Give Credit Where Credit Is Due: Ravens Roll Dice with Bold Roster Moves, Yield Early Dividends with Blowout Win over Rival Steelers
by Michael Bean on Sep 12, 2011 7:17 AM EDT
in Steelers Postgame Recap and Review
Email
Print
"The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable." - Sun Tzu
I won't spend too much time trying to flesh out the metaphor between the tactics of war Sun Tzu was referring to and the rivalry between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. Football is not war, of course, but let's look at the broader lesson can be extracted that very much applies to the Steelers-Ravens rivalry specifically, and how best to go about assembling a winning NFL roster more generally.
That lesson is: be proactive, creative and unafraid when retooling your roster. At all times really, but though difficult, especially at times when you're close but ultimately fall just short against a superior team, and even after winning it all and feeling entirely invincible. It'd be worthwhile to have this same conversation about the Steelers, but for now, I wanted to just tip my cap to the Ravens for a number of ballsy, forward thinking transactions made this summer.
There's probably even more relevant examples than listed here, but to begin with:
-
T.J. Houshmandzadeh played and whined his way out of town in 2010, but the decisions to release Todd Heap, Derrick Mason, Willis McGahee and Kelly Gregg came all at once and were stunning at first. How could you release four productive veterans and team leaders like that? Well, loyalty is important; we as Steelers fans know that better than anybody. But loyalty is earned through hardware, nothing else, as hard a reality as that may be to accept at times as fans. If you're not winning it all, than any and all alternative strategies have to be considered. The Ravens did exactly that.
-
Ed Dixon + Dennis Pitta > Todd Heap. Pretty simple equation. Heap will be remembered fondly by the Ravens organization for years to come, probably even by making All Time Teams. But the bottom line is the Ravens had to get faster at the position if they were to create favorable situations against the Steelers defense. Dixon and Pitta caught a combined 7 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. Both guys are extremely tough covers for linebackers, and they're not even easy covers for safetys, even great ones like Troy Polamalu. Awesome upgrade by Baltimore.
-
The decision to let Derrick Mason go might be the most interesting. There was nothing that suggested that Mason couldn't play anymore -- he's averaged roughly 70 receptions, more than 900 yards and a shade more than 6 TDs per year the last three seasons. He's now 36 and not getting any younger, but common logic would suggest they would keep the veteran around to at least contribute in some capacity. While I have no way to confirm this or not, I wonder if the decision to part ways with Mason partly stemmed from Joe Flacco's propensity to look his way too regularly at the expense of a more diversified, less predictable offensive attack. Again, I can't say with any certainty that that is true at all. Regardless, the Ravens again opted to get faster, acquiring Buffalo's Lee Evans, a nice addition, but one I don't think completely makes sense unless without my proposed line of reasoning that suggests that Cam Cameron and John Harbaugh wanted to take away Flacco's safety valve and in turn break some of the tendencies Flacco had developed during his first three seasons.
-
I also applaud the upgrade from Willis McGahee to Ricky Williams. McGahee wanted money, still believed he could be the guy, and though a great asset on the team for years, it was the right time to look elsewhere for the right compliment to Ray Rice. I personally think the Ravens did a super job identifying Williams as that guy. Williams is old enough where he knows he will not be starting unless injuries force him into that role. But he's also proven the past few years in Miami that he can be a starting quality back in the even of an injury to the No. 1 back (Ronnie Brown). Finally, he can catch the ball almost as adeptly as Rice, and that's saying something. It's a nice two-headed rushing attack, and I guarantee you that Harbaugh and Cameron are going to do everything they can to keep Rice fresh come December by mixing in Williams far more regularly than they did with McGahee.
-
Looks like the Ravens made the right call by rolling the dice on Brian McKinnie. We'll see if that holds up over the course of a long season, but hey, the Steelers just made it to the Super Bowl with a veteran offensive tackle, Flozell Adams, that most thought was no longer capable of playing at a championship level. James Harrison's road back to full strength is well documented here on Behind the Steel Curtain, but even at 70-80 percent, Harrison is still a load to handle as we saw Sunday. Harrison may not have dominated like we're used to seeing, but he wasn't a total non-factor. His compadres around him were much worse actually. But McKinnie nevertheless (with the benefit of a few no-calls on holding) kept Harrison from disrupting Flacco's rhythm for most all of Sunday afternoon.
- When I saw Vonta Leach haul in his lone reception Sunday, I cringed and realized just how valuable of an addition he is going to be for Baltimore. His one receptions came on a dart of a pass from Flacco that the veteran Leach caught with his hands easily before being taken down for a hefty 0 yard gain. Still, here's the wrinkle it adds. Obviously Leach will clear running lanes for Rice, but honestly, the upgrade in the run blocking will not pay dividends against Pittsburgh in the second meeting like it did. It will against other teams, but the Steelers will shut down the run next meeting, period. Still, Leach makes Baltimore's play-action game more diversified and scary. With tight ends Dixon and Pitta occupying attention from linebackers and perhaps the secondary, and Evans theoretically clearing out a safety deep, Leach should find himself open as a viable safety valve for Flacco in just about every situation that he's on the field and play action is run. It may not amount to huge splash plays, but it's the type of play that keeps Flacco out of bad situations and the down and distance manageable enough where the playbook opens up for Cameron.
I didn't really reference specific plays from the the Steelers 35-7 loss to Baltimore on Sunday, but whatever, doesn't really matter.
"You come at the king, you best not miss." - Omar Little
That's what matters, The Ravens have been close, real close. I'm not sure they falter against the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl had they now blown the AFC Divisional Round and somehow managed to get by a New York Jets team they match up with very decently.
But there are the Steelers, the kings, perpetually in the way. Rather than feeling good about getting close, or convincing themselves that they can get there if they don't turn the ball over inexcusably under pressure, Baltimore was proactive this offseason retooling the roster in a way that would better matchup against the six-time champion Steelers. Lots of football still to be played before we know whether the Steelers' roster still has enough to be a legitimate contender, and whether the Ravens' maneuverings will pay dividends over the long haul against other opponents they used to match up well against. But for the time being, a tip of the cap to Ozzie Newsome for rolling the dice, not being afraid of fan backlash, and making the moves he thought were necessary to keep one of the NFL's best modern rivalries alive and well.
Game on.
Go Steelers!
69 comments
|
Add comment
|
2 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Nice work
It sure does hurt. And reading all the articles doesn’t change one moment of the game (just like the SB).
Let’s see how McKinnie holds up over the season.
I believe Leach will be a difference maker.
Williams… meh
Agree that the Ravens made a very successful transition during the off-season.
But even more than that, their coaches got them ready to play at the opening bell and took advantage of the psychology of revenge for their playoff collapse against the Steelers. Most impressive was the Ravens’ ability to sustain their effort through 60 minutes of football. Once they took control, they never let the Steelers back up off the turf. Suggs, Ngata and Lewis were unstoppable and totally disrupted our offense. That’s the kind of effort and consistency you need to be a champion.
As for the Steelers, when you come out on opening day and get thumped like that, I think it’s more a reflection on coaching than the players. As you said, the Ravens made the tough decisions necessary to improve their team, but the Steelers’ approach was to basically stand pat with their roster of SB veterans. But this is only one game and not the first time the Black and Gold have laid an egg against a tough opponent. Next week will tell us more about our team and whether we have reason to be concerned.
But we have been applauding the Steeler FO for their moves...
…so where was the result of such lauded signings? My biggest concern is that (1) this type of loss will feed the “superbowl letdown” theory, and (2) the same types of excuses were heard at the beginning of that disasterous 5 game losing streak in 2009.
You’ve already read all of the early statistics on this game; the more nebulous issue is whether our FO and our coaching staff from MT, DL and down (we all know BA only wants to plan things his way) are more concerned about sticking to a plan that over the last 4 games has shown highly exploitable weaknesses, or are willing to admit that the game has changed, and the Steelers need to change with it (ironically, BA may be the only one who really gets it).
United we Stand, melded like Steel
To Roger Goodell, We'll never Yield.
I was impressed
with the Ravens yesterday – they were hungry. I was most impressed by their O-line play, and that was what I was least impressed with on our side. I am also a bit taken a back by the mistakes that Roethlisberger made with the ball yesterday, he has shown the last 2 seasons that he was moving away from those types of mistakes and he was in full on mistake mode yesterday, a bit disheartening (especially considering how sharp his decision making was looking in preseason).
"The standard is the standard" - Mike Tomlin
1 game
Its too early to say that their moves are successful. We played terrible, they played hungry and this game proves little.
by steeler fever on Sep 12, 2011 8:47 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
This. x 1000.
Check back in January to see who knocks whom out of the playoffs…again.
Just once I'd like someone to call me "Sir," without adding, "You're making a scene."
BB Sux
until something is bent, broken or twisted. Most guys need reps, BB needs to get pounded enough to get into game shape.
by steelerwheeler on Sep 12, 2011 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions
great post, thank you!
pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance – sun tzu
mentally i think we got complacent and a bit overconfident b/c of last year’s playoff game. fans and the team were surprised b/c we are placing too much emphasis on history and past performance, f*ck that, last year has nothing to do with this year. “past performance is no guarantee of future results” is something i live with every day and ignore it at my peril.
with that said, we have to see how we & ravens do in our next few games. we already knew coming into the season that we have a target on our backs. and prognosticators were also sucked into steeler hype with many predicting us SB champs. were ravens just hungrier yesterday or have they truly elevated to the next level? too early to say but my two main problems are suggs & ngata and the level of mayhem they create.
unfortunately, there are no kings in football, every year a new prince rents the crown. the Avon Barksdales or Marlo Stansfields are long gone dinosaurs, NFL is full of Icarus Princes like Preston ‘Bodie’ Broadus and ‘Stringer’ Bell. winning a SB is very much like the random violence in the wire, staying alive takes skill but there is a huge degree of luck and timing. our expectations are way too high so we get disappointed when there is a bump in the road. we need to first worry about getting to the playoffs then we can dream SB. right the ship, take one game at a time and hope you have momentum into the playoffs. bottom line, Steelers got a wake-up call yesterday and so did Steeler Nation.
There ain’t no back in the day, n*gga. Ain’t no nostalgia to this shit here. There’s just the street and the game and what happened here today. – Melvin “Cheese” Wagstaff
a lot of people dump on the city of Baltimore but you have to admit they have a good football team and they are slightly ahead of North Jersey (Sopranos) for the best TV drama ever:)
by kk99 on Sep 12, 2011 8:54 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Baltimore is a dump regardless of the football team
I mean being number 8 on the violent crime chart of 2010 is not something to be proud of. Mostly it is because incompetent court system and police. The biggest thing for Marylanders is go to Ocean City which is nice if you have young kids but otherwise there are better beaches in Deleware, VA, and the Carolinias
by steeler_in_maryland on Sep 12, 2011 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions
i never said it wasn't a dump
but that’s why the wire is the best show ever because it is real life baltimore not some bullshit. and the wire is based on “real life” characters, there really was an Avon Barksdale drug kingpin. the wire shows how much baltimore is really f*cked up, there is no sugarcoating here.
dice
Sometimes something that seems like a gamble from the outside may feel like a logical, reasoned conclusion from the inside. I just don’t think Ozzie Newsome would quite characterize their moves as ‘rolling the dice.’
It’s an interesting thought that yanking Joe Flacco’s security blanket would force him to be a more dangerous quarterback.
Yeah, the Mason take is an interesting one. I had never really thought of that before.
It’s the kind of thing that may show up in an Ozzie Newsome book years from now, and we can say, “Hey, I read that on Behind the Steel Curtain way back in the day.”
Great article. I know one thing for sure: The Ravens now have the Steelers attention, if they didn’t already.
Good Work Michael
Much better than the Steelers on Sunday.
I wanted a “W” and got an egg instead. In lieu of the “W” this may be the best thing that could happen to a Super Bowl losing team. The Steelers should be focused and motivated the rest of the season with a big chip on their shoulder from this lopsided butt kicking. That usually works well for a team from Pittsburgh.
It’s a long season and this was only 1 game. They do need to right the ship on Sunday though.
When You Run The Ball Good Things Happen
Myths Unmasked
Michael – thanks for taking time to do what needed to be done.
Truthfully, one of the overarching narratives this off season was “veteran teams will benefit from the lock out.” And “This is NOT the season where you want to be tinkering with let alone retooling your roster.” Or “Don’t even think about changing coordinators.”
Well, the Ravens are a veteran team, but they did do a lot of retooling, and and had a new coordinator.
The Steelers of course stood pat.
Well we saw that none of that meant anything when the gun went off and the games actually counted.
This didn’t just happen in Pittsburgh, but it happened in other parts of the league as well. Cincinnati pulled off an upset as did Dallas.
Final point. While I am sure (or at least I hope I can be sure) that Tomlin and his coaches didn’t “drink the Kool Aid” about Brian McKinnie the rest of Steelers Nation, including Steelers Digest, did.
As you say, if the Steelers did with with Flozell Adams, why can’t should it be so surprising that the Ravens can do it. Ozzy Newsome is a great personnel man who rarely makes mistakes, so if he brought in McKeinnie then he it should surprise no one that McKiennie had something left in the tank.
by Hombre de Acero on Sep 12, 2011 9:25 AM EDT reply actions
cowboys lost but played above most expectations
but i knew they would be highly improved on D b/c of rob ryan. ryan brothers have forgotten more about football than most NFL coaches ever knew.
mason played well last nite against the cowboys, although he did miss an easy TD pass
There are some things in this world, Captain Niobe, that will never change….Some things do change – Morpheus
jets are an amazing comeback team from the regular season last year, there were so many last minute throws from sanchez to santonio. last nite it was a blocked punt TD of all shit. highly unlikely they keep coming back like this but until they are stopped a few times i wouldn’t bet against them. (without handicap points:)
romo played an unbelievable game last nite until the 4th quarter, on third down he tried to dive into the end-zone and fumbled/turnover. next possession threw it right to revis. man romo is close to being premier but he almost always loses presence at the most inappropriate time.
cam newton is a winner, everything about this guy says “star.” need to see him against some good defenses (can’t tell totally from cardinals). BUT this guy could very well put Carolina on the map, too early to call but my spidey sense tells me this is a major tectonic move, like jordan to the bulls.
of course the jets are a comeback team
they have the most clutch player in the league that SHOULD still be with us
I'm over this game
I’m not going to dwell on it, because it is week 1. We took a beating that we needed. The Steelers have gotten too cocky and arrogant and they needed a slap in the mouth. A lot of what went well is fixable. I had a feeling that when we didn’t sign a veteran G to play on the right it would end up being a problem. Hopefully, they just need to gel some more. Either way, the Steelers need to make a statement in their next few games. Performances like that do not make you a SB contender.
"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller
Follow me on Twitter
what went wrong is fixable, rather
"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 Sep 12, 2011 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions
Agreed… I’m interested to see how they game-plan Ngata next game. He was a huge factor in this loss.
Also, I wonder who’s going to cover the second receiver from now on since Taylor was obviously on Evans duty all game.
I’m sure they’ll have answers.
Wonder if they will pull the trigger on Keenan Lewis quicker than I expected.
"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 Sep 12, 2011 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions
The Steelers have gotten too cocky and arrogant and they needed a slap in the mouth.
Totally echoed my thoughts.
After watching the game yesterday it was pretty evident that the Ravens only focus throughout the off season was beating the Pittsburgh Steelers. The two point conversion and the trying to go for it on 4th down only proved their intentions.
The Steelers on the other hand thought they would beat them in a close game. All the off season smack talk came back to bite them in the ass.
The Steelers can improve but will the Ravens lose few games for the Steelers to win AFC-N? Steelers have an easy schedule but the Ravens have it more easy.
"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).
Talking to a huge Ravens fan this morning
He said that he read recently that the Ravens actually brought in outside football people to critique the ravens Steelers matchups and give insight. They were 100% focused on winning this game…
"The standard is the standard" - Mike Tomlin
by MDSTEELERSFAN on Sep 12, 2011 10:23 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m a bit worried about the attitude of some of the players after the game. Several of them were on twitter within a few hours of the game. Personally, when I used to lose a game back in my athletic days it would make me sick to my stomach. There is no way I would have been social networking after a loss. I know it’s not good to dwell on a loss, but come on man!
Nothing about that game seemed like Steelers football yesterday and that has to worry you a bit. I cannot remember seeing a Steelers team so woefully prepared and just turn over like that. Lots of questions leading into the next few games that must be answered.
"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 Sep 12, 2011 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions
No, I was in Dewey for a bachelor party.
"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 Sep 12, 2011 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions
Do you think
this beatdown was enough of a wake-up call to see if Flozell Adams has relaxed his pay-packet demands? Can he even play RG for that matter, or would we have to switch to positions… unless of course he moves to LT?
"It's football the way it's meant to be played. That's who Pittsburgh is, and that's who Pittsburgh has always been."
-- so says Rex Ryan.
I’d rather see Starks back at LT. I agree on getting an answer at RG, Legursky is a valuable back up that can fill in at all interior OL positions (our only back up center too so he can’t get hurt) and also FB. Either put Foster back at RG, or find someone else on the market. Is Tony Hills still available?
James Harrison~ "We are not trying to hit nobody hard. We don't want to get fined" *blank stare* /end sarcasm.
by H-burgSTEELfanatic on Sep 12, 2011 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, but I specifically avoided Starks because...
kk99 pointed out in a past article that Starks, unlike other street free agents, would not be subject to the same non-guaranteed contract status due to his prior release.
Though if I have understood incorrectly, someone else can clarify that.
"It's football the way it's meant to be played. That's who Pittsburgh is, and that's who Pittsburgh has always been."
-- so says Rex Ryan.
The Steelers are not usually knee-jerk reaction type. I’d be shocked if they make any considerable personnel moves after one loss.
"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 Sep 12, 2011 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions
Not specifically due to the loss
but because of how glaring the problem was exposed.
"It's football the way it's meant to be played. That's who Pittsburgh is, and that's who Pittsburgh has always been."
-- so says Rex Ryan.
Like I said, I’d be surprised if they did. J Scott cannot handle a speed rush. That has to alarm them at least somewhat.
"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 Sep 12, 2011 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m still very surprised that they didn’t bring back Starks.
Suggs said himself that Starks was one of the few tackles that gave him trouble.
I think Starks is probably on speed dial if he can bring his weight down. I don’t recall reading anything about his back problems being a concern.
"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 Sep 12, 2011 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions
starks has $2mm dead $ hanging over him
that is a sunk cost but it disallows us from signing a qualified contract which is the cheapest and best way to sign someone to a one-year contract. starks isn’t eligible for a QC but flozell may be. problem is no way he signs for the minimum of $910k min salary plus $50k signing bonus. If we could get flozell to sign for this amount, he would only be a $575k cap hit for a 2011 one year contract and no more than $525k could be guaranteed.
we will be in a huge quandary, colon because he is injured cannot free cap space. even going on IR is the same cap hit. we were already tight now with signing troy maybe we freed up a little space. flozell was wanted but we were unwilling to play for less than $5mm, we couldn’t afford that being so tight to the cap. so whatever we do, cap space may be the biggest factor in getting someone in here.
ideally, we find some old guy (McKinnie) who wants a ring and is willing to sign for one year league minimum. We can afford a cap hit of $575k easy, it’s a no go at $5mm. Steelers may have to sign Flo to maybe a 4 year contract with a $4mm signing bonus and a $1.5mm non-guaranteed salary, that way we could only have a $1mm cap hit this year on the bonus but he could get the money he is requiring. we could cut him next year after june 1st and he would be a $1mm cap hit for 2012 and $2mm hit in 2013.
that would definitely be something the Steelers do not want to do but at the end of the day “you gotta do what you gotta do.”
I'm still not convinced we couldn't have beat them in the same fashion as in the past
New players or not.
The Steelers simply came out flat and never recovered.
James Harrison~ "We are not trying to hit nobody hard. We don't want to get fined" *blank stare* /end sarcasm.
by H-burgSTEELfanatic on Sep 12, 2011 10:07 AM EDT reply actions
The Ravens could have consisted of HS and college students
you cant win a game with 7 turnovers
sometimes we question s**t that there is no anwer to but I just built a house on I dont give a f*k avenue
The Steelers will bounce back. Whether enough is the question.
Maybe more interesting is how will Baltimore handle their new found ego? They beat the Steelers!
That can work both ways. If they handle it properly, they can go a long way, maybe all the way. If they take themselves to seriously because they “beat the best” it could have a detrimental affect and could domino the rest of the season. They’ve lost to easy teams, as have the Steelers.
The Steelers talked and squawked but didn’t produce. Will the Ravens feel they can do the same, now?
All it will take for a young team with a trumped up ego would be to lose to an easy team then start questioning whether they were really good or lucky or both.
On any given Sunday (or Monday or Thursday…)
Yeah, the next few weeks should be interesting for the Ravens.
This was just an incredible post. As a Ravens fan and writer, I don’t think I could have summed up the team’s off-season or the game any better that what Bean did above. I’m also very impressed with the class of the fans… on both sides. I haven’t really seen any ‘suck it’ comments from Ravens fans, and Steelers fans have been very good sports. Much respect, guys.
But there are the Steelers, the kings, perpetually in the way. Rather than feeling good about getting close, or convincing themselves that they can get there if they don’t turn the ball over inexcusably under pressure, Baltimore was proactive this offseason retooling the roster in a way that would better matchup against the six-time champion Steelers.
That’s what I have been saying all off-season… That you’re either getting better or getting worse. There is no staying the same in the NFL. The Steelers have made some good moves, but in general, I felt like they were clinging to the past in order to have success this season.
Obviously, the Steelers are still a great team. I just think this game was a wake-up call not only for the coaches and players, but for the front office and ownership as well. There will be a youth movement in Pittsburgh in the near future… mark my words.
If it is at the O-Line or CB position
I welcome it.
"The standard is the standard" - Mike Tomlin
by MDSTEELERSFAN on Sep 12, 2011 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions
I am still speechless ...
that the Steelers looked that bad and the Ravens looked that good. I’ll get over it but what an embarrassing performance after the Rooney’s dropped more than $200M in new contracts. Still waiting for Aaron Smith to show up this year instead of getting pancaked and pushed around the field, like he’s been done most of preseason. Time to officially be worried about Harrison’s back.
by datruth4life2.0 on Sep 12, 2011 10:53 AM EDT reply actions
Gotta drop all the empty backfield pkgs ...
Can’t have Ben getting hit like that. I liked Heath Miller on blitz pick up. But would much rather have Mendy and Isaac Redman in a single back set on all passing downs to at least give Ben a chance. Also, If you are going to keep Heath in to block, then let the rookie TE Saunders run some routes underneath and get him the ball.
If they are not going to let Wallace and A. Brown beat them over the top, then the Steelers have to use Ward, Sanders, Miller and Saunders to work the middle.
by datruth4life2.0 on Sep 12, 2011 11:06 AM EDT reply actions
That is what a FB is for.
O’h that’s right we do not have any FB’s.
by Steeler Nation VA on Sep 12, 2011 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions
What was the deal with the lack of deep passes? Ben got some time on a few snaps and there were 0 fly routes. They were taking away everything from Wallace with a big cushion. Ben should have exposed this even more than he did. 107 yards was not enough to make them respect his short routes.
"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 Sep 12, 2011 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Veteran Loyalty
Our defense got pushed around, simple as that. Many scribes are saying they looked old and slow. I know our schemes are complicated, but we seem to be the only team that rarely gives the kids a chance. Where’s Ziggy Hood? He had a great game last time against the Ravens. I know Aaron Smith has has a great career, but none of our old guys on the line could handle the run yesterday. This is Ziggy’s 3rd year now…get him playing. Same with Sylvester over Foote and Allen/Brown/Lewis over Gay/BMac. Infuse the D with some youth and speed. I appreciate the loyalty the team has for the vets, and the success they’ve had due to that loyalty, but unless they really dont like Ziggy. Heyward, etc…got to get them into meaningful games.
Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I don't like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that.
I’m still baffled by why Smith is getting all the PT over Ziggy. Wasn’t Ziggy pretty darn good last year? Maybe I missed it, but I don’t recall thinking A Smith looked lights out in preseason either. I wish we could get a better answer to the difference in what we see compared to what the coach’s see on this one.
"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 Sep 12, 2011 1:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Missing the point...
We played only half a game in playoffs against Baltimore, and again against the Jets. Our well known weaknesses were illuminated in the Super Bowl, and now, game 1 of the 2011 season, we don’t show up again and our weaknesses are exposed again. When you study history, and the rise and fall of cultures/societies, the beginning of the end is when holding onto the past becomes more important than growing for the future. Superpowers rarely disappear overnight, but instances of decline, or inability to address new challenges begin appearing more frequently. 2006 – Super Bowl “hangover”. 2009 – after starting 6-2, proceed to lose 5 straight and verbalize the same “lines” and excuses we’re hearing today. What I don’t understand is, if Bruce Ariens and Ben are so hell bent on evolving the offense to today’s standard (pass happy i.e. Packers, Saints, Patriots), then why have we waited until last year’s draft and this year’s to re-build the OL; and if, as the rest of the NFL is proving, offenses are morphing into such a pass-happy animal, why, OH WHY, do we still have Gay and McFadden in the secondary?
United we Stand, melded like Steel
To Roger Goodell, We'll never Yield.
missing the point??
Uhh, no I’m not. You are missing the point, namely that there are actually two football teams that take the field each week, not just our beloved Steelers.
Freel free to email me anytime at behindthesteelcurtain@gmail.com with questions, suggestions, complaints, etc, or to just say what's up. -Michael Bean (Blitz)
by Michael Bean on Sep 12, 2011 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Our weakness was turnovers?
"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 Sep 12, 2011 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions
We'll know soon enough
I think we all know that this team is not as bad as that score showed and we all know that the rat birds are not as good either. I do know that we’ll have a better gauge of where we’re headed by week 6 or 7. We have a couple of twinkles coming up so that won’t be an adequate barometer of where this team is too.
Next weeks score will be reversed and we can’t sing praises that we’re back after beating up a bad team.
However, it is pretty clear that the 3 upfront cannot be the answer any longer. We need Smith or Diesel to get some pressure and I fear that’s not possible against an average o-line.
woa!
rat birds are not as good either
that’s the same backward thinking that gets everyone into trouble. we don’t know how good they are at this point. we do know suggs & ngata will cause any team with a marginal O-line (like ours) utter chaos. we do know ravens choked last year in the playoffs but they may have been the better team at that point than we gave them credit for.
some things don’t change but some things do, we will have a better idea over the next 3-4 games, but we won’t know for sure until the playoffs start.
"couple of twinkles"
let’s hope we’re not the “twinkles.” (maybe you meant twinkies?). these teams were twinkles last year, that don’t mean shit this year. even the colts are dangerous without peyton if we play anything like this again.
If you thought yesterday was bad just wait until your team hits rock bottom. Almost all of your FO moves this past offseason were incorrect and the big money you paid to the old guys along with the restructurings is going to kill you next year unless the cap is raised to $135MM.
Good game… can’t wait to see your predictions for Week 9.
A totally dumb and uninformed comment
You aren’t well liked on Beatdown and I don’t like you here. Lamar Woodley signed his first contract extension therefore he isn’t even close to old. Timmons signed his first contract extension therefore he isn’t old. Willie Colon was signed and is still young. Ike Taylor was signed and held your “star” receiver to ZERO. Your comment was moronic so try to limit your uninformed commentary to Baltimore Beatdown.
"We'll do whatever we have to do to win, We like catching the ball, but the big thing is getting that 'W'every week. I'll take that over anything else,any day." Hines Ward
Some kid
I worked with put up the exact same argument yesterday. They both must have read a yahoo article.
People don't ever seem to realize that doing what's right is no guarantee against misfortune.
- William McFee
by stillergorillar on Sep 13, 2011 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions
correctly said
Its a shame that some people would rather attack someone for making a statement than try to prove the statement wrong. Maybe its becasue its not wrong! If Pittsburghs Front Office does not get its head out of its own ass then before too long the team will not make games worth watching. I for one really do appreciate having a team in our division that is worthy to be called a hated foe year after year and I think that a lot of pittsburgh fans feel the same way. I have to admit that earlier in the Ravens franchise history the biggest or most hated opponent was The Titans Who had never lost a home game and were a division powerhouse.
Del
proved the statement wrong. What old guys were signed in the off season? Ike is 30 and a shut down corner, Woodley is a top ten OLB and this is his first contract extension, same with Timmons, Colon is just hitting his stride (you can’t forsee injury) and before last years injury was considered a top ten RT, Troy is one of the top two safeties in the game, was your FO wrong for extending Reed? Where are all the bad moves? True the Ravens seem to have made some really good moves, but to say the Steeler FO has its head up its ass is ignorant. It is quite possible that you as Ravens fans are unaware of the youth that is behind nearly everyone of those aging players also. The older players on the D were all extended in previous years and the team went to the SB last year. One bad horrible game doesn’t prove a thing about the season, or the FO decision making. The Ravens lost two of three games to the Steelers last year and in ’08, were you yelling for your FO to get their head out of their asses?
People don't ever seem to realize that doing what's right is no guarantee against misfortune.
- William McFee
by stillergorillar on Sep 14, 2011 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions
At the Beatdown, we have decided that Evan Skev is from a small farming village 15 miles NW of York England where he shears lambs and trades goat soap for unpasteurized bottled milk. Evan, aka Butters or Chauncy, doesn’t like shearing lambs or trading for milk so he blogs on a computer 30 minute bike ride from his dwelling at a neighboring towns ruins information center.
by raven on Sep 12, 2011 11:47 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
that's rough
not even like in his own community?
Butters...
You just made my day Raven. :)
"The standard is the standard" - Mike Tomlin
by MDSTEELERSFAN on Sep 13, 2011 8:20 AM EDT up reply actions
sometimes, losing makes you stronger
i don’t think last years Ravens could beat the packers, and if we had gotten to the SB and lost I think we wouldn’t have been as bold in the off season, just like you guys.
the Steeler’s are an obstacle to overcome that have made the Ravens stronger.
Ravens Offensive Line
The Ravens really tricked Tomlin and the rest of the NFL this time. They did not play thier Game day O-Line at all in the pre-season so nobody had any idea that they were as good as the individual players they picked up to help out. Nobody even mentions that they have a backup Center who is arguably better than the one they are using. that All being said I really think that the ravens would have manhandled the steelers even if they had used thier pre-season O-line. The hatred of loosing to the steelers was just too great. Even if the Steelers were not all Old and tired. If the best Rothlesburger led team had played the ravens on Sunday it would have still lost although not gotten blown out. The ravens are in just that much better shape mentally and physically
Something to say? Choose one of these options to log in.
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
"Thoughtful discussion with a sense of history."
Art Rooney Jr.
"Level-headed thinking." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Related FanPosts on Behind the Steel Curtain
Related FanShots on Behind the Steel Curtain
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
SBNation.com Recent Stories
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Former high-school star Brian Banks does serious time on trumped-up charge, now hopes for an NFL shot
- Former ‘idiot kicker’ Mike Vanderjagt in trouble after accosting junior-high heckler
- Adrian Peterson blows teammates away in footraces; appears to be on the mend
- UPDATE: Charlie Sheen didn’t buy Lawrence Taylor’s Super Bowl ring
- Alex Smith gets blown up by Jon Beason over Cam Newton comments
