by the Bengals’ OL. Looks like this might be the last season for Snack.

The thing that really killed me about the near-interception Ben threw to A. Brown is that this play was so unnecessary in that particular game situtation. Had the Steelers kept running the same offense which worked so well for us in the 1st quarter, I doubt the Bengals ever would have stopped us and the final score might have been a rout. But I guess we’re just never satisfied to stick with what’s working. That’s my only complaint; I think we’re in great shape now for our run to the playoffs.

by Billy52 on Nov 14, 2011 11:03 AM EST reply actions

Mission Accomplished

a few weeks ago there was a lot of discussion on how many games the Steelers would win before the buy. NE, Balt, Bengals. Most of the media (and myself) thought that if we could get 2 of 3, that would be amazing (injuries and opponents).

Lots to look forward to. Two weeks of film study and execution cleanup in practice, time for getting our guys healthy and back on the game day roster. A chance to smack around New England West when we come back.

quick thoughts on WARD. The past few weeks, we had lost Ward, Sanders, Battle, Cotchery, at various times and were on shaky ground to even have 3 receivers available. After using Ward for a few plays, it seems like we really needed to get live reps for Cotchery so that we are stronger as a unit going forward. As some of you know, not a football guy, but got me thinking after hearing some media saying Ward is done.

by BoiseSteeler on Nov 14, 2011 11:07 AM EST reply actions

I think Antonio Brown

is developing an unhealthy relationship with opposing defenses.

Regarding Worlids, he’s listed as the same size as Woodley, but for some reason Wood seems more stout. Somehow Worilds needs to figure out how to hold the point of attack better.

by SteelheadOH on Nov 14, 2011 11:16 AM EST reply actions

didn't see the game

but as I was listening to it I hated the play calling in the final 7 minutes. BA needs to go at the end of this year. We aren’t finishing games because of poor play calling. When we aren’t running the ball well it is stupid to have 2 runs for basically no yardage and then be forced into a passing 3rd down.
I think we need to start looking for a new OC now and plan to find a dedicated fullback too. The way I see it, Ben is at his best when he runs the hurry up offense. If we find an OC that will show dedication to the run and allow Ben to use his judgement on the hurry up, I think the offense could be more effective. Productivity is great… Ben has a lot of passing yards, Wallace is making huge catches etc… but if we are unable to hold a lead because we can’t sustain drives towards the end of the game then we have high offensive numbers and a lose. I, personnally, prefer the old Steelers with 200 yards of offense/game and but could churn up 10 minutes in the 4th quarter and win games.

by Spoon059 on Nov 14, 2011 11:21 AM EST reply actions

We aren’t finishing games because of poor play calling.

Did you happen to catch the final score of the game? They moved the chains, burned some clock and knelt it out after one last big first down. That’s exactly what you want them to do.

You gotta keep in mind, that’s a very talented defense. When they know the run is coming, it’s difficult to move the chains. I thought they executed those end-of-game plays as well as could have been reasonably expected.

Follow me on Twitter

by Neal Coolong on Nov 14, 2011 11:27 AM EST up reply actions

The 21st century NFL just called, said “s’up”

by worldtrip on Nov 15, 2011 12:05 AM EST via iPhone app up reply actions

lol

missed your wit on some of the end of world posts

People don't ever seem to realize that doing what's right is no guarantee against misfortune.
- William McFee

by stillergorillar on Nov 15, 2011 9:37 AM EST up reply actions

Great.

by Steelchamps !! on Nov 14, 2011 11:29 AM EST via mobile reply actions

Couple of things though

I don’t understand that penalty on Miller which negated the Cotchery TD.

I don’t understand that penalty on Timmons for late hit.

I am almost sure that Dalton just threw that ball away and by sheer luck it landed at the spot where Gresham ran :).

"He had no teeth, and he was slobbering all over himself. I'm thinking, 'You can have your money back, just get me out of here. Let me go be an accountant." I can't tell you how badly I wanted out of there."
- Denver rookie QB John Elway, on Jack Lambert, after Lambert and the Steelers knocked Elway out of his first game as a pro (1983).

by Han on Nov 14, 2011 12:44 PM EST reply actions

I blew my lid on the Timmons call

these calls are getting beyond ridiculous

by delisixburgh on Nov 14, 2011 1:24 PM EST up reply actions

That call was awful

Bengals defenders pile-drive Ben after the pass is delivered … nothing.

Timmons falls to the ground and bumps a receiver … 15 yards.

by BuccoFan21 on Nov 14, 2011 2:26 PM EST up reply actions

That pass is almost impossible to stop if thrown perfectly, as Dalton did.

by Billy52 on Nov 14, 2011 11:09 PM EST up reply actions

Andy Dalton

Neal, great summary as always. I’ll quibble a little bit about Dalton. I think he played pretty well. Not flawless ball, but pretty well. Remembering full well that after the ’07 season pundit upon pundit was tripping over himself to declare Derrick Anderson as the next Johnny Unitas-Joe Montana-Tom Brady-Andy Luck, I will say we need to see more.

But one of the lessons of the game could be that Dalton is a player to watch for the future.

by Hombre de Acero on Nov 14, 2011 4:46 PM EST reply actions